sential points of religious truth, will find the perusal of this Work highly useful.

A Dissertation

on the Hebrew

Roots; intended to point out their
exclusive Influence on all known
Languages. By the late Rev: A.
Pirie, of Newburgh, 12mo, 5s.

MR Pirie was one of those characters that combine so much modesty with their intrinsic worth, that they are little known beyond the circle of their immediate connections. He left, however, a considerable quantity of MSS. behind him, which discover him to have been not baly a pious minister, but a man of genius, a deep divine, and an eminent scholar. From these, six vo lumes, 12mo, have been already published; and several of them have been for some considerable time with one of our editors, who has been prevented, by illness, from reviewing them. The present little volume, however, stands unconnected with the others, as being peculiarly adapted for students and for scholars.

IN our Magazinc for 1805, we gave a brief Memoir of this very useful popular manner, and great success man, who, on account of his plain among the lower classes, was called The Bunyan of the West: but be was by no means a literary character; and we were surprized to hear of his writings. These, however, are of an humble character; containing only a Memoir of his own Life and Experience, -a Spiritual Itinerary, and some Letters to his Friends, which may be said to smell, not of the lamp of study, but of the furnace of affliction, in which he appears to have been long and severely tried. Dr. Hawker, ever alive to motives of piety and benevolence, has collected these papers, and prefixed a beautiful apology for their publication, which we cannot withhold from our readers:

"I have found my mind much disposed to the publication of these Memoirs and Writings of the late venerable man whose name they bear, from motives which carry with them their own apology.

"The first, and by far the most important object, proposed from their publicity, is the hope, that, under the Spirit's ministry, they may become instrumental, in eter

Mr. Pirie assuming, what we suppose our readers will generally grant, that the Hebrew was the primitive language of mankind, endeavours to discover some traces of it in the learned and most of the European languages; and though it must be confessed there is no sub-nal concerns, to many in the project on which Fancy is more apt to "run riot" than in etymology, we must do the author the justice to acknowledge he has discovered considerable judgment, as well as ingenuity; and persons not accustomed to these studies, will be surprized to find so many traces of the original' tongue in our own and other modern dialects.

One leading view of Mr. Pirie seems to have been to promote the study of the Hebrew language, not only among students for the ministry, but others, who have talents and opportunity to apply to it, by shewing that much general information and entertainment is connected with the study; and we cheerfully concur in promoting such an object, as we consider Biblical learning always favourable to true religion.

motion of the divine glory; and the second inducement, though not equally interesting, yet by no means inconsiderable in the claims of social life, is the pleasing assurance that their sale will minister to the temporal advantage of his widow; whom it pleased the Great Head of his church, that his laborious servant should leave in indigent circumstances at the age of eighty-one.

"With respect to the former, I cannot question but that the Lord Je sus will commission these writings to much usefulness in his church. That sweet simplicity and godly sin-. cerity which so peculiarly marks them in every page, is exactly such as we find the Lord hath owned, and blessed to the minds of his people in all ages of his church.

In relation to the latter motive,

for which I have gathered together the fragments of Mr. Tanner's papers, and brought them from their obscurity to public view, I have too much confidence in the generosity of all feeling minds, to fear censure on this account. Nay, I rather anticipate their thanks, and expect they will meet me more than halfway in their kind reception of them. Surely, it is impossible but that every one who venerates age, and knows how to feel for the desolated winter of it, must wish well to this publication. It will, I am persuad ed, strike their minds with full conviction (I confess it did mine most powerfully) that a life of labour, such as Mr. Tanner's was, and that life, protracted to so long a period as eighty-seven years, possesseth no small claim on the benevolence of all, and especially of the religious and when to this consideration it be added, that since the slender means. afforded him for those long and wearisome services, allowed him no possibility of making the least reserve for relations so near and dear to him as his aged partner and daughter, surely, the very inabiIty seems to have been the result of Infinite Wisdom in the appointment, that it might be compensated another way.

