1850.]

Notices of Recent Publications.

509

1. Our Help is in God." This is the title of a discourse delivered before his society by the Rev. Dr. Gannett, on February 24th. (Crosby & Nichols, 8vo, pp. 20.) Some of the newspaper criticisms of the discourse have illustrated the truth and importance of the earnest and faithful counsels which it teaches. It recommends supplication for Divine aid, reliance, and devotion, as helps for our country under the agitations which, through the whole season, have made such exciting scenes in Congress. How will prayer help the matter?" asks one editor. The wise and true answer which the discourse gives, by anticipation of such questions, is, prayer will benefit our rulers and help us to choose wise rulers, while it is in other ways the appointed means for securing national blessings.

Two Discourses preached in the Twelfth Congregational Church, on Sunday, February 10, commemorate the completion of twenty-five years of ministerial service there, by the Rev. Dr. Barrett. (Tuttle & Dennett, 8vo, pp. 40.) For one so devoted, and wise, and quietly faithful in his office, we should have looked for a peaceful and successful ministry, and, for just such an account of it as is given, with equal heartiness, modesty, and humility, in this pamphlet. Dr. Barrett's society was the first in this city which, from its very formation, and in the erection of its place of worship, recognized the distinguishing doctrine of Unitarian Christianity. The society prospered from its commencement, and is prosperous now. Hundreds of families have gone from it from time to time, on account of a change of abode from city to country, and still the society fills its pews, and has always been among the first to respond to every benevolent, appeal. May another quarter of a century pass as peacefully and as prosperously over the union of pastor and people.

Farewell.", This Apostolic title is borne by a sermon preached on Sunday, March 10, to the First Church, by the Rev. Dr. Frothingham. On that day he closed his pastoral relation, which had continued for thirty-five years. We cannot chronicle the fact without sadness, for we are pained by the rupture of old associations, and most pained by the rupture of those associations which are most cherished and pleasant. Loss of bodily health, which we hope is but temporary, has led Dr, Frothingham to this step. In a subdued tone, and in a succession of tender, words, which intimate feelings and thoughts beyond what are expressed, and with a delicate reserve touching all the incidents and particulars of a long and faithful ministry, this discourse is unlike all others for similar occasions which we have seen. We do not miss in it the statistics and details which are usual, for it is constructed after another model. It is sugges tive of the most sacred-truths and relations; it raises the veil 4TH S. VOL. XIII. NO. III. 44

VOL. XLVIII.

which covers past memories and the secrets of the heart only for an instant, and leaves to sympathizing readers, as on its delivery it left to sympathizing hearers, to imagine what more might have been said. We rejoice to know that the sundering of this pas toral relation is to break no professional or fraternal tie, but that the late pastor of the First Church is to be still a brother of his brethren.

"The Union of the Human Race," is the title of a lecture delivered before the Quincy Lyceum, February 7, by the Rev. Wm. P. Lunt. (Boston, Ticknor, Reed, & Fields, 8vo, pp. 38.) It is not often that the publication of a lyceum lecture receives the compliment which was bestowed on this, in a request for its publication; but we can easily discover the reason of it in this case. Mr. Lunt, in a finished style of pure classical English, aided by the wealth of much reading and thought, treats his large subject with skill, and draws out of it many instructive points. To the facts of history are applied the lessons of philosophy. He indicates the agencies which tend to unite the human race, and specifies the opposing influences with which they have had to contend. Some fine paragraphs near the close present the powerful workings of the Christian religion as the chief means of harmonizing all differences, and bringing all people into concord and unity.

"Report to the Corporation of Brown University on Changes in the System of Collegiate Education; read March 28, 1850." (Providence, G. H. Whitney, 8vo, pp. 76.) This document is from the pen of President Wayland, as chairman of a committee on the subject of proposed alterations in the course of studies in Brown University. The Report embraces an examination of the system of university education in Great Britain, — from which all save one of our own colleges have copied their systems, a view of the progress and present state of such edu⚫ cation in this country, a statement of the present condition of Brown University, and of the measures proposed for enlarging its usefulness, with a criticism on the subject of collegiate degrees. There is much valuable matter embraced in the Report, on many incidental topics, but its main object is to suggest a plan to relieve Brown University of its present embarrassments, and to extend its usefulness. Two methods are mentioned. The one, which would leave the system of instruction now pursued there as it is at this time, requires the raising of a considerable sum of money. The other method, which the Report regards as preferable, is such an alteration of the course of study, and of the qualifications for a degree, as will draw to it a much larger number of students.

1850.]

Notices of Recent Publications.

