"Being at Leeds, he (Mr. N.) was desired by the late Rev. Mr. Edwards, to preach for him at White-chapel. He met a party of religious friends at Mr. Edwards's house, which adjoined the chapel; and took his tea (of which he was remakably fond) with them. At the appointed time the service commenced; and after prayer, Mr. Newton read his text, which was, 'I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.' Mr. Newton began fluently; but in a few minutes he lost all recollection of his plan ; was confused, stopped, and desired Mr. Edwards to come up and finish the service. Mr. E. urged him to proceed, but Mr. N. left the pulpit. P. 98.

Reader! have you observed several remarkable occurrences mentioned in the preceding extract? If you have not, then read it over again; 'pause and ponder, and ponder and pause,' and you will find that Mr. Newton' took tea' with his friends! Why? to comply with common' custom, or to prepare himself for the services of the chapel ? No such thing; he took tea' because he was remarkably fond' of it. Another remarkable circumstance, which would hardly gain credit, were it not related in the Panoplist, is, that after prayer he read his text.' If the unbelieving reader should doubt as to the truth or propriety of this assertion, Shakespeare furnishes an irresistible argument, which is to the point- If two men ride a'one horse, one must ride behind.'

A third circumstance is more wonderful than all the rest. He was confused, stopped, and desired Mr. Edwards to finish the service.' Why did he stop? My dear sir, he stopped because he was confused;' and I presume he had more modesty than most of our extemporaneous preachers, who go on the better for being confused.' But why should he be confused? Lord, what a stupid reader you are, to ask so silly a question. Don't I tell you he had lost all recollection of his plan ?'

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'He published a narrative of the former part of his life. This procured a small addition to his income, and excited a greater attention to his ministry. The people,' says he, stare at me since reading it— and well they may. I am indeed a wonder to many-a wonder to myself; especially, I wonder that I wonder no more.' Bless us! what a crowd of wonders is here!

Many more passages, equally beautiful and instructive, might be selected, but let these suffice.

BOSTON THEATRE.

Master J. H. Paine, who has lately distinguished himself at NewYork, by his personation of several important dramatick characters, and surprized the inhabitants of that city by his uncommon powers of

elocution, has appeared on the Boston stage, where he has performed the parts of Norval in Douglass, and Zaphni in Mahomet, with extraordinary skill. We believe we only echo the publick opinion, in declaring, that his judgment seldom fails of correctness, that his elocution is remarkable for its purity, and his action and deportment are eminently well suited to the passion he represents, and the sentiments he pronounces. He has satisfied the judgment of the impartial, whilst he has exceeded their expectations; and he has amply gratified the wishes of the friendly, by the success which he has hitherto obtained.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS.

7. Report of the Rev. Mr. Puffer to the corresponding secretary of the Evangelical Missionary Society. Also the Report of the Trustees of said Society, at their annual meeting, October 5, 1808. Worcester, I. Thomas jun. In which the author questions the utility of conducting missions on the usual itinerant plan, in which much is attempted, and little done, and proposes that missionaries limit their labours to two or three parishes.

8. A Sermon delivered at the Installation of the Rev. Horace Holley, to the Pastoral Care of the Church and Society in Hollis-street, Boston, March 8, 1809. By Joseph Eckley, D. D. senior Minister of the Old South Church, in Boston. To which are added, the Charge, given by Rev. John Lathrop, D. D. and the Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. Dr. Kirkland. Boston, Belcher. This publication, especially the latter parts of it, is an emanation of what the catcholic spirit of the Bostonian christians once was. But the days seem to be hastening, when the intolerant temper of Archbishop Laud is to be exercised in all its relentless fury.

INTENDED PUBLICATION.

G. Graupner proposes to publish, in a neat pocket volume, a collection of Glees, Catches, Canons, Duets, Rounds, &c. &c. usually sung by the Anacreontick Society in Boston, principally composed by Messrs. Harrington, Hayes, Hook, Aldrich, Green, Bryce, Haydn, Purcell, Atterbury, Webbe, Dibdin, and other eminent authors; to be entitled The Anacreontick Vocalist. This work is to be handsomely engraved on copperplates, and to contain from 70 to 80 pages. Price to Subscribers 1,50 cents.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

No. 3 of "Letters from Boston" was not received in season to be inserted in the present number.

A Communication from Cambridge is too trifling in its nature for this paper.

Truth is always truth, and reason is always reason; these have an intrinsick and unalterable value, and constitute that intellectual gold which defies destruction; but gold may be so concealed in baser matter, that only a chemist can recover it; sense may be so hidden in unrefined and plebeian worde, that none but philosophers can distinguish it; and both may be so buried in impurities, as not to pay the cost of their extraction.

Johnson, Life of Cowley.

THE AMERICAN REGISTER, or General Repository of History, Politicks, and Science. Part I. for 1808. Vol. 3. Published by C. and A. Conrad, Philadelphia.

THOSE productions, which, in the most remarkable degree, abridge the labours of the politician and facilitate the increase of national information, are such compilations of authentick documents, narrations of important events, and descriptions of the causes by which they were produced, as result from the most patient industry, discerning knowl. edge, and candid investigation. These are indispensible qualifications for every historical writer; but more particularly are they to be requir quired, when the actions to be related, and the motives to be traced, yet retain the hues of political asperity and party feelings, which invariably tinge the most honest contemporary representations.

