by his power. All things were made by him; and ever-Heb. xiii., 8. I am that I am-Exodus, without him was nothing made that was made. iii., 14. No man hath seen God at any timeWe further learn from this and other portions of John i., 18. Who only hath immortality, dwel-` Scripture, that this "Great First Cause" was in ling in the light which no man can approach the beginning-that he is eternal, omnipresent, unto; whom no man hath seen-Timothy i., 18. omnipotent and omniscient. According to the ancient Persian creed, God, or Zeraune Akérene,* created Ormuzd, who created In referring the material world to the creative energy of a Supreme Being, eternal, immaculate, the world. Zoroaster, the Moses of the Persian self-existent, and all powerful, Genesis agrees with theology, thus speaks of the Deity;-" He is the the Theogonies of the Greeks, the Hermetic Books first, indestructible, eternal, unbegotten, indivisible, of the Egyptians, the Zenderesta of the Persians, dissimilar; the dispenser of all good; incompatithe Vedas of the Indians, and the King of the ble; the best of the good; the wisest of the wise: Chinese, respectively the sacred books of these He is the father of equity and justice, self-taught different nations, and also conforms to the sagas physical, and perfect, and wise."† Speaking of God and creeds of many other nations, both ancient as creator, Zoroaster says, "He made them (plaand modern. The savage of Madagascar, though nets) six in number, and for the seventh, he cast he does not make him the subject of his prayers into the midst the fire of the sun." The earlier and adorations, yet believes in a " Creator who has creed of the Greeks, as contained in Theogonies created all things.' .”* The Tlascalan creed, though and other Orphic Poems, recognizes the same bepolytheistic, yet recognizes a Superior God, with- lief, as will be seen from the following quotation out designating him by any particular name. The by Eusebius, from the Orphic Poems;-"Zeus is Mexicans, amidst the multitude of their gods, ac- the first,-Zeus the thunderer is the last,--Zeus knowledge a Superior Deity," Teolt, or Ipalne- is the head,-Zeus is the middle, and by Zeus all moani," to whom they attribute the creation of things were fabricated. Zeus is the foundation of the heavens and the earth, and signify their know- the earth and of the starry heaven,-Zeus is the ledge of him by looking toward heaven with vene- King. He is the author of universal life." The ration, and giving him the name of Ineffable. The later opinions of the philosophers, respecting the Supreme God of the Peruvians is Pachacamac, some- Deity and his attributes, though similar, were sometimes translated "Creator of the World," at others, what modified, as has been repeatedly shown by "the Soul of the Universe." The Shoo-King, modern scholars. Plato taught, "that there is an one of the five Canonical Books of the Chinese, ack- intelligent cause, which is the origin of all spiritual nowledges Shang-ty "the Supreme Ruler"-" an being, and the former of the material world.”— animating intelligence, which presides over the "God is the Supreme Intelligence, incorporeal, world, rewarding virtue and punishing vice." Simi- without beginning, end, or change, and capable of `lar opinions obtained in the Egyptian Mythology being perceived only by the mind." While the respecting Ammon, the Supreme God of the Egyp- philosophers conformed in their opinions to those tians. He is thus spoken of in the Hermetic of the earlier creed and of Genesis, respecting the Books. "Before all things that essentially exist, existence of God and his attributes, yet they use and before the total principles there is one God"- the word Maker, in reference to God, in a modified "self-begotten, the only father, and who is truly sense, signifying that God did not originate the good"-"the fountain of all things." Ammon matter, out of which the world was created, but thus alluded to was worshipped under a variety of that he only rearranged it. This opinion was a neforms and names,-Nef-Nouv, or Chnouphis-cessary consequence of another notion of the same Noub, or Choubis; all, according to Champollion, school, that "nothing can be produced out of that representing the male nature of Ammon, and sig- which has no existence." Sophocles says, nifying Good. The female representative of nature was Neith, an emanation from Ammon. Upon one of her Temples in Sais, is a hieroglyphical inscription thus interpreted by Champollion; "I am all that has been, all that is, all that will be. No mortal has ever raised the veil which conceals me; and the fruit I have produced is the sun." The language here used, strikingly corresponds with that used in the Scriptures to describe the Supreme Being. Which was, and is, and is to come-. -Rev. iv., 8. The same yesterday, to-day, and for "There is really but one God, The maker of heaven and earth, The following quotation from the "Phænomena” of Aratus, a Grecian poet who flourished about 270 B. C., contains similar views "Begin with Jupiter, whose essence is * Quæstiones Mosaicæ. + Cory's Fragments. Anthon's Classical Dictionary, article Plato. Them up to work, shewing the good of life. "Twas he that in the heavens fixed the stars, Mansion, and by thee, O, infinite Form, the universe was spread