world but the loss of their lives: but the world become a friend, makes it difficult for them to save their religion." HAUD INSONS. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. IN The Gentleman's Magazine for May is the following Intelligence :-" According to a recent enumeration it appears, that in the metropolis there are three hundred and forty-eight places of worship, viz. one hundred and twelve parish churches, fifty-eight licensed chapels and chapels of ease, nineteen for foreign Protestants, twelve for Roman Catholics, one hundred and thirtythree meeting-houses and Methodist chapels of various sects dissenting from the established church, six Quaker's meetings, and six Jew's synagogues." Can any of your correspondents inform me whether the above list be correct? MEMOR. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. To the industrious author of "An Essay on the Principle of Population," the political economist is greatly indebted; while general readers may gather from Mr. Malthus's publication much agreeable instruction and amuse. ment. The author is one of these unfashionable philosophers who stubbornly labour to found argument upon facts, and he is consequently compelled, in the course of his inquiries, to expose the calculations of such writers, as Condorcet and Godwin, to the ordeal of a rigorous examination. The first of these theorists, apparently a disciple of Charles Thynne,† having introduced, in a posthumous work, the mention of what he calls "the organic perfectibility, or degeneration, of the race of plants and animals," which, according to him, may be regarded as one of the general laws of nature, is thus pleasantly confuted. "I am told," observes Mr. Malthus, "that it is a maxim among the improvers of cattle, that you may breed to any degree of nicety you please: and they found this † See your Fragments, p. 289. + Degeneration signifies here the change of a plant or animal from its primitive state, and not deterioration. maxim upon another, which is, that some of the offspring will possess the desirable qualities of the parents in a greater degree. In the famous Leicestershire breed of sheep, the object is to procure them with small heads and small legs. Proceeding upon these breeding maxims, it is evident, that we might go on till the heads and legs were evanescent quantities: but this is so palpable an absurdity, that we may be quite sure that the premises are not just, and that there is really a limit, though we cannot see it, or say exactly where it is. In this case, the point of the greatest degree of improvement, or the smallest size of the head and legs, may be said to be undefined: but this is very different from unlimited, or from indefinite, in M. Condorcet's acceptation of the term. Though I may not be able, in the present instance, to mark the limit at which further im. provement will stop, I can very easily mention a point at which it will not arrive. I should not scruple to assert, that were the breeding to continue for ever, the head and legs of these sheep would never be so small as the head and legs of a rat. It cannot be true, therefore, that among animals, some of the offspring will possess the desirable qualities of the parents in a greater degree; or that animals are indefinitely perfectible. The progress of a wild plant to a beautiful garden flower, is perhaps more marked and striking than any thing that takes place among animals: yet even here it would be the height of absurdity to assert, that the progress was unlimited or indefinite. One of the most obvious features of the improvement is the increase of size. The flower has grown gradually larger by cultivation. If the progress were really unlimited, it might be increased ad infinitum; but this is so gross an absurdity, that we may be quite sure, that among plants, as well as among animals, there is a limit to improvement, though we do not exactly know where it is. It is probable that the gardeners who contend for flower prizes have often applied stronger dressing without success. At the same time, it would be highly presumptuous in any man to say, that he had seen the finest carnation or anemone that could ever be made to grow. He might, however, assert, without the smallest chance of being contradicted by a future fact, that no carnation or anemone could ever by cultivation be increased to the size of a large cabbage ;, and yet there are assignable quantities greater than a cabbage."'