383 Review-Conversations on English Grammar. of an agricultural society, have accompanied their attestations with their respective names, and from repeated experiments they strongly recommend the Author's remedy to the world. REVIEW. Conversations on English Grammar, in a series of familiar and entertaining Dialogues between a Mother and her Daughters, &c. &c. By Mrs. Williams, author of the Syllabic Spelling Book, or Summary Method of Reading. 8vo. half-bound, pp. 213. London, Lackington & Co. 1821. How much soever a fastidious critic might be disposed to hunt after error, and to triumph in the few discoveries which ingenious severity might enable him to make, common justice must extort from him a tribute of approbation. The general principles introduced into these conversations vary only in a few subordinate particulars from those of Mr. Murray, from whose work the rules of Syntax, though varied in their arrangement, are avowedly taken. By assuming the form of dialogue, this needful science is divested of its forbidding aspect; and the plain and familiar manner in which the conversations are conducted, entitles the author to justly-merited praise. Every term of difficulty, on its first introduction, is fully explained, in language which we conceive any child of seven or eight years of age may easily comprehend; and the questions which lead to the various replies from Mrs. Grenville to her pupils, are such as would naturally occur to every inquiring mind, when "the young idea begins to shoot." 384 minds of children, in terms which they can scarcely misunderstand. At the end of each conversation, the whole being sixteen in number, the principal articles are selected to be proposed in questions to the children, whose answers are to be given in their own language, founded upon such observations as they may have made, during their respective lessons. We cimen. give the sixth conversation as a spe "Charlotte. Mamma, where have you been? I did not know you were going out this morning! Mrs. Grenville. You know we expect company to dinner; I have been to order the dessert! Emily. I had forgotten the company; what have you bought? Do tell us about the des sert. Mrs. Grenville. I have ordered a pine-apple, a cake, two melons, and some grapes, peaches, walnuts, and filberds. Perhaps you can tell me what part of speech these good things are. Charlotte. They are substantives common, for they are the names of several things of the same kind, and not of one particular person or place. Mrs. Grenville. Substantives common have two numbers; the singular number, which means only one, and the plural number, which means more than one. Tell me which of those things I have ordered for the dessert are singalar, and which of them are plural? Emily. There is one cake, and one pineapple; cake is singular, and pine-apple is singular, but two melons are plural. Charlotte. Grapes, peaches, walnuts, and so many of filberds, are plural, there are them. Emily. Are two men, or two women, plural? Mrs. Grenville. Every number that signifies more than one is plural; a child is singular, but children are plural; children may mean only two, or three children, or may mean all the chil day. dren of that Charity-school we met the other Emily. I counted almost a hundred boys and girls together. Charlotte. Why are they called Charity children? Charlotte. Here is John with a basket, what has he brought? To those who have the instruction of children committed to their care, it Mrs. Grenville. They are children of poor may appear, that Mrs. Grenville's pu- parents, who would grow up in ignorance, if pils learn too fast, and obtain a know- gentlemen and ladies did not pay for their being ledge of their lessons with more faci-taught at proper schools; and as whatever is lity than practical observation can jus-given for the benefit of the poor, is called chatify. But this fact can furnish no real rity, these schools are called Charity-schools. cause of discouragement. The same lesson may be repeated until it is fairly understood by a real pupil, which an ideal one may comprehend at the first glance. It is of more importance to observe, that the questions proposed, and the replies given, are full and pertinent, and that the lessons, though short, are sufficiently comprehensive to communicate adequate ideas of the subject to the John. Mrs. Wilmot's compliments, ma'am, and she has sent you a couple of chickens, and a dozen of ripe apples for the young ladies. here; give my compliments to Mrs. Wilmot, Mrs. Grenville. You may leave the apples and we are very much obliged to her. Charlotte. How good-natured Mrs. Wilmot is! She generally brings us fruit, or something nice, whenever she comes to town. Emily. What pretty little apples! I think them. How many make a dozen? they are nonpareils, and there are several of 385 Review-Christian Biographical