of Jupiter Stator, as the loose traditions of the vulgar had represented them.

Geological science, also, will require some emendations. For the Apennines are now discovered to be volcanic, although possessing but one solitary volcanic feature,-that, indeed, rather a decisive one, since it is none other than an actual volcano in eruption. "We passed," says Dr. F., (p. 353,) "the Monte di Fo, a small volcano, which constantly sends forth, it is said, a clear flame, spreading out a number of feet." Whether the learned President saw the volcano or not, we are not informed; but we infer, that he did not see the flame; why, we cannot imagine. If he passed an active volcano on the Apennines, one would suppose, that as a man of science he would have made almost any sacrifice of time, money and personal comfort, to have examined it. But probably he took this, as seemingly many things else, on the authority of his veturino, or guide-book. If he had gone half a mile from the road, he would probably have discovered, that his fancied volcano was nothing more or less than an exhalation of inflammable gas, which, by some accident, had become ignited, and now burns in an irregular flame of from six inches to two feet in height, over a surface of some twenty feet square.

It has been already intimated, that the work indicates great carelessness in the author as an observer. Some instances, confirmatory of this, now occur to us. The column of Phocas in the Roman Forum, is represented as having been seen where, we have the best reason to believe, it is not; and the Capitol is certainly not west of the ancient Forum. It is very difficult to conceive how the North Loch in Edinburgh could ever have "formed the eastern boundary of the city;" and the college buildings are, by no means, "on the west side of the great gulf." His description of the ringing of bells and the firing of the cannon of St. Angelo at Rome amid the solemnities of the Holy Week, (p. 241,) would shock every pious feeling in a good Catholic. The ceremonies of Holy Thursday and of Easter Sunday are evidently confounded.

It is in the notes on Geneva, that are found the most frequent instances of hasty observation. Indeed, it would be difficult to find a book containing so many errors in so small a compass as are found within a few pages in this part of the volume.

He speaks (pp. 411, 413) of the "Evangelical Society of Switzerland," made up of evangelical christians "in different cantons and of different churches." Certainly all this will be

new to those who have deemed themselves conversant with the religious state of Switzerland. There is an Evangelical Society in Geneva, formed by individuals originally members of the Established Church of Geneva; but now mostly or entirely excluded for their evangelical sentiments. There is a similar society in the Canton of Vaud, consisting of members of the Vaudois church; and there may be others in other cantons. But they are distinct from one another; as much so, to say the least, as the Wesleyan Missionary Society of Great Britain and the Methodist Missionary Society in this country. Certainly no such general society, extending over different cantons, "had its origin in the almost total apostacy of the Swiss churches." The history of these Evangelical Societies in different cantons, and especially in Geneva, is most interesting and instructive. It is a just cause of surprise and regret, that Dr. F., who professes to have taken so deep an interest in the religious state of Geneva and Switzerland, has not communicated some facts connected with it.

It will doubtless surprise most readers familiar with the events, that transpired on the continent of Europe during the last of the eighteenth, and the first of the present century, to find the learned Doctor ascribing the origin of the apostacy of the Swiss churches to two causes: "first, the connexion of the church with the state," and, secondly, "the ultra Calvinism of these churches." One would think, that he had never heard of the terrors of the French Revolution, or visited the residence of Voltaire, at Ferney, or the statue of Jean Jacques Rousseau in Geneva. It is a little remarkable, too,—a fact which does not seem to have engaged the attention of Dr. F.,-that the leaders of the present reformation in Switzerland are, if for any thing, distinguished for their attachment to the doctrines of Calvin.

It would be inferred from the statements on page 414, that Dr. Malan was the only minister deposed from the Geneva church for his evangelical sentiments. This is not the case. The ministers engaged in founding the Evangelical Society of Geneva, were partners with him in this honor. Neither did Dr. Malan's congregation build the church "called the Oratoir," (Oratoire ;) nor is he the pastor of this church. He has no church in the city; but his congregation worships in a house constructed with his on funds and those obtained from English and American christians, and located in the quarter Pré d'Evêque, out of the city. Neither, again, has he, as Dr. Fisk represents, anything to do with the Theological Seminary. Both the Oratoire and the Seminary belong to the Evangelical

Society. Moreover, Dr. Malan and the members of this Society, belong to different denominations of christians; Dr. Malan's church being Presbyterian and connected with the Secession church of Scotland, while the Evangelical Society adhere to the original constitution of the Geneva church. Dr. Fisk is likewise mistaken in supposing, that there is a distinct “sect" among the evangelical reformers in Switzerland "called Momiers or Methodists;" unless Dr. Malan with his congregation, the members of the Independent Baptist Church, worshiping in the Bourg de Four, those of the church de l'Oratoire, and, indeed, the great body of the evangelical christians in Switzerland belong to, and constitute this "sect." For to all have these epithets of derision been freely applied.

We notice only one point more in this connexion. It is the assertion in the note, (p. 415,) that the Evangelical Theological School has been "almost broken up" by the Irving heresy. We know not what authority Dr. F. has for making this assertion. The last Annual Report of this Institution alludes to the efforts of the Irvingite teachers, and mentions the defection of Prof. Preisswerck, and his consequent removal from his professorship; but speaks very favorably of the prosperity of the Institution, and particularly in regard to the number of its pupils as being greater than in any preceding year. After having met with so many inaccuracies of statement in the accompanying text, we are constrained to receive this assertion with some abatement.

