such as religion and conscience will fully justify, but of never suffering even laudable zeal to urge them into any measure which may furnish occasion, however unfairly, to those who desire occasion to misrepresent the object and plan of the Society. This object and plan are indeed so simple and well defined that no case can easily occur to render the proper line of conduct difficult to be discovered; but should even the shadow of a doubt arise as to the correctness and expediency of any given measure, we feel confident that the conduct and advice of the Parent Society, if sought for and adopted, as no doubt it would be, must effectually, under God's blessing, preserve that longcherished unanimity which it is the object of the opposers of the Society to destroy, and which being once subverted all the hopes and expectations raised by it must for ever perish. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE, &c. &c. GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication:-History of Great Britain, from 1688 to 1789, by Sir James Mackintosh;-Biographical Memoirs of Dr. M. Stewart, Dr. Hutton, and Professor Robinson, by Professor Playfair;-The Mathematical MSS. of the late Mr. Spence, of Greenock;-Essays on a New Theory of the Physical Laws of the Universe, by Sir R. Phillips ;-Essay on the Prolongation of Life and Conservation of Health, translated from the French of Messrs. Gilbert and Halle, by J. Johnson, M. D.;-Poems by Mr. Richard Hatt;-A View of the History of Scotland, to the Year 1745;-Thoughts on Happiness, a Poem, by the Rev. F. Homfray;-History of Dublin, by the late J. Warburton, Esq. the late Rev. J. Whitelaw, and the Rev. R. Walsh; Considerations on the principal Events connected with the French Revolution, by the late Madame de Stael;-A translation of Llorente's Spanish Inquisition; and History of British India, by J. Mill, Esq. In the Press: A Course of Sermons for the Lord's Day throughout the Year, by Archdeacon Pott;-Letters of William, First Duke of Queensborough-Historical Research into the Nature of the Balance of Power in Europe, by Mr. Leckie;-Psyche, or the Soul, a Poem, by Mr. J. Brown;The Religion of Mankind, by the Rev. R. Burnside, A. M.;-and, A Volume of Sermons on Miscellaneous Subjects, by the Rev. D. Wilson, A.M. of St. John's Chapel, Bedford-row. CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 191. It is a well known fact, that a very large proportion of the children born in London perish before they attain their fifth year for want of prompt and particular medical assistance. A cursory view of the Bills of Mortality will prove that the disorders incident to the children of the poor in the metropolis must be highly fatal and severe; and perhaps no mode could so effectually answer the double purpose of relieving the imme diate sufferers, and of improving a branch of medical treatment of such high importance, as the institution of a Medical Dispensary exclusively for this object. We rejoice therefore to find that the Dispensary for Children, after a trial of eighteen months, has been found to answer the expectations of its most sanguine friends in the benefits conferred upon the unfortunate objects of its care. From the opening of the institution in June 1816, to the 30th Sept. 1817, no less than 2,346 children have been brought to it for medical or surgical aid-a proof at once of the need of such an establishment and of its great utility. The result of cases is as follows: Cured and relieved.... 1731 Remaining under cure 44 88 483 Thus the institution has already been of considerable advantage to the metropolis, besides laying the foundation for such an improved treatment of the discases of the unhappy and neglected objects which it commiserates as must eventually tend to the most beneficial 5 D results. The Dispensary is situated on St. Andrew's Hill, Doctors' Commons. An annual subscription of one guinea constitutes a governor, with the right of having two patients on the books at a time; there are also corresponding privileges for larger subscriptions or donations; but in all cases requiring immediate relief, children are promptly admitted without recommendation, and thus doubtless many have been snatched from an untimely grave who must otherwise have fallen victims to the ignorance, the folly, or the poverty of those around them. We trust that this institution, besides its more obvious ad vantages, may do not a little towards ameliorating the condition of the London Poor, by collecting and disseminating important information relative to the health and cleanliness and comfort of the infant population. 1 moon. From his rectified calculations, M. Laplace concludes, that the mass of the moon is equal to one 687 th of that of the earth. He also calculates, by the lunar theory, the sun's parallax at 8 min. 59 sec.; and M. Ferrer, from a new analysis of the observations of the tran sit of Venus in 1769, comes to the same conclusion. The former results of the observations on that transit, proved that the parallax was neither below 8 min. 50 sec., nor above 8 min. 70 sec.; which left on the distance of the earth from the sun, and consequently on other distances in the solar system, an uncertainty of one eighty-seventh; or 9 min. 10 sec.; about 800,000 leagues on the distance between the earth and sun, which is considered as unity. " The art of lithography, or making impressions from stone, instead of copper plates, or similar