publish an extract, pointing out a place where it may be found, from the tenth volume of the Medical Repository, published in this city, under the direction of doctors Mitchill and Miller; and here we may be permitted to remark, that this work, as a literary and scientific publication, is equal, if not superior, to any thing of the kind at present in circulation, either in Europe or America. Its merits have justly added to the celebrity of the gentlemen who conducted it. We consider this notice as the more important, on account of the uncertainty which exists as to the period when we may be enabled to import this metal from Europe. Our government, it is true, permits its importation free from duty, but it is uncertain when it can come free from interruption. The following extract is from page 204 of the above-mentioned work. “Mr. Warden has forwarded from Paris to Dr. Mitchill a specimen of crude antimony, which was taken from a vein of that metal, at Sagherties, between Esopus and Kaatskill, in the state of New York. It is reported to exist there in considerable quantity. This sample, which had been examined by the Parisian chemists, was pronounced to be very good." If this information shall have any tendency to aid or improve the type founding business, and through that the great interests of learning and knowledge in our country, it will, we are persuaded, afford satisfaction and pleasure to every American patriot. PAINT. A SHORT time past was discovered in Colchester, a bed of substance which in its crude state, appears like one of the iron kind; but by reducing it to a powder, it is in fact a most beautiful yellow, not much inferior to the noted fine paints of that colour. By exposing the substance to the action of fire, it is changed to an umbrous, chocolate, red or black hue, according to the degree of the heat. This new paint unites readily with oil or water, and when spread is very brilliant. THE publisher thanks those of his subscribers who have called, or received and paid without hesitation, for the First Number of the THEOPHILANTHROPIST. At the same time he regrets the necessity of stating, that a number of his supposed patrons have mistaken this work for a missionary, evangelical, or wonderful magazine; and besides, when presented with the bill of twenty-five cents, have been struck with horror at the enormity of the charge, for, as they say, so small a book; alledging that they could not think of continuing as subscribers, without first obtaining their wives' consent. Pity has, in most cases of this kind, induced the publisher to erase the names of these unfortunate beings from the list of Theophilanthropists, being convinced that they would be of no use to the cause espoused by this publicaAnd he thinks it charity to advise them immediately to take shelter under the banners of some superstition. In the methodist society they may glide smoothly down the stream of time unnoticed and unknown; and on quitting this tabernacle of flesh, be never mentioned more. The Theophilanthropist must be made. of different stuff, it is requisite that he be a man firm, candid and liberal; who wishes, when he quits this mortal scene, to leave behind him some traces of utility. He must not only be convinced, but act up to the conviction, " that it is the duty of every man who comes into the world, to use his best endeavours, however insignificant, to leave it as much wiser, and as much better as he can." Upon men like these depends, in the opinion of the publisher, the redemption of mankind from the degrading fetters of hereditary superstition. To these, and to these only, he appeals; and he earnestly requests them in future to call for their numbers, as the expence of delivering them and collecting payment, has in many instances exceeded the amount received." I have no change,-call again,"-(for two shillings!)-is a language, in a case like this, inadmissible; and, if persisted in, must soon paralize the most zealous efforts of the publisher. The success of the present number will decide the fate of the publication. THEOPHILANTHROPIST, No. 3...........March 1810. "Slave to no sect, who takes no private road, ON EVILS OF IMPERFECTION. [Continued from page 50.] IN pursuance of the plan proposed in my last, I shall now proceed to examine into the nature of each particular kind of evil, and in the first place of those therein denominated evils of imperfection; which are in truth no evils at all, but rather the absence of some comparative good; and therefore I shall not have occasion to detain you long on that part of my subject. No system can possibly be formed, even in imagination without a subordination of parts. Every animal body must have different members subservient to each other; every picture must be composed of various colours, and of light and shade; all harmony must be formed of trebles, tenors, and basses; every beautiful and useful edifice must consist of higher and lower, more and less magnificent apartments. This is in the very essence of all created things, and therefore cannot be prevented by any means whatever, unless by not creating them at all: for which reason, in the formation of the universe, God was obliged, in order to carry on that just subordination so necessary to the very existence of the whole, to create beings of different ranks; and to bestow on various species of animals, and also on the individuals of the same species, various degrees of understanding, strength, beauty, and perfection; to the comparative want of which advantages we give the name of folly, weakness, deformity, and imperfection, and very unjustly repute them evils: whereas in truth they are blessings as far as they extend, though of an inferior degree. They are no more actual evils, than a small estate is a real misfortune, because many may be possessed of greater. Whatever we enjoy, is purely a free gift from our Creator; but that we enjoy no more, can never sure be deemed an injury, or a just reason to question his infinite benevolence. All our happiness is owing to his goodness; but that it is no greater, is owing only to ourselves, that is, to our not having any inherent right to any happiness, or even to any existence at all. This is no more to be imputed to God, than the wants of a beggar to the person who has relieved him: that he had something, was owing to his benefactor; but that he had no more, only to his original poverty. They who look upon the privation of all the good they see others enjoy, or think possible for infinite power to bestow, as positive evil, understand not that the universe is a system whose very essence consists in subordination; a scale of beings descending by insensible degrees from infinite perfection to absolute nothing; in which, though we may justly expect to find perfection in the whole, could we possibly comprehend it; yet would it be the highest absurdity to hope for it in all its parts, because the beauty and happiness of the whole depend altogether on the inferiority of its parts, that is, on the comparative imperfections of the several beings of which it is composed. It would have been no more an instance of God's wisdom to have created no beings but of the highest and most perfect order, than it would be of a painter's art, to cover his whole piece with one single colour, the most beautiful he could compose. Had he confined himself to such, nothing could have existed but de mi-gods, or arch-angels, and then all inferior orders must have been void and uninhabited; but as it is surely more agreeable to infinite benevolence, that all these should be filled up with beings capable of enjoying happiness themselves, and contributing to that of others, they must necessarily be filled with inferior beings, that is, with such as are less perfect, but from whose existence, notwithstanding that less perfection, more felicity upon the whole accrues to the universe, than if no such had been created. It is moreover highly probable that there is such a connection between all ranks and orders by subordinate degrees, that they mutually support each other's existence, and every one in its place is absolutely necessary towards sustaining the whole vast and magnificent fabrick. You see, therefore, that it is utterly' impracticable, even for infinite power, to exclude from creation this necessary inferiority of some beings in comparison with others. All that it can do is to make each as happy as their respective situations will permit; and this it has done in so extraordinary a manner, as to leave the benevolence of our great Creator not to be doubted of; for though he cannot make all superior, yet, in the dispensations of his blessings his wisdom and goodness both are well worthy the highest admiration; for, amongst all the wide distinctions which he was obliged to make in the dignity and perfection of his creatures, he has made much less in their happiness than is usually imagined, or indeed can be believed from outward appearances. He has given many advantages to brutes, which man cannot attain to with all his superiority, and many probably to man, which are denied to angels; amongst which his ignorance is perhaps none of the least. With regard to him, though it was necessary to the great purposes of human life to bestow riches, understanding and health, on individuals in very partial proportions; yet has the Almighty so contrived the nature of things, that happiness is distributed with a more equal hand. His goodness, we may observe, is always striving with these our necessary imperfections, setting bounds to the inconveniences it cannot totally prevent, by balancing the wants, and |