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there a possibility of suspence or hesitation between this and anyother religion extant, he could freely trust the determination of aquestion so important to the candid decision of real virtue and im-partial philosophy. In a word, as the late professor J. II. Beattiejustly observes of Christian morality, in his “ Farewell Lecture,”delivered in Marisclr.il College, 1st April, 17S9,—“ To attain ourgreatest happiness in heaven, we have only to prefer and pursuewhat is in reality our greatest happiness on earth. Yet wereChristian virtue attended in this life by hardships infinitely ex-ceeding those that now attend it, nay, were it one unceasinghardship of both mind and body, no rational being, who soughthis own interest, could hesitate to practise it, considering theauthority, by which it is enjoined, and the everlasting importanceof the sanctions awaiting it hereafter. For the New Testamentnot only contains a system of moral doctrine so pure and perfect,as would deserve the acquiescence of every true philosopher, evenif it had been proposed by no divine authority, or connected withno eternal retribution, but is, moreover, attested by proofs sostrong and so various, that the conversion of those who reject itcould hardly be hoped for, though a messenger from the deadwere commissioned on purpose. This may seem paradoxical,yet any candid man, who is acquainted with the history of theChristian church, may easily convince himself, that it is not thewant of reasonable evidence in our religion, which makes theinfidel dislike it, but the want of licentious doctrine, a wantwhich no messenger from the dead could be expected to supply.Look on the conduct and morality of unbelievers. Where is theman among them whose virtue has suggested an improvement ofthat system, which he renounces as imperfect? Alas 1 he renouncesit in order, not to improve his virtue, but to hide from himselfhis sins, of which it would perpetually remind him. Where isthe man among them, who retains in other inquiries that scrupu-losity of logic, which he tortures to perplex the evidence of thegospel? Alas the blasphemy of Voltaire is tried by gentler scru-tiny, than the doctrine of Jesus; and at last we learn, that, inopposition to the cruelty of some interested Jews, the obstinacyof a few ancient believers in magic, the palpable mistakes andmisrepresentations of insidious or ignorant men, the apostacy ofa profligate emperor, the sneer of a petulant Frenchman—theopinions of the learned avail nothing, nor the practice of thevirtuous, nor the certainty of the inference of the cause from theeffect, nor the faith of nations, nor the accomplishment of pro-phecy, nor the demonstration of miracles, nor the Mood and testi-mony of 10,000 martyrs.” We shall conclude this importantsubject with a few lines from Mr. Beattie’s beautiful poem “ Onthe Excellence of Christianity:”

“ But lo ! what genial tides of heavenly beam,

Pour’d slowly mid’st the rolling darkness stream 1Lo, where the radiant cross displayed on highInflames the languor of yon eastern sky :

Thro’ air, earth, ocean, spreads the expanding ray,

And wraps the nations in a blaze of day.

Hark ! a voice 1—‘ Hear my favour’d people, hear,

‘ Repent; for heaven’s eternal reign is near.

‘ Come ye whom long laborious care employs,

' Whom doubts alarm, whom servitude annoys,

‘ Come, bear my burden, to my yoke agree‘ Ye weak, ye heavy laden, come to me,

‘ My yoke is easy and my burden light;

‘ Hope cheers my servant, endless joys requite.

‘ Comfort I bring, and mercy unconfin’d,

, ‘ And peace on earth, and good will to mankind. ,

‘ My law no more in thunder I proclaim,

* Thron’d, in thick darkness, and tempestuous flame ;

‘ Rich offerings no longer 1 require,

‘ Or glittering altars crown’d with costly fire :

* I ask,, and wliat 1 ask my words impart,

‘ Repentance, faith, and purity of heart.

‘ Come then, my people, listen and believe :

* Seek, ye will find me; ask, ye shall receive:

* Come, for the joys of heaven on earth I send,

' Come to your Lord, your Saviour, and your friend.”

CIIRISTIANOPLE, a port-town of Sweden, situated on theBaltic Sea, in South Gothland. Lon. 15. 17. E. Lat. 57. 2d. N.

CURISTIANSBURGH, a town of Virginia, thq capital ofWontgomery county.

