state, and such encouragements held reputation which he has already ac out as will draw the emigrants to quired. The contents of the work strengthen the old, or form new set- are divided into four essays, which tlements, belonging to the British empire. are broken into several chapters: thus it is more intelligible to the "The veil that yet hangs over the readers, and indeed more pleasing to fate of South America, either as being the rising generation. The Reprolikely to be subjected in a great mea- duction and Natural History of Plants; sure to this country, or to be raised the Reproduction and Succession of into independent existence, to which Vegetable Life; the Reproduction the spirited but ill-supported efforts of Vegetables and their Succession.of an individual of talent are directed Insects, their Instincts and Intellion its northern shores, renders further gences; and Study of Nature; are discussion premature, and perhaps the subjects on which the author has visionary. In conclusion, however, expatiated at considerable length and it may with confidence be asserted, with much ingenuity. Such discusthat the retention of Buenos Ayres sion manifests an extensive sphere of and its adjacent settlements, by Bri- observation: and the whole is rentain, if it be rendered compatible dered subservient to the great cause with the general interests of the state, of virtue and piety. Indeed it is imwill form an epoch in our commercial possible to read such a work attenand political history on which poste- tively without reaping improvement. rity will dwell with pleasure; and that British industry and enterprise, exploring all the resources of this vast region, will improve them in their utmost extent, blending the advantage of individuals with an incalcuLable augmentation of the wealth, the power, and the security, of the empire." Our readers may infer, from the above extracts, the general merits of the present volume. THOUGHTS ON REANIMATION from the REPRODUCTION of VEGETABLE LIFE and the RENEWAL of LIFE after DEATH to INSECTS; contain ing a brief View of Nature as she is fulfilling her benevolent Designs in the Two Systems. By JOHN COLLIER. HIS venerable writer has pub History and New Testament, on the Life of Christ and New Testament, and on Animation and intellect. These appeared at different times, and were well received by the public. They are proofs of the author's talents and learning, which he has, through the long course of an active and useful life, commendably devoted to the service of mankind. We transcribe the concluding paragraph of the volume, as a pleasing specimen of the style and spirit with which it is written. "My feeble performances I present diffidence and anxiety, whilst yet they to the public eye with humility and are not without some few proofs of patient labour and assiduity. O thou stupendous Being! whose minute works I have been prying into "what in me is dark, illumine!" My dissolution now, or my further stay, it is solely thy office to appoint-the period thine! with devout affections and heartfelt thankfulness respecting a return to life after death, I profess my firm belief of revelation, as it announces to me a resurrection from the grave-I glory in it. I look forward with cheering hope and confidence to the immense bharvest-to the gathering of all people of all nations (solemn Before the human dead shall rise! this g orious luminary had enlightened our horizon, amidst the wisest people at Athens and at Rome, the doctrine of a future life was taught, from the burst of the chrysalis and the rising body of the fly. This well known proof was once publicly exhibited in eastern majesty throughout the cities of Babylon, of Delta, and of Thebes. The present volume, though pro- A picture of nature, foretelling (time duced at an advanced age, do him immemorial) a return to life after credit, and will serve to add to the however throughout insect-life, in Every characters highly expressive and plishment of its purposes. splendidly majestic-an Egyptian successive page of history teaches this type of the soul of man and of the mortifying truth. Indeed the entire immortality it aspires to. Although gratification of our wishes is neither the powers and faculties of my mind the attribute nor the characteristic should be for a while to be suspended, of humanity. Those Christians who and its operations cease, in some such read their Bibles, need not be informmanner as my thoughts are now in ed that the Apostle Paul is speaking exercise, or they may lie at rest, my of JESUS CHRIST, the Messiah, the consciousness, however, is restored Son of the living God! The passage to me as fully and complete as we see has a sublime signification. It awakens our thoughts are after a suspension the mind to the importance and ex of them during sleep. The bodies in cellence of the Gospel Dispensation. which we rise, with their appropriate Let then the celebration of the