One does not like to disturb the faith of his neighbors, yet cannot speak truly on religious themes without touching the sensibilities of the weak, and sometimes wounding where he sought sympathy and support. It takes a good man to speak tenderly of matters of faith and practice in which good people have been bred, their hearts being prompt to feel and act without questioning the head. Precious souls, if not overwise, or strong for reform; the weak saints being as formidable impediments as the strong sinners, both blocking the ways to amendment. But temperament, inborn tendencies, predispositions, determine one's cast of thinking or no-thinking, and go far to shape his religious opinions. Our instincts, faithfully drawn out and cherished by purity of life, lead to Theism as their flower and fruit. If swayed by the senses we are natural Pantheists, at best idolaters and unbelievers in the Personal Mind. The passions prevailing, incline us to Atheism, or some superstition ending in scepticism, and indifference to all religious considerations. "Some whom we call virtuous, are not so In their whole substance, but their virtues grow But in their humors, and at seasons show. For when through tasteless, flat humility, In dough-baked men some harmlessness we see, 'Tis but his phlegm that's virtuous and not he. So is the blood sometimes: whoever ran To danger unimportuned, he was then No better than a sanguine, virtuous man. So cloistered men, who, on pretence of fear All contributions to this world forbear, Have virtue in melancholy, and only there. Spiritual, choleric critics, who in all Religions find fault, and forgive no fall, Have through their zeal virtue but in their gall. We're thus but parcel gilt, to gold we're grown When virtue is our soul's complexion-- Who knows his virtue's name or place has none." II.--PERSONAL.