mination of Protestant Dissenters,-any more than the numerous Socinians within the Church of England at the present time can be so discriminated, but all the ministers of the Three Denominations, Presbyterian, Independent, and Baptist, were required by law to subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles, except the thirtyfourth, thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and certain words of the twentieth article. This law continued to be in force till near the close of the last century; and previously to its repeal, every Presbyterian minister was as orthodox as the subscribing of the thirty-five articles and a half could make him. The Trinitarian Society could scarcely have desired a better security.

The Presbyterian-Socinian ministers in the Red Cross Street association form, as is well known, a small minority; but the majority can merely secede. The Library itself, the endowments connected with it, the whole property, are in the hands of the Socinians exclusively, who have succeeded to their Presbyterian ancestors in the trust; and by the terms of the trust, it must, we understand, be vested in individuals of the Presbyterian denomination. Although it was never contemplated by the pious founder, that the property would fall into the hands of Socinians, still, it cannot be claimed by orthodox Dissenters of the other denominations. It ought not, however, to excite surprise, that some reluctance and hesitation should nevertheless have been discovered on their part, to abandon all participation in the benefits of the Institution, and to dissolve a connexion with which have hitherto been identified some important civil advantages. It is well known, that ever since the reign of William and Mary, the Dissenting ministers of the Three Denominations in London have enjoyed the privilege, in common with the London Clergy and the two English universities, of addressing the King upon his throne; a prerogative which has been sorely grudged them by their enemies, and which some ignorant or artful persons have endeavoured to represent as a trivial and empty privilege, but which, we trust, the Dissenters will never be led to undervalue or voluntarily to resign. It is not for them, however, to dictate to the Throne the terms upon which they shall continue to enjoy this honour. They have it not in their power either to exclude Socinians, being Presbyterians, from the privilege common to the three associated denominations, or to approach the Throne in separate bodies. If they have been headed on some occasions by a Socinian minister, the time has been, that a University deputation has been headed by a Socinian chancellor. We admit, that the thing is extremely unseemly and repugnant to our feelings. But the best way of obviating the offence, is not very apparent. Could His Majesty be induced to recognize the evangelical denominations of Dissenters specifically, and to permit the ministers of such denominations, stationed in and near the metropolis, and

conjointly associated, to enjoy the liberty heretofore extended to those of the Three Denominations without regard to their particular religious sentiments,-we will venture to predict, that the slender connexion between the orthodox Dissenters and the Socinians, which is so afflicting to pious Churchmen, and more especially grievous to the tender conscience of the Editor of "The Record", would not long survive even the Trinitarian Bible Society.

NOTICES.

Art. VII. The Christian Pastor visiting his Flock, and the Flock reciprocating their Shepherd's Care. By John Morison, D.D., Author of "A Commentary on the Book of Psalms", &c. 32mo. pp. 128. Price 1s. 6d. London. 1832.

THIS is, we believe, the fifth of a series of very neat pocket volumes, containing Counsels' and cautions from a Christian Pastor to different classes of his flock, for which the religious public are indebted to Dr. Morison. The substance of this Volume was delivered in the form of a sermon, before an Association of Ministers and Churches, and the Preacher was subsequently requested, by a public vote of the body, to publish it. He has deemed it advisable to throw it into its present form, with a view to increase its circulation; influenced, he trusts, by 6 a desire to draw the attention of ministers and churches more in'tensely to the subject of pastoral visitation, for the neglect of which 'vital religion greatly languishes in many of our religious communities." We can cordially recommend the perusal to both pastors and their congregations, and may venture to say, that no one will regret having bestowed eighteen pence on this excellent little manual.

