ing, the vote of approbation passed at the first was repeated, and resolutions pledging assistance were adopted with perfect unanimity. We hope this laudable example set by the Unitaririans of Boston, will be followed throughout the country.

Religious Charities.-The following statement of the Receipts of Religious Charities, in 1824, 5,' in England, is taken from the Monthly Repository, No. 240.

6

Sunday School Society for Ireland.-We have before us the 'Statement' of this Society's Committee, from which it appears, that at the time of its first establishment in 1809, there existed but seventy Sunday Schools in all Ireland; that in its first year it assisted but two; but that, on the 13th of April, 1825, there were in connexion with it, 1702 Sunday Schools, with 12,837 gratuitous teachers, and 150,831 scholars, or one scholar in every forty-five of the whole population of Ireland, according to the census of 1821. It has issued, since its establishment, gratuitously and at reduced prices, 10,624 Bibles, 155,271 Testaments, 425,190 Spelling Books, and 1,698 Books of Hints for conducting Sunday Schools,' which are the only kinds of books it is ever to circulate. But the most important part of the Statement' is the following enumeration of results presumed,' on the authority of the Committee's correspondents, to be amongst the consequences of the general establishment of Sunday Schools.' -The Sabbath no longer wasted or profaned, as the day for idle sports and petty depredations, but becomingly appropriated to its intended object, the acquisition of religious knowledge, and the enjoyment of devotional feeling-children trained up in the principles of Christianity-parents benefited by the lessons

and example of their offspring-the general habits and manners of the poor improved-domestic comforts promoted-the labors of parochial and other ministers facilitated-an increased attendance of both parents and children at public worship-the Holy Scriptures introduced and valued in families where hitherto they were unknown-a bond of connexion established between the different ranks of society-the rich made acquainted with the wants, and actual circumstances of their poorer neighbors, and induced to adopt other means for their relief and comfort.'

Apocrypha.-By a resolution adopted by the General Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, on the 28th of last November, it appears that the Apocrypha was to be thenceforward absolutely excluded from all the Society's Bibles. 'What effect,' says the Monthly Repository, this resolution will have upon the harmony of this extensive society, remains to be seen. In some minds it may possibly give birth to other questions, which the most zealous Biblists would be slow to entertain; as for example, whether it be consistent with reverence to the sacred volume, with a love of truth or with honesty, to continue in the New Testament the Three Witnesses' Text, 1 John. v. 7, which we believe nine scholars out of ten regard as decidedly spurious.'

If any

Mrs Hemans' Poetry.-There are few living writers whose poetry is at the present moment so popular among us, as Mrs Hemans.' We have scarcely a periodical work, in which beautiful specimens of it are not to be found. For ourselves, upon looking back we find we are indebted to her for about one third of all the poetry that has appeared in our pages. other evidence of the very high esteem in which we hold this lady's productions is required, it may be seen in the remarks with which we have introduced that fine piece of hers, entitled 'The Voice of Spring.'* But we rejoice that even more of her works, than all we have yet seen published either at home or abroad, is about to be given to the American public. A volume is preparing for the press by Professor Norton of Cambridge, which, besides the League of the Alps' and other poems collected and sent out in manuscript by the authoress herself, will contain The Siege of Valencia' and 'The Vespers of Palermo,' with a selection from her other publications. The two works, whose titles are last mentioned, are tragedies, which,' says Professor Norton, in a very different style, may be ranked with the best of those by Miss Baillie.' The

* Vol. II. p. 124.

following extracts from the prospectus of the volume suggest considerations, which, we are confident, will engage for it the patronage it on every account so well deserves.

These tragedies are distinguished by their elevating and invigorating tone of sentiment, their richness of poetical expression, and their deep interest and pathos. They are, however, but little known among us. With the most beautiful of Mrs. Hemans' other poems, though they have never been published in this country, collected in a volume, all readers of taste and feeling are well acquainted. Her popularity among us is honorable to ourselves as well as to her, for her poetry addresses itself only to the best and purest feelings; and requires, perhaps more than any other, a certain degree of delicacy, refinement, and it would hardly be extravagant to add, holiness of mind, in order to estimate its full merit."

'The editor of this publication has gladly undertaken it, from a wish to put into the hands of a greater number of readers, poetry so beautiful, and so adapted to excite high moral sentiment. He has however a further object,-a desire to transmit to the authoress some expression of the respect and admiration in which she is held in this country. He has therefore proposed to publish the work by subscription. The whole profit will be transmitted to her.'

Unitarian Publications.-Great complaint has hitherto been made by our friends in England, of the difficulties they have met with in obtaining a regular supply of American Unitarian publications. But Mr Rowland Hunter of London, we are told, has made arrangements by which these difficulties will be in a great degree removed. As a similar complaint may, with equal reason be made on this side the water, would it not be well for some person in Boston, to do us the like service in procuring a fuller and more punctual supply of English Unitarian works? Were there any one channel through which it might be understood all commerce of the kind was to be carried on, there would be more of it; and, though it would take time to induce all to seek their supplies in this way, yet, in the end, there would doubtless be but very few who would decline its manifest advantages.

Buckminster's Sermons.-Proposals have at length been issued for republishing in England, this admirable volume, of which a better edition than the one last printed among us, is much wanted here.

Obituary.

DIED at Northampton, Feb. 5th, Mr FREDERICK WILDER, aged 22, a graduate of the last year at Cambridge.

