that every mode of propagation, except by seed, is merely an extension of an individual, which must sooner or later become extinct; and consequently esteem the whole series of crops, raised from any given variety of potato, by cuttings, as different stages in the progress of that variety towards final decay. The curl appears to be analogous to the infirmity of old age. Mr. Shirreff therefore insists upon the well known preventive, of raising fresh stock from the seed; but Mr. Dickson gives some directions for prolonging the existence, at least for a limited period, of such as we already possess. He found that plants raised from cuttings, taken from the dry end of the potato, were more generally diseased, than when the cuttings had been taken from the waxy end, or that to which the radicle is affixed, and which is less matured than the other. Hence he inferred, that suffering the tubers to remain too long in the ground, was a means of hastening the disorder; and lays down the following rules: 1. To procure a sound, healthy, seed stock, which cannot be relied on, unless obtained from a part of the high country, where, from the climate and other circumstances, the tubers are never over-ripened. 2. To plant such potatoes as are intended to supply seed-stock for the ensuing season, at least a fortnight later than those planted for crop, and to take them up whenever the haulm or stems become of a yellow-green colour: at this period, the cuticle, or outer skin of the tubers, may be easily rubbed off between the finger and thumb. 3. To prevent those plants that are intended to produce seed stock for the ensuing year, from producing flowers or seeds, by cutting them off in embryo, taking care, however, to take no more off than the extreme tops, as by taking more the crop may be injured.' From the other essays, of minor importance, we only extract the following method of destroying or preventing the caterpillars that infest gooseberry-bushes. Should it prove effectual, it will well reward the trouble of trying the experiment. Collect as much drift sea-weed from the beach, when opportunity occurs, as will cover the gooseberry compartment to the depth of four or five inches. Lay it on in autumn. Let this covering remain untouched during the winter and early spring months. As the season advances, dig it in.' Art. XV. Witenham Hill, a descriptive Poem, with Illustrations. By the Rev. T. Pentycross, M. A. late Rector of St. Mary, Wallingford. Third edition, 8vo. price 1s. (4to. 2s.). Wallingford, Bradford Crosby and Co 1812. IT is perhaps more difficult to give interest to descriptive poetry than to any other species of composition: the constant recurrence of the same objects requiring a more than ordinary degree of taste and discrimination, to combine and vary, and of rich and vigorous versification, to make the verbal painting pleasing and effective. In some of these requisites, this poem is deficient. In reading some of the couplets, we could not but wish especially that the author's notion of the language of poetry had been a little more exalted. For instance: Time, with his hammer, hath in pieces beat A town where fields, and fields where stood a town.' P. 9. • O'er frozen streams and pits of ice she came, By night hard venture for so high a dame And, breathless, while she urged her trembling pace, p. 8. Altogether, however, this poem is the production of an amiable, if not of a highly poetic mind. Art. XVI. Pious Selections, from the Works of Thomas à Kempis, Dr. Doddridge, Miss Bowdler, Sir J. Stonehouse, Bishop Sherlock, Mrs. Burnett, &c. &c. By Miss Marshall. 8vo. Price 5s. 6d. Hatchard, 1812. WE are always disposed to give a cordial welcome to publications like the present. They revive the memory of departed excellence; and to those whose reading, from whatever circumstances of necessity.or neglect, has been circumscribed, may supply not only matter for profitable meditation', but that deficiency in their acquisitions which has left them. without the knowledge of our best moral and theological writers. With respect to the present compilation, it is enough for us to refer to the names quoted in the title, and to observe that the extracts in general seem to have been judiciously made. Art. XVII. Phadi Bradley, 12mo. Longman and Co. 1812. in Usuni Scholarum expurgatæ. Cum Notis Anglicis, Studio C. WHERE the fables of Phædrus form part of the routine of a school, the present edition cannot but be useful. The text appears to be correct; and, without being so encumbered as to prevent the exercise of the pupil's faculties, is sufficiently elucidated to enable him to proceed with case; while the external appearance is more pleasing than the generality of our classical school books. Art. XVIII. Two Sermons preached before the Friends and Supporters of the i rotestant Dissent ng Academy at Homerton, on the Completion of the necessary Repairs, and Improvements of the Premises, on Wednesday, December 11, 1811. By Robert Winter, D. D. and