Extracts from the Public Newspapers.

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EXTRACTS FROM THE PUBLIC NEWSPAPERS, &c.

Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.-This Society has long been using its exertions for the purpose of instructing the native children of India in European and in Christian knowledge. These exertions have been attended with great success, particularly at Calcutta. The schools seem to unite the European Clergy and the natives,-the Missionary being thus the teacher and the friend of the people: he himself also thus becomes speedily acquainted with the language, manners, and opinions of the people at large; whilst the communication of European knowledge must, by degrees, show the folly of the superstitions of the Heathens. The Society has voted five thousand pounds for this purpose. An unknown friend has likewise sent a thousand pounds; and another, two hundred.

Bath and Wells Society for propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The report of this Society has the following important observations. When we look to the West Indies, the appointment of Bishops to Jamaica and Barbadoes is a circumstance of the greatest possible interest. They were not sent merely for the religious instruction of the colonists, the planters, and their agents, but for the gradual conversion and instruction of the whole slave population. It has been found that when the Negroes have sincerely embraced the Christian faith, either from the members of our own Church, or from prudent Missionaries of other persuasions, they have become comparatively quiet, orderly, and content.

Infant Schools.--At a meeting held at the Rectory-house, Bishopsgate, the Lord Bishop of Chester, Rector of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, in the chair, an Institution was formed for the reception of the children of the poor, from two to six years of age. The object of this Institution is to provide for the care of the children during that portion of the day when their parents are obliged to be absent from them; to form the children to habits of obedience, good order, and attention; and to give them such elementary instruction as may prepare them for entering, with advantage, into other schools, where they may acquire useful knowledge, and be taught the great truths and duties of religion. Great inconvenience has been experienced in the National School, from the number of children, under the age of six years, pressing for admission; who, having been taught no habits of discipline or good order, greatly hinder the progress of the rest of the children. Infant Schools are well calculated to give the children a good prepa

ration for National Schools. They seem, indeed, likely to be of very great service in many different ways, and it is really wonderful to see how much these little children can be taught to do. Few people, who have not visited these schools, would believe it. There are several of these schools in London and the neighbourhood,-particularly in Spital-fields, in Westminster, and at Walthamstow. They are also increasing in different parts of the country.

New Life Boat.-A trial was made on the 3rd instant, at Lyme, of a boat, furnished with copper air-tight cases, according to the plan recommended by Captain R. Spencer, R. N., in order to obviate the great expence of the regular life boat. The boat was of small dimensions and borrowed for the purpose; under the thwarts were placed the air-tight cases of thin copper, enclosed in boxes of three quarters of an inch Norway deal, for greater security; outside the boat, and attached to the gunwhale, were also two similar cases, five feet in length and eight inches square. Captain Spencer found three seamen volunteers to accompany him; when having pulled out the plug, and filled the boat with water, they rowed out where the sea ran the highest, and laid her broadside to the surf, which broke over her so violently as to render it difficult for the men to prevent themselves from being washed out of the boat. Having fully ascertained that she was perfectly safe when filled with water, they baled her out, and rowed out in the heaviest sea to the S. E. point of the Cobb, where she was placed in every direction to receive the shocks of the sea, which were sustained in a manner such as the most sanguine could not have anticipated. The success of the plan will be extremely valuable to the merchant service, as, by procuring six cases, the common ship's boat may in a few minutes be rendered a life boat.—Morning Post.

Late Melancholy Occurrence.-A woman of the name of Evanson, residing at No. 1, York-court, Whitecross-street, Barbican, went out and left her child, a little girl, about eighteen months oid, on the carpet in her room; on her return, which was not more than five minutes, she found the unfortunate infant enveloped in flames. The poor woman was so horror struck at the sight that she fainted; a person who heard her shriek came in, and succeeded in extinguishing the flames, but not without severely burning herself. The child is so dreadfully burnt that its recovery is deemed impossible. It appeared that the infant had rolled itself near the grate, and the poker, which was incautiously left in the fire, fell out, and set fire to the unfortunate child.-This -should be a caution against the dangerous practice of leav ing a poker in the fire.

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The extraordinary quantity of 85lbs of honey, (when strained,) was taken from a bee hive belonging to Edward Stracey, Esq. near Manchester.-Macclesfield Paper.

