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,—inserte‹" an essay on Pascal's argument for a future state-common

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

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sanction of such a name, an influence that they ought not to have.

Finally, the Translator does not hesitate to say, that the intervals of time, which the duties of an active pastoral charge allowed him to give to this work, and to the meditations which its pages suggested, have been among the happiest and most gratifying portions of his life; and, that if this version, though imperfect, shall afford even a moderate share of such gratification to those readers who are shut out from the pages of the the original, or shall lead others to seek for that pleasure in the original text, he will have realized an ample reward.*"g

It must have been noticed, that the successive editions of the Thoughts, contained more or less of new matter, in consequence of new investigations of the original manuscripts. These are said to be very illegible. Some thoughts have never yet appeared, because they were left so unfinished, that they are merely fragments of fragments. M. Bossut in the preface abovementioned, remarks,-"That it is not that these do not contain some most excellent considerations, and are not suited to furnish grand views to such as can well understand them. But as the editors deemed it inexpedient to elucidate and finish them, they would be entirely useless, if printed as they were found." The following is an example. "A tradesman who discourses of riches, an attorney who discourses of war, of royalty, &c. But the rich discourse well of riches, the king discourses with indifference of a large gift, which he is about to bestow, and God discourses well of God.t"

According to the same writer, it appears, "that Pascal had made some very particular remarks upon the style of the Scriptures, and principally upon the style of the New Testa

*Mr. C's Preface was dated, June 1st, 1825.

t "Un artisan qui parle des richesses, un procureur qui parle de la guerre, de la royauté, etc. Mais le riche parle bien des richesses, le roi parle froidement d'un grand don qu'il vient de faire, et Dieu parle bien de Dieu."

ment. He there discovered beauties, which perhaps no one before him had remarked. He admired, among other characteristics, the näivete, the simplicity, and so to speak, the indifference (la froideur) with which Jesus Christ appears to discourse of subjects the most elevated, exalted, sublime; as for example, the kingdom of God, the glories of the saints in heaven, the torments of hell,- -on which he does not expatiate, as has been the practice of the Fathers and others, who have written upon these topics. The true cause of this, says Pascal, is, that the things which are in fact infinitely great and sublime in our estimation, are not so with respect to Jesus Christ; and it cannot be considered strange, that he spoke of them without astonishment and admiration. Since we may observe that a general speaks with the utmost simplicity and without emotion, of the siege of an important place, and the winning of a great battle,—and a king speaks with indifference of a sum of 5 or 10 millions, while a private citizen, a mechanic, cannot speak of it, except in terms of great exaggeration."

"Such," continues M. Bossut, "is the thought contained in the few words, which compose the fragment: and to a reasonable and candid mind, this consideration, added to others of a similar character, may certainly furnish some evidence of the divinity of Jesus Christ."

This fragment alone would be sufficient to convince us, that Pascal possessed no ordinary powers of discrimination. The argument for our Savior's divinity, deduced from the manner, in which he was accustomed to discourse upon the most exalted and tremendous themes, cannot fail to exite emotions of moral grandeur.

From the fragments just quoted, it is readily perceived, that Pascal committed his thoughts to paper, merely as hints for future effort. It will be seen by the Memoir, that he was afflicted with a most distressing disease, during all the time, which he devoted to meditation on the different topics, which he purposed to discuss in his contemplated work. He wrote his thoughts without any method, and on loose pieces of paper,wishing merely, as it would seem to assist his memory, when he