William Bengo Collyer, D. D. 8vo. pp. 80. Conder, Black, &c. 1812. WE have read these excellent and appropriate discourses with much satisfaction. The first, by Dr. Winter, from Ephesians, c. iv. v. 11 & 12 on the great importance of a holy and learned ministry,' is a most judicious exposition of the principles and arguments fairly deducible from the text; embracing an extensive scope of enquiry, and treating every point in question with sound reasoning and manly eloquence. Dr. Collyer's sermon is from the same text, with the addition of the following verse, but suffers nothing, in point either of interest or ability, from this embarrassing coincidence. Without any ambitious display of oratorical decoration or arrangement, he describes, in a calm, serious, and impressive manner, the Gospel ministry, in its origin, design, and consummation. A short extract from each of these discourses will suffice to confirm our recommendation of them. No one can think correctly on the most important subjects in religion, unless his own mind is under the habitual and powerful influence of divine truth. He who merely speculates on those topics of inquiry which relate to the highest interests of sinful men, although to a certain extent bis perceptions may be just and accurate, is destitute of those views of their individual and everlasting importance, which are conformable to the representations of the holy scriptures. Where this deficiency is justly attributed to a minister of the gospel, it is a most awful consideration, both on his own account, and on account of his hearers. An unconverted minister is in the most truly dangerous situation, which can be imagined under a profession of the gospel. All his statements of truth virtually condemn himself, for not yielding to its sanctifying and renewing power. And with regard to the probable influence of his ministry, it is scarcely to be imagined that the hearts of others should be warmed and renewed by. the coldly correct statements which are placed before them, but which have never produced any corresponding effect on him who has presented them. To the views of a christian minister, decided habitual piety is of the highest importance.' Dr. Winter's Sermon, pp. 9, 10. The exertion of preaching is the least of its labours. The secret anxiety lest we should not acquit ourselves as we ought in the sight of God -the necessity of administering to others, whatever be our own circumstances, and whatever be the state of our minds-those passions of our own which we have to subdue, and those of others which we have to en counter these are among the trials of this work of the ministry. To see some listening with listless apathy (if indeed they can be said to listen at all) to truths which Jesus taught, which he died to seal, which fill heaven with astonishment and with praises-to know that others go a way to disappoint all the hopes which we had formed, to violate all the professions which they had made, to "crucify the Lord afresh, and to put him to open shame," by a base conformity to the present evil world-to look over a field, in which we have laboured for years expecting in vain the springing of the seed which we have scattered with anxiety, and watered with tears-and to see it all waste and barren-to retire broken-hearted to the closet, and to complain, "Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?"-these are among the trials of the work of the ministry. If a mah have not patience to bear with the weak, and to instruct the ignorant; if he cannot consent to resign his own ease for the sake of others; if he fear to encounter calumny aud reproach, from those who ought to strengthen his hands, and to establish his heart-let him not think of the ministry; for all these things must be endured and surmounted.' Dr. Collyer's Sermon, pp. 60, 61. Both these gentlemen appear to have been educated at the Homerton Academy, and plead the cause of their Alma Mater with the warmth of filial gratitude. Art: XIX. German Extracts from the best German Authors; with the English Words at the bottom of the Page, and a Dictionary at the End, for translating into English. By George Crabb. Second Edition, 12mo. Boosey. TO those who have wished to cultivate an acquaintance with the German, it has long been matter of serious inconvenience, that there is not a judicious collection of extracts from the classical writers in that lar guage. This defect is now in some measure supplied by the little volume before us; since it is a selection, made with some judgment, from those authors which, though of a wholesome quality, are, from their scar city or bulk, or expensiveness, not within reach of the student, as well as from the salutary and innocent parts of those, who have debased the fruit of their genius by a large infusion of vice and irreligion. But while to this we add, that it is printed with tolerable accuracy, we must say, the paper and type are mean and beggarly in the extreme; and that the mistakes in the use of the long and short s, with other similar anglicisms, give it a singularly old-fashioned and grotesque appearance. that Art. XX. The dreadful Sin of Suicide; a Sermon preached at the Rev. Dr. Wiunter's Meeting House, New Court, Carey Street, January 9th, 1812, before the Monthly Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches. By George Clayton. 