CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY NOTICES. THE name of Pascal is associated with all that is splendid and illustrious in the highest order of genius. The brilliant movements of his mind in the days of his childhood and youth, have no parallel, except in the extraordinary precosity of such remarkable personages as Crichton and Chatterton. But his claim to our admiration does not rest upon his genius. It rests upon that sublime devotion, which consecrated to the Infinite Mind, all the capacities and glories of that genius. No Christian can peruse the "Thoughts" which follow, without being constantly reminded, that the great doctrines of universal depravity and redemption by the blood of Christ, circulated their vital influences thorough every vein of the writer's contemplations and emotions. His "Prayer for a sanctified use of affliction by disease," presents a soul arrayed in the vesture of a Saviour's righteousness. No chapter in the life of any uninspired man, can furnish a brighter and purer illustration of the " beauty of holiness." The original manuscripts of Pascal's Thoughts, are still preserved in the Royal Library of Paris.-In 1670, the M. M. de Port Royal published an edition, in which they attempted a classification and arrangement of the confused fragments, which Pascal had collected for a great work, in vindication of Christianity. More than a century afterwards, Condorcet, a companion of D'Alembert and Voltaire, published an edition, which, although superior in the arrangement, was exceedingly imperfect and disreputable. Not contented with suppressing a part of the thoughts, and with corrupting the text, he prefixed a hypocritical eulogy on the illustrious author,-inserted an essay on Pascal's argument for a future state-commonly ascribed to Fontenelle-in which a Chinese philosopher is made to triumph over a Christian Missionary,-- and also added notes, partly written by himself, and partly extracted from the criticisms of Voltaire. This edition was anonymous. Its whole design was to neutralize, if not annihilate, the powerful influence of one of the ablest and most admired advocates of revealed religion. Two years after (1778,) Voltaire himself ́put forth another anonymous edition, accompanied with notes, and, as we should readily suppose, intended to accomplish the same object, as that of Condorcet. He had previously published strictures on the "Thoughts,” in the Lettres Anglaises. This work gave so much offence, that a copy was burned at Paris by an order of the parliament, and the author himself narrowly escaped personal punishment. In 1779, M. Bossut confered a great favor upon the lovers of elegant literature and the friends of Christianity, by editing an edition of all the works of Pascal. The decline of Jesuitical influence rendered it unnecessary to suppress some thoughts, which had previously been withheld, through fear of that terrible storm of wrath, which had laid in ruins the hallowed retreats at Port Royal. M. Bossut, was also under no temptation to follow in the track of the frigid scepticism of Condorcet, or the reckless, wanton infidelity of Voltaire. He printed every thing which he could find, carefully collating the whole with the original papers. Prefixed to the edition was a just and honorable tribute to the memory of the author. M. Renouard, published his first edition of Pascal's thoughts, in the year 1803. As an introduction to the work, he printed the interesting essay of M. Bossut. But, strange, as it may seem, he thought fit to append the scandalous notes of Condorcet and Voltaire; although he is said to be a man, whose moral sentiments are by no means inclined to infidelity. Since 1803, M. Renouard, has published one edition at least, and we believe, several. In 1819, there appeared at Paris an edition, which the Rev. Mr. Craig, considered so much more complete, than any which had preceded, that he deemed it worthy of a translation. After remarking upon the imperfection of the only English translations, which were in existence, he proceeds to say: "A fresh and a complete Translation of the whole of the published Thoughts became desirable, that Pascal might be really known in this country to the English reader, according to his real merits. As far as the moral and religious Thoughts extended, this has been now attempted. To translate Thoughts so inaccurately and imperfectly expressed as many of these are, and to give a close and literal rendering that would, at the same time, convey the sense, which, in the original, is really in some instances enigmatical and questionable, was a task of serious difficulty. The Translator does not profess to have accomplished this. If he has done something towards the ultimate attainment of such a faithful version of this valuable book, he will feel thankful. And in the mean time, he will readily avail himself of the critical remarks of those who may differ from him, as to his conception of the Author's idea in any place, with a view to reconsider the passage, in case the work should ever reach another edition.-He has certainly not satisfied himself. The first three chapters of the original work have been left out, as not being connected immediately with its general object. And the Translator does not hesitate to avow, that he has withheld a few passages, which occur occasionally, on the subject of the peculiar tenets of the Romish Church; because he did not feel warranted, by the mere wish to record faithfully in a translation, all the sentiments of an Author, to circulate what he believes to be dangerous error, and which, from the strength and accuracy of other statements among which it was found, might lead some weak minds astray. Had the task of original publication devolved on him, he would have felt differently for it is right that every man should have a fair opportunity of giving his opinions to the world. But in making a translation for the benefit of a subsequent age, it is perfectly equitable to select that which common consent has stamped with its approbation, and to leave out the few remains of prejudice and unscriptural opinion, which might borrow, from the |