SIR, A July 19, 1823. Sa lay-visitor at the Annual Examinations held in Manchester College, York, I was, in common with every visitor, highly gratified with the whole of the late examination, and the social meetings of the friends of the College held after each day's labour. It is much to be regretted that a more numerous assemblage of the friends and supporters of the College do not attend these interesting periodical meetings. It would, doubtless, be pleasing to the Tutors to have more witnesses of the success attending their indefatigable labours; and the expectation of having to exhibit their attainments before a more numerous assembly would stimulate the students to greater exertions. I may also safely assert, that every subscriber who has the power to attend and yet refrains, deprives himself of a rational and satisfactory enjoyment. I recollect only one subject of regret at our late meeting, and that was the announcement by our worthy Treasurer of a deficiency in the funds of the College for the present year, which fall short of the expenditure upwards of £200. In consequence of this defalcation, four new candidates for admission on the Foundation in the ensuing Session, can only be admitted on condition of their accepting half the usual exhibition. A resolution was also passed, that in future only one student should be admitted on the Foundation for two that went out, until the number was reduced to twelve, unless such addition was made to the income, in the mean time, as should render this measure unnecessary. I hope and trust, for the credit of the Unitarian cause, that we shall never feel a necessity for acting upon this resolution. Surely, it can only be needful to proclaim the want, and the funds will be forthcoming. There is one source of income which has always appeared to me peculiarly appropriate to the support of the College, and of which very little advantage is very praiseworthy, but I also think that it is often carried to an extreme, and has an unfortunate effect. Giving money, like every other act, may be come a habit, and the more it is exereised the less irksome in general it will become; we have a striking proof in confirmation of this position in the continual collections made by the Methodists. When it is considered that numerous congregations in our connexion are now profiting by the ministry of York Students, and each in its turn must look to the College for a supply, I cannot for a moment believe that offence could be taken by any person, if the minister of every Unitarian congregation in the kingdom were to give notice of his intention to preach an annual sermon, and make an annual collection, for the benefit of the York College. It is true, that our more opulent brethren have it in their power, and do essentially assist the College, by regular annual subscriptions paid to the deputy treasurers; but what a number of respectable tradesmen and others there are to whom it would be inconvenient to be called upon as regular subscribers, and yet would willingly give their shilling or half crown, as they could afford it, at a chapel collection, and which, I am persuaded, would, in the aggregate, amount to a very considerable sum annually! When we consider the progress divine truth, as we believe it was preached by Jesus and his apostles, is now making at home, and the boundless field opening for Unitarian missions in the East, it is our paramount duty to use every endeavour to enable the College to support double the present number of students on the Foundation, rather than be under the necessity of excluding one well-qualified candidate. Hoping to see this important subject advocated by those possessing far more influence than myself, I remain, &c. SIR, B. July 7, 1823. Constant Reader, who inquires taken. I allude to stated congrega-A (p.351) after the Rev. John Holt, tional collections. In the Report it appeared that only three of these collections had been made since August last. I know that many of our ministers feel a delicacy about proposing collections to their flocks, and am aware that the motive may be (not Hope,) will find (VIII. 576) that he was educated at Glasgow: his tombstone, in Warrington chapel-yard, will probably supply his age, from which a tolerable conjecture may be formed of the time when he went to College; and a reference to the College-records will probably furnish the exact date. The probate of his Will (p. 577) may easily be found at the proper ecclesiastical court, from which, indeed, it seems the names of his rela tions cannot be learned. The most likely person, now living, to give any additional information concerning him, is Mrs. Barbauld; who lived at Warrington during the whole period of Mr. Holt's residence there. V. F. POETRY. Mr. Bowring's " Matins and Vespers." [A delightful little volume of devotional poetry has been just published by Mr. BoWRING under the above title. Our readers may remember some of them which the author liberally communicated to one of our former volumes. We thank him for giving thein to the public, being persuaded that they will cherish the spirit of pure and rational piety in every reader. They display equally the imagination of the poet and the feeling of the Christian. No manual of devotion is better fitted to lie beside the Bible in the closet where prayer is wont to be made to Him that seeth in secret.] SUNDAY EVENING. "Let not your hearts be troubled, but confide A mansion for my followers to provide; All tending to the realms where blessing lies, And there Thy court is-there Thy court, attended Sweeter than rill, or stream, or vernal bird, Death! they may call thee what they will, but thou And pleasing dreams, and soft serenity. Thou wear'st a wreath where many a wild flower blows; ; Thy grassy turf, while