and therefore summons the whole family at Paris. Here a number of untoward events take place. Carinthea coquets with a certain Prince of Portugal, and disgusts Don Lerma, who returns to Spain; while Viola has the mortification to see her lover, the Marquis of Villerose, stripped of his fortune by a law suit. That so good a thing, however, may not be lost to the family, it is conferred on Adelcour, the youth who piped Pauline down the precipice, and who now marries her with the consent of all parties.

The unfortunate Villerose is discarded by the parents, and Crevecœur, less indebted to his ghostly warnings than his rival's loss of fortune, becomes a suitor to Viola; we cannot say a successful one, as in the course of a few days he is murdered in his bed by Villerose, who is found lifeless by his side. We lament exceedingly that a coroner was not called in, as an inspection of the dead bodies might but we must not anticipate the author's secrets.

This lamentable event cures Carinthea of her coquetry: she consents to become dutchess of Lerma, and with poor Viola, who vows perpetual virginity, returns once more to Isenberg. Here repeated reports reach them of the marvellous prowess of a private soldier, called Louisberg. He saves the life of the Austrian general, rallies the flying troops, defeats the enemy, and finally attracts the notice and patronage of Marshal Daun, who recommends him to his mistress, Maria Theresa. This eminent personage being, as every one knows, a great match maker, takes it into her head to demand Viola in marriage for the young hero: hereupon great lamentations, swoonings, and protestations of aversion. The Empress, however, is positive, and Viola is led a reluctant victim, to the altar-when, O ciel! on lifting her tearful eyes from the ground, she discovers in the dreaded Moloch to whom she is about to be sacrificed, the form, the features, the the every thing, in short, of her long-lost lover, Villerose.

It turns out upon inquiry that he had not been murdered at all; but that a certain superannuated madman, whose pocket handkerchiefs were marked with the same initials, (Villerose and Valdore both beginning with a V.) had given his keepers the slip, and been fortunately killed and buried in his stead. The tender couple are instantly united, and the novel concludes amidst a full and flowing tide of happiness.

To remark on the traits of nature, probability, common sense, &c. which distinguish this publication is superfluous, after the analysis into which we have entered. The author speaks with some confidence of her own powers, and not unjustly, for she is a giantess among the pigmies. She spells somewhat more correctly than Miss Owenson, whom she at once imitates and ridicules, and she appears to know the meaning of most of her words. She has also

a pretty taste for literature, and translates, with no better aid than a pocket dictionary, several English nouns into French, with very commendable accuracy: thus landlady is rendered la hôtesse, castle, chateau, artifice, ruse, &c. There is moreover an attempt at Italian, which only fails because the wicked vocabularies do not teach the art of putting two words together.

With all this, we cannot conscientiously encourage the fair author to proceed in her present course of study; we see in it little prospect of profit, and less of reputation: if, however, she determines to persevere, we must then strenuously and imperiously insist on her checking her odious propensity to profane and blasphemous ejaculations. Miss Palmer is not, like Miss Owenson, a pupil of nature, and perhaps is scarcely conscious of her own impiety; yet can habit so far overcome all reverential awe for a positive precept! In some cases she manifests a degree of humility which might almost be spared. 'I like,' says an ancient writer, I like such tempers well, as stand before their critics with fear and trembling, and before their Maker like impudent mountains.'

It is now time to confess that the Daughters of Isenberg, notwithstanding their multifarious beauties, would have escaped our notice altogether, but for a particular circumstance. The author, it seems, found Bath too circumscribed for her benevolence, and therefore transmitted several sums of money to London, to be laid out for charitable purposes. Among others, we were appointed almoners; and though, as Juliet says, 'it was an honour which we dreamt not of,' and could, indeed, well have forgone, yet it warmed our hearts towards the writer, and induced us to attend, as she requested, to her production on its first appearance. Having said this, we must take leave to decline all interference with her liberalities in future. Our avocations leave us but little leisure for extra-official employment; and, in the present case, she has inadvertently added to our difficulties, by forbearing to specify the precise objects of her bounty. We hesitated for some time between the Foundling and Lying-in-Hospitals: in finally determining for the latter, we humbly trust that we have not disappointed her expectations, nor misapplied her charity. Our publisher will transmit the proper receipt to her address.

ART. V. Reasons for declining to become a Subscriber to the British and Foreign Bible Society, &c. By Christopher Wordsworth, D. D. Third Edition. 8vo. pp. 18. London. Rivington. 1810.

A letter to the Rev. Christopher Wordsworth, D. D. in Reply to his Strictures, &c. By Lord Teignmouth, President of the British and Foreign Bible Society. 8vo. pp. 26. London. Hatchard. 1810.

A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Teignmouth, &c. in Vindication of Reasons.' &c. By Christopher Wordsworth, D. D. &c. 8vo. pp. 157. London. Rivington. 1810.

A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Wordsworth, &c. By William Dealtry, M. A. Second Edition. 8vo. pp. 36. London. Hatchard.

1810.

An Inquiry into the Claims of the British and Foreign Bible Society, &c. By the Rev. John Hume Spry, M. Ä. 8vo. · pp. 39. London. Rivington. 1810.

