94 I Although he is now, and always has been, unable either to hear or to speak; yet he is perfectly qualified for his place, and performs its duties in a becoming and satisfactory manner. know by his writing that he understands English composition, as well as if he had the sense of hearing, and had spoken the tongue all his days. the alphabet, with signs made by the fingers the deaf and dumb. "In this latter plan, pupils are not "From a neighbouring city a missionary was sent, a few years ago, to seek in the kingdoms of Europe the true art of teaching the deaf and dumb. The Rev. Mr. Gallaudet returned to his friends a qualified instructer, upon the French system. He brought with him, as an assistant, a most interesting man, Mr. Clerc. This person never heard a sound or uttered a word; being deaf and dumb from his birth. Yet he is so quick and intelligent, that he has become acquainted with both the French and English tongues, which he writes A letter with grammatical accuracy. which I received from him a few weeks ago, is a correct piece of English composition. In him we have an example of the ability of a person, himself deaf and dumb, to give the necessary instruction to others labouring under similar disabilities. "Such are the two plans of instruction for the deaf and dumb. It is for you, fellow-citizens, to decide whether either of them is worthy of adoption in this city." "Number of Deaf and Dumb. "Sixty-three are ascertained to be residing in the city of New-York, and eight in the vicinity. "It is believed the number, when discovered, will amount to one hundred, in the city of New-York alone. "Those in the city, as far as their ages are known, are as follow: 1 4 years of age, of 6 4 7 6 8 2 9 4 10 2 11 12 Among the foreigners lately arrived from Rome, says a French paper, is Mr. Watson, a Scotch gentleman, who is on his way to "Nor is this the only instance. In the London. Mr. Watson is the proprietor of city of Bourdeaux, Mr. Gard is a teacher in the archives of the Stuart family, which he the Royal Academy there, for instructing discovered, and bought of M. Tassoni, the COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND At the annual commencement of the Pope's auditor, and executor to the will of together with anecdotes and characters of the late Cardinal York. These papers are his most distinguished cotemporaries, many actually on their way to England, the Bri- of them collected from his own lips. tish government having sent two men of war to Civita Vecchia to transport them thither. They are numerous, authentic, and very valuable-being estimated at half a million. They illustrate every thing obscure in the history of the last Stuarts, and throw new lights on the literature, the history, and the politics of the most interesting period of modern times. In the literary part is a correspondence between King James and Fenelon, Swift, the Bishop of Rochester, Lord Bolingbroke, Marshal Keith, and other equally celebrated personages. In the political part there are above 6000 autographs of the Stuart family; as well as a great number of letters from Charles XII. Peter the Great, Louis XIV. and almost all the sovereigns of Europe. ENGLISH ARTISTS. Modern patronage has created in England not less than NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE professional artists, of various descriptions, resident in and near the metropolis; of whom there are 532 Painters. 45 Sculptors. 93 Engravers in Line. 19 in Mezzotinto. 33 in Aquatinta. 22 on Wood. And what deserves to be specially noticed, among the painters there are no less than FORTY-THREE ladies! CURRAN. College of Physicians and Surgeons of New- The College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Western District of the State of NewYork, at Fairfield, at the same time conferred the same degree upon eight gradu ates. PRUSSIC ACID. In a curious paper on the use of the Prussic acid, in various diseases, Dr. Magendie has given the following general results: 1. That pure Prussic acid is a substance eminently deleterious, and altogether unfit to be used as a medicine. 2. That the Prussic acid, diluted with water, is beneficial in cases of chronic and nervous coughs. 3. That the Prussic acid may be useful in the palliative treatment of phthisis, by diminishing the intensity and frequency of the coughs, and in procuring sleep. New method of detecting arsenious acid or corrosive sublimate, when in solution. Take a little recent wheat starch; add to it a sufficient quantity of iodine to give it a blue colour. Mix a little of this blue matter with water, so as to have a blue coloured liquid. If into this liquid a few drops of an aqueous solution of arsenious acid be put, the blue colour is immediately changed to reddish brown, and is gradually Mr. C. Phillips, the eloquent barrister, has in the press a life of his friend, the Right Hon. John Philpot Curran. This work will comprise an account of the legal, dissipated entirely. The solution of corpolitical, and private life of Mr. Curran ;rosive sublimate produces nearly the same 96 effect; but if some drops of sulphuric acid and Greek Theology is very choice, and be added, the blue colour is again restored, comprises many articles not to be found in if it has been destroyed by arsenious acid; the best European Catalogues. A Sapbut if it has been destroyed by corrosive plementary Catalogue of about 1500 differclimate it is not restored either by sul-ent works is now preparing. phuric acid or any other acid. [Bugnatelli, Ann. de Chim, et Phys. IV. 334.] LITERARY NOTICE. NEW WORKS. A Catalogue of Books, for 1818, including many rare and valuable articles in ancient and modern literature, now on sale for cash, at the Literary Rooms of James Eastburn & Co. in Broadway, corner of Pine-Street, New-York. Price 75 cents. This catalogue contains one of the finest collections ever presented for sale in the United States. The Classical, and Latin An Appeal to Men of Wisdom and Candour, or Four Discourses, preached before the University of Cambridge, by the Rev. Charles Simeon, M.A. The Minister's Instructions to his People on the Subject of Confirmation. By the Rev. J. P. K. Henshaw, M.A. The Religious World Displayed; or a View of the four Grand Systems of Religion, Judaism, Paganism, Christianity, and Mohammedism. By the Rev. Robert Adam, B.A. Oxford. 