the site of the ancient city. But, indeed, to reason with one who believes the legend of the Invention of the Cross, as Mr. Williams does, would seem but labour lost. Considering also that Mr. Williams's residence in Jerusalem was in the capacity of chaplain to Bishop Alexander, the total absence of anything like kindliness of tone in his language regarding that prelate, to say nothing of hints and insinuations in the text and notes, cannot fail to strike the reader with surprise. Nor can his mode of speaking of the Jewish mission there seem much less surprising, to those who know anything of the nature of his connexion with the London Society, while in the service of the bishop. But what does Mr. Williams mean by saying, that the King of Prussia" has a right to complain that the object with which he established the bishopric has been virtually superseded by one which it does not appear that he ever contemplated." Of whom has the King of Prussia" a right to complain"? Does Mr. Williams desire to have it believed, that the personages in this country who took so lively an interest in the establishment of a bishop in connexion with the Jewish mission at Jerusalem, practised any deception in the matter? If not, what does he mean?

One is sorry to observe such serious defects in this volume, which, if written with more judgment and better feeling, might have proved as valuable as its beautifully executed illustrations render it attractive.

The Act for the more Effectual Application of Charitable Donations and Bequests in Ireland, (7 & 8 Victoria, cap. xcvii.) With Explanatory Notes on the Several Sections. By Charles H. Todd, Esq., LL.D., Barrister-atLaw. London: Parker. 8vo. pp. 44.

THIS pamphlet will be read by those who wish to understand the subject, and to whom it is important to have an answer to Mr. O'Connell's erroneous and inaccurate statements. But the following extract from the Introduction, in which Dr. Todd has answered some of the follies which Mr. Serjeant Shee has lately put forward in a pamphlet intended for the meridian of London, will be read with interest, as the view which a layman of knowledge, and of a calm and discriminating judgment, and a temper as remote as need be from what is understood by ultraProtestantism, takes of the projects for the destruction of the church in Ireland-a church which, as Dr. Todd truly observes, "is rooted in the affections of its members [and they comprehend, with scarcely any exception, the education and respectability of Ireland] by deeper, holier, and purer ties than can be severed by the plunder of its property, even though sufficiently extensive " to secure the affections of the Catholics, or to win them from their day-dream of legislative independence."

The following are Dr. Todd's observations on Serjeant Shee's pamphlet :

"The learned Serjeant considers it a very illiberal thing, that certain persons of eminent learning and piety should not be called by their right names -that Drs. Crolly and Murray should not be called the Roman-catholic archbishops of Armagh and Dublin, which they are ;" yet, though he indulges in much angry observation upon this point, which, after all, he assures is of VOL. XXVII-May, 1845. 20

no kind of importance, one way or the other, he refuses to designate a prelate, no less eminent in learning and piety, by his right title, and stripping the primate of both his spiritual and temporal rank, is pleased to show his great liberality by styling him Dr. Beresford!' I altogether differ from the learned Serjeant in regarding this as a point of no kind of importance-I consider it of the utmost importance that all things and persons should be designated by their right names. There is more in a name than appears perhaps at first sight, and I think it is especially important that 'Drs. Crolly and Murray' should be called by their right names, because by giving them the titles they claim an important principle is sacrificed. The church of Ireland-the church of St. Patrick and St. Colum-kille,—when she re-asserted her right to independence of the see of Rome, which she had enjoyed until the twelfth century; when she taught her people to pray in a language which they understood, to pray not only with the spirit, but with the understanding also; when she claimed for all faithful people the right to partake of the cup of the Lord, she neither destroyed her identity, nor forfeited her claims to catholicity, nor rendered herself unfit to be the guide and instructress of the faithful Irish. She is, then, a portion of the catholic church, and claims the right to be recognised as such. Her bishops are in the possession of the ancient Irish sees, and their right to that possession is recognised by the laws of this country. The primate is, therefore, the catholic archbishop, and the only catholic archbishop of Armagh; for it is a well-known law of the Christian church, that there cannot be two bishops in the same see. Even when a bishop lapsed into heresy,-though in an extreme case, any catholic bishop, as being a bishop of the universal church, might ordain orthodox men in the diocese, yet no bishop could intrude into the see until the other was canonically deposed. The church of Rome, as well as the other continental churches, are acknowledged by the Irish church to be portions of that one catholic church, of which she herself forms a part: she therefore recognises the clergy and bishops of those churches to be priests and bishops. Dr. Crolly, deriving his orders from the church of Rome, is therefore acknowledged by the Irish church to be a bishop. But he has no see; the law could not recognise his right to the see of Armagh, without denying the right of the primate. Dr. Crolly is, therefore, neither by the laws of the church nor of the land, the Archbishop of Armagh; his right name, by which it is exceedingly important he should be called, and which it would be very illiberal to withhold from him, is, Bishop Crolly-he has no see in Ireland.

