cannot hear a sermon preached above twice or thrice in the year; and many are not within ten miles of one who can read the scriptures in any language! What can I say more to shew the importance of your Institution? I will add, that the people are deeply impressed with a senseof their own deplorable state, and feel an ardent desire after improvement: that they travel ten, twelve, sometimes twenty miles by sea and land to preaching.' pp. 15, 16.

Seven parishes are particularized, containing 22,501 inhabitants, of whom 19, 367are incapable of reading either English or Gaelic, and many other parishes might be mentioned in a state equally destitute !'

The district of the isles Uist and Barray contains a population of above 6500 Protestants, and 4500 Catholics, or 11,000 persons, scattered over a country above 80 miles long, by from 2 to 18 broad. In former times, this district was divided into six parishes, but now, in the whole of it, where there are but three parishes, there is only one parochial church! and this one church is situated in a corner of North Uist, at a distance of 12 miles from Saund, the most populous quarter of the parish! In North Uist, also, there is but one parochial school; and though a school belongidg to the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge is taught in Benbicula, an island to the southward) yet here is a district of two hundred square miles, containing at least seven thousand inhabitants, intersected by a boisterous sea, and numerous fresh water lakes, where no proper means of education are to be found, where no parochial school is taught! To con clude this part of our Report, of the seventy-eight inhabited islands above stated, a number are at this day still totally unprovided with the means of instruction. They have no resident clergyman-no missionary on the royal bounty-no catechist-nor a school of any description whatever! The only advantage which many of them enjoy is a sermon four times in the course of a year, and others are visited only once in six months!' p. 6.

The mode which some benevolent individuals have derived for relieving a condition so truly deplorable, and rendering the bounty and zeal of the British and Foreign Bible Society still more available for the communication of religious knowledge, is the institution of circulating schools; a plan which has been for many years pursued in Wales, with eminent success. The language to be taught is the Gaelic. The books, a spelling book, psalm book, and bible; the Scriptures being without note or comment. If the inhabitants of a district cannot provide a schoolroom, the society pay the expence. The teacher resides not less than six months, nor more than eighteen; and on his removal it is expected some proper person may be found to fill his place, not excluding however the repetition of his visits, or the further aid of the Society, if necessary. Books are to be given or sold, according to circumstances. A time is to be set apart for instructing adults. In a mountainous country, intersected by rapid rivers and arms of the sea, where children can be collected (especially in winter) only in small groups, these circulating schools seem the best, if not the only expedient.' In answer to the only conceivable objection which can be anticipated to this admirable institution,—that it teaches Gaelic only, and tends to discou rage the acquisition of English, we insert some very striking remarks, furnished by the best authority, relative to the Welsh Schools, which are exactly applicable to the Gaelic.

1. The time necessary to teach them to read the Bible in their vernacu

lar language is so short, not exceeding six months in general, that it is a great pity not to give them the key immediately which unlocks all the doors, and lays open all the divine treasures before them. Teaching them English requires two or three years time, during which long period they are concerned only about dry terms, without receiving one idea for their improvement.-2. Welsh words convey ideas to their infant minds as soon as they can read them, which is not the case when they are taught to read a language they do not understand.-3. When they can read Welsh, scriptu ral terms become intelligible and familiar to them, so as to enable them to understand the discourses delivered in that language (the language in general preached through the principality); which, of course, must prove more profitable than if they could not read at all, or read only the English language. 4. Previous instruction in their native tongue helps them to learn English much sooner, instead of proving in any degree an inconve niency. This I have had repeated proofs of, and can confidently vouch for the truth of it. I took this method of instructing my own children, with the view of convincing the country of the fallacy of the general notion which prevailed to the contrary; and I have persuaded others to follow my plan, which, without one exception, has proved the truth of what I conceived to be really the case.”

The institution is at present only in its cradle; but its exertions have al ready proved it to be a Hercules. It contains within itself the talents, the benevolence, and the activity, necessary to success. To the liberality of the public it appeals for the requisite funds. A subscription of half a guinea constitutes a member. The Earl of Moray is President. Sir James Miles Riddell, Bart. Rev. David Johnson, D.D. Charles Stuart, M.D. Robert Scott Moncrieff, Esq. Vice Presidents. John Campbell, Esq. Tertius W. S. Treasurer. Mr. Christ. Anderson, and Mr. R. Paul, Se cretaries. Mr. J. Campbell, Gaelic Secretary.

