ratio of one to twenty-five. Dr. Johnston has certainly collected a large quantity of matter, which may be read with edification; but here we stop, because we think our own systems to be already far better than those of the French, and we do not, like Dr. Johnston, think that every thing must be good because it is foreign.

9. Discourses on the Duties and Consolations of the Aged. By Henry Belfrage, D. D. Minister of the Gospel at Falkirk. 8vo, pp. 474.

IN our early days, the rule among Divines was to take all the texts of Scripture bearing upon a particular point of morality, enlarge upon them, and thus show what was the morality which Scripture taught. It was also a point, that there should be no sermons whatever preached upon Faith, except with a caution annexed, of its indispensable conjunction with Works. This is not now the vogue. The inflammatory declamations about the Atonement, the use of the name of Jesus, as in a love-poem, and various other absurdities (not to say worse of them) have drawn us into an opposite extreme, and the frigid, the florid, the bombast, and the hyperbolic, &c. &c. (as discriminated by Blair), form what is now called pulpit oratory.

There was a Catholic preacher, who got into disgrace for life, because in a sermon, he made Christ say to the devil (when the latter recommended him to throw himself down), “ My friend, I have a much easier staircase to go down by * ;" and the French, with their usual tact for humour, were not a little amused with our Saviour's calling the devil his friend. Absurdities as gross, characterize our modern pulpit oratory, even in the Church of England, in order to acquire popularity. But most solemnly do we protest against it; because we believe Revelation to be only a higher display of reason (so far as concerns human conduct), and because we believe (and fear even to horror) that ridicule will

be the final result of such childish and anile innovations. Be it, that the sermons which we Orthodox Churchmen hear, have the form of a lecture; the Clergy are Professors, not Players they celebrate holy rites in Churches,

This anecdote we have from one of our early volumes, we do not recollect which.

not make dramatic soliloquies in the atres; and he who caunot listen for half an hour to sober divinity, is rather a play-goer than a Christian, one who desires to hear a speech, rather than to be edified. However, there was an evil arising out of an intended good. Blair's beautiful and inestimable Essays are not sermons; still it would be dif ficult to equal them, and more difficult to give them a theological character. But such a task has Dr. Belfrage executed in the truly excellent work be fore us. It has in most parts equal merit to Blair, and far more utilityit gives no encouragement to villains and hypocrites to profess faith in Christ, and annihilate all the moral consti

tuents of civilization-it makes not God the author of sin and folly-it does not say, they that have not done good, though they do not repent (only cry, Lord, Lord), shall go into life everlasting. No, Dr. Belfrage satisfies us on all points. He makes Christ recommend wisdom and morality, as titles to his favour-and we solemnly believe, that he speaks the real mind of that celestial Instructor.

60. Liber Ecclesiasticus, the Book of the Church, or Ecclesiasticus: translated from the Latin Vulgate. By Luke Howard, F.R.S. Royal 8vo, pp. 126.

CORDIALLY as we approve of the authorized translation of the Bible, as fittest for general use, we are certain, that there are numerous passages which, under spirited translation in modern elegant diction, would, especially in the poetical parts, exhibit a sublimity lated to arrest the feelings, and produce and ancient grandeur, highly calcumust have been the language of the even an awful impression, that such Almighty himself.

of translation would be of illegitimate For public purposes, such a freedom offspring, but we have seen paraphrases of certain parts, which fully vindicate the character of the real sublime.

Here, however, we consider the Bible as a mere book, in a literary point of

view.

As to the book of Ecclesiasticus, it

is palpably an imitation (and a very successful one) of the Proverbs. Mr. Howard has done it great justice. He prefers the Vulgate to the Septuagint. We think that it was a poem, for the parallelisms are self-evident. We do

not think, however, with Mr. Howard, (Pref. viii.), that it was penned at different times, and on various occasions, merely because it is divided into thirteen sections. It was anciently cus tomary to sing things of this kind, in order to infix them in the memory; that was even the case (odd as it may seem) with Laws themselves, whence perhaps these thirteen divisions This is a fact well known to antiquaries.

As, however, there has been much discussion lately on the subject of incorporating the Apocrypha with the Canon of Scripture, we think that Mr. Howard's sentiments on the subject will not be unacceptable; for, though the book of Ecclesiasticus may harmonize with Scripture, we must own, that the Apocrypha having no prophetic character (as we recollect), cannot have the awful holiness and grand distinction of the Bible. With regard to our own feelings, we should like it better if wholly separated; but the Apocrypha was perused by the early Christians; and, Jerom says, was read by them in Churches. But we do not like things, not essentially parts of the Holy Bible, to be connected with it, for it savours much more of concubinage than lawful matrimony; and according to Jerome's reasoning, the Homilies also might be bound up with the modern Bible, because they also were read in Churches. However, to repeat our opinion in somewhat like a syllogistic form-the Bible is the Bible; ought to be the Bible, and nothing but

the Bible.

