glican Church in general and the Pope, but also between the sovereign Pontiff and particular Bishops, who were supported in their contest always by the national feeling, and generally by their Metropolitan. It would be needless to detail the particular dispute between John and his barons, among whom were not a few bishops, as to the Papal authority: but this is only one among many similar instances. Now we should be very glad to see this idea carried out, and our ante-Lutheran Church rescued from the charge so often attempted to be forced upon her. We know well, nor would we for a moment blink the fact, that the Church of that period was exceedingly corrupt, but still the distinctive characteristic of Romanism-the Popery of the Western Church-viz., the devoted, implicit adherence to the Bishop of Rome, was never any part of the system of our Anglican Church.

The Five Empires, an Outline of Ancient History-Englishman's Library. By Robert Isaac Wilberforce, M.A. London: Burns. 1840. "EVANGELICAL Truth," "Apostolical Order,"-such are the objects which the writers of this series of "sound learning and religious education have taken upon them to support. With what success let the names of Gresley and Wilberforce, Churton and Melvill declare. The present is decidedly the best volume of the series.

The History of the Jews from the taking of Jerusalem by Titus to the present time. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. 1840.

WHILE We speak in terms of praise generally of this work, we must not blind ourselves to the fact, that it is written in a spirit too much in accordance with the "philosophy" of the day. The information it gives, however, is both useful and extensive.

The Churchman's Guide; a copious Index of Sermons, and other Works, of eminent Church of England Divines, digested and arranged according to their subjects, and continued to the present day. By the Rev. John Forster, M.A. Incumbent of the Royal Chapel in the Savoy. London: Parker. 1840.

THE title of this work sufficiently explains its object: and we have only to add that its execution is equal to its design. We can scarcely conceive a more useful book for the clergyman. All the most important sermons, tracts, and other works, provided that they be not inconsistent in doctrine one with another, are here noted, and the churchman may depend upon the fidelity with which the selection is made,

The Whole Works of Richard Graves, D.D., late Dean of Ardagh, and Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin. 4 vols. Dublin Curry. 1840.

Ir a strong mind, large attainments, sincere piety, and a most kind and christian deportment, be qualities that entitle their possessor to fame, then may the late Dean of Ardagh be well denominated famous; but a stronger claim to celebrity than even these could give, may he made in favour of Richard Graves. He has written on many subjects, and on all well. His work on the Pentateuch is used in the English Universities as well as in Dublin. And we may safely say, that it never has been perused without great benefit. Nor are his other works indicative of less ability, though their subjects have not brought them so prominently before the religious world. To enter now into a critical examination of works like those of Dean Graves would be absurd: the author has entered into his rest, and the writings have taken their place among the standard productions of English literature.

With regard to the present edition, we may say somewhat: for it is not only a complete and a handsome edition, but it is enriched, by the present Dr. Graves, with a memoir of his father. This memoir is valuable. It is true that, with the usual "pietas" displayed on such occasions, Dr. Graves depicts the late Dean in colours of celestial brightness; that he gives us the portrait of a faultless man, one who, to use the biographer's expression, "knew only by theory the carnal heart which is enmity against God."

For

While we regret to see this, first because it is injudicious, and untrue of any man, we are quite ready to grant that the late Dean Graves was a man of great innocence and simplicity of character; and we pronounce the memoir valuable, not so much on account of itself as on account of its object. various reasons, we shall give here a sketch of the life of this distinguished scholar; and the reader will, as we proceed, see that the memory of such a man is, at the present time, peculiarly valuable.

Richard Graves, late Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Dublin, was born on the 1st of October, 1763, at Kilfinnan, in the County of Limerick, of which union* his father

was rector.

His father, who was a man of considerable taste as well as

The English reader must have it explained to him, that an "union" in Ireland is the union of two or more parishes, which are thus permanently brought under one minister. We shall, on another occasion, speak of this system: the union in question was Kilfinnan and Darragh.

considerable learning, superintended his education during his earlier years, and he was prepared for the University of Dublin by an elder brother, who had already distinguished himself there. Letters are still extant which shew how pious and how affectionate was the intercourse between the father and the brothers of this amiable family; and from one of these we make an extract, to point out a remarkable fact, viz., that though there was more than one parish, there was No church; and to prove, also, what may be done even under circumstances so discouraging, by an active and devoted clergyman. The letter from which we quote is dated Kilfinnan, Dec. 30, 1768, and was addressed to Thomas Graves, the elder brother of Richard, by their father.

"For my own part,' he says, 'I have felt the want of a church more than ever at this sacred season. The late storms and constant wet weather, rendered our Market-house utterly unsafe for weak and sickly constitutions. So that I was obliged, on Thursday before Christmas-day, to administer the holy sacrament to eight persons at Bosnet's-town; the next day, to fifteen at Castle Oliver; on Saturday, to seventeen at Mrs. Crawley's; on the Nativity, to above ninety at the Market-house; on Monday, to ten at Sunville; and on Wednesday to eight at Bettyville. All these calls of duty I cheerfully obeyed, rejoicing in the Lord who gave the strength, and with heartfelt delight at the prospect of salvation for so many souls of my flock.”