Dictionary. Mrs. Grenville. There are twelve in a dozen. This word dozen reminds me that I have not yet pointed out to you a third sort of substantive, which is called a collective substantive, or a noun of multitude. Emily. A noun of multitude seems to be both singular and plural, for a noun means one noun, and multitude means a great number. Mrs. Grenville. That is exactly the case. An army is singular, for it is one army, but there are a great many men in one army, several ships in one fleet, several trees in one forest, and several children in one school; therefore, the words army, fleet, forest, and school, are collective substantives. Charlotte. John called the two chickens a couple; I think couple is a collective substantive, as there must be two things to make one couple. Emily. I saw a great crowd in the street this morning. Several men, women, and children, were collected together; crowd is a collective noun. Mrs. Grenville. It is so. I hope you will recollect that there are three sorts of substantives, proper, common, and collective: that substantives have three genders, the masculine and feminine, or common to both, and the neuter; and that substantives have two numbers, the singular number, and the plural number. Tomorrow we will consider the cases of substantives or nouns. You may go up stairs now; I cannot stay with you any longer this morning, for I have several things to attend to, before I dress for dinner. Questions adapted to the Sixth Conversation. 4. Are two singular or plural? 5. What is a collective substantive? 6. What is the word dozen? 7. What is the word school? 386 REVIEW.-A Christian Biographical Dictionary; containing an account of the Lives and Writings of most distinguished Christians and Theologians of all Denominations, and in every nation, from the commencement of the Christian Era, to the present period. By John Wilks, Jun. small octavo, pp. 336. London, Longman & Co. Paternoster Row, and F. Westley, Stationer's Court. 1821. It is not to be expected that a single volume, containing less than four hundred pages, should include the biography even of one-tenth part of those celebrated divines, and other eminent characters, who, in every age and nation, since the commencement of the Christian æra, have distinguished themselves by their piety and usefulness, in the cause of our holy religion, But it is not improbable, that on this account, many persons, not finding the name of some favourite author in the list of selected worthies contained in this book, will accuse the compiler of partiality, and think his labours unworthy of their regard. From this charge, founded upon local views, and personal attachments, the plan which Mr. Wilks has adopted, forbids him to make any retreat. We can, however, assure our readers, that of those persons who have been selected, the biography is clear and satisfactory; and 8. How many sorts of substantives are there? we conceive that the bigot only, whom 9. How many genders are there? 10. How many numbers are there? Parse the following words :---gloves, score, church, congregation, aunt, masters, birds, audience, friends, England.---pp. 51, 55." nothing will please but the elevation of his party advocates, above their predecessors and cotemporaries, will charge the compiler with giving an unjust delineation of individual character. It is to be regretted, that Mrs. Grenville and her pupils should appear in those exalted stations of splendid life We gather from the title-page, that which can fall to the lot of few only, Mr. Wilks had no design to confine to whom this book may render essen- his biographical researches to persons tial service. Dress, company, visits, whose lives had been exclusively deand coaches; livery servants, atten- voted to the ministry. Hence, Chrisdants, and equipage, may please a tians of all denominations, and of vacertain description of persons, but the rious ranks in society, appear before principles of grammar are now acquir- us: and many illustrious females, in ed in the less dignified stations of the a subordinate degree, occupy some community, where these decorations pages in this volume. In general, are inapplicable and disgusting. But the biographical sketches are partinotwithstanding these peculiarities, cularly interesting; under which chathe volume demands our decided ap-racter we rank the lives of Buchanan, probation, and we recommend it with Bunyan, Erasmus, Fenelon, Flavel, confidence to public patronage and Grotius, Hale, Paley, Wesley, Whitsupport, as being admirably adapted field, Coke, Martyn, and many others. to communicate to the tender mind correct ideas of the rudiments of grammatical knowledge. From a work which is exclusively biographical, it may appear injudicious to give an extract that will not *387 Review-Christian Biographical Dictionary. include the life of an individual; yet as an