continental communism and pantheism gain utterance and strive for ascendancy. The duty of the Christians of that daughter-land is forcibly put. They are urged to high integrity, calm self-possession, immovable determination, and generous self-sacrifice. The writer is manifestly imbued with a spirit of true philanthropy. We have, thirdly, a very interesting paper on Dr. Thomas Young, the discoverer of the undulating theory of light, and the celebrated Egyptologist, who extorted the secret from the Rosetta stone at which so many had laboured in vain, and gave to Egypt a language that had been lost for many centuries. Lazy youths, who go to college to consume time, would do well to read the biography of that eminent man, and learn that application, perseverance, and energy will conquer anything. Fourthly' gives an account of the Revolution in China, and its religious as well as political elements, which cannot fail to interest those who observe how the nations of the earth are being shaken, and prepared for their consummation. The paper on Administrative Reform, will, we trust, be widely read and deeply pondered; and if so, we canno doubt it will greatly promote the good cause which it supports. It is moderate, careful, discriminating, and earnest. Then follows a fine, manly, generous, and just article on Sydney Smith. The next is an elaborate paper on Russian aggression, proving, if any man needs proof at this hour of the day, that for centuries the policy of Russia has been a policy of conspiracy and aggression against the liberties of the world. We commend it to the attention of those who argue that no territory should be taken fron Russia, and ask them if a peace formed upon such an arrangement can be either honourable or safe? She has forfeited all claim to be regarded with leniency, for she has wielded her power against the welfare of the race.-A number of great and varied excellence winds up with an epilogue on books in the various departments of literature, philosophy, art, science, and theology.

THE WESTMINSTER commences with a review of Spinoza, and a statement of his theory of Pantheism, especially indicating its pernicious moral tendencies. The second is a very able article on international immorality, bringing home to us the forgetfulness of our own guilt as a nation, in our condemnation of the course, the pursuit of which has involved us in war with Russia. Limited as is our space we cannot refrain from quoting a paragraph:

9:

'But deeper still lies the question,--Is right to be recognized in the affairs of nations or of individuals? The heart of the people everywhere says, yes. The Republicans of Europe decidedly say, yes. But alas! the dynastic faction, both in England and on the Continent-the secret diplomatists-unanimously reject the rule of simple right, and even deride it as a juvenile enthusiasm. Expediency is their guide: if the expedient happens also to be right, they will no doubt, be eloquent on the latter topic; but to judge by their uniform conduct, right which does not meet with their notions of expediency, has no chance of support, even from their pens or private sympathies. Herein we see upon the republican, the marks of martyrs and heroes. The "Kossuths and Mazzinis,' of whom the Emperor Nicholas spoke with mixed contempt and fear, may be persecuted and excerated as are the apostles of any new creed; but they are preaching a nobler practice and a brighter faith than our routine statesmen dream of, and therefore, the success of their cause is certain, even though they die before its triumph. This faith it is, which animates them with power to kindle the hearts of others. To pass from such an atmosphere to the secret correspondence,' is like the transition from a speech of Luther to a decree of the Pope. The fourth article on the Physiological Errors of Teetotalism, we intend noticing on another occasion. It seems intended to damn the Total Abstinence Movement 'with faint praise.' Then follows a suggestive and spirited paper on the decline of party government. The sixth, is an interesting article on the earth and man. The seventh discusses with ability the foreign policy of the United States, and

points to the abolition of slavery, there is the only thing that can give us a genuine and firm Anglo-American alliance-a prelude to the meeting of the nations.

"In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.'

Upwards of a hundred pages are devoted to the brief review of Contemporary Literature, some of these reviews betray that distrust of scriptural theology which has become an unhappy characteristic of The Westminister.

