of events and of human character. He has none of that studied reserve, which is sometimes the fault of English journalists, nor of that volubility, of which the French are accused. We are inclined to think that the Germans, when pervaded by the spirit of the gospel, will furnish excellent missionaries. They give their whole heart to the work. They pour out their feelings without reserve. The cold maxims of worldly prudence are entirely disregarded. The seminary at Bâle has sent forth several fine spirits into the great harvest.

It was remarked by a recent eloquent writer, that the conversion of the Chinese constitutes the great problem of Christianity. Late events indicate that this problem may soon be solved. The spirit of exclusionism does not extend to the great mass of the people. The advantages of foreign commerce are readily seen by them, and would be eagerly embraced, were not the fear of the mandarins before their eyes. Mr. Gutzlaff found that the inhabitants of the northern provinces are much more friendly to strangers than those of Canton, and other southern districts. China is not by any means so powerful as has been frequently supposed. Rebellions are not of rare occurrence, which put at defiance the

utmost power of the emperor. The lapse of a few years will, in our opinion, reveal great changes in the administration of this singular government, which now extends its comparatively feeble sway over one third of the human race. A more enlightened and liberal emperor will ascend the throne, or China will be broken into a great number of independent sovereignties, or the grasping ambition of Russia will pass over the wall,' or British India will find the Birman mountains but a feeble barrier to her eastern progress.

In the mean time, success to the efforts of the largehearted Christian philanthropists, who, at Macao, and Canton, and Malacca, are unlocking the treasures of European learning and of the divine word to the followers of Confucius. They deserve the gratitude of the whole world. Morrison and Milne have done a work, which shall last longer than the pyramids of Egypt. Success to their younger brethren, who are now sending over their appeals to American philanthropy. May a full response from these shores, of means and of personal service, greet their hearts.

ARTICLE XI.

CRITICAL NOTICES.

1.-Poems and Prose Writings. By Richard H. Dana. Boston Russell, Odiorne & Co. 1833. pp. 450.

As we propose, in our next number, to give an extended notice of this production, we now make only the single remark, that, in our opinion, no volume of poetry has ever been issued from the American press, so deserving to be read and studied as this. We say volume of poetry, for much of the prose is poetry of the highest order. We quote one of the shortest pieces.

THE HUSBAND'S AND WIFE'S GRAVE.

"Husband and wife! No converse now ye hold,
As once ye did in your young day of love,
On its alarms, its anxious hours, delays,
Its silent meditations, its glad hopes,
Its fears, impatience, quiet sympathies;
Nor do ye speak of joy assured, and bliss

Full, certain, and possessed. Domestic cares
Call you not now together. Earnest talk

On what your children may be, moves you not.

Ye lie in silence, and an awful silence;

"T is not like that in which ye rested once

Most happy-silence eloquent, when heart

With heart held speech, and your mysterious frames,
Harmonious, sensitive, at every beat

Touched the soft notes of love.

A stillness deep,

Insensible, unheeding, folds you round;

And darkness, as a stone, has sealed you in.
Away from all the living, here ye rest:
In all the nearness of the narrow tomb,
Yet feel ye not each other's presence now.
Dread fellowship!-together, yet alone.

Is this thy prison-house, thy grave, then, Love?
And doth death cancel the great bond that holds

Commingling spirits? Are thoughts that know no bounds,
But self-inspired, rise upward, searching out
The eternal Mind-the Father of all thought-
Are they become mere tenants of a tomb?-
Dwellers in darkness, who the illuminate realms
Of uncreated light have visited and lived?—
Lived in the dreadful splendor of that throne,
Which One, with gentle hand the veil of flesh
Lifting, that hungtwixt man and it, revealed
In glory?-throne, before which even now

Our souls, moved by prophetic power, bow down
Rejoicing, yet at their own natures awed?-
Souls that Thee know by a mysterious sense,
Thou awful, unseen Presence-are they quenched,
Or burn they on, hid from our mortal eyes
By that bright day which ends not; as the sun
His robe of light flings round the glittering stars?

And do our loves all perish with our frames?
Do those that took their root and put forth buds,
And their soft leaves unfolded in the warmth
Of mutual hearts, grow up and live in beauty,
Then fade and fall, like fair, unconscious flowers?

Are thoughts and passions that to the tongue give speech,
And make it send forth winning harmonies,-
That to the cheek do give its living glow,

And vision in the eye the soul intense
With that for which there is no utterance-
Are these the body's accidents ?-no more?-
To live in it, and when that dies, go out
Like the burnt taper's flame?

O, listen, man!

A voice within us speaks the startling word,
'Man, thou shalt never die!' Celestial voices
Hymn it around our souls: according harps,
By angel fingers touched when the mild stars
Of morning sang together, sound forth still
The song of our great immortality:

Thick clustering orbs, and this our fair domain,
The tall, dark mountains, and the deep-toned seas,
Join in this solemn, universal song.

-O, listen, ye, our spirits; drink it in

From all the air! "Tis in the gentle moonlight;

"Tis floating in day's setting glories; Night,

Wrapt in her sable robe, with silent step

Comes to our bed and breathes it in our ears:

Night, and the dawn, bright day, and thoughtful eve,
All time, all bounds, the limitless expanse,

As one vast mystic instrument, are touched

By an unseen, living Hand, and conscious chords

Quiver with joy, in this great jubilee:

-The dying hear it; and as sounds of earth

Grow dull and distant, wake their passing souls
To mingle in this heavenly harmony.

