ing to thirty-nine. (iii. xxviii and xxxii.) tents are chiefly extracted from two eminent writers, Michaëlis This work was originally de- and Lardner. The former has dicated to the Duchess of North- displayed so much ingenuity and umberland, daughter of Lady discernment, and the latter such Hertford, the friend of Dr. Watts a depth of learning, as give the and Mrs. Rowe. The Duchess greatest advantage to such as would being dead before the appearance avail themselves of their labours." of the fourth edition, that is "con- A friend of the editor supplied a secrated to her beloved and hon-"short account of the several oured memory." The Editor ha-, sects and heresies that prevailed ving frequent occasion to celebrate in the times of Christ and his the ancient Percys, could not fail Apostles;" also "A Key to the to attract the notice of the modern Prophecies contained in the Rev. possessors of their wealth and elation." This little work has itles. This publication is indeed passed through several editions, understood to have procured for and been adopted in the Univer him the appointment of domestic sities. chaplain to the Duke, and thus to have rendered his advancement in the church no longer problemati. cal.-Mr. Percy, however, was not content without shewing that he had paid attention, amidst his literary pursuits, to subjects im mediately connected with his clerical pretensions. 66 In 1769, Mr. Percy preached the "Sermon before the Sons of the Clergy, at their annual Meeting at St. Paul's." The same year he was appointed one of the royal chaplains, and probably now took his degree of Doctor of Divinity. In 1770, he appeared again as In this same year (1765), he an editor. The curious work published that justly popular "little committed to his care we had ocmanual," as he names it in a casion to quote, and it is frequent. dedication to the Bishop of Dur- ly referred to, in the last edition ham, A Key to the New of the Reliques, as the North Testament; giving an account of umberland Household Book. It the several books, their contents, is entitled "The Regulations and their authors, and of the times, Establishments of the Household places, and occasions on which of Henry Algernon Percy, 5th they were respectively written." Earl of Northumberland," from In an unassuming preface, it is 1512 to 1525. It appears that remarked that "a clear introduc- "a small impression was printed tory illustration of the several by order of the late Duke and books of the New Testament, Dutchess of Northumberland, to shewing the design of their wri- bestow in presents to their friends;" ters, the nature of their contents, but it has been since reprinted and whatever else is previously entire in the 4th volume of the necessary to their being read second edition of the Antiquarian with understanding, is a work, Repertory, 4to. In the Editor's that, if well-executed, must prove Preface, this 5th Earl is described the best of commentaries and fre- as a 66 nobleman of great magnifiquently supersede the want of all cence and taste, who had a just other." Of this work," the con- passion for literature, and was a now liberal patron of such genius as to have been sufficiently tenacious that age produced." He adds, of the good opinion of the noble "the bare mention of my lord's house to which he was or my lady's library deserves no- attached. Boswell has preserved tice, at a time when many of the a curious proof of this, in that first nobility could hardly read, or collection of trash and treasure, write their names." the Life of Johnson, which our During the same year, 1770, limits will not allow us to introwas published by Dr. P. with a duce. See Boswell, ii. 215. 4to. dedication to the Duke of North. If Dr. Percy had set his mind umberland, Mallett's Northern on attaining to high station in Antiquities, in his Introduction the church, the fear of disapto the History of Denmark, or a pointment soon subsided. His Description of the Manners, Cus. rise was now rapid. In 1778, he toms, Religion and Laws of the became Dean of Carlisle, and in antient Danes, and other North- 1782, Bishop of Dromore. He ern Nations, including those of was no longer known to the pubour Saxon Ancestors; with a lic except by occasional commu. translation of the Edda, or System nications to his literary friends. of Runic Mythology, and other Mr. Nichols had been assisted by Picces from the antient Islandic him in his "Select Collection of Tongue; translated from Monsieur Miscellaneous Poems." He now Mallett's Introduction a l'Histoire contributed to the " History of de Dannemarc, with additional Hinkley," and, in 1786, to an Notes by the English translator, edition of the " Tatler, with Notes, and Jorancin's Latin Version of in 6 vols." Dr. Kippis mentions the Edda." Mallett's work ap- his obligations to Dr. Percy, in peared in 1763, and very early the Preface to his 1st. volume of engaged the attention of his trans- Biog. Brit. and in 1784, was in. lator, who has given a Preface of debted to him, in the 4th volume, some length, designed principally for the Life of Cleiveland, the to prove, against the opinions of bitter satirist of republicans, to bis author," that the Teutonic whom Dr. P. was collaterally re. and Celtic nations were originally lated. This life is short and af. two distinct people." forded occasion for little more sub In 1771, the muse of Percy than judicious selection. There gratified his patrons by the pub. is one observation on the effect of lication of "The Hermit of Wark-paying court to temporary preworth, a Northumberland Ballad, judices," which is well worthy of in three Fits or Cantos;" which, quotation. Cleiveland's except the beautiful song in Dods- jects and his manner of writing, ley's collection, O Nancy wilt made him extremely popular a thou go with me, comprizes, we mong his contemporaries, but enbelieve, the whole of his original tirely forgotten and disregarded poetry. Warkworth was one of since.-Contemporary with Milthe titles of the Duke of North- ton, he was in his time exceedingly umberland, and a castle of that preferred before him; and Milname, a part of his princely po. ton's own nephew tells us, he sessions. Dr. P. appears indeed was by some esteemed the best of the English poets. But Cleive- death,, he steadily maintained his Dromore, a diocese of very and above all, his encouragement Bishop Percy died at the See House of Dromore, Sep. 30, 1811, in the 83d year of his age. He "At Dromore he constantly left two daughters, having survived resided, promoting the instruction an only son, and his wife, a lady and comfort of the poor with up- of Northamptonshire, who died remitting attention, and superin- in 1806, aged 75. The fate of tending the sacred and civil inter- his successor, formed a striking ests of the diocese with vigilance contrast to his own; for the Proand assiduity; revered and beloved vost of Trinity College, Dublin, for his piety, liberality, benevo. Dr. Hall, who was elected or lence and hospitality, by persons rather appointed Bishop of Droof every rank and religious de. more, died a few days after his nomination. Under the loss of consecration, before he could take sight, of which he was gradually possession of his See. deprived, some years before his N. L. T. 1 EXTRACTS FROM NEW PUBLICATIONS. Present State of Religion in Ice. land. [From Sir. G. S. Mackenzie's Travels in Iceland. 