OBITUARY. Death of Mr. Thomas Dobson.* (From the New York Gazette, March 22.) THIS worthy citizen and eminent Christian was released from his sufferings on Sunday the 9th instant, in the 73d year of his age. He had been a resident in Philadelphia upwards of 39 years, and so long as health permitted him to attend to business, his store was a place of resort by many of the most intelligent and respectable inhabitants of our city, as well as by strangers. He stood deservedly high as a bookseller, for he strictly adhered to the principles of integrity. His conversation was so interesting, and his mauners were so pleasing, that it was only necessary to know him, to esteem and love him. He possessed a rich fund of information on a variety of subjects, and had a peculiar facility in adapting his conversation to the tastes and capacities of those who were in company. Yet there was about him nothing servile or obsequious. Although no man could be more modest and unassuming, he was manly and dignified. Wherever he was present, levity was repressed, and vice stood abashed. It was his benevolent desire to be useful, and by every innocent means to afford pleasure to others, that induced him to acquit himself so well, whether he was associated with scholars or persons of humble attainments. Even when he had occasion, and felt it to be his duty to admonish and reprove those who were faulty, his manner was so free from any appearance of arrogance or harshness, he spoke with so much tender and unaffected concern for the offending party, and there was such evident kindness in the whole of his proceedings, that it seemed impossible to withstand his influence. His reproofs were like excellent oil, which, far from bruising, tended only to heal. During the prevalence of the yellow fever in 1793, he was one of those who essentially contributed to the relief of the sufferers; and as an inspector of the State Prison, he will long be remembered as a judicious, humane and efficient officer. In the circles of his particular friends he appeared to great advantage, and his society was highly prized and eagerly sought by many of our worthiest citizens. But, although his benevolence was diffusive, he preferred the delights of domestic life to all other enjoyments of a social kind. In the bosom of his fa mily, he was singularly happy. As a husband and a parent, as the friend and guardian of the orphan and the unprotected, he can never be forgotten by those who were so happy as to reside under his roof. For nearly five years during the latter part of his life, he was incapable of attending to business; and from the time that his worthy and amiable wife was taken from him, he was often heard to say, that many things which formerly interested him, had lost their attractions. This was not the effect of spleen or discontent, for no man could conduct himself with greater equanimity when he was deprived of the partner of his life. His temper was affectionate, and his attachment had been strengthened by time and full experience of her value; but his feelings and affections were under the control of Christian faith and pious resignation. His heart retained its accustomed warmth, failed to yield him pleasure. Although and the happiness of his friends never habitually cheerful, he never had any relish for the gaieties of life. It was only to what is vain and empty in this transitory world, that he was in a manner dead. To his latest days, he loved to hear of whatever tended to increase the means and to augment the measure of human happiness. Above all, he rejoiced in the spread of the gospel truth, and in the prevalence of pure and undefiled religion. During more than four years he was much afflicted, his sufferings were often so intense as almost to prostrate him; yet, although writhing in agony, he was never known to murmur fervently for patience and submission, or complain. He prayed frequently and asked for deliverance or relief. He often but it was only in qualified terms that he remarked, that he needed this kind of discipline, and that although it was not joyous, yet since it proceeded from the love and kindness of his Father in heabear it patiently and to receive it thankven, it was his duty and endeavour to fully. On such occasions he would add, that he had no solicitude as to the result. The nature of his last illness by prostrating his strength and rendering him unable to speak, precluded him from bearing his dying testimony to the truth of that religion of which he had long been a distinguished professor, and for exemplifying the efficacy of those princiAn Unitarian Baptist, formerly of ples, consolations and hopes, by which Edinburgh. his temper and conduct had been regu lated; but this cannot be matter of regret, AT Lexington, Kentucky, aged 33, WILLIAM NASSAU BENTLEY, Esq., son of Mr. B. of Highbury. By this event his family and friends are thrown into heavy affliction, for he was much respected and deeply regretted by all who knew him. At the time of his death, he was engaged in writing an account of his travels with a view to publication, and in which he had made considerable progress. He was eminently qualified for the task, and for which he had abundant materials, having travelled (by land and water) about twenty-five thousand miles, including in this account no journey of less than one thousand