and the missionary service, are among those claims which have been, in part, supplied. The sales from the depository, during the past year, have been 1675 Prayer Books; and the total of the sales and distributions since the organization of the society is 3119 Bibles, and 18842 Prayer Books. The treasurer's account shows a balance in the treasury of $116 58, and there is due from the Sunday School Society, for Bibles sold them, $85, but these sums will be insufficient to meet the debt incurred in the purchase of Prayer Books, and in binding the Bibles, as before mentioned. Besides their plates of the Bible and Common Prayer Book, the society possesses a permanent fund of $425, deposited in the Savings Bank, being the proceeds of twenty-one life subscriptions, only the interest of which is at the disposal of the board of managers. The board would abandon, with reluctance, a field white for the labour of benevolence, and which will repay, with the substantial fruits of a rich harvest, those who are permitted to enter upon it. On every hand the Bible and Prayer Book are constantly called for. The good Samaritan would find objects for his bounty without wandering from his immediate path. At our very doors, in our very temples, are large Sunday schools, which have never yet been sufficiently supplied. Around us in our city are the wants of public charities, public prisons, the solicitations of seamen, and the individual claims of hundreds of others to be attended to. In the country, almost every church has simiJar requirements with our own here; and in the new settlements where the faithful missionary conveys the good news of salvation, and forms churches and congregations, Bibles and Prayer Books, the necessary concomitants of his success, if furnished at all, must be furnished by the common exertions which we have endeavoured to call forth. These demands are all constant, for the poor are always with us; and if they are also increasing, we ought, instead of being discouraged, to rejoice at the evidence which they afford of the progress of our church. The exposition we have now made of our inability to meet these demands, and of the causes which have produced it, we owed to the society, with whose concerns we were intrusted, and we owed it also to ourselves. We have not shrunk from making it with plainness and with candour. We now leave it to your decision, and to that of the members of our church, whether this institution, well organized for action, and ardent to be engaged, shall feebly languish and die; or whether it shall rise from its ashes, and, in the vigour of renovated youth, press onward in the noble career of beneficence. Notice. The managers of Bible and Common Prayer Book societies, and clergymen and laymen, who collect funds for the gratuitous distribution of books, or who are themselves disposed to such acts of charity, are respectfully informed, that they can be supplied with any number of Bibles and Prayer Books from the stereotype plates of the Auxiliary New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, upon application to the agent of the society. The Bibles at 85 cents, and the Prayer Books at 30 cents each. Terms of subscription. A life subscription is twenty-five dollars. The annual subscription is any sum not less than two dollars. This payment entitles the subscriber to receive annually one Bible and one Prayer Book, or three Prayer Books; and for every additional payment of one dollar and fifty cents per annum, an additional Bible and Prayer Book annually, Subscriptions and donations thankfully received by the treasurer, Mr. Floyd Smith, No. 182 Broadway, and by any of the managers of the society." The annual address in behalf of the benevolent objects of the above institution was delivered on Sunday evening, February 9th, 1823, in St. Paul's chapel, New-York, before a numerous and respectable congregation. Divine service was conducted by the Rev. Manton Eastburn; after which an impressive and appropriate address was delivered by the Rev. George Upfold, M. D. rec tor of St. Luke's church: the absolution, and also the concluding exercises and benediction, by the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart. The collection on this occasion was $279 12. In a future number we expect to furnish our readers with this excellent address of the Rev. Dr. Upfold. For the Christian Journal. New-York Protestant Episcopal Tract Society. THE thirteenth annual meeting of the New-York Protestant Episcopal Tract Society was held in Trinity church, New-York, on Tuesday, February 4th, 1823, at 7 o'clock p. m. pursuant to public notice; William E. Dunscomb, esq. 2d vice-president, in the chair, and Benjamin M. Brown, secretary. The minutes of the last annual meeting were read and approved. The thirteenth annual report of the board of trustees was read by Cornelius R. Duffie-when the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: Resolved, That the report just read be adopted. Resolved, That the report be printed under the direction of the board of trus tees. The following gentlemen were elected a board of trustees for the ensuing year; viz.-The Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, president, ex officio; the Rev. Benjamin T. Onderdonk, 1st vice-president; the Rev. William Berrian, 2d vice-president; William E. Dunscomb, 3d vicepresident; Floyd Smith, treasurer; Murray Hoffman, corresponding secretary; Benjamin M. Brown, recording secretary; Thomas N. Stanford, agent. Trustees.