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doubt that he has abettors, who have both prompted and directed his base attack on Mr. Ward, and supplied him with many of the falsehoods which he has vented. Of this, his Letters contain internal evidence; and that there are men in this country capable of such conduct, will not be doubted by those who recollect the publications of Scott Waring, Twining, and Co., or who may chance to have seen the work of a Mr. Bowen of Bridgewater, published in 1821, entitled "Mis"sionary Incitement and Hindoo Demoralization," in which he charges those enemies of India,' the Serampore Missionaries, with demoralizing the hitherto virtuous Hindoos.* This must be admitted to tally remarkably with the latter Letters of our Abbé, in which he undertakes the vindication of the much aspersed Hindoos; maintaining, among other things, that nothing in the conduct of the Hindoo fanatics who flock to the temples of Teeropatty and Juggernaut, can be compared with the scenes of extravagance and madness' exhibited by the Quakers in this country; (p. 171.)—that the leading dogmas of the Predestinarians and others, have been borrowed from the Hindoo teachers; (p. 220.)-that the doctrine of the Millennium is nothing but an almost literal copy of the tenth avattera of Vishnoo, called Kalky-avattera, or incarnation ' into a horse,'-the coincidence being so close, that the one 'must have been copied from the other;'-and finally, that he can

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perceive between the religious exercises of the Quakers, Methodists, Jumpers, Shakers, &c. &c. and those of the Hindoo Dassaroo, Jangoomas, Andys, &c. no difference, unless that the religious practices of the former, surpass by far in folly and extravagance those of the latter. Both, in their convulsions and contortions, in their wild dancing, jumping, groaning, howling, own a common origin, that is, the inspiration or possession of a supernatural spirit or agent. The only difference is, that our European Energumenes leave their Hindoo brethren far behind them in the career of extravagance.' p. 220.

Impious and absurd as is this declaration, it is not without parallel in the writings of Mr. Bowen and his enlightened compeers; and probably, the worthy Captain who lent the Abbé "Evans's Sketch," might assist in furnishing the representation which is the basis of the above exquisite comparison.

* For our only knowledge of this work, we must confess ourselves indebted to an article in the seventh Number of the "Friend of India," (a quarterly work, printed at Serampore,) published in Dec. 1822.

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Assuredly, we should never have bestowed so much attention on a production containing such abundant proofs of imbecility and ignorance, had not its author's name been eagerly caught at by the Editors of the Old Monthly Magazine and of the Christian Remembrancer, par nobile fratrum, and other enlightened philanthropists of the same class, as an authority. We have only to wish those gentlemen joy of their new con

federate.

On one point, these Letters are adapted to afford both instruction and satisfaction-instruction as to the true character of Roman Catholic missions in the East, and the nature of the Christianity they impart; (see especially pp. 5-11; 62-77; 125; 134.) satisfaction as to the gratifying prospect which is held out by the probable secession of the baffled emissaries of Rome from the missionary field. The Abbé, throughout these Letters, sounds the note of retreat; and amid his endeavours to dissuade others from prosecuting the work which he has abandoned as hopeless, it is not difficult to perceive that his despondency relates to his own Church, rather than to the Hindoos. The progress of Biblical translations, the spread of native schools, and the other efforts of Protestant Missionaries, whatever they may fail of accomplishing, will certainly effect the overthrow of the Romish idolatry and the ruin of the De Propaganda missions in the East. This the Abbé foresees, and it awakes his bitterest malignity. He admits that these ⚫ missions are threatened with a speedy extinction,'—on which account he would seem to have abandoned them, to see to 'his own concerns.' The nominal Christians belonging to these stations, form a part of the population which would seem to have peculiar claims on our attention. Among them, the circulation of the Scriptures might be expected to have the happiest effect. If we may place any dependence on the Abbé's statements, the numbers dispersed over the country, from the banks of the Krishna to Cape Comorin, though much reduced, are still very considerable. The archbishop of Goa is stated to have under his jurisdiction, (which comprehends the Island of Ceylon,) 300,000 souls; the archbishop of Cranganore, between 60 and 70,000; the bishop of Cochin, about the same number; the bishop of St. Thomas near Madras, about 50,000 ⚫ Christians, natives and half-casts.' Besides these four titular prelates, appointed by the court of Portugal, there are three apostolic vicars under the immediate control of the De Propaganda congregation at Rome; viz. the bishop of Bombay, the Christians under whose jurisdiction do not exceed 10 or 12,000, chiefly half-casts; the apostolic vicar at Pondicherry, who exercises spiritual jurisdiction over the Carnatic and Mysore, in

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which are to be found about 35,000 Christians; and the apostlic vicar of Verapoly near Cochin, whose mission reckons 120,000 Christian natives, chiefly in the Travancore country, who are attended by about a hundred native priests, educated by the Carmelites, now three or four in number, in their seminary at Verapoly. This is stated to be the only mission in which converts are still made among the heathen. The Abbé says, that he has it from good authority, that between 3 and 400 pagans are yearly christened in it,' chiefly outcasts from the tribe of Nairs. Besides these missions, there is another at Madras, under the direction of Italian capuchins, having for their superior an apostolic prefect, and holding their spiritual powers also from the congregation De Propaganda; this is said to contain 10 or 12,000 Christians, of several descriptions,' at Madras and in its vicinity. According to this rough estimate, there would seem to be no fewer than between 6 and 700,000 nominal Christians, exclusive of the Nestorian congregations in Travancore, and the Armenians of Madras, who are in a religious condition but little removed from the grossness of Hindoo polytheism,-destitute alike of the Scriptures and of any competent religious instruction. The prejudice which such an exhibition of Christianity is adapted to excite against every thing that assumes that name, both among the Hindoo and the Mahommedan natives of the Peninsula, is incalculably pernicious. It certainly presents one of the most serious obstacles to the spread of the Christian religion among the professors of Islam. On every account, the conversion of these poor victims of a debased creed and a Jesuitical policy, seems a consummation most ardently and devoutly to be desired: In numbering the abominations which have so long defiled and cursed this devoted tract of country, next to the temple of Juggernaut, we must not forget to rank the Inquisition at Goa.

