of his love for music and poetry, but few are aware that, along with a fine poetical taste, he possessed in no mean degree the poetical talent.' These translations are meant to furnish proof of this statement, and they do so. We feel grateful to Mr. Anderson for that exercise of his taste and judgment, and trust that he will prove to have done something towards making Luther better known to British Protestants in his character as a religious poet.

XVIII. 1. Sketches of Scottish Church History, embracing the period from the Reformation to the Revolution. By the Rev. THOMAS M'CRIE. Vols. I. II.

2. Memoirs of the Life of the Rev. Thomas Halyburton, with an Appendis embracing an Account of the Church of Scotland during the times of Halyburton. 3. The Revivals of the Eighteenth Century, particularly at Cambuslang, with three Sermons of the Rev. George Whitfield, taken in short hand. Compiled from Original Manuscripts and Contemporary Publications. By the Rev. D. MACFARLEN, D.D.

These are volumes in the cheap series of publications issued by the publication committee of the Free Church of Scotland. A subscription of four shillings a year entitles the subscriber to four of these volumes annually-volumes of some three hundred pages each, with good paper and print, and substantially and even elegantly bound! How this can be accomplished without a very heavy loss, is beyond our understanding. As otherwise published, the price of each volume would be five or six shillings.

XIX. Practical Sermons. By the Rev. W. FITZGERALD, B.A., Curate of Clontarf. 12mo, pp. 258. McGlashan, Dublin. 1847.

The style of these sermons is elegant, but much too elongated and involved, and wanting in the pregnant brevity and point which are of so much impor tance in popular addresses, and in popular literature. The doctrine is evange lical, and the discriminating and independent thought in them is considerable.

XX. Theoria. By DIGBY P. STARKEY, A.M., M.R.G.A., Barrister-atlaw. 12mo, pp. 228. McGlashan, Dublin. 1847.

Under this somewhat fanciful title Mr. Starkey has published a volume of miscellaneous poems which bespeak considerable power in his art. Poetic feeling and imagination, and a cultivated taste, impart a degree of spirit and beauty to most of the pieces which few readers can fail to perceive and feel. The bounding description, and the calm philosophic reverie, alternate with each other very agreeably, and should suffice to give the volume something more than a common interest, if in these unpoetic days people could only be induced to become at all readers of poetry. But poets, it seems, will always find it pleasant to write, whether their neighbours condescend to read what they have written or not.

XXI. The Life of Mohammed. Monthly Series. Religious Tract Society. The author of this Life of Mohammed observes, 'At this day, Mohammed is said to be revered as the prophet of God by one hundred and eighty millions of the human family. If there were no other reason, this would be enough to awaken our curiosity. We cannot but desire to know something of the origin

of a dominion which has spread so widely, and of which the foundation has been so strongly laid in so many minds; and especially to know something of the genius and character, the principles and the conduct, of the man who set it up. To gratify this very laudable curiosity is the design of this memoir, and the author has brought to his task not only the learning and the literary taste, but what was of, at least, equal importance-the sound judgment necessary to a just and wise performance of this piece of public service. It is, like most of the books in this series-a far better book than it seems.

XXII. The Bible not of Man; or, an Argument for the Divine Origin of the Sacred Scriptures, drawn from the Scriptures themselves. 8vo, pp. 280. By GARDdner Spring, D.D. of New York. Religious Tract Society, London. 1847.

The following are the 'Contents' of this volume:

'Preliminary Essay. The Fitness of the Time selected by Divine Providence 'for the Introduction of the Christian Dispensation. Chapter I. The Bible ' above the Invention of the Human Intellect.-II. The Spirit of the Bible a Superhuman Spirit.-III. The Moral Rectitude of the Bible.-IV. The Pe'culiar and Distinguishing Doctrines of the Bible Evidence of its Divine Origin.-V. The Religion of the Bible a Proof of its Divine Origin.—VI. The Unity of the Scriptures.-VII. Adaptation of the Scriptures to the 'Character and Wants of Man.-VIII. The Divine Origin of the Scriptures attested by Christian Experience.-IX. The Bible Accordant with Human 'Reason.-X. Concluding Observations.'

