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the spirit of active Christian charity has been awakened, and a fire kindled by the Lord, which already shines into the remotest parts of the earth. In the powerful kingdom of Great Britain, a society has been formed consisting of Christians of all ranks and religious denominations, for the laudable purpose of propagating the word of God, to the utmost of their power, by cheap distribution among the poor."

[Here follows an extract from the first Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society.]

"No fire burns upon the altar of the Lord, without spreading its flames around. This fire has also extended its flames. The zeal of Christians in England has also infused itself into the hearts of Christians in Germany.

"Already in the German Empire a society has been formed, actuated by the same spirit and for the same purpose as that in England. In the Prussian states also there is still room for sowing the good seed of the word. They still contain districts where, in the houses of many Protestant families, the precious Bible is sought in vain.

"Christians in our Prussian country! who have been favoured by God

with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and at the same time in greater or less degrees with temporal goods, aid us by your active concurrence in performing this work of love. Enable us by your charitable contributions, both small and great (for the smallest gift derives worth from the intention of the giver, and becomes, by God's blessing, great) to sow the good seed of God's word in abundance. Let us do good to all me, but chiefly to those of the household of faith. (Gal. vi. 9.)"

The above-mentioned address having been enclosed in a letter to his Prussian Majesty soliciting his gracious protection, he returned the following answer:

"It is with real satisfaction that I discover, from your letter of the 7th of February, and the enclosed address, the laudable endeavours of the Prussian Bible Society for the gratuitous and cheap distribution of the Bible to the poor of my dominions; and whilst I render justice to your particular merit in promoting such an useful institution, I transmit to you at the same time 20 Frederick's d'or, as an addition to its funds. I am your gracious King, "FREDERIC WILLIAM.”

(To be continued.)

Literary Intelligence.

GREAT BRITAIN.

The Rev. Dr. Playfair, Principal of the College of St. Andrew's, has published his proposals for a Complete System of Geography, Ancient and Modern. It is to consist of six volumes in Quarto, each vol. containing upwards of 700 pages, price two guineas, accompanied by 50 large sheet maps. The first volume will appear as soon as a competent number of subscribers is obtained.

A MSS. of the Gospel of St. John in Latin, but written on parchment in Roman characters mixed with Saxon, said to be 1,200 years old, has been lately exhibited to the Antiquarian Society, by the Rev. Mr. Milner.

Captain Macnamara, of the East India Company's service, has published in the Medical and Physical Journal for August, the following circumstances respecting Vaccination, which

occurred to him, last autumn, at Cheltenham. Meeting a woman with a child, whose face was shockingly disfigured by eruption, he inquired the cause, and was told, that the child had been inoculated, twelve months back, with the Cow-Pox; and had been, in consequence, in that state, ever since! Determined to investigate the fact, he waited on the mother, who assured him that the child had never been inoculated at all, but that she intended taking it to Dr. Jenner for that purpose, since the Cow-Pox inoculation had entirely cured another of her children, which had been afflicted with a similar eruption. This, the Editors say, they understand has been since done; and the skin, as in the former instance, became, almost immediately after, perfectly free from eruption; and such instances, they add, are become familiar to them. Captain Macna

FOREIGN.

EDINBURGH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

THIS Society has lately published its annual report, containing a view of the progress of their affairs during the last year. An occurrence of considerable importance to their mission in Tartary, which has recently taken place, is thus related. "When the state of our funds had put it out of the power of the missionaries to redeem any more of the native youths, the providence of God, in a very extraordinary manner, sent them, free of cost, from a distant part of Tartary, above forty children, to be educated in the Christian faith. They are of a tribe of Kirghisian Tartars, of both sexes, and from five to fifteen years of age. In their native country, they were, to human appearance, placed beyond the reach of the means of grace; but HE who says, "I will bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth," compelled their tribe, under the pressure of famine, to offer their children to the Emperor as the price of bread; and induced his counsellors to present a portion of them to the missionaries at Karass, to be educated under their eye, in the Christian religion.

