ARCHDEACON WILBERFORCE'S Eucharistica (Burns), which contains meditations and prayers on the most holy eucharist, from old English divines, with an introduction, is too well known to require any particular notice from us. A new edition, however, having just reached us, adorned with an illuminated title-page and other ornamental illustrations, not given in the former impressions, we cannot refrain expressing our admiration of this most elegant little volume. It is, indeed, quite a gem; and we are not a little puzzled to find that the expensive manner of getting up this edition has not increased the price of the work, which, as before, is only half-a

crown.

MOURAVIEFF'S History of the Church of Russia, translated by the Rev. R. W. Blackmore, chaplain in Cronstadt to the Russian Company (Parker, Oxford), abounds in information as rare to the generality of English readers as it is valuable. || We shall take an early opportunity of compiling from its pages a sketch of the Russian Church for our Magazine. Meanwhile, all who have it in their power should secure the volume itself.

NUMBER 49 of Mr. Burns' "Tracts on Christian Doctrine and Practice" is a reprint of the article on the Danger of Dissent, which appeared in an early number of this Magazine. The third volume of this very useful series is now ready.

The Churches of Yorkshire (Green, Leeds) promises to be a very interesting series. The first number, which has just come out, and contains three beautiful views of Adel Church, does great credit both as regards engraving, literature, and typography, to all concerned in the undertaking, to which we cordially wish the success that it de

serves.

Miscellaneous.

ALMS-GIVING. The question is, what should be the proportion of our alms? The Mosaic law seems to direct that one-tenth at least should be disposed of for the service of God; the Mahometan law enjoins the giving away of one-sixth; the publican Zaccheus gave one-half of his goods to feed the poor; our Saviour says, "Give all thou hast." If any one will at the end of the year see how much he has given SEVERAL delightful little books for little folks have away in the twelvemonth, he will be able to judge lately fallen in our way, among which may be men- how far he is complying with the will of Him, from tioned Mr. Gresley's Holyday Tales; Lucy and whom we have received all, and be able to decide to Arthur; The Spring-Tide (Burns). They are very which of these proportions he comes the nearest. I excellent, and a great improvement upon the ge- cannot help feeling that much less is given away neral character of such works. The second volume among us than we imagine; and my reason for so of Capt. Marryatt's Masterman Ready (Longman), || thinking does not arise merely from the smallness of is equal to the first, and, if possible, more inte- the contributions made to parochial charities, but resting. from the following calculation. It is a common rule in housekeeping, that the rent ought not to exceed one-eighth of the whole income. Now if we put the alms at one-tenth, the lowest proportion mentioned, the money given in alms ought to be four

SIR ARCHIBALD EDMONSTONE is so well known as an accomplished and able writer, from his work entitled the Christian Gentleman's Daily Walk, that one need only say, a poem (The Progress of Reli-fifths of the rental. The rental of this parish is gion) has been written by the same pen, to insure its general and favourable reception. Not that we think the subject exactly suited for poetry, notwithstanding the many poetical passages to be found in the volume before us. The notes shew considerable research, and are very instructive.

A NEW and beautiful edition (11th) of Bishop Heber's Ilymns, written and adapted to the weekly church-service of the year, has just been published by Mr. Murray.

THE Gospel of St. Matthew, with moral reflections upon every verse, translated from the French of the celebrated Pasquier Quesnel (Burns), will be found eminently useful for family reading, and teachers in Sunday-schools.

WE are happy to find that a third edition of Mr.
Paget's St. Antholin's has already been called for.

113,1477. per annum, four-fifths of which, after deducting the money paid in poor-rates, will leave 80,000l. per annum which ought to be given away. Or supposing that we deduct one-half, on account of the poverty of the lower orders, can we suppose that 40,000l. is given away out of this parish?

I do not at all say that the less wealthy part of the clergyman well knows that on some occasions there community should not give of their penury; and a the poor; but the generality of the working orders are no persons who expend so much on others as are hardly aware of the benefit which they would confer on themselves if they would but enter on the with their hands, that they might have to give to habit of assisting their neighbours, and "labour him that needeth,"-how such a habit would presently place them above want.

