nnal, by Mrs. Sherwood;-Lectures on the Church Catechism, by Mrs. Sherwood;-Voyage to Locuta, with Etchings, by the Anthor of "Maxims of Neatness and Good Order."-Consider ations on the Impolicy and pernicious Effects of the present Administration of the Poor Laws; with Suggestions for Improving the Condition of the Poor; by Charles Jerram, A. M.;-and Sermons in 2 vols. by the Rev. W. Hett.

Northern Voyage of Discovery.-The vessels for exploring the northern regions have begun to be equipped. Two are to endeavour to penetrate through Davis's Straits,and two to reach the North Pole, if possible; by which means it is expected to ascertain whether Greenland is an island, or part of the continents of Asia or America. The vessels are to be stored with every requisite in provisions, nautical instruments, &c. and will also be provided with every appendage used by the Greenland ships:

some experienced men in that service are to go in the vessels.

The altitude of remarkable hills in the counties of Middlesex, Kent, Essex, and Surry, (from observations made in the course of the trigonometrical survey, under the direction of the Board of Ordnance,) is given as follows:Middlesex (above the level of the sea): Hanger-hill-tower, 251 feet; King's Arbour, 132.-Kent: Allington-knoll, 329; Dover-castle, 469; Goodhurst, 497; Greenwich Observatory, 214; Shooter's-hill, 446; Tenterden-steeple, 322.-Esses: Highbeech,790; Langdonhill, 620.-Surry: St. Anne's-hill, 240; Bagshot Heath, 463; Leith-hill, 993; Norwood, 389.

According to a recent enumeration of ten years, from 1800 to 1810, the increased number of houses (in and near the metropolis) is 245,005; of which, the augmentation in the suburbs, on the Middlesex side, is 15,131; and on the Surry side, 5,638.

THEOLOGY.

The Unitarian Refuted, or the Divinity of Christ and the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity plainly proved from copions Texts of Scripture, accompanied with Notes, selected from the New Family Bible; by the Rev. G. A. Baker, M.A. Svo. 5s.

The Divine Anthority of Holy Scripture asserted, from its Adaptation to the real State of Human Nature: in eight Sermons, preached before the University of Oxford; by J. Miller, M.A. Fellow of Worcester College.

A Series of Sermons on various Subjects of Doctrine and Practice; by the Rev. G. Matthew, A.M. 2 vols. 8vo.

1. 1s.

Memoirs of the Legal, Literary, and Political Life of the late Right Hon. J. P. Curran, once Master of the Rolls in Ireland; by Wm. O'Regan, Esq. Barrister. 8vo. 10s. 6d.

Biographical Conversations on the most Eminent and Instructive British Characters, for the Use of Young Persons; by the Rev. W. Bingley, M.A. F.L.S.

A Biographical Memoir of the Princess Charlotte's Public and Private Life; with an engraved Likeness, a View of Claremont, and a Fac-simile of an original Letter. 8vo. 12s.

Memoirs relating to European and Asiatic Turkey: edited from Manuscript Journals, by Robert Walpole, A. M. 37. 3s.

Self-Cultivation, or Hints to a Youth leaving School; by Isaac Taylor, of Ongar. 8vo. 5s. 6d.

An Introduction to the Study of Geology: with occasional Remarks on the Truth of the Mosaic Account of the Creation and the Deluge; by J. Satcliffe, M.A. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Considerations on the principal Events

of the French Revolution, from the Period of the Administration of M. Necker to the Fall of Bonaparte; by the Baroness de Stael. 3 vols. 8vo. Intellectual Patrimony, or a Father's Instructions; by J. Gilchrist.

VALUABLE ETHIOPIC MANU

SCRIPT.

To open an intercourse with the ancient Church of Abyssinia, in order to revive its primitive intelligence and zeal, was one of the important objects which the Church Missionary Society had in view in establishing its representatives in the Mediterranean. On Mr. Con nor's joining Mr. Jowett, a journey will be undertaken, as soon as practicable, to Egypt; one purpose of which will be, to open, with the aid of the British consulat Caïro, Mr. Salt, and through the patriarch of Alexandria, a communication with Abyssinia.

We extract a passage from the instractions delivered to Mr. Connor, at a special meeting on the 28th of Octo. ber, which will introduce to our readers the description of a valuable Ethiopic manuscript, lately come into the Society's possession.

Speaking of the Abyssinian Church, it is said

"That most ancient Christian Church lays a strong claim to our especial regard. Surrounded, and continually encroached on, by Mohammedan zeal, it seems to stretch out its imploring arms for our aid. It possesses the holy Scriptures in an ancient and pure version; but the copies of these Scriptures, in the gradual decay of the church, have become rare, scattered, and mutilated. No object can present itself to the Christian world, of greater interest, or of more probable influence on that whole church and nation, than the communi'cation to them, in rich abundance, of copies of that Divine word which they still reverence and love, but of which there is now among them a grievous deficiency. The good providence of God has lately brought into the Society's possession a MS. of peculiar value. It contains a perfect copy of the first eight books of the Old Testament, in Ethiopic. The Committee have offered to the British and Foreign Bible Society the use of this invaluable MS, in order to print

Mr. Lee, the Orientalist, has given the following statement respecting Ethiopie MSS. in general, and particularly that which is come into the Society's possession.