Now to Mr. Howard. He says, concerning his motives for this Translation,

66

"I have thought the publication of it at the present time not unseasonable, as it may serve to divert the controversy from the merits or demerits of those who have, of later years, been concerned in circulating the Apocryphal along with the Canonical Scriptures, towards that part of the subject to which we might as well have sat down at first more deliberately the comparative value of the Apocryphal books, as parts of Jewish Scripture-together with the degree of evidence which might be obtained from the Bible itself, or from other sources, in proof of the authenticity of several of them, and of their intimate and useful connection with other Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments." Pref. vi.

61. A View of the World, from the Creation to the present time; with an Art of Me

mory, &c. By the Author of the French Genders taught in Six Fables. 16mo, pp.

310.

THERE is no doubt of the utility of artificial modes of assisting memory. It is almost instinctively practised in the custom of putting particular things in particular places, because an associa tion of ideas is connected with those places and things; and therefore, such an act seems to grow naturally out of that grand faculty of the mind. But then the mode of forming that art of memory is the difficulty. There is an old Joe Miller, that Oliver Cromwell, or some such celebrated person, when a farmer threatened to pound his father's pigs, ordered the pigs to be driven to the pound, shut up, and severely whipt. When the farmer drove the pigs a few days after to the pound, the pigs associated the ideas of whipping with the pound, and no effort of the farmer could prevent a retreat home, at sight of the pound, with the speed of light. It is plain, that this was a most effectual mode of teaching them artificial memory. This, however, we merely show as a proof of the practicability of the process, not as a mode of teaching it. That must be a far more agreeable one; and that of Hoyle, with regard to whist, is in most points far from a bad one. Grey (our author has observed, pref. ii.) has adopted hexameter lines, of which we shall give one, as perhaps exhibiting the finest and most unrivalled specimen of (what schoolboys call) gibberish and cacophony ever known in the world. It is as follows: "Creppaz Delpetsau, Demasus, Abmezki, Apepni.'

The first syllable gives the epoch as Cre the Creation, Del the Deluge, &c. Feinagle's plan was easier, but cramped, by excluding the vowels. Our Author's plan is to make initial letters only to represent figures; and he gives us short proverbs to get by heart, which by the initials of the words teach us the date also. Thus he says,

"In the fifth epoch, the taking of Babylon, and destruction of the impious Belshazzar by Cyrus, in the year 3468, can any words be more appropriate than these:

God ends Belshazzar's power,' which fix the date, O standing for 3, E for 4, B for 6, and P for 8."

For our parts, we conceive that the only method to be accurate in dates, is to keep a table of them for reference, or make memorandums; and as to

recollection of figures, the best method is that of Bankers, who, in calling over the numbers of notes (suppose 5145), do not say, five thousand one hundred and forty-five, but five, one, four, five; and this to us is a shorter process than that of getting by heart either a jargon, or four or five hundred mottoes, which are full as likely to be forgotten as the figures. A man who can make a memorandum, will never take that trouble; and if he be either a creditor or debtor, the situation itself is a sufficient artificial memory for correct recollection. We have seen pictures, however, of birds, beasts, &c. excellently used, for getting up quickly terminations of nouns; but it must be evident, that every man who has much business will form an artificial memory for himself better than any one which professes a system like this or any other, because the sole foundation of all such things ought to be the association of ideas; but as to figures, there is no association between them

and words or things-memorandums, or getting them by heart in the Banker's plan, is full as easy, or more easy than any other. Our author, however, is certainly ingenious; and his Chronology is most useful by itself, for it is an excellent compendium of the leading facts in biblical and profane, as well as English history. The rest must be left to those who do not grudge the trouble of learning the process; but our judgment is, that it is only learning two things, when one only is wanted-for instance, we have in p. 261,

The Deluge

Date 1656

all lost from blindness.

The initials of the motto A, L, F, B, mark the date; but is it not full as

easy to learn " Deluge, 1656," as "all

lost from blindness?"

62. Original Sacred Music, with Original Poetry (by various Contributors). The whole compiled and arranged, by Alfred Pettet. Printed for the Editor.

THERE belongs an interest to this publication, independent of its merits, great and excellent as they are. Its highly-gifted compiler, confined for nine years daily and nightly to his couch, has sought a solace and a refuge from the dejection that belongs to disease, and from the unavailing regrets and wishes that will ever at

tach to a state of inactivity, in the ar rangement of this volume. And it has pleased that Providence, whose "hand has touched him," to lighten the affliction and to sooth his solitude, not only by the resources of his own intellectual powers, but by the labours of congenial spirits-filling, as it were, the chamber of his sickness with melody and song. To his honour be it recorded, that the talents so bestowed have been consecrated to the best purposes. Under circumstances of trying depression, he has not "hung his harp on the willow," but adopting a nobler sentiment, he has exclaimed, "As long as I have any being I will sing praises unto my God."