means, has arrived to so great perfection in France, that the government has thought proper to place it under the same regulations as other presses. By simply writing a letter, or piece of music, or making a drawing in the ordinary way, with a peculiar ink fit for the purpose, the design may be transferred to the stone without further preparation, and is immediately ready to print off thousands of proofs all equally perfect. This quality of litholate-graphy has, it seems, procured its ad At the Seventy-fourth Methodist Conference lately held at Sheffield, the returns were as follows:-Members in Great Britain, 193,670; Ireland, 21,031; France and other parts of Europe, 175; Africa, India, and New South Wales, 241; West Indies, 20,288; British America, 2,224. Total, 237,629: Travelling Preachers in Great Britain and Ireland,713; Missionaries, 103. In all, 238,445. Increase, 14,000. The phenomena of the tides bas ly engaged much attention in France. During the last century, no exact and consecutive observations appear to have been made, excepting those conducted by order of the Academy of Sciences at Brest; a port favourably situated for the purpose, and in which the tides are considerable. In 1806, a new series of observations was commenced at that place, at the request of M. Laplace, and which are to be continned nineteen years, or an entire revolution of the nodes of the lunar orbit. One half of this period has now elapsed; and the result of the experiment is, that the present heights of the tide surpass those from the old observations, by one fortyfifth part-a portion of which difference may arise from the errors of the observations, and the rest from a gradual change in the action of the sun and... moon. The action of the moon upon the ocean, compared with that of the sun, is nearly as three to one; but these observations seem to countenance the opinion, that this ratio has increased in the port of Brest, in a quantity equal to 0.1835 of the whole action of the mission in the French public offices; so that sixty or seventy thousand procłamations, or other papers, in the autograph of the minister, may be taken off and dispatched before a copper-plate could even have been engraved. The rival exertions of Count Lasteyrie and M. Engelmann, have been of the greatest service to an art, which has more than once been taken up with avidity, and afterwards abandoned as hopeless. A series of lithographic prints is now in a course of publication by Count Lastey. rie, and which are said to possess great spirit and fidelity. One of these, a penand ink drawing of considerable merit, was traced on the stone upwards of sixteen years since; a proof that lithographic designs may be kept, like these of copper, without Injury, as long as may be required. A stone well adapted for the purposes of lithography, we have 'heard, has been lately discovered in East Lothian, and doubtless might be found in many other places. The greatest muscular effort which a labouring man can employ for a considerable length of time, at the least phy sical expence, it is well known is in a posture and action similar to that of rowing. In addition to this mode of action allowing the muscles their greatest mechanical advantage, the gravity of the body, which in a rotatory motion, such as turning a winch, is, daring one half the revolution, a drawback upon the exertions of the work man, is here of the greatest positive service. To render this power more generally useful for mechanical purposes, an apparatus has been contrived, called a converter, for changing the motion of two parallel lines into a rotatory movement. It is understood that this apparatus is to be employed at the cranes in the dock - yards; and when perfected, may doubtless be applied with advantage to all machines that are worked with a revolving handle, or crank, or capstan bar, &c.; and besides giving great ease and power to the workanan, will do much towards preventing those numerous accidents that occur by the running buck of ordinary machines. It is ascertained that a chaldron of good Wall's-end Newcastle coal yields from 17,000 to 20,000 cubic feet of gas: though in large establishments the quantityobtained seldom exceeds 12,000 cubic feet. At the three stations belonging to the chartered Gas-light Company, twentyfive chaldrons of coals are carbonized daily, which yield 300,000 cubic feet of gas, equal to the supply of 75,000 Argand's lamps, each giving the light of six candles. At the City Gas Works, the daily consumption of coals amounts to three chaidrons, which affords gas for the supply of 1500 lamps. So that the total consumption of coals daily in London, for the purpose of illumination, amounts already to 28 chaldrons, and the number of lights supplied to 76,500. The new Mint, with the surrounding military-way and adjoining edifices, have been lighted with gas. The apparatus is constructed on a new plan. The gas is prepared, not by distilling coal in retorts, as hitherto, but by means of a cylinder kept red hot, and revolv. ing round its axis. The cylinder is up. wards of ten feet in diameter, and produces, in twenty-four hours, a sufficient quantity of gas to light sixteen hundred lamps. The purification of the crude coal-gas is effected by chlorine instead of quick-lime, and all the inlet and outlet mains and pipes are made to opeu and shut by mercurial valves. CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, A law has lately been