not remarkably flat or sharp. The greater part of them are known by the appellation of Buoyeahs and Bouctas, who according to their tradition were the aborigines of that country, but from appearances, I should judge that they descended from an intercourse between the hill people with woolly hair and flat noses [who I imagine were the aborigines of that country] and the Bengalees.

These are Hindoos, and probably their casts go by other names in the Shaster or Barren Sunker. They have a great veneration for Brahmins, but eat of almost every kind of animal food, and few of them object to drink spirituous liquors.' pp. 139-141.

The following explanations of some of the Oriental customs may be new to most of our readers.

I shall begin with observing the custom which females have of colouring the palms of their hands, soles of their feet, and nails, red; which they do by pounding the leaves of mindy or hinnah (a species of myrtle), mixing it with lime, and applying it to those parts, where it remains some hours. This is considered an ornament, but I imagine it was first used to check the inordinate perspiration in the hands and feet, which prevails to a great degree with the natives of India, giving their hands a very disagreeable cold, clammy feel, like the sensation produced by handling a frog, and which the application alluded to, entirely removes.

The next I shall remark is, their blacking their eye-lids with powdered antimony: this custom must be of great antiquity, as it is mentioned in the bible. It produces a strange contrast to the whites of their eyes, which are exceedingly clear. This, also, I conceive not to have been first used for ornament, but to cure or prevent the opthalmia tarsi, and it is one of the best remedies I know for it.

Again, females, after they attain a certain age, or get married, use an application to stain their teeth black. This, I also believe, was, and is used to destroy the tartar, and preserve the teeth and gums, which it certainly does. The time of life at which they first begin to use it, is when tartar collects most, and were it used solely for ornament, the young would all have their teeth black, which none of them ever have. This application is called "Micee," and what it is composed of, I cannot say ;-whatever it is, it destroys the tartar, hardens the gums, and makes the teeth of a jet black, without destroying the enamel,' pp. 244-6.

The rest of the multifarious contents of this volume, tigers, snakes, hydrophobia, witchcraft, manufactures, &c. &c. we must pass over. The volume is sufficiently amusing, though a somewhat dear eight-shillings worth. For all its defects, however, literal or literary, we are offered an ingenuous apology, which disarms severity.

In this book there are many faults. All such as are in the printing, I hope will be overlooked, under the consideration that the greatest part of the book was composed by a child not more than

eight years and half old, Caroline Fowler, a daughter of the printer. EGO may be thought too conspicuous throughout. To describe what I have seen and felt,-what I have heard,-what I knew,—and what I thought; it was necessary to have frequent recourse to the monosyllable I; but I hope it will not be thought that I have used it in any instance from vanity. I have borrowed occasionally from other books, but I have done it entirely with the view of corroborating, or elucidating my own observations. My sole motive for writing the book, has been to wile away a few of the many tedious hours during a long sickness, with an anxious desire to amuse the public, and to fulfil the duties of a professional man, by exerting the little ability I possess, for the good of my fellow creatures.'

Art. IX. The Eternity of Divine Mercy established, and unconditional Reprobation discarded: in Remarks upon Dr. Adam Clarke's Sermon published in the Methodist Magazine, for Sept. 1824. By William Catton, Pastor of the Baptist Church, Uley, Gloucestershire. 8vo. pp. 32. London. 1824.

NOT having seen the sermon of Dr. Clarke which is alluded

to, we do not feel competent to pronounce upon its merits or demerits; but we should not have deemed the position animadverted upon by Mr. Catton, liable to serious objection, had what we presume to be the Dr.'s meaning been couched in other words. The position is, that there are attributes which now belong to God, which are not essential to his nature: he is merciful, but, before the fall of man, this could not have been one of his attributes.' Dr. Clarke must mean, that there are manifestations of the Divine benevolence which could not have taken place before the entrance of sin. For what is mercy, but benevolence exerted towards the miserable? A man, on becoming a parent, has a new direction given to his affections; but it would be strange to represent him as acquiring a new attribute. Should his child prove disobedient, and, as the consequence of his own folly and crime, draw down on himself misfortune and suffering, this individual is subjected to a distinct and peculiar exercise of his parental affection: does this invest him with a new attribute? If it does not, it must be incorrect to speak of Mercy in the Divine Mind, as a new attribute of the Perfect, Unchangeable Godhead. But, instead of treating Dr. Clarke's position as a theological error, candour requires us to consider it as a mere verbal inaccuracy, which we are nevertheless surprised that he should have fallen into.

It is not for the sake of the refutation which this sermon supplies of the position supposed to be maintained by Dr. Clarke, that we are induced to notice it, but for the sensible

remarks which it contains on the second subject noticed in the title-page.

Who is it,' asks Mr. Catton, that holds the doctrine of unconditional reprobation? Dr. C. does not say. I believe that he would not wilfully misrepresent the sentiments of any Christian, or of any body of Christians. At the same time, would not many of his hearers understand what he said, as being applicable to the Calvinists? Would they not think, that he was exposing an article of their creed? However, let Dr. C. mean what he would, and his hearers conclude as they would; be it known that the Calvinists have long discarded the doctrine of unconditional reprobation. And I do not believe that this tenet is held by any denomination in the present age, the Antinomians alone excepted. And I hope that the difference between a Calvinist and an Antinomian is understood by Dr. C. and by every Christian in Britain.

Some ministers, who call themselves Calvinists, sometimes denounce Arminianism as being a most damnable heresy. And if we hear many who call themselves Arminians, they vociferate loudly and long against Calvinism, as being most horrid and monstrous. I know that I am but of yesterday; yet I would say, brethren, you are engaged in a work,—

"Which might fill an angel's heart,

And fill'd a Saviour's hands."

