office in this place. Translated into English it runs thus: To be sold in (a) the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, in one volume, well printed, and neatly bound, at the low price of eight rials. This sale will continue for (b) days only, and it is expected that those who wish to procure for themselves this sacred code of our Holy Religion, will improve the occasion now offered them.' As this advertisement was intended not for this place alone, but for others also, I left the blank (a) to be filled up with the pen to suit each place, and the blank (b) I leave for the number one, two, or three, as my time will permit, and as the importance of the town visited may require. When these notices were finished, I caused some to be put up in this place, saying that the sale would be for three days only. In a few minutes after putting them up, I enjoyed the great satisfaction of seeing it produce much better effects than I had anticipated. At noon the notices were put up, and at one o'clock I had sold fifteen copies. In the next hour I sold forty-seven. In the course of an hour and a half during the time the store was open in the afternoon, I sold 112. Next day I sold 262 copies. The day following, which was also one of the three days of sale, happened to be a festival day held to celebrate the declaration of independence in this town four years ago. The stores in consequence were all shut, and public business suspended. Nevertheless there were eleven copies sold during a few minutes before breakfast, when the store was open for some particular purpose. "The whole number disposed of in this place is 615, and for these I have received 542 dollars two rials. The greater part were sold one by one at eight rials each, but sometimes I sold a dozen or two together, and in that case sold them somewhat cheaper. To the number of copies already mentioned, I add the thirty disposed of, as noticed in my last, and three copies sold in Truxillo of those in superior binding, making in all 648 copies since the commencement of my tour."-(pp. 177-179.) Similar accounts are scattered through the volume. 3. RELIGIOUS TOLERATION. This is the last great change, and the slowest in a Roman Catholic country. In some of the states the triumph has been attained, in others it is pleasant to see the working of men's minds towards it. The following is an interesting sketch, dated from Lima, 1822 :— "Some weeks ago a Committee of the Congress was entrusted to draw up the outlines of a political constitution for the country. This has been accomplished, has been presented to Congress, and ordered to be printed. The Congress is just now engaged in discussing it, article by article. A good deal of interest is thus excited and kept up regarding the subject; and, in consequence, the Congress hall is daily well attended by all classes. The dis the Catholic Apostolic Church of Rome. One of the members of the committee wished to add the word only or exclusive, but the rest not agreeing to it, he entered his protest. On this account, as well as from the general interest of the subject, the matter was keenly discussed. I went, as you may well suppose, to hear what should be said on both sides, and to see the result. The first who ascended the tribune to speak was a clergyman, carrying in his hand a book about the size of a New Testament. He began by stating, that it was his sincere desire that all men might be of the Roman Catholic Church. He then stated that the only proper way, in his opinion, of bringing men into the church was, not by force, nor by persecution in any shape, but solely by persuasion, by the force of reason. After speaking a few minutes to this effect, he went on to treat of the article as stated in the outlines.' He regretted the divisions among Christians, and the distinctive names one body and another had taken. He then opened the book he had in his hand, which I now found to be one of the Bible Society's New Testaments, in Spanish. He read the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the first chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians, and proceeded to make some remarks upon the passage, and apply it to the article in question. It appeared to him, he said, very like the divisions censured by the Apostle Paul, to see the article stated in the words, Roman, Catholic, Apostolic. Having done this, he proposed that the article should be stated in this manner: The religion of Jesus Christ, is the religion of the state.' He then made some observations upon the propriety of stating it in this way, in preference to the way in which it stands in the outlines, and so concluded. As might have been expected, this alteration or amendment was opposed. My memory is not so faithful as to give you the various speeches upon the subject, but a great deal was said upon both sides of the question. In particular, the member of the committee who had protested, defended what he had done in a long speech, in which he paid but little respect and fewer compliments to us foreigners. He concluded his long story by saying, that he was so full of matter upon this subject, and felt so much interest in it, that he could still speak four whole days upon it. Another