Denmark, for printing the whole bible in the Icelandic language.

Two separate sums of 10001. cach have been granted towards the translations of the scriptures now going on in Bengal, into ten Oriental languages, among which are the Shanscrit and the Chinese. Specimens of these translations have been received: they are in different degrees of forwardness, and some are actually completed.

Arabic types and paper have been granted and sent by the society for the purpose of printing 5000 copies of the New Testament in the Turkish languages at Karass, on the borders of the Caspian sea; a favourable opportunity having offered for introducing the scriptures among a people amounting to nearly thirty millions, who speak that language, and who inhabit from the banks of the Wolgar to the shores of the Euxine.

Five thousand copies of theSpanish Testament have been printed by the society; 9000 of the French have been ordered at different times; and they have procured a stereotype edition of the latter.

English New Testaments have also been supplied to Ireland; and 20,000 copies of a neat Gaelic bible, together with 10,000 New Testaments for the Highlands of Scotland, are now nearly completed.

The English and Welsh Bibles and New Testaments are all printedby stereotype, under the direction of the University of Cambridge.

To the above series of facts it may be added, that the society has furnished copies of the New Testament, and occasionally of the whole Bible, at home-to the convicts at Woolwich, the prisoners in Newgate and other jails, the German soldiers and seamen at Margate, Gosport, Guildford, Dublin, and other places; the sea-fensibles on the Essex coast; and the French and Spanish prisoners of war; and abroad-to the British soldiers at the Cape of Good Hope; the inhabitants of Newfoundland, Halifax, and Nova Scotia; the settlers at Van Dieman's Land; the French at St. Domingo; the colonists of New South Wales; and to different parts of France, Switzerland, and Germany.

The society has already expended between 5 and 60001. in accomplishing these several objects, and stands further pledged for very considerable sums on account of the many important undertakings in which it is now engaged.

ON THE CORRUPTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE.

To the Editor. SIR,

Men are all naturally equal and independent, reason beholds no dif ference between the proud noble and the humble vassal,--she perceives not the fancied distinction between

the haughty despot and the abject slave, whose life unjustly depends upon the tyrant's nod.

To secure alike to all the tranquil enjoyment of his life, his liberty, and his property; to protect the weak, to reward the deserving, to restrain the violent, to punish the criminal, is the main business, the chief design for which societies are instituted :-man is called upon to

lost of independence.

:

The generous design of society, of promoting the security and happiness of mankind, is rendered abortive by the fatal conduct of princes, the majority of whom, unhappily for their species, still remain in a state of nature in regard to each other perfidy, fraud, robbery, and murder, are considered as their peculiar privileges ;-men are induced to perpetrate crimes under their sanction, which would consign to a premature grave an individual who committed them for his own private benefit or revenge; yet by a strange inconsistency of ideas, the private malefactor is abhorred as a pest to society, whilst the privileged murderer is held up to admiration, an object for our praise!--a monstrous state of society which will ever exist whilst mankind remajn subservient to the ambition of their rulers.

Religion, independent of system, is an effort of reason congenial to the nature and disposition of man in every corner of the globe; but instead of producing those splendid benefits to mankind for which it is so pre-eminently calculated, we see it degraded to a mere engine of state; and under its sacred name and authority, princes endeavour to conceal or to justify the most atrocious crimes: each in his turn arrogantly appeals to the justice of the omnipotent; the Majesty of heaven is insulted by being accounted a participator in crimes disgraceful to humanity. To the great author of our being are unjustly attributed those victories which are gained by the sacrifice of thousands, each equal

cess upon his own arms a his allies, whilst he impr geance upon the heads o mies. A few years, a fe shall change those allies mies, those foes into frie line of policy shall be a the attainment of the ob ambition, yet the praye curse are repeated,-God ly represented as enterin partial views of policy and but heaven who created for the common use and all, and not merely for upon which kings mig their crimes with impun them with detestation, bu unhappy condition of ma instead of humane mag watch and protect their s raised up so many tyrants

Among the various qua predominate upon the pres of the world, there is scarc culated to produce either ness of the people or th the prince. Upon the g we see folly, perfidy, or united with a mean subs the will of a superior ty unjust views they seco mandates they obey; wh the gripe of his power, wise fair prospect is obsc degree of obstinate big would disgrace a monk.

Thus do we behold I vailing policy of the choicest blessings of our crificed by millions to ambition of a few, who i ly endeavour to hide or j crimes under the sanctio gion which enjoins peace

accompanied with their never-failing effects, a contempt of religion, a disregard to the Sabbath, and a neglect of those various moral obligations, without which society cannot long subsist in security and peace.