Art. XVI. Night, a Poem. 8vo. pp. 71. Price 4s. Longman and Co. THERE is no truism which it gives us more uneasiness to repeat,

than that goodness of intention is no guarantee of poetical merit. The strain of the following paragraph, for instance, is extremely com mendable; but it is much to be regretted, we think, that it should be delivered in the shape of blank verse.

"Who shall our peace disturb, if we confide
In HIM, the Almighty Potentate, who holds
The reins of universal nature; HIM

Who raises empires: and who brings them low,
When they transgress the dictates of his will?
Though still the ruthless sword deals death around,
Fierce wielded by our proud, blaspheming foes;
He

may, in mercy, cause it to be sheathed.

But should his will be that we must behold

Invading armies in our land, he can
Inspire our soldiers with heroic zeal,

Relying wholly on his needful aid,

That a 1 the glory of our conquests may

Redound to him, whose outstretched arm has oft

Wrought us deliverance from our Gallic foe.' p. 23.

Art. XVII. A legal Argument on the Statute of William and Mary, Chap ter 18, entitled "an Act for exempting their Majesties Potestant Subjects dissenting from the Church of England, from the Penalties of certain Lars, commonly called the Act of Toleration By a Barrister at Law, of Lincoln's Inn, 8vo. pp. 75. Price 2s. Butterworth 1812. Art. XVIII, An Enquiry into the original and modern Application of the ' Statute of the 1st of William and Mary, commonly called the Toleration Act. By the Author of "Hints on Toleration." 8v0 pp. 45. Price 28. Maxwell. 1812.

THESE two pamphlets on the extraordinary modern construction of the Toleration Act, which has lately been contended for, deserve the attention of the public, especially of the numerous class whose religious privileges appear at present in so much danger. The former, by a Barrister, is professedly a legal argument, and may be presumed to contain those views of the subject, on which the decision will shortly be made. We have not room, at present, to enter into this important question; but shall probably find some other occasion of discussing it at large.

Art. XIX. Miscellaneous Exercises, consisting of selected Pieces of Prose and Poetry, written in false spelling, false grammar, and false stops, calculated to convey Amusement and Instruction to Young Minds, as well as to promote Improvement in the Orthography of our own Language. By the Rev. W. Jillard Hort. octavo. pp. 250. Longman and Co. 1811.

3

WE WE have seldom witnessed a more deplorable instance of "labour lost," than is exhibited in this book of exercises. How any one can suppose, that by dooming little boys and girls to work through two hundred and fifty pages of the most uncouth and barbarous jargon, it is possible for the English language to be tortured into, any improvement is likely to be made in their orthography, is to us incomprehensible. Nothing in our opinion, is more calculated to spoil it. Well educated persons can generally perceive in a moment if a word looks wrong; but there is great reason to doubt whether this power of discrimination would long survive a course of these miscellaneous exercises. That our readers may have some notion of what Mr. H. has been at, we shall insert the exercise which he distinguishes by the title of conclushion.'

We Prayse the O Godd we acknolledges Thee two bee thee Lorde Aul thee Erth do Wurship Thou thee Fathur Everlasting to Thou auf Anjels cries alloud the Hevens and aul thee Pours theirin To thee cherru bim and Serrafim continnually does cri Holie holy holye Lorde God Aul. mity who is and was and is to cum heven and Erth is full of thee Gloory ov thine Magesty Aul thee most highest Ranks ov Intelligencies which Circles thine Throne Rejoicing Praises Thou the Author ov there Being thee Supportur of there Existanse and stands evur reddy to Execute thine Graishius wil Aul the Vertuous and Goode ov thee Moiral Wurld Prayse Thou the Lorde of Provvidense Sunn Moone and Starrs and all the Glorius hoste ov Heven Prayses Thou Ayre and the Ellements Thundur and litenings Hale and Rayne and Stormie Windes Prayse Thee which maik the Clowds thine Charriot which ride uppon-the Wings ov thee Wurlwind VOL. VIII. 20

Mountins and aul Hills Frute bairing Trees and aul Cedars Wilde beesst and aul Cattel Reptiles and aul winged foul sets forth thine most wurthy Prayse and declares thine Glorie O Thou Eturnal Rulur of thee Univerce Aul Creetures depends uppon Thou thee Soverain Lord for inn thine Hande is the life ov evry Living Thing and the Breth ov aul Mankinde These waits on thee O Jehovah that Thou may give they there Foode in due Seezun That Thou give them they Gathers Thee Open thy Hande them is filled with Goode Wen Thou Hide thine Countennance them quicklie Perrish wen Thou taik awai there Breth They Expires and Returns to their Duste Wen Thou send Forth thine Spirrit them is creaited and thus Thou rennew the faice of the Erth Let us Prayse Him for his Mity Actes and According two his Exseeding Graitness Bless the Lord O our Soles and aul that are within we bles His Holie Naim which forgive our Sinns which heel our Infirmittes which rescue our lifes from Destrucchiun and crown us with Luving kindnes whose Mursey Endure for Evur.'