abroad! reverence be unto thee before and behind; reverence be unto thee on all sides: O thou who art all in all! Infinite is thy power and thy glory. Thou art the Father of all things, animate and inanimate. Thou art the wise instructor of the whole, worthy to be adored; for thou shouldst bear with me; even as a father with his son, a friend with his friend, a lover with his beloved." SKETCH OF A VISIT TO WESTMINSTER ABBEY AND THE TOWER OF LONDON. BY A VIRGINIAN. It was to this poem that St. Paul alluded, when, from Mars Hill, he declared unto the Athenians the "unknown God" whom they ignorantly worshipped as him of whom certain of their poets had said: For we are also his offspring." This ingenious allusion by the Apostle to a poem whose doctrines so singularly agreed with those which he was about to declare unto them, was a ready passport to the favor of his audience. The resemblance of the doctrines of this poem and those of the Platonic school already alluded to, with those which St. Westminster Abbey and the Tower, the two Paul made known to the Athenians, was so inti- great objects of curiosity and renown of London, mate, that we are not surprised at learning that attract the first attention of all strangers at all some said, we will hear thee again of this matter, or acquainted with the English history. I entered that certain men clave unto him and believed. Raf- the Abbey by the most common entrance, at the faelle, in his Cartoon of Paul preaching at Athens, Poet's corner, and after paying the usual fee to the has justly given to the Platonists among the group money changers who occupied the Temple of God, of listeners an air of deep attention and an expres-proceeded toward the main body of the building. sion of countenance, which says to the Apostle, I had often heard that the architecture and external almost thou persuadest us to be Christians. Opi- appearance of the building were overrated; that its nions still more strikingly in accordance with those principal lustre was derived from its age; and that of the Scriptures are to be found in the Indian most of the admiration in which it was held sprang Sacred Books, as the following quotations from from historical associations, and the gorgeous specRobertson's India will show. "The Pundits as-tacles of which it had been the theatre; and, consert that it was the Supreme Being who, by his sequently, was not so well prepared to be pleased power, formed all creatures of the animal, vegeta- with the structure itself as I was. From floor to ble and material world, from the four elements of ceiling it is grand. Of course I speak of the infire, water, air and earth, to be an ornament to the side. The exterior, with the exception of Henry magazine of creation; and whose comprehensive VIIth's Chapel, is not worthy of the interior. The benevolence selected man, the centre of knowledge, adjacent grounds, embracing a large number of to have dominion and authority over the rest; and tomb stones which form the pavement of a public having bestowed upon this favorite object judge- promenade, as much frequented as the side walk of ment and understanding, gave him supremacy over a business street, are in a state of dilapidation, disthe corners of the world." graceful to the Parliament which sits on the other "As God is immaterial, he is above all concep-side of the street and votes away thousands every tion; as he is invisible, he can have no form; but year for less worthy objects; neglecting this, from what we behold of his works, we may conclude only because they are familiar with it from daily that he is eternal, omnipotent, knowing all things, observation. The Chapel of Henry the VIIth which and present every where." These opinions can stands like a sort of wing at the end of the nave not be regarded as modern interpolations in the or main body of the building is, both within and Indian creed, as they are found in the Baghvat without, above and below, roof, floor, walls, winGeeta, an episode in the Mahabarrat, a sacred dows, carving, tracery, woodwork and all, one of poem referred to 1000, A. C. The following ex- the most elaborated pieces of Gothic art that can tract from this poem possesses a beauty and sub-be imagined. An architect, not long since, exlimity approaching that of the Inspirited Writers. pressed it as his opinion, that such a work could "O, Mighty Being, who art the prime Creator, not now be erected for less than £2,000,000, an eternal God of Gods, the World's Mansion! Thou estimate which seems incredible when we consider art the incorruptible Being, distinct from all things the dimensions of the structure. It is made the transient. Thou art before all Gods, the ancient depository of a number of the banners of ancient Pooroosh (i. e. vital soul) and the Supreme Supporter knights, and is not used as a chapel unless the of the Universe. Thou knowest all things and chapel in the main body of the Abbey be undergoart worthy to be known; thou art the Supreme ing repair, or otherwise rendered unsuitable for ser vice. The monuments in it are numerous, and this consecrated precinct. The last name my eye constructed with a profuse disregard of expense. fell upon was that of Addison, the scholar, the There are other chapels (of course very much moralist, the wit, the poet, the liberal