Why is it that I linger round this tomb?

What holds it? Dust that cumbered those I mourn.
They shook it off, and laid aside earth's robes,
And put on those of light. They're gone to dwell
In love-their God's and angels'. Mutual love
That bound them here, no longer needs a speech
For full communion; nor sensations strong,
Within the breast, their prison, strive in vain
To be set free, and meet their kind in joy.
Changed to celestials, thoughts that rise in each,
By natures new, impart themselves though silent.
Each quickening sense, each throb of holy love,
Affections sanctified, and the full glow
Of being, which expand and gladden one,

By union all mysterious, thrill and live

In both immortal frames:-Sensation all,

And thought, pervading, mingling sense and thought!
Ye paired, yet one! wrapt in a consciousness
Twofold, yet single-this is love, this life!

Why call we then the square-built monument,
The upright column, and the low-laid slab,
Tokens of death, memorials of decay?
Stand in this solemn, still assembly, man,
And learn thy proper nature; for thou seest,
In these shaped stones and lettered tables, figures
Of life: More are they to thy soul than those
Which he who talked on Sinai's mount with God,
Brought to the old Judeans-types are these
Of thine eternity.

I thank Thee, Father,
That at this simple grave, on which the dawn
Is breaking, emblem of that day which hath
No close, Thou kindly unto my dark mind
Hast sent a sacred light, and that away
From this green hillock, whither I had come
In sorrow, Thou art leading me in joy."

2.-Texas. Observations, historical, geographical, and descriptive, in a series of letters, with an appendix, containing answers to certain questions, issued some time since by the London Geographical Society. By Mrs. Mary Austin Holley. Baltimore: Armstrong & Plaskitt. 1833. pp. 167.

TEXAS now forms a part of the State of Coahuila and Texas, being provisionally annexed to Coahuila, until its population and resources are sufficient to form a separate State, when its connection with Coahuila will be dissolved. Its latitude is from 28° to 34° north. It is bounded by Red river, which separates it from Arkansas on the north, by Louisiana on the east, by the gulf of Mexico on the south, and by the river Nueces, which separates it from other Mexican territories, on the west. It is divided into three distinct tracts, the level, the undulating, and the hilly. The whole coast is rather low and very level, but entirely free from marsh. That part of the level region, which lies between the Sabine and Jacinto rivers, extends back about seventy miles, and is heavily timbered. North and north-west of this section of the level region, the country is undulating to Red river. Some other portions are broken into hills, which finally terminate in a mountain range, about two hundred miles from the sea. The natural productions are in general the same as those of Louisiana and Florida. The indigenous indigo of Texas is considered superior to the plant which is cultivated in the United States. Bees-wax and honey are produced in great abundance. Cool and refreshing water may be drawn from

wells of moderate depth in every part of the country. The navigation of several of the more important rivers is unfortunately impeded at their mouths by bars of sand. The Red river, however, has depth sufficient for vessels of four hundred tons. The other principal rivers are the Trinity, the Brazos, six hundred miles in length, and the Colorado, four hundred and fifty miles.

The main settlement of Mexicans, and the capital of Texas, is Bexar, containing 2,500 inhabitants. At two or three other places, there are small settlements. Those Mexicans who are dispersed among the Anglo-American settlers, are employed as herdmen. The principal tribes of Aborigines, are the Comanches and the Carancahuas. The Comanches are a wandering race, and depend altogether upon the chase for subsistence. The Carancahuas inhabited formerly the whole sea-coast. These Indians have been nearly cut off by the Anglo-Americans and Mexicans, in revenge of some robberies and murders committed by them. The white men seem, however, to have been, as usual, the aggressors. There are remnants of other Indian tribes, but not sufficiently numerous to deserve particular notice.

There are now two settlements of Irishmen, and several of Anglo-Americans. The principal colony of the latter is the one planned by Moses Austin of Missouri, a native of Durham, Ct. and established by his son, Col. Stephen F. Austin. Col. Austin arrived on the River Brazos, with the first emigrants, in December, 1821. After suffering a variety of hardships, incident to a life in the wilderness, and among Indian neighbors, the settlements seem at length to have been established on a firm basis. The entire colony now numbers about 6,000, and the influx of emigrants is greater than ever. The people are represented to be industrious and moral. Great precaution has been used to exclude the idle and vicious. Fugitives have been forcibly expelled. The colony has received uninterrupted manifestations of respect and confidence from every superior officer who has governed the province of Texas, or the State of Texas and Coahuila. Col. Austin appears to be a man of intelligence and energy. He is about forty years of age, and is a member of the legisla ture of the State.

Mrs. Holley, widow of the late president Holley of Lexington, and a kinswoman of Col. Austin, made a visit to the colony in the autumn of 1831, with a view to the ultimate settlement of herself and her family. The result of her expedition was a decided purpose of removal, as soon as domestic arrangements would permit. In giving her letters to the public, Mrs. Holley had a special view to "emigrant mothers, on whom the comfort of every family, and the general well-being of the infant colony so much depend." We are pleased with the general tone and tenor of these letters. Mrs. Holley wields a very spirited pen. We are not certain but that she has thrown too warm a coloring over her