account that is short will scarcely do justice to the author, and since for one that is long, we cannot find room, we have no other way of exhibiting a specimen of this work to our readers. The following extracts are from the life of the Rev. Henry Martyn, a native of Truro in Cornwall, who, in the service of his Lord and Master, fell a victim to his extraordinary exertions, in a foreign land. 388 England, the parables, and the whole of the New Testament, were translated into Hindoostanee-a language spoken from Delhi to Cape immortal souls. By him, and by his means Comorin, and intelligible to many millions of also, the Psalms of David and the New Testament were rendered into Persian-the vernacular language of two hundred thousand who fourth of the habitable globe. By him, also, bear the Christian name, and known over onethe imposture of the prophet of Mecca was daringly exposed, and the truths of Christianity openly vindicated, in the very heart and centre of a Mahometan empire. God, however, has not left Mr. Martyn without witness in the By a fever of nearly two months' continu- hearts of those who heard him in Europe and ance, which, during the greater portion of in Asia. Above forty adults, and twenty that period, raged with unremitting severity, children, from the Hindoos, have received Mr. Martyn was defeated in his intention of Christian baptism, all of whom, with the expresenting in person his translation of the New ception of a single individual, were converted Testament, to the King of Persia, and to the by the instrumentality of one man, himself the prince his son. Martyn's health being decid- fruit of Mr. Martyn's ministry at Cawnpore. edly decaying, with feeble hopes, he endea- At Shiraz, a sensation has been excited, which, voured to reach England, and commenced a it is trusted, will not readily subside; and some journey which was the most painful, and at the Mahometans of consequence there, have desame time the most joyful one he ever under-clared their conviction of the truth of Christitook. The miseries he endured in it were intense---but it ended in his entrance into heaven; for he was soon called to exchange a condition of pain, weakness, and suffering, for that everlasting rest which remaineth for the people of God." At Tocat, on the 16th of October, 1812, either falling a sacrifice to the plague which then raged there, or sinking under that disorder, which so greatly reduced him, he surrendered his soul into the hands of his Redeemer. The peculiar circumstances, as well as the particular period of his death, could not fail of greatly aggravating the affliction of those friends, who, amidst anxious hopes and fears, were expecting his arrival, either in India or England. He had not completed the thirtysecond year of a life of eminent activity and usefulness, and he died whilst hastening towards his native country, that, having there repaired his shattered health, he might again devote it to the glory of Christ, amongst the nations of the East. There was something, also, deeply affecting in the consideration, that where he sunk into his grave, men were strangers to him and to his God. No friendly hand was stretched out-no sympathising voice heard at that time, when the tender offices of Christian affection are so soothing and so delightful-no human bosom was there, on which Mr. Martyn could recline his head in the hour of languishing. "Mr. Martyn's zeal was tempered with love, and his love invigorated by zeal. He combined also, ardour with prudence-gravity with cheerfulness abstraction from the world, with an enjoyment of its lawful gratifications. His extreme tenderness of conscience was devoid of scrupulosity; his activity in good works was joined to habits of serious contemplation; his religious affections, which were highly spiritualized, exceeded not the limits of the most cautious sobriety, and were so far from impairing his natural affections, that they raised and purified them. "With respect to his labours ::-his own "works praise him in the gates," far above buman commendation. By him, and by his means, part of the liturgy of the church of anity-a conviction which Mr. Martyn was the means of imparting to their minds. But when it is considered, that the Persian and Hindoostanee scriptures are in wide and extensive circulation; who can ascertain the consequences which may have already followed, or foresee what may hereafter accrue, from their dispersion? In this respect it is not, perhaps, too much to apply to Mr. Martyn those words, which once had an impious application : "Ex quo nunc etiam per magnos didita gentes, Dulcia permulcent animos solatia vitæ.". Pp. 174. The style of this work is unaffected and perspicuous; and the narrative that is given, is rarely interrupted with unseasonable animadversions. From party feelings, and local prejudices, the volume before us appears