politician and smaller) to the number of six or seven throughout enlightened benefactor of his age. I thought of the Abbey; all of them tenanted by the illustrions the words he had written, "When," said he, "I dead, and adorned according to the varying tastes look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of the ages in which they and the monuments dies within me; when I read the epitaphs of the within them were finished. I passed through them beautiful, every inordinate desire goes out; when all, and had no hand-book with me except the I meet with the griefs of parents upon a tombstone, account of Westminster Abbey contained in Leigh's my heart melts with compassion; when I see the picture of London. There was a guide, or "Ver- tomb of parents themselves, I consider the vanity ger," as he was called in old times, along, who, of grieving for those whom we must quickly folmechanically, and as fast as he could speak, pointed low; when I see kings lying by those who deposed out the various monuments. He was dressed with them; when I consider rival wits placed side by studied neatness, and wore a black gown in token side, or the holy men that divided the world with of his office; but his information did not extend their contests and disputes, I reflect with sorrow beyond the inscription upon the tombs and what and astonishment upon the little competitions, facmight have been gathered from a penny guide pam- tions and debates of mankind. When I read the phlet. He did not know as much as a Frenchman, several dates of the tombs, of some that died yeswho was among the party, made known in broken terday, and some six hundred years ago, I consider English. We got into an apartment in which were that great day, when we shall all of us be contempokept two chairs of rough materials and rude con- ries, and make our appearance together." struction. One of them, was the chair in which the monarchs of England have been crowned for several centuries, and in it the stone on which the kings of Scotland were made to stand when receiving their crown. The Verger invited the party to sit" where her Majesty sat when she was crowned." The North Transept contains monuments of more modern construction than those in the chapels. Some of the most elaborate and conspicuous are erected in memory of persons whose names are never mentioned in the history of the past, except of the British peerage, and who would not be known but for their cenotaphs. Pitt and Fox, the rivals in Parliament, and the leaders of two great parties, which alternately swayed the destinies of the British Kingdom at the most eventful period of its existence, lie almost side by side; a few feet only separate the slabs which point out their resting places. Chatham and Lord Mansfield are therethe virtues and excellencies which endeared them to England perpetuated in the best of marble. Major Andre, whose remains were brought here from America in 1821, also has a monument; and a pathetic inscription tells his accomplishments and his end. But it is useless to attempt to specify names,—the whole building is full-still less can I describe them. If the attempt were made, I should have to tell of every shade of art and taste from the Pagan images, which look so odd in a Christian Church, to the unpolished stone slab with its old style inscription. The nave for near two hundred feet is studded with them. And whilst on the subject, I will notice a visit to St. Sepulchre's Church, (erected by Sir Christopher Wren in 1670 in Skinner Street,) where our Virginia John Smith lies buried. Pocahontas was buried at Gravesend, 28 miles below London, where she was about to embark for America. I learned the locality of Smith's tomb from an old work which says, "The famous Capt. John Smith, who, perhaps, underwent more romantic adventures and deeds of arms than any other man who ever existed, rests here from his turmoils. I refer to his history for his wondrous acts of chivalry; for the kindness he experienced among the Turks, from the beauteous lady Tragaby Sanda! the charitable lady Calamata! and the blessed Pocahontas, the great king of Virginia's daughter!!!" The tower of London continues to attract as many visitors as it ever did. It is daily seen by hundreds and at the gate are sold guide books to it in three languages. Some of the buildings were destroyed a year or two ago by fire: Still, so many others remain, that the parts destroyed are scarcely missed from an area of five acres, covered with barracks, armories, offices, a church, store houses and even shops. Visitors are conducted over such parts of the establishment as are open to the public, by warders, dressed in red frock coats, with a profusion of buttons, stars and devices upon them. You are at first ushered into the Horse Armory-a large apartment at once commemmorative of feudalism, knighthood, battles and tournaments, and the progress made in the art of war, during a The " 'Poets Corner" is a crowded mausoleum period of more than four hundred years, from of genius. The most unpretending portion of the the time of Edward Ist to that of James IInd. national edifice, it contains the monuments of men There is a group of equestrian figures ranged who are now more thought of than all the royal along the whole of the apartment in chronological inhabitants who occupy the statelier recesses. 