man beneath it sleeps; Come forth in thy purple robes again, Receive the gift with gratitude : My soul! to thy Maker ascend, And bear thy songs to the Source of good, Bring Him thy morning tribute meet, How privileged to hold communion sweet I look around, a thousand things And Nature her million voices brings O join the songs of the air, the grove, And see! ten thousand angels smile Thro' the firmament's golden doors; And from silver clouds, heaven's hand the while The senses indeed must be dark and dull, That in nature no charms can see; For beauty's self is more beautiful To the eye of piety. And deaf indeed is the clay-cold ear, Tho' nought as the music of praise and prayer And why should man a distant bliss While the holy joys of a world like this Are the unknown beings of yonder zone Does a shorter year, or a brighter sun They may wander perchance in groves of palm, They may breathe an air as sweet as balm, Yet there, as here, the fatal grave Will o'er their possessions close; And the more they enjoy, the more they have, O let our portion content us then, The portion which God has given; For man is the fair earth's denizen, Above him are gorgeous, golden clouds, And the night, which its bosom in darkness shrouds, And brighter and fairer than star or sun Is the light that beams from on high, A light which conducts its pilgrims on And thither our towering thoughts shall soar, LINES Written in a Lady's Album, on her leaving England. Whether, 'midst Flandria's fertile fields, The bliss you share that friendship yields; Clapton, June 23, 1823. J. T. R. INTELLIGENCE. DOMESTIC. Manchester College, York. AT the York Annual Meeting of the Trustees of this Institution, held at Etridge's Hotel, in York, on the 25th June last and, by adjournment, on the two following days; The proceedings of the Committee, since the last York Annual Meeting, were reported; and the Treasurer made a statement of the present state of the funds, from which it appeared that the expenditure of the current year will exceed the income about 2007. The following resolutions, amongst others, were then passed, viz. Resolved, That the best thanks of this meeting be given to Dr. Carpenter for his very excellent sermon, delivered in the chapel in St. Saviour Gate, on Sunday last; and that it is hoped he will allow it to be published at the expense of the friends of the College. That the Visitor be requested to accept the best thanks of this meeting for his very excellent address, delivered at the close of the examination; and that he be requested to transmit such parts of the same, as he may think proper, for insertion in the Monthly Repository. That the grateful thanks of this meeting be given to the Tutors, for their most valuable and important services to this academical institution during the past session. That the cordially thankful acknowledgments of this meeting be presented to the Committee, for their most valuable services during the past year. That the very close examination of the Students, instituted this week, has been in the highest degree satisfactory. That in the printed regulations for the admission of Divinity Students, the following alterations be made; in lines 3 and 4, the words, "That no candidate shall be admitted on the Foundation," to be struck out, and the words, "That no Divinity Student shall be admitted," to be substituted in their place; and in lines 9 and 10, the words, "that no candidate shall be eligible as a Divinity Student on the Foundation," to be struck out, and the words, "that no Divinity Student shall be admitted," to be substituted in their place. That it is expedient and proper, that Divinity Students, on their own Foundation, should be admitted, in the first instance, on probation, in the same man. ner as Divinity Students on the College Foundation. That it is desirable, that so far as regards the classical and arithmetical attainments of candidates for admission, as Divinity Students, every such candidate should, previous to his admission, undergo an examination by some individual or individuals, to be selected for the purpose, by the Trustees. That the admission of Students on the Foundation be henceforth limited, so as not to exceed one admission for every two removals, until the total number be reduced to twelve, unless, before the reduction has been carried so far, further reduction should be rendered unne cessary, by an increase in the College income. That this meeting, feeling the great importance of the measure determined upon, at the last Manchester Annual Meeting, for maintaining unimpaired the present money value of the property of the College, is most anxious to see the rule then adopted, regularly and permaneutly acted upon; this meeting, nevertheless, feels it incumbent to declare its opinion, that considering the present state of the funds, it appears expedient that for the present year the rule should be suspended; and recommends the subject to the consideration of the next Manchester Annual Meeting. S. D. DARBISHIRE, Manchester, July 19, 1823. Manchester College, York. DURING the course of the last week in June, was held the Annual Examination of the Students educated in this College, which was attended by Daniel Gaskell and Abraham Crompton, Esqrs., and the Rev. John Kentish, Vice-presidents; Messrs. G. W. Wood, Treasurer; R. Philips, Assistant Treasurer; Bealby, Bell, Crompton, jun., Darbishire, Ewart, jun., Howse, Kinder and Talbot, and the Rev. W. Turner, Visitor; L. Carpenter, LL.D., Assistant Visitor; J. G. Robberds and Joseph Hutton, Public Examiners; J. J. Tayler, Secretary; Heinekin, Hyudman, Johnstone, Mallison and Tayler. On Sunday the 22d, Dr. Carpenter addressed to the Students an admirable discourse from 2 Tim. ii. 1 -7, of which, as it is to be published, it |