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." Would it have been proper for the missionaries to have declined the offer because they had not the approba. tion of the society? Would it have been proper for the society, after they received information, to have censured their conduct in accepting so singular a gift? Certainly not. They are the Children of Providence. God has said, 'Take these children and educate them for me, I will give you your wages:' and it is hoped that the friends of religion will not suffer the missionaries to want the means of feeding and clothing them, and of bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."

Still later accounts, we understand, have been received from Karass, from which it appears that the missionary settlement is healthy; that the baptized natives conduct themselves in a manner that accredits their profession; that their young people are very

promising, several of them being able to read both Turkish and English; that the prejudices of the surrounding na tives are not so violent as formerly; an that even some of the Effendis are be come friendly, and seem to wish we to their cause. The Russian Go ernment has made them a grant land, and annexed to the grant c tain important privileges. A tr against Mohammedism has b printed by the missionaries in th press at Karass. It is wri in Arabic, and the typography remarkably well executed.* tract makes a great stir among Moslems. Mr. Brunton has r considerable progress in transl the Scriptures into the langua the country. To this object he h voted much of his time and tion; and he thinks that he ha ceeded in making such a tran as will be understood, not only Turks, but also by the Tartars. the missionaries, and some eve Effendis, are anxious to have i ed, but this cannot be done wi new font of Arabic types; an present exhausted state of th ty's fund it is doubtful whet] can engage in this great and sarily expensive work.

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mara justly observes, that had he quitted Cheltenham without investigating this affair, he might have been innocently the cause of propagating a most wanton or malicious falsehood; while he might have asserted the case to have fallen under his own observation.

The sale of the most popular periodical works in France is said not to exceed 500 copies, while that of the same class of works in England varies from 1000 to 10,000. In Germany, 4000 copies are sold, it is said, of the Jena Literary Gazette; and nearly as many of some other literary and scientific Journals.

A new periodical work is just com, mencing, entitled The Literary Panorama, in monthly numbers, price 2s. 6d., printed on extra royal paper. It will include a Review of books, chiefly foreign; a Register of Events; and a Magazine of Varieties. It professes to comprise intelligence from the various districts of the United Kingdom; the British copnexions in the East Indies, the West Indies, America, Africa, Western Asia, and the Continent of Europe.

The flourishing state of the grand staple manufacture of this kingdom may be estimated from the following comparative view. In the West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1725, were manufactured 26,671 pieces of broad cloth; in 1805, they amounted to 300,237 pieces, making 10,079,256 yards. Of narrow cloths, in 1738, there were 14,496 pieces manufactured; and in 1805, they amounted to 165,847 pieces, making 6,193,317 yards.

FRANCE.

The imperial printing establishment at Paris employs 400 workmen, besides a number of women, who fold and stitch the pamphlets and laws printed there.

M. Guyton gives the following as a sure specific against contagion:Take four ounces of salt, six grains of manganese, water two ounces, and sulphuric acid two ounces. The manganese in powder is mixed with the salt in an earthen vessel, the water is then added, and afterwards -the sulphuric acid. One fumigation is sufficient, if the chamber be not inhabited; but if there be patients,

it must be repeated three or four times.

HOLLAND.

The Teylerian Society at Haarlem have proposed the following ques tions, as the subject of a prize Essay, to be adjudged on the 8th of April, 1807-1. In what does the difference between Natural and Revealed Religon consist? 2. Whether various publications have not appeared, at different times, which tend to obscure this difference, and to cause the advantages possessed by Christianity over the Religion of Nature to be forgotten? 3. Whether, in proportion as these writings are disseminated, and the two Religions assimilated, in every point, to each other, the most fatal effects may not be expected to re. sult to Christianity, Morality, and the happiness of man? The prize is a gold medal of 400 florins in value. The essays must be written either in Dutch, English, French, or Latin.

