Warwick, Feb. 8, 1820. When care sits heavy on my heart, And all my soul is sunk in sorrow; When evils dire assail to-day,

Or pain, in prospects of to-morrow : Oh, then! Religion's pow'rful charm, Dispels at once all gloomy sadness; Reanimates my frame, and fills My breast with peace and joy and gladness.

E'en thus-when Winter's chilly hand, Despoils the scenes which once delighted;

And Nature's rich and blooming sweets,
Are all by storm and tempest blighted;
The Spring returns-and Nature then
Displays anew her beauteous treasure;
And hill and dale resound the song,
The universal song of pleasure.

A SIMILE.

E. W.

Of waters lost in horizon :-now
Gazes he sadly on his manacle,
Then shakes his ruffl'd plumes, and in
mid air

Plunges his tether's span, and hov'ring long

Pants sore to burst into the blue abyss, To scan its viewless heights, the denizen Of other skies: mournful then 'lights again

Upon the bleak and barren rock.

E'en so upon th' extremest verge of
Earth

Tiptoe the Christian stands: through each long day,

Poizes his vent'rous wing, scorning the band

That links him to this little eminence, This inch-wide, weather-beaten, cloud

sprent spot

Thy verdant lap its choicest sweets disclose,

And show'r its riches on the swelling

Gleam for an hour-then, sink in sudden gloom.

heart,

Thither tend all his wishes, one sole

thought

Ling'ring here to flee-and be in heaven.

T. J. C.

low

In December last, DANIEL RUTHERFORD, M. D., Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh. He was the discoverer of Nitrogen, which was first discribed by him in his Thesis de Aere Mephitico, in 1722.

1820. Jan. 14, at St. Andrews, the Rev. Dr. HENRY DAVID HILL, Professor of Greek in that University.

Jan. 24, at Naples, Cardinal CARACCIOLO, Bishop of Palestine. Diegna Ignatius Caracciolo was born on the 16th of July, 1759, at Martin. Having entered the prelacy, he followed Pope Pius the Sixth into France, and was with that Pontiff when he died at Valencia. It was in honour of his attachment to the Head of the Church that Pius VII. made him a Cardinal, August 11, 1800. This was the first hat given by the present Pope.

26, at Royston, Herts, in his 76th year, Mr. HENRY ANDREWS, the Editor of "Moore's Almanack." He was an able astronomer, and was for many years engaged by the Board of Longitude to compute "The Nautical Ephemeris."

March 16, at Paris, 76 years of age, M. RABAUT POMIER, late one of the pastors of the Reformed Church at Paris. (See our last Number, p. 135, and Vol. XIV. p. 700. The Annales Protestantes, from which we extract this Obituary notice, promises a further account of this excellent man: we shall probably give a translation or abstract of it.]

March 28, aged 36, after most acute sufferings, with a disease of the heart, Mr. HENRY RIXON, at Albany Road, Camberwell. He was much respected and esteemed, and is deeply lamented by all that knew him. Never was there a more painful or mysterious dispensation of Providence than his death, under all its circumstances. His mother, a truly excellent woman, died only six days before him, worn out with maternal anxiety and grief; and two days after his decease, his amiable widow was delivered of a daughter, their first child.

Lately, at Palparrow, in Cornwall, ROBERT JEFFERY, commonly known throughout the kingdom by the name of Jeffery, the seaman; who, some years ago, was left on the desolate island of Sombrero, where he was eight days and nights without support, except a few

small limpets: he was fortunately rescued from his perilous situation by an American ship, which took him to Connecticut, whence he got a passage to England, but has been in a declining state of health ever since.

Resolutions of Protestant Dissenting Ministers on the Death of the Duke of Kent.

[The following Resolutions were presented to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, March 24th, by a Deputation, consisting of the following Ministers arranged, as they were introduced, according to seniority,-Rev. Dr. Rees, Dr. Rippon, Dr. Morgan, (the Secretary,) Dr. Winter, Dr. Lindsay, Dr. Waugh, Dr. Newman, and Dr. Collyer. Her Royal Highness, supported by her brother Prince Leopold, received the Deputation with the most condescending politeness and affability. While the Resolutions were reading she shewed much feeling, and shed tears. When the Chairman had concluded, Prince Leopold, after apologising for his sister's inability to answer in English, assured the Deputation, with polite and appropriate acknowledgments, of her deep sense of the attention shewn her by the Dissenting Ministers. They had then the honour of kissing the Duchess's hand. On their expressing a wish to see the infant Princess, Alexandrina, she was brought forward from an apartment, of which the folding-doors were thrown open, and they kissed her hand also. When this unformal ceremony, in which the Duchess and her brother mingled with the Deputation as amongst friends of long standing, was over, Dr. Rees seized the occasion, as they were about to retire, in his own name, that of his brethren present and absent, and of thousands and millions of his Majesty's subjects in different parts of the kingdom, to express the most earnest wish, that his Royal Highness and his beloved sister the Duchess of Kent, allied to our country by several endearing and interesting connexions, might enjoy a long and prosperous life, for administering happiness to each other, and to all over whom their influence should extend, and for training up in principles of piety, virtue and liberty, civil and religious, those who, according to the order of Providence, may possibly, at some future period, dignify the throne,