There is another class of persons who are perhaps better off than any other in England,-I mean domestic servants. They do, I am aware, frequently contribute largely to the support of poor relatives; but generally, as they have no immediate calls upon them, they are apt to consider hardly know of how great a pleasure they are dethemselves as excused from giving. I fear they

THOSE who wish for a little volume of poetry that will call forth good and holy feeling, cannot do better than purchase Christian Ballads. It is a tribute from America (New York, Wiley and Put-priving themselves, and how much they might afford to give away, without being really the poorer for it. Bishop Short's Parochialia.

nam), by a true son of the Church. We hope in future numbers to give some extracts.

WHETHER I am praised or blamed, says a Chi

SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.-The committee, during the last quarter, have made various grants for the erection or enlargement of churches, schools, and parsonagehouses in the several colonial dioceses. They have voted 10001. for the erection of a substantial church at Baripore, in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, from which station the most gratifying accounts have been lately received. The attention of the Foreign Translation Committee has been more particularly directed, during the present year, to the preparation and completion of several new versions of the liturgy, some of which they hope will be found exceedingly useful for promoting the objects of the society in foreign countries. The first of these is a version of the liturgy of the Church of England into the Amharic, or modern Ethiopic-the language of a large part of the country of Abyssinia. It is now completed and published, and a great portion of the first edition has been sent out to Abyssinia. The committee are led to anticipate that the copies of the liturgy thus sent out will be useful not only in affording to Christians in Abyssinia a clear view of the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, but also in advancing the knowledge of Christ among the Mahometan and heathen tribes, by whom the Amharic is spoken. With similar hopes the committee have undertaken to publish a translation of the liturgy in the Turkish language. The translation has been completed, and the printing so far advanced, that it will be ready in a short time for publication. In this translation care has been taken to avoid the florid style of the modern Turkish, and to adapt the language, as far as possible, to Christian devotional usage; though it is obvious that great difficulties must arise in the case of a language which has hitherto been used, almost exclusively, as a medium for conveying the thoughts and ideas of Mahometans. The want of devotional books among those Christians who know no other language than the Turkish, is very great. There are few if any Christian books of this kind, while the people to whom they would be useful abound in all the Turkish provinces in Asia. And it is anticipated that this translation will not be unacceptable to an increasing class of persons in these provinces, and even in Constantinople itself,-viz. to Mahometan inquirers after truth. For it is known that of late years not a few of the Turks have shewn a desire to become better acquainted with the religion of England. The committee, therefore, cannot but hope that the translation of the English liturgy into Turkish may be instrumental to the advancement of Christian knowledge, even among the Mahometan population of Turkey; and thus, though they can hardly venture to look immediately for great results, they think the prospect sufficiently encouraging to justify the step which they have taken. The translation of the liturgy into Armenian, which was noticed in the last report, has made considerable progress. Portions of it, consisting of the morning and evening prayers, the collects, epistles, gospels, &c. have been sent to Constantinople, and have been received back again, with observations and corrections, from competent persons in that city. The result of these observations has been, to give the committee great encouragement as regards both the style and the accuracy of the work, and also the

prospect of its usefulness among the Armenians. The edition of the liturgy in Arabic, published by the committee at Malta, is almost exhausted, and a new edition will soon be required. The committee propose to avail themselves of this opportunity to improve the version, by bringing it nearer to the style of the ancient liturgies of the Oriental Church. A copy of the revised edition of the liturgy in French is now laid before the board; and measures have been taken to provide a new or revised edition in German. The committee are desirous of publishing, as soon as possible, a version of the liturgy in the Portuguese language. A translation has been prepared in Portugal, which, after having been examined by the committee, has been sent back for revision, and for the completion of some parts which were wanting. These have now been supplied, and the work will shortly be printed. The importance of a good Portuguese version of the liturgy in the present state of religion in Portugal, and considering the relation in which England stands towards that country, will easily be perceived. The committee regret to report that they have been compelled, by the prolonged illness of Mr. Schlienz, and other causes, to suspend for the present the new Arabic version of the holy Scriptures, which was being carried on at Malta. They have agreed to defer the further prosecution of the work until they shall have had the benefit of a communication from the Bishop of Gibraltar, after his arrival in his diocese, upon this and other subjects connected with the society's operations in || the Mediterranean. In the meantime the committee have resolved to undertake an edition of the holy Scriptures in Coptic and Arabic, for the use of the Coptic Christians in Egypt. The project has obtained the sanction of their patriarch, and the work will be received with gratitude both by him and by his clergy. The Arabic version used by the Copts is peculiar to them, being a translation from the Coptic, which is their authorised version; and it will not therefore supersede the necessity of a new Arabic version hereafter. the request of the Lord Bishop of New Zealand, the committee have printed an edition of the Gospel of St. Matthew in the New Zealand language, and have sent the greater portion of it to that colony for circulation. The committee have not yet been able fully to realise their expectations with regard to the French and Dutch versions of the Bible, but considerable progress has been made with both of them. The quarto edition of the New Testament in French has been published; but the Old Testament is not yet completed. The committee are printing an octavo edition of the Old Testament in London, concurrently with the quarto edition in Paris; and both will be ready at the same time. The committee are happy to report, that the holy Scriptures and other works in Greek, noticed in their last report, are in progress at Athens; and that the society's undertaking has been approved by an unanimous resolution of the holy synod of the kingdom of Greece.

