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The disciples had asked three things, upon the declaration. which their Lord had just made concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. He had first said that not one stone should be left upon another: to which they answered, saying, Tell us when shall these things be (viz., the destruction of Jerusalem), and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world: and these three things form the subject of our Lord's discourse. And in like manner, in the appearing of Christ to St. John, he is commanded to write three things; the things which he had seen-namely, the visions concerning Christ; and the things that are-namely, the admonitions to the Churches, in the seven epistles; and the things that shall be hereafter-namely, the history of the Church until the final consummation of all things, as contained in the various subsequent visions. And it is to be remarked that, as the discourse of Christ commenced with Jerusalem as it then stood, so the visions of the Apocalypse terminate in the new Jerusalem coming down from heaven. And as Genesis began with the earthly paradise, so the Apocalypse terminates in the heavenly.

It would be vain to attempt in our limited space to go into so large a subject as this; nor do we mean to depreciate the labours of Professor Stuart by thus pointing out a view of the Apocalypse in which we conceive his commentary to be defective. This was probably scarcely within the province of a professor, and it certainly is not within the province of students, otherwise than as receiving it without question, and in simple faith. As we have already said-it is not an intellectual dogma: it is solely a matter of spiritual apprehension.

But for all that Professor Stuart has done, for all that comes legitimately within his province, we tender him our thanks; he has done it well-few men could have done it so well, none better. He has carefully given the history of the book; separated it from spurious books of the same kind; and determined its genuineness. He has critically analysed the text, and given us the means of ascertaining the original words of St. John. He has compared the forms of expression with other usages, both of the Scripture and of the Greek, of the same age and country. In short, he has excellently performed the part of a scholar and critic, and availed himself of the best helps that the German school affords.

And it will be satisfactory to our readers to find, that, after carefully examining the whole evidence, and carefully considering the weight of every objection, with full knowledge, and after mature deliberation, Professor Stuart supports in all respects the doctrine of the Catholic Church, that St. John wrote the Apo

calypse-wrote it under divine inspiration-and that it relates to the whole Christian Church. Professor Stuart has carefully examined all the objections which have been raised, and all the difficulties which have been started, and he thus cautiously states the conclusion at which he had arrived-" With all the evidence that is before me from history, and all from diction, style, and course of thought, I feel compelled to believe, that THE BALANCE IS DECIDEDLY IN favour of an apOSTOLIC ORIGIN." (i. 422).

Pulmonary Consumption Successfully Treated by Naphtha. Second edition, revised and corrected. By JOHN HASTINGS, M.D., London: Churchill.

It is a fact, too well known to be controverted, that, in this country, consumption is the most fatal of all diseases. As yet, it has entirely baffled the efforts of the profession to discover. such a remedial agent as may lay claim to the character of a specific; and repeated failure in the treatment of consumptive cases seems, at length, to have impressed the minds of medical men in general that it is altogether incurable. In fact, this impression appears to be so deeply rooted, that any opinion to the contrary is almost treated with contempt. Nevertheless, it seems to us altogether opposed to a sound philosophy to assert that there exists no remedy for this disease, simply because none has hitherto been discovered. Before the discovery of vaccination, the same assertion might have been made with regard to the small-pox; but for this, and many other diseases at one time deemed incurable, a specific has been found. Judg ing, then, from analogy, we should say, that there is to be found in nature some remedy even for consumption, and, therefore, that every attempt to make so important a discovery deserves our grateful commendation.

We have perused this volume by Dr. Hastings with the greatest interest. He firmly believes that, after a long and laborious search, to which he has devoted the whole of his time and talents, he has at length discovered a most efficacious remedy for the dreadful disease in question. He details many extremely interesting cases where, after every other remedy had failed, a curative process was commenced, and in a few months fully completed, by the exhibition of naphtha. Under these) circumstances, we strongly recommend Dr. Hastings's work not only to the profession, but to the public generally; for we indulge a sanguine hope that a remedy has been discovered calculated to arrest the progress of a disease which is, on all hands, admitted to be the scourge of our country.

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The Hebrew Text and a Latin Version of the Book of Solomon, called Ecclesiastes: with Original Notes, philological and exegetical, and a Translation of the Commentary of Mendlessohn, from the Rabbinic Hebrew. Also, a newly arranged English Version of Ecclesiastes, with Introductory Analyses of the Sections; to which is prefixed a Preliminary Dissertation. By THEODORE PRESTON, M. A. London: Parker; Cambridge: Deightons. 1845. pp. xiv. 359. 8vo.

The labours of Gesenius, and other eminent philologists, have, of late years, greatly facilitated the study of the Hebrew language. The theory of biliteral roots, which is of comparatively recent discovery, has simplified many grammatical difficulties, and has explained various hitherto inexplicable points. It has also formed one of those minor and undesigned proofs of the authenticity of the Mosaic narrative, that "the whole earth was of one language and one speech" (Gen. xi. i.)-proofs which must always be gratifying to the Christian student, as they assure him that "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," and convince him that his faith is not founded on "cunningly devised fables." (2 Pet. i. 21, 16).