4to. pp. 324-333.) in a parish; and the total num. ber of churches in the island some. what exceeds three hundred. The duty of each parish devolves upon sion, however, if his own circuma single priest; with the permis stances do not allow the full discharge of his duties, to take an assistant from among the young men educated for the church, who have not yet obtained a permanent situation in life. number of the officiating ministers of religion is of course various, at different times, though never greatly exceeding that of the parishes. Immediately superior to the com. mon priests, are the provosts, or The The reformation of religion in Iceland took place A. D. 1551; since which period the doctrines of the Lutheran church, as it exists in the northern kingdoms of Europe, have been strictly maintained in the island. At the present time, not a single dissentient is to be found from the established religion of the country; and the only instance of the kind-on record, is one which occurred about the end of the 17th century; when HELGO EIOLFIDAS, a man who had acquired much knowledge of deacons, whose office it is to exGerman literature, espoused the ercise a general superintendence Socinian doctrines, and taught over the churches in each Syssel, them openly to his children and and who are chosen, in general, friends; till compelled by the judg- from a regard to their talents and ment of the ecclesiastical court to respectability of character. There make a public renunciation of his are nineteen of these deacons in belief. Doctrinal discussion is of the island; but their number is course, little known among the included among that of the priests, Icelanders; and the contests which just mentioned, as they severally have existed in their church, relate have parishes allotted to them, of chiefly to external ordinances, and which they discharge all the ordito the situation and rights of the clergy of the island. nary duties. A small additional which renders their situation somestipend is attached to the office, what superior to that of the other clergy. The religious establishment of Iceland is formed on a more extensive scale, than might have been expected from the nature of the country and the condition of turies, Iceland was divided into During a period of seven centhe people. The inhabited parts two bishopricks; that of Skalholt, of the island are divided into 184 comprehending the southern, that parishes; a division which gives of Hoolum the northern, districts to each parish an average popu- of the island. The sees becoming lation of about 200 persons. vacant at the same time, they From the great extent, however, of these districts, it has been Syssel-a term applied to the sub in many instances found neces- divisions of Iceland. sary to erect more than one church VOL. VII. L were united in 1797, by the order tertaining the country priests, who of the Danish government; and come to barter their commodities the title of Bishop of Iceland was with the merchants at this place. The patronage of the church in conferred upon the learned and respectable Geir Vidalin, the pre- Iceland, was formerly in the hands sent possessor of this dignity. The of the people and the proprietors duties of the office are important of land; was afterwards assumed and extensive. The bishop super- by the bishops, as the representaintends the general concerns of the tives of the papal authority; and religious establishment, and the finally, at the period of the Reparticular affairs of each church in formation, was transferred to the the island he inspects the con. crown of Denmark. The power duct of the priests, regulates any is now, in most cases, exercised ecclesiastical disputes which may by the governor of the island, occur, ordains those who are en- with the assistance and advice of tering upon the pastoral office, the bishop. The revenues of the and watches over the education clergy are derived in part from and moral conduct of the people the lands annexed to the churches; at large. It is a part of his duty partly from tithes upon the landed also, to visit at stated periods, the property of the country. These different districts of his diocese, tithes are paid by the farmers, in for the purpose of personal in- a ratio determined, not by the spection; and the farmers of the quantity of produce raised upon country are required to assist him, each farm, but by the fixed rents while making these journies, with of the land. To afford an idea of every accommodation, which their the extreme scantiness of the promeans may afford. The appoint. vision which is thus made for the ment of the bishop is entirely clergy, it may be sufficient to state vested in the crown. While there the general fact, that the whole were two bishoprics in Iceland, revenue by tithe, in 184 parishes, the revenues of each were ex- does not exceed the sum of 6400 tremely small, and ill-adapted to specie dollars; giving an average support the dignity, scarcely even of 34 or 35 dollars for each parish the necessary duties of the office. in the island. The distribution of In consequence of the union of the the stipends is by no means equal, sees, a considerable augmentation owing to the difference in the exwas made in the revenues of the tent and value of the land under present bishop, which now amount cultivation in different districts. to about 1600 dollars per annum; The most valuable living in the derived chiefly from the public island is that of Breidè-bolstadr, treasury of the island. Did he re. in Rangaavalle Syssel, the stipend side in the interior of the country, of which is upwards of 180 dollars: this sum would raise him to the the parish contains 376 people. highest rank of opulence; but In the parish of Kröss in the same making his abode in Reikiavik, he is subject to many additional expences, not only from the different mode of life among the Danes, but also from the necessity of en district, where there are two churches, and a population exceeding 500, the stipend amounts only to 33 dollars. In Aarnes Syssel, the parish of Torfastadir, |