Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

course of the year before us, we meet with a warm and congratulatory correspondence maintained between the parent society and auxiliary so çieties established at Philadelphia, Maine, Charleston, New Jersey, New York, Baltimore, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Albany. In several of these, we rejoice to find, and mention it because the fact may have a tendency to conciliation, that Prayer-books are distributed as well as Bibles, as we are told in a letter from Albany, "to those members of the episcopal church, who, from poverty, are destitute of this excellent summary of Christian truth and animated guide to Christian devotion." And we have also much gratification in adding, that as "the Bible and Prayer-book society of Albany and its vicinity," have expressly written to the parent society for information whether, under its actual form it may hope for the approbation of the latter, we have reason to believe from the incorporation of this letter into its report, as well as from other circumstances, that such approbation has been conceded to it.

We have already stated that a translation of the Bible has also been made and circulated among, what to many of our readers may be a new phraseology, congregations of Christian Hottentots." We are sure,' observe the Moravian missionaries in their correspondence, "that if the worthy members of that benevolent society (the British) had been present to see the tears, and bear the bumble and joyful expressions of thankfulness for this precious gift, and the prayers offered up for the blessing of God to rest upon those who had so kindly considered the spiritual wants of the most distant pations, they would have thought themselves well rewarded for their

generosity to these poor people."Nor will it appear much less astopishing that the same ardent and indefatigable spirit, has supplied the rude and wretched tribes of Eskimaux with the same invaluable gift, translated into their own savage tongue. "Many affecting scenes took place," writes M. Kohlmeister, one of the Moravian missionaries at Labradore," when the gospel of St. John was distributed among our Esquimaux, and their English benefactors were mentioned to them; tears of gratitude ran down many a cheek: and they expressed their wonder and astonishment that there were friends in England, who, though entirely unknown to them, yet wished to promote their eternal peace and happiness, by sending them the precious gift of the word of God. Some pressed the little book to their bosoms, and looked, as happy as if they enjoyed a foretaste of heaven. Others attempted to express their gratitude in letters which they addressed to me. Another advantage has hereby been gained. As the gospel of St. John was given only to such as could read, an uncommon eagerness has been excited among such as could not, to learn to read, that they might obtain similar presents. I have alto begun to instruct fifteen adult Eskimaux in writing, and I am delighted with the progress they are making. Some have written me very affecting letters. With the translation of the gospel of St. Luke I have advanced to the 20th chapter."

The ensuing intelligence is also of high importance, and reflects the greatest credit upon the assiduity of those who have chiefly conducted the concerns of the Bible Institution. It shews us that the extreme boundary, the ultima Thule of Eu rope, has by no means becn neg.

lected,

[ocr errors]

glected, whilst the eye has been strained to embrace the bordering savages of Africa and America. The Bible is now no longer, as it has hitherto been, a book almost unknown to the Fin, Laplander, Livonian, Esthonian, and Dorpatian, while its circulation among the Poles has been very considerably facili tated. The Stockholm Bible Society writes as follows, Dec. 19, 1811: "We have to acknowledge the favour of your letter of September last, announcing a further donation of 2001. from the British and Foreign Bible Society, to cnable us immediately after the completion of our first edition of the Swedish Bible on standing types, to proceed with a second. How can our society sufficiently express its sense of grateful obligation to your's for its repeated assistance. Indeed we cannot view ourselves in any other light than that of a feeble child constantly cherished by the tender care of an affectionate parent. As to what regards the 5,000 copies of the Lapland Testament, printed at the ex pense of your society, our royal Chancery having been informed that half of this number was destined for the benefit of the Laponese under the Swedish government, has not only made the most proper regulation for their suitable distribution, and ordered the land-carriage to be paid from the public treasury, but also addressed a letter to our committee, expressing the pleasure which his Majesty the king had felt on hearing what had been done for promoting a better knowledge of the Christian religion among the Swedish Laplanders."

