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birth you begin the volume, until, at its close, you consign him to the tomb.

The style of Mr. Bancroft is generally chaste. It is characterised for that "simplicity," at which he professedly aimed. Here are no pompous words, or laboured sentences. The reader is neither wearied with the state

ly swell of the Gibbonian period, nor disgusted with the coarse phraseology of vulgar dialect. While the unlettered portion of the community" will understand, the literati will seldom be offended. In the perusal, however, the remark which the spectator applied to one of his modest characters, occurred to us, that he wanted a dash of the coxcomb in him. A little more ornament, and a little more rotundity of period, would, we think, not only have been admissible, consistently with the author's design, but have given an additional value to his work.

The author is happier in the selection, than in the arrange ment of his words. The rule of Quinctilian ought never to be forgotten: "Non solum ut intelligere possit, sed ne omnino possit non intelligere curandum." This rule is repeatedly violated;

sometimes by the remoteness of the relative from its antecedent, and sometimes by an unhappy collocation of words.

"If the necessary cooperation of G. Britain, to enable the colony to drive the enemy from the Ohio, were unattainable, which would prove a radical cure of the evil, be strongly recommended, that a regular force of two thousand men should be raised." p. 20." An anonymous paper was circulated, requesting a meeting at eleven o'clock, on the next day, at the

public building, of the general and field officers, of an officer from each company, &c." p. 296." As the General passed, unperceived by him, a youth by the aid of machinery let down upon his head a civic crown." p. 364.

"At Trenton, the ladies presented him with a tribute of gratitude for the protection which, twelve years before, he gave them, worthy of the taste and refinement of the sex." Ibid.--." The members of Congress, in opposition

to the measures of administration,

obtained the knowledge of the arrival of a son of the Marquis La Fayette." p. 466.

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142. "His humane heart relucted." So do our ears.

are more substantially paid, by the pleasure we have derived

157. "Attacked [attack] the right from the perusal of this volume; wing."

161. "The defences [beaten] down."

were beat

161. Fifteen hundred men was [were] necessary."

197. "He ordered the troops to lay [lie] on their arms."

229. "Thirteen foreign [sovereign]

states."

253. The purity of his own mind forbid" [forbade.] 404. There was that in his character which forbid, &c.

321. "He bid them a silent adieu." 256. "By order of his Sir Henry Clinton."

260. Note. "The settlers [suttlers] of the garrison."

268." Admiral de Turney" [ Ternay] "D'Estanches" [Destouches.] 319. " Congress was not, &c. but

they were.

397. "Principle" [principal.] 450. "The office of Attorney General become vacant."

390. "The first diplomatic transactions of the President."

442. "General Washington had the firmness to loan his personal infiuence."

If the Saxon term loan is legitimate, as synonymous with lend; yet use has so restricted it to pecuniary objects, that we prefer some other word, in this connexion. On the memorable occasion, here referred to, and on many other occasions, the " sonal influence" of WASHINGTON was of more importance to his country, than all her loans.

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466. This young gentleman did not remain for a length of time in the United States."

and had we aimed only to appreciate it, we should not have been thus minute in its examination.

in the opinion, that this bioOn the whole, we are decided graphical essay does great justice to the subject, and is calculated to be highly useful to the community. It proves Washington to be, what we were prepared to expect; in public life great; in private, estimable. At Mount Vernon he is mild and beneficent, methodical and diligent, attentive to agricultural improvements, and patriotic in encouraging the useful arts: in camp, thoughtful and vigilant, cautious of danger, and provident to meet it, accommodating his plans to his means, and less anxious for personal glory, than for the safety and happiness of his country in battle, cool, yet determined, daring, yet prudent; in victory, moderate; in defeat, unsubdued at the head of the Republic, comprehensive, vet minute, equable, and impartial; prompt to concede the just claims of other nations, but resolute in vindicating the rights of his own; unawed by menaces, unseduced by flatteries; deliberate in determining, but, when determined, inflexible; attentive to the wishes of his countrymen, but not obsequious; respectful, but not servile; with a rare felicity combining the tenderness of a parent with the energy of a sovereign; and perpetually giving proofs of his claim to the august title of FATHER OF HIS COUN

Although we have endeavour ed to separate the chaff from the wheat, yet we are better rewarded, than the ancient critic, who was sentenced to receive the TRY. chaff only for his pains. We.

