Budgett. Disinterestedness is the soul of genuine greatness. The men who drive hard bargains, amass a fortune, give their thousands per annum to religious institutions, are not, necessarily, true types of superior worth. The history of fortune-making is too often a history of falsehood and crime. But whilst we cannot adopt all the views of this book, we have no hesitation in saying, that it is a work of transcendent worth. In its noble purpose, literary features, vigorous thinking, and moral inspiration, it belongs to the first class. We earnestly recommend it to young men; thank the author for the good he has done us; and hope to meet him soon again in our literary walk. CREATION'S TESTIMONY TO ITS GOD; or the accordance of Science, Philosophy, and Revelation. A Manual of the Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion, with Especial Reference to the Progress of Science, and Advantage of Knowledge. BY THOMAS RAGG. London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman. Never, perhaps, did the a posteriori argument for the being of a God speak with such charming variations of voice and convincing energy, as in this comparatively small book. Its vast capabilities are here brought into play and plied with poetic grace and philosophic skill. Witnesses from every part of the creation,-the vast and the minute, the remote and the proximate, the animate and inorganic, are brought into court; questioned and cross-questioned: and the unequivocal and concurrent testimony of all is, that there is one God, THE FATHER OF ALL, OF WHOM AND TO WHOM ARE ALL THINGS. We do not aver, that in a strictly logical sense, the a posteriori argument can prove the existence of an Infinite Creator; for it cannot by any induction get the premises which can involve such a conclusion. But we do say, that we have never seen its power more effectively worked for this purpose than in the volume before us. We have not yet seen the successful Essay of the Burnet trust, but if it equal the work before us, it is beyond all price. REFORMERS BEFORE THE REFORMATION: PRINCIPALLY IN GERMANY AND THE NETHERLANDS. Depicted by Dr. C. ULLMAN: the Translation by the Rev. ROBERT MENZIES. Vol. I. Edinburgh : T. and T. Clark. 1 Vol. THE WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS. By RUDOLPH STIER, Doctor of Theology, Chief Pastor and Superintendent of Schkenditz. Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark. HIS PROPHECY: An Exposition, by EZEKIEL AND THE BOOK OF "THE REFORMERS BEFORE THE REFORMATION:" is a valuable contribution to the cause of ecclesiastical history. It presents a lucid and powerful exposition of what the Reformation really was; and then proceeds to give a biographic sketch of some of those great men, hitherto generally unknown-who paved the way for it, and were its honoured pioneers who bore the torch into the dark and hitherto untrodden path of free thought. In this volume John of Goch, and John of Wesel, are depicted along with the men of their circle. It is a deeply interesting work, fraught with immense information concerning the men, institutions, and customs, that existed when the first grey beams of the reformation dimly flickered upon the political and ecclesiastical hills of Europe "THE WORDS OF THE LORD JESUS" is a work which essays to expound the meaning and develop the harmony of all the spoken words of Him who is the WORD OF GOD. There is a thoroughness about this book not common to annotatory works ;—a thoroughness of scholarly criticism, philosophical analysis, and consecration to the discovery of truth. The author does not engross your attention with the externals and accidents of his theme. He does not waste your time in describing the shell; he pierces it and unfolds the kernel. To use his own figure, he is not so much concerned about the manger and the swaddling clothes, as about the HOLY CHILD. The work, "EZEKIEL AND THE BOOK OF HIS PROPHECY" has won "golden opinions" from competent critics and obtained the seal of public approbation. This second edition, the author informs us, has several advantages over the first; the translation extends through the whole book instead of over parts; a few passages have received a new interpretation, and the introduction is more amplified. which shows its author to possess the attributes of a true scriptural exegete in a very high degree, is a valuable boon to the Biblical student. We have found it to bring something like intellectual sunlight to some passages of this obscure book, over which there hung before the misty cloud of strange symbols, unknown customs, and obsolete modes of expression. We heartily thank the author for it We heartily thank the enterprising publishers for introducing such invaluable works as these to our notice. THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN DRYDEN; with Life and Critical Dissertation, and Explanatory Notes. By the REV. GEORGE GILFILLAN. 2 Vols. Edinburgh: James Nichol. THE POETICAL WORKS OF WILLIAM LISLE BOWLES; with Memoir, Critical Desertation, and Explanatory Notes. By the REV. GEORGE GILFILLAN. 