FRASER does not lag in the literary race. He runs now with earnest aim and ambition, now skippingly and laughingly. And although he may sometimes be found tripping, it will be found useful and pleasant to run along with him. You ascend Mont Blanc with zest, and have some pretty views. You pass Velasquez and his works. A Manchester Man next escorts you through the region of humbug, useful humbug, harmless humbug, and injurious humbug, and you get a little insight, and perhaps a little wisdom, from his funny descriptions. You are next introduced to the English press, and the American public, but your interview is brief; and you are hurried on to Liszt, Wagner, and Weimar, and get a little behind the scenes of operatic acting. We get along side our Cavalry Horse, and find they are too heavily laden. You get to Chapter XXII. of Hinchbrook, which for the present you may make Skipbrook, if you please. You next find yourself beside an earnest rhymster in June 1855. You meet the frank, friendly, witty, laughter-loving Sydney Smith. A grumbler attacks you with statistics. And after running across the stage of the drama, and past Spurious Antiques, Parliamentary Press, and War, you find yourself for the present at the goal.

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

HOSPITALS AND SISTERHOODS,' published by Murray, advocates the establishment of Protestant sisterhoods of charity and mercy, for attending to the suffering, and ministering both to their physical and spiritual wants-an effort, which, when carried out, not in the spirit of secularism, but of genuine philan throphy, is in admirable fitness with the mission of Jesus, who, in his great spiritual work, did not forget to 'heal all manner of sickness.'

PROFESSOR JOHNSTON'S INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF SOILS, LIMESTONES, AND MANURES, is a book for the scientific and intelligent husband

man.

PRACTICAL METEOROLOGY, by JOHN DREW, Ph.D., F.R.N.S., is what it professes to be, a practical guide to the choice and use of instruments for making observations on meteorological phenomena.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INQUIRIES: by Sir H. C. Brodie, is a small work on a large and interesting subject, containing some interesting thoughts, and agreeable dis. cussion in the form of dialogue. It is designed to illustrate the mutual relations of the physical organization and the mental faculties.

FOOD AND ITS ADULTERATIONS: by A. H. Hassall, M.D., is a work full of research and information on the subject of which it treats, proving too clearly a fearful laxity of morals in some public companies, and many private parties, who furnish the people with the food they eat, and the water they drink.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

EFFORT AT NEWCASTLE RACES.-Between forty and fifty Christians of different denominations, chiefly young men belonging to the Gospel Diffusion

Church, determined to make a special effort to stem the tide of immorality that prevails at Newcastle Races, and to plead with men to seek happiness at the fountain of living water. On the Sabbath previous to the races a sermon was preached on the words, Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city,' in which it was insisted, that it is the duty of the church not to wait for the unsaved to come to places of worship to hear the gospel, but in the spirit of its great Master to carry the message of mercy to the localities where they dwell. In the evening, at eight o'clock, an open-air meeting was held at the Parade Ground, where there has been preaching almost every night during the summer. At nine, those who were willing to assist in the effort, proposed to be made during the race days, were invited to meet in the Lecture Room. Upwards of forty met. An earnest, determined, and prayerful spirit pervaded the meeting. It was resolved that a large quantity of appropriate tracts should be distributed to the people, both in going to and returning from the races, that a special prayer meeting should be held every afternoon, that there should be preaching on the Parade Ground for three or four hours every night while people were passing from the race-course, and an after-meeting at the Lecture Room; and, if practicable, that all the young men should go out in a band to the tents on the moor, and warn the people to flee from the wrath to come, and point them to the Saviour. At the close the free-will-offerings towards the effort amounted to a handsome sum. The arrangements were all carried out with much energy and success. About sixty thousand tracts were distributed on the three days, in most cases willingly received, and read. The Revs. J. H. Rutherford, W. Telfer, and other friends preached every night to great numbers of people. Several enquirers were conversed with; and some interesting cases of good done appeared. Late in the evening a moral police force went to the race-ground, and through among the publican's tents, sounding forth the warnings and invitations of the gospel. They met with less opposition than they had almost anticipated. Only a few clods were thrown at them one of the nights at the instigation of a publican, who complained that they were robbing him of his living. The entire expense of the effort was met by the young men themselves; and so encouraged were they that they have resolved, we understand, to make future efforts on a still more extensive scale.

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a Weekly Magazine,

OF CHRISTIAN EXPOSITION AND ADVOCACY..

Who knows not that truth is strong, next to the Almighty; she needs no policies, nor stratagems, nor licensings to make her victorious, those are the shifts and the defences that error uses against her power.-MILTON.