speaker got up with a volume of the Bible in his hand. He turned to two passages in the law of Moses, where the children of Israel were admonished to deal kindly towards strangers and foreigners, and concluded by a short comment upon the passages in reference to the subject in hand. In a country like this, where all the natives are of the Roman Catholic Church, every thing that is said upon toleration has a direct reference to foreigners, for it is never for a moment supposed that any of the natives will leave the Roman Catholic Church to become Protestants. The introduction of tion to detain you long. I understand,' said he, that the grand and principal features of our religion are these two; to love the Lord with all our heart and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. We must then take care,' continued he, 'that our zeal for the first of these two commandments does not make us overlook the second. Now I ask, whether foreigners residing among us are to be considered our neighbours or not. If they are, then we ought to love them. Gentlemen, I have nothing farther to add.' After being fully discussed, the votes were taken. First, whether the article should stand as stated in the outlines, or be altered. It was carried that it should remain as stated. The next question was, if the word exclusive should be added, and it was unfortunately carried in the affirmative. The article now stands thus:- The Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion is the religion of the state, and the exercise of every other is excluded.' "We are not to be surprised that the matter has ended in this manner; perhaps we should rather wonder that there was any one of the members of the Congress disposed to speak, or even to think on the side of toleration. The members who are friendly to religious liberty, may amount to one-third of the whole, or, perhaps, somewhat more than one-third, and they are men of influence and respect in the country. These made a less vigorous stand for toleration at the present time, from the consideration that what is done now in regard to the sanctioning of the basis of the constitution, is only provisional." (pp. 59-63.) To these particulars we may add the following extracts, illustrative of the awakened intellect, discussion, and the power of the press; and conclude confidently, that these vast regions can never again be reduced to torpor and slavery. In November, 1822, Mr. Thomson writes from Lima: "I have hitherto been speaking of gress of knowledge in general in Sou rica, and its probable results. I shall something of the progress making in t ledge of religion. You know, of cou the Roman Catholic religion is the gion professed in this continent,-as was the only one in Great Britain. I beginning to see through this syster find out its inconsistencies. I wish I d say, that all those who see thus far, tained to the knowledge of the true re laid down in the New Testament. T ever, is not the case. On the contra sorry to say, that deistical principle poused by the greater part of those out of the trammels of popery. A in the higher ranks, particularly in are of this way of thinking. This things need not surprise us. It is po natural result, or transition, in the where no other religion is known tha professed in this country. A man be the absurdity of the Catholic system. his infancy all that is religion with been connected with it. In giving u tem, he gives up religion itself, as co popery and it the same thing. From cumstances, I conceive this to be th vourable time for introducing, as far done, the holy religion of our L Christ. The present is the time for in this field, by introducing the S (pp. 54, 55.) "Pamphlets of every shape, size, are issued from the press. In these ject is handled, and abuses and prej attacked with freedom and courage. friars are not overlooked in thes every body is against them, and non rise up in their defence. One of th of Congress has made a motion for mation of the convents. The bill he bring in, contains four articles. Th allow all those to leave the convents to do so. The second is to allow no ture to become a friar. The third government should take possession property, and allow them out of it cessary for their support. The fou is, to make them all live in one c stead of occupying fourteen, as the This you see is a bold proposition, ried into effect, will be a great step tion. "I believe there are no remains of the Spanish arms now existing in America, except those in our neighbourhood, and about 1500 men in the isles of Chiloe. What a change, in this respect, has taken place within these few years past! And let not this revolution be considered as a small matter by the man of benevolence and the Christian. The interests of religion and of humanity are very closely connected with it. That once dreadful, now innoxious house, the inquisition, reminds me, as I daily pass it, of the happy change which has "I have already mentioned how taken place. True it is, that the Spaniards matters are discussed in these pamp have now put down the inquisition throughout of them has just begun to give a his their dominions; still, however, there are many popes. From the specimens already inquisitorial things yet