cal history of a very remote period;-a period during a portion of which, at least, heathenism was dominant; the sighing of Christian prisoners was heard; the blood of martyrs was flowing. Here, too, are seen indications of the bitter controversies which rent the church be

fore and after the Nicene Council, assem

bled by Constantine the Great, A.D. 325; here, some of the seminal principles from which gradually arose monasticism and the Papal hierarchy, and other great departures from the spirit and practice of the primitive Christians. And yet, with all the error, and superstition, and bitterness, and fraud, there is so much that is true, so much that is opposed to supersti tion, so much of kindness, moderation, and wisdom, so much of intelligence, and of acquaintance with the sacred Scriptures, so much that is elevated and manifestly Christian, so much that inculeates holiness upon the clergy and upon the laity, so much that is appropriate and impressive in some of the liturgical pieces; and, for the most part, there is such a tone of earnestness and sincerity, that,

in the absence of the lights which we now enjoy, multitudes might easily have admitted the claims here set forth to apostolical authority."

The Philosophy of Christian Per fection, embracing a Psychological statement of some of the principles of Christianity on which the doctrine rests, together with a practical examination of the peculiar views of several recent writers on this subject. Philadelphia: Sorin & Ball. 1848.

THIS work is anonymous; yet internal evidence shows it to be the production of a disciple of Wesley, whose views on the subject of Christian perfection, it aims to establish. Whoever the author is, the ability he displays in the entire manage ment of his subject, is of a character which would do honor to the sacred profession in any sect. The theme is one so familiar in all its parts, that it does not seem to require of us a full synopsis of the contents of this particular work, though it is managed with uncommon originality and force; nor do our limits al low us to exhibit more than a few leading points, particularly those on

which the writer's views differ from the received ideas of his class. One remarkable feature of the work, considering the source from which it comes, is the rejection of the doc. trine of physical depravity, which is incorporated in Wesley's system as well as in all the other evangeli. cal creeds of his day. On this point our author's views accord well with the most prevalent belief of our New England divines-to us a most hopeful indication. We sympathize strongly with all free thinking and free writing-as we do with a free press-always excepting the licen tious use-expecting from freedom better fruits, on the large scale, than from constraint and servility. And it cheers us to find a writer of our author's strength, seeking, indepen dent of authority, to rectify the mis takes of his sect, by a calm and rigid demonstration of better views. It is gratifying also to find him a strenuous defender of the perpetual obligation of the divine law deliv ered to man before the apostasy, and setting it forth as the rule and standard of Christian duty. The opinion has been generally ascribed to Wesley and his followers, that the "law of love" is the standard of Christian perfection, and that this falls short of the claims of the orig. inal law, the standard of obligation to beings perfectly pure. In this our author claims that the meaning of Wesley has been mistaken, and that he in fact held that the orig. inal "law is abolished only as a law of works-only in the sense of admitting no repentance" and pardon-that " man is not now to be judged by it as originally admin istered undeviating obedience no longer being the condition of salvation." We rejoice to hear this disclaimer, and hope it may prove to be the voice of the whole denomination. There was doubtless a confusion of ideas in the mind of the great founder of Methodism on this important topic, and he has not al

ways expressed himself in perfect self-consistency. But if his followers can only accept the views of this treatise, there is no longer any difference of opinion on this point between them and us, and one more point of union is established. Hav. ing found that there is nothing in the nature of things to forbid the obedience of the Christian to the whole divine law, at any given time, our author easily concludes that Christian perfection is attainable in this life. But he rests the proof of the fact of such attainment, if we understand him, solely on the testimony of those who profess to reach it. They have the evidence, he thinks, in their own consciousness, that the perfect love of God is shed abroad in their hearts; and he also thinks that they may be assured of the same fact by "the witness of the Spirit." It is in this part of the work that the usual vigor of our author fails him, and he makes out but a sorry argument in support of the main point to be established. As a Wesleyan, writing on the doctrine of Christian perfection, it was incumbent on him to furnish proof -not that perfection is attainable, and its attainment a duty-not (we beg leave to differ from many of our brethren) that some may have become perfect-but that consciousness may assure the believer that the love of God in him is the purest and intensest within his capacity of feeling the full extent of all divine claims upon him. His conscious ness, or, if you please, "the witness of the Spirit," may assure him that he loves God-that he is a Chris tian-but how it can reveal to him that the love he feels measures his capacity and obligation-that he is perfect in love-it surpasses our ability to perceive. Nor do we wonder that our author has left this question untouched, for if it had once arrested the attention of his clear mind, he would have seen his position to be untenable. No man

can measure the strength of his af fections, and ascertain their exact relation to his capacity and duty. He can only know that he loves one object more than another; and that he loves one ardently while he loves another less; but whether his af fections have all the strength of the highest virtue, it is not within his capacity nor for his interest to know. He may have the Christian hope, and even assurance, without knowing that his obedience to God is complete, wanting nothing. It is well for him to believe, that there is some deficiency yet to be supplied; some ornament of the Spirit with which his soul is not yet adorned; something worthy still to be at tained.