and impart lustre to the crown of the British empire. Before the Deputation waited on the Duchess, they were honoured with a most friendly and pleasing interview with the Duke of Sussex, who shewed them some of the choicest treasures in his extensive and valuable library.] Dr. William's Library, Redcross-street,

March 7, 1820.

At an extraordinary meeting of the general body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers of the Three Denominations, the Rev. A. Rees, D.D., F. R. S., F. L. S., Soc. Amer. Soc., in the Chair,

Resolved,-1. That this body, deeply affected by the irreparable loss which the cause of truth and humanity has suffered in the recent death of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, cannot deny themselves the melancholy satisfaction of thus publicly expressing their grief on an event which has taken from the Royal Family one of its brightest ornaments, and from the nation one of its best hopes.

2. That whilst the character of the illustrious deceased commanded the esteem of men in all ranks, and of all religious persuasions, his Royal Highness was endeared in an especial manner to Protestant Dissenters, by the enlarged opinions which he entertained and avowed on the subject of religious freedom, and by the cordial support which, in connexion with his illustrious brother the Duke of Sussex, he was ready to give to those charitable establishments with which Dissenters were chiefly interested; and that this body admired, above all, the ardour with which he espoused, and the diligence with which he promoted, that comprehensive plan for the education of the poor which his Royal Father had sanctioned with his approbation, and which is not confined to classes or sects, but adapted to the general exigences of human nature, and to the general improvement of rational and immortal beings.

3. That this body, partaking of the same Catholic spirit, and anxious for its wider diffusion, look back, with a mingled sentiment of pleasure and regret, to those

public meetings at which it was so beautifully exhibited in the benevolent countenance, and so powerfully recommended by the appropriate and winning eloquence, of a King's son; that, under this impression, they cannot but feelingly lament that a Prince so greatly honoured and so deservedly beloved by the wise and good, and who, in thinking for himself, had risen superior to all partial interests, and become the enlightened advocate of all liberal views and all useful institutions, has been withdrawn so soon, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, from the labours of love, as pleasing to himself as they were to the best interests of mankind.

4. That, painful as this deprivation is, the body of Protestant Dissenting Ministers bow in humble acquiescence before Him who giveth and who taketh away; and their resignation is rendered the more cheerful by the assurance, that such an example as that which has been left by the Duke of Kent cannot be lost to the world; that it will continue to be remembered, admired, and imitated, especially among the great; and that not this age mly, but a grateful posterity, will have reason to say of him," though dead, he yet speaketh."

5. That, in testifying their own grief, the members of this body are desirous at the same time of expressing their heartfelt sympathy and unfeigned condolence with the illustrious and amiable Princess, so unexpectedly bereaved of a husband, who was as remarkable for tenderness and affection in his private relations as he was distinguished in his public capacity for every princely quality and every social virtue; and it is their fervent prayer to Almighty God that he would preserve to her Royal Highness that pledge of love which her honoured consort has left her, and continue with her all those consolations of religion, and all those attentions of fraternal kindness, which are so reedful and so precious to the widowed

heart.

Address of British and Foreign School Society to the Duchess of Kent. [This address was presented March 16, by a Deputation consisting of Sir Thomas Bell, Mr. Wilberforce, Dr. Schwabe and Mr. Millar. With it the Deputation presented the Resolutions of the Committee and also of the Committee of Ladies, on the melancholy event to which it refers. Her Royal Highness received them very graciously, and expressed her gratification in particular on meeting Mr. Wilberforce, of whom she had heard so much. The Deputation had also the honour of seeing the infant Princess on that occasion.]

6. That a deputation of eight members of this body be appointed to wait upon her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent with a copy of these resolutions. (Signed)

ABRAHAM REES, Chairman.