subsisting in Spain, that this history promises not to be ver do not exist in the independent states of Southble to the personal character of the America. Every effort has been used by ther does it appear intended to stren Spain to retard the progress of knowledge in pontifical authority and influence America. These days, however, have now the contrary. There was a monthl gone by, and light of every kind begins to dawn published in London, during the des on these countries. My own opinion is, that of the present Ferdinand. In this the nations of South America in a few years was given a history of the popes, a will far outstrip many of the nations of Europe. what is publishing here just now is The people here, to a certain extent, are con- the work I have mentioned. Thi scious of their ignorance, and are desirous of was called El Espanol Constitucion wiping out that stain which Spain has left upon written by one of those who had fle dinand's despotic hands. He wa them. man, and writing in London he felt himself under no restraint in speaking of the abuses of the Church of Rome. There was another periodical work in the Spanish language published some years before it, called El Espanol. This was also printed in London, and was written with the same liberality and spirit. Both these works have reached South America, and have been a good deal read; and, as you may suppose, they have served considerably to enlighten the people of these countries." pp. (64-66.) "A curious little piece in the poetic form, appeared about a fortnight ago in one of the newspapers of this city. There is a great deal of truth and force in it, and as it is but short, and will not occupy much room, I shall give you a translation of it. To do it justice it should be put in poetic dress, but as you know I am neither poet nor rhymester, you will please accept of it in plain prose. Simon pos sessed a fishing bark, and just a fishing bark, nothing more he left to his sons. They however were great fishers; they caught much, and grew rich, and could no longer be content with their small bark, but got a larger one. This bark afterwards became a brig, and then a ship. At last it grew into a man-of-war, and frightened the world with its thunder. How wonderfully is this ship of war now changed! how different now to what it was in former times! This great ship is now grown old, and shattered by the storms it has encountered, it now lies rotting in the harbour. A thousand times has it been repaired; but at last it must be laid aside altogether, and its owners must once more be content with Simon's fishing bark. You will find no difficulty, I dare say, in applying this little piece, and, I believe, you will join with me in wishing that the concluding part may be verified as exactly as the preceding parts have. "There is a great revolution going forward in South America. I speak not of the revolt from under the Spanish yoke, for that in the present day may be said not to be going forward, but accomplished. The revolution I speak of is a moral one. Those who have eyes to see this goodly prospect, and those who have ears to hear the harmony of this moral change, meet on every hand with indications of its approach. You will not understand me as saying, that South America has become like the land of Eden, like the Garden of God. No. But a change has been begun, a happy change. Let us put our hand to this work. Let us bear it onward, and God Almighty will consummate it in due time." (pp. 68, 69.) From the Amulet. BY MRS. HEMANS. "While Day arises, that sweet hour of prime." As they break into spray on the ship's tall side, A VERY slight degree of reflection on the power and skill of the great Creator, which are evident in the lowest order of the productions of his hand-if, indeed, we inay speak of the lowest where every thing is incomprehensible and unknown-is calculated to overwhelm us with astonishment; but when we review ourselves, we "find diviner wonders still." When we take a general survey of the various depart ments of creation, and the numerous classes of sentient beings with which we are surrounded, we exclaim with the psalmist, “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all;" but in contemplating the na ture and destination of man, the lord of the world which he inhabits, and the masterpiece, the noblest specimen of the divine workmanship with which we are conversant, we almost involuntarily express the grave convictions and the solemn feelings of our minds, by adopt ing the words of the same inspired writer, and saying, he is "fearfully and wonderfully made." It is not very difficult to perceive in what respects we are wonderfully made. We are so in the curious and complicated, yet nicely ad justed mechanism of the body-in the variety and strength of our intellectual powers-in the immaterial and spiritual nature of the soul-in the intimate union of soul and body--and in the mvetorians influenca whil The subsequent remarks will be entirely confined to the last particular-our being "fearfully made," because it is the most af fecting topic. It was so as it regarded our first progenitors; but it is more especially so with us in our present condition. We are, indeed, in all respects less