promulged in this colony by the Governor, Lord Charles Somerset, for the registration of the Slaves. The reasons for the enact ment are thus stated in the preamble: "Whereas, from the numerous manumissions which take place, and the large class of Negro apprentices (which has of late years been, by the decisions of the Court of Vice-Admiralty, greatly increased,) it appears to be expedient, that the most minute precautions should be taken to prevent the possibility of such free persons or their offspring merging into a state of slavery, or being confounded with the domestic or other slaves, the property of individuals in this settlement: "And whereas it has not been found sufficient to cause a census of such free persons to be taken, numbers of them being so ignorant as not to be able to comprehend the utility to themselves of making known to the Magistrates hereunto appointed their places of abode and avocations, and thus leaving it uncertain whether they be or be not free persons," &c. Among the regulations which are prescribed for carrying this measure into effect, it is enacted, that no claim to a slave, nor any transfer of a slave by sale or otherwise, shall be valid, unless the slave shall have been duly registered; and that the non-registration of any individual shall be regarded as of itself sufficient evidence of freedom.-It is obvious how effectually these regulations will also prevent the clandestine importation of slaves into the colony, although that reason for their adoption be not specifically introduced into the preamble. Much has been said in this country of the danger to be apprehended from the adoption of a similar measure for our West-India Colonies. Registration, it has been vehemently urged, would be mistaken by the slaves for emancipation, and their revolt would be the infallible consequence. In Trinidad, however, after an experience of seven years, no such effect has followed; nor is any such effect apprehended at the Cape of Good Hope. Now it is obvious, that so far as the alleged danger has any existence in the case of the West Indies, it ought to exist in at least an equal, if not in a greater, degree at the Cape of Good Hope, which is further removed from all external assistance, and is without many of the facilities for into their code. Whether their, enact suppressing revolt which an insular situation affords. The plea of danger, indeed, from the adoption of the measure,isnow, we believe, allowed, by West Indians themselves, to be vain; and during the last year many of the colomal legislatures have professed to meet the wishes of Parliament by adopting it ments are likely to be efficient, or, like some former meliorating acts, calculated merely to furnish a plea against parliamentary interference, while in the colonies they remained a dead letter, will be more exactly known when they shall have been made public. LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. THEOLOGY. Sermons by W. Kidd. 2 vols Svo. 16s. Sermons by A. Maclean; with an Account of his Life. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Plurality of Worlds; or, Letters, Notes, and Memoranda, Philosophical and Critical, occasioned by "A Series of Discourses on the Christian Revelation, viewed in Connection with the Modern Astronomy," as published by the Rev. Dr. Chalmers. 5s. A Visitation Sermon, preached at Oxford, August 29, 1817; by F. Haggitt, D.D. Prebendary of Durham. 1s. 6d. A Sketch of the Foundation of the Christian Church, according to Holy Scripture; by the Rev. J. L. Girdlestone, A.M. Part I. 3s. A Sermou preached at Cowbridge, at the primary Visitation of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Landaff; by the Rev. Scawen Plumptre, A.M. The Character of St. Paul, as a Minister of the Gospel, shortly stated and applied: a Sermon preached at the Visitation of the Rev. the Archdeacon, at Leicester, June 17, 1817, and published at the Request of the Archdeacon and Clergy; by the Rev. E.T.M. Phillips, A.M. Rector of Hathern, Leicester, and Chaplain to the lord Bishop of Glouces ter. 2s. Sermons on the first Lessons of the Sunday-Morning Service, from the first to the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. Together with four Sermons on other Subjects; by the Rev. Robert Burrows, D.D. 10s. 6d. Funeral Sermon for the Princess Charlotte; preached at St. Stephen's Walbrook, and at Ram's Chapel, Homerton, by the Rev. W. B. Williams, M.A. Propagation of the Gospel, and the The two grand Instruments for the Duty of Christians to uphold them with zeal and energy: a Sermon preached at Aylesbury, by the Rev. Basil Woodd. George Crabb, LL.B. 1s. 6d. A Visitation Sermon; by the Rev. MISCELLANEOUS. An Essay on the Nature of Heat, Light, and Electricity; by Charles Carpenter Bombass, Barrister-at-law. Svo. 7s. An Inquiry into some of the most curious and interesting Subjects of History, Antiquity, and Science; by Thomas Moir, Member of the College of Justice, Edinburgh. 12mo. 4s. The History and Practice of Vaccination; by James Moore, Esq. Director of the National Vaccine Establishment. 8vo. 9s. Fairs: the Victims of Pleasure; or scenes in Humble Life: designed to Shew the Evils of Fairs and Sabbath breaking. 