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After some pertinent introductory remarks, he proposes to notice, I. Some particulars in which the spread of the gospel effects an increase of knowledge. II. Some periods remarkable for such an increase. III. The means of this increase. IV. The improvement.

Under the first head he observes, that the gospel, by opening the human mind, contributes to the increase of knowledge in general; but as his text relates to religious knowledge, to this he means to confine himself. He shows, that as all true knowledge of God and religion is derived from revelation, so, in this kind of knowledge, the Jews, by means of the revelation given to them, far excelled all other nations. But the gospel far surpasses that, both in the extent and the clearness of its light. Among the doctrines elucidated by the gospel, he particularly mentions those which relate to the character and offices of Christ, the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, the nature of the atonement, and the way in which sin. ners find acceptance with God.

Under the second head he mentions several periods, as remarkable for the increase of

knowledge. Among these the apostolic age, the time of the reformation from popery, and the close of the last, with the beginning of this century, have been distinguished. Here the preacher observes :

"The zeal for sending missionaries into different quarters of the globe, which has of late been unparalleled, could not be excited without the spe. Christians on both sides the Atlantic cial interposition of Providence. seem animated with the same spirit. Not only Europe, but many parts of Asia and Africa and of the wilds of America, as well as the newly discovered Islands of the South Sea, have been illuminated with some rays from the Sun of righteousness. Many, animated with an ardent zeal for the glory of God, and the welfare of their veniences of civilized life, and en. fellow men, have renounced the concountered the dangers of the seas and inhospitable climes, to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. In no period has the world witnessed such a rage for travelling and making discoveries, as of late. Our enterprising navigators have been preparing the way for the progress of the Lord's work. And besides missions to the heathens, those which have been planned to our own back settlements, have been productive of much good. Churches have been established, and gospel ordinances are now regularly enjoyed in many places, where, had not missionaries been employed, the people would have been as sheep scattered on the mountains."

From hence the preacher looks forward to a more remarkable period foretold in scripture, when "the knowledge of God shall cover the earth, as the waters do the seas."

The third head contemplates the means, by which the gospel is spread and religious know. ledge increased. We here find the following pertinent and judicious observations.

"God, if he saw fit, could effect the spread of religious knowledge,

How many parts of those nations call

and enlarge his spiritual kingdom without any such institution as the gos-ed Christian, are but scantily furnish

pel ministry."-"Yet it is certain, that this institution, in which ministers have a commission to publish the glad tidings of salvation to every creature, is a mean admirably calcu lated to diffuse religious knowledge among all the varieties of the human race.""It is true the gospel itself, however well adapted to obtain its end, will not be effectual, unless accompanied with the special operations of the Holy Spirit; nevertheless, as it is God's own institution, so it is one which he delights to own and bless."" When our Lord, in the time of his personal ministry, sent forth his disciples, they were subjected to some restrictions. They were not to go in the way of the Gentiles; but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. When he gave his apostles their commission, after his resurrection he removed this restriction, and directed them to preach the gospel to every creature. And we do not find, that any remarkable extension of the Christian church, or any considerable increase of knowledge ever took place, without the intervention of a gospel ministry."-" With the labours of missionaries various dispensations of providence have concurred to effect an increase of knowledge. Even such providences, as were, at the time, peculiarly afflictive and distressing to the church, have been so overruled, as to contribute to its increase and enlargement."—" As a gospel ministry has been the constant means, which Providence has

used for diffusing Christian knowledge, at the first establishment, and at every subsequent enlargement of the church, so, whenever the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, it will be effected by the same means. How extensive is the field for running to and fro! Pagan idolatry and Mahometan delusion hold, at least, three fourths of the world in the shackles of ignorance and false worship. If from what remains we deduct such parts as are covered with the darkness of antichristian superstition, with the mists of ignorance, and with the gloom of infidelity and immorality, we shall find but a small part thoroughly enlightened by the Sun of righteousness.