*: 11 86 Og ។ Your readers, Sir, will not fail to mark the resemblance borne by M. Condorcet's dialectic subtilties to the jumping arguments of Charles Thynne. Had Mr. Malthus encountered the latter, he might have gravely informed us that muscular exertion also has its limits; and therefore it is possible, that should Charles Thynne's jumper essay to leap from England to Rome, the said jumper might haply drop in Erance; or, as some would guess, three leagues at least on this side the French coast. If the unhappy Condorcet had survived the practical consequences of that revolution which resulted from his own principles, one would certainly petition Lord Stanhope to send to this poor creature, carefully packed up, by the Paris diligence, "a machine for reasoning by." I cannot, indeed, devise how the package might be safely smuggled over to Calais ; but in pity to the intellectual obliquities of continental philosophists, government would, probably, if due application were made by the noble inventor, encourage the exportation of his useful machinery. Lord Stanhope's logical engines might, in due time, persuade the Condorcets yet remaining in the land of liberty to emulate our countryman Malthus. FESTINA LENTE, To the Editor of the Christian Observer, I HAVE Some apprehension that your correspondent Q. M. (p. 344), may apr proach, if he does not beware, so near to the fanatics as to be signed by them. As to Mrs. O. M. his wife, it is plain that she is an incorrigible enthusiast. He, though he talks about "gospel min isters," and makes a parade of sitting under" this man and the other, and adopts in additional instances the language of the fanatical sect, no doubt * 4to Edit. p. 360. + See your number for March, p. 154. Christ. Observ. No. 31. through a laudable policy which I would by no means discourage, evidently laughs at them in his heart. Still I have my fears, lest, in prudently study. ing to keep well with them, he should forget his duty to his family. Is it nota man's prime duty to do justice to his children 2 And is not the main instance of doing justice to them to settle them well in the world? Sir, this is the line of conduct which reason and religion prescribe, and which the wisest and best men have sanctioned by their example. I have lately met with a case in point, which I subjoin for the edifica tion of your readers in general, as well as for the special benefit of O. M. It is from Mr. Coxe's Memoirs of Sir Robert Walpole (4to. Vol. II. p. 7.), that I send you the following extract from a most admirable letter from that great man to his brother Horace. London, May 19, 1707. "DEAR HORACE, "I received both your letters from Valentia; and must ask your pardon if I have missed any opportunity of writ ing to you, because I have been these two months in Norfolk, from whence I have but just returned. My stay there was chiefly owing to a match that is now concluded betwixt my sister Susan and Mr. Hamond's son. The terms were too considerable, I thought, to be refused. He settles £250. per annum, in land, after his deccase; £400. per annum for present maintenance for the young people, who are to have my sister's fortune for their own use; and gives them £.500. more to begin the world with; and promises £.5000. more in money. I think all is well: the writings are drawing and I believe they will be married in a fortnight. And I hope in God that we shall be able to dispose of poor Dolly very well too." No encomiums of mine, Mr. Editor, will add to the emotions with which this letter will already have transported you. Here is no whining about religious principles; no fastidious nonsense about character, habits, and dispositions. Not a word or a thought seems to have been wasted upon such subjects: but the main point, a lucrative settlement in life, is steadily and exclusively re SH garded. The lady, indeed, Miss Susan, been published since its commencement. And if you always refer to them by that mode of designation, it will be found equally convenient with the usual manner of reference, and free from its inconveniences. I remain, &c, to give her the praise which she deserves, appears to have shewn herself worthy of such a brother by perfectly coinciding in his views, and by leaving, in full conviction of his talents at making a bargain, the whole affair completely in his hands. The conclusion of the extract from the preceding letter exhibits a display not to be surpassed of sublime piety and fraternal affection. Nay, Providence, (I speak, Sir, with proper reverence) stamped this noble effusion of christian virtue with its visible approbation. For the historian proceeds expressly to inform us, that "Dorothy, second sister of Sir Robert Walpole, afterwards married Lord Townshend." A SOBER RELIGIONIST. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. ALLOW me to suggest a small altera. tion in the title by which you refer to the volumes of your publication. Your present mode of reference to them, under the titles of Vol. I. II. &c. is attended with this inconvenience, that if in binding they are so lettered, a person who shall hereafter begin to take in the work will appear to possess only odd volumes, unless he purchases all the preceding ones, which, when numerous, few would care to do. If, on the other hand to avoid this appearance, he letters them according to the date of the year, the volume to which any reference is made in the body of the work is not so readily understood. To obviate the inconvenience which has arisen from a long succession of volumes in regular order, several periodical publications have found it convenient to form a new series; but this is an expedient which only remedies the evil for a short