The Principality

toitaa. THE CAMBRIAN VISITOR. A Monthly Miscellany for the Principality of Wales and the adjoining counties. 1813. Swansea: David Jenkin. THE publication of this miscellany was a well meant attempt, thirty-three years ago, to serve the cause of Wales and its literature. Mr. David Jenkin, its publisher and editor, lived for many years in Swansea, as a bookseller and scrivener. He was a good Welsh and English scholar, and collected a large and valuable library. With the history of books and of authors, and especially of British authors, he was inti- mately acquainted. We believe his business habits were careless, and of himself, we are sorry to say, he was unmind- ful at the same time he was most scrupulously careful of the education of his children, and paid the most reverent respect to the com fort of his wife, who was a truly religious woman. We rather think Mrs. Jenkin still lives, and at Liverpool; at all events she is, we feel assured, safe, whe- ther here or in the world to come. We are equally gra- tified in being able to say that his sons are useful and respectable members of society. His eldest son, David Jenkin, we think, lives at Liverpool: the second is Albert Jenkin, Esq., barrister-at-law; the third, Mr. John Tre- velyan Jenkin, is a solicitor at Swansea; the fourth, the Rev. George Jenkin, is curate of Motham, in Lancashire. Mr. David Jenkin had a good degree of quiet, unpretend- ing wit. The following appears in his Notice to Correspon- dents, for the month of April, 1813:— The humble petition of David Jenkin, printer, bookseller, sta- tioner in general. Shoiveth,-That whereas certain correspondents with the Cam- brian Visitor have been pleased, in the superscription of their letters, to dub him, the aforesaid David Jenkin, an Esquire; he the aforesaid, now your petititioner, hath found that the dignity of his esquireship is manifestly demeaned by many of his usual qualifi- cations, such as serving up parcels, serving quires of paper, &c.; and your petitioner further showeth, that if he should persist in keeping up his aforesaid title ty neglecting his aforesaid occupa- tions, he humbly presumes to think that he shall degrade his dig- nity as an honest man and a provider for his family. Your peti- tioner doth therefore humbly pray that he may not be considered an ESQUI[IK in any part of his Majesty's realms, after this present first of April. And your petitioner, as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c." The principal contributor to this work, as we opine, was ELIJAH WAKING, Esq., who then lived at Swansea, who afterwards married Miss Price, of Neath Abbey, and lived for many years at Bank-y-felin, near the bridge, at Neath, but now in Bristol. Mr. Waring is a native of Hampshire, and descends from the de Warren, whose name appears amongst the knights who exacted Magna Charta from the tyrannical Saxon monarch at Runnymede. He is one of the most intelligent and liberal minded gentlemen that one can meet with in the course of a life. Wherever he goes and stays for a length of time, lie is quite sure, by-some almost instinc- y,s tive, or intuitive rather, quality of mind, to attract to himself the acquaintance of whatever is lettered round about him. While in Glamorganshire, he became acquainted with all the literati of the county. lolo Morganwg was very fond of him, and he (almost) idolized (mab ei jitiz) the sturdy old bard. Many a night did lolo sleep in the arm chair at Mr. Waring's, after unyielding arguments on this point and that, against allgainsayers, whatever the subject might be. Mr. Waring has now, or had, a peithynen, con- structed by the good old lolo, and presented to him as a mark of respect and gratitude. On Iolo's death, Mr. Waring wrote a series of letters on his history and character to The Cam- brian," and we wish much that the excellent writer would publish them in a separate form. We believe he has now a good deal of leisure, and we earnestly request him to take this subject into his serious consideration. It would much serve the Welsh nation, which, Saxon or Norman though he be, lie much loves, and has reasons far his love; and, let the Reviewer add, that every Welshman who knows him, holds him in high esteem, and that for very substantial reasons. Tire Cambrian Miscellauy was conducted under the guid- ance of a right and true notion and purpose. It was specially designed to create among the English in Wales, and in the minds of Welsh-Englishmen, an interest in the history of the country and "it most zealously advocated the distribu- tion of the Bible among the people in their own tongue. We are sure we shall father gratify than trouble our readers with the following article, which we quote in extenso. It has a double interest, as indicating the kindly feelings of the conductors of the periodical, and as including the opinion of Dr. Johnson on a subject which so many persons take for