modern travellers, and other recent writers, are copious, and by no means trite. We forbear adducing

an extract or two, as these could give no adequate specimen of the varied contents of a dictionary.

GREAT BRITAIN. WORKS preparing for publication, and in the press:-The Devotional Testament, a Help for the Closet, and for Domestic Worship; by the Rev. Richard Marks ;The Protestant Instructor; by the Rev. Edwin Harrison; - Essays on Superstition, recently published in the Christian Observer, with Corrections and Additions; by W. Newnham;-The Recognition and Felicity of departed Saints; by R. Meek; -Scripture Sketches, with other Poems; by the Rev. T. Greenwood ;- Domestic Duties on Christian Principles;-Practical Piety exemplified in the Lives of Miss Beuzeville and Mrs. Byles; by their Sister, Esther Copley ;—A Defence of the Serampore Mahratta New Testament;-by W. Greenfield ;--Sermons, by the Rev. J. W. Niblock, D.D.; A Grammar of the Egyptian Language; by the Rev. H. Tattam ;-Sermons, Doctrinal and Practical; by C. Townsend ;Bishop James (of Calcutta)'s Primary Charge, with Notices of the Author; by the Rev. E. James;-Literary Recollections, and Biographical Sketches; by the Rev. R. Warner; - Family Sermons, 1 Vol. 8vo. 12s.; by the Editor of the Christian Observer, dedicated, by permission, to the Bishops of Winchester and Chester.

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Cambridge.-The Hulsean Prize is adjudged to T. Myers of Trinity College; subject, The Extent of the Knowledge which the Jews had of a future State at the Time of our Saviour's Appearance.”

The subject for the present year is, "The Fatility of Attempts to represent the Miracles, recorded in Scripture, as Effects produced in the ordinary Course of Nature." The subject of the Seatonian Prize Poem is, "The Ascent of Elijah.”

Eight neatly executed Maps, illustrative of the Bible, have been published under the title of the Pocket Bible Atlas, of a size to be bound up with Pocket Bibles, to which they will form an appropriate and interesting appendage. The subjects

are, the Settlements of Noah's Descendants, the Journeyings of the Israelites; Canaan; the Travels of our Lord; the Travels of the Apostles; the terrestrial Paradise, and Jerusalem.

Happening lately to attend Divine Service in Lichfield Cathedral, we observed that the boys of the choir were provided with Bibles, in which they attentively followed the Lessons, forming a striking contrast to the too frequent irreverent behaviour of the young choristers of our cathedrals. The example deserves imitation, not only in choirs but in all our national and private schools.

The phrenologists have discovered that the celebrated M. Rollin was by an anticipation a phrenologist. In a memoir of Dr. Claney, published at Dublin, 1750, it is said that a friar from Spain brought a boy to Paris, who at seven years old understood Horace and Virgil, and could explain them to perfection. At eighteen, he had forgotten them; and had taken to music. M. Rollin remarked, that the brain of this boy might be formed of different strata or beds, each adapted to different purposes; but too tender for long impression, and capable of being soon exhausted. "That for learning is now worn out, and what he received there is blended in confusion; and he has now taken music into that apartment of his head which was proper for its reception." He added that he would probably take up a succession of things, "sprouting up in some new and untried corner."

Sir Gilbert Blane, with the sanction of the lords of the Admiralty, has founded a prize medal for the best journal kept by the surgeons of his Majesty's Navy.

The new edition of the Waverley Novels states, that the model of the Colonel in Waverley's regiment was Colonel Gardiner. We wish that novelists and play-wrights would keep to their own fictions.

Twenty Arab boys are in the central school of the British and Foreign School Society. They were sent over by the

Pasha of Egypt, and are to be trained as schoolmasters for opening schools in Egypt.

A prosecution is in progress before the Associate Presbytery of Perth, against the Rev. Mr. Pringle of Auchterarder, for having said, in administering the Lord's Supper, that Christ died for all men, and not only for the elect. We do not presume to interfere in the affairs of our neighbours; but we learn, increasingly, to value the moderation and scriptural soundness of doctrine, for so, without offence to others, we esteem it, of our own church, both in the language of "the prayer of consecration," used at the very sacrament at which Mr. Pringle gave the offence; and in the Catechism, where it is said, "God the Son redeemed all the world ;" and "God the Holy Ghost sanctifieth all the elect people of God."