1 order, accoutred in the very armor which was worn I went out of the Abbey, as I had entered it from by the kings and warriors of England in those POETICAL SIMILARITIES. Editor of the Southern Literary Messenger. days. Among the most prominent, I observed the famous John of Gaunt, from whom sprang so many kings; the suit worn by the black prince at the battle of Cressy; the armor of Henry the VIth show-To B. B. MINOR, Esq. ing what was worn when the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster were raging, when Jack Cade and Joan of Arc became famous, and DEAR SIR: The Poetical similarities, which I when the imperishable art of printing was invented; have here collected and send you, may serve the the steel of Henry Vth the companion of Falstaff purpose of adding variety to the pages of the Mesand of Edward IIIrd, who added the words "Dieu senger, and of amusing that class of your readers et mon droit," to the Royal Coat of Arms. The who are, like me, lovers of good poetry. Farther armor appears highly polished, and from the pro- than to amuse has not been attempted. It is still tection it afforded against arrows and lances, I farther from my intention to arraign the authors deem it nothing marvellous that the heroes of here quoted, for the sin of literary larceny or plachivalry were bold to lead their followers to onsets, giarism. The imitation, and still more, the similiin truth, perilous only to the poor soldier who could tude, either casual or intentional, between passages not encircle himself with metal. The horses were of different authors, is certainly not plagiarism. likewise coated, and, therefore, the strongest were If it were, there is not an English author of my required. Some of the suits of armor were pointed acquaintance, who could not be convicted of apout by the warder as having been worn by noble propriating epithets, images, and sometimes entire knights of latter-day creation, who tilted at the passages, the property of others. Indeed, as Sir Eglinton tournament in 1839. The walls of this Walter Scott has remarked, [Intro. Min. Scottish great apartment, or Horse Armory, are lined with Border] Homer is only entirely original, because arms of every description, arranged in various we have lost the compositions of those bards who shapes, and representing different devices. Above must have preceded him, and from whom he must it is what was once called the Spanish Armory, have borrowed many thoughts, turns of expression, from the number of trophies it contained which images, hints, &c. For surely it were absurd to were taken from the Spanish Armada. They suppose, that such an art as Poetry ever sprang show you a quantity of instruments of Spanish invention and manufacture intended to have been used to torment the English prisoners, which that "invincible" expedition expected to take-such as thumb screws, poisoned pikes, a machine for compressing and fastening a man into the space of about three feet; yokes, cravats of iron, &c. The relics of the age of Elizabeth are very numerous, If I had more space and were disposed to inmany of them very curious, and some reflecting as vestigate this subject thoroughly, I would divide it little credit on the English as did the thumb screws into these heads: Plagiarism, Imitation, Similarity, on the Spaniards. There was the axe which and Coincidence. I would say, that the first must severed the head of Ann Boleyn from her body-bear sufficient evidence of motive or purpose. a deed which was performed by an executioner, That it must be an intentional appropriating of specially brought from Calais. I held it in my something of value--such as an argument, an image, hand. Raleigh's room was there, where he was or some remarkable epithet belonging to another. confined before his execution, where he slept and Imitation is of two kinds that which is casual, wrote his history of the world. But the limits of or usual and customary among authors, and that this sketch leave no room to tell of many other which is servile, which latter does not strive to things in this apartment; nor of the antique cannon combine thoughts and beauties, so as to impress a in the yard; nor of the crown jewels and regalia, conclusion or result that is new, but is a mere remore than that, I saw them in the strong room, in production of the model which otherwise ought to the large glass case in which they are preserved. be brought out improved or altered to answer some They consist of several crowns, sword of State, end not known to the original artist. Similarity sceptre, staves, salt cellar, bracelets, spoons, wine needs no definition, and Coincidence differs from fount and other paraphernalia. I need not say it in this, that it consists in the employment of the any thing of the lustre of the polished gold and exact image or expression by two authors who the glittering diamonds and precious stones. The could not have known each other. And I would contents of the room are valued at £3,000,000, proceed to furnish examples under each head. But and the crown made for Queen Victoria of itself I am not attempting anything so extensive; endeaat £1,000,000. What a sum to pay for the daz-voring merely to write something that will amuse, zling reflection of a little concentrated