I think it imitable and worthy of imitation. He would often permit our theme exercises, under some pretext of want of time, to accumulate till each lad had four or five to be looked over. Then placing the whole number abreast on his desk, he would ask the writer why this or that sentence might not have found as appropriate a place under this or that thesis: and if no satisfying answer could be returned, and two faults of the same kind were found in one exercise, the irrevocable verdict followed, the exercise was torn up, and another on the same subject to be produced, in addition to the tasks of the day."-Biog. Lit. Vol. I. P. 7-9.

REV. EBENEZER PORTER, D. D.

DR. PORTER, president of the theological seminary, at Andover, died April 5, 1834, aged 62. There were several traits in the character of this venerated man, which are worthy of universal imitation. One was his exact and methodical arrangement of all his business transactions, connected with a benevolent heart and extensive charities. No individual was ever less obnoxious to the charge of avarice. We never heard the least intimation of any thing resembling meanness in his intercourse with his fellow creatures. At the same time, a thoroughly bred accountant could not have managed his affairs more prudently and systematically. His habits in this particular, as all good habits must be, descended to things minute and comparatively unimportant. Another interesting reminiscence of Dr. Porter, is his finished style of writing. So far as the nice balance of sentences, the harmonious collocation of their members, and the selection of apt and beautiful words are concerned, he was rarely ever excelled. We have the same associations respecting the perfection of his style, which we have with Playfair's, and Thomas Campbell's and professor Frisbie's. His words fell on the ear like the music of Handel. In his best discourses, the extreme polish was not apparent. The order was so logical, and the sentences were so accurately adjusted, that we never thought of the indefatigable attention, which had been bestowed upon them. The sentiment was so clearly and precisely expressed as to occupy the entire attention of the hearer. found a lodgment in the inmost soul. After all which may be said respecting unstudied nature, the outbreaking of natural eloquence, the happy disregard of rule and formality, of which we so frequently hear, it is refreshing to listen to well composed sentences, which have been subjected to the revision of a severely disciplined mind. There is a perfection in many of the sentences of Milton and Cowper, which we are utterly unable to describe, but which afford the highest mental pleasure. Dr. Porter's piety was remarkable for the attribute of clearness. He did not possess the spiritual imagination of Payson, or the amazing amplitude of John Howe, but the

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objects of faith which came within the scope of his mental view, were most distinctly apprehended, and left on his character and conduct the most definite impressions.

HON. JONAS PLATT.

We have not seen even a newspaper notice of the character of this excellent man. We knew him only as a friend of Christian charities, and as a member of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. We heard him speak on one occasion with singular perspicuity and good sense, on some of the bearings of the Indian question. He was formerly a judge in the New York courts, and resided in the city of New York. He had retired, some time before his death, to an estate in the neighborhood of Lake Champlain.

HON. WILLIAM JOHNSON.

DIED in Brooklyn, Long Island, August 4th, the Hon. William Johnson, of South Carolina, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was, we believe, very highly esteemed in his judicial capacity. We recollect one or two notable instances where his decisions militated against very favorite opinions prevalent in the southern portions of the union. He was author of a life of General Nathaniel Greene.

HON. WILLIAM H. CRAWFORD.

THIS distinguished individual, lately deceased in Georgia. He was a senator in Congress from 1807 to 1813, afterwards secretary of the treasury and of war, candidate for the office of president of the United States, and finally a judge of one of the circuit courts in his native State. His opinions on the subject of the rights of the Indians and of the slaves, were, we believe, much more liberal and disinterested, than those of many of his fellow citizens. In his political sentiments, he accorded with those generally held by the eminent men in Virginia. One cause of his failure in not being elected president, was his very feeble and precarious health.

REV. GREGORY T. BEDELL.

DR. BEDELL, rector of St. Andrews Church, Philadelphia, died at Baltimore, August 30, aged forty-three. He was one of the most amiable of men, and one of the most useful servants of his Lord and Master. He accomplished no inconsiderable amount of good, by various publications, which he wrote or edited.

GEN. CHARLES LARNED.

THIS individual died in Detroit, August 13, 1834. He was a native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, but for many years, had been a prominent member of the community at Detroit, the capital of Michigan territory. He possessed a mind of considerable acuteness, as he had been trained to the legal profession.

GEN. LEAVENWORTH.

DIED at the Cross Timbers, Missouri Territory, July 22, brigadier general Leavenworth, of the United States' army. He was a native of New York, and was associated in the practice of the law with general Erastus Root, of Delaware county. In the last war, he acted a distinguished part, especially in the battles of Chippewa and Bridgewater. His services have been employed since that period, in the establishment of various military posts on our western frontier, and in watching over its interests, and administering its policy in regard to the Indian tribes. The command of the south-western frontier had been recently assigned to him, with a view to secure the benefits of his energy and experience in the anticipated movements of the dragoons, and his presence at the council, to be held with the Indians in that remote region. He died of a fever.

NOTICE.

It is proposed to unite hereafter the "BIBLICAL REPOSITORY" and "AMERICAN QUARTERLY OBSERVER." A distinct annunciation of the plan will be made in the course of a few days. The first number of the united work will be published on the first day of January, 1835. It will be enlarged to the size of the North American Review, embracing in the two volumes, which will be published, annually, 1,000 pages. The distinctive character in the plan, both of the Repository and of the Observer, will be fully maintained. The conductors will constantly aim to produce a work, which shall meet the wants of the mass of the intelligent and educated, and at the same time sustain a high rank in the estimation of the learned scholar. This arrangement is entered into, not because the proprietors of either of the publications had concluded to abandon the enterprise, as the subscription to both works has been uniformly increasing; but for the purpose of concentrating talent and patronage in one publication. We are happy to add, that the proposal, so far as it has been made known, is regarded with much favor. The work will be issued simultaneously at Boston and Andover.