time, and which has the appearance of a trick to entice a new set of readers. There is, however, no occasion, in my opinion, to consider a miscellaneous work like your's, consisting principally of unconnected essays, as forming any regular set of volumes. I would, therefore, suggest to you the propriety of always distinguishing your publications, when made up at the end of the year, by the date of the year rather than by the number of the annual volumes which have VIMAND. In compliance with the suggestion of the future, the mode of reference he our correspondent we shall adopt, for recommends; and therefore request our correspondents, in the references they make to the Christian Observer in which it was published. Those of of a former year, to state only the year our friends, who have not yet bound up their former numbers, will be pleased to give directions to their bookbinder to pay attention to this circumstance. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. STATE OF THE ENEMY'S PREPARATIONS. A WORK has recently been published, entitled, "The experienced Officer," being a translation of the instructions of General Wimpffen to his sons, by Lieutenant Colonel Macdonald, of the first battalion of Cinque Port Volun teers. In an introduction to this work, the translator has inserted, what he calls, an "AUTHENTIC STATE of the preparations of the enemy," on the 15th April 1804. As the residence of that gentleman at Dover seems to afford him easy means of intelligence, and as his general respectability entitles his statements to considerable attention, I beg leave to transcribe, for the information of your readers, the passage to which I allude. S. L. "The translator has positive and di. rect information received from the blockading station off the three Boulogne harbours, and deduced from the log-books of the blockading squadron, that thirteen hundred and thirty gunboats, or carrying-boats, have entered Boulogne since the commencement of the blockade; that fifty have entered Ambleteuse harbour: and that there are thirty at Wimille. It is perfectly understood that there were three hundred boats at Boulogne when the blockade was formed, one hundred and twenty are reckoned to have been built in the three harbours, this gives the aggregate 2 number, at this moment, at eighteen hundred and thirty. Allowing three hundred and thirty for carrying ammunition, a field train, camp equipage, horses, or for hospital boats, we have one thousand five hundred for conveying troops. From the ascertained capacity of the captured gun-boats, each will carry, with ease, one hundred men; and therefore, the one thousand five hundred will carry one hundred and fifty thousand. The grand attempt will not be made till there may be two thousand carrying-boats, which will endeavour, by rowing in a dead calm, to land two hundred thousand men on two succeeding days. We repeat it, the object is the Capital, by forced marches, and Dover by a coup de main, to form a convenient depôt, and receiving harbour. The boats are not capable of attempting any distant point; therefore, the nearest point practicable is that intended to land on. The boats on this coast, forty feet by ten nearly, manned by fifteen men to manage the boat, and work a carronade, are not, by any means, adequate to oppose the French flotilla effectually. Gun-boats and gunbrigs furnished with sweeps are the proper description. By exertion, there is still time to take such up, and fit them out. When these statements are made, we hear of four hundred thousand volunteers. Three-fourths of them would not have time to leave their homes, before the fate of the empire was decided. We wish not to create false alarms, or to produce despondency in the public mind. We state facts of a stubborn description. It is not by concealing the extent of the danger, but by exposing it fully, that timely measures are adopted, by land, and sea particularly, to avert its consequences. It is the duty of every well-wisher of his country to bring forward facts calculated to invigorate public exertion, on which alone we can depend at an eventful period, when Europe lies prostrate at the feet of France." REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. CLXV. Three Tracts on the Syntax and Pronunciation of the Hebrew Tongue, with an Appendix addressed to the Hebrew Nation. By GRANVILLE SHARP. London, Vernor and Hood, 12mo. 1804. First Tract 65 pp. Second Tract 106 pp. Third Tract 32 pp. Appendix 146 pp. Index 38 pp. THE well earned laurels of Mr. Sharp in the field of Grecian criticism, wil not be tarnished by his present achievements in that of the Hebrew. The first of these valuable treatises has for its object to reduce that curious phenomenon of the Hebrew language, the conversive vau, to some definite rules-an attempt, which, he justly laments, has been accomplished by no grammarians that have fallen in his way, either ancient or modern. After remarking (p. 11) the necessity of the two following observations concerning Hebrew sentences" 1st. That the verses of the Hebrew scriptures, from period