clothed in mourning, but in triumphal robes; in scarlet and gold, like kings. Do they not prefigure the deep and solemn joy which may invest and imbue the soul, the trusting soul, in the prospect of the last change? The trees cannot anticipate the new dress which they shall put on, when the warm influences of spring return the sap into their branches; but man may contemplate the season when mortality shall be swallowed up of life;' the season not only of restoration, as to nature, but of inconceivable addition; the time when a new earth shall be under him, and new heavens over him, and glories, of which he cannot now form any distinct conception, shall clothe the spirits of the redeemed." pp. 281–283.

Again, “Remembrance of the Righteous."

"But these are far from being all who are remembered. Each circle of friends, each separate family has a memory; and the forms, which are retained by it, are, of all others, the most distinct, the most vivid, and the most dear. What numbers, what numbers are they, of whom the world has never heard, and never will hear, but who live forever in the bosoms of kindred. Beneath every domestic roof, there are more than are counted by the stranger. Spirits are there, whom he does not see, but who are never far from the eyes of the household. He does not see the sprightly child, who once was there in mortal health and beauty; but the child is yet there in spiritual presence, before the vision of father and mother, and wherever they may go, will go with them. He does not see the venerable form which once sat there in placid love and dignity; but it has not departed from that house; son and daughter behold it; it looks on them with wonted kindness, and speaks to them still the words of counsel. He does not see the devoted wife, whom once he might have seen there, the presiding spirit of order, and comfort, and peace, ruling her children with gentleness and discretion, and causing her husband to realize what a refuge, and sanctuary, and heavenon-earth is home; but from that home she has not wholly departed, nor will ever depart, for her remembrance is there perpetually. Though the body has been borne for the last time from its doors, her spirit remains in its influence over the affections and deportment of the living. To them she utters her voice, and by them she is heard; and the husband is not wholly alone, and the tender minds of the children are moulded insensibly by the very name of her who watched over their infancy. There is something of this in every house, which love and virtue entitle to the name of home; in every family where mortality has taught the lessons of immortal faith and hope. Steps are on VOL. XXXIV. - 3D S. VOL. XVI. NO. I.

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the stair, but not for common ears; and familiar places and objects restore familiar smiles, and tears, and acts of goodness, which are seen by memory alone.

"Who shall enumerate the blessed multitude of those, who, dead to all on earth beside, live always in the hearts of those who knew them and loved them. The body may be far distant, but the spirit is brought near by remembrance, and dwells ever at home. The mortal remains of a friend may be covered by a foreign soil, and strange and heedless feet may tread on the spot where they lie; but the soul returns to its own country, and communes with its own kindred. That which was corruptible may have been committed to the deep, and the track of the receding vessel be the only path to the place of its sepulture; but the waves cannot roll over the uplifted and imperishable spirit." pp. 136-138.

Once more," Offices of Memory."

"Who will say that they have never committed sin, and therefore cannot be annoyed by its remembrance? If there be any such, they must be answered in the words of St. John, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' It cannot be true that we have no sin. The most obstinate self-deception alone could induce us to maintain an assertion so easily refuted, and so contrary to all experience. What! Have we never wasted our time; never abused our faculties and privileges; never disobeyed, with the full knowledge of the wrong, a commandment of God? Have we never raised expectations, and then idly or intentionally neglected to satisfy them, thereby causing disappointment and pain? Have we never failed to state the clear and open truth, through fear, or pride, or some other motive worse even than those? Have we never detained what was not rightfully our own; never taken an unfair advantage of our neighbor; never perverted the power of authority or love which has been placed in our hands, so that instead of a refuge, it became a torment? Have we been guilty of no sacret faults or crimes? But I will ask no more questions of this nature. Surely we have sinned and done wickedly. Let us not aggravate our offences by denying that we have offended; but when memory repeats to our hearts the history of our misdeeds, let us receive the rebuke patiently, nay, even reverently, that we may be profited, perhaps saved.

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"But have we repented of sin, and felt that we have been forgiven? Even then let memory come and tell again the history of error and disobedience. The recital will remind us of our frailty, convince us of our sinfulness; and we shall thus be put

upon our guard against future acts of folly and rebellion. A shield will be given us against impending danger; a motive to increased precaution and vigilance. Beacon lights will gleam out from the past, to guide our present course, and warn us of the old and sunken perils. In times of excitement, of delusion, of trial, when the enemies of our virtue and constancy are out upon us with their forces, and we waver in the conflict, happy will it be for us then, if the memory of former guilt rise up and interpose itself between us and them, point to the melancholy consequences of defeat, and stimulate us to the victory. Good reason we shall have to render thanks to God, and ascribe to him the power and the praise, crying, 'Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory.'' - pp. 308-311.