The fate of Poland is a warning to Europe. The diplomacy that betrayed, and the force that crushed it, still live alike active and unsubdued, the enemies of freedom, and the hope of despotism, everywhere. In 1855 we are paying in blood and treasure, for our carelessness and apathy in 1794. The partition of Poland has given birth to the struggle before Sebastopol. Retribution now comes upon us for regarding the pleasure of Emperors more than the welfare of peoples. Again and again, the patriot has turned to us with imploring eye, to seek our recognition more than our help, but we have not been able to see him for multitudes of crowned heads, who must not be offended. We have had no ear for the cry of oppressed and trampled nations. Ourselves, acting the tyrant, when it suited, toward weaker peoples, we have not had conscience to rebuke other tyrants. Overbearing towards the feeble, we have crouched to the strong. Lulled asleep in the Delilah-lap of diplomacy, we have been shorn of our strength, have formed alliances that have only fettered us, and have abrogated the honourable character of friends and advocates of suffering nations. It is time that we awoke. Till we have more conscience, our protection will ever be feeble, our arms unsuccessful, and our alliances insecure. Or, if the bravery of our troops should win for us victory, it will be turned into disaster, by the weakness of our councils. It is not one of our leaders

No. 3, Vol. II,

alone like Lord John Russell, that has committed political suicide, but all of them; nor our leaders alone, but the entire nation.

Our rulers seem to have laid it down as an axiom of their policy, that, as the result of the present war, there shall be no limitation of Russian territory. This, we suppose, is the price, of the Austrian alliance!alliance which has hitherto brought us only uncertainty and disappointment, and may yet bring us terrible disaster.

-an

The spoliation of Poland, was the joint. act of Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Lithuania, Volhynia, and Podolia, which fell to Russia, contained no fewer than nine millions of inhabitants; while the grand-duchy of Warsaw, which she got by the treaty of 1815, brought her four millions more, and gave her a dangerous ascendancy over the neighbouring nations, by bringing her within one hundred and eighty miles of Berlin and Vienna. From that day she became not merely a great Asiatic, but a great European power. The high breakwater between her and Constantinople was swept away, and her ascendancy over Europe became only a matter of time. The same hand that crushed the revolution in Poland in 1830, in 1853 aimed a blow at Turkey, by which he hoped effectually to attain his great object. His apologists, who have faith in his word, as an English gentleman,' will do well to refresh their memories with the facts of his subjugation of Poland.

The Poles had tasted freedom and longed for more. Their material prosperity had greatly increased from the year 1815. The army; thirty thousand strong, was in the very highest state of discipline. The resources of the country had been developed with amazing rapidity. Still many grievances were complained off. Constantine, the viceroy, was capricious and passionate. From 1825 to 1830, the sittings of the Chambers had been discontinued; and independent thought was sought to be stifled by a rigid censorship of the press. The general prosperity of the country and the sight of so many Polish uniforms in Warsaw, increased the passion for independance. The greatest unity of spirit and purpose pervaded the minds of the nobles, the students, and the common people. Their cause appeared righteous and their strength almost irresistible. Ever since the year 1825, when by a bold but cruel stroke, Nicholas, had crushed the rising spirit of freedom in the capital of his empire, an immense secret society had existed in Poland, whose principal object was, the restoration of the national independence. Never was an object more purely patriotic, never was a secret better kept. Excited to enthusiasm by the news of the French Revolution, on the 29th of Nov. 1830, the Poles rose to demand their rights,

day at the when one of their leaders announced on the evening of that

day at the gate of the barrack military school, that the hour of liberty had struck." The Polish troops were unanimous. They returned to Warsaw from their respective camps, and were received in the capital with the highest joy. An adminstrative council was instantly formed, and steps were immediately taken to raise a powerful national army. A masterspirit being required to give direction to the movement, Chloprickí assumed a provisional dictatorship till the Diet should meet. With ability, energy, and disinterested patriotism, he ruled. He first sought to accomplish the liberation of his country by negotiations with the Czar, but decisively prepared for the worst. The union of the provinces of Lithuania,