tin, embrace a number of subjects, and assume a variety of forms, from the Sacred Ode to the Moral Epigram. Our grave readers may think some of the subjects too trifing; but it is surely the mark of a pious mind, to draw moral and religious improvement from the most common incidents of life; because it shews that, though our frail faculties cannot always be occupied in sublime contemplations, the mind has an evident bias toward the best things. As a specimen of Mr. Jefferson's manner and numbers, we subjoin two or three of his shorter pieces, as best adapted to Fugitive Pieces, intended principally for the Use of Schools. By W. B. Collyer. 12mo, 25. 6d. bound; Fine Paper, boards, 35. ONE object of a Review should be to foster rising genius; and one of the most pleasing tasks of a Re. viewer, is to encourage early attempts, where there is a prospect of future excellence. The pieces before us give us this pleasure. They display indeed luxuriance of fancy and of language, which might provoke the censure of a severe critic, but time will prune redundances, and mature the genuine fruits of genius; whereas, where the fancy is steril, and the language dry and insipid, nothing but dulness can be expected in future life. These pieces, we should farther remark, are addressed by a young author to those who are still younger than himself; and the manner in which they are written, is certainly adapted to captivate their attention; while the spirit of affection, sympathy, and piety displayed in thein, must gratify every serious reader. The subjects of the Es says are much diversified, as will appear by the following list: Resignation, The Storm, Friend ship, Spring, Benevolence, Summer, The Power of Religion in Death, Autumn, On Misspending Time, Winter, On Family Con tention, The Death of Christ, The Morning Walk, The Desolations of Time, Parental Expectations blast. ed. By way of specimen, we select the following extract, because it is in season: SPRING. "The tempests of winter are overblown; and Spring advancing, her radiant brow encircled with a wreath of flowers, Nn smiles upon the expecting earth. Her breath is sweet as the balmy breezes of the morning; her robe comprizes the variegated colours of the rainbow; and her countenance is bright as the splendors with which Aurora decks the chambers of the East, when she opens the gates of the morning before the chariot of the Sun. "Wherever she treads, Creation smiles: flowers spring under her feet; and the trees "6 put forth their tender buds." The Snowdrop bends her lovely head to the moist earth; and the Yellow Crocus, yet wet with the dew of Heaven, gently and gradually opens her swelling bosom to the pearly drops, expecting the warm and vivifying rays of the rising sun. The lovely Violet exhales her fragrance to the air, while she covers her head, from the heat, under the shadow of her own leaves. Already the Primrose half displays her modest bloom, partly hidden under a tuft of foliage; and the Polyanthus expands her sober, yet beautiful dies to the soft breezes of the Spring. As she passes, she throws from her ample lap the later flowers; and the Daffodil and the Auricula unfold their fair colours to the opening morning. "The birds hail the approach and the advance of Spring with lively joy; and utter, enraptured, the sweetly - breathing notes of love. "The voice of the turtle is heard in our land;" and the monotonous bird of this season throws her hollow voice to the gale. The mild beams of the rising sun dance upon the surface of the lake, whose bicad expansive bosom reflects the golden glories of the dawning day. The showers descend gentle as the dews of Heaven; and the face of Nature Seems to smile through a tear." The Rainbow stretches her ample arch across the blue concavity of Heaven; while her Juxuriant colours, sweetly blended together, confirm the divine premise, and write, in varied hues," Good-will to men." "Lovely is thy approach, O Spring, fairest daughter of the Year, wafting, with thy early zephyrs tranquillity to the mind that contemplates thy rising beauties! Thy mild aspect speaks the beneficence of the Eternal Creator. His "tenderness and love" are written by every sun-beam, are displayed in every flower, - are wafted on every whispering breath of air! May we dwell for ever in his presence, where uninterrupted Spring reigas through endless ages, and smiles with unfading splendor !" - To these Essays is added, A Sermon to Young People; in which we particularly admire the brief and simple comprehension of divine The Mute Christian under the Ir the sale of a book be its best recommendation, this small volume needs but little said in its favour, having passed through fifty editions. We are glad, however, to see it reprinted, as there are few books in the English language better calcu lated to support the afflicted and disconsolate. The Nonconformist's Memorial; being an Account of the Lives, Sufferings, and printed Works of 2000 Ministers, ejected by the Act of Uniformity in 1666. Originally writ ten by Edmund Calamy, D. D. Abridged, corrected, and methodized, with many additional Anecdates, and several New Lives, by S. Palmer. Second Edition, Three Volumes, with Heads of the Principal Divines, chiefly from Original Pictures. 