of the people as the best source, under Heaven, of their prosperity, to observe, that to whatever resources, they have had recourse, they have not found it necessary to apply the principle of economy to their acts of benevolence: the domestic statements, therefore, of this Society, cannot but be highly gratifying to every heart. With respect to the statements of the progress of this Society in other parts of the world, they must certainly be heard with the highest gratification: it is indeed a most interesting and important page of universal history; but it differs in this respect from other histories, that, instead of being, as they are, chiefly a history of the crimes aud the miseries of men, of their jarring interests, and the wretchedness their crimes have brought upon the world, this contains a history of the diffusion of that Word by which alone those crimes can be lessened, and those miseries alleviated; and which in due time-a time known only to that Being who rules over all-shall bring about a state, in which universal history shall become more and more barren of those events which, since the creation of the world, have at once adorned and dis, graced it."

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said: "Would any tongue of man have ventured to predict, that within seventeen years from its first commencement, the Bible Society could have taken such a hold, not only in this country, but in almost every country of the world, as no longer to be restricted by any limits, or to depend upon the exer. tions of any individual whatever? It has been observed, that great revolu. tions of opinion aud manners, if not accompanied by external political changes, do not make that impression ob the spectators and actors in those scenes, as in the retrospect of history they will impress on the mind;—even those changes in opinious and sentiments which have been succeeded by great political events, have appeared, when the various incidents, contemporary letters, and anecdotes are brought be fore us, to have made an impression on the minds of those then engaged in them very far short of what they now produce. We are, perhaps, carried on in these events as in the diurnal motion of the earth, in which the greatest revolution is effected while every thing around us seems at rest, and we are

borne imperceptibly along. We may · hope, that no inconsiderable part of that revolution has been completed, which shall bring the whole of this sublnuary world under the Light of Life. We find from the Report, that there is scarcely a part of the world where its effects. have not been diffused; and scarcely. a known language in which the word of God has not been, or will soon be,. translated. That we may see an increasing progress in this great work, and that our worthy and noble President may long live to see the progress of it, must, I am sure, be the sincere wish of every individual in this room."

Lord Teignmouth: "It is one characteristic excellence of our Institution, that it is of no sect or party; it invites. and accepts the co-operation of all who profess their belief of the Divine authority and inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. It has no connection or concern with the political affairs of this, or any other kingdom; its orbit is a circle far beyond that of the political: horizon, and can never come into contact with it. Pure in its principles, charitable in its object, catholic in its : administration, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good will to men,' is the inspiring and governing spirit of all its operations; and bence it has become the source and centre of that happy union among Christians of various countries, confessions, and denominations, never before witnessed in these times, and of which the present assembly affords a gratifying demon. stration.

"But amidst the exultation which we have so much reason to indulge, we cannot overlook the awful and affecting consideration that thousands around us at home, and that millions even of the household of Christ abroad, are still destitute of the records of Divine grace. and truth, and while numbers of them are daily passing into eternity. And may we not also consider the solicitude. so widely manifested and so anxiously expressed to obtain the Holy Scriptures, together with the facilities afforded for circulating them, as a call of Providence on the endeavours of this and every Christian nation, to gratify it in the largest practicable extent? Such considerations can never be regarded with indifference by those who have imbibed the spirit of brotherly love from the Holy Book which we circulate."

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester said:

"It is delightful to learn, that in one set of cases the Bibles distributed by onr Society have been the means of restoring the idle, drunken, profligate head of a family to the regular perform ance of all the duties of his station, and thus making the man a blessing instead of a curse to his wife and children; that in other instances, amidst the various ills of life, in scenes of poverty and woe, they have been the instrument of instilling resignation, meekness, and even contentment; and that at the close of every trial, they have often diffused peace and consolation over a death-bed, in which, without them, confusion, darkness, and despair, might have prevailed. And these blessed effects are not confined to our own country, nor even to Europe, but have extended to almost every land-to regions where Christianity has been obscured, and almost extinguished, under a weight of superstition, and even to those where her influence remained before unknown.

But I rejoice most especially in the peculiar seasonableness of this dispensation of the Scriptures. We live, my lord, in times of au extraordinary de. seription, of rapid, wonderful, and most important changes, which we could not have foreseen, and the result of which we hardly dare to estimate. I would not hazard a political opinion upon the subject, but refer merely to the fact. Whatever alterations may take place in the form and constitutions of any of the governments on the Continent, it is inconceivably important that the only oracle and standard of right opinions, the only prompter of right motives, should be universally distributed; being the only means by which liberty can be prevented from degenerating into licentiousness. The ancient superstitions, by which the judgments of men upon religious subjects have been so long fettered and enchained, seem also to afford evident symptoms of decay and destruction. How important, then, that the Bible, which can alone supply equally the vacuitles and fill the opening left for new impressions, should be placed in every hand, set before every eye, and be ready to enter into every heart-that the light from above should anticipate or supersede the sparks of human kindling; and that in such a fluc tuating sea of opinions, each sect should find, in the word of God, an anchor sure and stedfast!"