granted is quite settled in the other direction:— "The readers of the Cambrian Visitor, as friends of the British aid Foreign Bible Society, will be likely to value the following letter from the eminent Dr. SAMUFL JOHNSON, which, with the introductory remarks, was published last year in the York Chro- nicle. Whilst the translation of the Christian Scriptures into all lan- guages, and their diffusion in all quarters of the g!obe (is pro- moted) by means of the Bible Society, it will be gratifying to many Ofour readers to see a copy of the following letter, on the translation of the Scriptures into Erse, &c. "I To Alr. William Drui-nmond. Sir,—I did not expect to hear that it could be, in an assem- bly convened for the propagation of Christian knowledge, a question whether any nation uninstructed in religion should receive instruc- tion or whether that instruction should be imparted anto them by a translation of the Holy Books into their own language. If obedience to the will of God be necessary to happiness, and know- ledge of his will be necessary to obedience, I know not how he. that withholds this knowledge, or delays it, can be said to love his neighbour as him ;elf. He that voluntarily continues in ignorance is guilty of all the crimes that ignorance produces as to him that i-honld extinguish the taper of a lighthouse mjghtjustly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks. Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity but as no man is good but as he wishes the good of others, no man can be good in the highest degree who wishes not to others the largest measure of the greatest good. To omit for a yea:' or for a day the most efficacious method of advancing Christianity, in compliance with any purposes, that terminate on this side of the grave, is a crime of which I know- not that the world has yet had an example, except in the practice of the planters of America, a race of mortals who I suppose no other man wishes to resemble. The Papists have indeed denied to the I ut y the use of the Bible; but this prohibition, in few places now very rigourously enforced, is defended by arguments which have for their founda- tion the core of souls. To observe, upon motives merely political, the light of revelation, is a practice reserved f6r the reformed and surely the reluctant midnight of Popery is meridan sunshine to su?h a reformation. I am not w llitig that any langu ge should be titalhj extinguished. The similtude and derivation of languages a Turd the most indubitable proof of the traduction of nations, and, ths genealogy of mankind. They add often physical certainty to historical evidence, and often supply the only evidence of ancient migration, and of the revolution of ages, which left no written mo- nument behind them. Every man's opinions, at least his desire, are a little influ- enced by his favourite studies. My zeal for languages may seem perhaps rather overheated, even by those by whom I desire to be well esteemed. To those who have nothing in their thoughts but trade or policy, present power or present money, I should not think it necessary to defend my opinions but with mere men of letters I would not willingly compound, by wishing the continu- ance of every language, however narrow in its extent or however incommodious for common purposes, tilt it is re posited in some version of a known book that it may be alwavs hereafter examined and compared with other languages, and then permit its disuse. For this purpose the translation of the Bible is most, to be desired. It is not certain that the same method.wi!i not preserve the Highland language for the purposes of learning, and abolish it from daily use. When the Highlanders read the they will naturally wish to have its obscurities cleared, and to know the history, collateral and appendant. Knowledge always desires in- crease it is like rire, whieh must be first kindled by some e.vter- like n-ti azent, but which afterwards propagates itself. When they oace desire to learn, they will naturally have recourse to the nearest language by which that desire can be gratified and one would teil another that if he would attain knowledge he must learn English, This speculation may perhaps be thought more subtile than the g''o'sn'. ss f eallife will permit. Let it, however, be remem- bered that the efficacy of ignorance has been long tried, and has not produced the consequence expected. Let knowledge therefore take its turn, and let the patrons of privation s<tncl awhiLe a.icie. and admit she operations of positive principles. You will be pleased, sir, to assure the man who is employ e 1 in the translation, that he has my wishes for his success arid if here or at Oxford I can be of any use, that I shall think it more than honour to promote his undertaking. I am sorry that I delayed so long to write. I am sir, &c., Johnson's Court, Fieet-street, SANT. JOHNSON. Aug. 13, 1766.' {To be continued.)

