""I do not know," replied Arabella. Now "do not know" is the most proper answer in the world upon paper, but it so happens that there are many ways of saying "do not know." There is one way which means, or seems to mean, "and I do not care" there is another which says, "I do not know, but I wish I did, as you ask me.” Arabella's, on the present occasion, was neither of these; it was, "I do not know, but I am thinking of something else," which is nearly, but not quite, "I don't care." Arthur felt this, but he shut the door, and said nothing. Charles felt it, and he knew what Arabella meant when she said she could not be polite.' - 182.

6

Pp. 177

The story is exceedingly simple; but the scenes are so full of animation, and Elizabeth, the spirit of them all,' performs her part so admirably, that the book is as entertaining, or was so to us, as if it had involved and evolved one of the most intricate and romantic of plots.

5. Highly successful, too, has been the lady-writer of THE CHILDREN'S ROBINSON CRUSOE. With all the respect which we feel for the real old Robinson Crusoe, who was the friend of our own childhood, we must confess that we used to be, occasionally, more tired than edified by his long soliloquies and conversations, and less edified than tired by his accounts of his slaughtering conflicts with the poor savages. 'The Children's Robinson Crusoe' is free from the charge of prolixity in remark and argument, and kills not a single human being while he is on his island. The narrative, though founded essentially on the old story, differs greatly from it in its details, and constantly aims to instruct and inform as well as to amuse. The style is simple and easy, like the original; the interest is uninterrupted; and many words and things are explained, which to children need explanation.

One circumstance appears to us a defect in this book. It is the introduction of some supernatural, unaccountable impressions, by which the conduct of Robinson is represented as having been, in one or two instances, determined. These are brought into the story, not as the superstitions of a young sailor, but as real warnings of danger, and worthy of belief and attention. It is true, that these supposed inspirations may be regarded merely as the belief of Robinson, expressed in his own narrative of himself, and may be thus

explained to children, by those who would not wish them to adopt such notions as realities. Still, the introduction of them in a work of this kind, can hardly be defended, we should think, on any better ground, than could the introduction of any controverted doctrine of theology, which the hero might have believed and maintained. With regard to the question itself concerning these supernatural intimations, though we cannot now enter into a discussion of it, we will remark, that the human imagination may easily be set to work to manufacture all sorts of impressions, and that should civilized, Christian men fall into a habit of paying a careful attention to these, and consulting them as oracles, instead of guiding themselves by the reason which their Maker has given them, they would be taking a long stride back toward the dark ages. There is no knowing where to stop, when we begin to give heed to any auguries, save those of a sound head and a good heart. Both a sound head and a good heart has Robinson; and, with the little exception which we have expressed, we commend him earnestly to the notice and affections of young people.

6. THE LITTLE GIRL'S OWN Book, by Mrs. Child, is of a different character from any of the above publications, being intended principally to amuse the leisure and play hours of its readers, by initiating them into the mysteries of Blind Man's Buff, Hunt the Slipper, Riddles, Charades, &c. It is prettily embellished, and easily takes precedence of all books of its class, for children, which have been published here. Considering the variety of matter which it contains, it appears to be remarkably free from mistakes. If we had seen Mrs. Child while she was writing down the following puzzle, PRS VRY PR FCTMN VRKPTHSPRCPTSwe should have requested her to add the letters TN, and then the whole would have read, by the mental insertion of the vowel E, as we are told it may actually be read, inscribed under the Commandments in the chancel of some old church in England, thus,

Persevere, ye perfect men;
Ever keep these precepts ten.

But by omitting the last two consonants, she has lost all the rhyme, and something of the reason of the puzzle. We were somewhat surprised, too, knowing her opportunities of infor

mation, as well as her own literary accomplishments, to find her stating the word automaton to be adopted from the Latin language.

And we are quite as much surprised to find our own gravities dwelling on matters of this sort. But fathers and mothers, at least, will, we trust, readily pardon us, even should our taking an interest in whatever concerns the education of children, require a pardon from any quarter.

ART. VI. 1. Sermons on Various Important Public Oc-. casions. By ROBERT HALL, A. M., Leicester. London. T. Hamilton. Pater-Noster Row. 1824. pp.

370.

2. The Works of the Rev. ROBERT HALL., A. M., Minister of Broadmead Chapel, Bristol, England. First complete Edition; with a Brief Memoir of the Author. In two volumes. New York. G. & C. & H. Carvill. 1830. 8vo. pp. 439 and 491.