Baptism by immersion, though the enjoined practice of our church in the case of infants, except where the child is certified to be weak (in the case of adults the minister may use immersion or affusion at his discretion), has become so rare that the newspapers mention as a very remarkable occurrence, a recent instance of it in the case of a young lady at St. Martin's church, Westminster. It is stated that the rector obtained from the Bishop of London, "a dispensation" on the occasion; which is mere newspaper report, for no dispensation was necessary, nor had the bishop power to grant one if it was. The rubric is the law of the church, and admits of no dispensation.

The leading publishers of London have adopted resolutions to prevent the sale of works to which copyright is attached, below the publishing price. All booksellers are required to sign these resolutions, otherwise they will not be considered by the publishers as entitled to the privileges extended to the trade.

The Bishop of Ferns has issued, or reissued, an "injunction," that no person, unless specially licensed by his lordship, shall preach in any church in his diocese. The object of the injunction is to prevent persons from other dioceses preaching an occasional sermon for the charitable societies; but it equally forbids a clergyman on the outskirts of the diocese asking his next neighbour out of the Ferns pale to assist him in the greatest extremity. Whatever may be modern law or practice, the canons of the church never meant to make as many religions as dioceses. The curates of a diocese ought to be licensed; but some latitude is desirable and

necessary in the case of occasional sermons. Suppose that the Bishop of London copied Bishop Elrington's precedent; and forbad any charity sermon being preached at St. Paul's, or elsewhere, by any bishop or other clergymen not of his lordship's diocese; would this be tolerated? and if not in one diocese, why in another? The bishop's real object being quite unequivocal, the remainder of his circular, grounding his conduct on his solicitude that ministers should not forget their awful obligation to look to the souls of their own people, becomes, we had almost said, mere cant or hypocrisy. We never knew a clergyman less anxious for his own parish, for preaching an occasional sermon for a hospital or missionary society in the church of a friend. FRANCE.

M. St. Hilaire has been employed in investigating the litigated fact whether the mole secs. It has been ascertained in modern times, contrary to the opinion of the ancients, that it has eyes, though very small; but the alleged defect of an optic nerve was still urged, to prove that it could not see. M. St. Hilaire has, however, shewn that no such anomaly exists as an eye not formed for seeing, by demonstrating that the mole has an optic nerve, but that, owing to the great extension of the olfactory apparatus, it does not follow the usual course, but deviates and anastomoses with the nerve of the seventh pair.

UNITED STATES.

An American journalist states, that apples may be preserved fresh and plump till the next summer, by placing them in layers in dry sand as soon as gathered.

An expedition has sailed from New York, to explore the high latitudes at the Southern pole.

The temperance societies have prospered beyond the most sanguine hopes of their promoters. The sale and use of ardent spirits are stated to have already diminished one half. In many large mechanical establishments, the workmen have entirely banished spirits, and many vessels have put to sea without them. It is computed that nearly two thousand distillers and venders of this liquid poison have abandoned the manufacture and sale of it; some from conscientious scruples, and others from the decline of the demand.

The North-American Medical Journal says, that not only burns but blisters are best healed by the application of finely carded cotton; half an inch or more in thickness. This dressing, it is added.

gives no pain, and will generally insure a new cuticle in two days.

It has been often maintained that Christianity cannot be recognized by law as the religion of the United States "without infringing the rights of conscience!" On this subject, Judge Story, a lawyer of eminence, and a Unitarian in his theological opinions, lately remarked: "One of the most beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is, that Christianity is a part of the common law, from which it seeks the sanction of its rights, and by which it endeavours to regulate its doctrines. And notwithstanding the specious objection of one of our distinguished statesmen, the boast is as true as it is beautiful. There never has been a period in which the common law did not recognize Christianity as lying at its foundation. For many ages it was almost exclusively administered by those who held its ecclesiastical dignities. It now repudiates every act done in violation of its duties of perfect obligation. It pronounces illegal every contract offensive to its morals. It recognizes with profound humility its holy days and festivals, and obeys them, as dies non juridici. It still attaches to persons believing in its divine authority the highest degree of competency as witnesses; and until a comparatively recent period, infidels and pagans were banished from the halls of justice, as unworthy of credit."