"It is remarkable," he says, "that notwithstanding the great repute of the Ethiopic Version among the learned in Europe, for more than two hundred years, the far greater part of the Bible bable, indeed, that Ludolf, the great has never appeared in print. It is proEthiopic scholar and grammarian, would have printed many portions, and perhaps the whole of the Old Testament, had sufficient encouragement been afforded him: but, in those times, neither the love of letters, nor the superior desire of giving the waters of life freely, had obtained an ascendency over the minds of men, sufficient to bring to light so valuable a portion of the sacred Scriptures. Still we are much indebted to Ludolf andhis excellent contemporaries, both for the portions of Scripture which they did print, and for the elementary books which they left behind them. Much, however, remains to be done, in this very interesting department of literature; which has now, for more than a hundred years, scarcely been so much as named, much less inquired into.

"The first portions of the Ethiopie Scriptures that appeared in print, were the Psalms, and the Song of Solomon; edited, at Rome, by John Potken, A. D. 1513. In 1548, the New Testament was also printed at Rome, by some Abyssinian priests, and was afterwards reprinted in the London Polyglott; but, as the manuscripts used in the Roman edition were old and mutilated, the editors restored such chasms as appear

ed in the text, by translation from the Latin Vulgate. These editions, therefore, are not of much value, as they do not present faithful copies of the ancient Ethiopic text. About the middle of the seventeenth century appeared in print, the Book of Ruth; the prophecies of Joel, Jonah, Zephaniah, and Malachi; the song of Moses; that of Hannah (1 Sam. ii.); the prayers of Hezekiah, Manasseh, Jonah, Azariah, and the Three Children; Isaiah; Habakkuk ; the hymns of the Virgin Mary, Zachariah, and Simeon; and the first four chapters of Genesis. In 1815, the British and Foreign Bible Society published a reprint of Ludolf's Psalter. This is the whole of the Ethiopic Scriptures hitherto printed. It does not seem necessary here to enumerate all the reprints of the above portions of the Ethiopic Bible.

"By the help of the invaluable MS. which has come into the Society's possession, we hope, through the blessing of God on our endeavours, to add something to the very scanty stock above enumerated; and, what is far better, to multiply copies of the word of God, for the benefit of the churches in Abys sinia. This MS. contains the first eight books of the Old Testament, written on vellum, in a bold and masterly hand, in two columns on each page. The length of the page is that of a large quarto: the width is not quite so great. The volume contains 285 folios, of which the text covers 282, very accurately written, and in high preservation. On the first page is written, in Ethiopie, the invocation usually found in the books of the eastern Christians: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' Then follows an account of the contents of the book, written in Latin by some former possessor, and a date, A. D. 1696. 20 September. On the reverse of the first folio is found a table, not unlike the tables of genealogy in some of our old English Bibles, which seems to be intended to shew the hours appointed for certain prayers. Then follows the Book of Genesis, as translated from the Greek of the Septuagint. On the reverse of the third folio is the following inscription, in Arabic: The poor Ribea, the son of Elias, wrote it: O wine! to which nothing can be as similated, either in reality or appearance; of which our Lord said, having the cup in his hand, and giving thanks, "This is my blood for the salvation of meu." Folios 7 and 8 have been supplied, in paper, by a more modern hand. On the reverse of fol. 8 is a very humble attempt at drawing, in the figure of a person apparently in prayer, accompanied by an inscription, in Ethiopic, at the side of the figure: In the prayers

of Moses and Aaron, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, am I, thy servant, O Lord, presented in the power of the Trinity, a weak, infirm, and defiled sinner. Let them implore Christ. Under the drawing, in Ethiopic: In the same manner, every slayer that shall slay Cain, will I repay in this; and, as he slew, so shall he be slain. On the reverse of fol. 98, at the end of the Book of Exodus, are two figures, somewhat similar, but rather better drawn, and seemingly by the writer of the MS.; and, in another place or two, there are marginal ornaments. At the end of Deuteronomy is this inscription, in Ethiopic: The repetition of the law, which God spake to Moses. Numbered 5070 (words). Intercede for your slave Isaac.' At the end of the volume: Pray for those who laboured in this book; and for your slave Isaac, who gave this to Jerusalem, the holy.' Then follows an inscription, in Arabic: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, one God. O Lord, save thy people from every evil! O our God, Jesus Christ, the Speaker to men! O holy people, remember your slave Isaac, the poor: God shall remember you in the mercies of this book. Pray, if God be willing, that I may be permitted to see your face. And pray for me, the sinner. Pardon my sins, O Lord! and let my body be buried in Mount Sion.' Then follow other inscriptions in Ethiopic; from which it appears, that the book was written at Axuma, the ancient capital of Ethiopia; and that it was sent by Isaac to the Abyssinians residing in Jerusalem. No date appears in the MS. itself. It is, probably, about 300 years old. On the reverse of fol. 285, is a drawing, intended to represent Andrew the Apostle, with the book of the Gospels in one hand, and the keys in the other. Some less ingenious draftsman, however, has, by means of the transparency of the vellum, traced out this figure on the first page of this folio, and given the name of Peter to his humble representation. He has thus succeeded in assigning to St. Peter the first place, and also in bestowing on him the keys. Against this picture of Peter is placed his age, 120 years."

We trust that, at no distant period,

As this inscription, which occurs on the supplied leaves, savours of the errors of the Romish Church, it was probably written by some Abyssinian Catholic. The inscriptions of Isaac, the writer of the MS., though mutilated, and sometimes obscure, seem free from these errors. The figure of St. Peter, mentioned below. was probably traced by the same hand.