miles. He had traversed the principal parts of the United States, and coursed along the great rivers Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi, down to New Orleans: no doubt his description and observations upon the newly-settled West ern States in particular, would have been acceptable to the public. His literary, astronomical, and scientific attainments in general, were considerable, and, had he lived, it is probable mankind would have been benefited by his labours. Monthly Mag. THE Rev. JAMES LAMBERT, whose death was noticed in our last, p. 312, as the Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, was the son of the Rev. Thomas and Anne Lambert, the father being at the time of his birth Rector of Thorp, near Harwich, and afterward Rector of Melton, near Woodbridge, in Suffolk. He was a member of the Zodiac Club at Cambridge, consisting of the most eminent literary characters of that day, and was not less remarked for his attainments than for the polished urbanity of his manners. His son James, born the 7th March 1741, old style, received the rudiments of his education at the Grammar School at Woodbridge, under Mr. Ray, till he was about fifteen years of age, when his father superintended it till he went to College, to which he was admitted in the year 1760. In the year 1763 he became a scholar on the foundation. In 1764 he obtained the Chancellor's Gold Medal for classical attainments, taking his first degree in the same year, when he was fifth or sixth in the first Tripos, or what is generally called fifth or sixth Wrangler. In the year 1765, he was elected Fellow of Trinity College, having about that time been ordained, and becoming officiating curate of Bawdsey and Alderton, near Woodbridge. In 1767 he took his degree of Master of Arts, and became a resident and assistant tutor in Trinity College. In 1771 he was elected Greek Professor. About this time the great question was agitating for the relief of the clergy, in the matter of subscription to the Thirty-Nine Articles, which was greatly supported by many of the most distinguished members them Mr. Lambert was by no means the of the University of Cambridge; among least active. In 1772 he received a proposal to accompany Prince Poniatowsky to Poland, which he declined. In 1773 he formed the resolution not to accept any clerical preferment, in which he persisted to his death, having repeatedly passed by the best livings in the gift of the College, which in succession were offered to him. In 1774, the University was much occupied with the resolution then proposed by Mr. Jebb, for annual examinations, of which Mr. Lambert was a of the syndicate, or committee, to estastrenuous supporter, and was named one with the accustomed mathematical and blish a plan of uniting polite literature philosophical studies of the place. In this attempt he had, among other emiWatson, afterwards Bishop of Landaff; nent men, for his intended colleagues, Hallifax, successively Bishop of Gloucester and St. Asaph; Hey, afterwards Norrisian Professor of Divinity, and Author of Lectures on the Thirty-Nine Articles; Farmer, well known among Shakspeare critics and book collectors; Paley; Tyrrwhitt, the well known Unitarian, who shewed his zeal for the University by leaving at his death £4000 for the encouragement of Hebrew literature; Pearce, afterwards Master of Jesus College, and Dean of Ely. The colleagues were not, however, all agreed in the approbation of the plan, for we find by Dr. Jebb's account of the proceedings of these times, that Dr. Hallifax and Mr. Farmer "did all in their power to obstruct and distress their brethren," Farmer declaring that the proposed grace "would be the ruin of the University, and shake the foundations of the constitution in church and state." In consequence of the appointment of the syndicate, nineteen resolutions were proposed, which were all rejected, there being for the first six, Ayes 43-Noes 47. For the next five, Ayes 41-Noes 48. For the next eight, Ayes 38-Noes 49. Some other attempts were made, but equally failed, and no alteration took place till the year 1780, when another day was added for examinations, and more stress was laid upon Natural Law and Moral Philosophy, and particularly on Locke on the Human Understanding. In 1775, Mr. Lambert quitted the Assistant Tutorship, and 1777 left College to superintend the education of Sir John Fleming Leicester, Bart. and his brothers, residing with them at Lady Leicester's, partly in London and partly at Tabley, in Cheshire. In 1780, he resigned the Greek Professorship, and returned to College with Sir John Leicester in 1782. His connexion with the Leicester family continued till 1787, when the two younger brothers, Henry and Charles, took their Bachelor's degree, from which time he resided principally in College, making occasional excursions on visits to his numerous friends in different parts of the island. In 1789 he was appointed Bursar of the College, which he held for 10 years from this time. To nearly the end of his life he was punctual in his attendance at the annual examinations, as also at the examinations for scholarships and fellowships. Mr. Lambert, though well versed in the severer studies of the University, paid more attention to polite literature and theology. To the latter subject his conscientious scruples necessarily made him devote