wonderfully made now, than we were originally constituted, because, in consequence of sin, our bodies are enfeebled, deformed, and diseased; and, for the same reason, our intellectual powers and moral sensibilities are greatly impaired, and that finely balanced influence which the soul and body had on each other is lost. The glory of our primeval state is departed from us. And while we are now less wonderfully, we are more fearfully made, because we are not only fallible, but actually fallen. This fallen state of our nature, which is inseparably connected with our very existence, constitutes us an easier prey to our spiritual enemies, and renders our being destined for eternity the more alarming and awful. Not only has "the crown fallen from our head," but "wo is unto us," because we "have sinned!" In attempting more particularly to explain the phrase, fearfully made, it should be observed, that, while the word fearful, in its common acceptation, designates an individual of a timid, suspicious cast of mind, it sometimes, though not often, denotes those qualities of a person or thing which excite fear and painful apprehension in the breast of others. The former may be called its subjective, the latter its objective import. Thus the term, according to the sense in which it is used, may be applied to a coward, or a ruffian; an infant, or a fiend. It occurs adverbially in our version of the Scriptures, only in the passage under consideration; but it very frequently appears, in its adjective form, in both the senses just noticed. An instance of each shall be cited. When our Saviour had "rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still," he said unto his disciples, "Why are ye so fearful"-so timorous? "How is it that ye have no faith"-no confidence? Here the word must be understood subjectively. The other instance is also supplied by our Saviour, who, in enumerating some of the calamities which should come to pass at the destruction of Jerusalem, said there shall be "fearful sights."* Here the term is used objectively, and is expressive of events which should produce fear and alarm in the minds of those who should behold them. It is obviously in this latter sense that we are said to be "fearfully made." But though the term is employed objectively, yet its signification does not exactly accord with that which it generally has, when used in this manner; for man is not considered an object of fear in the same sense as a lion or a bear. Though, when viewed in connexion with his conduct, and character, and final destination, he produces fear in the minds of serious and discerning spectators, it is not the fear or apprehension that he will injure them, but that he will ruin himself. As, however, the subject seems more easily to admit of a familiar illustration, t correct definition, two or three suppo shall be adduced for this purpose. S a thoughtless, playful, tottering infan the fire or the water; observe a blin without a guide, walking on a danger or behold an intoxicated man on horse loping along the very edge of a tr precipice; we are instantly and great ed; we tremble for their safety. moment they may be irretrievably lo In pursuing and completing the in lustration, it should be observed, tha excited in each of the preceding cas all similar ones, is always in exact to the value of the object on one har nexion with the degree of its dang other. For instance, see an empty b off in a high sea-there is danger; boat is, comparatively speaking, of there is no anxiety about its fate. other hand: see a boat full of passe calm sea-there is value; but, as the apparently exposed to danger, no fear But, see a boat full of people in a ro there is both value and danger. Th deeply interested in the scene-th unspeakably alarmed for their we next wave, we say, with an intensity not to be described, oh! the next overwhelm them! Now, if we wer into existence in circumstances these, or if the properties of our our station resembled them, we shou are "fearfully made." And this case. Danger and value attached his original state, and they still att The former consists in our being m fallen-exposed to temptation-a able; the latter in being made the mortality, possessing at the same and ever-increasing susceptibilities ness or misery. If, then, as individuals, we are constituted, it should teach us to gu the folly of leaning to our own und or trusting to our own heart, or making flesh our arm. When w our weakness, in connexion with th have to perform, and the enemies contend with and to vanquish, and when we take into the account o everlasting destiny, the character pends on our present predominant our prevailing habits and pursuits Man is the maker of immorta we should forever renounce all self "If we call on the Father, who, spect of persons, judgeth accordi man's work," we should "pass thi sojourning here in fear;" a duty forced upon us both by the chai being on whom we call our final Judge, and by our own needy, I dangerous circumstances, which ledged by our calling upon him. daily care, in the exercise of fai lity, to confide in his paternal kee ing that we shall eventually real of the declaration, that "happy i feareth always." From the Winter's Wreath. ON THE STUDY