489

NOTICES.

'THE Old Testament History; or, a connected view of God's dealings with His people before the coming of our Lord. By a Country Clergyman.' (Rivingtons.) The object of this little work is, to present the facts and narratives of the Old Testament as a continuous history, in an interesting form, and in language suited to the capacity of children, at the same time drawing forth the moral and religious lessons of the events. Every one must feel how admirably the detailed particulars of the Old Testament are calculated to affect the minds of children, and to impress upon them the belief of the personality and providence of God, and of His moral government of the world. Yet most persons will have found, on trial, that the Bible cannot most profitably be used by being put, just as it is, into the hands of children, or by being read with them straight through. Hence we are almost inevitably led to select and arrange, and to comment upon the narratives in such a way as shall best secure the object we have in view- the knowledge of Scripture history, and its meaning. To do this well requires much pains and attention, and some special qualifications. Many serious evils are incident to such attempts, if made by unskilful or improper persons; and these evils have led some to look with suspicion and distrust on everything of the kind. The thing, itself, however, as we have said, must be done somehow. The necessity of the case puts all teachers upon doing it, after a fashion. It is, in fact, oral teaching reduced to writing. We think this little work a very judicious and successful attempt. It has especially succeeded in some points of much importance, in exhibiting the connexion of events and the continuousness of the narrative; in the combination of simplicity of language with the reverence due to the subject; and the moral and religious instruction directly or indirectly conveyed is of a sound character without being forced or tech. nical. The author has avoided the dryness and hardness of Mrs. Trimmer's work, and the fragmentary character of Schmid's. The book is illustrated by original drawings.

Elective Polarity, the Universal Agent,' (Simpkin and Marshall,) is presented to us as the solution of the Problem of the Universe. A thin octavo, brilliant in type and margin, whose pages thickly chequered with emphatic capitals and imperative italics, proclaim the sex of the writer as distinctly as the name on the title-page, comprehends the mighty secret. The laws of polarity, by virtue of which the qualities of bodies vary according to their position, are assumed to depend on the inclination of the axis of the earth to the various heavenly bodies. Now, in consequence of the motion known as the precession of the equinoxes, after a lapse of about 12,000 years, a Lyræ or Vega, the brightest star in our hemisphere, which now glows nearly in the zenith, will become the Pole-star. This is here assumed to have actually occurred 12,000 years ago, and to the influences of its brilliant aspect are ascribed all the wonders of the primeval world. To this we owe, not only

noir that could have been written of this deserving naval officer, he h better not have had one at all. For what interest can attach to that this Duke or that Marshal met Sir Philip Durham, and were us to him, and asked him to dinner? The Duc de Cazes was very ve to the admiral in Paris'-'Marshal Macdonald invited Sir Philip 1 at his hotel.' One piece of attention which the Admiral received narkable. His Majesty (Louis Philippe) showed the most marked y to Sir Philip and Lady Durham. One day they received a letter ining two notes, one in a yellow and the other in a blue silk envelope, ng them to attend the opening of the Chambers. On arriving at the

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e Real Danger of the Church of England. By the Rev. W. Gresley, M.A. ndary of Lichfield.' (Burns.) The manliness and vigour of Mr. Gresley's ht and style are here applied to a subject which particularly suits and for them. A number of important facts, now going on before our eyes, trating the progress and efforts of a directly alien party in, but not of, Church, are put forward; and the necessary inference from them is made, a warning given. The doctrine upon which Mr. Gresley insists, and ich he makes the touchstone, is that of Baptismal Regeneration. He ys, this is undeniably a most fundamental and essential doctrine; it, and e denial of it, are the two bases of two totally opposite religious systems. I cannot, therefore, by the confession of both sides, be set down as unimortant. On this most important doctrine, then, what side does the Church of England take? The answer is, that she undeniably, unequivocally, literally and plainly holds and imposes it. So essential a doctrine then, thus literally imposed by the Church, is completely, openly, unreservedly denied and condemned by a large party in the Church; who preach against it from their pulpits, write pamphlets and books against it, and consider all those who hold it to have an inferior and a carnal religion. Now a party which openly rejects an important and fundamental doctrine of the Church, must be considered a schismatical party. This open rejection of Church doctrine is as sensible a fact as an actual secession would be; and the Church must consider such an open rejection to be a schismatical proceeding. How then, to continue Mr. Gresley's inquiry, is this schismatical body advancing? It has, in the first instance, a regular organized system of trusteeship, by which it has got possession, and is getting possession, of whole towns, and important posts in different parts of the country. It has, in the next place, a Pastoral Aid Society,' by which it has more or less control over the teaching of 253 parishes, containing in all nearly two millions, oneeighth part of the entire population of England and Wales. It has other channels of influence, which we need not enumerate. And how, adds Mr. Gresley, is this schismatical and very formidable and aspiring party in the Church treated? What do the Bishops of the Church say against these proceedings? The answer is-Nothing. Such is the argument of Mr. Gresley's pamphlet; and he has, moreover, very melancholy anticipations as to the future prospects of our Church if this silence should con

the mammoth and the megatherium, and the vast forests which compose our coal strata; but also that mightier race of men, whose gigantic powers are still visible in the temple of Juggernaut, and the Pyramids and Labyrinths of Egypt. We fear the sceptically-disposed may object to a theory which requires the contemporaneous existence of King Cheops and the Plesiosaurians, and assigns to the Delta of Egypt the antiquity of the coal beds of South Wales. As we have declined from the glowing splendours of Vega towards the comparatively faint light of our present pole-star in Ursa Minor, Nature has gradually drooped, till her feeble powers can generate no higher existence than the plants and animals of the present world, and the puny race of our human contemporaries. We need not however despair: the united forces of Rotatory Oscillation' and 'Spiral Courses' will bear us, in their sure advance, once more within the influences of our old ruler, and flagging nature will revive beneath its genial glow. Into sublimities like these,' we are told, (p. 32,) which render astronomy the sublimest of studies, and the most redolent of devotion, Sir Isaac Newton could not enter.' That glory was reserved for Frances Barbara Burton!