TORREY'S NEANDER.-General History of the Christian Religion and Church, from the German of Dr. Augustus Neander, translated from the first, and altered throughout according to the second edition. By JOSEPH TORREY, Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy in the University of Vermont. Volume second: comprising the second great Division of the History. Boston: published by Crocker & Brewster.

During

THIS Volume covers a most interesting period of church history from the end of the Diocletian persecution, A. D. 312, to the time of Gregory the Great, A. D. 590. this period the church underwent the most important changes, in relation to the state, to her own organization, and to her doctrines and discipline. The power of the clerical orders which had been from the earliest times constantly encroaching on the universal priesthood and equal brotherhood of the apostolic age, now gained the entire ascendency. The progress of this usurpation is distinctly traced from its beginnings up to the final supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, over the churches

of the west. During this period, the church emerged from that state of external danger and depression, in which pagan persecution had held her, into a state of security and outward power and splendor, more favorable to the multiplication of converts to a nominal Christianity than to purity of faith and practice. In this period also, the great controversies of the ancient church respecting the mode of the divine existence, the nature of Christ, original sin, free-will, &c. arose; and many of the most distinguished, both of the Latin and Greek fathers, flourished, as Athanasius, Eusebius, Jerome, Chrysostom, Pelagius, Arius and Augustine.

In this great work of the first ecclesiastical historian in the world, there is everywhere apparent the Christian spirit, not superficial, but profound as his learning, a deep current pervading the whole narrative, and especially those parts which relate the experience of such men as Chrysostom and Augustine. In a discriminating portraiture of character, he excels all the other historians of the ancient Christian church; and he thus carries the reader back, to commune with the men of those times, and mingle in their conflicts. He displays in his account of the controversies, to some of which we have alluded, an abil. ity as a dogmatic historian, not inferior to his nice power of discriminating character and tracing events to their causes. We should like to have all he has said of Pelagius and Augustine, combined in a volume, for general circulation. We are happy to express our satisfaction with the manner in which the translator has executed his arduous task in the preparation of this volume, it being much superior in style to the first which bears more marks of the German original. We are hap py also of an opportunity of expressing a second time, our sense of obligation to him for this invaluable

contribution to English theological literature.

Cleveland's Compendium of English Literature.-E. C. & J. Biddle, No. 6 South Fifth street, Philadel phia, have just published a Compendium of English Literature, chronologically arranged, from Sir John Mandeville to William Cowper, consisting of biographical sketches of the authors, choice selections from their works, with notes explanatory and illustrative, and directing to the best editions and to various criticisms. By Charles Dexter Cleve land. This work is designed as a text-book for the highest classes in schools and academies, as well as for private reading; and it is, therefore, furnished with a course of questions for examination, which require the scholar to be able to state the principal events in the life of each writer, to give a more or less particular account of his works, to repeat, it may be, some of his finest passages, to tell in whose reign he flourished, and who were his distin guished cotemporaries, &c. &c.; so that he may in the end have impressed on his memory the history of English literature. The want of such a work has long been felt; and we are pleased to find the want sup. plied in a manner so satisfactory. The selections appear to us to be made with good taste and judgment. They are adapted to enrich the mind of the scholar with noble sentiments and principles; to inspire in him a love for literary excellence; and to form his taste upon the model of the masters of the language; while at the same time, they acquaint him with the merits and peculiarities of the several writers, and guide him in a more extensive course of reading. The author is no doubt indebted in part for his qualifications for this work, to his position, for many years, at the head of a female seminary; and his "Compendium" we suppose, is the result of a long course of

reading and practice for the benefit of his own pupils. We commend it to the attention of parents and teachers, as a work, original in plan, happy in execution, and promising to open a new era in the popular study of English literature.

Chalmers' Miscellanies.--Robert Carter, 58 Canal street, New York, is the American publisher of "the Miscellanies, embracing reviews, essays, and addresses, of the late Dr. Thomas Chalmers." The work is prefaced by a brief memoir of the Author, and by his funeral sermon, preached by the Rev. John Bruce, of Edinburgh, a very eloquent and discriminating discourse. The Miscellanies themselves need no commendation. They may receive as they deserve, some further notice from us, in an article devoted to the life, character and writings of this eminent philosopher, philanthropist and divine.

