the case of capital convictions, four days to elapse between the time of sentence and the execution. They have since, (Feb. 4, 1834) done themselves the further honour of enacting that "from and after the 1st of August, 1834, slavery shall be and is hereby utterly and forever abolished and declared unlawful within this colony and its dependencies." The laws of the island relative to slavery to be abolished, and the statute laws of England to take their place. The measure is unqualified from all the provisions of the apprenticeship. Food and clothing to be supplied to the old, young and infirm for one year, at the proprietor's expense, and reasonable wages are to be allowed to all competent labourers. The Bermudas have since copied the example. Thus far, we believe, the results of the act of emancipation have been as favourable as could have been reasonably anticipated. The reports respecting the indolence of the negroes, and the arbitrary measures of the newly appointed stipendiary officers, are, doubtless, to a considerable degree, correct. Very serious embarrassments have existed, and do yet exist in Hayti. The statements of the journalists on both sides, respecting that island, are to be received with great allowances. Owing to many causes, the advancement of the people in knowledge and happiness must be very slow. Still, the fact that the population has been doubled in less than twenty-five years, is certainly evidence of improvement. Our confidence that a favourable result will follow the late measures in the British West Indies, is founded on the following reasons. 1. We believe that the act of emancipation will receive the benediction of the Ruler of nations. He has not been an indifferent Observer of the scenes which have, for two hundred years, disgraced the beautiful islands of the West. In respect to nations and large bodies of men, he has constituted this world a state of retribution. Where are the possessions now of that kingdom, whose armies and governours, with savage cruelty, exterminated the Caribs, the Mexicans, and the children of the sun? In whose hands are the Floridas, Mexico, Darien, Terra Firma, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Chili, Peru, California? England has pursued a different course, and will meet with a different destiny. Her religious influence has been consecrated long and nobly to the extermination of colonial slavery. Her reward is in heaven, and her record is on high. 2. We believe that the different races of men possess similar French, with an Introduction, Notes, and Additions. By This is certainly a very important work, and, we think, cannot be without its influence on the metaphysical opinions of the country, and indeed, of the age, and coming ages. M. Cousin is an Eclectic Philosopher. He believes that no speculative system of unmixed errour can be embraced by the human mind; that, therefore, every system which has actually obtained currency, contains more or less of truth, which it is the business of a genuine philosopher, to extricate from the mass of errour in which it may be involved, and adopt into his own philosophical creed; and that every system which is not thus Eclectic, is false, so far as it is exclusive, and rejects the truths which lie at the foundation of other systems. In the light of this principle, he examines the doctrines of the Sensual School, as exhibited in the most able and influential work which it has produced. The characteristic of that School is, that it derives all our ideas, ultimately, from sensation. It is wrong, in its exclusive claims; as there are many ideas, which cannot be derived from that source. Such are the ideas of space, time, substance, the infinite, right and wrong, &c. These ideas belong to us, not as sentient, but as rational beings. The exercise of the senses does not give them, nor does it give elements, out of which they are formed by reflection. It is only the occasion, on which the reason forms them for itself, or rather, recognizes them as true. In this, he agrees with Reid, Stewart, Coleridge, and others of the Spiritual School. In order to maintain the doctrine, that all our ideas are derived from sensation, either immediately, or by reflection, it was necessary for Locke to show how the ideas above enumerated may be acquired in that way. In order to do this, it was necessary to describe those ideas incorrectly, so as, in fact, to change their nature, and to substitute for them other ideas, such as sensation can furnish; so that, with him, space is nothing but body; time, nothing but succession; right, nothing but a relation between certain actions, and pleasurable sensations which are to follow them, miscalled rewards. Locke had prepared the way for this errour, by an errour of method; by inquiring after the origin of our ideas, before ascertaining what those ideas really are. In exposing these errours of Locke, the author is naturally led to an exhibition of the true method of reasoning on the surrection. ing influence of the gospel of Christ, which will prepare the negroes for freedom, and teach them how to improve the gift. The United Brethren now occupy twenty five stations in the British West Indies. One hundred and twelve missionaries of their church, male and female, have the superintendence of about 39,000 coloured people, of whom 13,500 are communicants, and a large number are children recieving a christian education. In Jamaica, where since the last insurrection they have been left almost alone, they employ eighteen missionaries, at six stations, and at eight detached school-rooms, besides those in their settlements. The Wesleyan Missionary Society expended in their missions, on these islands, in the year ending in May, 1834, about £5,300. They number twenty one missionaries and assistants, 9508 scholars, and 31,937 members. Six chapels in Jamaica were destroyed or damaged in the late inOf the estimated cost of repairing them, £2090, the British government will pay one half. Thirteen of the Baptist meeting houses were laid in ruins, in the same insurrection, at a loss of about £18,000, of which the British Government will repay nearly £12,000. They have thirteen