511

James Munroe & Co. have published, in four pretty cloth-cov ered volumes, "A Trap to Catch a Sunbeam," " Only," "Old Joliffe," and "A Sequel to Old Joliffe," by the same author. These genial little stories have been received with equal favor by children and their parents. They are among the few unexceptionable books whose sentiments, morals, and diction adapt them to their purpose, and convey the best lessons in an attractive form.

Crosby & Nichols have republished, from the London edition, an English translation of a Danish drama, entitled King René's Daughter. The interest of this simple tale gathers about a singular, yet not impossible, picture of the fancy, portrayed as an incident of real experience.. A child, born blind, is so educated as to be ignorant of her deprivation. The method and effect of this delicate training, with a beautiful delineation of the experiences attending the gift of sight, constitute the drapery of the story.

The same publishers have issued second editions of Furness's Prayers, Mountford's Euthanasy, and Bartol's Discourses on the Christian Spirit and Life, with an Introduction not given in the previous edition.

Messrs. Ticknor, Reed, & Fields have published, in a most beautiful style of art, a new edition of the Liturgy used in King's Chapel, in this city. The same publishers have issued, in a shape uniform with their many volumes of poetry, the complete poetical works of Professor Longfellow. Two volumes embrace what has been previously published in six. In their present form they will tempt, perhaps, some new readers, and will serve as a more becoming gift to a large variety of persons. The publishers will soon issue an elegantly illustrated edition of Evangeline.

Messrs. Phillips, Sampson, & Co. have published, thus far, fourteen numbers of their splendid octavo edition of Shakspeare. The engravings of the heroines of each play continue to be finely executed, and the type and paper used in the work are of the very best character. The notes and illustrations which are introduced are selected most judiciously from the whole mass of such materials which has been accumulated by the commentators. The same publishers have issued the third volume of their library edition of Milman's Gibbon. We cannot but commend the style in which this firm issues the occasional pamphlets which now constitute so large a portion of the reading of many persons around us. In this fine style, with bold type, white paper, and open lines, they have published Lamartine on "Atheism among the People," (12mo, pp. 72,) a brilliant, but somewhat rhetorical essay, and a pamphlet entitled "The Origin of the Material Universe; with a Description of the Manner of the Formation of the Earth, and Events connected therewith,

from its Existence in a Fluid State to the Time of the Mosaical Narrative" (12mo, pp. 84). As this account, however, is not written by an eyewitness of the occurrences which it describes, it must, of course, be read with some allowances. These attempts, of which there have been several of late, from Laplace downwards, are more or less ingenious essays on chemistry, which undertake to account for the creation of every thing, some. thing being given as the material to start with.

Messrs. Harper & Brothers, New York, have at length issued an edition of Humboldt's Cosmos, in two very neat volumes. This work, which was recently commended in our pages, ought to find a multitude, not of readers merely, but of students, for it needs and deserves study. Mr. Melville's new book, from the same publishers, "White-Jacket: or, The World in a Man-ofWar," though not the most brilliant, is by far the most instructive and valuable of his writings. It describes the whole organization of the interior life of a ship of war, its discipline, incidents, catastrophes, ennui, and excitements, and certainly, to a landsman, seems to be fair and impartial in its moralizings. As to its seamanship, its technology, and its professional merits, we pass no opinion. We have read it with great delight, and, if we are not mistaken, have received from it much information, and many good impressions.

INTELLIGENCE.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

Ordination and Installation. Mr. FRANCIS C. WILLIAMS, of Brighton, was ordained, on February 27, Pastor of the First Church and Society in North Andover. Introductory Prayer by Rev. Mr. Liv. ermore of East Boston; Selections from Scripture by Rev. W. R. Alger of Roxbury; Sermon by Rev. F. D. Huntington of Boston; Prayer of Ordination by Rev. F. A. Whitney of Brighton; Charge by Rev. Dr. Gannett of Boston; Fellowship of the Churches by Rev. Ó. B. Frothingham of Salem; Concluding Prayer by Rev. N. Hall of Dorchester.

"

REV. F. H. HEDGE, late of Bangor, was installed, on March 27, as Pastor of the Westminster Congregational Church in Providence, R. I. Introductory Prayer and Reading of the Scriptures by Rev. C. H. Brigham of Taunton; Prayer of Installation by Rev. S. K. Lothrop of Boston Fellowship of the Churches by Rev. E. B. Hall of Providence; Sermon by Rev. G. W. Burnap of Baltimore; Address to the Society by the late Pastor, Rev. S. Osgood of New York; Concluding Prayer by Rev, C. T. Brooks of Newport, R. I.

Animals, a Scientific View of their
Geographical Distribution, 181-Calderon, 152.

the Roman Church examined, 227
VOL. XLVIII. - 4TH S. VOL. XIII. NO. III.