LONDON:

At

Published by JAMES BURNS, 17 PORTMAN STREET, PORTMAN SQUARE; and to be had, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country.

PRINTED BY ROBSON, LEVEY, AND FRANKLYN,
GREAT NEW STREET, FETTER LANE.

THE

ENGLISHMAN'S MAGAZINE.

No. XXI.

Contents.

Hints for Reading profitably

Thomas Austen

SEPTEMBER, 1842.

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HINTS FOR READING PROFITABLY:

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PRICE 4d.

with which I am acquainted. I never conversed with a Frenchman, or a Scotchman, or an Italian, or a German, who was not tolerably well acquainted, at least, with the history of his own country; while the number of Englishmen who can give you any thing like a satisfactory account of the wars of the roses," or even of such events as the American or the Peninsular war, is most exceedingly limited. And then, as a natural consequence, time which is not devoted to the improvement of the mind, is squandered in the pursuit of some vulgar pleasure or sensual indulgence, or, not unfrequently, in the festive or the political club. Therefore it is that I consider an association which affords the opportunity of

A Lecture delivered before the Subscribers to a Church reading good books to persons liable to these

of England Library.

||

temptations, to be capable of eminent utility. But it is important that, before setting forth THE few observations which I shall address in this work, you should well understand the to you will have reference to the principles precise benefits you will be entitled to expect. which should guide you in the search after Many false theories, I need scarcely say, are knowledge. The circumstances of the persons abroad upon this subject, which have led to here associated together I take to be these: much disappointment in those who have been they are persons varying indeed in the amount the victims of them, and have raised up many of education they have received, but all feel-opponents who, seeing only the obvious obing that it has been imperfect, and who pos-jections to these false theories, forgot that sess, at the same time, but limited means in there was any real good to be derived, and themselves for its improvement. Now, our that a false theory only obscured a real and intellectual faculties being given us by God, substantial truth. and they constituting one principal mark by which man is distinguished from the rest of His creatures, it is manifestly a proper object of desire to cultivate them with all assiduity and diligence. And here I certainly cannot but express my very decided opinion, that associations having this end in view (I say "associations," for I know not how the end is to be gained without them) are very much and very generally needed among the middle classes of society. The schools in which the present generation have been educated are proverbially defective. A popular literature, || at once sound and instructive, can scarcely be said to have existed: nor can it be denied that the class to which I allude have been very little given to studious habits. And what is the result? To say nothing of ignorance to a very lamentable extent prevailing upon the capital points of the Christian faith, I think that the Englishman of this rank in life is generally less informed in the highest branches of general knowledge than are persons in the same station in any other country in Europe

First, then, it would be wrong to expect that a mere habit of reading, except in so far as it keeps a man from employments that are in themselves evil, will necessarily either lead him to virtue, or even have a beneficial effect upon his own mind. This will depend upon two conditions: 1st, on the character of the books he reads; and 2dly, on the way in which he reads them. And first, as to the kind of books. It is superfluous to observe, that as there are bad men, so there are bad books which emanate from them, and are the representatives of their opinions; but it is not often considered that there are sufficient and evident reasons why the proportion of bad books to good ones may be expected to exceed the proportion borne by evil men to good men, in so far, that is, as you see the outsides of men. It cannot be doubted that much of the evil of men's hearts is kept in check by the instinctive deference which they bear to their superiors: more evil is conceived than meets the eye. A wicked man is generally a coward; and in the presence of those whose superiority

K