P. 143, 1. 13. "It [a clock] exists, provided it goes." P. 146, 1. 23. "The subaltern clerical functions are exercised as the higher departments." P. 150, 1. 2. "The religious doctrinaires endeavored to support the sounding word by more consistent works." P. 150, 1. 14. "Let us not deceive ourselves by supposing that these innovations are for the most part proportionate to the end, and excellent in device; but that they meet with opposition, because they are something imposed from the upper classes." P. 170, 1. 15. "Steffen's spirited 'Lamentations over False Theology,' contain also a great deal of truth." "which they commit unconsciously, and which threaten to overthrow their salvation."-und die sie um die Seligkeit zu bringen drohen. -"is of more importance to the creeds, and exerts a greater influence upon works of a kindred character with the creeds," i. e., any books which are relied on in matters of faith. -"perversion of the press.”der Schrift; writing, here used in its most general sense. "It exists, in order that it may go."-Sie ist da, damit sie geht. "The subaltern clergy are drilled like the rest of the army of placemen." -wird exercirt wie das übrige Beamptenheer. -"prop up the sinking word with more substantial works,”—das verhallende Wort durch consistentere Werke zu stützen. "We do not deny that these innovations are, for the most part, judicious [zweckmässig] and excellent; but they meet with opposition, because they come as a command from those in authority." The import of the translation is directly opposite to that of the original. We know of no such man as "Steffen," nor of such a work as "Lamentations over False Theology." Steffens wrote a work "On False Theology and the True Faith," and to this we suppose the author refers, without intending to give the title. "Without wishing to criticise, or explain, or even to quiet themselves, like Schleiermacher, in regard to what is inexplicable," &c. -ohne es bekritteln, oder erklären, ja nur über das Unerklärliche sich wie Schleiermacher beruhigen zu wollen. "which are found,"-die sonst im Magnetismus liegen. "Inasmuch as they established an external church, they, like the other Protestants, acknowledged," &c.-huldigten sie noch gleich den übrigen Protestanten. "To complain of spectres, is well; but it is best of all to laugh at them,"-am besten, man lacht darüber. "for the indolent mind,"für das faule Gemüth. "So Clodius, and Weisse, and Köppen, till Krause most completely developed this view, and carried it back even as far as to Leibnitz." -So Clodius, Chr. Weisse, Köppen, bis Krause diese Ansicht am vielseitigsten durch-und bis auf Leibnitz zurückführte. "fell again into partial views, according as they were borne away more by this or that tendency," &c.-je nachdem sie mehr von dieser oder jener Richtung des Zeitgeistes fortgezogen wurden. according as the several sciences," &c. These are the principal errors which we have been able to detect in the translation, as far as we have extended our examination; and those who are conversant with this species of labor, will agree with us, that their amount does not surpass reasonable expectation. We regret that the translator has been so sparing of his notes. There are, in this author, innumerable passages, which, as they now stand in the translation, will be as unintelligible as Chinese to the majority of readers. We refer not so much to words as to things,-to facts, and events, and circumstances, familiar to the Germans, but not so to Americans. Upon the whole, we regard the work as deserving a place in the series of "Specimens of Foreign Literature," of which it forms the seventh, eighth and ninth volumes, and the translation as having merits of so high an order, that its defects almost disappear in the comparison. EDITOR. ARTICLE IV. PHILIP'S LIFE OF MILNE. The Life and Opinions of the Rev. WILLIAM MILne, D. D., Missionary to China, illustrated by Biographical Annals of Asiatic Missions from primitive to Protestant Times, intended as a Guide to Missionary Spirit. By ROBERT PHILIP, Author of the Life and Times of Bunyan and Whitefield; the Experimental Guides, &c. New York: Appleton & Co. 1840. 12mo., pp. 320. The same.* Philadelphia: Herman Hooker. 1840. 12mo., pp. 430. "OF making many books there is no end." Certainly, of making such a book as this there need be no end. We find no fault with the sentiments which are scattered upon its pages. These are generally sound, and some of them deserve to be deeply pondered by the missionaries of the present day, and by all those who are directly or indirectly engaged in conducting the business of missions. It is our intention to discuss a portion of these sentiments, in the course of this article. We feel convinced that they will be found important and seasonable. But we are now speaking of the literary character of the work. On this point, candor and justice forbid us to speak in flattering terms. As to style and plan, the present is inferior to all Mr. Philip's works. When he began to acquire notoriety as an author, he labored to give every thing that came from his hands a finished excellence, which might insure. readers, and win the approving eye of competent judges. But of such labor his hands have plainly grown weary. And now, trusting apparently to past fame, he sends forth books that bear the marks of hurry and carelessness. This may be the fault of his publishers. It is possible that they press him faster than his intellect allows, and, by * It is not within our province to inquire into the history of these rival editions. Questions of dispute between publishers must be referred to another tribunal.