Schmitz's History of Rome.The enterprising publishers, Allen, Morrill & Wardwell, of Andover, Mass., have issued an edition, from the sheets of the English house, as they appeared, of a new "History of Rome, from the earliest times to the death of Commodus, A. D. 192, by Dr. Leonhard Schmitz, F.R.S.E., Rector of the High School, Edinburgh." Other houses, we believe, have felt encouraged by the high reputation of the author, to publish his work in this country, paying no respect to the rule of honor, which, in the absence of the protection of copyright, concedes to the first publisher the exclusive possession of the market. Dr. Schmitz is a native of Germany, and a pupil of the celebrated Niebuhr, whose Lectures on Roman History, he, several years ago, gave to the English reader. In the work before us, his design is to provide a history of Rome for the use of schools and colleges, as well as for general reading, em

bodying the results of the investigations of German scholars, from Niebuhr downwards. The period over which he has extended the history, is the most important to be studied in the annals of Rome, embracing persons, institutions and events of the greatest interest and most instructive to the young. He was qualified for this task, by his famil iar acquaintance with both the German and English languages, afford. ing him the materials of history from the best authorities, and enabling him to convey into "English undefiled" the fruits of German research, during the last half century.

HYDRAULICS AND MECHANICS.-A Descriptive and Historical Account of Hydraulic and other Machines for raising Water, ancient and modern; with observations on various subjects connected with the Mechanic Arts, inclu ding the Progressive Develop ment of the Steam-Engine. Descriptions of every variety of Bellows, Piston, and Rotary Pumps, Fire-engines, Water-Rams, Pressure-engines, Air-Machines, Eolipiles, &c. Remarks on Ancient Wells, Air-Beds, Cog-Wheels, Blowpipes, Bellows of various People, Magic Goblets, Steam Idols, and other Machinery of Ancient Temples. To which are added Experiments on Blowing and Spouting Tubes, and other original Devices. Nature's Modes and Machinery for raising Water. Historical Notices respecting Syphons, Fountains, Water Or gans, Clepsydra, Pipes, Valves, Cocks, &c. In Five Books. By THOMAS EWBANK. Illustrated by 300 engravings.

THIS work is now in a course of republication by Greeley & McElrath, Tribune Buildings, N. Y., in eight parts or numbers at 25 cents each--half the price of the previous editions. We have looked into

some of the numbers with interest, finding them not dry details of art apart from all ornament, and intelligible only to men of science, but replete with historical incidents, sometimes instructive and always amusing, so that the reader is beguiled through all the tasks imposed on his attention by the scientific parts of the work. It is not only entertaining as a history of the progress of the mechanic arts, in respect particularly to hydraulics, but communicates information of great importance both to the philosopher and the practical mechanician. The first book in eighteen chapters comprises a narrative of the various primitive and ancient devices for raising water; the second, in seven chapters, describes the machines for raising water by the pressure of the atmosphere; the third, in nine chapters, develops the mechanics for raising water by compressure, independently of atmospheric influence; the fourth, in nine chapters, displays the machines for raising water, chiefly of modern origin, including early applications of steam for that purpose; and the fifth, in nine chapters, unfolds the novel devices for raising water, with an account of syphons, cocks, valves, clepsydræ, &c.; the seventh chapter of which condenses a large amount of information on the subject of fountains; and this is "followed by an attractive elucidation of hydraulic organs.' This synopsis, though very imperfect, will suggest to the reader, who feels an interest in such topics, what a rich fund of information he may expect to find in this volume.

or in separate pamphlets. It com. mences with an Essay on Myste ry, first published in the Journal of Science for 1828, which we re member well to have read in our boyhood with peculiar interest. It gives an exhibition of the mind of the author, not only as illustrated by his method of treating various top. ics, but also in its progress-through more than twenty years. We need not say that these discourses are all interesting and attractive, nor that some of them are of the very highest order of merit. There is a feli city and charm about all the efforts of Dr. Hopkins which need no praise from us-but which we count it a privilege to praise-inasmuch as he is one of the men of whom our common New England has most reason to be proud.

THE experience of Mr. Sanders as a teacher of the French language, enabled him to discover some im perfections in the French and London editions of Ollendorff's New Method, reprinted in this country; and this work is the result of an endeavor on his part to furnish one on the same plan, in which, he says, the models are more systematically arranged, and other important im provements introduced. Not having at hand the means of comparing the two works, we pronounce no opinion of their relative merits, but recommend this to teachers as admirably adapted to facilitate the acquisition of the French language. Ollendorff's plan is too well known,