-Cornelius R. Duffie, John Watts, jun. Charles Nichols, Isaac C. Jones, Cornelius S. Bartow, Cornelius Oakley, Charles N. S. Rowland, Warmoldus Cooper, Charles W. Sandford, Peter Lorillard, jun. Thomas H. Tho mas, Henry Cotheal, Richard M. White, Robert Thomas, J. Smyth Rogers, John A. Moore, John Stearns, Henry Youngs. annual report of their proceedings. It will be seen that the situation of the society is much better at the present than it has been at any former period, and that its prospects are such as must afford gratification to all its friends and supporters. Notwithstanding its course hitherto has been much obstructed, and its means quite limited, the society has how distributed in all 81,847 tracts, some of them affording very valuable and timely instruction, and all of them conveying important lessons of spiritual knowledge. The whole number of tracts published and bought by the soeiety is 88,250. The number on hand is 6,403; and there is now in the press an edition of 4,000 copies of a tract on the Sinfulness of Neglecting and Profaning the Lord's Day. The distribution during the past year has been 3,758, the details of which, as furnished by the agent, the board have thought proper to annex to this report.* By examining that list, the members of the society will perceive the manner in which the tracts have generally been applied and they will be enabled to judge of the results which may reasonably be supposed to have been produced. The tracts published since the last report are 2,000 copies of each of the following:-"The Way of Living in a Method and by Rule;" " A Dialogue about going to Church;" "The Doctrine of the Trinity" "The Churchman's Profession of his Faith and Practice." These have been much approved, and, with the tract on Confirmation, have been generally sought after and it is the intention of the board to follow them by some others, which at present appear to be desirable. It gives us pleasure that while we refer to our past distribution, as an evidence of the advantages which have already been realized, the ability of the society to impart further and greater benefits has also been continually increasing. The permanent fund which has been provided for this society by the wisdom' of its constitution, and the liberality of its members, has risen, by careful accumulation, to the sum of $1,132 and 15 cents; and is now not merely the * See the Report.-E. C.J. pledge of its stability, but will continually extend the means of its usefulness. No longer the tender nursling of a doubtful existence, this society has at length attained a form, and assumed an attitude of vigour; and exhibits an ability to repay the watchfulness and care by which it has been fostered. Those who have contributed to this happy result, by their donations, or by commuting their annual into life subscriptions, are entitled to our thanks, and we are assured they will find their reward, in perceiving the greater independence which has been given to the resources of the society, and the greater certainty which will hereafter belong to its operations. The additions to the permanent fund during the past year have been $20, besides the one half of its own interest $25 18, which, with $1,086 97, the amount on the last anniversary, make the sum $1,132 15, before stated. The amount received into the disposable fund during the past year, added to half the interest of the permanent fund, and the balance on hand at the beginning of the year, is in all $175 33. Out of this sum have been paid for printing tracts $11371, and for contingent expenses $4 50, leaving a balance in that fund of $ 57 12. No collection of subscriptions having taken place during the past year, the dues of the annual subscribers for two years are now receivable, and together with half the interest of the permanent fund, and the preceding balance, will constitute the means of the society for the ensuing year. Subscribers are entitled to a copy of each tract published by the society, and they will always be furnished with such a number as they can advantageously distribute by applying to the agent. While the board of trustees are encouraged by the present situation and prospects of the society, they solicit the continued patronage of the members, and their influence in its behalf. And as its operations may be very advantageously extended with the increase of its funds, they hope that many who have not yet given their aid will be disposed to make this society the channel of their beneficence. For the Christian Journal. REVIEW. POEMS-By James G. Percival. NewHaven. July 25th, 1821. pp. 346. CLIO-Nos. I. and II. by J.G.Percival. 1822. pp. 240. PROMETHEUS Part II. with other poems, by James G. Percival. NewHaven. 1822. pp. 108. It is universally acknowledged, that the literary character of our nation is rapidly improving. The various works in polite letters which have appeared within the last twenty years, from the pens of native authors, afford good ground for the opinion, that we shall hereafter have writers who, in this respect, will bring increased honour to our nation. At present we depend so much upon foreign supplies, that there is but little encouragement for the exertion of literary talent at home: and he, who devotes his life to authorship, can do it with but small hopes of even a competeney. There are some few individuals, it is true, who have already taken an honourable station in the literary world, and attained celebrity as well abroad as at home. But so few are our men of letters, when contrasted with those of Great-Britain, and other countries of Europe, that we can, at present, scarcely challenge a comparison with any.Time, however, will evince the fallacy or the truth of those high anticipations as to literary character, which glow in the breast of every American. Boasting, as we do, our intimate relation with the inhabitants of the European world, and especially of those happy isles from which the most of us are descended, it is but natural that we should feel a pride in treading in the steps of our forefathers in every thing that is honourable and praiseworthy. Britain has raised for herself a literary character, unrivalled in ancient or mo dern times: and if we but follow in the path which she has led, we must necessarily attain to such eminence as will render us respected. The progress of literature is not that of magical celerity. Its advances are with slow but sure steps. And it is not till after much study and much