"And, if the reader will indulge me to subjoin the further thought, I would add, that since the wants of those for whom this work is now published, are but little, neither, from the very order of nature, can they want that little long," I shall foster the fond hope, that the profits arising from this publication will open a resource fully equal to their atmost wishes. Like the Widow of arephath with her child, Mrs. Taner comes forth with her husband's labours, to gather the few sticks to furnish the momentary supply, and to eat her morsel and die. If the Lord shall graciously do by her, in this instance, as his servant the Prophet did, by the widow in Israel, I hope this cruse of oil will not fail, nor the barrel of meal waste, until that she shail no longer need "the bread that perisheth; but is taken to the enjoyment of that" which endureth to everlasting life."

Four Sermons, preached in London,

at the Thirteenth General Meeting of the Missionary Society, May 13, &c. 1807, by the Rev. Mess. Newton, Jack, Griffin, and Dr. Draper; also the Report of the Directors, and a List of Subscribers. 2s. 6d. THE first of these sermons, by the Rev. S. Newton, of Witham, in Essex, is founded on that encouraging prediction in Psalm lxxii. 17, "All nations shall call him Blessed." After a suitable introduction, the preacher observes, that all nations will not be in a state to call the Messiah blessed, till the knowledge of him be communicated to them he, therefore, directs our thoughts, Ist, To the state of the nations which are destitute of this knowledge; 2dly, To some of the effects of the knowledge of the Messiah ; — 3dly, To the universal prevalence of such knowledge; and, 4th, To our own duties, as persons looking for ward to this happy event. Each of these particulars is treated in a sensible and scriptural manner. Under the last, Mr. Newton observes, 1. That it is incumbent on us to he very thankful to the Father of Mercies, who has so distinguished us above most of the nations upon earth; 2. That real Christians will feel, and it is incumbent upon them to do so, a concern for the glory of the Messiah, and the spread of his kingdom upon earth; 3. We learn the importance of prayer and endeavour for the spread of Christ's kingdom; and, 4. It appears from this subject, that Missionary Socie ties are not aiming to bring forward an impossible or an unpromised event. The whole of this discourse is judicious and solid.

The second discourse in this vo lame is by the Rev. R. Jack, a mimister of the Secession, in Manches ter. His text is taken from Isa. xxvii. 6, "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.". The author considers this Scripture as a promise of prosperity to the church, in respect of number, in respect of spiritual vigour, in re spect ofruitfulness, in respect of

Patrick's Places: a Treatise on the Law and the Gospel. Originally written in Latin, by Patrick Hamilton, the First Scotch Reformer and Protestant Martyr. Translated and published by John Frith, the English Reformer and Martyr, in 1531. 8vo, Price 6d.

Mr. Styles has in the press, A Defence of his Essay on the Stage, in Answer to Mr. Aikin; also a new edition of the Essay, with the De THIS forms one of the series of fence in form of an Appendix

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Much Information, from various Parts of the Globe, has been lately received by the Directors; a Portion of which we gladly present to our Readers:

A LETTER has been received from Mr. Gregory Warner, dated April 11, 1807, in the brig Elizabeth, Bay of Islands, New Zealand; from which it appears that he left Port Jackson, in New South Wales, on the 7th of March. The vessel, which had been a Spanish prize, and had been laid by for a considerable time, proved leaky, so that the pumps were always at work; and having but a scanty allowance of provisions, they were glad to put into New Zealand, on the 30th of March, to obtain a supply of fish and potatoes, and to stop the leak. They also received assistance from some whalers, which came into the bay, and imparted to them some of their own stock. Mr. Warner expected to proceed on his voyage to Otaheite the day after he wrote; and expected soon to join the brethren there, who were apprized of his coming, by a letter which he sent them, Sept. 1, 1806, by the Hawkesbury sloop, which the Rev. Mr. Marsden had dispatched with necessaries. Mr. Warner had received an answer from the Missionaries there, the day before he left Port Jackson. They expressed, as might be expected, an earnest desire to see him. He regrets, in very strong terms, the extreme wickedness of the crew, who were devoted to vice, and appear to be given over to a reprobate mind; and laments that he had not on board the advantage of the company of one godly friend; and adds, "Remember me, O my God, for good; and give me strength to stand in this evil day of trial and fear;" carnestly desiring also the fervent supplications of his friends in England.