The following remedy for stopping bleedings from the nose has been in universal use, say the editors of the Medical and Physical Journal, for more than a hundred years, in the province of Frisia; but was kept a profound secret, till Mr Tjalingu, apothecary at Amsterdam, made its composition public which is as follows.-R. Sacchari Saturni unciam unam, vitrióli Martis unciam semis, seorsim terantur in mortaris vitrio, adde spiritus vini uncias octo. M. Young persons, from ten to twelve years of age, are to take ten or twelve drops; patients under twenty, fourteen or fifteen drops; and grown persons, twenty drops: four times each, in a spoonful of wine or brandy. He has succeeded in the most obstinate cases. By analogy, he recommends the same medicine for the cure of hemorrhages of all kinds; particularly those of the uterus, which often prove very tedious.

The literary productions of Holland, including translations, were very numerous last year. On Theology they amounted to 130; besides journals, which treat chiefly of divinty, and a weekly paper, which contains but Biblical Dissertations, and is supported by many persons. On medicine, physic, and natural history, 114 works appeared.

SPAIN.

Don MICHAEL CABANELLAS, a Spanish Physician, during the prevalance of the contagious distempers which raged at Carthagena, shut himself up, with 50 persons, in one of the hospitals of that city, in order to prove the efficacy of acid fumigations. He and his companions, among whom were two of his own children, actually slept in the beds where many patients had recently fallen victims to this dreadful disease; without employing any other preservatives than the mineral acid fumigations, as directed by Mr. Guyton; after being thus strictly confined, the whole 51 persons came out in perfect health. The king of Spain has, in consequence, conferred suitable rewards on all who thus exposed themselves for the service of the state, and the interests of humanity.

ITALY.

An eruption of Mount Vesuvius has recently taken place, exceeding any thing of the kind within the memory of man. The summit of the mountain is torn to pieces; and the rim of the crater is quite altered. In consequence of the number of fissures, it is thought that a whole side of the mountain will fall in. About a hundred dwelling houses and estates have been ruined; with large tracts of vineyard ground, cornfields, &c. The volcano is not yet quiet.* The subterranean noises are dreadful. Flashes of lightning are, from time to time, emitted from clouds of smoke. Great apprehensions are entertained, that Torre del Greco may share the fate of Herculaneum. A part of its streets have been already inundated with the lava, which the inhabitants have removed with incredible labour and fatigue. Still the stream continues to run very near the place; and the inhabitants are deterred from leaving their houses, through fear of injury by the glowing cinders discharged from the mountain. A great quantity of ashes has also fallen in Naples. Ch. Ob.

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on the coast of Malabar, for the pur pose of examining the ancient He brew manuscripts preserved in the synagogue of the Jews at that place. "These manuscripts are represented to be of very high antiquity, being supposed to contain that portion of the Scripture, which was written before the dispersion of the Jews. A collation of them with the European copies has been long desired by the learned." It was to solicit an examination of these Hebrew manuscripts, that the late President Stiles addressed a letter to Sir William Jones, in the year 1794. Before the President's letter reached India, this great oriental scholar had deceased; but it was read to the Asiatic Socie ty, and was to be answered by Sir John Shore, (Lord Teignmouth) its President, when the necessary researches should have been made. The early return of Sir John Shore to England was inauspicious to this design, as well as to the general interests of oriental literature. It is gratifying, however, to find, that the object is still kept in view, and that it was likely to be prosecuted by Dr. Buchanan; whose established literary character, and distinguished zeal in the cause of oriental learning, are a sufficient pledge for the fidelity of the investigation.

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UNITED STATES.

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NOAH WEBSTER, Esq. so known in the literary world by his la bours to improve the English lan guage, and to facilitate an accurate knowledge of it, we understand is now engaged and far advanced in the arduous and expensive undertaking of compiling a complete Dictionary of the English language; but informs the public that he has not the means to prosecute it entirely at his own expense. He has invited to his assistance the instructors of the principal seminaries in the United States, and has already received the patronage of the faculties of Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Williamstown, and Middlebury Colleges. In accomplishing an object of such magnitude and importance, for which Mr. W. from nature and habit is peculiarly fitted, and which may prove both honorary and advantageous to our country, we trust every literary institution, and every man of science will cheerfully lend

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