Y TRAETHODYDD, for January, 1849. THIS is a very excellent number of the Welsh Quarterly Review. The editors evince excellent taste in the selection of subjects, and obviously lay under contribution the ablest pens in the Principality. The topics treated in this number are, The Present Age," Reminiscences of Caradoc," "The Covenant of Sinai," Poetic Gleanings," The Art of Paint- ing," The Septuagint," "Calumny," Welsh Periodicals," John Evans, of Bala," The Old Chapel of Y stradyffin and Pantycelyn," Englynion to Oliver Cromwell," The necessity of teaching English to the Welsh People "A review of the Rev. H. Griffiths's Letter on Education," The Government Plan, &c. &c., &e. Some of these sub- jects are handled in a very masterly way. John Evans, o'r Bala, comes eminently under this description. It is replete with interest ot the highest and purest kind. We should much like it to be published separately, that it-niay be sold for a few pence, and distributed among the thousands of our country people. It could not but be productive of extensive and enduring good. The Old Chapel of Ystrad- yffin" is a capitally written paper. We have in reading it felt the keenest sympathy with the pilgrims, and only wish we had been in their company. At the same time we de- mur to the author's notice of Ttcm Short Catti. Twin was certainly no better than he ought to be,-was a freebooter in his earlier days, though consideration like an angel came," and he became an honest maii-an antiquarian—and a ma- gistrate of the county of Brecknock. Of the paper on The necessity of teaching English to the Welsh People," we scarcely know what to say. What mor- tal man has ever doubted the advantage of understanding more than one language ? Why does not the writer of this elaborate paper write another on the necessity of teaching the English people French t There are many books in French which the English people have not, as there are many in English which the Welsh have not. Or has the author so much transcendentalism as to propose that our countrymen should no longer be monoglots, but ditoglots that all Welshman are to understand at least two languages, thus making it the most learned nation on the face of the earth? We most earnestly wish it may come about; but oh, when? Gentle shepherd, tell me when ?" For the Welsh people themselves, such a homily is unne- cessary, iuasmuch as every Welshman that can manage it learns English himself—and gets his children taught. ;Taffy is not such a fool, simple though he be, as pot to secure to himself when he may the advantages resulting from his ac- quaintance with the language of the fair and market and of the gentry. We consider this paper thoroughly aimless and purposeless, notwithstanding the unquestionable patriotism of its zealous writer. On the whole we consider this to be a capital number of this very valuable periodical. A SPEECH delivered at Swansea at the Annual Meeting 01 the Royal British Association for the Advancement o1 Science, held in that town, on the 11th of August, 1848 by THOMAS WILLIAM BOOKER, ESQ., High Sheriff of the County of Glamorgan. Bird, Cardiff. WHEN the British Association met at Swansea, in August last, it was natural to presume, that as a scientific associ- ation having for its express purpose the likeliest means of investigating scientific facts, and throwing every possible light upon the various questions which might come under its notice, that our county, from its containing such a mass of mineralogical treasure, would reap deserving notice. Of course, at such a meeting would be found men of the highest scientific eminence, combined with practical knowledge, and also many who from their local position could tlirow-,pon- siderable knowledge upon many of the questions which would be discussed. Amongst them, we find, was the author of the book which heads our present article. Well known in our county as a man of great knowledge, both theoretical and practical; conversant with most of the branches relating to the making of iron, having under his control a large work embracing iron and tin few men, we opine, were better qua- lified, even in that place, to stand up and give to those as- sembled the benefit of his experience. The speech was delivered before the geological section, and though it may sound strange to us who are so well ac- quainted with the fact, yet Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, in seconding the vote of thanks to him, said, that although .P he had lived many years within sight of the mountains that surrounded the mineral basin which had just been described to them, he had no conception of its immense national im- portance, until he had heard the luminous speech of the honourable high sheriff." Apart from the condensed exposition which he has given of the great value of our mineral basin, in a national point of view, and the great number of statistical facts which he has brought to bear upon it, it contains matter, very worthy of reflection, in an extract from a manuscript written in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the year 159o, by a Welsh- man, George Owen, of Henllys, Lord of Cemaes. He re- lates at what places in this and the adjoining counties, the veins of coals are to be seen; calls the two kinds of coal, stone coal, and ring or running coal; and then proceeds, in his very graphic Elizabethan English, to describe the pro- cess of mining in his time: In ancient tymes," anterior to