537 Take no objection; but the qualification of Mahomedism is beyond our comprehension. We should have supposed that, of all the classes of British subjects in India, the votaries of the Prophet would be found least entitled to the distinctive epithets, resigned and docile.' On the general question as to the probable permanency of English supremacy, the opinion of M. Say leans to the affirmative; and we shall cite the closing paragraphs of his tract as giving a summary of his views on the ultimate condition of Asia. In every case the freedom of India seems impossible; but ought we to wish, for the interests of humanity, that Europe may lose its influence over Asia? Ought we not rather to wish that it should increase? Europe is no longer what she was in the days of Vasco de Gama and Albuquerque. She is arrived at a state in which Asia has nothing to fear from her influence. With her despots and superstitions, Asia has no good institutions to lose, while she may receive many from Europe. The nations of Europe, from their enterprising spirit, and the astonishing progress they have made in all the branches of human knowledge, are, no doubt, destined to subdue the world, as they have already subdued the two Americas;-I do not mean by force of arms. Military preponderance is, and ever will be, accidental and precarious. Europe will subjugate the world by the inevitable ascendency of knowledge, and the unceasing operations of her institutions. It is no longer necessary to employ arms against the American Indians. Asia needs longer time on account of her immense population, and the inertia which long-rooted and immoveable customs oppose to every species of innovation. But the march of events is inevitable. The religion of the Magi has given place to Mahometanism; that of Bramah has lost half its votaries; and Mahometanism will wear itself out in turn like every thing else. The facilities of communication by water are becoming every day more perfect. In our own times, the voyage to India by the Cape of Good Hope has been lessened one half, both in ease and celerity, since 1789. The other passages to the East will indubitably become more short and practicable. The liberation of Greece will lead to that of Egypt; and civilization, gaining ground, will level the obstacles to communication; for the more civilized nations become, the more will they perceive that it is their interest to communicate with their neighbours. We may then have a faint idea of the future state of society; but time is a necessary element in all great revolutions.' Say, pp. 34-6. We must recur to Mr. Wallace for the purpose of enforcing the necessity of a thorough revision and condensation in the event of a second edition. Such a work is so much wanted, that it is well worth while to take pains in its composition, since, without it, details are valueless. Accuracy is indis pensible. We believe Mr. W. is incorrect in giving to Great Britain the possession both of the Isle of France and that of Bourbon. The Mauritius alone is ours: if we may trust our recollection, the other was restored. We shall trespass on Mr. Wallace's pages for one more extract, containing a most interesting statement. Bengal is bounded on nearly its whole eastern line by the wild and extensive district of Tiperah, the mountains of which are inhabited by savages, who have now scarcely any knowledge of the Brahmanical code, nor indeed of any other, although, in ancient times, this was the seat of an empire which brought armies into the field of 200,000 infantry. From this region and Chittagong, the government of India recruit their establishment of elephants, purchasing, none under nine feet high, The inhabitants of Rajemal, a northern district of Bengal contiguous to this tract, are mostly of low stature, but stout and well proportioned, Many of them are not taller than four feet ten inches, with small eyes, flat noses, and thick lips. These savage men were reclaimed and civilized by the noble exertions of Mr. Cleveland, their judge and magistrate, who has a monument in the form of a pagoda, erected to his memory near Boglipore: he died at the early age of 29. An idea of his worth may be entertained from the tribute paid to his memory by the governor-general and council of Bengal, and which remains for a testimony to future times, engraved over his mortal remains. There he lies Who, without bloodshed, or the terror of authority, employing only the means of conciliation, confidence, and benevolence, attempted and accomplished the entire subjection of the lawless and savage inhabitants of the Jungleterry of Rajemal, who had long infested the neighbouring lands by their predatory incursions, inspired them with a taste for the arts of civilized life, and attached them to the British government by a conquest over their minds." To my understanding, this is one of the most honourable monuments that ever was erected, and worthy of being perpetuated till time shall be no more.' We wish that such monuments as these were more thickly planted. Art. V. The Christian Ministry: or Excitement and Direction in Ministerial Duties. Extracted from various Authors. By William Innes, Minister of the Gospel. 8vo. pp. 358. Price 8s. Edinburgh. 1824. THE HE abridgement of some large works of practical divinity, has communicated the essence of highly valuable books to a numerous class of readers, who could not afford the expense either of time or money which the originals would claim, ́ But the task of abridging is not without its difficulties, and, like that of translating, has frequently fallen into incompetent hands. Even at the best, he who has leisure to peruse an original work of merit, suffers loss, if induced by an abridgement to decline its perusal. We are therefore disposed to give the preference to that exercise of literary industry, by which the treasures of pious learning are explored with a view to selection and compilation. Such productions have not the same tendency to deter the reader from resorting to the originals when opportunity may offer. An abridgement, like an engraving, gives the outline and composition of its original; and, after examining it, we are sometimes less concerned to become acquainted with that which, except as to its colouring, seems already known to us. But they who extract, bring us specimens from a mine: we cannot be sure that they have chosen the very best, or the most adapted to our particular use. If we are gratified and enriched by these, perhaps we might be yet more by others. And it is the more probable that we may be disposed to argue thus, when the specimens produced, as in the work before us, are chiefly of one particular kind. Indeed, we consider this mode of compilation, which