novels; and the prejudice against a romance-writing clergyman is natural. It is to be said, however, that everything is now put into novels; they are a kind of universal solvent of human thought.

There are two theories of Mr. Kingsley: one is, that he is worldly in his views; that the spiritual, meek, and lowly religion of the Redeemer, is alien from his spirit; that, in short, he advocates a kind of semi-pagan religionism, having little in common with Christianity.

While we do not pretend to indorse everything in Mr. Kingsley's works, or to recommend his opinions, we must express our dissent from this method of viewing him. We regard him rather as a man who is dissatisfied with certain manifestations of the religion of our times, and who regards these developments as indicating a serious flaw, not so much in the orthodoxy of the Church of England, as in the practical and prevalent views of religion. He thinks that we need a manlier, a more robust style of piety: one less mercenary, less tricky, less sensuous. He thinks that if men are "respectable," the current views of religion will scarcely molest them, and that this "respectability" often includes anything but the spirituality of the Bible. In short, he makes war upon shams of all kinds; and asks, that the religion of men be pure, unadulterated, and practical. With this, there are mixed up many things that we do not approve.

"Two Years Ago" is not as absorbing as some of the previous books of the author, but it is still very interesting, and some of the characters make their mark deep upon the memory. The action of the book is scarcely rapid enough, and it is somewhat prolix, though not so much so as Amyas Leigh. On the whole, while not the best of Mr. Kingsley's books, it is creditable to him, interesting to the reader, and the moral, rightly read, very good.

There is a painful doubt in reading Mr. Kingsley, whether, after all, he has proper views of evangelical religion. The great distinction between a child of God and a child of Satan, he does not suitably recognize; it is doubtful even, whether he fully believes in the doctrine of regeneration. It is melancholy that such a man should allow a doubt to exist on the subject.

III. The Acts of the Apostles, explained by Joseph Addison Alexander. In two volumes. New York: Charles Scribner. Philadelphia, for sale by Lindsay & Blakiston. 1957. pp. 462, 498.

We have examined this Commentary with care, especially as our readers, who have not an opportunity to see it, may desire our opinion of its value. The author is well known to be a man of great learning, especially in the department of Oriental languages and Biblical criticism. He states, that his first plan was to make a book for ministers and students only. "But his plan was changed after the first chapter was in type, in the hope of making the work more generally useful."

It is marked by the absence of all parade of learning, and great candor, carried perhaps to an extreme. The points in which the Acts especially favor Presbyterianism, are but slightly and very modestly touched, as if the author felt that he could afford to be magnanimous. For most persons the statements are hardly clear enough; they suppose too much knowledge in the reader.

The Introduction strikes us as admirable. The Acts is defined as แ special history of the planting and extension of the Church, both among Jews and Gentiles, by the gradual establishment of radiating centres or sources of influence at certain salient points throughout a large part of the empire, beginning at Jerusalem and ending at Rome."

We can very cordially recommend Dr. Alexander's work. We confess that the form in which he intended at first to present it, would have been more interesting to us, and, we think, would better have suited his peculiar character, while it would have borne more weight with it. But we are gratified with it as it is.

IV. A Translation and Commentary of the Book of Psalms, for the use of the Ministry and Laity of the Christian Church. By Augustus Tholuck, D.D., Ph.D. Translated from the German, with a careful comparison of the Psalm-text with the original Tongues. By the Rev. J. Isidor Mombert. Philadelphia: W. S. & A. Martien. 1858. pp. 497.

Light from the Cross. Sermons on the Passion of our Lord. Translated from the German of Dr. A. Tholuck. Same publishers. 1858. pp. 345.

Tholuck gives this account of his conversion :

"Debarred of the privilege of Christian instruction and Christian example, I shared, up to my nineteenth year, the then prevalent rationalistic views. My scientific (theological) studies did not result in my conversion to the faith of the Gospel. It was brought about by the instrumentality of a noble Christian layman, who belonged to the small number of those who, under the influence of Matthias Claudius, of Hamburg, and the co-operation of the brethren (Unitas Fratrum), had in that period of universal infidelity, kept alive the faith in the word of God's truth. His luminous example of a Christian walk, more than what he told me, led me to think, and assured me at least of this, that Jesus is the Son of God, and that his doctrine and example make up a complete moral ideal, which man must appropriate for the purpose of attaining to rest and finding peace. Then I believed in Christ; I was able to kneel before him, and to pray to him. Then he became the friend of my soul, whom I learned to consult in all things, as I had formerly consulted my conscience."

The book then gives an account of the manner in which, at first, disliking the Old Testament, he was led to understand it, having, without agency of his own, been appointed to lecture upon it in place of De Wette. As he

began to see his way, he observed that the students had no suitable commentary on the Psalms. The same difficulty he noticed in the case of intelligent laymen. His commentary had this object: "To interpret the Book of Psalms in the spirit of Calvin; and basing it on the helps derived from the newly-gained views of modern times, to adapt the volume to the wants of the people, and also to professional men, who, besides strictly grammatical commentaries, look for a guide to the spiritual understanding of this portion of Holy Writ."

In speaking of the relation of his work to the German and English common versions of the Scriptures, he makes the following remarks as to their respective merits: "The English authorized version of the Bible, composed at a later period, and supported by a richer exegetical apparatus, is better than Luther's, as far as the correct rendering of the sense is concerned, although Luther's excels it in richness of expression."

Tholuck thinks that Calvin "may be truly said to have, probably more than any other man, imbibed the spirit of the Psalms."

After the Introduction, in which the proper topics are discussed, but not prolixly, there is a translation of each Psalm, with commentary. Tholuck avoids the fault of our time in commentary-the desire to say everything that can be said; the remarks are comparatively brief.

