THE IRISH SOLDIER.

SOMETIME before the breaking up of the British headquarters at Cambray, an Irish soldier, a private in the 23d regiment of foot, was convicted of shooting at and robbing a French peasant. He was in consequence sentenced to be hanged. On arriving at the gallows, he addressed the spectators in a stentorian voice as follows:- Bad luck to the Duke of Wellington! He's no Irishman's friend any way: I have killed many a score of Frenchmen by his orders, and when I just took it in my head to kill one upon my own account, by the powers, he has tucked me up for it."

Boston Weekly Messenger.

The admonitory lesson in this speech is worthy to be echoed throughout the world. By some irresistible❝stentorian voice" it should be made to reach the ears and heart of every man in Christendom. It exposes the barbarous policy of Christian nations. Military establishments, war and privateering are the hot beds for raising robbers, pirates, and murderers.

AUSPICIOUS OCCURENCES.

THE New-York Peace Society has been lately reorganized and its concerns placed under the direction of a large Committee. The Annual Meeting of the Society was held on the 25th of December; a valuable Report has been published, and the prospects of the society are flattering.

The Ohio Peace Society is also in a flourishing state; its numbers increasing and its exertions very considerable. This Society has republished eight numbers of the Friend of Peace, and has proposed to repub lish the remainder of the first volume.

Since No. 14 was published in Boston, four respectable Auxiliaries have been added to the M. P. S. Portsmouth, N. H. East Haddam, Connecticut, Shelburne, and Plainfield, Mass.

Two new Peace Societies in the state of New-York have also been recently formed; one in Schenectady, the other in Albany.

A proposed Constitution for a Vermont Peace Society has been published in the newspapers of that state.

From the late discussions in Congress and in the newspapers, relating to the Seminole war, it may be inferred, that the long and barbarous age in which glory could be acquired by war on the Indians has closed; that it is now strongly suspected that " American avarice of Indian lands is equal to Spanish avarice of Indian gold ;" and that so much light exists on the subject of wars in general, as to preclude all reasonable hope of acquiring renown to our generals, our government, or our nation by future wars on our red brethren. "Let all the people say, Amen."

In the Treaty, just published, between Great Britain and the United States, a principle of peace has been adopted. The two "contracting

powers" agree to refer a remaining question of dispute to "some friendly sovereign or state," and "engage to consider the decision of such friendly sovereign or state to be final and conclusive on all the matters referred." A glorious example and a happy presage of better times!

NOTICES.

In a review of the success of the FRIEND OF PEACE, the Editor finds occasion to acknowledge the mercy of God, the patronage of friends, and the candor of his fellow citizens. Perhaps no periodical work, so novel in its character, and which had such strong prepossessions to encounter, was ever more successful, or obtained a more extensive circulation in four years. No's 1, 2, and 3 have already passed through seven editions in this country; and the seventh edition of No. 4 is now in the press. Several other numbers have had 5 or 6 editions, and the whole of the first volume has been reprinted.

The Editor has lately relinquished another employment, that he might devote the remainder of his days to the Friend of Peace, From its commencement, the work has been published entirely at his own risk-but with an unwavering confidence that its objects were agreeable to the dictates of revelation, the nature of the Deity, and the designs of his providence, and therefore attainable ;-also with a full belief that the day is approaching when benevolent exertions in this cause will cease to be regarded as fanatical, and will command the approbation of the wise and the good in heaven and on earth. Having now disengaged himself from other cares and labors, he hopes, if he should be favored with health, to render the work still more worthy of its all-important objects, and of the patronage of Christians of every name.

Copies of each No. of the Friend of Peace will continue to be sold to Peace Societies, Booksellers, and benevolent individuals, who may wish to purchase for distribution, at the moderate price of ten dollars per hundred.

The subscription to the Massachusetts Peace Society is one dollar annually. Each subscriber is entitled to the value of half his annual subscription in Tracts at the wholesale price—that is, five copies of the Friend of Peace or other Tracts equivalent.

Mr.J. W. Burditt, No. 94 Court-street, Boston, is appointed to receive subscriptions for the society, and to deliver Tracts to those who may wish to become members. He also has on hand the several No's for sale.

If any Boston member of the M. P. S. shall fail of otherwise receiving his copy, in any quarterly distribution of Tracts, he may obtain it by applying to Mr. Burditt.

The Solemn Review and all the No's of the Friend of Peace will be con stantly for sale at the Bookstore of Cummings & Hilliard, No. 1, Cornhill. The parcels directed to the members of the M. P.S. in different towns, and to the several Branch Societies, will in future be deposited at the BosTON BOOKSTORE, No. 1, Cornhill.