If we consider the prevailing turn of the great,(so called)at what former period were they more luxurious and extravagant, or set a worse example to their inferiors? Routs, masquerades, races, boxing matches, gambling, and cockfighting, together with many other such frivolous, or savage amusements, now occupy a great part of their time. The consequence of which is, that their morals are corrupted, their real dignity and consequence in the state lessened, their estates burdened with heavy debts, and themselves reduced to the disgraceful necessity of becoming the dependants and supporters of any set of ministers who chuse to grant them a competent supply out of the public purse. Look next at the clergy and though they cannot justly be accused of the same depravity as those just mentioned, yet assuredly they may be charged with a too general neglect of those important duties, which their sacred

*

Pray, Mr. Editor by what strange inadvertence did you permit the narrative of a most ferocious, savage boxing match to appear among other articles in your "Domestic Occurrences" for the

last month? Your invaluable magazine is devoted to the cause of morality and rational liberty, and your readers participate with you in these principles. It therefore is impossible they should feel any other sensations at the recital of such detestable transactions, than those of horror and disgust. The cir culation of such intelligence should be confined to those venal journals and reviews which are adapted to the capacities, or the vitiated taste of the vulgar, high and low; nor ought you ever to condescend to notice it, unless for the pur pose of making an energetic protest, against the unpardonable supineness of our magistrates, or the glaring defects in our police laws.

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office and solemn vows have imposed upon them. St. Paul in his epistles to Timothy and Titus, has minutely described the various important duties and obligations of a christian minister: by this unerring standard, therefore, the conduct of those who call themselves the successors of the apostles is to be examined. Now, among other particulars, they are commanded to. "preach the word, to be watchful over their flocks, "confute, reprove, exhort in sea"son and out of season, with the "utmost patience of instruction." (11 Tim. iv. 2, 3. Wakefield's vession.) Is then, this precept obeyed as its importance requires? Is it not apparent, that the higher orders of the. clergy conduct themselves as if their elevated stations afforded them a clear dispensation from professional duties? Does not something of the same dispo sition too, prevail among the paro chial clergy? Following the example of their superiors in rank, they become negligent of their duty, consigning it over to any deputy they can engage upon the lowest terms. Divested thus, of those spiritual cares and labours, which at their ordination they declared themselves specially moved by the Holy Ghost, to undertake and perform, they devote the greater part of their time to fashionable amusements, or secular avocations. If their ambition is gratified by a commission of the peace, or of those innumerable taxes now imposed, they are at leisure to occupy a seat on the bench; otherwise their summers are chiefly spent at the watering places, or occasional trips to races and assemblies, and their winters in rural sports (so called) or in convivial clubs. The pulpit is rarely graced with their presence or las bours, except upon days appointed by the state for fasts, or when some ministerial watch-word is to be cir culated among the people, to serve some political purposes. common occasions, the stated duty

On other

is of course, assigned over to the curate, who, as he too often neither receives that equitable compensation for his labours to which he is justly entitled, nor that respect which is due to his character, becomes disgusted with his situation, and envious-almost pardonably so, at the more easy and affluent condition of his employer. His salary is often in. ferior to the annual earnings of an ingenious mechanic, or even of an active day labourer; he therefore becomes the object of contempt, or of sarcastic merriment at their alehouse meetings. His admonitions then soon cease to be regarded, and "who cares for the curate," becomes a common saying, even among women and children.

The externals of religion being thus slighted by those whom their country pay so amply for enforcing them by precept and example, no wonder that the church itself droops, and becomes in real danger. She is wounded in the house of her professed friends! Her more valuable and serious members, disgusted with the negligence of their spiritual guides, forsake her, and join themselves to the methodists. The gay, the thoughtless, and the vulgar remain, but are no credit to her, as they rarely attend her religious services; the former devoting the Sabbath to fashionable diversions; the latter to gross debauchery in the ale-house. Indeed these characters cannot belong to any church, though we often find them solicitous upon their deathbeds, to receive from the priest the benefit of a plenary absolution.

But the most striking and lamentable instance of the rapid declension of public virtue and morality, is now to be found among the rising generation. Many causes have contributed to this fatal change, among the rest, the encouragement which some of our former statesmen have afforded to exhibitions of the brutal, savage kind, such as boxing match

es, bull-baiting, &c. &c. But perhaps the principal reason arises from the necessity there has been, and yet is, for training so great a proportion of our young men to the use of arms. Engaged as we are in a war, the termination of which is yet very uncertain and distant, it may be a judicious, and even a necessary measure to convert the flower of our youth into national guards. But while this was performing, the utmost caution ought to have been employed, that with the military art, they should not also acquire those military vices which are generally to be found in the camps and barracks of regular soldiers. For this purpose our gailant youthsought to have been instructed and convinced of the obvious, essential difference which there assuredly subsists between their object, views, and engagements, and those of a regular soldier. The latter is nearly unconnected with any other class in sociey; he has no home, nor can he enjoy any of the comforts and endearments of domestic life. He must yield implicit obedience to the commands of his officer, take the utmost pains to become perfect in his military tactics, and hold himself in constant readiness to be transported to distant regions and unwholesome climates, there to face danger, discases and death. Not so the volunteer! His very name indicates freedom; it is a badge of honour of which he may be justly proud; and which marks the distinction between himself and any other description of the military corps. He has a home, a trade, a family, near relatives, and kind neighbours. When dangers appear he is instantly a sol dier, zealous to imitate or to equal the regular soldier, in bravery, ardour, and courage. The dangers subsiding, he returns again to his employment and his family, divests himself of his military accoutrements, and once more becomes a citizen.