labour that a nation can say, it has attained a lasting literary character Exegi monumentum ære perennius. In every point of view the progress of refinement is gradual. Time and encouragement will effect a great deal; perseverance and industry will do much more. And the people, who at this day are unknown, may in the course of another century make such advances as will astonish the world. To elevate our literary character, time is doubtless wanting. Poetry and philosophy can not but experience its influence. The different departments of science acquire strength and vigour with the growth of years; and time, though it changes every thing, will im prove these. We may, therefore, anti cipate with safety a happy alteration in this respect. The volumes of Mr. Washington Irving, and of some few other individuals of the present day, have passed, with approved character, the ordeal of foreign criticism. In prose we have some writers who are almost unrivalled; but in poetry we have scarcely any who hold a standing above mediocrity. The dawn, however, of our poetical day seems now to be opening upon us: and ere long we may perhaps be able to challenge competition where we have formerly shrunk from it. As American poetry, the productions of Dr. Percival have been most known, and most read; and that deservedly. They are a striking instance to prove the weight of poetical talent existing in our country. And, perhaps, the assertion is not too bold, that he has written some things which are not surpassed by any poet of the present day. How much farther we are destined to progress in poetical improvement, time will develope. It is, nevertheless, a truth which none will deny, that the increase of years, while it brings increase of strength to the various departments of the severer sciences, and subjects the different branches of polite literature to their proper discipline, will necessarily give a more harmonious and systematic effect to the present irregular effusions of poetry. The first poetical publication of this author came out in July, 1821. It bore only the modest title of " Poems," with the no less unassuming motto, altered from Southey, of— "Go, little book, from this my solitude, I cast thee on the waters-go thy ways, And if, as I believe, thy vein be good, The world may find thee after certain days." This volume contains upwards of a hundred different effusions, the most of them written ere the author had completed his professional studies. Among these is a tragedy, entitled "Zamor," and the first part of "Prometheus," a philosophical poem. "They have all been written," says the author in his preface," to embody my emotions, or to give lightness to a heavy hour, with the exception of the tragedy, and the essay on the drama. These were written for particular occasions. The greater part of the former was written some years since as a college exercise." "In Prometheus," he adds, "I have written freely on a variety of subjects. The work is not completed. It has been written so far under the influence of excited feelings, and so I will continue it." This volume contains some poems that deserve, and have received unqua lified applause. "The Serenade" is certainly exquisite in its kind; and the "Ode to Musick" would not have disgraced the pen of Collins. The following stanza will suffice as a specimen. "The rage of Pindar fill'd the sounding air, As Polyhymnia tried her skill divine; The shaggy lion rous'd him from his lair, And bade his blood-stain'd eyes in fury shine; The famish'd eagle poised his waving wings, Whetting his thirsty beak-while murder rose, With hand trat grasps a dirk, with eye that In gloomy madness o'er the throne of kings, głows And, as she bade her tones of horror swell, The demon shook his steel with wild exulting yell." X. "Then Poetry was inspiration-loud, Like lightnings, when the folds of tempest are "Our thoughts are boundless, though our frames are frail, Our souls immortal, though our limbs decay; XC. Although so much has already been given from this poem, we cannot refrain from adding some farther extracts, as they contain much true poetry as well as moral truth. "Give me the evening of a summer's day, And when the mind its high career has run "The foaming goblet sparkles to the brim, And heedless youth hangs o'er the glowing stream, And in its amber waters gaily swim "The man, who will speak boldly, and will brave A thoughtless world's contempt, deserves to shine Bright in the loftiest niche of Fame's enduring shrine." CLV. The reception this volume met with was favourable; and it was succeeded first number of a collection entitled in the January following (1822) by the "Clio." This little volume contains several pieces that have been deservedly admired. The piece, entitled "Consumption," is one of the sweetest productions in our language. "The Land of the Blest," and "Retrospection," possess uncommon merit. And the larger poem, commencing, "The world is full of Poetry," is admirable in its kind. During the last summer a second number of Clio was published. It did not, in every respect, equal the first, although it contained some admirable poetry. "The Carrier Pigeon" has been set to music; and "The Coral Grove" has gone the rounds of all our public prints. The "Lines suggested by reading an 'Ode to Vale Crucis Abbey, by William Stanley Roscoe, esq.' are certainly beautiful. "Sweet sainted haunt of early days, A few months since the second part of Prometheus came out-certainly one of the greatest acquisitions to American literature. This poem is rather a desultory disquisition on the powers of the mind, its aspirations, its depressions, and, above all, the poetical feelings and conceptions of the author himself, than any thing like a regular and systematic work. It is a poem of feeling, though containing much of description-a por With venom tipp'd, they give deep wounds that traiture of the character of mind as ne'er depart." VOL. VII. CXLI. operated upon by external circum 12 |