You are called to be fellow-helpers; to be the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ; to turn many unto righteousness, that you may shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever! And can you thus prostitute your office? Is it right to spend your strength in exciting bad dispositions in your hearers, instead of edifying them with the truths of the "common salvation?" Alas! is it in this manner that the ministers of Christ discharge their duty? One would suppose that a minister had enough to do in the pulpit; seeing that he has to oppose the common enemy, to teach the truths of the law and the gospel of God, and to prepare his hearers for an everlasting heaven. If he attended to these things as he ought, he would find no opportunity for caricaturing the sentiments of his fellow Christians. Think, while the Calvinist is declaiming against the Arminian, and the Arminian against the Calvinist, a fellow creature sinks into destruction, and exclaims, "No man cared for my soul !"' pp. 20-22.

Mr. Catton states as his reasons for discarding the doctrine referred to, 1. That those passages of Scripture which have been cited in proof of it, have no reference to it whatever; 2. That it is inconsistent with the goodness of God; 3. That it is inconsistent with the equity of the Divine government; 4. That it is inconsistent with Scripture; 5. That it is inconsistent with future rewards.

Excepting an expression or two at p. 14, about risible powers, the sermon is written in a very becoming and catholic spirit.

6

Art. X. Journal of a Horticultural Tour through some Parts of Flanders, Holland, and the North of France, in the Autumn of 1817. By a Deputation of the Caledonian Horticultural Society. 8vo. pp. xvi., 536. Price 16s. Edinburgh, 1823.

A

GARDENER'S tour in search of not the picturesque, but-other objects of taste; the esculent and the aromatic, flowers and fruit! Surely, here we have completely realised, the omni tulit punctum. We have had botanical travels, agricultural travels, geological travels, classical travels, and why not a horticultural tour? The foreigner who should come to visit England, and return without seeing Kew Gardens and Covent Garden market, would have missed two of the fairest sights the neighbourhood of the metropolis affords. Her gardens are the pride of England, as her gardeners are the boast of Scotland; and when the two meet together, a good English garden and an intelligent Scotch gardener, neither the land of tulips, nor the vine-covered hills of France, can match with Britain in these productions of Art.

We have been not a little entertained in accompanying our worthy Horticulturist on his continental tour. He takes us out of the dusty high road, spreads flowers in our path, and makes us feel at home with Nature, the universal mother, where every thing else is foreign. Instead of dry catalogues of Guido's, and Correggio's, and Canova's, he leads us through gallery after gallery of beauties that mock the rivalry of Titian's colouring, and not seldom makes our mouth water at the description.

To those readers who have a garden of their own, in which they can pursue what Cowley styles the pleasantest work of human industry,' and who have

In books and gardens placed aright
Their noble, innocent delight,'

this volume will be highly acceptable. For the benefit of others, we shall endeavour to glean from the Author's pages a few matters of more general, if not higher interest.

The Deputation landed at Ostend, and proceeded to Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp. The latter city was once distinguished for its gardens, but all its botanists and florists have passed away. All the large trees round the city were felled by order of Carnot, in 1814, but great numbers of young ones have since been planted; and Mr. Neill remarks, that the inhabitants of this part of the Continent undoubtedly excel us in 'attention to arboraceous decoration.' In the Low Countries, we are told, different kinds of forest trees, particularly elm and

ash, are trained in a particular way in the nurseries, with the view of being planted on the sides of streets or by the highways. We cannot forbear expressing the wish that this formed part of our improved system of road-making. But Mr. M'Adam is no friend to trees by the road-side, his principles leading him to decline the shade. The same kind of taste' that leads the worthy Antwerpers to rear trees on the margin of their quays, induces them also to train vines and ornamental shrubs along the front of their houses in the streets. One ancient vine, described by Mr. Neill, extended its two main horizontal branches about thirty feet in each direction, while some of the vertical branches reached to the eaves of the roof, a height of from 30 to 40 feet. The only newspaper which Antwerp affords, is the Journal constitutionel, commerciel, et litteraire de la Province d'Anvers.'

It comes forth daily, bút consists only of a small folio sheet, which does not contain as much matter as one page of our common English newspapers. Each publication seldom displays more than a dozen of advertisements. The articles of news are always written in French; the advertisements frequently in Flemish. This Antwerp Journal, in what may be called its leading article, constantly evinces the greatest antipathy to Britain. In this way, it contrives to give vent to the regret felt for the overthrow of Bonaparte; an event which, notwithstanding his arbitrary measures, seems to be very generally deplored by the Brabantines.' p. 113.

The theatre was open, and the play-bills announced a new piece under the title of La Femme à vendre, ou le Marché Ecossais,' the author supposing Smithfield to be in Scotland! Judging from external appearances, Mr. Neill says, superstition is more prevalent here than even at Ghent.

The corner of almost every street presents a Madonna and Child, the former generally with a dress of glaring colours, and with a gilded glory round the head. These figures are not erected at the public expense, but result from the piety or the repentance of individuals, who appropriate sums of money for these purposes. It is somewhat strange, that they were all swept from the streets by Bonaparte, and have been restored since the accession of the present Protestant King of the Netherlands. Within an inclosure not far from the church of St. Calvary, there is a very extraordinary groupe of figures as large as life: the subject is the crucifixion, and the cross rises more than twenty feet high. The design and the workmanship appear to be good; but the effect on our mind was too painful to permit us to examine the thing as a work of art. One of us entering the cathedral this afternoon, witnessed the vesper service, and the celebration of mass at one of the side altars. Here, for the first time, were to be seen a few well-dressed females; for so much do the reVOL. XXII. N.S.