to period, do frequently contain more sentences than one, sometimes even two or three sentences. And 2dly, That sometimes, on the contrary, one sentence, paragraph, or senti ment, is obviously extended throughout several adjoining verses:"—our author proceeds (p. 13) to lay down his first rule. That prefixed to future tensés converts them into perfect, and prefixed to perfect tenses converts them into future, regularly and in every case, which does not fall under one or other of the four following general exceptions: one only instance of irregularity or particular exception being discoverable, which yet may fairly be attributed to poetical license. When it is only known that exceptions to a general rule exist, but those exceptions are incapable of an accurate description, the whole subject remains in its original obscurity. Mr. Sharp has endeavoured to remove this obscurity respecting the above-mentioned rule, by ascertaining, by describing, and correctly defining the general exceptions which limit its influence. They are set down as a continuation of the rules, the first general exception being the second rule. Rule II. The is not conversive, when one or more identical tenses fol. low a verb of the same tense without a 1 prefixed the perfect is not always influenced by this exception. Rule III. The prefixed, does not convert any verb in the imperative mood, nor any verb or verbs in the future tense, following an imperative nood: the perfect is exempt from this exception. Rule IV. The conversive does not affect any future or present tenses after an interrogation; the perfect is exempt from this exception likewise. Rule V. This rule is borrowed by Mr. Sharp from Rabbi Elias, and is thus expressed :-"If a future tense put for a præterperfect tense' (which must be by having a prefixed) precedes a preter tense,' (having also a prefixed 1,) the latter is [merely] copulative." Vide pp. 13-17. All these rules relate to single sentences only. The remainder of this tract consists of examples of each of these rules in order. Of the first and fundamental rule, the examples adduced are very numerous, and Mr. Sharp does not hesitate to affirm, that the converted tenses are much more frequently used than the proper ones, (p. 19); insomuch that this peculiarity may justly be considered as a proper idiom of the language, p. 23. Our author's version of nn, Gen. ix. 13, in the perfect tense, is confirmed by those of Ainsworth and Rosenmüller. The Septuagint, however, render it in the present, and the Vulgate in the future tense. The second rule is confirmed by examples, pp. 24-26; the third by a still larger number, pp. 27— 39; the fourth with sufficient evidence, pp. 39-45. The fifth, which contains an interesting discussion of Ezekiel xxxvii, is established by as many examples as could be expected of so extraordinary a grammatical construction. The subject of this treatise, the conversive power of the prefixed, is, perhaps, the most curious phenomenon in human language, and one which is least capable of a philosophical and satisfactory solution. The attempt of Parkhurst accounts for but one part of the peculi arity, and cannot, therefore, be admit ted as any solution at all. "When the connected particle, and," (says he) "is prefixed to a word in the future tense, that verb signifies future in respect to the time of (not the time in) which the historian is writing, or the person speaking, as Gen. i. 1. The Aleim 2 created the heavens and the earth, ver. 2., and then the Aleim said," &c. Methodical Heb. Grammar, prefixed to his Lexicon, p. 15. The rationale of the conversive vau, is worthy of a philosophical investigation. The next tract of this able critic professes to give an account of some other peculiarities in the Hebrew tongue, seven in number, the three first of which are instances of elliptical con struction. 1st. "When a pronoun, or a partici ple, or a noun with a pronominal adjec tive annexed to it, precedes another noun, if no verb is expressed between them, the auxiliary verb in the present tense must be understood between them in the text, and must be expressly added in translations." p. 5. This construction, which is not peculiar to the Hebrew language, was easily to be established. 2nd. The understanding of other words necessary to complete the sentence. This is common to all lan guages. 3rd. After a negative in the beginning of a sentence, the repetition of it is frequently to be understood, although not expressed. Ps. ix. 19. Ps. lxxv. 6. and Ps. xci. 5, 6, are decisive instances of this peculiar construction. When the is inserted where the negative is understood, it must be translated neither. p. 14. contains a curious instance of an ellipsis of the effect of conversive, which is understood. In p. 16, are to be found two instances of the supposed retrospective influence of the This we feel some reluctance to admit. The instances occur in p. 14, 17 and 19. We are more disposed to avail ourselves of the help of MSS.; and before non in the first of these verses one of Dr. Kennicott's MSS., No. 166, inserts 1 |