Art. VIII. A History of the Italian Republics, being a brief View of the Origin, Progress, and Fall of Italian Freedom. By J. C. L. De Sismondi. În One Volume. (Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, Vol. xxvii.) fcap. 8vo. pp. 378. Price 6s. London, 1832. DR. LARDNER deserves the best thanks of the public, for having suggested to the accomplished Historian of the Italian Republics, the idea of comprising the interesting story of their origin, progress, and fall, in the compass of a single volume. There was but one individual thoroughly qualified to achieve the task, by long familiarity with the history in all its details, and a distinct apprehension of the relative importance and bearings of the various scenes in the complicated drama. M. Sismondi has given us, not, as he says himself, an abridgement of his great work, (which, in any other hands, the volume would have been,) but an entirely new history, in which, with his 'eyes fixed solely on the free people of the several Italian states,' he has studied

' to portray, within a compass which should be compatible with ani'mation and interest, their first deliverance, their heroisin, and their 'misfortunes.' Of M. Sismondi's original work, in sixteen volumes, our critical opinion will be found in the second series of our Journal. Although the present publication is not designed to supersede it, those who are already in possession of the original, will be pleased to be carried more rapidly through the outlines of the history, while, to readers in general, this volume will convey a clearer idea and a stronger impression of the leading events. Compression has evidently been studied to the utmost; and by no other means could the multifarious mass of information have been comprised within a single volume. A very full and valuable Analytical and Chronological Table prefixed to the History, and a good Index, add not a little to the obligations we are laid under to both Author and Editor.

Art. IX. The Mythology of Ancient Greece and Italy. For the Use of Schools. By Thomas Keightley, Author of the "Outlines of History" in the Cabinet Cyclopædia, &c. 18mo. pp. 202. Plates. London, 1832.

WE have not seen the Author's larger work upon the same subject, to which he refers us in the Preface; but we have been much pleased with this ingenious attempt to furnish an explanation of the poetic mythology of the Ancients, at once intelligible to youth, and fit for their perusal. There is nothing in this Volume to offend the delicacy of the female mind, or to suggest offensive associations. The explanations of the legends are ingenious, and as authentic as the nature of the thing admits; and Mr. Keightley has evidently taken great pains, in order that those who derive their first mythological ideas from this book, may have nothing to unlearn in their future progress. The wood-cuts are taken partly from antiques, and partly from Flaxmanʼs classic designs.

Art. X. Illustrations of the Vaudois, in a Series of Views: Engraved by Edward Finden, from Drawings by Hugh Dyke Acland. Accompanied with Descriptions. Royal 8vo. Price 10s. 6d. London, 1831.

THE drawings for these prints, were originally intended to illustrate the Author's highly interesting volume entitled "The Glorious Recovery by the Vaudois of their Valleys"; published in 1827 *. Mr. Acland has obeyed the requests of many persons' in republishing the prints in a separate form, prefixing to them a very brief outline of the most remarkable incidents of the history. They are twelve in number, beautifully engraved, and the scenes are highly interesting and picturesque. To those persons who are in possession of Mr. Gilly's Narrative, these Illustrations will be particularly acceptable; and we are, for our own part, so well pleased with this elegant publication, that we cannot withhold our tribute of thanks to the Author.

* See Eclectic Review, 3d Series, Vol. I. p. 253.

ART. XI. LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

We readily comply with the request to give insertion to the following statement.

TAHITI AND THE PITCAIRN ISLANDERS.

In the Missionary Chronicle for the month of January last, it was stated that the Inhabitants of Pitcairn's Island had been removed to Tahiti. Of this event an account entirely unsupported, in many respects, by actual occurrences, and calculated to excite strong prejudice against the missionaries in Tahiti, has been widely circulated by several of the public journals.

The Directors of the London Missionary Society deem it quite unnecessary to reply to every anonymous calumniator, who may choose to give vent to his disappointment or ill-nature, by attempts to bring discredit on their missionaries; but they are, at all times, solicitous to furnish such information as they possess, that may be suited to counteract any unfavourable impression which misrepresentations may have produced on the minds of the friends of the missionaries, and the supporters of the Society.