"

Serjeant Shee also introduces the subject of the revenues of the Irish church, and the Church Temporalities Acts, which he considers a 'wellconcerted measure of reform,' worthy of all praise, had its object been the church of a nation!' The repeal party in Ireland is very much in the habit of styling itself a nation, and the Romish communion the church of that nation. Will Serjeant Shee assist Lord Stanley to apply to the property and constitution of this church of a nation the same well-concerted measure of reform,' which these acts have effected in the ancient Irish church? First, however, let him understand what those acts have done. In consequence of an agitation encouraged and fomented by Christian priests! they abolished the power of levying from the parish any rate for the purposes of building or repairing the houses of God, and supporting Christian worship within the parish. By a most unjustifiable interference with the constitution of the church, they united ten episcopal sees with others, vesting the revenues belonging to those sees in certain commissioners, who were empowered to sell the see-houses and bishops' lands. They enabled the privy council, on the recommendation of these commissioners, to suspend the appointment of dignitaries or prebendaries in cathedral churches; as well as the appointment to many rectories. "Such is the measure which obtains Serjeant Shee's warm approbation. Does he think it would increase the efficiency of the church of Rome in Ireland, were her bishops to be reduced in number-her religious houses suppressed

her dignitaries suspended, and their incomes applied to parochial purposes? It is strange that no attempt has been made to ascertain the wealth of the Romancatholic church in Ireland. Looking at the large and expensive chapels which are being built throughout the country, the number of religious houses, colleges, nunneries, &c., which are not necessary, nor intended for the supply of parochial ministers, the revenues of that church must be very considerable; and yet Serjeant Shee proposes, as almost necessary for the preservation of the integrity of the British empire, that these bishops and clergy should be incorporated, under the style of the Governors of the Bounty of Queen Victoria,' for the purpose of spoliating the Irish church, and applying its property to their own benefit!! It is unnecessary to expose the iniquity of such a measure, which must be plain to any honest mind. If these ecclesiastics are in need of funds for parochial purposes, let them adopt some wise measure of reform, worthy of all praise; and abolishing their bishops and religious houses, and stopping the appointment of sinecurists, apply the funds heretofore directed to their support to parochial purposes, and they will, in the opinion of Serjeant Shee, only render their church more efficient. It is, indeed, sincerely to be hoped, that no desire of power will ever induce any minister to countenance so wicked a scheme, under the delusive expectation of conciliating thereby the enemies of England."

Nothing can be more just or timely than these remarks. Of all the cant of political party, the most absurd and disgusting is the lamentations over the poverty of the Romish priests and bishops in Ireland. Sprung, generally speaking, from almost the lowest rank in society, without families to provide for, or establishments to support, they are perhaps as independent, and, for their habits and position in society, as wealthy a class as any in the empire. The writer would like to have three or four simple questions answered. What aggregate amount of money is given annually to the Roman-catholic poor of Ireland by the whole body of their prelates and clergy? What amount of money has been amassed by them, during the last forty years, from the produce of their clerical incomes? What amount of money have they received from the bequests of Roman-catholic laymen, particularly under wills executed in the last moments of the testators, during the same period? And, lastly,-what amount they would consider sufficient as an endowment from Parliament, in compensation for a real and bona fide relinquishment of all income from what are facetiously called voluntary payments? The answers to these questions, if accurate answers could be obtained, would probably surprise a large portion of the community. Perhaps, also, the answer to the last would throw some light on the extraordinary repugnance which the prelates and priests have so long manifested to any proposal for a state endowment.

The Mabinagion, with an English Translation and Notes. By Lady Charlotte Guest. Part VI. London: Longman. 8vo. pp. 260.

THE writer of this notice does not undertake to meddle with the subject of Welsh antiquities, but he cannot refrain from expressing his admiration for the zeal and public spirit which Lady Charlotte Guest has manifested in her efforts to make the public acquainted with ancient British literature. The work is beautifully printed and illustrated.

An Index of such English Books Printed before the Year MDC., as arenow in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth. Published with the permission of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, by the Rev. S. R. Maitland, F.R.S., and F.S.A., librarian to his Grace, and keeper of the MSS. at Lambeth. London Rivington. 8vo. pp. 120.

