On Bible Societies. 



1S24.] 



lias an equal quantity of boldness, 



whether that quantity be large or 



small. 



2. When the adjective is employed to 

 denote augmentation, or to express an 

 excess merely above that standard, it lias 

 the affix er, and is called the comparatiee 

 degree; as, a braver and kinder prince 

 needs not be sought. 



3. When the adjective is employed to 

 denote chief or principal augmentation, or 

 to express a high decree of eminence in 

 the quality, est is affixed to those simple 

 forms which can denote quality without 

 regard to quantity, and is called the 

 superlative degne ; as, the greatest wealth 

 is contentment with a little ; it is good to 

 fear the worst, the best will save itself. 



4. AVhen the adjective refers to deity, 

 majesty, and the virtues, (as Acts iii. 

 siv. &c.) the form being without correla- 

 tive reference, is considered and called 

 the absolute degree. 



These methods of comparison affect, 

 in like manner, all words that denote 

 qualities susceptible of intension or 

 remission, of increase or diminution; 

 all adjective applications of the pro- 

 gressive and past tenses of verbs, — 

 more willing, most loving, cunninger, 

 feelingest, more loved, better esteemed, 

 less regarded, most restricted ; and 

 even some adverbs are affected, — more 

 lovely, most willingly, most joy- 

 fully, &c. 



These manners of application, how- 

 ever, appearing to me very distinct, I 

 feel desirous of being honoured with 

 the remarks of your correspondents ; 

 some of whom, probably, will suggest 

 hints as to the best method of distin- 

 guishiag the forms by name, so that the 

 learner may comprehend their nature 

 and true difference. Simeon Shaw, 



Burslem Grammar School. 



To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 



SIR, 



ON considering the comparative 

 importance which our Bible So- 

 cieties have attained, the followi'ig 

 observations from highly respectable 

 critics, in a Trench Monthly Journal, 

 may not appear superfluous. 



Among the benevolent institutions 

 which do honour to the commence- 

 ment of the nineteenth century, tiie 

 propagation of none has been so rapid 

 as that of the liible Society. It took 

 its rise in England nineteen years ago; 

 and the zeal and generosity of its 

 founders, and numerous associates, 

 bave extended its relations and re- 

 sources over all quarters of the globe. 



Monthly Mag. No. 393. 



129 



Its solo object is the diffusion of the 

 sacred writings ; and, though many of 

 its members contribute to other philan- 

 thropic acts of analogous description, 

 the society, as such, does not co- 

 operate therewiih. 



In the Report of M. de Stael, secre- 

 tary to one of tiiese societies, we And a 

 complete narrative of its progress. 

 Great Britain stands foremost on the 

 list, and there the Parent Society 

 exists, under the title of British and 

 Foreign Bible Society. Conjoined with 

 its auxiliary societies in the different 

 British possessions, it distributes, 

 annually, more than 250,000 Bibles or 

 New Testaments. After England, M. 

 de Stael passes in review, Austria, 

 Italy, Spain, and Portugal, where he 

 finds no trace of any such association ; 

 but in other Christian states there are 

 societies, as at Amsterdam, Basle, Lau- 

 sanne, Marbourg, &c. A nd in Russia, 

 110 editions of the Scriptures have 

 been published, consisting of 537,000 

 copies ill thirty-siv different languages. 

 In the United States, besides the prin- 

 cipal society at New York, there are 

 347 auxiliary societies. From the 

 strenuous exertions of that in London, 

 the Bible has been translated into most 

 of the known languages. 



In the vast enumeration of M. de 

 Stael, we find the universal and inde- 

 fatigable charity of the institution pe- 

 netrating the islands named Oceanies. 

 Some of these, as he observes, are but 

 imperfectly known to us, and that 

 from the recital of voyagers. We may 

 add, as curious facts, that the Bible 

 has been translated into the Chinese, 

 into the Greenland dialect, into the 

 Chappara, spoken by some tribes in 

 North America, into another spoken by 

 the Indians in the forests of Guiana. A 

 version of the Four Gospels has been 

 also printed for the Society Islands, 

 and the Gospel of St. John has been 

 circulated in Otaheite. 



In France, the benevolent spirit and 

 disposition of the Bible Society have ' 

 been emulating its rivals. It is but of 

 a few years standing; but there are 

 120 auxiliary societies among the 

 Protestant popidation, in connection 

 with the one at Paris. The most con- 

 .siderable are at Strasbourg, llochelle, 

 Bourdeaux, Lyons, Nisnies, &c. In 

 the year just elapsed, thci'o have been 

 distributed 4627 Bibles, and bVJd 

 New Testaments. A new edition, the 

 version of Ostervald, is prcj)aring. It 

 had proposed a prize for the best 

 S Memoir 