All authors it is to be presumed expect some recompense for their las bours. As for Mr. H. if his anticipations on this head are at all extravagant, he cannot do better, we think, than digest the story of Alexander and the Pea-thrower.

Art. XX. Practical Arithmetic, or the Definitions and Rules in Whole Numbers, Fractions, Vulgar and Decimal: Mental Calculations: Rules and Tables for valuing Annuities, Leases, &c. Exemplified by an extensive and select variety of Examples relating to business: and Questions for Examination. For the Purpose of instructing Pupils in Classes. With Notes. By J. Richards. 2d ed. 12mo. pp. xii. 158. Price 38. bound in sheep. R. Baldwin, 1811.

THIS

HIS book adds one term to the almost infinite series of treatises on arithmetic lately published;-but nothing, as we can perceive, to the real stock of information on that elementary subject.

Art. XXI. An Impartial Examination of the Dispute between Spain and her
American Colonies. By Alvarez Florez Estrada. Translated
from the original, by W. Burdon. 8vo. price 3s. Sherwood and
Co. 1812.
SENOR Estrada is a very judicious and well-informed writer.

His liberal views of subjects connected with political economy, are truly wonderful for a Spaniard,' and though we are, with his translator, of opinion that he is in error with respect to his main object, we do justice to the ability of his reasoning, and the purity of his patriotism and his intentions.

There can be little doubt but that the possession of the transatlantic dominions, have, in conjunction with a narrow and injurious commercial and colonial system, materially contributed to the national decline of Spain. The effects of these are ably and perspicuously traced by the present writer; who thinks it would have been happy for Spain, had an earthquake swallowed up these mines of gold and silver, and if in their room she had possessed vallies abounding with harvests and herds of cattle. The influx of the precious metals enriched individuals, but the government and the nation were poor; Span being only a sort of channel or canal, through which the wealth of America flowed in to other nations,' p. 145. The colonies

have, even by the admission of Senor E, been badly and despotically governed, and it has thus happened, by a sort of reaction, that either portion of the great Spanish empire has contributed to the injury

of the other.

We do not follow this writer through the interesting details, and specious though fallacious reasonings by which he endeavours to prove it criminal in the distant provinces to reject the yoke of Old Spain. The most efficiently argued portion of his pamphlet is that in which he endeavours, perhaps succesfully, to prove that the New Spainers cannot maintain their independence without a connection with some powerful European State. Their population, thinly scattered in an imperfectly organized state, over the surface of an immense region, and composed of different and even discordant elements, would not, he thinks, be able to resist an enterprising invader. If this inference were correct, it by no means affects the unquestionable right, in common with every other nation, of the Americans to legislate for themselves. The purpose of protection would be as effectually answered by alliance as by subjection; and our own situation with respect to our former dependencies in America, is a decisive proof that, instead of exasperating the passions of a people determined to be free, it is the wisest as well as the most liberal policy, to lay the foundation of a lasting friendship, by prompt and gracious concession.

Art. XXII. Dix's Juvenile Ailas, containing Forty-four Maps, with plain directions for copying them, Designed for Junior Classes. 4to. 48 plates, Darton, jun. 10s. 6d. half bound. 10s. coloured

1811.

THE maps given in this Atlas, are mere outline sketches; so that

the high price fixed upon the work, will necessarily limit the extent of its circulation. It should seem that the principal information communicated in the volume is that the whole was "drawn by Tho. Dix, North Walsham, for the use of schools;" for this important fact is enumerated no less than forty-seven times, being placed duly not merely upon each of them, but under the "plain directions for copying"

them.

Art. XXIII. Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects. By Miss R. H. 12mo. pp. 121. Gale and Curtis. 1811. THOUGH the subjects of these poems are styled miscellaneous, a very few exceptions, one epithet will comprehend them all. From first to last they are amorous. Love is the only theme in which the fair writer seems to take the smallest interest: and her harp is at any rate as refractory as that of Anacreon, if it is less lively and ingenious. It was not without considerable surprise, we learnt, that these compositions are the sallies of a very youthful muse, some being written at the early age of thirteen.' We should like to ascertain under what sort of elementary discipline the little lady's education was conducted. If her poems are solely the produce of her own head, we can only say that so premature a developement of faculties has seldom been heard of.