3. Memoir of the Life and Writings of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, Late Pastor of the Baptist Church at Kettering, and First Secretary to the Baptist Missionary Society. By J. W. MORRIS. First American, from the last London Edition. Edited by RUFUS BABCOCK, Jun. Boston. Lincoln & Edmands. 1830. pp. 320. 4. Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British India and its Dependencies. Vol. XXVIII. London. 1829.

THE Baptists have long been known as a numerous and respectable body of Christians in Protestant Europe and in this country. In England, they form one of the three great denominations, into which the Dissenters are usually divided; and from their earliest history, which they trace back to the days of Wickliffe (among whose followers there were those, who denied the validity of Infant Baptism), they have borne their full share of the penalties and disabilities, common to all non-conformists, in addition to others, which at certain periods were inflicted for their peculiar sentiments as Baptists. They have been, and are still, divided into two great classes, the General and the Particu

lar Baptists; the former, maintaining the belief of general redemption, and of the other doctrines of Arminianism; the latter adhering to the five points of Calvinism, and limiting their communion, or the participation of the Lord's Supper, to their own particular sect.

In Holland and in Germany, they have usually been called Anabaptists, or Mennonites, from Menno, a native of one of the smaller principalities in Germany, and a convert from the Roman Church in the earlier part of the sixteenth century; who for his genius, eloquence, and zeal, has been regarded, to some extent, as the head of the Anabaptists. In Italy and the South of Europe, they have been classed with those ancient sects, the Albigenses and Waldenses; of whom, however, few in that part of the world remain at this day. Their history, especially in Germany, was the history of their depression and suffering; in part, unjustly inflicted by the persecuting spirit of the church from which they dissented; and, in part, richly deserved, as has been said, not for their religious opinions, to which they had a right, but for their defiance of civil government, and their factious, disorganizing conduct. They were also, for a period, in Great Britain as well as in this country, characterized rather by their zeal than their knowledge; by their contempt, or at least their neglect, of human learning as a qualification for the ministry; and by a general aversion to those distinctions, which obtain, and must be respected, not less within the church than in the world.

This, however, let it be remembered, is the history, not of the present, but of former times. Happily this darkness, and with it most of the delusions and extravagances with which it is united, has passed, and the light of knowledge, followed by its genial influences, has shone. The Baptists have partaken in the intellectual and religious progress of the times; and are now, as they have been for many years, respectable not only by their numbers and just influence as a body, but, to a large extent, by the attainments and acknowledged worth of their clergy.

Of these latter, there are many in England, who have acquired considerable distinction; not indeed, if we except a few names, for profound learning, for which the education of their seminaries, and we may add, the resources of their people, furnish but inadequate helps; but, for what is better,

a practical acquaintance with the Scriptures, and for all that is essential to the great objects of the ministry, to the forming of useful and successful preachers, of faithful and devoted pastors. Of the Particular, or Calvinistic Baptists, from the days of Gill, whose learning would do honor to any University, and of Dr. Andrew Gifford, an assistant Librarian of the British Museum, and honored by many literary distinctions, as well as by his exemplary ministry, there have certainly not been wanting those, whose conscientious devotion to the studies of their profession has only been exceeded by the purity and usefulness of their lives.

Our opportunities, however, have made us more familiar with the character, as a denomination, of the General Baptists. Among the most eminent of these, without referring to an earlier period, is Gale, the friend of Le Clerc, known by many excellent publications, and specially by his noble defence of religious liberty against the exclusive ministers of London, who in the memorable Exeter controversy on the Trinity, insisted upon subscription to human tests of Orthodoxy. There is also the celebrated James Foster, who became a convert to the practice of adult baptism after he had entered upon his ministry, and whose sermons and other works have given him a place with the best preachers and writers of his day. Having succeeded Dr. Gale in a Baptist church, where he officiated for more than twenty years, he was appointed the successor of Dr. Jeremiah Hunt; who, though not himself a Baptist, was the pastor, counsellor, and friend of that generous patron of learning and honored benefactor of Harvard College, Thomas Hollis, Esq. This gentleman, as is well known, was a Baptist; and it may be taken as no small proof of the liberality of his spirit, not only that his numerous benefactions, of which those to our University were but a part, were not confined to a party, but that he served for more than thirty years faithfully and cheerfully as deacon in a church, in which an Independent, or probably, as it would be termed among us, a Congregationalist was the pastor; expressing his cordial satisfaction in the sentiments and preaching of his minister, and availing himself of Dr. Hunt's counsel, with that of other of his most intimate friends, of whom were Drs. Harris, Lowman, and Neal, in the foundation of his theological professorship, and his most important plans of Christian charity.