lengthdress on rising, will render most in- ened days of a venerable earthly Moteresting the solemnities of the resur- narch, who has attained to the age of rection morn, will aggrandize the event- man, elevate our thoughts to the illus ful period and its mysterious scenery. trious reign of the MESSIAH, which The distinction hereby made, will it endures till the consummation of all not hold up to the view of angels things!" and of men a faithful delineation of character, at once announcing the future destiny of every individual of the human race. The bodies in their order as they rise, clad in a new form, while yet they differ, may be a means of arrangement, adjusting to each one his own place, and foretelling the dis tinction assigned him. A sight tremendous beyond all the powers of description-glorious beyond all we can conceive of glory!" M. H. THE JUBILEE, a Source of Religious Trounds his address are remark- able:-1 Cor. xv. 25. "He must "Of no earthly potentate can this declaration be pronounced with any degree of truth or certainty. The duration of his power is short and transitory. However wise may be his councils or formidable his armies, the success of their operations cannot be ensured. The utmost vigilance may be frustrated, the best meditated plan often comes to nought. No human foresight, no sagacity however extraordinary, can secure the accom Mr. E. then, after having given a sketch of his Majesty's private virtues and some interesting traits of his reign, proceeds to the discussion of the Messiah's reign under these four distinct heads-its nature, its purity, its duration, and its ultimate triumphs. These are clearly and forcibly illus trated: concluding with a brief but excellent improvement. J. R. A LETTER, addressed to ROBERT HAWKER, D.D. on GENERAL REDEMPTION; Suggested by his Defence of the London Penitentiary, By JOHN EVANS, A.M. Second Edition, with Animadversions on the Eclectic Review. Hawker on the inconsistency which MR. E. here calmly and success fully expostulates with Dr. there undoubtedly is between his narrow creed and his benevolent conduct in patronising the penitentiary, The treatment this letter received from the Eclectics, or rather THE ELECT, was shameful in the extreme: but we refer to the work, where the injured author administers due chas tisement. It is a grievous thing, that, whilst the Evangelicals put in an exclusive claim to Christianity, they should prove themselves altogether estranged from the spirit of that Christianity. We should advise al religious parties to imitate the conduct of our mild and tolerant establishment. J. R THE VILLAGE CURATE, and other "Music was the only amusement POEMS, including some Pieces now which could induce him to relax from first published By the Rev. JAMES his study of books: the love of that HURDIS, D.D. iate Fellow of Mag- enchanting science seems to have dalen College, and Professor of been naturally united with his disPoetry in the University of Oxford. position, even from an infant. As he advanced in life, he became a pro Bthe contents of this volume, have been his favourite; and during EFORE we proceed to consider ficient upon almost every musical instrument: but the organ appears to we cannot do better than present our readers with a sketch of the life of the time of his being at school, he the amiable and much-lamented au- nearly completed the building of a thor, as drawn up by one of his small one: a work interrupted by his quitting school for Oxford. sisters. 66 "The Rev. James Hurdis was born at Bishopstone in the county of Sussex, in the year 1769. He was the third child, and only son, of James Hurdis, gent. by his second wife, whom he inarried in the year 1759. His father dving, and leaving his mother in no affluent circumstances, our Author was at her expense sent to school in the city of Chichester, at the age of eight years, first under the tuition of the Rev. Richard Tireman, an instructor whom he sincerely respected; and afterwards under the Rev. John Atkinson, for whose memory and literary abilities he had the highest veneration. And as a mark of Mr. Atkinson's esteem for his pupil, he bequeathed to him at his death a hand some legacy of valuable books. Here our author also experienced the protection of his affectionate uncle, the Rev. Thomas Hurdis, D. D. Canon Residentiary of Chichester,and Canon of Windsor. "Being of a delicate frame and constitution, our author seldom partook in the juvenile sports of his schoolcompanions; but generally employed his hours of leisure in reading such books as are more attractive to a youth who has an early passion for literature. His inclination to poetry soon made its appearance in many poetical compositions; among which was a tragedy of five acts, entitied Panthea, founded on the story in Xenophon's Cyropædia. This was afterwards transformed to a poem, a juvenile work, so long, that, with two other efforts which his partiality for his early