The

A FRIEND at Aberdeen informs us, That he has seen a Letter from the surgeon of the Harmony, of Greenock, dated Oct. 26, 1806, at Ylo, in Peru; in which he says that the American ship Taber, of Providence, arrived there a few days before; and stated, that they had touched at Otaheite, a few weeks previous (in September, we believe); and that the Missionary affairs were much in the same state as last reported by us. Chief of Otaheite, the Captain says, can write English very well. The natives continued to persevere in their original customs, and paid little at: tention to the preaching of the gospel: they discovered a great avidity for fire-arms; and would sell 12 hogs, weighing 10 or 12 stone each, for a musket. The Missionaries were discouraged by not hearing for so long a tire from home; but from what we have copied of Mr. Warner's letter, it appears that, in September or October last, they had received letters and supplies from England, forwarded by Mr. Marsden, together with the agreeable information of Mr. Warner's coming to join them. We trust, therefore, that, by the beginning of last May, they had the satisfaction of receiving Mr. Warner as a brother, a missionary, and a surgeon.

Mr. John Laird, of Greenock, also informs us, that the Harmony has arrived there. She took out a letter for Otaheite, about two years ago i

:

but did not call there. Capt. Smith (who succeeded Capt. Affleck, the former commander, who was killed in an action with a French privateer) has brought with him a young lad, named James Wattie, who was left in the island of Otaheite by the Britannia, continued there four months, and was brought away by the American ship Tiger *. He reports, that the King is almost always with the Missionaries is diligent in reading and writing English; but does not attend divine worship with them, nor enter into their religious views; but that he is very friendly, and makes them many presents. He also says, that the King has got two schooners; one about 20, and the other about 40 tons that he has about 50 muskets, which are piled up in his palace in the European manner, and about half a barrel of gunpowder. Just before he left the island, the Queen was delivered of twins; both of which were killed; and that she is since dead, Wattie says, he knew all the Missionaries very well; and that they were 13 men, two women, and some children, all well: he adds, that the Missionaries collected all the children they could find of Europeans who had visited the island, and educated them.

The Harmony left Rio Janeiro on the 30th of June last; at which time the Buffalo sloop was there; on board of which was Governor King and family, the Rev. Mr. Marsden and family, all well, He also states, that the Society's late ship the Duff, which now belongs to Janeiro, and trades to that coast, had left that port three weeks before for Africa. Wattie says, that on board the Tiger, in which he left Otaheite, there were three natives, who were recommended to the Captain's care by Mr. Youl, one of the Missionaries. This is confirmed by a letter which he has brought from Mr. You! to the Captain, dated Taheite, Aug. 10, 1806, intreating Mr. Cushing, the Captain, to get them taught English, and put under the care of some religious persons in America, to which he was going.

Probably the ship called Taber, in the preceding letter.

AFRICA.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev.
Mr. Kicherer, stating the Cause of
his abandoning the Settlement at
Zak River, dated January, 1807,

LONG before the receipt of this letter, you will have learned in what a miserable situation we found the congregation of Zak River, which became worse and worse during our stay in that place: so that every thing which we attempted to ameliorate it, proved fruitless. This was occasioned chiefly by the continual drought, and the violent robberies of the Boschemen, Many of the people had been compelled to take refuge in other places; and the remainder seemed ready to perish for want of every necessary of te. However, we tried ous ut

most endeavours, always in the hope that the Lord might be pleased to give us, by his providence, the means of keeping our dear congre gation at that place together; but, alas! every effort proved fruitless. We were utterly unable to provide for them; and our prospects became darker and darker. God knows what ardent prayers we offered daily to our Lord, to be enabled to remain upon this formerly so blessed spot, which was dear to us above all others. Our wants increased; so that our poor people were on the point of perishing; and we also were unable to provide for our necessities. Neither cattle nor coru was to be bought at any price, partly on account of the scarcity that everywhere prevailed, and partly because we could not send for it, for fear