brings into a distinct work what has been said by several writers upon one subject, as preferable to the miscellaneous extracts from one author that are often presented. At least, the great importance of the duties which belong to the Christian ministry, fully warrants the appropriation of one or more volumes to the production of the counsels of those who have eminently fulfilled it. Mr. Innes states, that his design has been, to furnish a ⚫ volume as full of useful matter as possible; a volume which may lie with advantage on the table of every minister of the gospel, and into which he cannot even occasionally look without finding some useful hint, either in the way of direction or excitement in the important work in which he is engaged.' This design is judiciously executed, by extracts from Baxter, Watts, Alleine's life, Witherspoon, Erskine, Martyn's Memoirs, Brainerd, Cecil, and Hall. No one who justly appreciates the characters of these divines, can doubt that the extracts are valuable. There will, indeed, in such a series of selections necessarily occur some repetition of the same thoughts in different forms; but this will be more than tolerated by the reader who wishes to have them practically fixed in his heart. The homestriking energy of Baxter cannot fail of producing some serious impressions, except on the most dull and thoughtless minds. Fine instances of it appear in the extracts, of which the following are portions. 4 It is a palpable error in those ministers that make such a dis proportion between their preaching and living, that they should study to preach exactly, and study little or not at all to live exactly. All the week long is little enough to study how to speak two hours, and yet, one hour seems too much to study how to live all the week. They are loath to misplace a word in their sermons, or to be guilty of any notable infirmity, (and I blame them not, for the matter is holy and of weight,) but they make nothing of misplacing of affections, words, and actions, in the course of their lives. O! how cautiously have I heard some men preach, and how carelessly have I seen them live.' p. 11. I confess, I think necessity should be a great disposer of a minister's course of study and labours. If we are sufficient for every thing, we might fall upon every thing, and take in order the whole Encyclopædia. But life is short; and we are dull; and eternal things are necessary; and the souls that depend on our teaching are precious. I confess, necessity has been the conductor of my studies and life. It chooseth what book I shall read, and tells when and how long. It chooseth my text, and makes my sermon, for matter and manner, so far as I can keep out my own corruption. Though I know the constant expectation of death has been a great cause of this, yet, I know no reason why the most healthful man should not make sure of the necessaries first, considering the shortness and uncertainty of all men's lives.' p. 30. Notwithstanding the superior correctness and polish of style, combined, indeed, with piety and truth of sentiment, which appear in most of the other authors here cited, we feel more fully from Baxter's juxtaposition with them, how effective is the nervous plainness of that venerable non-conformist. If, as the Compiler intimates, a favourable reception of this work should induce him to add a second volume, we wish that an equal portion of it may be allotted to further selections from that powerful writer. Much will be found in this volume to humble, as well as to direct and incite the conscientious pastor. We can conceive that some parts of it may even, in certain minds, produce discouragement. Such persons will feel the force of a remark of Archbishop Leighton's, quoted by Dr. Erskine in a discourse on the difficulties of the pastoral office, from which extracts are given: Even the best would have cause to faint and give over in it, were not our Lord the chief shepherd, were not all our sufficiency laid up in his richfulness [qu. rich fulness?], and all our insufficiency covered in his gracious acceptance.' p. 227. Art. VI. 1. Treatises upon the Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith. ས 364. Price 9s. Glasgow. 1822. 2. The Imitation of Christ: in three Books. By Thomas à Kempis. Translated from the Latin, by John Payne. With an Introductory Essay, by Thomas Chalmers, D. D. 12mo. pp. lxii, 334. Price 4s. Glasgow. 1822. 3. The Works of the Rev. John Gambold, A. M. Late one of the Bishops of the United Brethren. With an Introductory Essay, by Thomas Erskine, Esq. Advocate, Author of Remarks on the Internal Evidence for the Truth of Revealed Religion. pp. xxviii, 286. Price 4s. Glasgow. 1822. THE spirit of trade is to be watched with a jealous eye in its influence upon religious publication; for, no doubt, things sacred are always in danger of being profaned, corrupted, and depraved, while they are in the hands of those,-whether dignitaries, authors, or booksellers, who find that "godliness is gain :" and truly no man-no, not a barefooted friar, with a knapsack of indulgences on his shoulders-has better right to whisper a hearty Amen to the text, than a Publisher in these days, whose capital, and connexions, and knowledge of the religious world, and general intelligence in theological matters, enable him to supply the wishes of the thousands and tens of thousands in the three kingdoms, who are constant consumers of good books. Looking at the subject only on one side, one might fear that the simple-hearted and unwary buyers of godly books were exposed, without protection, to every pestilent = corruption that should promise to fatten the press, and those who live by it. But there are some effectual securities against any very serious or wide-spreading mischief from this source. For though there are flagrant exceptions, yet, still it is a maxim understood, and acknowledged, and generally acted upon by those whose trade is in books, that the best things sell best; and that if you wish to provide for the mass of readers, you must pub lish what is of unquestioned reputation, and of plain and obvious utility. There have indeed been some designedly vicious enterprises, and many ill-judged enterprises in this line of business; but, for the most part, capital employed in this department of literature will select, by mere mercantile tact, the very works which would have been selected, if disinterested and well-informed piety had been the sole guide in the choice. But, besides this, it is far from being a justifiable presumption, that, because a man is a tradesman, he has no views beyond those of a tradesman. Still further from the language of candour, and, we will add, from that of a thorough knowledge of the |