In the account above referred to, it is insinuated that the Pitcairn islanders were removed through the representations of the missionaries, and contrary to their own wishes. How far such was the fact will appear, when it is remembered that almost every one, who has visited the retreat of the mutineers, has spoken of the inconvenience to which the increasing number of their descendants were exposed, from the circumscribed extent of the ground capable of cultivation, and especially from the scanty supply of water which the island afforded. On these accounts the inhabitants themselves requested to be conveyed to some other place, where the means of subsistence might be obtained in greater abundance. This request was made, in the first instance, to government, through the medium of a captain in his Majesty's navy, by whom they were visited, and was acceded to before the missionaries in Tahiti were even acquainted with the desire of the Pitcairn island

ers to remove.

One of the senior missionaries, Mr. Nott, who was in England at the time when the subject was under the consideration of government, expressed, when solicited, his opinion, that for the benefit of the islanders, Tahiti would be preferable to New South Wales; and, on his return, was the bearer of a letter from his Majesty's government to Pomare, soliciting, from the king and chiefs of Tahiti, a favourable reception for the Pitcairn islanders, should they be disposed to remove to their territory.

When Captain Laws, of the Satellite, was at Tahiti, in 1829, he received from the late Pomare, in a public assembly of chiefs and others, an assurance of protection for the Pitcairn islanders, and of an allotment of land for their support, should they remove to Tahiti.

Captain Sandiland, of H. M. S. Comet, having been directed to carry into effect the benevolent intentions of Government, reached Pitcairn's Island in the month of February 1831, when he found the inhabitants distressed for want of water. As soon as informed that there was an opportunity for emigrating to Tahiti, one half of them immediately declared their determination to do so, and, on the ensuing day, the remainder came to the same resolution. They embarked accordingly without delay, and reached Tahiti in the close of the month of March last. It has been already announced, that they arrived at an exceedingly critical time; the inhabitants of that island were apparently on the eve of civil war, in consequence of some differences which existed between the queen and the hereditary chiefs. But, notwithstanding these unfavourable circumstances, both parties welcomed the arrival of the strangers, and assured the commander of the Comet that the promise of protection and aid which had been made by the late king, Pomare, should be faithfully performed. The differences between the queen and her chiefs were, at length, amicably adjusted. On this occasion Captain Sandiland addressed to the missionaries the letter already referred to, in which he observes,—

6.66

Gentlemen, I return you my most cordial expression of thanks for the promptitude with which you were pleased to make known my sentiments, to the queen and her chiefs, upon the existing differences, in which I had the happiness to concur with you all; and if they were received with respect, I must sincerely ascribe it much more to the intelligence and ability displayed by you at so momentous and interesting a time, than to any intrinsic merit that my proposals possessed; and it is a circumstance affording me the highest satisfaction, to observe the great estimation you are all held in by the queen and her chiefs, which could not have been obtained but by a faithful discharge of your duties, as ministers of Christ and teachers of our holy religion; and it will be peculiarly gratifying to me to make known these circumstances most fully to those authorities whom it is my duty to inform of this transaction."

Two days after their arrival on the shores of Tahiti, the Pitcairn islanders were landed, and before the Comet sailed a tract of land was granted by the queen for their use; besides which, an agreement was made by the captain with a respectable settler in Tahiti to supply them with vegetables every day, and with fresh meat three times a week.

The climate of the Society Islands is certainly as salubrious as that of Pitcairn's. The queen of Tahiti gave up a large house for their accommodation; and the people, willing also to second the friendly intentions of the British government, assisted in erecting for the strangers more permanent dwellings: while the ample provision that was made for their support for six months after their arrival, shews the absurdity of the account referred to in the beginning of these remarks, in which, among other things, it is stated, that "the probable consequence (of their removal to Tahiti) will be that these unfortunate people must all die, if some means of restoring them to their island are not soon found." From a statement in the Sydney Gazette, in the month of May last, it appears that some of them were