May it please your Royal Highness, The General Committee of the British and Foreign School Society venture to present to your Royal Highness the accompanying resolutions, unanimously adopted at a special meeting. And they respectfully entreat that your Royal Highness will graciously receive these feeble expressions of the sincerest gratitude and veneration with which the Committee must ever cherish the memory of his Royal Highness the late Duke of Kent, the warm and generous patron of their Institution.

The high place which the British and Foreign School Society occupied in his Royal Highness's esteem and favour was one of its most valuable distinctions, and has been peculiarly evinced by the zeal with which he was pleased so early to recommend it to the gracious attention. and patronage of your Royal Highness. The continuance of this patronage, so valuable and dear to the Society for its own sake, will ever possess in the estimation of its sincere friends an additional importance as a sacred bequest of its late illustrious and revered protector.

It is some consolation, under the deep sense of the irreparable loss which the cause of universal education has sustained, to know that the noble sentiments which actuated his Royal Highness in so warmly espousing it, are and will be perpetuated

in the breasts of those who were the nearest to his heart, and then descend to posterity in the members of a family which is become so dear to the friends of religion and virtue.

That it may please God long to preserve and richly to bless your Royal Highness is the ardent wish and prayer of the Committee.

DOMESTIC. RELIGIOUS.

Anniversary of Unitarian Society. THE Annual Meeting of the Unitarian Society for the Distribution of Books was held at the City of London Tavern, on Thursday the 20th instant. WILLIAM SMITH, Esq., M. P., in the Chair. The company was small, but few of the anniversaries have been more interesting. There were laid upon the table two new "Letters from William Roberts, Teacher of the Native Unitarian Congregation near Madras," printed and done up with the Rules of the Society. These will probably appear in the Christian Reformer. The Chairman gave the usual liberal sentiments, with interesting prefatory remarks. The Rev. J. Rowe, the Treasurer (Mr. Gibson), the Secretary (Dr. T. Rees), and other gentlemen addressed the meeting, on topics with which their names had been connected. The health of Mr. Smith was drunk with great applause: the meeting shewing a lively pleasure in doing honour to a senator, who for the last 36 years has been in Parliament, who during all that period has been connected with all the distinguished champions of freedom and humanity in the House of Commons, who himself has taken an active part in every public question affecting the liberty of England and the general cause of humanity, whose name has appeared on every great division amongst those of the friends of liberty and reform, and the appearance of whose name indeed has always been a pledge that the party in which it was found were the supporters of good principles and liberal measures. Mr. Smith was sensibly affected by this heartfelt tribute of gratitude and respect.-The interest of the meeting was not a little kept up by the circumstance of there being a large company in the next room on the same floor, parted from the room in which the Unitarian Society met by only folding-doors, consisting of Roman Catholics, who were met to celebrate the opening on that day of the new chapel in Moorfields. Of this coincidence the Chairman made a happy use; congratulating the meeting on the wonderful improvement in the public mind since the year 1780: then, he had borne a musquet to protect the Catholics from brutal violence, and had seen the smoking ruins of their chapel near to the spot where

the new and handsome edifice has arisen; now, they were not only unmolested, but were allowed to assemble in public festivity to recognize and promote their religious objects. They and the Unitarians had been both formerly proscribed, but both were at length in the enjoyment of liberty. He hoped and expected that what remained of intolerance would be done away, and that speedily; and that he should live to see the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Dissenters acting together for the attainment of their common liberty, and rejoicing together in their united success.-On the subject of the amelioration of the criminal code being brought forward, attached to the name of Sir Samuel Romilly, Mr. Richard Taylor, as one of the Committee of the Society for improving Prison Discipline, recommended that Society to the patronage of the friends of humanity. We were sorry to learn from him that its finances are very low.-It was understood that an effort would be made at the succeeding anniversary of the Unitarian Society to increase the number of attendants.

Unitarian Association.

THE Committee have determined on renewing the application to Parliament for relief on the subject of the Marriage Law, early this session, and to adopt the Bill framed and introduced on the former occasion.

Any congregations in the country desirous of giving their assistance and co-operation, can forward their petitions (if they should think fresh petitions advisable, about which they will, of course, exercise their own discretion), either to the Secretary or through any Parliamentary connexion; but they may be peculiarly useful in the promotion of the cause, in endeavouring to enlist in its support any members of either House, with whom they may be more immediately connected.

The form of petition used on the former occasion, may, perhaps, usefully be again adopted. Both this and the Bill as brought in, will be found in our former Numbers.

Gainsboro', Hull, &c. Unitarian Association.

The Fifth Half-Yearly Meeting was held at Lincoln on Good Friday. On the evening previous, Mr. G. Kenrick, of