manner, O! that's my son! my son! my dear son! The son had become a companion of the vile,-the mother had followed him to this house of death, to persuade him to return to the bosom of his friends. A list of additional facts might be recited, which would make the ears of parents and friends to tingle. Let us not forget, that in destroying these habitations of cruelty, we must have help from God this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Let all who feel for the welfare of the rising generation and the spread of the Gospel, awake to this subject. Let it no more be reiterated, that our cities have always been thus corrupt. If this is to be repeated from generation to generation, and to have its palsying influence, our cities must, according to the ordinary providence of God, remain corrupt till they are purified by the flames of the last day.

"It is a painful consideration that this subject is intimately connected with the spiritual welfare of our seamen, another class of the destitute, who have also been regarded as in a condition almost hopeless. But notwithstanding this, and all other unfavourable circumstances, I know of no class of men with whom we have greater encouragement to labour. When we consider that they are evidently vicious, because they have been neglected; when we recollect the interesting traits in their character-the station in which God has placed them the opportunity of doing good, which he has put into their hands, we must believe, that there is in store for them a rich blessing. In a former part of this report, I informed the society that I had, for some time past, spent part of the sabbath in preaching to seamen. With gratitude to Him, whose way is in the sea, and whose path is in the great waters, it is in my power to state that my most sanguine expectations have been more than realized. According to a printed notice, put up at some of their boarding-houses and elsewhere, numbers of them have attended; and though, in consequence of their short continuance in port, almost every sabbath has presented me with a new collection of them, they have universally behaved with the most strict propriety-they have listened to the preaching of the Gospel with fixed attention-many of them have been melted into tears. One circumstance, as a testimony of their sensibility and their gra titude, ought not to be omitted. A few sabbaths ago I informed them, after divine service, that it was contemplated to build a church, and to form a Bible society for seamen*.

At the bare mention of this fact many of them wept. Similar interest has been manifested at other times. Of those who have attended public worship, numbers have come to my lodgings to inquire, apparently with deep concern, what they should do to be saved. Though, in consequence of their being scattered over the world, the effect of

"Since the Bible Society was formed, a very considerable number of seamen have become members of it, and by it have been supplied with

Bibles."

labours in this, or in any other ports, should not be known, may we not hope that we shall see many of them at the last day on the right hand of Christ? May we not hope that soon every flag will become a standard of the cross-every ship a temple, from which 'incense and a pure offering' shall ascend to God-every seaman a herald of salvation; and that this long neglected class of men will be eminently instrumental in hastening on that period, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters do the seas? The Son of God, the Great Captain of our salvation, selected seamen to be his immediate followers, and commissioned them to publish the Gospel to the Gentile nations.

"There is still stronger evidence that the good work in which you are engaged will be crowned with glorious success. It is a work in which our blessed Saviour, while on earth, took a particular interest-a work in which he spent his life. If he be for us, who can be against us? But while we thus deliberate, methinks I hear him saying, Go out quickly into the highways and hedges. Souls are perishing in the midst of us. The work has been too long delayed. Even during the last year more than twenty-seven hundred immortal beings have taken their departure from this city to the eternal world. Considering how comparatively small is the number who even profess to know any thing of experimental reli gion, and that of these many appear to be dead while they have a name to live, how many hundreds have descended from the midst of us to the regions of despair! We must meet them at the bar of God. Let us then work while the day lasts; let us cry mightily unto God, to hasten the time when the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts.' Whenever that blessed time shall come, we are assured, that Many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.""

WE have received, from one of our American correspondents, a very interesting Discourse on the early History of Pennsylvania, delivered before the American Philosophical Society, at the annual meeting held at Philadelphia, by Peter S. Du Ponceau, LL. D., with the contents of which we shall be happy to make our readers acquainted.

It appears that, about six years ago, this society formed a sub-committee, for the purpose of making researches into the history and antiquities of America in general, but more especially of the state of Pennsylvania-Let not our coun trymen smile at the word antiquities in its application to a country of such recent date; for though America possesses no architectural ruins, no statues, sculptures, or inscriptions, like those of the old world, yet we hope, in another VOL. IV.-NO. 7.

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article of this department, to convince our readers, that even in the new world there are venerable remains of a former state of society that well deserve the comments of the learned, and will amply repay the researches of the antiquary. This committee, Dr. Du Ponceau assures "have not been remiss in their exertions. They have succeeded in collecting ample and precious materials, which only wait for the hand of the artist to work them into shape." "It was hoped," he adds, "that the impulse thus given would have been caught by some able writer, who, availing himself of these rich stores, would have combined the scattered facts into a faithful and elegant narrative." This, however, has not yet been the case, and Pennsylvania still wants an historian!

The great object of the amiable author, in this discourse, avowedly is, to awaken the attention of his associates and the public at large, to this acknowledged desideratum in American literature, and to arouse some writer of equal diligence and skill, to the performance of so interesting and important a work. This is evidently a subject, in which his own heart is deeply engaged. He writes about it altogether con amore; he is perfectly at home in the business, and we feel persuaded, that every one acquainted with his zeal in the cause, and his talents for the undertaking, must regret that any considerations should induce him to forego the possession of an honour to which he so earnestly invites some other individual to aspire. "If," says he, “ I had but talents equal to my zeal, neither my advanced age, nor the weight of professional avocations, should stand in the way of my ambition to become the historian of this great and important state; but I need not regret my deficiency, while there are others so eminently qualified for the task, and to whom the country looks for its execution. I shall have attained the object of my wishes, if my weak efforts shall stimulate some one among those men of highly gifted minds to this honourable undertaking."