8vo. pp. 70. Black and Co. IT has often been matter of the greatest astonishment to us, that men of talent should have thought it a worthy exercise of their powers, to employ them in the attempt to diminish the horror which the sane mind must always feel in the contemplation of the crime of self-destruction. Were there no other reason to be urged against it, than that it is, at best, an action of tremendous risk and responsibility, this alone would be decisive against the experiment. Yet Hume taxed his characteristic subtlety, for arguments in its defence, and Montesquieu vindicated it, in at string of eloquent epigrams. These men were, we are persuaded, actuated merely by the contemptible ambition of distinguishing themselves as the able supporters of a dazzling but shameful paradox; and have probably sacrificed many a deluded, but immortal spirit, to their disgusting and malignant selfishness. The subject of this sermon is at once dangerous and enticing. Nothing is more easy than to overwhelm it with declamatory common places; few things less so than to treat it with skill, delicacy, and decision. It is the merited praise of Mr. Clayton, that he has successfully atchieved a task of considerable difficulty. For his text he has chosen Acts xvi. 28; and in discoursing upon it, he considers the criminality of suicide enumerates the causes and occasions by which men are ordinarily impelled to the commission of it-and adduces some considerations to enforce the apostolic dissuasion. As a specimen of the style of this discourse, we insert the following animated expostulation: 1. Consider that the animated structure of the human frame is the curious and exquisite workmanship of God. "The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. Let us make man, said he, in our image, in our own, likeness. He upholdeth our soul in life; for in him we live, and move, and have our being." I am" fearfully and wonderfully made," and am 1 at liberty impiously to demolish the admirable mechanism of God? Who would possess the temerity, if he had the power, to annihilate the universe? Who would presume to quench the sun in the firmament-to blot the moon from her orbit-to scatter the stars of heaven-to dry up the waters of the ocean-and dissolve the fabric of the globe? And if no such extravagant enterprize can be harboured, for a moment, even in distant thought, with respect to the great world, why shouldst thou, O man, take injurious freedoms with thyself a world of wonders-a world in miniature? Who gave thee permission to quench that eloquent eye in the darkness of death? By what warrant dost thou reduce those active limbs to an incapacity for motion and exertion? Who granted thee licence to dissolve the earthly house of thy tabernacle with thine own hands? Touch, at thy peril, a single pin. Loosen, if thou darest, the minutest cord. Are not the ravages of time alone sufficiently expeditious? Reverence thyself; thou art an awful, a mysterious compound-thou art the resemblance of thy God.-Do thyself no harm.' The metaphysical note does not quite please us. The positions are probably correct, but Mr. Clayton's unknown friend' does not seem to state them in the best and most connected way. The double anecdote at pp. 66-69, is most interesting and impressive.. Art. XXI. The Life and Administration of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval; including a copious Narrative of every Event of Importance, foreign and domestic, from his Entrance into public Life to the present Times; a Detail of his Assassination, &c. &c.; with the probable Consequences of the sudden Overthrow of the Remains of his Administration, &c. &c.; and a Developement of the Delicate Investigation. By Charles Verulam Williams, Esq. 12mo. pp. 328. Price 6s. Sherwood, 1812. ONE of those pieces of literary manufacture which regularly make their appearance on the death of any celebrated personage. Charles Verulam Williams, Esquire, at an astonishing expence of labour and intellect, has ransacked those recondite and unerring sources of political intelligence, the newspapers, and none, we are persuaded, but those who have been so fortunate as to obtain a glimpse of the scarce records referred to, can congratulate himself on being in full possession of the contents of this volume. Art. XXII. Anecdotes of Children and Young Persons. 12mo. Williams. 1812. THE piety and good intentions of the compiler of these pages, are unquestionable; but, unfortunately, they manifest so egregious a want of judgement and taste, that it is impossible to give them the praise which the design, if better executed, would have deserved. 4 K Vol. VIII. |