productions afterwards induced him to publish, it has been thought prudent should be omitted in this collection. UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. XII. "In 1780 he was entered a Commoner of St. Mary Hall, Oxford: and at the election in 1782 he was chosen a Demy of St. Mary Magdalen College. Now finding himself freed from the restrictions of a school-boy, and a more ample field opening to the encouragement of his poetical taste, his application to books and poesy became almost unlimited. "His friends in Oxford were few and select, and only such as were endeared to him by good-nature, conformity of opinion, and fellowship in study.Among those who contributed to his support and encouragement, we must not omit to mention, with much respect, the Right Rev. George Horne, D.D. late Bishop of Norwich, and President of Magdalen College; the Rev. Dr. Routh, President of the same College; the Rev. Dr. Shepherd, of Amport and Basingstoke; and his esteemed friend and tutor at St. Mary Hall, the Rev. Dr. Rathbone, of Buckland. "At the commencement of every vacation, he returned to his mother at Bishopstone, and devoted this interval of relaxation from his own'studies to the assiduous instruction of his four younger sisters, in those branches of literature which he thought might be most beneficial to them. To his application and industry they owe all which they have ever acquired. "About the year 1784 he went to Stanmer in Sussex, where he resided for some considerable time, as futor to the late Earl of Chichester's youngest son, Mr. George Pelham, now the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Bristol; of whose literary attainiments, and good qualities, I cannot more justly express his opinion, than by making the following extract from one of his SP letters, written to William Cowper, Poem entitled Adriano; or, the first Esq. dated 1792. Mr. George Pel- of June; which was followed in a ham is preferred to the valuable living short time by the three other Poems of Bexhill, about twelve miles from already alluded to, Panthea, Elmer Burwash. He is just turned of five and Ophelia, and the Orphan Twins. and twenty, and is already in posses- He next proceeded on a biblical resion of two livings. If he mount with search, in comparing the Hebrew with such rapidity, it cannot be long before the English version of the Bible, and he obtains, what his good qualities published in 1790, A critica! Dissertacannot fail to adorn, a mitre. What- tion on the true Meaning of the Hebre ever his fortune, I am satisfied I shall Word, found in Genesis i. 21. never feel myself less than proud to own he was once my pupil. Indeed, of the whole family I could draw a picture, which even the most cynical judgment would allow had traits of the truest nobility.' "In May 1785, having obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts, he retired to the curacy of Burwash in Sussex; his Rector being the Rev. John Courtail, Archdeacon of Lewes. In this situation he resided six years. "In 1786, he was elected Probationer Fellow of Magdalen College; and the following year took his Master of Arts degree. Now finding himself sufficiently enabled to assist his mother in the support of her family, he hired a small house, and took three of his sisters to reside with him. "It is the general custom of those who describe the life of an author, to deliver a critical opinion upon each of his works. Many reasons induce me not to attempt what I trust I may with propriety decline. Yet in my zeal to promote the reputation of a dear departed brother, I hope it may not be improper for me to cite in this memoir a most respectable authority in his favour. I mean those expressions of friendly praise on several of his publications, which I have selected from the letters addressed to him by his favourite friend, the late Mr. Cowper; because he himself used to eonsider the praise of that excellent person as the most delightful reward of his literary labour. "In 1791, through the interest of the Earl of Chichester, he was appointed to the living of Bishopstone. In this year he wrote the Tragedy of Sir Thomas More; and his select critical Remarks upon the English Version of the first ten Chapters of Genesis. "But here a sudden and melancholy incident occurred, which for a time entirely abstracted the mind of our Author from every literary pur suit. In 1792 he was deprived by death of his favourite sister Catherine, whose elegancies of mind are so frequently, and justly, pourtrayed in his works, under the different appellations of Margaret and Isabel. “And here I think I may, with much propriety, and justness to the affection which the Author always testified for his sister Catherine, transcribe a letter, which was since found in the possession of Mr. Cowper, relative to her death. 