To the same effect the following extract of a letter from Bishop Tengstrom, at Abo in Finland: Since 'writing to you last, I have received a letter from his Excellency Spe

ransky, concerning our proposed edition of the Finnish Bible with standing types; and have now the heartfelt pleasure to inform you that his imperial majesty (of Russia) bas not only graciously approved of our accepting the British and Foreign Bible Society's generously offered gift of 5001. for that purpose, but has also from his own privy purse given 5000 rubles for the same good and Christian purpose. Thus, in the Lord's name, a foundation is laid to a work, from which religion and our Finnish church in particolar, will, by the help of God, derive a certain and lasting advantage."

A correspondent from the neighbourhood of Dort, dating Sept. 5, 1811, communicates, in like manner, as follows: As to what re spects the Bible cause I have to inform you that the Præpositus, (Superintendant) convened on the 26th of June, a meeting of eighteen clergymen, who all approved, with one heart and voice, of the design of printing the Livonian and Esthenian scriptures; and were greatly rejoiced at the aid so kindly offered on the part of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The directing Chamber for managing ecclesiastical affairs, promised its co-operation, and immediately voted a grant of money. As the printing of Bibles and Testaments in the Dorpation dialect would be attended with great expence, and the Supreme Consistory is desirous to bring the Revel dialect (which is already understood by many) into general use, it was determined to print our Bibles and Testaments in the Revel dialect."

We have thus drawn up the most succinct and important outline of the actual state of foreign biblical literature, strictly so called, which it is in our power to do, from one of the most singular publications of the present

day,

whose authority is unquestionable, -We might have extended the view much further, if he had followed up the correspondence and exertions of the society from its commencement, but we have purposely confined ourselves to the limits of the year immediately before us and it has appeared to us, as it will also probably appear to our readers, that the in telligence which this correspondence communicates, is of a nature in itself so interesting and momentous, and in its relation to our own country, so cordially welcome and personal, that no apology is necessary for our having confined ourselves to a single source of information, and for postponing our usual report of foreign works on biblical criticism and theology, notwithstanding that the materials are before us, till the appearance of our Register for the ensuing year.

We shall close with the following anecdote, which we copy not to shew what villany exists in the world under the mask of a sanctimonious pretence, but to prove the necessity of circumspection and caution even in transactions whose benevolent and spiritual nature will with difficulty allow us to sink down at any time to the sordid point of distrust and suspicion. The incident we allude to is narrated in a letter from Alexandria in the United States, bearing date October 16,

up

1810, and addressed to Robert Ralston, Esq. Philadelphia: "We the 'pastors of the episcopal, presbyterian, and methodist congregations, send you the sum of 548 dollars, and 21 cents for the use of the Bible Society. This money came in a singular manner into, our hands. We were visited by a Mr. der the assumed character of a missionary from a society, said by him to be established at St. Louis, in Upper Louisiana, for the purpose of ameliorating the condition of the savage tribes; the vouchers which he had artfully drawn up, had hitherto furthered his views. Having nearly completed his collections here, he was detected as an impostor, and went off, leaving behind him most of the money which he had collected here and at other places in his progress through Virginia. His real

[blocks in formation]

1812.

2 C

CHAPTER

CHAPTER II.

PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL.

T

Containing Medicine, Physiology, Botany, Mineralogy, Chemistry,

Meteorology.

HIS chapter we have usually judgment. commenced with the department which relates to the structure and health of the animal kingdom, and we see no reason for departing from our accustumed method.

"Traité des Maladies qu'il est dangereux de guerir," &c. "Treatise on Diseases which it is dangerous to cure. By Mr. Dominique Raymond, M. D. of the faculty of Montpellier; a new edition, augmented with notes by M. Giraudy, M. D. Professor of General Therapeutics, &c." 8vo. It is known to every one that much mischief occasionally arises from too active an interference of the medical practitioner, as also that some diseases of a milder character are the best antidotes against others of greater severity. Hippocrates, in the outset of the medical science, observed, that there are some diseases which cannot be cured; and others, the cure of which it is dangerous to attempt; since, by so doing, morbific matter, may be thrown upon parts more susceptible of injury, and nature may be thus overpowered. It was under such an impression that Dr. Raymond composed the work before us, which had the good 'fortune to become popular with the French nation, as well as with the profession; but it nevertheless possesses some puerility of opinions, and some credulity and want of

It is on this account Dr. Giraudy has offered a revise of the work in the form of a second edition. He has upon the whole improved it, but it still requires to be further weeded. In a more perfect form we should recommend a translation of it as a proper counterpart to Buchan and Tissot.