In sound common sense and practical sagacity Dr. F. excels. We find many instances of this in his Travels, and should be glad to transfer some of his judicious suggestions and just practical conclusions to our pages. But we must content ourselves with referring to his remarks on the moral effects of the exhibitions of fine arts in Europe. They confirm the sentiments we have taken occasion in a former volume to express on this subject:

'I frankly confess, that I deem it next to impossible for a youth to visit Italy, and the continent of Europe generally, without suffering loss in the discriminating power and purity of his moral feelings. It must be a miracle of grace alone that can preserve him. But in addition to this, for I should hope there never would be so great a number corrupted among the tourists of our countrymen as to affect materially the morals of the nation,—there is to be dreaded more than any thing else, the introduction into our country, through the medium of wealthy trav ellers and travelling artists, the corrupting causes themselves of moral principle. Already, through the medium of artists and amateurs, paint

ings, engravings, and statuary, of a character that will contribute nothing to the purity of our youth, are finding their way into our country; and as wealth increases among us, these works of art will be multiplied. They will not be openly and publicly exhibited at first; but gradually as that nice delicacy which now characterizes public taste with us shall become blunted, we shall see, I fear, naked Loves and Venuses as frequent in our galleries and public gardens as they are now in Europe; we shall have our groups of Leda and the Eagle, [the Swan?] of Love and Psyche, and all the rest, rendered more tolerable, because they are either the original or the copies of the most splendid works of art, and are consecrated by the incense of their classical associations. Nay, there are many now, very many, of our travelling and untravelled countrymen who, if these remarks ever meet their eye, will doubtless sneer at the squeamishness, and superstition, and vulgar destitution of taste, which could object to these exhibitions. It is becoming fashionable with us to affect the European taste; and there are many who would not dare be so uncourtly and vulgar as to manifest any scruples of delicacy or moral feeling on this subject. Be it so. I must do my duty in the case, whether it effect little or much; and I therefore am constrained to raise my feeble voice against this fascinating manner of sapping the principles of public virtue, and would especially warn and entreat the rising generation against this influence.' pp. 365, 366.

The volume contains some interesting intelligence concerning the state of education in different countries of Europe; but this has been for the most part, presented to the American public in other forms. We do not recollect to have seen in any other book of travels in Italy so full and complete a description of the ceremonies of Holy Week at Rome. This will be read with much interest by those who are not very familiar with Romish superstition and the pageantry of its religious worship. But the chapter which will probably be read with the deepest interest by all readers, whether of the same denomination of christians with Dr. F. or not, is the one which relates to the condition of Methodism in Great Britain.

Dr. Fisk was the delegate of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States to the Wesleyan Methodist Conference of England; and it is in connection. with his account of the annual meeting of the conference, that he communicates most of what we find in the volume on that subject.

The meeting which Dr. F. attended was held at Birmingham, and was the ninety third annual meeting of the British. Conference. By "the poll-deed" of John Wesley, the magna charta of the Wesleyan Church, the Conference consists of one hundred members; and is the body in which the power of the church is concentrated. The power intrusted to this Confer

ence is great. Indeed, it is hardly credible, that in this age of the world and in the Protestant church, there could possibly be sustained for any length of time a religious organization in which such absolute power should be concentrated in the hands of a few irresponsible men. Certainly, the features of this scheme of ecclesiastical government, as imperfectly developed in the volume before us, will surprise most readers out of the Methodist church.

From the statements of Dr. F. it appears, that on February 28, 1784, Mr. Wesley executed a poll-deed, which in the following month was enrolled in the High Court of Chancery, by which he gave legal existence to the Conference. This instrument prescribed the number of its members and designated the mode of election. It also conferred on this body the exclusive power of appointing "the preachers and expounders of God's word," and also of maintaining and enforcing moral discipline in the church. It would be inferred, also, from Dr. F.'s language, that this instrument required, that all the trust deeds of all the chapels should contain a provision to this effect: that no person or persons whatsoever should "be permitted to preach or expound God's holy word" in such chapels who maintained any doctrine contrary to what is found in the first four volumes of Mr. Wesley's sermons and his notes on the New Testament. By a recent decision of the Court of Chancery, this instrument of Mr. Wesley is established and ratified as the charter of the Wesleyan Conference. This decision confirms their legal power over all the chapels and other church property of "the connexion."

It will, at once, appear from this statement, that the creed of the Methodist church is forever fixed. It is not a creed, be it remarked, expressing in a few general terms, the common fundamental truths and doctrines of christianity. The Wesleyan Conference has no right to appoint a preacher to any chapel unless satisfied, that he receives all the doctrines set forth in some half dozen volumes of sermons and scriptural annotations. If they themselves, by the appointment of such a preacher, knowingly sanction a departure from any of these doctrines, it is difficult to see how they can retain their legal control over their church property, or even maintain their legal existence. At all events, Mr. Wesley is, in this, clearly recognized as a person qualified to fix the doctrinal belief of a denomination of christians for the whole period of its existence. Certainly, we need not travel to Rome to find the doctrine of papal infallibility avowed and acted upon. What shackles, too, are bound