light! Such is in a light gossipping sort of way. The quotations the sole use of the diamond upon a monarch's brow!' found here, would be generally ranged under the VOL. X-30 into existence full grown and armed like the goddess of Wisdom from the brain of Jupiter; or, that such splendid structures as the Epics of Homer could have arisen, like the castle in the fairy tale, in one night, without having been perfected after models, and designs and rules of art, resulting from the attempts and experience of ages. head of similarity and the reader must not look for to quote them entire, without marring their beauty much system. This similarity, though generally pervading the whole Republic of Letters, is particularly observable among contemporaries. Two great authors, both master spirits in the style peculiar to each, have not been ashamed to acknowledge the influence of contemporaries upon the general conception as well as upon particular passages of their poems. 66 Mr. Shelley, in his preface to the "Revolt of Islam," says "I have avoided the imitation of any contemporary style. But there must be a re"semblance, which does not depend upon their own "will, between all the writers of any particular age. "They cannot escape from subjection to a common "influence which arises out of an infinite combi"nation of circumstances belonging to the times in "which they live, though each is, in a degree, the "author of the very influence by which his spirit "is thus pervaded." "And this is an influence which neither the meanest scribbler, 66 nor the sublimest genius of any era can escape, "and which I have not attempted to escape." by cutting them up, or abridging them, in hopes that the splendid gems of poetry with which I have adorned my pages, would afford pleasure to those who may peruse them, should my own short observations fail to arrest or merit their attention. If this should prove too long an introduction for so unimportant an article, it must be attributed to the influence of taste in the West, where porches are not unfrequently seen larger than the houses they are intended to adorn. To commence, then, with Shakspeare. It is remarkable, that many of the most admired passages in our poets are to be traced to the inspiration of his muse. As an instance, take the following celebrated and often quoted lines of Pope "Honor and fame from no condition rise, Act well your part, there all the honor lies."-Pope. is to be found in the following— The germ of this thought, and similarly expressed, "From lowest place, when virtuous things 'proceed,' The place is dignified by the doer's deed."-Shakspeare. Young says in one place "How blest is he who first gave tongue to time!" Night Thoughts. "The bell strikes one. We take no note of time Ibid. The thought seems to have arisen quite naturally in his mind on hearing the tolling of a bell at midnight, as he lay oppressed with those bitter and intense thoughts which are the characteristics of his poetry. But there is a line in Hamlet very similar After the publication of the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," there appeared in the newspapers of the day, an article over the initials of Coleridge [S. T. C.] accusing Sir Walter Scott of plagia- And in another— rism. Coleridge having, at that time, but slight acquaintance with Scott, requested Southey to write to him and inform him, that he was not the author of the accusatory paragraph. Sir Walter, (then Mr. Scott) in answer to Southey's letter, replies—“As for the imitations, I have not the "least hesitation in saying to you, that I was un"conscious at the time of appropriating the goods "of others, although I have not the least doubt, "that several of the passages must have been run"ning in my head. Had I meant to steal, I would "have been more cautious to disfigure the stolen goods. In one or two instances, the resemblance "seems general and casual, and in one, I think it was impossible I could practice plagiarism, as "Ethwald, one of the poems quoted, was published "after the Lay of the Last Minstrel."-Lockhart's Scott. 66 "The iron tongue of midnight has tolled twelve." Hamlet. Horatio in the same play says Mr. "I have heard The cock, that is the trumpet of the morn, Gray was perhaps thinking of the cock, as "The breezy call of incense-breathing morn, I may as well observe, that though this amuse-here ment is not despicable, and is frequently resorted to by literary men, as is observed by the "researching" D'Israeli, [so my Lord Byron calls him] and therefore I am not ashamed of indulging in so elegant and intellectual an entertainment, still I have not set me down with pen and ink at my side for the sole purpose of detecting similarities. Those here offered, are such as have occurred to me, and are such remarkable passages, as fixed themselves in my memory, either by the beauty which they possess, or the obvious similarity they bear to each other. As soon as any passages occurred to me, I turned to the author, and have preferred generally No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed." Elegy. And from Mr. Gray, Mr. Rogers may have borrowed the feature of the swallow in the picture of quiet happiness he draws in his popular liule poem, "The Wish." "The swallow oft beneath my thatch Shall twitter from her clay-built nest; |