to be commendably free. The individuals are exhibited with an impartial hand, and every reader is at liberty to form his own judgment, on their comparative merits or defects, as they pass under his review. To their various writings he occasionally subjoins a character, but this is generally one that had been previously given by some author of celebrity, whose name is introduced to sanction the remarks. This volume, though apparently diminutive, contains a considerable portion of matter, the type being small, and the pages full and closely printed. In this department the work is well executed; the paper is good, the impression clear, and the composition, on the whole, appears to be destitute of any important errors. HOW TO DETECT ADULTERATED FLOUR. THE purity of Flour may be partly ascertained by grasping a handful, and squeezing it for half a minute, when, if laid even roughly, on a table it will preserve its form. If adulterated, it soon falls down, especially if the adulteration, instead of whiting, be ground stones, bones, or plaster of Paris. 2. Dip the forefinger and thumb into a little sweet oil, and take up a small quantity of flour between them; if pure, it may be rubbed for any length of time, and will not become adhesive, but if mixed with whiting, it soon becomes putty; if pure, it also becomes dark-coloured; but if impure, is very little altered by the oil. 3. Lemon-juice, or vinegar, will also detect the presence of whiting, by the agitation produced in the flour; pure flour produces no particular effect with these fluids. MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. Natural Curiosity.--The Rev. J. Cattle, of Warwick, lately received from one of his tenants, part of the trunk of an Ash tree, which contained the skull of some unknown animal. The part of the tree in which it was found, grew about nine feet from the ground. This animal substance was perfectly inclosed in solid timber. 390 cles which the building contained.→ In some adjacent rooms connected with the late Printing-office, but which happily escaped the fire, the business is at present carried on. In these, some compositors and pressmen will find a temporary accommodation until further arrangements can be made for establishing the business on a more permanent foundation. North London Auxiliary School Union. -We have lately been favoured with a copy of the proceedings of "the Representatives of Sunday Schools, connected with this union." Their object was to take into consideration the nature and tendency of Mr.Broughham's intended Bill, "for better providing the means of Education for His Majesty's subjects." This Bill, they view in a very reprehensible light, as being calculated to infringe upon the present operations of benevolence, as tending to paralyze, and seriously injure Sunday Schools, and as giving an arbitrary, oppressive, and unconstitutional power, to the clergy. They view this Bill as grossly defective, making no provision for the education of females, and as totally inadequate to accomplish the purposes for which it is to be enacted. reasons which they assign for their dissent are 17 in number, on which are founded resolutions to watch its The Bull-baiting.-Lord Coleraine, while at a Bull-baiting on the Surrey side of Westminster bridge, was lately robbed of his gold repeater, chain, seals, &c. We hope that interest and experience will operate in future to deter him from such barbarous amusements, although humanity should plead in vain. Caxton Fire. It was not until Tues-progress, and to petition against it in its various stages. day, March 13th, six weeks after the conflagration, of which we gave a detailed account in our last number, that the fire became wholly extinguished. The time which elapsed between the accident and the above day, was employed in picking out the bricks which might hereafter prove useful, and in removing the rubbish; and it was not until nearly the last cart-load was taken away, that the fire ceased to burn. The rubbish removed, amounted to nearly 500 cart-loads, about 300 of which consisted of burnt books and paper, and the remains of other arti Duty and Drawback on Paper.-In our first volume, column 75, we gave the amount of the Duty and Drawback on Paper for England and Scotland, during ten years. The year ending January 5th, 1821, is as follows:Duty paid for England, £425,753. Os.; Scotland, £37,200. 1s.from England for exports, £17,602.11s. -Drawback ERRATA. Col. 187, line 4th of Review, for questionep, read questioned.-Col. 193, line 19 from bottom, for Truth, read Touch.