missionaries, 6000 members, and 10,000 inquirers. On a smaller scale, the Church, London, and Scottish missionary Societies are labouring. On the 2d of June last, the British and Foreign Bible Society determined, at an estimated expense of twenty thousand pounds, to tender to every person receiving the gift of freedom in the British colonies, on the first of August, 1834, a copy of the New Testament, accompanied by the Book of Psalms, in a large type, and substantially bound, provided such persons can read, or may be at the head of a family, any member of which may be able to read. Other benevolent associations in Great Britain are proceeding on a corresponding scale to enlarge their sphere of operations. It is well understood that without great exertions of this description, vigorously and judiciously employed, the measure of emancipation will fail to produce its most precious fruits. May every blessing attend this noble effort of humanity. It is a spectacle on which is fixed the gaze of a great cloud of witnesses. It is a consummation worthy of Anglo Saxon energy. It is a subject for devout congratulation to all the descendants of Britain, in the four quarters of their dispersion. In the language of Mr. Buxton, "it has cost England twenty millions, but it has saved the colonies. It has cost her twenty millions, but it has liberated the negroes. 9.-Memoirs of the Life and Correspondence of Christian Frederick Schwartz; to which is prefixed, a Šketch of the History of Christianity in India. By Hugh Pearson, D. D., M. R. A. S., Dean of Salisbury. In two volumes. London: J. Hatchard & Son. 1834. With all our veneration for Schwartz, we have always had a secret suspicion of some defects in his christian and missionary character. We have imagined that he was too much under the influence of worldly wisdom, that his remarkable knowledge of the springs of human action, under the garb of great simplicity and meekness, led him too far from the path of the true missionary of Jesus; in other words, that there was less in his character of the harmlessness of the dove than of the wisdom of the serpent. We had also supposed that his rules for the admission of converts within the pale of Christianity partook somewhat of the maxims of political measures. We never doubted, for a moment, his distinguished excellence in general. Yet on reading the high wrought eulogies of his character, which are to be met with in the histories of missions, we always involuntarily made some allowances. We now gladly find ourselves to have been mistaken. These volumes have removed the prejudice entirely. His intercourse with the Madras government, and with the native princes was altogether honourable and christian. His motives, and his whole interiour frame, so far as they are developed by his actions, and his confidential correspondence are in full accordance with his personal appearance and his general reputation. He had doubtless, a great degree of that prudence which dwells with wisdom, and of that good understanding which results from the fear of the Lord, yet there was nothing like chicanery or double-dealing, or want of transparency in his conduct or character. He had a large share of that heartiness and unreservedness, which belongs to the German temperament, and which in connection with love to his work, and high spiritual affections, enabled him to tread so closely in the steps of apostles and martyrs. The Life by Dr. Pearson, the biographer of Buchanan, leaves nothing to be desired. It embraces a large amount of new materials, derived from the letters of Schwartz translated from the German, as well as from his English correspondence, and the records of the East India Company. 10.-The Spirit of Hebrew Poetry. By J. G. Herder. Translated from the German by James Marsh. In two volumes. Vol. II. Burlington: Edward Smith. 1833. pp. 319. A notice of the first volume of this translation, with some account of the life and character of Herder, may be found in the second volume of the Quarterly Observer, p. 179. The American public are now favoured with a translation of the second volume. There is every internal evidence that the work is faithfully done. The logical connection in the train of thoughts is preserved, and the graceful illustrations and light and delicate allusions appear well in their English dress. We rejoice that the work of Herder is now accessible to the great body of students. It forms a highly important part of the apparatus for the study of the scriptures. Its object is not commentary, theological statement, critical research, or hortatory appeal. It strives to imbue the reader with the spirit of Hebrew song. It transposes him to the margin of the Red sea, to the foot of Sinai, to the hills and vallies of the land of promise, and surrounds him with the glorious national recollections of the Jews. It seeks to make him at home under an eastern sky, and to fill his soul with such longings for the oriental life, as some eastern travellers have felt in their old age. Herder penetrates beneath the philology of the Hebrew language, and catches the living spirit of the poetry. There is frequently great truth and beauty in his thoughts aside from the objects which they were intended to illustrate. At the same time, a strong light is frequently thrown by his remarks, on the manners and customs of the Hebrews, their laws, religion, modes of thinking; and in this way, his book becomes valuable to the commentator and theologian. A sufficient testimony of the worth of it may be derived from the fact that it maintains its standing among scholars, notwithstanding all which has been accomplished in respect to biblical literature since the death of the author in 1803. The attentive reader will discover occasionally errours of doctrine, and remarks of a literary or miscellaneous nature, which require modification (for instance the last remark commencing on p. 14, and the first on p. 30,) still the value of the work is great, and we hope it will be fully appreciated by all lovers of the Bible. The third part of the work was but just commenced by the author. It was intended to embrace inquiries respecting the VOL. V. No. 17. 32 |