There is a vein of fine, imaginative feeling running through the whole. Tholuck has every qualification to make a popular commentator,-sound doctrine, critical learning, tender feeling, fine fancy. This work cannot fail to be a favorite in the Church. The translator appears to have done his work well.

The Sermons are translated by "R. L. B." The translation is dated at Halle. The audience to which they were delivered, was composed largely of students. They constitute a series of twenty-two discourses, all connected with the Atonement.

V. Guide to the Oracles: or the Bible Student's Vade Mecum. By Alfred Nevin, D.D., author of "Spiritual Progression," "Churches of the Valley," &c. Lancaster, Pa.: Murray, Young & Co. 1857. pp. 341.

The first chapters are upon the preservation, unity, freshness, silence, avoidances, and literature of the Bible. It is then discussed as the patriot's book, as mysterious, and as triumphing over scrutiny. Next appears a sketch of the history of the English Bible, testimony for the Scriptures, from distinguished men, and their influence on enemies and friends. A chrono, logical table of the books is then given, and chapters on the names and separate books of the Old Testament; then is discussed the civil and moral history of the Jews, during the period between the Old and New Testaments.

A description of the books of the New Testament is then given, with an explanation of texts liable to be misunderstood. A chapter succeeds on reading the Bible, with instructions. A great variety of miscellaneous information follows.

As a manual for common use of the Scriptures, we commend this work, earnestly and cordially.

VI. Biography of Elisha Kent Kane. By William Elder. Philadelphia: Childs & Peterson. 1858. pp. 416.

The difficulties in the way of a thoroughly popular biography of Dr. Kane were almost as appalling as those which he encountered in the Polar Seas. The great events of his life had been written by himself in a style which few could hope to equal. They were set in light. The world had them by heart. Then of Dr. Kane's earlier travels and adventures in India, China, and Egypt, the journals had perished, and scarcely a record remained. Under these circumstances, it is questionable whether it would not have been better to have written merely a sketch of Dr. Kane to be prefixed to future editions of the Arctic Explorations.

But if a full biography were to be written, two courses were open. The one which was chosen by Dr. Elder was to write a criticism on Dr. Kane; an analysis of his character; a review of his life and adventures; a defence of the greatness that was in him; an apology for his noble qualities.

Dr. Elder wrote, we fear, with a constant and uneasy consciousness of these things: First, that he had not much material for a biography that had not been exhausted; next, that the eyes of the world were upon him, and that something must be produced worthy of the occasion; and then, that the world would imagine that he would be carried away by enthusiasm, and indulge in indiscriminate eulogy; which expectation he should disappoint by his philosophical coolness. All tended to make him artificial, to throw him into his bad style.

For Dr. Elder has two styles, perfectly distinct from each other: one dry, husky, and uninteresting; the other, instinct with life, and filled with spark. ling interest to the brim. As has been exemplified a hundred times in literature, he prefers Paradise Regained to Paradise Lost, the Hints from Horace, to Childe Harold. His philosophy is not remarkable, his mysticism very bad, his didactics rather dull.

His other style is the one in which he should have written Kane. He should have left the critical, and above all Walnut Street and the Fifth Avenue, entirely outside of the pleasant nook where he should have told a Robinson Crusoe story to those who would have gone any distance to have heard it. He should have filled his heart genially with the theme and told the storya continuous narrative-how Elisha Kane was a brave and noble boy, like Admiral Nelson, of a sickly frame, and how he yearned for adventure, and

what he did until he grew up. Then, how he went into the Hospital, before he graduated, and wrote a great thesis. How he sailed for China, and what he saw there and in Luzon. Then, how he travelled in India in the suite of an Indian prince, and how he hobnobbed with Lepsius in Egypt, and nearly killed himself climbing the statue of Memnon. Then, how he went to Africa and visited the King of Dahomey, who amuses himself cutting off heads, and has a wife for every day in the year. Then, instead of defending him about the romantic exploit in Mexico, he should have told the story con amore, and put the defence into the Appendix.

The Arctic Expeditions are actually shirked, the part of Hamlet left out, not by particular desire, but by the faint-heartedness of Dr. Elder fearing to attempt a twice-told tale. He should have felt instinctively, "That will never do." Cannot a man tell the stories of Thermopyla and Marathon so as to be interesting? Does not Everett fill a house with a lecture on Washington ? And did not Irving make the old story of Columbus interesting? A biographer has a different position from a reviewer. Dr. E. should have taken the bull by the horns, and deliberately, skilfully, graphically, have written a history of the particulars of the expeditions, reducing the excessive detail, bringing out in relief the striking points, and sketched for us Sir John Franklin, Lady Franklin, Sir John Ross, and all the men of Polar enterprise. He should have thrown the prismatic light of his story-telling genius upon the background of Arctic day and night, and struggled with De Foe himself for the palm. He had Dr. Hayes, Goodfellow, our friend Bonsall, and others, to talk to. He should have saturated himself in the Polar Seas until he could have written out the whole matter, heart and soul, leaving out the scientific detail, and making a book that would have enchanted all boys from ten years old to

seventy.

The reader must not understand that the book, as it stands, is devoid of interest. We will all read it; all be pleased with the thorough and sincere admiration for Dr. Kane; all be gratified with the appreciation of his character. There are many fine points in it; interesting anecdotes and remarks are preserved. And no one will read the book without thinking more highly than before of its heroic subject, and, we may add, of the heart of his biographer. There is a conscientious faith in Dr. Kane's heroism and true greatness which passes electrically from author to reader, and this is saying much.

VII. The New American Cyclopædia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge. Edited by George Ripley and Charles A. Dana. A-Araguay. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1858. pp. 752. This is a very beautiful royal octavo book. The publishers must, of course, be aware that there will be some prejudice against it, from the names of the editors, who are well known to be of the intense New York Tribune