ed with the means of instruction ? For the illustration of this remark, we need go no farther than our own coun. try. In how many places may persons travel to a considerable distance, and scarcely meet with a single indication of their being in a Christian country! We need not leave, the bounds of the United States to find room to run for the purpose of diffusing Christian knowledge. If ever the world is to be enlightened by the gospel, an event of which'we cannot doubt, it will be accomplished by an increasing zeal for the spread of the gospel, while a double portion of the Spirit accompanies the labours of the pious and benevolent."-" They, who undertake, or encourage others, to travel abroad for the purpose of preaching the gospel, should keep in view the true intent of such missions. They, who travel, must aim to diffuse the knowledge of the truth, to plant churches, and build them up in peace, order and purity. They are to select, as the principal theatre of their labours, not places where the means of grace and instruction are regularly enjoyed, but places which are in a great measure destitute of these means. Otherwise they will divide and scatter, rather than edify and enlarge the church of Christ."

From his subject the preacher makes several important inferences. He particularly infers, the excellency and glory of the gospel of Christ; and the sin and danger of despising it. He also infers the reason Christians have to rejoice, when the true interest of the gospel is promoted. Here he observes as follows:

"Notwithstanding the dark symptoms arising from the prevalence of infidelity and immorality, the person, who has at heart the interest of Zion, may find some ground for rejoicing at the present day. Though the enjoyment of gospel ordinances is far from being commensurate with the extent of our settlements, or with what it might be, were our exertions equal to the magnitude of the object, yet we have reason to bless God, that

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He further infers, that "the true end of missionary labours is to extend and increase the doctrinal and practical knowledge of gospel truth." And that "we ought to do all in our power to render the spread of the gospel universal." "In the prosecution of this work," he observes, "opposition is to be expected. Besides undisguised opposers, many, without throwing off the mask of friendship, will endeavour to discourage every attempt by magnifying difficulties. Some will excuse themselves and hinder others, by pleading, that the time is not come. Others, to rid themselves of the business altogether, will tell us, It is the Lord's work, and he will do it in his own way. But had such objections operated in the apostles' days, the gospel would never have been published, nor the Christian religion established. We cannot pretend to know or fix the time, when the gospel will have a universal spread. Our business is not so much to pry into

futurity, as to pursue the path of present duty; and this is marked by a variety of concurrent circumstances. Now is the time when we are called to work for the Lord. We may work, without fear of intruding on the duties of future generations. The work of spreading the gospel belongs to many; and there are few but may contribute their mite in some way or other. They, who cannot aid it by their labour or substance, may help it forward by their prayers. How happy and glorious will be the day, when genuine religion in its purity shall have a universal spread; holiness shall expel ignorance and when light and truth, knowledge and vice; when men shall see eye to eye, and shall know, as they are known. Such a glorious day will be effected by the gospel, when the Lord shall arise to have mercy on Zion: for such an event no doubt Providence is preparing the way, although it may be in a manner unseen by mortal men. May the Lord hasten it in his time.”

The preacher has discovered great judgment in the choice, division and execution of his subject. His arguments are forcible,' his style, in the main, pure and correct. The sermon will be approved by the friends of missionary labours. We recommend it to perusal, and hope it will have a good effect in promoting the cause of religion in general, and particularly the object, which the preacher had more immediately in view.

Religious Intelligence.

UNITED STATES.

An Account of the origin and progress of the mission to the Cherokee Indians, ina series of Letters from the Rev. Gideon Blackburn to the Rev. Dr. Morse.

REV. SIR,

LETTER IV.

Maryville, Dec. 14, 1807.

IN my last I stated the order of the school for each day. In this order.

we proceeded without much deviation until the July of 1805, the school consisting of from 25 to 35 scholars. About that period the United States

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