Medea of Euripides. With Greek Notes, Various Readings, and Emendations. By Alexander Negris. Edinburgh: Clark. 12mo.

THIS is a neatly-printed edition of the Medea, and there is something amusing in finding some of Porson's emendations discussed in Greek. Mr. Negris's explanations seem fair enough.

Sanbattion, and other Poems. By the Rev. R. C. Trench. London: Moxon. THE justly-merited reception which Mr. Trench's former volume met with, takes away the necessity of commending the present work to favourable notice. It is sufficient to say that it is distinguished by the same rare and high qualities as its predecessor, the same melody of versification, the same refined delicacy and truth of feeling, the same play of imagination, the same fervid but pure spirit of piety and devotion.

Think!

It would be quite a pity to add a bookseller's name to this emphatic monosyllabic title. The matter ought to have been noticed in last month's Magazine; and had this been the case, it would have been said that this little tract consists of prayers and meditations, good in their way, though their peculiar connexion with the title is not very apparent. However, as Thinking has made its own way to a second edition, it wants no help now from a reviewer.

The Spiritual Sacrifice. Consisting of Prayers and Thanksgivings, selected from the Works of eminent Christians. Arranged as a Manual of Devotion for Families and Private Persons. London: Hatchard and Son. 1838. 8vo. PP. 373.

THIS is a collection of about one hundred and fifty prayers, selected from nearly sixty different sources, but chiefly from Jeremy Taylor, Jenks, Toplady, Bickersteth, Matthew Henry, Thomas à Kempis, the Common Prayer-Book, and the "Whole Duty of Man." They are divided into family and private prayers. The former are arranged into morning and evening prayers for four weeks, prayers for times of affliction, fast days, sacrament, thanksgivings, and intercessions. The private prayers nearly similar, with some for particular graces.

One common fault in collections of prayers is, that they are not adapted to the generality of people; there are few persons who can make the words their own; they seem to take too much for granted as regards the feelings of those for whose use they are intended. This will be found to be the case in many of those contained in this volume. There is too much talking in them for prayer; they had better be styled, Meditations, with pious ejaculations. Such, at least, was the feeling of the writer of this notice when perusing the volume; he could read and admire many of them, but he could not feel that he could use them as prayers. Many persons, however, will be pleased with them, and in so numerous a collection will be almost sure to find some that they

may employ as the compiler has intended; but should they fail of this, they need not think that this is a useless volume; it cannot be used without profit, as the names of most of the authors will be sufficient to shew. The least that can be said in its favour is, that it lays open the thoughts and feelings of some " eminent Christians" to others, who, though their hearts will not be able to respond to the words, will scarcely refrain from wishing that they could.

The Alternative: Disease and Premature Death, or Health and Long Life, &c. Being an Exposure of the prevailing Misconception of their respective Sources, and shewing what is, and what is not, according to those Laws which alone can ensure sound Health and length of Life. By Joel Pinney, Esq. London: Highley. 8vo. pp. 216.

ONE sentence of this work is enough to shew the principle on which the author proceeds: "The cure of disease (when it has taken hold of the system) belongs to the medical man; the preservation of health, to ourselves," p. 153.

The prophylactics of Mr. Pinney are sensible enough; active habits, temperance, early rising, exercise, &c.

The various Memorials and Communications addressed by the different Chapters to his late Majesty's Church Commissioners, which were printed by order of the House of Commons, on the motion of Sir R. H. Inglis, have been published in an octavo volume, and furnished with an Index, as well as an Appendix, containing certain Memorials relative to the See of Sodor and Man.

Part V. of Le Keux's Memorials of Cambridge is published, containing a view of the Hall of Trinity College, as seen from Nevill's Court. The other engraving is the statue of Sir Isaac Newton. Would it not be better to avoid so very difficult a task as such a statue? This Number appears to complete Trinity College.

Part XVIII. of the Churches of London is out, and contains St. Giles', Cripplegate, and the interior of St. Dunstan's-in-the-West. It continues to keep up its character.