· Lord Calthrope, in reference to the Bible Society at Paris, remarked: "Recollecting, as we all too deeply and painfully must recollect, those occasions of jealousy and of bitter and almost perpetual discord which have existed be. tween that nation and ourselves, it is peculiarly delightful to find ourselves now allied to her by a tie of the closest and most endearing nature: and from the experience we ourselves have had of the growing and diffusive nature of all such institutions, we may not unreasonably hope, that the day is not far distant when this Society, existing in a country so rich in all the productions of nature, and in the active and enterprising genius of her people, will give to that genius a new and powerful direction, and lead her, as a compensation to herself for that submission she for some time shewed to an inglorious tyranny, to acknowledge deeply and heartily the supremacy of that Almighty Potentate, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, and afford this high and noblest illustration of that loyalty to her monarchs for which formerly she was so distinguished.”

"Before I conclude, I cannot forbear referring to another scene of this Society's exertions, which seems to me to afford the most satisfactory evidence of the success which has attended its foreign operations. The beneficial effects which have resulted from the disper sion of the Scriptures in Africa, have been already proved by the pleasing information that the funds of this institution have been aided by contributions received even from that interesting portion of the globe,"

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester observed: "I am anxious to express in the warmest terms the acknowledgments of my illustrious relatives, as well as myself, for this vote of thanks; and, in doing so, I am confident that I am the organ of their sentiments as well as of my own. Warmly and strongly as I feel in the cause of this Society, I am confident that they feel equally warm in it; and that they, in common with myself, consider no moments so honourably employed as those in which we are united with our countrymen in promoting every benevolent design by which we can fulfil the command of onr God and our Saviour, that his Gospel should be preached to every crea ture."

FOREIGN. ·

ITALY, &c.-If declarations, circular letters, and manifestoes, could justify the late transactions of Russia, Austria, and Prussia, towards Italy, there would not be wanting the most ample vindication. Indeed, the profusion of exculpatory documents, which from time to time have appeared on the subject, proves, that even the parties concerned feel that Europe requires some apology for their late measures. Within the last few weeks no less than three papers have been circulated throughout Europe, dated from Laybach, previously to the dissolution of the congress. The first is a "declaration" published in the name of the Courts of Austria, Prussia, and Russia; the second a circular dispatch from the same powers to their respective ministers at foreign courts; and the third an additional circular from the Russian cabinet to its own ministers. The principles laid down in all these documents are the same; and the declarations contained in them are nothing more than a recapitulation of the statements so often made during the last twelve months. The allied monarchs complain of the spirit of discord which prevails in the south of Europe. Every where the pestilence exhibited the same character: every where one spirit of disorder directed these fatal revolutions." The declaration goes on to triumph in the facility with which this spirit was vanquished, and which it ascribes to the especial providence of the Almighty. "Providence struck with terror the consciences of men so guilty; and the censure of the public, whose fate was compromised by these artificers of mischief, caused the arms to fall from their hands." The monarchs further boast of their justice and disinterestedness throughout the whole proceeding, and express their determination to act in future instances as they have done in this, and "never to abandon their principles." As if, however, aware of the indignant feel ing which their course of policy has excited, they remark in their circular dispatch-Called more than ever, as well as all the other sovereigns and lawful powers of Italy, to watch over the maintenance of the peace of Europe, to protect it not only against the errors and passions which may com CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 234.

promise it in the intercourse between one power and another, but more particularly against those disastrous attempts which would spread the horrors of universal anarchy over the civilized world, they would consider it a profanation of so august an object to be guided by the strict calculations of a vulgar policy. As all is simple, open, and frankly avowed in the system they have embraced, they submit it with confidence to the judgment of all enlightened governments."

Among the enlightened governments" to whom this system has been submitted, we are most happy to state that our own has again strongly expressed its dissent and disapprobation. The subject having been again brought before parliament, the Marquis of Londonderry declined, and we think wisely, acceding to Mr. Wortley's motion for laying a copy of the Laybach declaration before Parliament; because, if made the subject of any resolutions by the British senate, it would probably only have excited irritation between us and our allies without any apparent chance of altering their line of policy. But he expressed in decisive language the feelings of the British cabinet on the subject. We would indulge a hope that the public declarations and private remonstrances of our own and other governments, as well as the general sense of Europe on the question, would render the members of this triple alliance somewhat cautious in future, notwithstanding their declarations, of interfering in the internal affairs of independent states. The cases of Naples and Piedmont were certainly in some degree peculiar, both in respect to the origin of their revolutions and the facilities of crushing them. But the example of Spain and Portugal, with whom the allies have not ventured to interfere, still remains; and we trust that these are not the only nations in Europe, who, if they wish, without endangering the safety of neighbouring states, to effect any changes in their constitution of government (be those changes good or bad is not the question), possess the spirit and the means to defend themselves against foreign interference.

The congress is to meet again at Laybach in the course of next year, to 3 G