E hasten to notice the above pamphlets, foreseeing that they are only the prelude to more, and hoping that by the timely statement of a few plain and charitable principles, we may prevent the mischiefs which will otherwise ensue. Were not this our object, were not the promotion of Christian good most im. portant to the community, and most dear to our own hearts, we might well wave all discussion of the matter in dispute. Some literary merit might reasonably be expected in any publication which draws the attention of a literary journal. Of such merit, however, the present question has little, or nothing, to boast; and we have to complain, that by far the largest part of the argument is conducted in a style utterly remote from the humblest claims of composition.

Of the persons principally engaged in this controversy, it may be proper to give our readers some account, before we state the nature of the controversy itself.

It is impossible to mention Dr. Wordsworth without the most genuine feelings of respect and esteem. The part which he formerly took in the dispute occasioned by the system of Mr. Granville Sharp concerning the uses of the definitive article in the Greek text of the New Testament, entitles him to the decided praise of ability and learning. The evidence, brief, but conclusive, which he adduced from the Christian writers of the early ages in support of Mr. Sharp's interpretation was employed with the highest skill and effect. Some of his opponents in the present question have attempted indeed to speak of him with levity. They only betray that want of truth and candoar to which controversy is apt to lead every mind not possessed of the very best principles. His character is

that of a learned and accurate divine; nor do we think it likely to be shaken by the efforts of party spleen, though they should be asisted (as we confess they are) by his own want of care in the management of the present controversy.

Of Lord Teignmouth, his principal opponent, it is equally impossible to speak without the sincerest commendation. We know and love his many virtues. The integrity of his life, and the genuineness of his piety tend, still more than his rank, to place him in the very first class of respectability. To advance the cause of christianity is the habitual motive of his conduct; nor will any thing less pure and dignified be charged against him, but by ig. norance or malice.

Here we should wish to stop. But these, like other primary bodies, are attended by smaller and more obscure satellites. We will mention only two of them. With a narrow view of his question, and in a tone of argument faint and unimpressive, Mr. Spry adopts the cause of Dr. Wordsworth. He adds no force to the statements of others, and brings no novelty of his own.-With this humble character, Mr. Dealtry is not content; and espousing the cause of his Lordship, makes sundry efforts to be both witty and wise. In spite of all his attempts, however, the reader cannot but discover the poverty of his resources, and the unfitness of his judgment to decide such a dispute. There is a flippancy and incompetence in his manner of writing, which makes it far more insupportable than the decent heaviness of Mr. Spry. He seeks to disguise the sentiments which he adopts from his principal in the affected dress of his own phraseology: sequiturque fugitque-he follows the track of others, while he appears to soar away as an original genius. Do my Bibles,' procured from the Bible Society,' by some process of chemical combination, neutralize my Tracts and Bibles derived from the other Institution? Or, what is still worse, are they converted by the process into a baneful commodity; a mere caput mortuum; a pestilential mass of sulphur and charcoal?' If this 'examining chaplain' were himself to be asked, from what treatise on a serious subject might be produced a passage which should combine the meanest reasoning with the most affected levity, he might safely quote his own pamphlet, page 13. If he were required to point out the most injurious, as well as the most tasteless, of all attempts at the illustration of the matter in dispute, he must fix on his own two scolds in a parish,' or the vapid and pert invention of his two streams.' p. 27. But we gladly leave him, and turn the attention of our readers to the subject itself, and to the principles, by which, as appears to us, so important a question may be determined.

It is to be observed then, that there has long existed in this

country a Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge. It began, though under another name, in 1698. Its object is to distribute Bibles, Common Prayer Books, and religious tracts consonant with the doctrines and discipline of the establishment. This has been done, to a very large and beneficial extent, within our own country. The efforts of the Society have also been directed to the promotion of charity schools at home, to the support of the Danish missions in India, and to the assistance of the Greek Church in Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Arabia and Egypt. This society is confined to those who are well-affected to His Majesty and his government, and to the Church of England as by law established.'

Recently, however, (1804,) has been formed another society, for the purpose, as is expressly stated in its proceedings, of distributing Bibles alone, without note or comment, and without religious tracts, or the Book of Common Prayer. To this has been given the name of the British and Foreign Bible Society. No test of principles is required; and admission is open to all who will subscribe. Of this institution Lord Teignmouth is the President, and he states the original idea of it to have been suggested by 'the extreme want of Welsh Bibles in North Wales, and the despair of obtaining them without resorting to new and extraordinary means for that purpose.' p. 11. This is denied by the advocates of the ancient society. Here then is the commencement of the controversy; and as the first step in it requires to be distinctly marked, we beg the particular attention of our readers to the following statement of Dr. Wordsworth.

'A Church Bible, in folio, was published by the University of Oxford about 20 years ago, at the request of some of the Welch Bishops, which is still in use, and there is no want of a further supply.

But there being found a want of Bibles in a smaller size, for common use, a resolution was passed, Feb. 9, 1796, by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, to print, with the aid of the Oxford press, 10,000 copies of the Bible in 8vo. and 2000 of the New Testament, to be distributed at a cheap rate. The delegates of the Oxford press acceded to these proposals, and undertook the work, June the 10th, in the same year.

The letter addressed by the Secretary of our Society to the Welch members, to notify that the above were ready for delivery, was dated Dec. 16, 1799.

'There was a great demand for these Bibles, and when they came to be circulated through the country, it appeared in a few years, that the demand was greater than the supply, and that another edition of the same number of copies was wanted; and intelligence to this effect was communicated to the Society.

At this period the British and Foreign Bible Society stept into this province, and, as appears by your Lordship's Letter, (p. 11.) passed an