In order to this, he first states and briefly characterizes what does exist in the shape of historical documents, and then proceeds to sketch a rude outline of the course, which, in arranging these existing materials, the future historian must pursue. He designates the work, entitled "History of Pennsylvania, by Robert Proud," as "crude and imperfect annals,"-valuable as a chronicle of the earlier times of the commonwealth, but essentially deficient, inasmuch as it comes down no later than the close of governor Thomas's

administration in 1747. He nevertheless allows the author to have been a man of strong natural powers, and not deficient in acquired knowledge; although the monument he has left behind him does not entitle him to the fame of an historian.

Our orator next adverts to the History of Pennsylvania, by professor Ebeling of Hamburgh, contained in the sixth volume of his work, written in German, and entitled "Geography and History of America." In the small space of one duodecimo volume, he has condensed the whole history of the state, from its first settlement to 1802. His facts have been obtained from the most authentic sources, and in his delineation of characters he has maintained that impartiality which becomes the historian. This work has, it appears, been translated by Dr. Eberle of Philadelphia, and, in all probability, has by this time issued from the press. Dr. Du Ponceau, however, regards this valuable publication rather as an abridgment of their history: and Pennsylvania still wants an historian.

"Let it not be imagined," he says, "that the annals of Pennsylvania are not sufficiently interesting to call forth the talents of an eloquent historian. It is true that they exhibit none of those striking events which the vulgar mass of mankind consider as alone worthy of being transmitted to posterity. No ambitious rival warriors occupy the stage, nor are strong emotions excited by the frequent description of scenes of blood, murder, and devastation. But what country on earth ever presented such a spectacle as this fortunate commonwealth held out to view for the space of near one hundred years, realizing all that fable ever invented or poetry ever sang of an imaginary golden age! Happy country, whose unparalleled innocence already communicates to thy history the interest of a romance! Should Pennsylvanians hereafter degenerate, they will. not need, like the Greeks, a fabulous Arcadia, to relieve the mind from the prospect of their crimes and follies, and to redeem their own vices by the fancied virtues of their forefathers. Pennsylvania once realized what never existed before, except in fabled story. Not that her citizens were entirely free from the passions of human nature, for they were men and not angels; but it is certain that no country on earth ever exhibited such a scene of happiness, innocence, and peace, as was witnessed here during the first century of our social existence."

He then introduces their great founder, William Penn, in a style of eulogium not more eloquent than just:

"William Penn stands the first among the lawgivers, whose names and deeds are recorded in history. Shall we compare with him Lycurgus, Solon, Romulus, those founders of military commonwealths, who organized their citizens in dreadful array against the

rest of their species, taught them to consider their fellow men as barbarians, and themselves as alone worthy to rule over the earth? What benefit did mankind derive from their boasted institutions? Interrogate the shades of those who fell in the mighty contests between Athens and Lacedæmon, between Carthage and Rome, and between Rome and the rest of the universe. But see our William Penn, with weaponless hands, sitting down peaceably with his followers in the midst of savage nations, whose only occupation was shedding the blood of their fellow men, disarming them by his justice, and teaching them, for the first time, to view a stranger without distrust. See them bury their tomahawks in his presence, so deep that man shall never be able to find them again. See them under the shade of the thick groves of Coaquannock extend the bright chain of friendship, and solemnly promise to preserve it as long as the sun and moon shall endure. See him then, with his companions, establishing his commonwealth on the sole basis of religion, morality, and universal love, and adopting as the fundamental maxim of his government the rule handed down to us from heaven, "Glory to God on high, and on earth peace and good-will to all men."

He next proceeds rapidly to sketch the outline of the history of this state, and to point out what will be the duty of its future historian. He then describes, in language that glows with all the fire of youth, the memorable landing of William Penn, and his peaceful band, on the 24th of October, 1682, and proposes that this event should be duly celebrated on every returning anniversary. "Let us begin," he says," this year to distinguish ourselves by [this] act of patriotism, at a time when the season invites, and the bosom of our mother earth is covered with her choicest fruits."

"I must leave it to the future historian to delineate the character of a legislator who never had a model, and who, though crowned with success, will probably never have an imitator. He will describe the state of this country during the two years of that great man's residence here after his first arrival; he will tell us, how a legislature was formed and assembled within six weeks, at most, after his landing, whose first act was to recognize, as brethren, all who believed in one God, the upholder and ruler of the universe; how a code of laws was enacted in three days, founded on the genuine principles of religion, justice, and morality; he will show the territory which now forms the state of Delaware, united to this province in legislation as well as in government; the friendship of the Indians secured; large territories obtained of them, by fair and honourable purchase; a noble city founded, and its walls rapidly rising as it were by enchantment; the country increasing in population and wealth, and enjoying undisturbed peace, prosperity, and