Awful Death.-Lately, at an inn, in Exeter, W. Parrington, aged 55, a labourer, made a bet of 1s. with a fellow-workman, that he would drink a gallon of strong beer within ten mi nutes; he accomplished the task in eight minutes, saying he had two minutes to spare; but the hand of death was upon bim, and in a short time he expired !—London Paper.

The pine apple is extremely abundant in Brazil for a short period of the year. In general the flavour is inferior to those raised by artificial heat in Europe, which may be accounted for in part by the necessity which exists, of cutting them the moment they give out their odour, as they are immediately attacked by ants, and in a short time nothing but the skin is left.

The butter made in Constantinople is nothing but milk or cream, first heated at the fire, and then churned for not more than ten minutes; it is indeed not unlike clotted cream. At Aleppo they tie a jar, filled with cream, to two trees, with supple twigs, and swing it about long enough to make very good butter.

Riding on Shafts.-Henry Griggs of Ickleton, whose waggon was loaded with coals, was lately run over, the wheels passing over his body. From the position in which he lay, there is every reason to believe that he was riding on the shafts. Frequently, the waggons start soon after midnight, and are not at home till the following evening. The men are weary; and, tired with walking, they get upon the shafts to rest themselves. This weariness is the cause of danger, for they often fall asleep, which propensity is often increased by what they have been drinking. The poor man above mentioned was within two miles from bis home, and had just life enough to know his son, and to say in a faint voice, "the Lord have mercy upon my soul."- Cambridge Chronicle.

Caution to Drivers of Waggons, &c.-We understand that some of the Cambridgeshire Magistrates have come to a resolution, at their meeting, to levy the penalty on all persons found riding on their carts and waggons, and that they have required all surveyors, toll collectors, and other persons employed on the roads, to lay the information against such persons as they shall find so offending, otherwise the penalty of 51. (as directed by the Act 3rd Geo. 4th Cap. 126.) will be levied upon them.-The same.

We regret to state that the typhus fever is raging in the suburbs of Carlisle, to a melancholy excess. There are seve

ral patients now lying in the House of Recovery, suffering under the affliction of that baneful disorder. The cholera morbus too, a disease, the ravages of which are equal only to its severity, also prevails, especially among the working classes. The best preventives against the approach of these disorders are, cleanliness and sobriety in the former case, and a strict attention to proper food in the latter.—(Carlisle Journal.)

Suicides, it appears by a calculation of Dr. Caspar, are increasing wonderfully in Berlin. From 1780 to 1797, the proportion was 1 in 1000; from 1799 to 1808, 1 in 600; and from 1813 to 1822, 1 in 100. He attributes the increase principally to the increase of drinking-houses, which it appears compose the fourth part of the houses in Berlin.

A little girl, named Roach, was killed a few Sundays ago, at Saleham, in Middlesex by getting behind a coach.Morning Post.

Extraordinary Cluster of Nuts.-A single cluster of hazle nuts was exhibited in Finsbury Market, consisting of twentyseven. It was gathered in a small copse from a tree growing in a very flinty soil, near Seven Oaks, Kent; another cluster of twenty-two nuts was found in the same place.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We have received D. D.; Honoria ; J. M. G.; T. We are sorry to appear so very negligent of those friends who have at different times sent us some excellent sermons; -the size of our little work, however, absolutely prevents us from inserting them all. Our stock in hand is now abundant; and, when we do take one, we are obliged to injure it greatly, for the sake of bringing it within our limits.

THE

Cottager's Monthly Visitor.

DECEMBER, 1825.

THE MOST LIKELY METHOD OF PREVENTING › CRIMES.

Ir has often been said, that right principles in the mind will do more to prevent crimes than all the punishments which the most severe laws can inflict. And nothing can be more true than this assertion. It affords, however, no argument against sound and good laws, which punish crime whereever it is found out. These are necessary; and a severe example on one offender, often, by its terror, keeps others from entering upon a course of life which they see to be so dangerous. But few of those who have entered upon such a course, will forsake it from fear of punishment; and few of those whom the laws have punished for their offences are really the better for their chastisement. They generally return again to the same evil courses. Theirs is a desperate mode of life; their companions are generally a hardened set of beings, who live by fraud and plunder; and it would be considered among them as little better than a mark of the most cowardly mind in any man who should desert his friends, or forsake his old occupation, from the dread of punishment.

We know, in better cases, a regard to character. will utterly destroy the fear even of death. What English soldier ever runs away?-his character-his