OF NATURAL HIS- BY WILLIAM SWAINSON. IT has ever been the custom of mankind, in estimating knowledge, to set the highest value upon that which may be practically applied to their temporal advantage,—their convenience, their wants, or their luxuries; and to estimate science in proportion as it leads to academic honours, popular applause, or lucrative reward. The day has not yet passed when every pursuit beyond this range is met by the question of" cui bono?" and unless the inquirer is told that some tangible good will be the result, he turns in silent pity from the man who is so unprofitably employed. No science has suffered more from this mode of reasoning than Zoology. Its application to the wants of man is slight, and generally so remote as not immediately to be perceptible. It has not, like Chemistry, been employed to the improvement of manufactories; nor can it furnish much to assist the never failing invention of man. It cannot, like Mineralogy, direct us to the discovery of subterraneous wealth, or assist Astronomy in giving power and increased confidence to the mariner. It cannot contend with Botany, either in adding to the luxuries of the palate, or to the elegancies of taste. Neither in conclusion does it lead, as all these kindred pursuits do lead, to pecuniary recompense or public professorships. Great as these disadvantages undoubtedly are, there is another which is infinitely greater. This arises from the erroneous idea so generally prevalent, as to the real objects of this study. Nor is this ignorance confined to the many; for even naturalists who enjoy no small popularity have fallen into a similar error. By these it has been constantly inculcated, that the true object of Natural History is to acquire a knowledge of the species, and to make that knowledge subservient to the benefits of mankind. That this definition has been most prejudicial to the cause of truth, can admit of no doubt. It has taught the student to believe, that when he had examined an animal or plant, ascertained its name, and arranged it in his collection, it could teach him nothing more, and that the true end of Natural History, in this instance, had been accomplished. On the other hand this mistaken view of the subject has strengthened the popular prejudice. It was seen that collectors aimed at nothing higher than the possession of a muscum labelled with hard names; and that those whose pursuits led them to expound the works of Divinity, dwindled into compilers of systems, or collectors of beetles. as an intellectual pursuit would not be very high. It would, in fact, derive all its importance from a selfish or interested consideration, and would inculcate the principle, that a knowledge of the works of God was only desirable, when it could be applied to the artificial wants of man. To adopt therefore, either of the preceding views as definitions of Natural History, is to mistake the means for the end, and to leave off at that point, where, in fact, we should begin. Such expounders of Nature view her works through a medium the most contracted: they examine with microscopic eye the seve ral parts of a complicated machine, without bestowing a thought upon the principles by which these parts are reciprocally connected, the power by which the whole is regulated, or the effect it is intended to produce. I mean not, by these remarks, to diminish the force of those arguments which have been employed, with great truth and eloquence, to show the advantages of Natural History to the mind, when it is merely limited to a consideration of an individual object. The plumage of a bird, the tints of an insect, even "the poor beetle that we tread upon," are of themselves calculated to excite admiration, and to raise the thoughts to Him who made them. But what I wish to inculcate, is, that the study of nature has higher, immeasurably higher demands on our attention: that beyond all this, which speaks only to the eye, there is, as it were, an invisible world of order, harmony, and connexion the most wonderful: and that it is only when we look beyond the individual, and enter into this intellectual region, that the true object of the study takes its commencement. It is then that we begin to perceive, that the Book of Nature, no less than that of Revelation, is throughout a volume of types and symbols. The one teaches us, in part, the mysteries of God in the redemption of mankind. The other is opened to us, that we may gain some insight into the wonders which every where surround us-wonders which all indeed can see and admire, but which few can comprehend-and even these most imperfectly. It is only when the mind takes a higher range, and seeks to obtain a glimpse of the vast plan of creative Wisdom, that we can have the least conception of those mysteries which can never, in this world, be fully comprehended. Sufficient however will be revealed, both to the eye and the understanding, to give us the most sublime ideas of the whole: and while we trace the wisdom of God in earthly things, which we ourselves can see, our faith will be strengthened in heavenly things, which are at present hid from our sight. It may further be remarked, that Natural History, as professing to expound the works of |