11, 8s. 6d. boards. THIS new edition of a Work already well known and in high esteem, particularly among Dissentcrs, has already too long escaped our notice. The chief additions now inserted are from scarce funefarewell-sermons of the ministers ral-scrmons and lives, from the ejected, from Cotton Mather's History of New England, and from MS. papers and original records. The nature of this Work, and the variety of Anecdotes it contains, renders it highly interesting and entertaining. Beside the additional matter inserted, the whole has been very carefully revised and consider. ably improved. It is also hand. somely printed, and the embellishments are in a very superior style. The plates are all new; and many of the Portraits have, not been before engraved. Sermons, preached on interesting Subjects; including the Service of Two Communien-Sabbaths, according to the Usage of the Church of Scotland. By Robert Macculloch, Minister of the Gospel at Dairsie, Author of Lectures on the Prophecies of Isaiah, Ec. 12m0, 35. 6d. ; Fine Paper, 45. THESE Discourses, unlike many others we are called to review, truly answer to their title. The pious author has treated his interesting topics in a very interesting manner. We were particularly pleased with his pointed addresses to the conscience, in the second, third, and fourth Sermons, on the Enormity of Men's Transgressions, the Insufficiency of Excuses to extenuate them, - and the Equity of God's Dispensations. If we might express a wish on the choice of subjects, one of the Communionservices should have been omitted, for the sake of as great a variety of topics as possible, which, in a single volume, seems so obvious, that we wonder it escaped the worthy author. We, however, cordially recommend this volume as plain, pious, practical, and powerful, from the argumentative strain of most of the Discourses; and pray for the divine blessing to accompany their perusal. Since the setting of the great Northern Star, the late Dr. Erskine, whose two volumes of Discourses are full of ideas, both brilliant and solid, we have not read a more edifying volume than the present. As a short specimen of the author's pointed manner, we give the following extract, which contains a striking anecdote, and Concludes the volume: -- "I have now finished what I proposed on this subject; and though the account I have given you comes far short of the truth, yet what you have now heard, may, through the divine blessing, conduce to your real benefit. Were these truths judgment with such pathetic strains of LITERARY NOTICES. Mr. Parkinson, Surgeon, of Hox. ton Square, has in the press a work, which is intended for publication next month, entitled, "Organic Remains of the former World displayed," wherein the Mosaic account of the Deluge will be shewn to agree perfectly with the present appearances of our globe. A New Edition is also in the press, of Claude's valuable Essay "On the Composition of a Seras translated by the late Mr. mon,' Robinson, of Cambridge, with his Notes, revised by a Divine of the To be comChurch of England. prized in One Volume, Svo. The Rev. Samuel Browne, of Yadley, Hants, has issued Proposals for publishing by Subscription an Allegorical Work, in the form of Dialogue, entitled, The Travels of Seektruth; in 12mo, price 3s. 6d. It will be put to press as soon as the number of Subscriptions will admit. RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. Extract from the Report of the Directors to the Tenth General Meeting of the Missionary Society*, May 9, 10, and 11, 1804. THE footsteps of Divine Providence, in the government of the world at large, are traced with devout attention by every real Chriszian; but those events, which are visibly connected with the extension of the Saviour's kingdom among men, and the salvation of those who had not heard his name, are observed with the most diligent and affectionate regard. To those who are the subjects of the great Redeemer, the interests of pure and vital godliness are inexpressibly dear; and the smallest advances towards the establishment of his gracious reign, where Satan ruled in Pagan darkness, must be pleasing in the highest degree. In this view, the Directors of the Missionary Society indulge a hope, that the Report which they have now the honour to make, will present to its Members the path which they have trodden during the past year, suffici. ently marked with mercies to excite their thankfulness to our gracious Lord, and to invigorate their holy zeal in pursuing the grand object of the Institution. OTAHEITE. It would have afforded great satisfaction to the Directors, to have been able to announce to the Society any important information from this distant quarter of the globe; but, during last year, only incomplete parts of the Journal of the Missionaries have come to hand. They have, however, lately been favoured with the welcome tidings of the complete restoration of tranquillity. From this kind interposition of Divine Providence, we are encouraged to hope, that the patient and