school. We have looked through this volume somewhat carefully, to see whether it is conservative enough to recommend. The Preface states very plainly: "The discussion of the controverted points of science, philosophy, religion, or politics, does not enter within the compass of its plan. Neither the editors nor their collaborators, have attempted or desired to make it a vehicle for the expression of personal notions. The various articles have been intrusted, as far as possible, to writers, whose studies, position, opinions, and tastes, were a guarantee of their thorough information, and which furnished a presumption of their fairness and impartiality." Nearly a hundred writers have, the editors state, taken part in the preparation of this volume. On the whole, it would seem that care has been taken to avoid any irreligious or infidel sentiments. The tone is coolly philosophic, and Christian language is generally, though not always, used, thus: "AARON, son of Amram, of the tribe of Levi, elder brother of Moses, and divinely appointed to be his spokesman in the embassy to the Court of Pharaoh. By the same authority, avouched in the budding of his rod, he was chosen the first high priest," &c. Under "ADAM," we are informed, that, "The history of Adam, in common with that of the whole antediluvian world, as contained in Genesis, is, by some, treated as an allegory, intended to convey to the simple intellect of an uncultured people, an intelligible account of the mystery of the world's creation, and to explain some of the momentous questions involved in this earthly being. Others contend for a literal interpretation of the narrative. The question of a common origin of mankind, has been much considered of late years, and investigated upon data carefully collected by ethnologists. The controversy has not yet been scientifically settled." The moral views are not always unexceptionable. Thus, under "Actors and Actresses," we learn that, "as a body, they have been, down to a very recent period, and are still even, to some extent, regarded as social pariahs. With the increase of intelligence and liberality, this feeling is fast passing away, and actors and actresses are beginning to be judged like the members of all other professions, by their public capacity and private worth." A little further on we read: "There is a lavish promiscuousness about the notions of all, male and female, on the subject of family relations, otherwise they are models of excellence, being kind mothers, children, and fathers." There is, occasionally, an inexcusable carelessness. The Pennsylvania reader will hardly believe that we are quoting verbatim et literatim : "Allegheny City, an important manufacturing town, in the vicinity of Pittsburg, on the left bank of the Monongahela, opposite the junction of the Allegheny, Ohio, and Birmingham Rivers." If this were intended as a hoax, it would be considered overdone. Geometry is disposed of in sixteen lines and a half. The unscientific reader is "sent to April," in this sentence: "The term analytical geometry is, however, usually so limited as to exclude the consideration of the rate at which a geometrical magnitude changes, and only to deal with the changing qualities themselves." Surely, something better than that might have been said. With these drawbacks, there is much to commend. The articles are generally of convenient length, generally well-written, and contain much infor mation. The whole is to be completed in fifteen volumes. VIII. Messiah's Reign; or, the Future Blessedness of the Church and the World. By Rev. William Ramsey, D.D. Philadelphia: Joseph M. Wilson. 1857. pp. 247. This volume is invested with a mournful interest. The hand that penned it is cold. Dr. Ramsey, during the time that he was unable to preach, before his death, wrote and arranged these chapters for the press. The Preface is dated November 2d. On the 26th of January he died. Dr. Ramsey believed firmly in the Personal Reign of our Lord at Jerusalem, and in the views commonly called Millenarian. This work is devoted to their inculcation. Though we cannot agree with his views, we can sympathize with his earnestness and faith, and with his constant devotion to his work as a minister, and his faithful labors for the salvation of men. IX. The Protestant Theological and Ecclesiastical Encyclopædia. Translated from Herzog's Real Encyclopædia by Dr. Bomberger and others. Part VI. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston. 1858. Part VI extends from "Charles V" to "Confession." The reader must be on his guard, as to somewhat that is Germanic and fanciful in this work, but if he will sift carefully, he will find it full of valuable information. X. The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. By Eleazer Lord. New York: M. W. Dodd. Philadelphia, for sale at the Presbyterian Book Store. 1857. pp. 312. The view of Mr. Lord is, "that words intelligibly and legitimately used, necessarily and perfectly signify and express the thoughts conceived in them: and it is therefore argued, that the inspiration of the Divine thoughts into the minds of the sacred writers, necessarily comprised the inspiration of the words by which they were rendered intelligently conscious of the thoughts conveyed, and which they wrote as they conceived them." In short, it is the theory of verbal inspiration. Mr. Lord boldly meets the objection in regard to the varying styles of the writers, by supposing that the Almighty inspired the words to each one according to his character, amount of instruction, &c., a theory which resembles the notion that fossils were created just as they are. XI. A Liturgy: or, Order of Christian Worship. Prepared and published by the Direction and for the Use of the German Reformed Church in the United States of America. Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston. 1858. pp. 340. With a Selection of Hymns added. We are gratified to be able to state that this is only a Provisional Liturgy, not yet adopted by the German Reformed Synod. We trust that it may never be adopted without thorough changes. Thus in Baptism: "We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it has pleased thee, through the mystery of thy Holy Baptism, to deliver this child from the power of darkness, and to translate him into the kingdom of thy dear Son." The Episcopal Recorder very properly raises the question, whether the following is "rhetorical flourish," or prayer to the dead. It is in the service for "Consecrating a burial ground :" "Rest here in hope, ye who fall asleep in Jesus. Rest till the welcome voice of Invitation shall break your slumber, and sound aloud through your silent mansions: Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust." XII. Lectures on the History of Ancient Philosophy. By William Archer Butler, M.A., late Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Dublin. Edited from the Author's MSS. with notes by William Hepworth Thompson, M.A., Fellow of Trinity College, and Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Cambridge. Two volumes. pp. 436, 415. Philadelphia. Parry & McMillan. 1857. Professor Butler was the first occupant of the chair of Moral Philosophy in Trinity College, Dublin. This distinction was conferred upon him before he completed his twenty-sixth year. His design of writing a complete history of philosophy was never realized. We copy the editor's high eulogy upon the lectures on Plato and the Platonists, the most important portion of the volume. "They are," he says, unquestionably, as the author informs us, "the result of patient and conscientious examination of the original documents;' and they may be considered as a perfectly independent contribution to our knowledge of the great master of Grecian wisdom. Of the Dialectics and Physics of Plato they are the only exposition, at once accurate and popular, with which I am acquainted." In estimating these lectures of Professor Butler, we must consider his youth when they were composed, for they were written, as we are told, between his twenty-sixth and thirtieth year. They do not, therefore, contain the ripe views of a veteran in philosophy, but rather the rapid impressions of a bright and earnest mind vividly interested in a noble subject. XIII. Plain Instructions for coloring Photographs in Water Colors and India Ink, embracing full Directions for coloring by the Grecian Process. By M. P. Simons. Philadelphia. 1857. pp. 61. This work appears to furnish the valuable practical information needed by young photographers. A great change is taking place in portrait painting by the use of photographs as a base. Mr. Simons seems to understand his art well. We have seen some very fine specimens from his establishment. XIV. An Introduction to the Study of Philosophy. With an outline Treatise on Logic. By Rev. E. V. Gerhart, D.D., President of Franklin and Marshall College. Philadelphia. Lindsay & Blakiston. 1858. pp. 359. There appears to be a revival of the study of logic. It is not long since we noticed President Mahan's work; in the present number we have given a cordial approval to that of Professor Coppée, and we have now another by President Gerhart. The basis of the book was a translation of an outline Treatise on Logic, by Dr. Joseph Beck, originally published in Stuttgart, in 1845. This, at present, occupies about one hundred and fifty pages, while two hundred more are taken up with an Introduction to the Study of Philosophy. Our German Reformed friends, after a long and quiet slumber, are awaking to the sense of a mission both in religion and philosophy. It is perhaps not surprising that they should be a little dazzled. They are to reproduce in America, amongst the "baldness of Puritanism," the depths of churchly faith and of German transcendental philosophy. For the endeavor to do something worthy of their ancestry, we honor them. We rejoice to see their Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, and should be glad to see it as distinguished as any one in the fatherland. In the effort made by Dr. Gerhart to unite religion and philosophy in the person of the Redeemer we honor him. These things may be on the way to something valuable, even if much has not yet been accomplished. Our friends are obviously captivated by the idea of being deep. They are in danger of taking up old heresies as new truths, of imagining that the profundity of a cavern is in the direct proportion to its obscurity. But a closet three feet deep may be as dark as Erebus. There is good matter in Dr. Beck's Treatise, especially if accompanied by the explanations of a good teacher. It has the same fault, either of author or translator, of being amazingly profound-in expression. We open, for example, at 107, and find that "an internal union of homogeneous cognitions constitutes a system." Can we not get science a little less sesquipedalian? XV. Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institute. 1857. pp. 467. We have always felt a deep interest in the character and success of the Smithsonian Institute; but, in common with many others, are scarcely satisfied with its management. We fear that the noble sum appropriated for the purposes of the Institution, is being frittered away without accom. plishing as much as is desirable. The following analysis of expenditures will show the ground of our fear: Receipts for the year 1857, $40,454 16. Of this sum, besides the building, salaries, &c., the following amounts go to the purposes of the bequest: Publication of memoirs, essays, &c., $6000. Meteorological observations all over the country, $3000. Books for the library, $1000! Will the country be satisfied with this? Thousands upon thousands of money expended for essays on a hundred subjects, and for examining the state of the weather; and the formation of anything like a library, or a real gallery of art systematically discouraged. We are surprised at the apathy of the public on this subject. It is to be remembered, too, that Congress passed a law requiring that a sum, "not to exceed an average of $25,000 annually," be devoted to the gradual formation of a library. This is complied with by spending the money on everything else, and appropriating $1000 for the library, out of $40,000! XVI. Why do I live? By the Rev. Thomas Smyth, D.D. pp. 206. New York City. American Tract Society: Pennsylvania Branch, 929 The first of these little books contains excellent suggestions on its subject, earnestly expressed. We must, however, protest against its treatment of Longfellow. For example |