-ED. VOL. V.-NO. XX. 70 urging his mind to undue exertion, are giving a blow to his reputation as an author. Such cases are not rare. Almost every writer, who has gained popular celebrity, is tempted by his publishers to emit works more rapidly than is consistent with his own interest or fame. On the supposition that any production, bearing the sanction of his name, will be favorably received by the reading public, he is persuaded to ply his pen upon nearly every subject on which a book or a tract is needed. But the consequences of this course are sure to prove fatal. His productions decline in interest, cease to be welcomed with pleasure, and are at length read more as a duty than as a privilege, till they cease to be read at all, and remain in long rows upon the bookseller's shelves. 8 These remarks are, to some extent, true respecting Mr. Philip. His latter works have declined in interest. They are less scholar-like than their predecessors. They seem thrown together in haste, much in the same way that a mechanic sometimes loosely frames his work, after he has acquired reputation, and feels disposed to rely upon that, rather than upon a continuance of those efforts by which his reputation was gained, and by which alone it can be preserved. But what is more serious, the latter productions of this author occasionally betray an over-weening conceit, that leads him into unamiable treatment towards other sects of Christians. We find no objection to a man's being warmly attached to his own denomination, and seizing upon every proper opportunity to support its claims, and recommend its excellences. It is to be supposed that his partiality for his own sect is founded upon principle; and, therefore, in being its advocate, he is only acting out the dictates of honesty. But whether he appear in the character of an advocate or a defender, a modest and kind spirit is indispensable. Against this rule, Mr. Philip has transgressed. We do not think that he is either specially modest or specially kind in his allusions to other sects. Thus, in his life of Bunyan, he treats the Baptists with a degree of flippancy that made us hesitate whether to smile or frown. We have already, however, in a former number of this Review, passed our censure upon this breach of courtesy, and exposed to view the flimsiness of his argument against immersion. It is not therefore necessary to repeat our remarks on this subject. We have now alluded to it, simply for the purpose of illustrating the observation which we made respecting the unamiable manner with which Mr. Philip thinks it to be his duty to treat other sects of Christians. Were additional illustrations necessary, we could point out several passages in the work now lying before us, which appear like the ebullitions of a tart temper towards the Episcopal church. To call them by the mildest name which truth would sanction, they are side thrusts, that never yet produced any other effect than to irritate those who are assailed. Why, then, should a writer ever indulge so perverted a taste? If he compose a work intended for general circulation, why should he place on its pages any thing which is calculated to defeat his designs? When will men learn to be truly catholic in their feelings? When will they learn to look kindly upon all, who, by whatever name called, yet bear the image of Jesus Christ? We have said that the style and plan of this Life of Milne are open to animadversion. The former is not only inelegant in many places, but exceedingly loose. It is marked in some cases by improprieties, and in others by a faultiness of construction, that renders it difficult to see how an eye of taste could have scanned such sentences, without being struck with their want of beauty and strength. Thus, the very first sentence in the book contains the following phrase: "he could not witness (behold?) unmoved nor unprofited, the scenery," &c. But let us look at the sentence immediately following. "It is hardly either sublime or beautiful scenery; but there is enough of both in it to make any one feel that a shepherdboy, of even ordinary talents, (talent?) who is (was?) out in all weathers, (weather?) could not be (have been?) utterly uninfluenced by it." A man may talk in this loose way, but should any one write so? The "sublime and beautiful" are qualities, and it is scarcely good English to say that they are in a scene. "To make any one feel," signifies to excite emotion. But this is a very different idea from the one intended, which is, to produce conviction. Criticism might justly ask, to what does the closing syllable in the sentence refer, to weathers, scenery, or the quality of the scenery? Let us, however, expect improvement as we proceed. "Mr. Milne certainly was |