his, they used not engynes for lifting up the coale out of the pitt, but the people carried the coale up a slope, and along stayers uppon their backes whereas, now they sinke their pitts down right four square, and with a wynlass turned by foure men they draw upp the coales, a barrell full at once, by a rope." He also describes the method of working, for which, he says, all the tymes of the year is indifferent, but the hott weather worst, by reason of the sodaine dampes that happen, which oftentimes cause the workmen to be swooned, and will not suffer the candles to burn, but the flame waxing blew of coller will of themselves go out." He then speaks of the dangers of digging these coales from the falling in of the earth and quelling the poore people, or els the sodaine irruption of standing water, in old works." He speaks also of the superstition of the workmen of this black labour, who observe all abolished holy dayes, and could not be wayned from that follye." And then, after describing-, a generall and new imposition or custom raysed upon the coales throwout the realm, which was neare as much as the pryce of the coale itself," he says, the countrey people well liked of it, as that which might be the means to stay the transporting which it was feared would in tyme were out the coale, and soe leave the countrey destitute of fuell." Most assuredly as the worthy high sheriff said, if the old Lord of Cemaes were now to know that at Dowlais itself some 420,000 tons of this coal are consumed annually, he might with some greater show of truth express his fears about leaving the countrey destitute of fuell." In a very brief space be has pointed out our present annual consumption of coal:— TOS. Ironworks. 1,500,000 Co; >per works 20 i,000 Tin ditto 1-50,000 Shipments from ports 1,75 !,000 Agriculture and Domestic use 750,000 4,3">O,0<J0 At which rate, assuming our area for our basin of only 100 square miles, the supply would meet the demand for 1,40.0 years the product of each square mile, in the common 'way. of working, being estimated at 64,000,000 tons of coal. | W u There are here very satisfactory grounds for our belief that we may rest easy about the common notion which even yet is not thoroughly eradicated, that our supply of coal will in time fall short of the requirement of the various manufac- tories established in the Principality. The judicious reflections which the author has given upon this point are deserving of notice. In the brief time which he could devote to the speech, the worthy gentlemen could not but leave many interesting facts and details unnoticed. He has consequently enriched it by the addition of very much valuable matter in the shape of statistical information, and quoted at considerable length from the article in the Westminster Review, which we quoted in our columns some time back. The following tables we would consider parti- cularly valuable:— Table showing the economic values of the coals. Ditto showing the mean composition of average samples of the coals. Ditto showing the calorific values of the coals. Ditto showing the amount of various substances produced by the destructive distillation of certain coals. Ditto showing the actual duty, and that which is theoreti- cally possible, of the coals examined. There are also tables showing the progress of the iron trade, from the years 1796 to 1846, and the quantity of iron manufactured at each works. Also, the increase in the po- pulation of Merthyr Tydfil, from 1801 to '41. We also have the importation of copper ore, from 1843 to 1848. Another table, showing the shipments of coal, culm, cinders from South Wales, in the years 1844, '45, '46, '47; by which it appears, that the average shipments in four years amounted to the great sum of 1,757,050 tons per annum. From the ab remarks, it will be seen that Mr. Booker's small rarui.io cannot less than prove very useful and interesting; for we have here at a trifling expense, and in a small compass, all the information which may be re- quired for a survey of the coal field of Glamorganshire. In the present demand for coal, and the great amount of specu- lation engendered thereby, statistical facts of the kind quoted are very valuable, and ought to be widely known. We con- elude by mentioning a fact much to the credit of the author, that we see it intimated upon the fly-leaf, that the profits arising from its sale will be given to the national schools, the school attached to Lady Huntingdon's chapel, and the school in York-place, Swansea, which were thrown open for the accommodation of the Royal British Association, at its meeting in that town thus showing science fulfilling the noblest portion of its mission of being the handmaid of Charity. THE FAMILY FRIEND. London: Houlston and Stoneman. WE have just received the third number of this little maga- zine. We hail its appearance with much pleasure, inas- much as it is another effort in the right direction to supply the reading public with useful and entertaining matter, free from vicious principles and immoral tendencies. It contains articles interesting to every member of the family, from the parent to the child: and, judging from the numbers already published, it is likely to succeed well. We cordially recom- mend it to our readers. We may as well state that it is not a religious magazine, lest some of õùV. friends might be dis- posed to substitute it for the valuable penny and other reli- gious publications they now receive.

