it to heaven.

[Greek: Thomas]

REVIEWS.

_Russia: or Miscellaneous Observations on the Past and Present State of
that Country and its Inhabitants. Compiled from Notes made on the Spot,
during Travels at different times in the Service of the Bible Society,
and a Residence of many Years in that Country._ By ROBERT PINKERTON,
D.D., Author of "The Present State of the Greek Church in Russia," and
Foreign Agent to the British and Foreign Bible Society.--Seeley and
Sons; Hatchard and Son.

A traveller, like a witness in court, should be competent and
unexceptionable. Both these qualifications are indispensable to
secure the confidence of his reader, and the success of his work.

Dr. Pinkerton has very strong claims on the attention of the British
public. He resided in Russia many years. He lived in Moscow "the greater
part of the years 1810 and 1811, and left that city only forty-eight
hours before the French entered it in 1812." He is the author of
"The Present State of the Greek Church in Russia." His travels in the
service of the British and Foreign Bible Society have been extensive at
different times. His being Foreign Agent to that Society, has given him
facilities of intercourse with the higher as well as the lower orders of
the inhabitants. He is personally well known to many of the clergy and
of the nobility, and his intimate acquaintance with the language has
enabled him to converse with people of all ranks. The work before us has
been compiled from notes made on the spot. Of his competency, therefore,
no one can entertain a doubt; and his high Christian character renders
him an unexceptionable witness. We anticipate for this volume a cordial
welcome, especially among the friends of the Bible Society. The
information Dr. P. has given is clear, copious, and important. We shall
transcribe a few extracts which cannot fail to gratify our readers.

The territory of this vast empire has increased within the last 364
years nearly twenty-fold. According to the last statistical accounts,
the _population_ is upwards of fifty-four millions, of whom about
thirty-six millions are native Russians, speaking the same language, and
belonging to the national or oriental church. The _military forces_ have
also increased nearly ten-fold within the last hundred years; and at the
present time are estimated at about 900,000.

The _spiritual academies_ and seminaries contain upwards of 30,000 young