-Col. 195, line 15 from bottom, for "Tis time's plague," read " Tis the time's plague." COMMERCIAL REPORT, MARCH 21, 1821. THE general aspect of our market is rather of a brighter cast, than we have had occasion to notice for this some time past: there is a very fair demand for all the leading articles of our place, which find a ready sale at the currency of the day. Since our last, there has been an enhancement in the value of most of them, accompanied with an improving demand. So closely allied, however, is commerce with politics, that any change in the latter, would materially alter the present face of things. Every article now is at a peace medium,-the fluctuations are trivial, and the variations in value chiefly arise from circumstances of supply and demand. The possibility of our peaceful relations being altered, would set speculation at work, and produce great and sudden changes. In this part of the United Kingdom, the winter has passed over without the pressure generally peculiar to that season. The manufacturing artizan has had full employment; whilst the demand for British manufactures, has reduced the stock on hand. This state of things still continues, and the Spring orders will further tend to its amelioration. Our Imports have been on a large scale; this remark particularly belongs to Cotton Wool, yet the demand has in some measure kept pace with it; the sales during the last fourteen days have been 13,181 packages, and the result of yesterday's market at Manchester, has occasioned considerable briskness to-day. The sales of the last week are particularized as under:3834 bags Upland, from 83d. to 10d. 206 do. Orleans, from 83d. to 13d. 10 do. Alabama, 83d, and 337 bags Bahia, from 10d. to 1148. 628 do. Maranham, from 103d. to 114d. 74 do. Minas Geraes, 92d. 246 do. 109 do. Do. by auction, 8d. to 8 d. Sea Island, 14 d. to 18d. and of 805 bags offered for sale, 498 sold from 14d. to 18 d. 20 do. Demerara, 11d. 102 do. Stained Do. by auction, 104d. to 12 d. 997 do. Pernambucca, from 11 d. to 12 d. 30 do. Madras, 7 d. An actual advance in the price of Uplands can barely be stated, though a worse quality is taken for the same money; Orleans, of the better sorts, sold by auction yesterday at an improvement of 4d. per lb. whilst inferior qualities remained unchanged.— Sea Islands of middling to good qualities, maintained their prices at the public sale, but for ordinary qualities, buyers did not come forward; and on such as were sold, there was a decline of about 1d. per lb. Pernambucca Cottons of good quality, have been more sought after. For the other sorts of Brazil and East India Cottons, the demand has been more limited. There is more confidence displayed in the Cotton market, arising probably from the circumstance, that notwithstanding the abundance of supply, the consumption and export have both increased. The Sugar market closed rather heavily: at a sale of Jamaica's a decline of 1s. to 1s. 6d. per cwt. took place; strong brown sold at 58s. to 61s.; middling, 61s. 6d. to 668.; and good middling, 68s. to 70s.-500 bags of fine white Bengal's, were taken by the grocers at 77s. to 81s. duty paid. Some sales of Brazil Sugars have been made for export, viz.-Middling white Bahia, at 40s.;-strong white Rio's, 50s. ;-inferior and soft whites, at 36s. For Coffee, there has appeared no export demand, the grocers purchase their supplies at former prices.-Cocoa, Ginger, and Pimento, are without alteration. There have been few transactions in Tobacco; the trade purchase sparingly, and for export the demand is very feeble.--In Turpentine, there have been no sales. 1500 barrels of Stockholm Tar brought 19s. 6d. per barrel. There is a continued demand for Pot Ashes to export. Several sales have been made at 40s. per cwt. for Boston and New York Pots, and 42s. is now demanded; the stock is very limited. There have been frequent sales in Dyewoods, and Logwood is looking up. Campeachy Logwood fetches £9. 5s. to £9, 9s. per ton. Jamaica Logwood £8. per ton. Sicily Brimstone £22, 5s. per ton. American Beeswax has ob tained £13. 15s. per cwt. Fish Oils are steady in price: the demand for Cod Oil for export and consumption is regular at £20. 10s. to £21. per tun. Seed Oils are a little more demanded. Three cargoes of Palm Oil from África, sell readily at 35s. per cwt. Tallow is lower. Hemp and Flax are of slow sale. The Timber market has improved, and a cargo of Mirimachi Pine sold this day at 1s: 7d. per foot; this advance is in consequence of the expected duty. Quebec Staves have advanced, and are become very scarce. GRAIN. The supplies of Grain have been very heavy, yet the market has not given way. The dealers are buying Irish Wheat, and some speculators are making investments. Several large shipments are making of Wheat, in bond, to the Mediterranean, and prices of this description have advanced fully 20 to 25 per cent. Sweet American Flour goes off freely for export, at 20s. to 22s. 6d. per barrel. On the 14th inst. 2000 brls. of sour New Orleans Flour under lock, sold by auction at 12s. 9d. per brl. PRINTED BY H. FISHER, LIVERPOOL, PRINTER IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY. |