We frequently observe in American publications, facts which tend to increase, were it possible, our abhorrence of slavery. The following circumstance recently occurred in New York, which is not a slave state. We may rail at the Americans, but let us look at home; let us remember, for example, the cruel legal decision in the case of the poor slave Grace, which rules all similar cases. "David Johnson,

a Coloured man, about twenty-six years of age, has resided as a servant in one of our large boarding-houses for the last six years. By his industry and faithfulness he has obtained the confidence of his employer, and the favour of the whole family. About three years ago he married in Philadelphia, and now resides with his wife and two infant children, in Pell Street. All things went on well with David till yesterday morning, when a gentleman from Virginia, an attorney of Philadelphia, and constable Hays, entered the boarding-house and seized him as a slave. They had found his track at Philadelphia, and followed it to New York, when his wife, without suspicion, pointed out the place of her husband's daily labour. David was taken to the office of Judge Thompson, where the mistress and several gentlemen of the family were soon assembled. When interrogated, the secret which had always been confined to himself, was honestly disclosed, that he was a slave; and the tears fell freely as he thought of his condition. Fortunately there were those present who had hearts to feel, and some one inquired the value of such a slave. The owner considered it at least 600 dollars; but, after some conversation, remarked that in consideration of the peculiar circumstances of the case, and the liberal manner in which he had himself been treated, that he would receive 550. The money was at once subscribed, David's deed of manumission was drawn and executed,--and, with tears of gratitude and gladness, he returned to his employment and family, free,-as he deserves to be, and as every man whom the Creator has formed, has a right to be. David has some money in the Savings Bank, which he cheerfully relinquished to his generous benefactors."'

PROPHETICAL DISCUSSIONS. AT the fourth annual meeting, recently held at Albury Park, for the discussion of prophetical subjects, the following questions were discussed.

1. What ground is there for applying the prophecies concerning the nations enumerated Isaiah xiii.-xxiii. to events yet unfulfilled; and what are the characteristic differences of their typical design? 2. The Temple of Ezekiel, its builder, and its time.

3. What are the offices of Christ during the Millennium, and what is revealed concerning the nature of millennial blessedness? (See Deut. xviii. 15; Ps. cx. 4; Luke i. 32; Eph. i. 10. 17-23, iii. 10.)

4. What light do we obtain on the subject of the kingdom of God, or of heaven, from the parables and instructions of the Lord?

5. What is revealed concerning the destination of the remnant of Edom, and of all the Gentiles upon whom the name of the Lord is called, and of the stranger that joins himself to the Lord; and how connected with the translation of the saints? (See Amos ix. 11, 12; Acts xv. 16, 17; İsa. lvi. 3-7; Dan. iii. 8; Zeph. ii. 3.)

6. The interpretation of the Apocalypse, in conformity with some stricture.

7. The signs of the times, and the practical improvement of the foregoing subjects.

LONDON UNIVERSITY THEO

LOGICAL INSTITUTION. Our readers are already acquainted with the objects of this Institution, for the reli. gious instruction of students of the university who are members of the Church of England. In addition to the lectures on the evidences of natural and revealed religion, there are lectures, critical and explanatory, on the Greek Testament; to both of which all students of the University who are desirous of attending, whether members of the Church of England or not, are gratuitously admitted. Professor Dale's

introductory lecture has just been published; and we are most happy to state, that, both in respect to professional ability and to orthodoxy of doctrine, and true piety of sentiment, it is not only unex. ceptionable, but highly to be commended. The Professor states his hopes that "theology, as a science, will be studied in connection with religion as a principle." He traces much of the prevalent indifference to religion among the higher classes of society to its comparative exclusion from the plan of a liberal education. One pro. minent topic of his lectures, he states, will be "to establish that primary and pervading doctrine of the Christian revelation, that rock upon which our common Christianity is founded, the essential Divinity of the Son of God." The system of instruction is to be popular-" the divinity of common life;" such as will, by the blessing of God, prepare the pupils for " а profitable attendance on the ministry of the Gospel," assist them in after life to be the religious instructors of their own children, and prevent their going into the world with all knowledge that can be valuable, except the knowledge of God and of themselves." The propriety of the system of the London University has been variously viewed; but every good man, and especially every member of our church, must rejoice that an institution has been appended to it, so far calculated to supply its deficiences, and to remedy any evil that may arise from the exclusion of theological instruction within its walls.