much of his time, and it was not till after a thorough examination of the Scriptures that he gave up the doctrines of Athanasius, and adopted in their stead the precepts of our Saviour accord ing to the true principle of Protestants, that from the Bible and from the Bible only, their religion is established; and though he sacrificed much to his conscience, the consequent losses did not excite a moment's regret, and no one seems to have followed better the aposNatolical precept, Rejoice evermore. tural History in every branch was among his favourite pursuits. The elegant and moral turn of his mind is well known to those friends to whom on various occasions he communicated those poetical effusions which never failed to unite instruction with amusement. He particularly endeared himself to the young, who never lost their regard for him in after age. His cheerfulness did not forsake him to the last, and after a wellspent life, he left this world with the utmost resignation to the Divine will and the Christian hope, that he should in a future life be admitted to participate in the glories of his Saviour. Though he outlived many of his friends, sufficient are left to cherish his memory with the recollection of his virtues, that integrity of character, amiable disposition, and highly gifted mind, for which he was so eminently distinguished. He departed this life on the 28th of April, at the house of his beloved friend and relative, Mr. Carter, at Fersfield, in the county of Norfolk, and was buried, agreeably to his wish, in the parish church of that village. June 8, aged 50, the Rev. WILLIAM Moon. He was a native of Dover, and trained for the Ministry on the General Baptist Education Society, then under the superintendence of Dr. Evans, of Islington. Having assisted the Rev. Joseph Brown, (a pupil of Doddridge,) he at length succeeded him, and was near twenty years pastor of the General Baptist Congregation at Deptford. Here he enjoyed the patronage and friendship of that excellent man, the late Samuel Brent, Esq., at whose expense the chapel was repaired and beautified. This ancient place of worship had the honour of witnessing the labours of Dr. John Gale, whose learned reply to Dr. Wall on Infant Baptism is still in high estimation, and was lately republished for the benefit of the Christian world. Mr. Moon had, about two years ago, a paralytic seizure, from which he never recovered. He, however, continued, though under the pressure of debility, to discharge the duties of a Christian minister till the time of his decease. The Sabbath preceding his dissolution he administered the Lord's Supper, after having delivered a discourse from this impressive passage, Acts ii. 42: "And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." About two months ago he visited his native place, where, apprehensive that it would be the last time of his seeing them, he preached a farewell sermon to the church of which he had been a member, and by which he was called to the ministry, and took leave of an aged mother, his alone surviving parent, towards whom he had uniformly conducted himself with an exemplary filial affection. He afterwards attended the General Baptist Association at Bessel's Green, and was present on Whit-Tuesday at the General Baptist Assembly, Worship Street, where he took a part in the business of the day with his usual zeal and attention. Indeed, though emaciated and debilitated, he increased rather than relaxed in his activity. The very last evening of rational life he had enjoyed, with his brethren, in distributing the sums of the General Baptist Fund amongst poor ministers in the country, and intended to have soon met them again on a similar occasion. But Providence had otherwise determined; his work was done. A second seizure on the ensuing morning rendered him speechless, and early on the Sabbath he entered his eternal rest! The sudden removal of the deceased evinces the vanity of life-the evanescent condition of human being! A very short time previous to his dissolution (immediately after the Assembly) he dined and passed the day with the writer of this obituary. Having the preceding year taken a long journey into the West of England, approaching the Land's End, for the restoration of his health, he now meditated a journey into North Wales, hoping that benefit would accrue from the excursion. He was intent upon arrangements for a supply during his absence. Indeed, his conversation on a variety of topics was lively and animated. Much was said FOREIGN. AUSTRIA. respecting the cause of the General Baptists, whose prosperity he had warmly at heart. Nor was he silent on the great interests of civil and religious freedom, in allusion to the invasion of Spain by the continental despots, who are intent on debasing the condition as well as perpetuating the ignorance and wretchedness of mankind. He was interred on Monday the 16th inst., by the Rev. David Eaton, in the cemetery adjoining the chapel, his remains having been borne thither, followed by a train of mourners who respect his memory. He forbade any funeral sermon. But his old Tutor, on the ensuing Sabbath, paid a token of regard to his much-esteemed pupil at Worship Street, from Rev. ii. 10: "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." To distinguished talents and attainments he made no pretensions. He possessed a good understanding, blended with an affectionate disposition and a benevolent heart. His temper was that of plain and undissembled honesty. Indeed, the leading trait in his character was integrity. From what he believed to be right, either in principle or in practice, he would not swerve. And while zealous and liberal in his religious opinions, he was an ardent well-wisher to the civil and religious liberties of mankind! His afflicted widow and three daughters, who knew his worth and will cherish his virtues, indulge the fond hope of being reunited to him in a better world. The great John Howe concludes his Blessedness of the Righteous in these words, which will form no inappropriate close of this brief obituary.