The first part of this Volume contains original Melodies attached to select portions of the New Version of the Psalms. The second consists of Miscellaneous Hymns, the words of which have been contributed by many of our popular Poets, among others, Joanna Baillie, Mrs. Opie, Barton, Montgomery, Milman, Southey, &c. and it is this department of the work which more properly falls within our own province; but as we have mentioned this publication, not less from its own merits than from a kindly feeling towards its author, our readers will excuse us if, after a word or two on its literary qualities, we offer a few general observations on its musical beauties. They will conclude from the names we have mentioned that the poetical portion of the volume has been ably sustained, and they will not be disappointed. The following sweet lines on Resignation are by Mrs. Opie:

"My path, oh Lord, is clouded o'er,

Lone, dreary, dark, appears my lot,
But while to me life smiles no more,
Altho' I mourn, I murmur not.
For, ol, this broken contrite heart
And tho' my tears in anguish start,
Must in thy wrath thy justice own;
They flow from conscious sin alone.
Then tho' my path is clouded o'er,

And gloom o'erhangs my future lot, I bless and love thee more and more, And tho' I mourn, I murmur not." The following by Joanna Baillie breathes an elevation of thought and feeling beautifully expressed: "Oh, Lord supreme, whose works so fair, Sublime and varied every where,

The gazing eye delight,

which support his fame; but it may possibly increase the number of his admirers, by extending a knowledge of his extraordinary merits. For who can reflect that, besides his published work, which alone displays very great industry and skill, he compiled above two hundred and thirty volumes of pedigrees or extracts from records illustrative of subjects connected with his profession, though he was removed to another world before he had completed his forty-fifth year, and withhold from him his respect and admiration?" P. 80.

The part which Vincent took with Camden in the controversy of that immortal writer with his principal rival Ralph Brooke, occasions Mr. Nicolas to investigate at length the feuds which at that time agitated the Corporation of Heralds, and to take "a brief view of those transactions connected with the

College of Arms at that period, that were likely to influence the feelings of its members." This investigation naturally increases the interest of the memoir, which may, indeed, be fairly considered rather as a biographical review of the leading Heralds of the æra, than merely a detail of Vincent's personal history.

64. Picturesque Views of the Southern Coast of England, from Drawings made principally by J. M. W. Turner, R.A. and engraved by W. B. Cooke, George Cooke, and other eminent Engravers. 2 vols. 4to. With 48 Plates and 32 Vignettes. J. and W. Arch.

HOW luxuriously a man may now be entertained! With all our antiquarian feelings, we would far rather live in the nineteenth century than any which preceded. How superior is England now to what she was at any former period; and let us journey, which we may do by various modes, and with a velocity conformable to our wishes, to any part of the island, how are we gratified in meeting with taste, comfort, and prosperity, where but fifty years ago no accommodation was to be found! Foreign travel may, and does certainly enlarge the mind, and intercourse with the world gives a polish to that ease of manners which renders well-bred society so delightful. But who, notwithstanding our variable climate and often damp atmosphere, when he contemplates the powerful influence of public opinion, which makes all in authority mindful of their duty, the beneficial laws

which protect property and the liberty of the subject, and that he can at his own free-will, without the degrading necessity and harassing delay of a passport, visit when and how he pleases every part of this island, does not feel a conscious superiority in being an Englishman. Rich in specimens of the arts, both antient and modern, as well as in the results of commerce, and containing within itself greater variety of scenery, of that noble animal the horse, of shipping and antiquities, who would not exclaim? "This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, this dear, dear land, Dear for her reputation thro' the world." Nor is this all. We may, by the talistanic effects of the work before us, be transported from place to place along our Southern Coast, and have an accurate idea of its principal towns and harbours, without even quitting our homes. If we have any feeling for the arts, our delight will be tenfold; for the Messrs. Cooke have proved to what an astonishing degree effect may be produced, in simple black and white, by the extraordinary skill and judicious discrimination with which they use the graver. Are they really engrav ings? Can any thing parallel be found? Such must be our first sensatious, and it is only by an effort to calm them that we can coolly undertake to describe them to our readers. What a source of satisfaction to the incomparable Turner, who, without disparagement to those painters who have chosen as their branch landscape scenery, is undoubtedly at their head, to find the very sentiment of his pictures so strikingly preserved by such coadjutors, and what a gratification to them to copy from such a master! An union of talents, like this, could not fail to produce bewitching effects, and these are paramount in the Coast Scenery." Need we particularize? If so, we will mention what have more especially pleased us, without by any means saying they are pre-eminent, as all are excellent. Of the Views, Whitstable, Deal, Dover from Shakspeare's cliff, Weymouth, Plymouth from Lord Mount Edgecumbe's, Pendennis Castle, and St. Michael Mount; of the Vignettes, those from the easels of Prout, Dewint, Collins, Clonmell, Owen, and Blore, have more irresist