Errata.-Page 1, line 11, for adopted,' read adapted-p. 10, 1. 13, for the son,' r. ber sonp. 12, l. 13, for sll,' r. all-p. 12, l. 18, for practice,' r. pretence-p. 20, l. 11, for 3 our,' r, ent.

FRIEND OF PEACE.

Vol. II......No. IV.

REVIEW OF NORTHERN ANTIQUITIES.-PART I.

SUCH

UCH have been the inhumanity, the injustice, and the atrocity of the principles, the maxims, the laws, and the usages of modern warfare, that many have wondered how it was possible that such things could ever have been adopted by any people who had the least regard for the gospel. To account for facts so extraordinary and humiliating, recourse must be had to the history of our ancestors, and to the influence of education.

There was a period when all our ancestors were pagans and savages. It was so with the original inhabitants of the island of Great Britain, and with the several nations by whom that island was at different periods conquered and overrun, desolated and repeopled.

Christians of the two first centuries held war in the utmost abhorrence, and would suffer any penalties, even death itself, rather than stain their hands with human blood, or be concerned in the wars of their rulers. But when the celebrated Constantine assumed the name of a Christian, and associated the Cross with the military standard, the minds of Christians seem to have been intoxicated with their unexpected deliverance from pagan persecutions. Then by degrees they associated the principles and spirit of war with their Christian profession. The Christian name became renowned throughout the Roman empire, but in proportion as this name acquired popularity by its connexion with a military conqueror, it lost the purity of its character, and became crimsoned with blood.

Christianity was not introduced into the land of our forefathers till it had been corrupted and debased by an unnatural connexion with military ambition and the horrid principles of intolerance, persecution, and war.

In the fifth century, an extraordinary revolution was effected by the irruption of northern barbarians, who inundated the Roman empire, destroyed a great portion of the former inhabitants, took possession of the country, and divided it among themselves. As these ferocious savages were the conquerors of Europe, not excepting Britain, their principles and maxims of war became associated with a profession of Christianity, and acquired popularity in all the conquered countries. From ancestors, who had imbibed barbarian principles of war, the present inhabitants of Europe and of the United States derived their existence. Russell, in his History of Modern Europe, gives the following account of the Northern tribes :

"In their various incursions on the continent, these ferocious adventurers were known by the general name of Normans, from their northern situation; and in their attacks on Britain, by the common appellation of Danes, to whatever country they might belong. They became the terror of all the maritime parts of Europe. But before I speak of their depredations, I must say a few words of their religion and

manners.

"The manners of a people, and the popular superstition depend on each other. Religion takes its complexion originally from the manners: men form a Deity according to their own ideas, their prejudices, their passions; and the manners are in a great measure continued or altered by the established religion of a country,-especially when it is calculated to affect the imagination. The religion of the ancient Scandinavians was highly so, and was preserved entire among the Normans, who also retained their unadulterated manners. They were worthy of each other-equally bloody and barbarous, but formed to inspire the most enthusiastic courage, and the most unremitted perseverance in toil.

Odin, whom the Saxons called Woden, was their Supreme Divinity. They painted him as the God of terror-the author of devastation-the father of carnage! And they worshipped him accordingly. They sacrificed to him, when they were successful, some of the captives taken in war; and they believed that those heroes would stand highest in his favor who had killed most enemies in the field; that after death, the brave would be admitted into his palace, and there have the happiness of drinking ale out of the skulls of their slaughtered foes.

"In consequence of this belief, fatigues, wounds, combats, and perils, were the sports of youth.-Education, prejudice, manners, example, habit-all contributed to subdue in them the sensation of timidity; and to make them covet danger, and seem greedy of death." vol. i. p. 107.

Mallet, in his "Northern Antiquities," confirms this account of our ancestors. He says, "They drew their Gods by their own characters, who loved nothing so much as to display their strength and power in battle, and to signalize their vengeance on their enemies, by slaughter and desolation."

"The warriors who went to battle made a vow to send him "-Odin, their God-" a certain number of souls which they consecrated to him. These souls were Odin's right; he received them in Valhall, his ordinary place of residence, where he rewarded all who died sword in hand.-The assistance of this Deity was implored in every war that was undertaken; to him the vows of both parties were addressed!"

"This terrible Deity, who took such pleasure in shedding human blood, was at the same time, according to the Icelandish mythology, their Father and Creator. So easily do gross and prejudiced minds reconcile the most glaring contradictions."-Northern Antiq. vol. i. pp. 85-89.

Mr. Mallet further says "Those only whose blood had been shed in battle might aspire to the pleasures which Odin prepared for them in VALHALL. The pleasures which they expected after death show plainly what they relished during