The increasing attention paid to the study of the Hebrew language, especially since the foundation of Hebrew scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge, is one of the pleasing features of the present time; and we indulge the hope that those who, while they were students at the universities, diligently prosecuted the study of Hebrew, will not relax that study after they have entered into the ministry of our Church. Professor McCaul (one of our profoundest Hebrew scholars) has well remarked in his "Apology for the Study of Hebrew and Rabbinical Literature," that "when men believe that time is made. and given by God for the study of his word-the Old Testament as well as the New-and that the language of Moses and Isaiah is at least as useful to an interpreter of their writings as that of Voltaire, or Schiller, or Goldoni, or Cervantes, or an acquaintance with Ovid and Anacreon, or a knowledge of the differential calculus-a time and a place will be found for this study also."

We are glad to see Mr. Preston leading the way to a more general and accurate study of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge by the publication of his work on the Book of Ecclesiastes. His preliminary discourse contains a candid and critical estimate of the merits and demerits of preceding commentators, together with a special account of the labours of Mendlessohn; the chief excellency of whose commentary conists in his invariable attention to the very ancient Hebrew

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accents, and careful adaptation of his explanations to them. At the same time, he has not trusted solely to his own resources; but, while he has not neglected to consult commentators who were not Jews, he has introduced all that he deemed valuable in the annotations upon the book of Ecclesiastes, which were written by distinguished rabbins of an earlier age, especially by Yarchi and Aben Ezra. These important critical discussions are followed by a memoir of Moses Mendlessohn, drawn up from the best sources of information, and containing extracts from his controversial writings, which will enable the reader to judge for himself how unfounded is the suspicion generally entertained that Mendlessohn was a sceptical Jew; that is, one who, while he professes Judaism, undervalues or questions the authority and inspiration of the canonical Hebrew Scriptures.

The preliminary discourse is followed by a translation of Mendlessohn's preface; to which succeeds Mr. Preston's close and literal translation of the Book of Ecclesiastes. This is divided into seventeen sections, to each of which (excepting the last) a summary is prefixed, which, in fact, is a brief commentary on the section to which it refers.

The English translation is followed by the Hebrew text, which is most beautifully printed, and by an original Latin translation, which in general closely coincides in sense with Mr. Preston's English version. His learned and valuable notes are placed at the foot of the page. His object in giving a Latin translation was to determine the sense more rigorously than can possibly be done by a literal translation in a single language, which, from its ambiguities, may occasionally fail in conveying to the reader the exact meaning intended by the translator. An additional advantage of this Latin translation is, that it will render Mr. Preston's volume not altogether useless to persons unacquainted with English, should it happen to fall into their hands. As a specimen of his English translation, we subjoin the sixteenth section, containing Eccl. xi. 7 to xii. 8, throwing his marginal annotations into foot-notes for the convenience of typographical arrangement:

66 THE FIFTEENTH SECTION.

"Solomon inculcates the duty of cheerfulness in the enjoyment of life, and especially of youth; but of cherishing likewise a recollection that they must quickly end, and that we shall have to give an account of our use of them.

"THE light also is sweet, and it is pleasant to the eyes to see the sun; for if a man live many years, he should be cheerful in them all; but he should remember also that the days of darkness to come may be

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many, and everything that has past fruitless. Be cheerful in thy childhood, O youth; and let thy heart rejoice thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart and after the satisfaction of thine eyes; but be mindful also, that God will bring thee to account concerning all these things. And remove sorrow from thy mind, and dispel pain from thy body, for the childhood and morning of life are transient; but remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while as yet the days of evil come not, or the years arrive of which thou wilt say, I have no pleasure in them; while as yet the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are not obscured to the sight, or the cloudy humours come afresh after the tears; in the day when the guards of the house will tremble, and the men § of might will become crooked, and the grinders will cease when they have become few; and those that look out at windows will have become dim, and the street-doors will be closed, since the sound of the grinding is low, and one will start up at a bird's note, and all the powers of song will be brought low, and they will be afraid of what is high, and the road will be full of alarms, and the almond-tree** will bloom, and the grasshopper will become inactive,‡‡ and appetite will fail (when a man is going to his eternal home), and the mourners §§ will be passing round in the street; while as yet the silver cord is not entangled, or the golden bowl broken, or the pail shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, or the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, all is vanity." (pp. 126, 127).

In a work of such profound Hebrew lore, it is not to be supposed that no passages occur concerning which Hebraists may and will differ: but these are neither numerous nor important. We regard Mr. Preston's beautifully printed volume as a most valuable contribution and help to the study of the Hebrew Scriptures. We are much gratified with the careful and correct typographical execution of his work, with the contents of which Bible students cannot too soon make themselves acquainted by adding it to their libraries.

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The Apostolical System of the Church Defended; in a reply to Dr. Whately, on the Kingdom of Christ. By SAMUEL BUEL, M.A., Rector of Emmanuel Parish, Cumberland, America. London : Wiley and Putnam.

WE are not prepared to deliver any judgment upon this pamphlet. We merely point it out to such of our readers as may be interested in discussing the soundness of Dr. Whately's Views on the Kingdom of Christ.

* Heb. "sight."

Si. e. "the thighs."

+ Heb. "rain."

i. e."the teeth."

i. e. "the hands.

i. e. "the eyes."

i. e. "the hoary hair of old age." tt i.e."one most active and nimble."

#Literally, "a burden to itself."

$$ i. e. "the precursors of death."

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