The Influence of Christianity in Promoting the Abolition of Slavery in Europe. The Hulsean Dissertation for 1845. By Churchill Babington, B.A., Scholar of St. John's College.' (Cambridge: Macmillan.) A solid treatise, and full of sound historical information.

"The Novitiate; or, A Year among the English Jesuits. By Andrew Steinmetz,' (Smith and Elder,) is, in some respects, a rather less objectionable book on the subject of the Jesuits than those we have lately seen. The author, who appears to be a liberal in his present creed, shows no bitterness towards his former masters, and gives an account of his own Jesuit education, in a matter-of-fact style; except where he introduces his own reflections, which are rather dreamy, and not seldom conceited. We are bound however to denounce, in the most unqualified terms, certain passages on personal discipline. It seems a characteristic of all these Anti-Jesuit writers, to delight themselves with the very pruriency which they affect to be denouncing.

'The Legacy of an Etonian. Edited by Robert Nolands, sole executor.' (Cambridge, Macmillan.) There was no occasion to publish this volume under a nom de guerre, and with the quaint introduction which it has; parts of which, however, are pleasing. The volume itself contains the ordinary good poetry of the day: perhaps above the average. The first piece, 'The Withered Mistletoe,' has beauty and feeling; with occasional poverties. The author has ventured on that difficult problem, the sacred drama; but without success. His 'Esther' is very dull. It is so, though he has taken liberties with the sacred narrative. 'I have taken the liberty of imagining that 'Esther, having been brought up in the strictest seclusion, was introduced ' at the proper age to a young Jew, her intended husband; that he was at 'first accepted by her, but subsequently rejected, in obedience to a Divine 'impulse.' This addition to the story develops into love scenes between Esther and Harim.'

'Memoir of the Naval Life and Services of Admiral Sir Philip Durham, G.C.B. By his nephew, Captain C. A. Murray.' (Murray.) If this is the

only memoir that could have been written of this deserving naval officer, he had much better not have had one at all. For what interest can attach to the fact, that this Duke or that Marshal met Sir Philip Durham, and were courteous to him, and asked him to dinner? The Duc de Cazes was very 'attentive to the admiral in Paris'-'Marshal Macdonald invited Sir Philip 'to call at his hotel.' One piece of attention which the Admiral received was remarkable. His Majesty (Louis Philippe) showed the most marked 'civility to Sir Philip and Lady Durham. One day they received a letter 'containing two notes, one in a yellow and the other in a blue silk envelope, 'inviting them to attend the opening of the Chambers. On arriving at the 'Palais Bourbon, they found two large chairs prepared for them, next 'the throne, ornamented with silk, the same colour as the envelopes of the 'notes.'

'The Real Danger of the Church of England. By the Rev. W. Gresley, M.A. Prebendary of Lichfield.' (Burns.) The manliness and vigour of Mr. Gresley's thought and style are here applied to a subject which particularly suits and calls for them. A number of important facts, now going on before our eyes, illustrating the progress and efforts of a directly alien party in, but not of, our Church, are put forward; and the necessary inference from them is made, and a warning given. The doctrine upon which Mr. Gresley insists, and which he makes the touchstone, is that of Baptismal Regeneration. He says, this is undeniably a most fundamental and essential doctrine; it, and the denial of it, are the two bases of two totally opposite religious systems. It cannot, therefore, by the confession of both sides, be set down as unimportant. On this most important doctrine, then, what side does the Church of England take? The answer is, that she undeniably, unequivocally, literally and plainly holds and imposes it. So essential a doctrine then, thus literally imposed by the Church, is completely, openly, unreservedly denied and condemned by a large party in the Church; who preach against it from their pulpits, write pamphlets and books against it, and consider all those who hold it to have an inferior and a carnal religion. Now a party which openly rejects an important and fundamental doctrine of the Church, must be considered a schismatical party. This open rejection of Church doctrine is as sensible a fact as an actual secession would be; and the Church must consider such an open rejection to be a schismatical proceeding. How then, to continue Mr. Gresley's inquiry, is this schismatical body advancing? It has, in the first instance, a regular organized system of trusteeship, by which it has got possession, and is getting possession, of whole towns, and important posts in different parts of the country. It has, in the next place, a Pastoral Aid Society,' by which it has more or less control over the teaching of 253 parishes, containing in all nearly two millions, oneeighth part of the entire population of England and Wales. It has other channels of influence, which we need not enumerate. And how, adds Mr. Gresley, is this schismatical and very formidable and aspiring party in the Church treated? What do the Bishops of the Church say against these proceedings? The answer is-Nothing. Such is the argument of Mr. Gresley's pamphlet; and he has, moreover, very melancholy anticipations as to the future prospects of our Church if this silence should con