66 6 DEAR SIR, "Could I have found a moment free from anxiety, I should certainly have spent it in writing to you. Bat my mind has been totally absorbed in attention to my poor little girl, whom I have at last been unable to save. I watched by her nine and thirty nights: I neglected nothing which might have proved a source of relief: but all my endeavours were ineffectual, and I have been obliged to seck her a grave, where I may rest beside her. How painful an interval Eas "It was at this time that our au- passed since I last wrote to you, yes thor first appeared before the public will be able to judge from your own as a poet. In 1788 he published his feelogs. My eye has been fixed day Village Curate, the reception of which and night upon a little sufferer, who far exceeded his expectations; a was better to me thau the best of second edition being called for the daughters; and I have marked the following year, and afterwards a third, slow but certain progress of death, and a fourth, which last he consider- prevailing over a life, which was ever ably improved. dearer to me than my own. if exHis second production was, a pressions of impatience have escaped me. light the peculiar blessing of a peaceful end, and I saw that end bestowed upon a little girl, for whom I should more carnestly have petitioned it than for myself. 66 Thus, Sir, was I deprived of a gem, which has literally hung about my neck all the days of my life, and never lost its lustre. Thus did I bid adieu to a little motherly comforter, who has ever been as a part of myself, and without whom I know not how I shall exist. I pray that my days, if they are not few, may at least be speedy, that I may make haste to meet her in the grave. I have promised her that she shall sleep beside me, and have appointed her a place at my right hand, a situation she always loved, and from which, God knows, I never wished her to depart. Yes, my gentle Isabel, my invaluable Margaret, thou who hast been always in my eye, 66 6 Attentively regarding all I said, And soothing al my pains with sweet concern. me while contemplating a prospect so distressing, I hope God will forgive It has been his pleasure to wound me where I was most sensible, and my reason has not always been able to support it. I have seen my amiable and affectionate Catherine gradually put to death by a disease at once painful and lingering. I have lived to behold the hour in which her existence was grievous to me: nay, I have lived to look upon her in the hour of death, without shedding tears at her dissolution. Indeed her departure was a relief to me. She had suffered extremely, and, for nearly a week before her death, had only short intervals of sense, in which she was unable to articulate her wants. In the evening on which she died, her senses returned, and she acknowledged us all, rewarding us with many thanks for our attention to her. She was then seized with a difficulty of breathing and slight convulsion, which did not appear very alarming to me, because I had seen her recover from the I was the same symptoms before. only person in the room when these began to abate, and she seemed to fall into a sound sleep, breathing without difficulty. I sat beside her, looking in her face; and the ease with which she slept soon inclined me to nod. I almost fell from my chair more than once; and being apprehensive that I might disturb her if I persisted, I went into the next room, to lie down upon a mattress which was on the floor. I met my eldest sister at the door, and desired her to give me notice when I was wanted. I had scarce laid myself down, when she came and informed me that her breath had ceased. I returned immediately into the room, "I promised to give you some and was witness to two slight efforts made by nature to recover the action account of my little girl's natural enof the lungs, which not being attend- dowments, and of her attainments. ed with success, she gave up the con- As to the former, you will perhaps be test without deranging a single fea- surprised to learn, that she was the ture. The eyelid was still closed, the plainest of all my family. Her figure hand reclined upon the side of the was good, her action was graceful; easy-chair, into which she had been but in her countenance there were partly raised from the bed, and not many defects. She was sensible of it, one attitude of the composure in and would never give me her profile. which I left her had been disturbed. I was therefore driven to the painful If I had thought myself forsaken by necessity of stealing it atter she was my Maker in the former stages of my dead. But for her carelessness withcalamity, bere I became sensible of out, Nature had made ample amends his goodness. I saw in the strongest by her liberality within, thou shalt rest beside me in the grave, "When I write again, I will give you some account of my little girl's natural endowments and of her attainments.' "The subject of which letter being closely connected with the one already transcribed, I shall present it also to the reader. Her dis |