We have endeavored in a hasty survey, to give some idea of the general contents and character of this volume; esteeming the best recommendation of a good book to be its introduction to the knowledge of those whom we desire to read it, rather than a mere description. Here then we leave it. May it give the pleasure which it ought, and do the good for which it is designed.

H. W., JR.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

A Residence of Eight Years in Persia, among the Nestorian Christians; with notices of Muhammedans: by Rev. JUSTIN PERKINS; with a Map and 27 Plates. Andover: Allen, Morrill & Wardwell. 1843. 8vo. pp. 512.

Or this large and imposing volume, of more than five hundred pages, we cannot pretend, within any limits now at our command to give a full and sitisfactory account. We have not been able to read it with such attention, as to feel competent to decide very confidently either upon the merits of the book, or upon the manner in which the author and his fellow laborers discharged their duties as Christian missionaries, and fulfilled the just expectations of those who commissioned them. Nevertheless we have read it with sufficient attention to perceive, that the work contains a large amount of valuable information about a country, with which we are little familiar, about manners and modes of life always interesting from their relation to those of the ancient inhabitants of Asia, and concerning the Nestorian Christians, a small remnant of those who, in the 5th century, followed into banishment the excommunicated bishop of Constantinople. It would give us pleasure to watch the course of action adopted by the missionaries to note their methods and state their results, and this we may do at another time. At present the pleasure of the reader will be better consulted, and his profit also, by gleaning from these ample pages a little of the information which the author of the work has been eight years in accumulating.

The seat or field of the mission lay in the northwest part of modern Persia, between the Black and the southern end of the Caspian seas, but much nearer the latter. The station was first for a short time at Tabreez, but permanently afterwards at Oróomiah, a city on the shore of a lake of the same name. Of the situation, aspect of the country, population, &c., let the author speak.

"The district of Oróomiah consists of a magnificent plain, situated at the eastern base of the Koordish mountains, and extending from them to the beautiful lake of the same name. The lake of Oróomiah is about eighty miles in length and thirty in breadth, lying in direction a little to the west of north and east of south. Its waters are very salt, perhaps as much so as the waters of the Dead Sea. No fish are found in

it; but fowl, particularly the duck and flamingo, frequent it in great numbers. The plain of Oróomiah is about forty miles in length, lying upon the central section of the lake, and in its broadest part, is about twenty miles wide. Imposing branches of the Koordish mountains sweep down quite to the waters of the lake, at the extremities of the plain, enclosing it like a vast amphitheatre. This great plain, with the adjacent declivities of the mountains, comprising an area of about six. hundred square miles, contains at least three hundred and thirty villages. It is amply watered by three considerable rivers, (i. e. considerable, for Persia, each being from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet wide,) besides many smaller streams. Its soil is extremely fertile, and is all under high cultivation. Its staple productions are wheat, rice, cotton, tobacco, and the vine. It also abounds in a great variety of fruits. Besides its ten or twelve species of the grape, it yields cherries, apricots, apples, pears, quinces, peaches, plums, melons, nuts, etc. in most ample abundance. And such is the number of orchards and trees, planted along 'the water courses,' on all parts of the plain, as to give much of it the appearance of American forests.

"About twelve miles back from the lake and about two miles from the mountains, is the city of Oróomiah. It is the ancient Thebarma, the birth-place, as tradition says, of Zoroäster, the founder of the ancient sect of fire-worshippers; a tradition which is rendered, perhaps, the more credible, from the fact, that there are, on different parts of the plain, several artificial mounds, each covering an area of an acre or more, and rising to a height of fifty or seventy feet, which seem to be vast piles of ashes, that accumulated during the lapse of centuries, under the perpetual fires,' before which they paid their adoration. This is the explanation which the native inhabitants give of these monuments; and I see no particular reason to question its accuracy. The city contains about twenty-five thousand inhabitants. It is nearly four miles in circumference. Like other cities of Persia, it is surrounded by a mud-wall and a ditch; and most of its houses are built of unburnt brick. Its markets are good, for this country; its streets are wider than are common, in Eastern cities; and it has a very agreeable air of comfort, from the great number of shade-trees, interspersed among the houses.

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From elevations back of the city, the beholder, as he looks down upon the gardens directly below him, and then, upon the city, half buried in shrubbery, — and next, over the vast plain, studded with its hundreds of villages, verdant with thousands of orchards and hedges of poplars, willows, and sycamores, upon the streams, and gleaming with almost illimitable fields, waving a golden harvest, and farther still, upon the azure bosom of the placid lake, beaming and sparkling like an immense mirror, under the brilliancy of the pure Persian sky, and finally, upon the blue mountains, far in the distance beyond the lake, one of the loveliest and grandest specimens of natural scenery is spread out before him, that was ever presented to the eye of man. **** Not more than six hundred Nestorians reside in the city of Oróomiah. They are principally in a compact position, adjacent to which the premises of our mission are situated. There are about two thousand Jews in the city, and the remaining part of the population are Muhammedans." "" ***