Mr. Graves held, at the same time, another union of three parishes; and, at the advanced age of seventy-three, was presented to another union of two parishes. Thus he was, shortly before the time of his death, the pastor of no fewer than seven parishes, viz., Kilfinnan, Darragh, Ballingarry, Dunmoylan, Castle Robert, Croom, and Adair; and, strange as it may seem, he nevertheless, never had a church of his own to officiate in.* At the age of eighteen the subject of our memoir entered as a pensioner of Trinity College, Dublin; and with a characteristic, but well-grounded confidence in his own powers, he said to his parents before leaving home, "I start for a Fellowship."

His career at college was one of uninterrupted success; and though for a time ill-health and the loss of his father, made it necessary to relax in his exertions, he obtained, at an unusually early period the distinguished honour of a Fellowship.

"His religious views contributed to the successful prosecution of his studies; though the contrary might, by a worldly reasoner, have been naturally expected. He was accustomed, on principle, to lay aside

The memoir is very ambiguous on this point, speaking of the church at Kilfinnan, while the letter of Mr. Graves intimates, that if there were a church, it was not in sufficient repair for use; the latter was probably the case.

his studies on the Sabbath; though he saw many of his competitors regularly gaining that day a-head of him. But if he appeared to lose ground, he was, on the other hand, enabled (and it is his own remark) to return to his task, not only with renewed physical energy, but with a tranquillized spirit, free from all injurious anxiety, and cheerfully resigned as to the result."

An anecdote is related of his undergraduate course, which is well-worth preserving.

"He had shewn great abilities in the Historical Society, and on other occasions, previous to his appointment to a Fellowship. One of these, which occurred while he was an under-graduate, has been particularly mentioned to the writer. In the year 1783, a large number of students, excited by political disturbers, had assembled with the intention of expressing opinions in support of the proceedings of the delegates from the volunteers, who had met that year in Dublin. Believing it to be his duty, though he had not previously taken any part in politics, to protest against this movement, and having succeeded, though his appearance was unexpected, in obtaining a hearing, he exposed so eloquently the injury that would accrue to the discipline and character of the University from such a proceeding, and its total incongruity with their position as students, that resolutions were passed, directly opposed to those previously contemplated, and to the complete discomfiture of those agitators who had got up the meeting."

His faculty of extemporaneous speaking he retained in after life; and on many occasions it was eminently useful to him.

In 1787 he took the degree of M.A., and married in the same year Elizabeth Mary, daughter of Dr. Drought, Professor of Divinity. This union was eminently happy, and the editor has given an interesting proof of the conjugal harmony that subsisted between his parents, by presenting the reader with a fac-simile of the Dean's autograph, in 1825, to the following effect:

"To Mrs. Eliza Graves, the best of wives and mothers, in testimony of Respect and Affection, uninterruptedly merited, during a union of nearly eight & thirty years, this Set of Books is presented by her sincerely grateful

most

"April 21-1825."

& attached husband,

RICHARD GRAVES."

*The writer has been informed, on good authority, that shortly after the above occurrence, which produced some sensation at the time, a communication was made to him from those in authority, highly commending the prin ciples and abilities he had displayed, and advising him to qualify himself, by adopting the legal profession, for rendering further support to government in a higher sphere. From this, had he been prompted by ambition, he might easily have fancied himself likely to be returned for some government borough to the Irish House of Commons-figuring among its orators, and crowned with political fame and power. But the above effort had been made in obedience to principle, not to ambition; and he was not to be tempted by any offers from the independence he was seeking, and the sacred profession he had chosen.

Dr. Graves kept no diary: his piety was of the most retiring character, and one only record of his religious feelings has been preserved (and that by chance) during the earlier portion of his life; this we would gladly extract, but refrain from want of space. It is, as his son denominates it, "an interesting do

cument."

"This interesting document, the only private record of his views and feelings at that period, which has come into my hands, was found among some loose papers in his college rooms, by a relation, who happening to read it, begged permission to keep it, and after the author's decease kindly forwarded it to me. I have not found any document similar to the above, (which was thus accidentally preserved) till the series (given in the sequel) commencing in 1807, twenty years after

wards.'

Previous to his marriage he was ordained, and entered on a course of duties as tutor in his College, where the amiability of his character, the depth and extent of his attainments, and the kindness of his manner, caused his classes to be more than unusually large. It is to be remembered also, to his great credit, they contained a large proportion of pupils, who not only received from him gratuitous instruction, but caused him in some instances considerable expense.

"But he proved in a still more important point his desire to benefit those, whom Providence placed in his way, by pursuing the plan, too little attended to at that time, of devoting one day in the week to the religious instruction of his pupils. It cannot be regarded as any other than a difficult and thankless task, to attract to religious subjects, the minds of young men just freed from the restraints of home or of school, and either entering the lists of literary fame, or still more eagerly starting in the heedless career of pleasure. And it can hardly be expected, if parents have neglected during its tender growth, to train the plant to the proper standard, that increasing years will render it more pliant."

His pulpit exhortations, too, were very effective; and amidst these varied engagements he found time to write an admirable treatise, to prove that the Apostles were not enthusiastic fanatics, but spake forth the words of truth and soberness.

In 1798 so disturbed was the state of Ireland, that Dr. Graves thought it necessary to retire for a time into England; he returned, however, to his post in the following year, and was elected a Senior Fellow of his College, taking in the same year the degree of D.D. In 1807 appeared his great work, the Lectures on the Pentateuch: a work which had well-nigh perished, together with its author, in the waves on the coast of Wales; for the vessel in which Dr. Graves and his family were proceeding on a second visit to the Principality, was nearly wrecked.