persevering labours of our faithful brethren will be ulti In the last Report, the Directors were only able to state concerning brother Kicherer, that his labours had been attended with considerable success. Since that time, information was received from Rotterdam, that he had arrived there, accom panied by three members of his Hottentot congregation. Upon due enquiry by the Society in Holland, and the statement which Mr. K. offered of his reasons and motives, the Directors could not but cor dially approve of his conduct; and therefore invited him to an inter view with them in London, toge ther with the African strangers. An opportunity to behold and converse with some of the firstfruits of the Missionary Society's labours in Africa, and to hear them declare, with their own lips," the wonderful works of God," afforded a new and unequalled kind of satisfaction and delight. It was affecting, in no common degree, to hear these dear people, themselves recently delivered from the power of darkness, earnestly pleading in be half of the Heathen world at large, and of their own countrymen in par ticular. A few sentences to this effect will not be deemed impertinent. One of the Hottentot women thus expressed herself: "What a pity, what a sin it is, that you This Report, for the convenience of Distribution, was printed previously to the Meeting. (Europeans) who have for so many years enjoyed, in great abundance, the heavenly bread, should keep it all to yourselves, and not spare one little crumb to the millions of poor Heathen;" adding, "that you may depend upon it, that you should not have the less for your selves, by giving some to them; but that the Lord Jesus would bless you, and give you the more!" She also observed, That could we but conceive fully of the miserable situation of the Hottentots, we would certainly feel more compassion for them. She expressed her humble thanks to the English people for sending Missionaries among them; but intreated them earnestly to proceed further in this good work, the Lord having opened an effectual door, and there being yet so many thousands who know not the Lord +. When taking leave of the congregation, she said, "The last thing I would say is, O pray for poor Heathen!” It was the earnest wish of the Directors, that Mr. Kicherer and his friends might return to Africa as soon as possible, to resume his useful labours, and to refresh the hearts of his poor people, who parted with him in extreme regret, and who fully expected to see him in the month of March; but insuperable difficulties, arising from the renewal of hostilities, have hitherto prevented this desirable event: it is hoped, however, that a suitable conveyance in a neutral vessel may, ere long, be provided. The same cause has operated to interrupt their intercourse with Dr. Vanderkemp, no direct advices having been received from him. Through the medium, however, of the Dutch Society, who have been more successful in obtaining his letters, intelligence of a very interesting nature has been lately received 1. FRANCE. The Directors next advert to a Missionary object of great magni -- tude, which we were once ready to hope would, ere this, have brightened more and more on our view, but which the renewal of hostilities has covered for the present with a gloomy cloud. The Society will recollect, that the New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has been printed in France; and measures were adopted for dispersing that holy book, and the Essay on its Authenticity, throughout every part of that country, and its dependencies. The Old Testament also was printing, and in a state of forwardness, previous to the breaking out of the war. The Di. rectors indulge a hope, that the former is, in some degree, silently diffusing its salutary influence in that barren land: and although the political state of the two countries has made it expedient for us to suspend our intercourse with France, yet it may be hoped, that the printing of the whole Scriptures will be effected by a Society on the Continent, actuated by views similar with our own; and who are not, like us, prohibited from this good work by a state of warfare with that country. This circumstance also puts it out of our power to represent so particularly, as might otherwise be done, the real state of the Protestant cause therein. We have, however, reason to believe that, in the course of the past year, a considerable number of Protestant congregations have been supplied with pastors, in different parts of the republic; and that an increasing bias, in favour of that cause, appears among the people. NORTH AMERICA. The Directors will now proceed briefly to mention the circumstances of the Society's Missions in North America. Mr. Bentom still resides at Quebec, where he has sustained considerable opposition from persons 'who bear the Christian name; and who have prevailed on some of his less serious hearers to withdraw + Several additional labourers are intended to accompany Mr. Kicherer to Africa. - We omit the account of them for want of room. This also we omit, as the most material parts of the account have already appeared in our Magazine. |