Some books of great importance and interest have appeared within the last fortnight-among others, Mr. Palmer's Treatise on the Church, a work of which the highest expectations have been justly formed, and which promises to do more than realize them. But it would be unjust to say more of such a book without a more careful perusal of it than ten days will allow. Dr. Hook has also published a very interesting volume, which contains a republication of two American works by Dr. McVicar, the "Early"and" Professional" years of Bishop Hobart, with a prefatory account of the American Church, from Dr. Hook's own vigorous and masterly pen.

Monument to Wickliffe.-Mr. Richard Westmacott, the worthy son of a celebrated father, has just published in lithograph a sketch of his monument to Wickliffe, erected by subscription at Lutterworth. The dignity and grace displayed in many of the figures, and, what is still more rare, the thought which has been expended on the subject, and has led to the very interesting grouping of the piece, are such as cannot fail to attract attention, and obtain for Mr. Westmacott from the public at large the reputation he so justly deserves.

Bishop Ken's Works.-In answer to the query proposed in the review of this work in the last number, Mr. Round, the editor, has kindly written as follows:-" In regard to the Royal Sufferer, being of opinion, from various grounds, that it is spurious, I look upon the pretence to being one of the seven bishops in the same light with the assumption of the initials T. K. in the title-page; I suppose them to be both adopted for purposes of deception. I do not reject it from the collection because the resemblance to Bishop Ken's style is faint, but because of certain striking dissimilarities, particularly in the character and terminations of the prayers; while the resemblance of style in certain points does not appear sufficiently strong to be conclusive in its favour. There is also to my apprehension an absence of that warm glow which pervades the devotions of Ken. They are compositions, rather than prayers; framed, rather than poured forth."

An Illustrated Bible, in folio, is now being published in parts by Messrs. Smith and Elder. Its type is good, and it is to contain the apparatus of Brown's self-interpreting Bible, and will therefore be acceptable to those who approve of his notes. The illustrations appear to be confined to the pages in which a book begins, and title-pages. They consist of a figured red ink border, adorned with small wood cuts in black.

Part V. of Mr. Yarrell's History of British Birds is published, and the work keeps up its high character. The wood cuts are exquisite, particularly that of the Song Thrush.

Vol. IV. of Southey's Poems contains his wild and singular poem of Thalaba.

DOCUMENTS.

APPEAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.

THE Society for the Propagation of the Gospel has now been engaged for more than a century in promoting religious instruction and education throughout the colonies and dependencies of the British empire. It is conducted upon the principles of the church of England, and the missionaries whom it employs are subject to the ecclesiastical authorities of the country in which they are placed.

During the earlier period of its existence, the labours of the Society were principally devoted to the building of churches, the maintaining of clergymen,

and the gathering together of congregations, in the North American Colonies and since the separation of the United States of America from the British crown, the same operations have been carried on in the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and the Bermudas. By planting branches of Christ's holy catholic church in each of these settlements, the Society has endeavoured to extend the Redeemer's kingdom upon earth, and to communicate the saving truths of the gospel to the population springing up in these immense territories.

The cost of the American missions was defrayed, during many years, from annual subscriptions, and from the interest of some considerable legacies. From the year 1813 to the year 1833, the Society undertook the management of a grant annually voted by parliament for the support of clergymen of the church of England in the North American Colonies. But this grant is now discontinued; and, for the future, the colonists can expect no aid from the mother-country, except such as arises from voluntary contributions.

The expenditure of the Society under this head during the year 1837, amounted to more than 13,000l.; and there is an urgent demand for additional clergymen in every one of the provinces, more especially in Upper Canada and Newfoundland.

In the year 1820 the Society founded a Mission College at Calcutta, for the education of missionaries and catechists, whether European, Indo-British, or native, to be employed in ministering to the native Christians of Hindostan, and in preaching the gospel to the Hindoos and Mahommedans throughout that country. The number of missionaries and catechists educated in this seminary, and now serving in India, is twenty-one; and the number of students, at the date of the last report, was sixteen, including seven native converts. Missions in connexion with the college have been established in the neighbourhood of Calcutta and at Cawnpore; and the number of ordained missionaries in the Bengal presidency is four.

The care of the extensive protestant missions in Southern India, formerly supported by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, was transferred to this Society in the year 1824; and the number of European Missionaries in that presidency is eighteen, besides catechists and native teachers. Large native schools are carried on in connexion with these missions; and a seminary for the education of catechists and teachers is established at Vepery, near Madras.