MORALS AND RELIGION IN
FLORIDA.

At a meeting of the clergy and members of the Episcopal congregations in New York, to take into consideration the subject of a mission to Florida, the Rev. R. A. Henderson, who has recently returned from a visit to that country, presented the following picture of the morala and religion of the inhabitants.—

"At the present time, gambling houses

and billiard tables are licensed by law. The rising generation are for the most part without even the rudiments of common education. Although this territory has been in the possession of the United States eight years, yet nothing has been carried into execution in the shape of public instruction; and the poverty of a large portion of the inhabitants prevents their receiving it in any other way. Very many of those who can read are yet without the Scriptures: not a great while since, on an occasion of administering the oath of office to a magistrate recently appointed, it was found necessary to send twenty miles to procure a Bible. In this respect, however, it is hoped a very different state of things will soon be brought about, as the American Bible Society have, with praiseworthy promptitude and liberality, furnished me, as secretary of the East Florida Bible Society, with Bibles to supply all the destitute families in East Florida; and I am also prepared, through the liberality of two of our own institutions, to furnish the same region with that most desirable accompaniment to the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer.

"The state of morals and religion is certainly improving, and is much better than previous to the change of flags in 1821. Then the Romish religion was alone tolerated, and superstition and consequently vice, were not only suffered but cherished. Absolution and indulgencies were within the reach of all who could purchase them, and the traffic was considerable. Dancing, and other more vicious amusements, were common on Sundays, and are not yet suppressed. The carnival was, and is still celebrated, and the first day of its celebration is Sunday."

Mr. Henderson is soliciting funds for the erection of three churches; one at St.

Augustine, another at Tallahassee, and another at Pensacola.

AMERICAN EPISCOPAL MISSION TO GREECE.

The American Episcopal Missionary Society have received communications from the Rev. Mr. Robertson, the missionary to Greece, dated at Corfu. He had been received with kindness and attention by the missionaries of various denominations. He had had an interesting interview with the celebrated Bambas, a Greek, in the Ionian university. Professor Bambas is in deacon's orders in the Greek Church. He perused Bishop White's letter to the Greek ecclesiastics, and expressed himself much pleased with it. He promised to draw up an account of the present state of the Greek Church for Mr. R.-Mr. Robertson had also an interview with the Greek Archbishop at Corfu, while holding a court there. He presented Bishop White's letter, which he had caused to be translated into the modern Greek, to him also, and it was read aloud by his chancellor. Both the archbishop and the chancellor spoke warmly of the Christian charity and interest exhibited in the letter.

Mr. Robertson is not likely to be favoured at present with any opportunity of preaching openly to the natives of Greece. The Greeks are suspicious of ecclesiastical aid. Time, however, has not yet been given them to enable them to discriminate, but ultimately, without doubt, these suspicions will be removed. An abundant sphere for labour is opened, and encouraged by the natives, in the establishment of schools,and the preparation, publication, and dissemination of literary, scientific, and, above all, religious works. The Bible, Prayer-books, and religious tracts are received and welcomed. Mr. Robertson was about to pass into the Morea.

THE REV. JOHN ROBERTS, A.M. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. THE Rev. John Roberts was born at Plas Harri, in the parish of Llan-nefydd, Denbighshire, in the year 1775. His early years, even from his childhood, were dedicated to God. When about eight years old, having read that Jesus Christ went on a mountain to pray, he sought every opportunity of going to a mountain above his father's house for the same devotional purpose; yet not ostentatiously, for he never mentioned where he had been, or what he had been doing. At a proper age he was sent to a school kept by a neighbouring clergyman; who, observing his CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 337.

great attention to his studies, and his deep religious impressions, persuaded his father, a man of strict probity, kindness of disposition, and superior natural abilities, possessing respectable freehold property in Denbighshire,--to send him to Oxford. He was accordingly entered at Jesus College, in 1792; he took his degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, and was ordained in 1798. During his college residence he preserved, amidst surrounding temptations, an unblemished character, and was deemed by all who knew him a studious, moral, and religious young man. Being thoroughly aware of the mischievous influence of irreligious society, he sought his companions and friends among those whose conduct yielded satisfactory proof I