SOCIETY OF ANCIENT BRITONS. The anniversary festival of the Most Hon. and Loyal So- ciety of Ancient Britons was held on Thursday, at the Free- masons' Tavern, and the occasion was celebrated with an amount of observance and enthusiasm which reflects honour upon the national spirit of Welshmen resident in London. About 220 gentlemen sat down to dinner, which was pro- vided in excellent style by the Messrs. Bacon. The gal- leries of the dining-hall were filled with elegantly dressed ladies. The stewards wore cocked hats, ornamented with the Prince of Wales's plume of feathers, and the emblema- tic leek figured in the buttonhole of most of the guests pre- sent. From the appearance of scarlet fever among the children of the Welsh School they were not marshalled round the room, as has been the custom on fonmer anniver- saries but, notwithstanding this disadvantage, the festivities of the evening were kept up with the greatest spirit. The Hon. Edward Mostyn Lloyd Mostyn presided, and testified his interest in the society not only by discharging in an able manner the duties of the chair, but also by subscribing the handsome sum of 100 guineas. He was supported by the Hon. Colonel Rice Trevor, the Lord Mayor, Lord Dudley C. Stuart, Earl Powis, the Attorney-General, the Rev. Thomas Hill, Colonel Wood, M.P.; Mr. John Williams, M.P.; Mr. Richards Richards, M.P.; Mr. Pryse Pryse, M.P.; Mr. W. Williams, Mr. W. B. Hughes, M.P.; the Hon. R. H. Clive, and the Rev. Sir Erasmus Williams. In proposing" Pros- perity to the Welsh Charity Schools," the chairman stated that, owing to the diminution in its funds, the benefits of the charity had not been extended during the past year to so many children as formerly, and aboutEI,000 of their stock had been disposed of; but he trusted their affairs were now about to assume a more prosperous aspect, and that the schools would be opened to a larger number of boys and girls. Of the former it appears that there are at present 116 on the establishment, and of the latter 67, making a total of 1,977 boys, and 566 girls, maintained and educated by the charity since its foundation. Col. Wood, the treasurer, announced during the evening subscriptions to the amount of £ 1,161, being the largest Z, sum ever contributed at an anniversary festival during his tenure of office. He also stated that a be- quest of £8,000 had been made to the charity by Miss Phil- lips, one of f,1,000 by Miss Williams, and oneofjE200 by Miss Jones. From these announcements it will be seen that this has been a fortunate year in the history of the Welsh schools. The agreeable manner in which the evening was 0 spent was greatly enhanced by the excellent quality of the music which was provided. The Misses Williams, Miss Re- becca Isaac, Miss Sara Flower, Mr. Genge, aud other per- formers, exerted themselves to the utmost to please. The Welsh harp was played on charmingly by Mr. Roberts and, altogether, there was infused into the proceedings enough of the characteristics and tastes of Taffy to relieve them from the monotony of the great run of charity dinners. Mr. Harker was toastmaster.