2 Vols. Edinburgh: James Nichol. "THE POETICAL WORKS OF JOHN DRYDEN" are well known, and will be hailed by many. For the character of Dryden, the "Poet Squab," we have the utmost contempt; it is moral putrescence itself: and the only reason for perpetuating his memory is, that he wrote some verses of poetry of admirable sentiment and style. For our own part, we would sooner tie the choicest productions of his versatile genius to lead and fling them into the abysses of oblivion than have his character transmitted to posterity, unless it be transmitted in the way in which the editor of this edition of his poetry has done—as a monster to loathe, as a beacon to warn. Since literature is not oppulent enough to afford the sacrifice of Dryden's Poetry, we are thankful that in the present issue of his works he has an editor who, whilst he is fully equal to a just appreciation of the loftiest productions of his genius, has an eye to see, a heart to loath, and a pen to depict in hideous colours, the abominations of his life. "THE POETICAL WORKS OF WILLIAM LISLE BOWLES are not so popular as those of Dryden, but in our judgment far more valuable. "The leading element of Bowles' Poetry," says the editor, "is sentiment-warm, mellow, tender, and often melancholy, sentiment." He has no profound thought, no powerful pictures of passion, no creative imagination; but over all his poetry has a sweet autumnal moonlight of pensive and gentle feeling." It is quite sufficient recommendation of his poetry to say, that it inspired the genius of Samuel Taylor Coleridge :—who sings— "My heart has thanked thee, Bowles! for those soft strains." We do trust that the publisher of this magnificent and amazingly cheap edition of the British Poets, meets with that liberal measure of public patronage, to which his generous and noble enterprize justly entitles him. SERMONS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS; Preached in the College Chapel, Bradford. By WALTER SCOTT, Theological Tutor of Airdale College. London: Hamilton, Adams and Co. These are Ten Discourses by an able man, a venerable minister, and highly respected Theological professor. Though from the pen of an aged minister, they are free from dogmatism; and though the product of a theological tutor, they have none of the technicalities of the school, or the pedantry of the chair. Whilst in thought they have the depth and mellowness of age, in spirit and style they have the freshness and elasticity of youth. There is no wordiness here : each discourse is literally surcharged with striking and suggestive thoughts. EVANGELICAL MISSIONS. A Discourse. By J. P. MURSELL, of Leicester. London: Benjamin Green. This is one of those great sermons which only a great man could produce, and which is only suitable to a great occasion. It is, therefore no model. It is not a shower, nor a streamlet of thought, but a river, deep and clear, and in rapid flow; with its banks overhung with every variety of luxuriant plants, beautiful flowers and majestic trees; and its sunny wavelets mirroring a thousand foreign objects from the surrounding hills and over-arching sky. We greatly admire it. THE FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT. A Sermon, Preached in Dartmouth Place Chapel, Lewisham, on occasion of the Death of the Rev. John Sheppard, M. A. By the Rev. JOSEPH FENN, Minister of Blackheath Park Chapel. This discourse is Evangelical in its strain and structure. THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD. A Discourse delivered in Elden Street Chapel, on the Death of the Rev. William Innes, D. D. By JONATHAN WATSON, Edinburgh. Thoughtful, eloquent, and solemn. DR. INNES AND HIS TIMES. By ALFRED G. THOMAS. Edinburgh: Wm. Innes. one. This is a discourse preached on the same occasion as the preceding We are greatly pleased with the plan of the sermon,-the philosophic method with which the preacher treats his text. It is short, but superior and suggestive. WAY-SIDE GATHERINGS. By Rowland Elliott. London: Benjamin Green. This is a small volume of tracts on a variety of subjects, pithy, pointed, and practical, suited to awaken and strengthen the serious in man. THE NATIONAL REVIEW. No. 1, July 1855. We intended expressing our opinion of this New Quarterly at some length, but find our space is filled. We have only room to say, that as a whole, in high philosophic thinking, range of information, literary taste, variety of theme, independency of conviction, honesty of tone, fair-play, and general competency, it is equalled only by few, and excelled by none. A HOMILY ON The Spiritual Universe: MAN'S SPIRITUAL RELATION TO IT MADE RIGHT BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee," &c.—John iii. 5-8. THUS far we have been occupied, in the present series of homilies, in endeavouring to illustrate Spirit, and demonstrate the existence of a Spiritual Universe; in sketching, by the light of Scripture, the grades of superhuman spirits, fallen and unfallen; and in representing the Biblical idea of the "spirits of just men made perfect." The state of the spirits of the wicked who have departed this life was dealt with, in a tolerably lengthened "germ," some months ago.* We have now to finish this series by a practical view of a practical part of the subject: the making man right in relation to the Spiritual Universe. He is as we have seen SPIRIT:-as truly in the Spiritual Universe now, a member and tenant of it, as he will ever be. But he has lost his normal position. His original relations in it are not only disturbed but dissolved. Like a star that has broken off from its centre, the centripetal force of divine love has lost its hold on him; he is rushing through darkness, in a career of ruin. How to bring him back, and link him to * See Homilist, vol. I. p. 216. Vol. IV. 2 I |