MR. MAITLAND has rendered great service to English literature, and English theology, by the publication of this most curious list; not only by informing the public of the existence of many books hitherto unknown to bibliographers, and of their being preserved in the Lambeth library, but also, by showing how such lists, in a moderate size and unexpensive form, may and should be made by librarians, and by the possessors of private collections; "mere lists,"-to use Mr. Maitland's words,-" mere lists, to tell us where we may actually see scarce books, and books only known to have existed by defective or incorrect descriptions, or others not known to have existed at all." It is earnestly hoped, that, "as a step towards something in the nature of a more full and correct history of English literature," Mr. Maitland's example may have the effect of inducing many of those who have access to college and cathedral libraries, to publish similar lists, in an equally convenient form and judicious arrangement. To the student of the history and theology of the English Reformation such lists are of the utmost value.

Choral Service of the Church, as used in the Chapel of St. Philip the Apostle, Stepney, noted and arranged with especial reference to a Distinct Accentuation of the Words, &c. By the Rev. J. H. Brooks, Incumbent of St. Philip, Stepney, and Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford. Oxford: Parker. pp. 95.

No one can feel more sincere love for the correct and reverent performance of English cathedral music than the writer of this notice, or regret more sincerely anything, either in the conduct or demeanour of the performers, calculated to bring it into disrepute; but he has long thought, that the attempt to substitute it in parish churches, for psalmody and plain reading, is in the highest degree injudicious and impracticable. And any one who differs from him in this opinion, is requested to consider the mode in which such attempts are usually made, and the incompetency of those who make them. Let any musician perform, in strict time, any part of Mr. Brooks's arrangement, and he will see how utterly unqualified that gentleman is for such a work. And really, when one considers all the miserable contentions and heart-burnings which such doings create and perpetuate in a parish, the writer can only regard such a work as Mr. Brooks's, even if it had been executed with skill and judgment, as a vast deal of money worse than thrown away.

A Manual of Prayers for the Liturgy, Arranged for Family Use.

London: Murray. 12mo. pp. 120.

THE preface to this little volume informs the reader that it is compiled by Mr. W. E. Gladstone. It is drawn up with remarkable judgment and good taste, and is calculated to be extremely useful to the persons for whom it is designed.

Prayers for the Dead, for the Use of Members of the Church of England.
London: Toovey. 12mo. pp. 145.

ANOTHER of the volumes which are constantly appearing, whose object is to Romanize the English church. An accompaniment to

the burial service (p. 90) is not the least remarkable feature in this volume. There is an end of all mutual confidence among us, if one cannot be assured that the clergyman and his assistants (for the whole form is liturgical, with responses, antiphons, &c.) are not muttering to themselves scraps of Romish devotions, while they appear to be performing the burial service according to the form in the Book of Common Prayer. There will probably be occasion to notice this volume again; but, meantime, there is one observation which may be left to the consideration of the reader. One often hears (and that truly) that prayer for the dead does not necessarily involve the doctrine of purgatory. But there are some forms of prayer for the dead which do involve that doctrine, and of which it is not easy to discover either the sense or meaning on any other supposition. Such are the prayers which are constantly recurring in this volume :— "May he rest in peace." "Grant him, O Lord, eternal rest and let light perpetual shine upon him." Again, what is to be said of the following, "for the use of the members of the church of England"?

"O God, the giver of pardon, and lover of the salvation of all mankind: we beseech thee of thy great mercy to grant that our brethren, relations, and benefactors, who have departed this life, THE BLESSED MARY, EVER VIRGIN, WITH ALL THY SAINTS, INTERCEDING, may come to the fellowship of everlasting bliss."

And these are not even meant for private and solitary devotions. They are all through cast into a congregational form. The Dominus Vobiscum

"V. The Lord be with you,

R. And with thy spirit,"

is not meant for private worship; and the note added to it would set this at rest, if there could be any doubt on the subject

"The last V. and R. are said only when the reader is a clergyman."

Where is all this to end! And yet, in the Preface, which is signed "W. F. W., London, Septuagesima, 1845," the author informs us, that these prayers and offices "contain nothing contrary to the doctrine and discipline of our church."-p. xxiii.

One word as to trifling with holy Scripture. The author says:—

As regards the intention of the Psalms, they seem to be most rightly said in the person of the departed. The five Psalms of Vespers are supposed to deprecate God's mercy through our Lord's five wounds, for whatever the dead have sinned, by any of their five senses. The song of the Blessed Virgin has regard to her intercession for them. In Psalm cxlvi., the departure of the soul, and the return of the body to its earth, is commemorated. The three psalms of each Nocturn may refer to sins of thought, word, and deed; to the ever-blessed Trinity, and other mysteries."-pp. xxv. xxvi.

One's heart sickens at the sight of such a total confusion of mind with regard to the nature of truth and falsehood, exhibited in this miserable trifling with the word of God. This is the root of the