tory of civilization; although the seat and centre of the great Reformation, and so intimately connected with our own land, yet are we comparatively unacquainted with it. At the present day, the literature of Germany is exciting more influence over us, than perhaps that of any other people, and it is destined to be yet more extensively influential. German works are more frequently translated, and the language is becoming more generally studied.

It is due to Germany, then, as well as to ourselves, that more should be known of her history by our people. The opportunity is now afforded by the valuable translation before us; and we can promise those who read it, much interesting and valuable information.

It is very cheap at $1 50, and is intended to be one of Appleton's Historical Series.

17.-Poems. By WILLIAM W. LORD. New-York: D. Appleton & Co. Phil. Geo. S. Appleton. 1845. pp. 158, 18mo.

The taste with which this volume is "got up" by the enterprising publishers, is sufficient, in itself, to sell the book; and indeed, to make poetry saleable, in the present day, seems to require something besides the poetry itself.

There is so much of poetry now in history and even in science, that the public generally appear to be content with that and an occasional reference to the old standards.

Mr. Lord is evidently gifted in poetic genius, and has published in this volume some rich and exquisite sentiment. Yet we are far from believing that it will suit the popular taste; and we fear, too, the effect on the author of too high eulogiums on the part of some of his friends. We would give him a friendly admonition not to rest his hopes either of fame or usefulness on the cultivation of poetic harmonies.

"Worship" is ethereal. "Niagara " is a magnificent conception. Many of the "Ballad Fantasies are enchanting.

18.-An American Dictionary of the English Language. First Edition in Octavo, containing the whole vocabulary of the Quarto, with corrections, improvements, and several thousand additional words. With an Introductory Dissertation. By NOAH WEBSTer, LL. D. In two volumes. Springfield: G. & C. Merriam. 1845.

We heartily commend THIS Dictionary of Dr. Webster. It is, probably, well known that we do not approve of the introduction of his School Dictionary into our common schools. We have serious objection to much of the orthography: nor can we find any writer, even the warmest admirer of Webster, who is conformed to it. At the same time, we agree with Profs. Fleming and Tibbins, who say, in the Preface to their French Dictionary, "Webster has touched upon

every thing: on Etymology, the secret of which he has often detected by following it through all its Protean changes; on History and Chronology; on Commerce and Navigation; on the Arts and Sciences; more especially on the language of every day life;" and with Rev. Dr. Humphrey, when he says: "Dr. Webster's American Dictionary of the English language is an honor to the country which gave him birth, to the age, and to the language which it so admirably traces up to its etymological sources, so skilfully analyzes and so happily explains."

No scholar can well afford to be without the large Dictionary. It stands alone in its etymological research, and in the truth, extent and precision of its definitions, and is, unquestionably, the most copious, philosophical, and accurate Dictionary of the English Language now in existence, with the single exception of its mode of spelling.

The present edition is recommended by its cheapness, ($10 50,) and by the fact that it contains the supplement of words published just before his death, in 1843.

Kitto's Cyclopædia-Nov. 13, 14, 15-continued from the word "Mediator." As before said, an excellent work for the illustration of the Bible.

Martin's Bible-Nos. 3, 4, 5—each adorned with an elegant engraving, and the text as beautiful as ever. See notice in April No. of Repository.

Judæa Capta-Taylor's uniform edition.

NOTE.

As the brief allusion to the Rt. Rev. Bishop Southgate in the Article on Prelacy in our last number is liable to misapprehension, we take pleasure in saying that it was not designed to express any opinion as to the merits of the charges preferred against him, or to cast any reflection upon the moral character of Bishop S., but simply to illustrate the relative character of the Episcopal and other Ecclesiastical Supervision.

ARTICLE X.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

Germany.