These are the portions of the Society's labours which fall most exactly under the description of missions to the heathen; and every subscriber to its funds may have the satisfaction of feeling that he assists in causing the gospel to be preached among the idolators and Mahommedans of the east. The expendi ture in India during the year 1837 exceeded 17,000l.; and steps have been taken for the opening of a new mission in the presidency of Bombay, which will necessarily create a further demand for pecuniary aid.

Another scene of extensive usefulness was opened in the year 1833, by the Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout her Majesty's dominions. On this interesting occasion the Society resolved to take an active part in providing for the religious instruction of the enfranchised negroes; and a special fund was raised by subscriptions and donations, to be expended in aid of the cost of building churches and school-houses, and of maintaining clergymen and schoolmasters, in the British West Indies. In pursuance of this plan, large grants of money have been made towards the erection of churches and schools; and the number of clergymen, exclusive of other teachers, now in connexion with the Society, and deriving a portion of their income from its funds, is thirty-seven. The vital importance of communicating moral and religious knowledge to the negro population, and the feeling of the country in favour of that class, encourage the Society to persevere in this branch of its VOL. XIII.-April, 1838. 3 к

operations. The present annual charge, independent of grants for buildings, is 6,000l.

Lastly, in the year 1837, the spiritual destitution of the Australian Colonies having been represented to the Society by the Bishop of Australia, it has engaged to contribute towards the support of twenty additional clergymen, to be employed as chaplains in the provinces of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land; and it has much pleasure in announcing, that no less than twelve of the number have been appointed, and have sailed for Australia. The dreadful state of wickedness into which the great body of the people throughout these colonies were falling must plead the Society's excuse for entering at the present time upon a new field of labour and expense. It rejoices at having been enabled to induce so considerable a body of clergymen to devote themselves to the service of their Heavenly Master, under circumstances of much discouragement; and trusts that the appalling accounts, recently published by authority, respecting the moral and religious condition of our convict settlements, will awaken the attention of the country, and produce an attempt to wipe out this foul stain upon the national character.

From the foregoing statement, it will be seen that the recent extension of the Society's labours commenced at a time when, by the discontinuance of the parliamentary grant, the whole expense of the North American missions was cast upon its funds,-an expense which they were barely able to meet. And in the years which have elapsed since that period the Society's annual income, arising from subscriptions, donations, and collections, has not increased by a sum larger than 1,9921. In the year 1833, the receipts under these heads amounted to 8,7471.; in the year 1837, to 10,7391. During the same period, the permanent annual expenditure, exclusive of the sum paid in the former year on account of government, has increased from 23,8671. to 35,190l.; and a further sum of 15,2247. has been laid out in the West Indies, from the special fund. The excess of expenditure above income in each year has been defrayed by sales of stock bequeathed to the Society as legacies, or purchased with money collected under the authority of King's Letters.

The existence of such a state of things can only be accounted for by supposing that the circumstances of the Society-the rapid extension of its operations-and the heavy additional charge incurred thereby-are not generally known; and the object of the present address is to promote the more general formation of committees, parochial or otherwise, for the circulation of reports of the Society's proceedings and extracts from the correspondence of its missionaries, and for the increase of its funds.

The distinguishing mark of the Institution is, its close connexion with the church of England, and its adherence to her rules of ecclesiastical discipline. The effect of the system is, that clergymen, carefully selected for the office of missionaries, are subject to a discipline and assured of a protection not to be exercised upon any other plan.

It is also distinctly understood in the colonies, that the permanent maintenance of the colonial clergy cannot be defrayed by the mother country; and that when the Society has succeeded in planting missionaries in places hitherto unprovided with them, it will proceed from time to time to other districts, until the whole of every province is supplied with the means of religious instruction. Much more is now done by the colonists themselves for the maintenance of clergymen, and the erection of churches, than was attempted or even thought of in former times; and their demand upon the mother country for assistance should be met by a corresponding increase of exertion. As fellow-countrymen, and still more as fellow-Christians, they call upon us to come over and help them; and our help, to be effectual, must proceed from every corner of the kingdom, and be in some measure proportionate to the vast field before us, and to the sacred interests by which it is called forth. A. M. CAMPBELL, Secretary.

4, Trafalgar-square, Charing-cross, London.