WELSH LECTURES, IN LONDON. The Welsh residents of London have lately been much grati- fied by the delivery of very able lectures by the Rev. Edward Roberts, Rhymney a brief account of which may not be unin- teresting to many readers of the PKINCIPALITY. On Wednes- day evening, Feb. 21st, 1349, Mr. Roberts delivered his first lecture, in Eldon-street chapel. The chair was taken soon after seven o'clock by Mr. Owen, who introduced the rev. lecturer to the meeting, in a short but appropriate speech. The subject of this evening's lecture was Natural Philosophy," and it is but justice to say that it was handled by Mr. lioberts with great ability, and his apt illustrations brought the subject home with great clearness to the minds of his hearers. At the con- clusion of the lecture, which occupied upwards of an hour and half in the delivery, E. W. Richard, Esq moved the thanks of the meeting to the talented lecturer, and described in elo- quent and glowing terms the pleasure with which he had lis- tened. to the treatment of a scientific subject with so much clear- ness and precision :il1 his own mother tongue, and strongly urged the publication of the lecture, were it only for the pur- pose of proving to the notorious Education Commissioners that the Welsh language is as capable for scientific purposes as their own, or any language ancient or modern. Mr. Humphreys having seconded the resolution, it was carried with acclamation. On Tuesday evening, Feb. 27th, Mr. Roberts delivered his second lecture. The chair was occupied by E. W. Ilichard, Esq., who craved the earnest attention of the audience to the lecture about to be delivered. Mr. Roberts's subject on this occasion was the of the Gospel;" and this, like die former lecture, was characterised by great ability and much preparation, and was listened to throughout with unwearied attention, and repeated tokens of approbation. At the conclu- sion a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Roberts, for his able and highly interesting lectures and to Mr. Richards for his readiness on all occasions to lend the countenance of his talents and influence to whatever tends to promote the improvement and well being of his countrymen.Prom a Ccrrcsj!ondcnt.

BRITISH EMPIRE MUTUAL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY. The annual meeting of this company was held at Radley's Hotel, Feb. 27, 1849. Z, John Gov er, Esq., in the chair. The Chairman having read the advertisement calling the meeting, said he had great pleasure in meeting the members then present, more especially as the circumstances under which they met were so cheering. It was a source of gra- tification to every rightly informed mind, that the principles of life assurance were becoming better known. There was a time when life assurance was supposed to be intended for gentlemen filling situations in Government and other offices; it was afterwards discovered that it had a bearing upon other classes. But for a long time it was supposed it had nothing to do with the middle and working-classes. The offices existing in 1808 objected to assure the lives of trades- men, and persons in lower stations. This has since been found to be a mistake, and the advantages of life assurance are extended to all classes of the community. This state of things is owing to the spread of information on the subject, and to the Registration Act, which has afforded a new basis, for the calculation of tables. The Institution, whose objects the meeting was called to promote, had had not a little to do in spreading information on the subject. It was to be la- mented that there was so little information abroad, so that not 5 per cent. of the population availed themselves of its advantages. The Institution had shown that even the tradesman and mechanic, by putting together a small amount of money into the hands of a Company, might command a large sum at death. Many had availed themselves of the opportunity. The Chairman then referred to the various features 6f the Institution, showing its advantages to various classes; among others, to the members of Building Societies, by affording a means for the continuance of the payment of their contributions by their widows or families, to prevent the forfeiture of their mortgaged estates to congregations, affording facilities to provide for their ministers; and to the operative classes, an opportunity of providing a fund for sickness or other casualties, and thus combining the advan- tages of the Savings' Bank, Benefit Society, and Burial So- ciety. The result of all this was, that a very large amount of business had been commanded. The rich had sent in their proposals for thousands, the middling classes for hun- dreds, and the lower classes for smaller sums. The Report would show that the Company had received a reward for their labours. The Chairman then called upon the Secretary to read the Report—[For which see Advertisement.] James Blacket, Esq., moved that the Report be received and adopted. After a few preliminary remarks he said, the first Life Assurance Company established in this kingdom, strange to say, commenced by taking the same premium for every age assured; persons aged twenty paying the same premium as those of sixty, so little were the principles of life assurance then understood. When about the commence- ment of the present century Life Assurance Companies were more numerously established, they were still infested with an objectionable principle, they were proprietary offices. He would call attention to the great difference between the mutual and proprietary offices; for while in the mutual offices there was no class adverse to the