—“ The end approaches. As you turn over the leaves so are your days turned over! And as you are now arrived at the end of this book, God will shortly write finis to the book of your life on earth, and shew you your names written in heaven, in the book of that life which shall never end." J. EVANS. Islington, June 23, 1823. INTELLIGENCE. Censorship.--The Conversation-Blatt, a monthly publication at Leipsic, gives an account of the operations of the Austrian Censorship during the month of October last. This censorship has different degrees of which this qualified censure was principally applied in October were works of German theology. PRUSSIA. On the 2nd of March, at Berlin, died Professor Wadreck, who had bestowed persevering care and instruction on 400 poor children. He originated the idea of his institution in the middle of an extremely severe winter, during which he found seventeen families heaped together in a miserable barn, and many more with no other asylum than a stable or cowhouse. Not being able to afford substantial relief to the entire families, he took charge of the children. At first he brought them up in private houses; soon after, the generous contributions of individuals, and subsequently the patronage of the king and the princes enabled him to found a respectable establishment, and to extend his benevolent protection to a greater number of unfortunate children. Translated from the Revue Encyclopédique for May 1823, p. 449. AMERICA. Extract from a letter, New-York, 15th May, 1823. "There is little now going on here; the most important in my recollection is the excommunication of a lady by a Rev. Dr. Spring for obstinately persisting in the disbelief of eternal punishments, and the extension of slavery to Illinois State!" NORWAY. Norway has lost in the space of a few years, four of its oldest and most distinguished poets. By a remarkable coincidence, they were all four ecclesiastics; but they all cultivated the art of poetry, without ever compromising the dignity of the priesthood. If they paid a tribute to youth in composing some works which severe critics would call frivolous, after they had become priests they consecrated their talents to more noble and elevated productions. Johan Nordahl Brun, born in 1745, died bishop of Bergen, in 1816: he composed in his youth two tragedies, in the taste of Racine, one entitled Zarina, and the other Einar. These two works were much admired; their celebrity lasted however but for some years. He afterwards published, in 1796, a poem of which the subject is taken from the Scriptures, and the title of which is Jonathan. Notwithstanding a number of minor beauties, this poem neither obtained nor deserved popularity. Brun has also written a great number of pamphlets and fugitive pieces, both in verse and prose, which are justly esteemed; but it is particularly as a religious orator that he has acquired his reputation. Claus Pavels, born in 1769, succeeded, in 1817, M. Nordahl Brun, as bishop of Bergen, where he died three years afterwards. Besides some fugitive poems, which are not void of merit, he has left several collections of sermons, which are much esteemed. Jonas Rein, born in 1760, died in 1820 at Bergen, where he was pastor of the New Church. He is author of a tragedy which has never been acted. His poetry exhibits noble and refined ideas and exquisite feeling. His moral works in prose are not less admirable. Jens Zetlitz, born in 1761, was pastor of the Commune of Holders, where he died in 1821. He is author of a great number of poems of various kinds, among which may be distinguished religious pieces and moral songs, for the use of the peasants of the national militia.-Revue Encyclopédique. PERSIA. THE attention of the friends of civilization and liberty has been long drawn towards this interesting country, which, like Greece, is awaking from the slumber of centuries. An article in the Times newspaper of June 5, announces that the heir of that splendid monarchy has ordered through the Mirza, now resident in London, a service of English Porcelain for the Persian Court. It is gratifying to us as Englishmen to learn, that before the Mirza decided on the order which he had received, he inspected the two best depositaries in Europe, that of Seves, in France, and that of Messrs. Flight and Barr, in England, and on comparison, gave the preference to the latter. But we are most interested in the conclusion of the article, relating to a much higher subject, and we quote it entire: "We may mention as an illustration of the Prince Royal's wish to adopt the advantages of more civilized states of society, that he has |