3 vols. 8vo. boards, $7 50. Childe Harold's Pilgrimage to the Red Sea, and other Poems. Dialogues on Chymistry. By the Rev. J. Joyce, 2 vols. 18mo. bound, $2. To Correspondents. W. & X. are informed that we have re- we know not how to designate them, we ceived their poetical communications. can make only this general acknowledgment. The friendly letter of W. which was left Some of the letters which we have refor us with our Publishers, has received our careful attention, and we return to him our ceived, induce us to state that we have no sincere thanks. On the subject of his let-desire to display our powers of repartee, in ter we should be glad to hear from him a public disputation with anonymous coragain, if he should perceive continued rea- respondents. At the same time, we shall son for his conjectures and apprehensions, thankfully avail ourselves of all the informHe will permit us to add, that the writer of ation that may be transmitted to us.' such a letter could certainly contribute valuable articles for our pages. Zara, Y, and our other friends, who afford us their constant assistance, will ac A number of communications, without cept our sincere gratitude for their fæ signatures, have been received, but as vours. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE Churches in this country should establish an independent judicatory, or remain still subordinate to the Church of Holland? The THE subject of this brief me- former adopted the affirmative, moir was born at Prekenis, near and the latter the negative, of this the confluence of the two branches question. In consequence of this, which form the Passaik, in the the former proceeded to organize county of Bergen, state of New- themselves into a distinct EccleJersey. siastical community, and exer His father, the Rev. Dr. Her-cised all the powers of Church mannus Meier, was a native of government, without consulting the city of Bremen, in Germany, the mother Church. The latter and received his education in the still retained their connexion with University of Groningen, in Hol- the mother Church, and refused land. He emigrated to this coun- to recognize the authority of the try in consequence of his accept- former, as also the validity of ance of a call from the Reformed their ordinations. It must not, Dutch Church in Kingston, (Eso- however, be concealed, that in pus) Ulster county, state of New connexion with this original cause York. As he met with unde- of division, another of a more served opposition in the discharge serious and important nature soon of his duty in that place, and ulti- appeared, which added greatly to mately occupied a distinguished the bitterness of feeling and viostation in the Reformed Dutch lence of opposition on the side of Church in this country, we trust the Conferentie party, which was, our readers will be gratified with that as a body, the Cœtus mainsome particular, though short, tained the absolute necessity of account of him. It is necessary Christian experience as essential to state, that previous to his ar- to the Christian character and the rival, this Church was divided hope of salvation. They took into two great parties, called for their rule the apostle's deCatus and Conferentie, who mani-claration, " If any man be in fested towards each other a most Christ Jesus he is a new creaunchristian animosity of feeling. ture; old things are done away, The original cause of this schism and all things are become new. was the question, Whether the Which declaration they utterly VOL. II....No. 3. 7 refused to explain, as meaning | plied the doctrines of the Gospel merely an external change from so powerfully to the heart, that the profession of Judaism, or while they professed to revere Heathenism, to that of Christian- the man, they openly declared ity, or to fritter away, so as to che-that it was impossible for them to rish hope in the formal professor sit patiently under his ministry. of Christianity, that he might be Unable, however, to find any regenerated in his last moments. plausible matter of accusation though in the mean time he had against him, his enemies waited not the Spirit of Christ. They until an occasion was offered, by insisted upon present regenera- a matrimonial connexion, which tion, or a total change of heart Dr. Meier formed with a leading and life, as constituting the only family belonging to the Cœtus foundation of hope in relation to party, and an intimate friendship the life to come. To this exhi- which soon succeeded with other bition of the nature of true reli- families and distinguished characgion the Conferentie as a body were ters of the same party. These hostile. Not a few of the minis-circumstances were seized upon ters of that party, it is to be feared, as a sufficient ground of open opwere not merely strangers to the position, and neighbouring minispower of godliness themselves, ters were invited to attend, and but condemned it as fanaticism in decide in the dispute, which had others, and gave just cause of re- now become public and interestproach to adversaries, by their ing. Upon this invitation the unholy conversation and conduct Rev. Messrs. Rysdyck, of PoughThe controversy between these keepsie and Fishkill, Freyenmoet, parties, which commenced in of Livingston's Manor, and Koch, 1754, was at its height in 1762, of Rhynbeck and West Camp, when Dr. Meier arrived at Kings-all of the Conferentie party, atton, where he was received tended at Kingston; and, after a "with that respect and affection summary hearing of the accusawhich were due to his character tion, without any competent auand the relation which he sus thority, proceeded to suspend Dr. tained to the Church." For Meier from his ministry in that such a state of things as actually place, and discharge the Congreexisted, he was but little quali-gation from their relation to him. fied, for he was naturally "mild An act so rash, irregular, and illeand humble in his temper, polite gal, would, at any other time, have and unaffected in his manners," been resented, and treated with as well as a man of great erudi- the contempt which it deserved; tion and eminent piety. He took but under the influence of party his stand immediately on the side spirit it met with support, and its of truth, in the most decided and consequences were very serious fearless manner. The issue was and afflicting. Dr. Meier was actusuch as might be expected in such ally shut out from his ministry at a case. His preaching was "too Kingston from that day; and a peoevangelical, practical, and point-ple, who might have long profited ed, to suit the taste of many of his by his ministrations, were totally principal hearers. He searched deprived of them, to the great grief the conscience so closely, and ap- of the more serious part of the |