CHR1STIANSTADT, a strong fortified towiT of Sweden,in South Gothland Lon. 14. 40. E. Lat. 56. 25. N.

CHRISTINA Alexandra, daughter of Gustavus Adolphusking of Sweden, was born in )62d; and succeeded to the crownin 103:1, w hen only seven years of age. This princess discoveredeven in her infancy, what she afterwards expressed in her memoirs,ail invincible antipathy for the employments and conversation ofwomen ; and she had the natural awkwardness of a man with re-spect to all the little works which generally fall to their share.She was fond of violent exercises, and such amusements as consistin feats of strength and activity. She had also both ability and tastefor abstracted speculations ; and amused herself with language andthe sciences, particularly that of legislature and government. Shederived her knowledge of ancient history from its source ; andPolybius and Tlnicydvles were her favourite authors. As shew'as the sovereign ot a powerful kingdom, most of the princes inEurope aspired to her bed. Among her suitors w ere the princeof Denmark, the Elector Palatine, the Elector of Brandenburgh,the King of Spain, the King of the Romans, Don John of Aus-tria ; Sigismund of Rokocci, count and general of Cassovia;Stanislaus King of Poland ; John Casimir his brother; and CharlesGustavus duke of Deux Pouts, son of the great Gu-tavus’ssister, and consequently her first cousin. To this nobleman,as well as to all his rivals she refused her hand ; but she causedhim to be appointed her successor by the states. Political inte-rests, differences of religion, and contrariety of manners,furnished Christina with pretences for reje;ting all her suitors;but her true motives were the love of independence, and astrong aversion she had conceived, even in her infancy, fromthe marriage yoke. “ Do not force me to marry (said sheto the states,) "for if I should have a son, it is not more pro-bable that he should be an Augustus than a Nero.” An accidenthappened m the beginning of her reign which gave her a re-markable opportunity of displaying the strength and equanimityof her mind. As she was at tile chapel of the castle of Stock-holm, assisting at divine service with the principal lords - of hercourt, a poor wretch, who was disordered in his mind, came tothe place with the design to assassinate her. This man, who wasin the full vigour of his age, chose, for the execution of his designthe moment in which the assembly was performing what in theSwedish church is called an act of recollection; a silent and sepa-rate act of devotion, performed by each individual kneeling andhiding the face with the hand. Taking this opportunity, he rush-'ed through the crowd, and mounted a ballustradc within whichdie queen w'as upon her knees. The Baron Braki, chief justice ofSweden, was alarmed, and cried out; and the guards crossed theirpartisans, to prevent his coming further : but he struck them furi-ously on one side ; leaped over the barrier: and being then closeto the queen, made a blow at her with a knife which he had con-cealed without a sheath in his sleeve. The queen avoided theblow, and pushed the captain of her guards, who instantly threwhimself upon the assassin, and seized him by the halt - . All thishappened in a moment. The man was known to be mad, andtherefore nobody supposed be had any accomplices: they there-fore contented themselves with locking him up ; and the queen-returned to her devotion without the least emotion. One of thegreat allairs that employed Christina, while she was upon thethrone, was the peace of Westphalia, in which many clashing in-terests were to be reconciled, and many claims to be ascertained.It was concluded in Oct. 1648. The success of the Swedish armsrendered Christina the arbitress of this treaty ; at least as to theatlairs of Sweden, to which this peace confirmed the possession ofmany important countries. No public event ot importance tookplace during the rest of Christina’s reign ; lor there were neitherw - ars abroad, nor troubles at home. 1 bis quiet might be the ef-fect of chance ; but it might also be the eileet of a good admi-nistration, and the great reputation ot the queen; and the loveher people had for her ought to lead us to this determination.Her reign was that of learning ami genius. She drew about her,wherever she was, all the distinguished characters of her time :Grotius, Pascal, Bochart, Descartes, Gassendi, Sauinaise, Naude,Vossius, Hcinsius, Meibom, Snidery, Menage, Lucas, Holste-nius, Lambecius, Bay le, Madame Dacier, Filicaia, and manyothers. The arts never tail to immortalize the prince who pro-tects them ; and almost all these illustrious persons have celebrat-ed Christina, either in poems, letters, or other literary produc-tions :