assurers to take away part of the profits, the proprietary offices were esta- blished chiefly for the benefit of the proprietors themselves. He then instanced the large premiums which the shares of such offices bore in the market. A share originally bought for £10, would not be sold for between jE40 and £ 50, unless large profits had been derived from the premiums. The British Empire was a mutual office, and there were no pro- prietors to step in, and take away any portion of their pro- fits. These were divided among the assured members, and they had the option of applying these profits either by way of bonus to increase the sums assured, or as a reduction to the annual premiums. The latter mode operated as a sliding scale, which in such a case he thought was an excellent scale, because as a man's family increased and his age ad- vanced, his annual premiums would be constantly diminish- ing. These profits too were fairly divided, so that both young and old lives had their fair proportions. The peri- odical divisions of the pi-ofits-iri the first instance at the end of five years, and afterwards trieniiially-lie considered a valuable provision. He was much gratified by the success of the last year. Knowing the active and energetic charac- ter of the gentlemen composing the Direction, he had ex- pected that their first year would have comprised all their personal friends, and that possibly the second year would have brought in a diminished number of policies,that upon launching the ship their net would have produced its richest draught at first. He was, however, surprised to find that they had more than doubled their number of policies during the second year. This was a surer test of the resources of the Company, and the energy of its management, than any- thing done in the first year could have afforded. He then referred to the amount of profit made by the various Com- panies, showing that by the system pursued by this Company a larger amount was obtained than even by the Equitable. He had long known some of the Directors, and as men of business they were not to be surpassed. They had under- taken an arduous work, but lie was prepared to give them his confidence. He believed they would prove themselves good stewards to the trust reposed in them. There had been one death, involving a claim of £100. Some might think this a calamity; he thought otherwise. It was a sa- tisfaction to him to think that that young man had been induced to join the Society, and that his widow and family were now reaping the seasonable benefit which the Society was established to afford. Such facts furnish convincing proof that it is the duty of every man to make such a provision. The Rev. William Underwood seconded the resolution. The Chairman, in submitting the motion to the meeting, referred to the circumstances of the death which had taken place. Two men were solicited, at the same time, by one of the agents of the Company, to assure their lives. One of them was induced to do so; and having been called away by death before the expiration of the first year, his fumily were now receiving the benefits of this valuable Institution. The other individual could not be prevailed upon to assure. He had also died within the year, leaving his with- out any such provision. No arguments could be equal to facts like these in shoAving the importance of the subject. The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. The Rev. li. H..MARTEN moved a resolution expressive of the congratulations of the meeting on the success of the Society, and recommending efforts on the part of every member still further to increase the number of assurers. The Rev. G. W. Fishbourne seconded the resolution. The resolution was carried unanimously. The meeting then proceeded to the choice of the four directors and auditor, in conformity Avith the deed of settle- ment. The gentlemen going out in rotation were F. Cuth- bortson, Esq., B. W. Gardiner, Esq., J. Gover, Esq., and W. Gover, Esq., Directors and J. L. Porter, Esq., auditor, who were unanimously re-elected. After votes of thanks to the various officers of the Com- pany were moved, seconded, and carried with perfect una- nimity the meeting separated.

THE FUNCTIONS OF PARLIAMENT.—The British Parliament has many strange functions to perform, and not the least embarrassing are those which devolve upon it as the represen- tative of British Christianity. The Lords nre the elders, and the Commons the congregation of Israel; and, not to offend our clerical readers, but simply to state a fact, upon this same mixed body has descended the authority of Councils and Synods, and even the usurped or prescriptive supremacy of the Vatican itself. For such offices the British Houses of Parliament are but imperfectly constituted and prepared and their best claim to our religious respect is that they evidently recoil from the gravity of the trust. Could they with safety leave all matters of religion either to Lambeth, or to Convoca- tion, or to a Committee of the Christian Knowledge Society in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, we have no doubt they would; but, if they once resigned this part cf their duties, they know not how soon they might be relieved of the rest. So they manage our religion as well as they can, thinking themselves very fortu- nate if they do not disgrace themselves.— Times. PARISH CHURCH.—There are not many Churchmen in this Metropolis who feel it their duty to attend a dull Church, to listen to "a stick," to sleep under a drone, or have their ears split by bad singing, merely because their house and the Church happen to be in the same parish map.— Times.