Art. V. Report of the Speeches delivered before the Presbytery of Glasgow, on the Motion for inducting the Rev. Dr. M'Farlane into the Ministry of the High Church of this City. 8vo. pp. 74. Glasgow. 1823.

WE have read this pamphlet with much gratification, on more accounts than one. It is extremely interesting as illustrating the state of things and the general sentiment, existing in the Scottish Kirk, on subjects of ecclesiastical discipline; and it shews the exceeding importance and value of free and public discussion. It exhibits in a most impressive

view the injurious character of church patronage, as well as the mischievous effects of pluralities on ministerial usefulness; and it furnishes an additional testimony in proof of the injustice and pernicious consequences of refusing to the people the power, as they undeniably possess the right, of choosing their own pastors.

Dr. M'Farlane, Principal of the University of Glasgow, has recently been presented, by the Crown, to the pastoral care of the High Church in that city. By the forms of the Scottish Kirk, it is necessary that every minister, on his appointment to a cure, should be regularly inducted by his co-presbyters. In the present instance, the business came before the presbytery of Glasgow on the 11th of June last. After some debate, the final consideration of the question was postponed till the 2nd of the following month, when the presentation was exhibited, and Mr. Grahame, in behalf of Dr. M'Farlane, required the presbytery to give it effect. Dr. Burns, of the Barony church, immediately rose, and objected to the requisition, on the strong grounds, that the system of pluralities was injurious; that two offices of high trust and responsibility, each demanding the full exercise of one individual's time and talents, ought not to be united in the same person; and that, as the minister of the High Church is one of the three visitors appointed to superintend the application of the college funds, it was highly indecorous that the Principal should hold an office which imposed upon him the duty of doquetting his own accounts.' He was followed by Dr. Taylor in a speech somewhat more distinguished by peremptory assertion and whimsical illustration, than by valid argumentation. The worthy Dr. defended the appointment by affirming, that the office of Principal was little more than a sinecure,' and that the more work a man had to do, the more easily he got through it. Mr. Lapslie clenched the first clause of this hypothesis by the assertion, that for a few shillings, he would make a clerk do the most 'important part of the Principal's duty.' Other ministers spoke on different sides, and Dr. Chalmers strongly supported the objections of Dr. Burns.

By far the ablest and most important speech was delivered by Dr. Macgill, the professor of divinity. This excellent man had the stronger claim to be heard on this occasion, as he had been once placed in similar circumstances. When he was appointed to his professorship, he held the pastoral charge of the Tron Church, in Glasgow; and this, on his acceptance of the former, he immediately resigned, though he might have retained it unquestioned. On the present occasion, he evidently felt himself most painfully situated; but he acquitted himself of

his task of duty in the most admirable manner, combining courteousness with firmness, and the dignity of a Christian minister with the utmost energy of appeal. He proves, in the document before us, unanswerably, the illegality of the pluralizing system. His exposition of the duties both of the parishminister and the college-principal, is most luminous and eloquent, and his whole appeal breathes a spirit of piety such as should be always prominent in the public address of a Christian teacher.

The refusal to proceed to the induction of Dr. M'Farlane was carried by thirteen votes against nine. The business will, in its next stage, be discussed in the Synod of the Western District, and be finally decided by the General Assembly.

Art. VI. 1. Notices illustrative of the Drawings and Sketches of some of the most distinguished Masters in all the principal Schools of Design. By the late Henry Reveley, Esq. 8vo. pp. 305. London,

1820.

2. Liber Studiorum, illustrative of Landscape Compositions. By J. M. W. Turner, R. A. Nos. I. to XIV. Price 11. 1s. each.

NOTHING appears more strange to a spectator uninitiated

into the mysteries of art, than the delight with which a genuine amateur hangs over what bears the semblance of a mere scrawl, sometimes almost unintelligible, and at others presenting nothing more than hints of design and snatches of expression. These contain, however, the secret history of the artist and his productions; they shew the workings of his mind, the impulses of his feeling, fresh and vigorous from the primary inspiration, untrammelled by the apprehension of public censure, and uninfeebled by the timidity of second thoughts. If in these works of a moment, these first jets of a ready genius and a master-hand, we often find a wildness and negligence which require the correction and elaboration of many a painful hour, yet, we have nearly as frequent reason to regret the absence, in the finished picture, of the spirit, raciness, and energy that charmed us in the bold and realizing sketch. We have sometimes, when privileged to ransack the treasures of an artist's portfolio, felt surprised at the difference, disadvantageous to the latter, between the materials and the completed work. The studies have been fraught with innumerable felicities of invention, drawing, and effect, which, in the painting, have been tamed and polished down to comparative insipidity. We well remember our astonishment, at a time when our acquaintance with the arts was less familiar and practical than it

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