The death of any, but especially of the young, forcibly reminds us of the shortness and uncertainty of life, tends to rouse us to thought and action, and is calculated to impress religious principles. If those whose death we deplore, have filled up the short period they were allowed on earth, with usefulness, and have attained to high moral and intellectual excellence, we cannot but reflect, that the number of laborers for virtue and society is diminished, and are prompted to be up and doing. The characters of such, if held up to public view with discrimination and truth, must do good. The lives of the dead, who have died in the Lord, assume in the sight of men a peculiar sacredness. They are finished, and death has set its seal to them; the living are to be further tried. The former speak a more solemn lesson. They show what mortals can do. They animate the efforts of the strong; strengthen the feeble; give steadiness to the doubting; and charm all by the loveliness of moral and mental worth. It is, moreover, for the best interests of religion, that we should often be called to witness, how she can give stability and dignity in life,—a holy serenity, and a triumphant assurance in death.

Impressed with these views, we offer to our readers this notice of the character of Mr WILDER. For his friends and associates, their recollections are enough. In their own minds, they have his pure moral image, on which they will ever delight to meditate. Words cannot heighten its lustre,―scarce can they faintly reflect it.

His talents were of a high order-and he was faithful to the trust. He had that vigor of application, and that intense zeal in study, which are the almost certain passports to eminence. This appears from the extensive acquisitions he made in the six years he devoted himself exclusively to literary pursuits. His progress in ancient and modern languages was great. He mastered them with surprising facility. In the mathematics he particularly excelled. He seemed to proceed from theorem to theorem, and from one important deduction to another with the rapidity of intuition. It was in this department in the Seminary at Northampton, that he was laboring successfully for the good of others, and extending the bounds of his own knowledge, when he became the victim of disease.

In all the branches of a collegiate education, he displayed great activity and reach of thought. Whatever might be the subject, on which his powers were exercised, his ardent thirst for knowledge was at once apparent. But his ardor was duly moderated by a sound judgment, and nice discrimination. Though his imagination was fertile, he had not that fondness for exaggeration, for giving to small things the air of greatness, and throwing a false coloring over things of importance, which often attends upon genius. His love of truth made him delight to see things as they are-as they were fashioned by the hand of God. His ambition was of the noblest kind. He had none of that spirit, which prompts to exertion only because another is higher, or because vanity or pride is wounded. But, as his mind was enlarged, he had that honorable emulation, which is founded on a love of what is excellent and true, and a desire to let his light shine for the glory and happiness of his fellow-men.

All who were acquainted with Mr WILDER, will bear testimony to the fine qualities of his heart. Though modest and retiring, he had nothing cold or repulsive. His heart ever overflowed with kind and generous feelings. His peculiar frankness and sincerity quickly won upon the hearts of all who approached him. He appeared to harbor nothing in his

breast, which he was not willing should be seen and scanned. Though he could not but be sensible that heaven had endowed him with high intellectual powers, his estimate of himself was humble. He was remarkable for a delicate regard to the feelings of others, and therefore seldom gave offence. Few have lived with so few that were hostile or unkind towards them. Though his heart was thus warm and susceptible, his mind was nicely balanced. Reason and conscience were the guides of his life. In his conversation with friends, as well as in his actions, he manifested a sacred reverence for religion. The writer of this notice has enjoyed the privilege of conversing with him from time to time on religious subjects. He showed that if he had not made theology his study; if he was not learned in the language of religion, he had very much of its power. He searched his bible with care and interest, and received its doctrines and precepts with the desire of faithfully applying them as the rule of his conduct. He felt the religion of Jesus to be a religion of the soul,-that it should have a sovereign sway over the heart and life. We have good reason to believe, that he was imbued with that genuine devotion, that habit of thought and feeling, which answers to our relations to an all-wise, just, and holy God.

His last illness, which was a rapid consumption, continued for a month. His pains he bore with patience and firmness. When he was apprized of his slender hold upon life, he had something of that apprehension of death -that shrinking of nature at the thought of passing into an untried being, from which few of the wisest and best Christians, at that awful moment, are wholly free. But his fears were soon dispelled. The shock once over, his spirit gathered its strength. He was sensible of his prospects,— that they were bright and alluring,-that honor and distinction were almost as sure to him as life, if permitted to live. The prospect on which he dwelt with greatest earnestness, and which cost him the severest pang to resign, was that of usefulness, and of giving happiness to his relatives and friends. But he gave up all cheerfully, and for the last fortnight before his death, though deeply sensible to the kindness of those, who ministered to the comfort of his departing spirit, spent much of his time in religious meditations and devotions. He did not, with mary, think death too solemn a thing for witnesses. He felt the sustaining influence of religion, and rejoiced to give evidence of it. Shortly before his death, he sent for a devoted friend, whom he had requested to be with him in that trying hour. He conversed with freedom on the solemn scenes, which were before him. He dwelt with delight, to use his own words, on the holy hopes' religion inspires, and expressed a full and cheerful confidence in the promises of Christianity. When he had united with his friend in prayer, he said he was willing to be gone. Soon after, he fell into a gentle sleep, from which he waked for a moment, only to enter on the sleep of death.

We mourn for him, as for one, who was an ornament to our nature; who would have contributed much to the improvement of mankind; who had drunk deep into the spirit of our religion; who displayed in his life, and attested in his dying moments, its purity and power. Premature as was the close of his earthly career, we bless God that he has lived; that he has left us his pure example; and that we are allowed to cherish the precious memory of one, in whom talents, virtue, and amiable manners were so finely combined. We bless God that we do not mourn as without hope. We are consoled by, and we joy in, the belief that he, whom many loved as their own souls, is in those brighter regions, where his exalted intellect and purified affections, find sublimer objects than earth can give, and where pain and death cannot enter.