"Observations sur la Nature et le Traitement, &c." "Observations on the Nature and Treatment of Apoplexy, and on the means of preventing it. By Anthony Portal, Professor of Medicine to the Imperial College of France, &c." 8vo. The name of this distinguished writer is familiar to the medical, and indeed to various other professions. throughout Europe: and the disease he here treats upon, he has treated upon, though more cursorily, in various previous publications. In the present work he gives his own opinions and those of others in a collective form, details the history of the disease, and the varieties and shades of variety it assumes, at con. siderable length, and offers a mass of information truly valuable and important.

"Traité Practique des Hernias, &c." "Practical Treatise on Hernias; or Anatomical and Chirurgical Memoirs on these diseases. By Anthony Scarpa, Consulting Surgeon of the Emperor and King," &c. 8vo. We notice this work by

way

[ocr errors]

way of information to our readers, that the correct and original remarks of the distinguished writer, in rela. tion to the class of diseases before us, which were formerly published at Milan in five fascicles of atlas foJio, accompanied with most beautiful engravings, may now be had in a portable form, and at an expense within the reach of every one. "Memoire sur les Organs, &c." "Memoir on the Organs of Absorption in Mammiferous Animals. By M. Magendie, M. D. &c." M. Magendie not long since wrote a vaJuable paper, which, as well as the present, was read before the French Institute, upon the facility with which the poisons of the upas tiente, the nux vomica, and the bean of Ignatius, are absorbed and introduced into the sanguiferous system: it appearing to require scarcely twenty seconds for these poisonous matters to be conveyed from the peritoneal cavity to the spinal marrow. The experiments before us, which appear to have been accurately conducted, and in which the writer was assisted by Dr. Delile, prove sufficiently that there is some other source of communication between one part of the body and another than that of the lymphatic and sanguiferous systems: a fact which we not long since noticed to have been very completely established between the stomach and the bladder, by the correct and valuable experiments of Dr. Wollaston and Dr. Marcet. The writer seems half inclined to adopt the exploded doctrine of a direct absorption by the veins: but his experiments not fully warranting such a result, he concludes as follows: 1st, That the lymphatic vessels are not always the route followed by foreign matters to arrive at the sanguiferous system. And, 2dly, that the blood of animals upon

which the bitter strychnos (bean of St. Ignatius) has produced its deleterious effect, cannot produce any fatal effects upon other animals.

"Analyse Comparative, &c." "Comparative Analysis of the Urine of various Animals. By M. Vanquelin." The urines here examined are those of the lion, tiger, and beaver. The two first are alike, and have a considerable resemblance to that of man, differing, however, in being alkaline instead of acid, in containing no uric acid, and scarcely any phosphate of lime. The urine of the beaver greatly resembles that of herbivorous animals in general, and' is impregnated with the taste, colour, and smell of the vegetables on which it feeds.

"Recherches sur les Mœurs des Fourmis Indigènes, &c." "Inquiries concerning the Manners of Indigenous Ants. By P. Huber, Member of the Society of Natural History, &c." The industry and activity of ants frequently attracted the notice of the ancients: but in the mixture of truth and fable which compose the accounts of Pliny and Aristotle, we find the errors greatly preponderating; while even the writings of modern naturalists contain a multitude of vague assertions unsupported by observation. We are glad, therefore, that an entomologist, whose name, as well as that of his father, (to whom we are indebted for an admirable history of bees, drawn up from actual observation, though in the midst of blindness,) is far from being unknown to the world, should have directed such minute attention as the present work evinces, to rectify the numerous errors under which the curious have hitherto laboured with respect to this wonderful tribe of insects. In his account of the external characters of the 2 C2

species

« ZurückWeiter »