1s. 6d. Histoire Critique de l'Inquisition d'Es. ment par Ferdinand V. jusqu'au Régne pagne depuis l'Epoque de son Etablissede Ferdinand VII. Tirée des Pièces Originales des Archives du Conseil de Subalternes du Saint Office. Par D, la Suprême et de celles de Tribunaux Jean-Antoine Llorente, Ancien Secré taire de l'Inquisition de la Cour, &c. tome 1, 8vo. with portrait, 10s, RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. THE Report, for 1816, of this Society has just appeared, and comprises the proceedings of the Society, in connection with diocesan and district committees, and the transactions and concerns of those committees themselves; the proceedings of the Society at large, with respect to its general designs, including the several departments of education and schools, distribution of books and tracts, benefactions received, and other occurrences at home; lastly, foreign intelligence, and the state of the Society's missions. We shall extract the principal parti culars, under each of these heads, In the diocese of Canterbury, since the publication of the last Annual Report, the diocesan committee established there in 1810 have taken very active measures to forward the views of the Society in their important object of obtaining an efficient support throughout the several dioceses of the kingdom. His Grace the Archbishop has been requested to accept the office of president: it has been resolved to establish district committees throughout the diocese, the execution of which resolution is now in great forwardness; a select committee has also been appointed to assist the secretary in transacting the business; and a general meeting of the diocesan committee is to take place on the first Saturday in July every year, at which the charity schools are to be assembled, a report of proceedings is to be made, and after Divine service a sermon to be preached in aid of the Society, in the cathedral church of the city of Canterbury. The efforts already made for increasing the number of district committees have been attended with much success. The intention of the Society in forming them has been "to add to the funds, both by inducing more persons to become annual subscribers, and by collecting from charitable persons in every rank of life such contributions as they can afford, although much below the sum of one guinea, which is necessary to becoming a member of the Society." The Society consider the district committees as conducting in the country the same concerns of the Society which are conducted in London by the general board. They allow persons who may not be members of the Society to attend the meetings of the district committees for local purposes only; it being left to each committee to admit them under such regulations as they shall think proper as to recommendation, ballot, or other. wise; the Society prescribing only that all must be members of the Established Church, and contribute at least 10s. 6d. The advantages afforded to a mem ber of the Society by the establishment of a district committee in his neighbourhood, are not intended to be of a pecuniary nature to him, by furnishing him with books cheaper than before. But he is enabled to make his remittances with more facility, and also to get such books as are actually wanted for his own individual distribution, with facility and dispatch, on application to the secretaries of district committees — a circumstance of much importance, as in a distant part of the countryitwill frequently happen that the difficulty now existing on that subject will totally deter from the attempt, and an opportunity of doing good may be wholly lost by the unavoidable delay of communication through the secretary to the board, and afterwards to the booksellers in London. We cannot of course particularize the various efforts made by the numerous diocesan and district committees at home; but abroad we must notice the dioceses of Nova Scotia and Cal cutta. The Halifax committee have circulated very widely within the last year 167 Bibles, 144 Testaments, 372 Prayer-books, 6570 books and tracts. They have also, with the concurrence and assistance of the rector and churchwardens of St. Paul's in Halifax, esta blished a parochial school; and have promised to assist with a gratuitous supply of appropriate books all other schools in which the Madras system shall be adopted. The attempt has been warmly encouraged by the Parent Society, and an application having also been made to the Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, by whose benevolence numerous schools in this diocese have been assisted from the first settlement of the province, they have most liberally enged to grant an adequate salary for any schoolmaster of unexceptionable character and qualifications, who could be indue, ed to take charge of a school in Halifax. The schoolmaster has arrived; seventy scholars have been admitted in the first month; and provision has been made for the accommodation of any number that may apply for admission, and for the gratuitous instruction of as many schoolmasters from every part of the diocese, as may desire to obtain a complete knowledge of the Madras system of education, that the diffusion of its peculiar and important benefits may be as general and extensive as possible. In the diocese of Calcutta, through the active superintendence and patronage of Bishop Middleton, the designs of the Society, in the establishment of diocesan and district committees, have been carried into full ef fect; namely, at Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, and Columbo. The Hon. and Rev. Mr. Twisleton, senior chaplain at Columbo, in acknowledging the receipt of the last supply of |