The American Register, as it proposes to relate the history of the present times with accuracy and faithfulness, might become a highly interesting work, even to the spectators of the events to which they refer, and to the future historian himself, provided its character in those particulars could be fully and satisfactorily established. Such a pure Chronicle of events, would serve as a guide-post to conduct the general historian with safety through the complicated cross-paths, by which party spirit has intersected the direct road of foreign and domestick policy which ought to be followed by the United States. We consider, in opposition to general opinion, that the histories of events which transpired ages before the narrations were composed, are naturally more remarkable for their diguity than their truth, unless the historian possess the inestimable advantage of such guides, as a true contempora VOL. 1.

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neous chronicle must afford. The dignity of his history will often require the exclusion of inferiour circumstances, which had been magnified into importance through the medium of party; but it requires more than human perspicuity to penetrate the obstacles which time and prejudice have contributed to interpose, to intercept the sight of the historian and prevent him from discerning the true complexion of any particular government. We estimate the work under review very highly, as it may be made to contribute to the future fame of this country when it shall really be distinguished by eminent men, and when its administration shall be actuated by such a liberal and energetick system of policy, as to inspire in the breast of its citizens, when the name of America shall be mentioned, a glow of patriotism and ardour; instead of exciting, as at the present time, the suffusion of shame, from an acute sense of national disgrace.

'The American Register,' was begun in 1807, and three semi-annual volumes have already been published. The third volume we have thought proper to notice at this time, because it undertakes the discussion of topicks of more than ordinary interest at this moment; and because we are afraid there are some dangerous conclusions to which a too implicit reliance on the integrity of the annals,' may possibly lead. But before we enter into the examination of these points, we will give a brief outline of the contents of the whole work, the historical part of which only comes within our intention to investigate. It is a comely volume of nearly six hundred large octavo pages. The * Annals of Europe and America' make the first general head, and occupy about one hundred pages with the history of American events; this we are happy to observe, because we wish our writers to leave the task of European history to those whose immediate connection and affinity to the scene of events, render them more capable of attaining the necessary knowledge for the accomplishment of an end of such vast magnitude and importance.

Then follows' An abstract of the publick acts passed in the second session of the tenth congress of the United States. A journal of a voyage between China and the North-Western Coast of America,' then ensues. 'American and Foreign State Papers, which immediately succeed, make up three hundred pages of the volume, and the rest consists of an American Register of Deaths,' and a few pages of original and selected' Poetry.' Thus it appears that the work is chiefly political; and according as its character for impartiality may be determined, it should rise in the estimation of the publick. The principal national topicks included in the Annals,' are the history of the attack on the Chesapeak; the discussions of the American and British governments, on the right of search, which was one consequence of that unfortunate affair; the mission of Mr. Rose, and the causes and consequences of the Embargo. The first chapter commences with an

account of the inconveniencies experienced by the United States from the former practice of the British, in placing squadrons before the mouths of our harbours, and examining all vessels which might come in their way. In which the author points out pretty fairly the reasons which induced the British to pursue the practice, as arising not only from the desire of restraining the commerce with France, but from the supply of provisions of which these ships in their cruises continually stand in need, and especially from the circumstance of French ships occasionally taking refuge in American harbours. Some remarks which drop occasionally from him in the course of this chapter, we should be disposed to contest if they were not of inferiour importance compared with some of the topicks which we shall hereafter be obliged to discuss. Thus he speaks of the rights of a warring nation over neutrals' being all of them unjust.' Does the author mean to assert that the right of search for contraband is unjust? Is the right of enforcing a blockade unjust? If so, the neutral would be authorised to supply one belligerent with arms and ammunition, to the detriment of another, even in a blockaded port; to say nothing of the apparent incongruity of terms, in the expression an unjust right. Again, the neutral is thus continually reminded that he is helpless and powerless.' Is a neutral of necessity helpless and powerless? with respect to us the observation is correct, but it does not follow that if we had a formidable navy we should contine so; or that any other neutral nations should be so considered.

The author mentions the case of the Leander and Whitby's trial, in terms singularly strong; and thus impeaches the impartiality of the British court martial. 'It is hardly necessary to add that captain Whitby was acquitted, nor is it easy to conceive that this particular charge could meet with any other fate, either from the passions or the justice of the court before which he was brought.' If the justice of an English court, composed of officers whose honours are pledged for the performance of their duty is to be questioned, because the case might apply to all the judges as well as the offender,' so a court established on a breach of discipline, or to examine any indecorous conduct of an individual, might be vilified with equal propriety. Yet nothing is more frequent than condemnation for such offences, under such jurisdictions.

The second chapter relates to the deplorable affair of the Chesapeak and Leopard, which the author commences by the following singularly original remark. As long as mankind are endowed with the same passions, there never will occur a quarrel between individuals or nations, in which either party is wholly blameless.' We cannot stop to question much at length, the truth of the assertion, but we state it merely to show, that the author attaches faults both to the Americans and English, in the circumstances connected with that catastrophe.