4–10 March 1822

. . . Life is the spark which kindles up a soul and opens its capacities to receive the great les- sons which it is appointed to learn of the Uni- verse — of Good — of Evil — of accountability — of Eternity; of Beauty, of Happiness. The inestimable moment in which the history of past ages is opened, its own relations to the Universe explained, its dependence and independence shewn ; the time to reach itself the affections, and to gratify them, to ally itself in kindly bonds with other beings of like destiny ; the time to educate a citizen of unknown spheres ; the time to serve the Lord.

In connexion with the remarks on the Drama -^ \Wide World, No. 3] it should be further said, ^ that this art is the most attractive, naturally, of v/ all. The others speak to man from a distance, ^ through cold and remote associations. The liter- ature of a generation generally addresses but a scanty portion of society ; of their contempora- ries, history and poetry are confined to a few readers; philosophy and science to still fewer; but the buskined muse comes out impatient from these abstractions, to repeat in a popular and intelligible form the productions of the closet, to copy the manners of high and low life, to act upon the heart; and succeeds, by thus avoiding the haughty port of the Parnassian queens, to draw the multitude by the cords of love. Folly wins where wisdom fails; and the policy of adding to our attractions even at the cost of some wit, is seldom repented. This is the excellence of the drama which pretends to nothing more than to be a true picture of life.