It is known that Böckh is publishing a grand collection of Greek Inscriptions. The first part of Vol. III. has appeared, containing, among others, the inscriptions found in Lycia by Mr. Fellowes. Weissenborn has offered, in his Hellenic Contributions, some new and interesting views of some points of German History. The third volume of Dr. Birch's "Ludwig Philipp der Erste" has appeared, and is characterized by industrious research, lucid style and arrangement.-K. Weiseler, of Göttingen, has published a Chronological Synopsis of the four Gospels, of great value, in which he investigates the time of Christ's birth and death, the extent of his public ministry, etc.-Number of students at some of the principal universities: Berlin, 1548, foreigners 561; Göttingen, 637, for. 201; Halle, 721, for. 166; Heidelberg, 809, for. 541; Leipzig, 880, for. 267; Tübingen, 852, for. 71.

France.

Jesuitism is reviving and becoming so bold as, even in Paris, to hunt up and exhibit the old relics. What a conflict is coming on!-The Polytechnic School of Paris has been closed, in consequence of a rebellion, and is re-organized and subjected to the supervision of the Minister of War, as formerly.

Spain.

Journals in Madrid, 48-daily, 19; bi- or tri-weekly, 9; weekly, 7; semi-monthly, 5; monthly, 8. Of the whole number, two are religious, one daily, one tri-weekly.

Russia.

The University of St. Petersburg has 66 officers, 557 students; Moscow, 87 officers, 836 students; Dorpat, 66, 489; Kieu, 63, 320. There exist in Russia 83 gymnasia.-The emperor has directed the Minister of Public Instruction to select a number of young men, of proper political views and established character, and send them, at the public expense, to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, and England, that they may become qualified for professorships in the Russian universities, and thus avoid the necessity of employing foreigners.

THE

BIBLICAL REPOSITORY

AND

CLASSICAL REVIEW.

THIRD SERIES, NO. IV.-WHOLE NUMBER LX.

OCTOBER, 1845.

ARTICLE I.

THE USE OF CHURCH CREEDS.

REV. JOHN G. HALL, South Egremont, Mass.

HUMAN nature possesses, generically, a marked propension for extremes. It may be said of it, as one has said of woman,

"Aut amat, aut odit, nihil est tertium."

As if the fall struck the fiercest blow at the moderation of the race, the opinions and practices of men oscillate from right to left-from deepest centre to furthest circumference-with vast rapidity. It has always been common for proselytes to be "tenfold more the children of" enthusiasm, than they who proselyted them. The great attempt of the French, to loose from their necks the iron bands of a most rigid despotism, had but fairly begun, ere the shadows of the extreme result, which was a more rigid democracy, began to forecast themselves. And thus, it is no marvel to the world, to witness the straight flights of men from one extremity in politics, religion, morals, or manners, to another exactly the opposite.

THIRD SERIES, VOL. I. NO. IV.

38

To such a frailty of the human character, it might, perhaps, be charitable to refer, along with numerous other eccentricities, the favorite outcry of so many of the present age against the use of church creeds. The creeds, or confessions of the churches, during the era of the Reformation, and shortly after it, (as was indeed not surprising, at a time when the elements of the truth had to be drawn out from the huge heaps of falsities with which a thousand years of darkness had overlaid them,) may have been too ample and minute to comport with the features of different times. The fathers were all eagerness to show to the world, so long bewildered with the errors of Rome, what "be the true sayings of God." And thus their formularies of faith were oftentimes long, usually minutely explicit, and frequently, to us, undeniably tedious Circumstances seemed to call them to define the very verge of truth.

But other ages have advanced. There has been a great, merciful, and marvellous revival of the truth. The fathers have slept; and their children, and children's children, for many generations, have inherited their possessions. And some of them, now in these remote years, forgetful of the straits of their fathers, or, perhaps, what is more true, forgetful of the straits of humanity at any period, from the full summaries of Christian doctrine, arranged and recorded by past ages, go, at a single bound, to the utmost opposite, and sternly disavow all creeds, formularies, or symbols of belief whatever, exterior to the simple text itself of the Scriptures: for a shield, grossly perverting that noble sentiment, "The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the religion of Protestants."

Of such men, single and clustered, and in ecclesiastical bodies of various sizes, it is a grief to say, that our own loved country, the North and the East, the sunny South and the portentous West, (not to mention other lands,) is much too full. The names under which they pass, familiar in their more appropriate localities, and more or less known to the reading public, it is not necessary here to repeat. Some of them are evidently wide from the meaning, or intention, of the