All these topics are discussed with learning, discrimination, and force. The volume is indeed an admirable one, and too much effort cannot be made to secure it a wide circulation.

XXIII. An Essay on Spiritual Baptism and Communion: including some consideration of the proper relation which the Sacraments bear to them. By the Rev. PHILIP GELL, M.A., late Rural Dean, and Minister of St. John's, Derby. 12mo, pp. 132. Hatchard & Son, London. 1847. Mr. Gell is a clergyman of evangelical sentiments, and announces just views concerning spiritual baptism and communion. While naturally disposed to think as favourably as possible of the formularies of his church, he is too honest not to admit that, as relating to the sacraments, they would be much the better for a careful revision. We respect clergymen who avow thus much; our perplexity is, how to reconcile this ingenuous confession with their 'assent and consent-ex amino-to all and everything,' &c. &c. We rejoice, however, in the evidences of a scriptural piety whenever we find them; and such signs are not wanting in the volume before us.

XXIV. The Typology of Scripture. Mosaic Dispensation. By PATRICK FAIRBAIRN. 8vo, pp. 556. Clarke, Edinburgh. 1847.

We have spoken favourably of Mr. Fairbairn's former volume on this subject. In the present the principles of the previous publication are applied more fully to the Mosaic Dispensation.' The matter of the volume before us is divided into three Parts.

PART I. The religious truths and principles embodied in the historical transactions connected with the redemption from Egypt, viewed with a special reference to their typical bearing in regard to the higher things of Christ's redemption.

PART II. The direct instruction given to the Israelites before the erection of the Tabernacle, and the institution of its symbolical services.

PART III.-The religious truths and principles embodied in the symbolical insti tutions and services of the Mosaic Dispensation, considered in their typical reference to the better things to come.

Mr. Fairbairn is scrupulously orthodox in his interpretations, and jealous of the slightest rationalistic innovations; but is withal, in the main, a learned, sober, instructive, and devout guide over the large field to which he here invites his readers.

XXV. Irish Popular Songs; with English Metrical Translations, and Introductory Remarks and Notes. By EDWARD WALSH. 12mo. pp. 170. M'Glashan, Dublin. 1847,

Mr. Walsh is a passionate admirer of the Irish language, and deplores the inroad now being made upon it in nearly all parts of his native country. We can respect the patriotism of this feeling, but we cannot say much for its wis dom. It is a love of country not exactly in harmony with an enlightened love of humanity. The translations, however, are given with a good deal of poetic freedom and spirit, and bring out vividly some of the most note-worthy elements in the Irish character. The volume will enable any man to form a correct idea of the ballad-folk in Ireland a century since, who had then come into the place of the old Irish bard.

XXVI. Brief Memoir of Joseph John Gurney, Esq. By JOHN ALEX ANDER, Minister of Princes-street Chapel, Norwich. 12mo. pp. 73. Fletcher. Norwich, 1847.

This is a brief memoir of a man who may justly be numbered with the excellent of the earth.' The narrative is simple, serious, catholic-all that good sense and Christian piety would dictate as appropriate to such a theme.

XXVII. Christ our Example, as a Witness for the Truth-a Sermon. By GEORGE WOOD, B.A.

This Discourse was preached before the Gloucestershire Congregational Union, and is published by request. It is simple and perspicuous in style, and presents an instructive development of the topic of which it treats. Its characteristics are piety and good sense.

XXVIII. The Headship of Christ as affected by National Establishments -a Lecture. By RALPH WARDLAW, D.D. 12mo. Maclehose, Glasgow. 1847.

This Lecture exhibits all the characteristics of Dr. Wardlaw's authorship, and what those characteristics are is well known to our readers. We merely apprise them of the existence of this new production from a pen which has done so much to enrich our nonconformist literature.

XXIX. The Good Man and the Just described and commemorated. By JOHN BLACKBURN. 8vo. London, 1847.

This is a funeral discourse, occasioned by the death of Mr. Joseph Blower, solicitor, who was for many years a deacon of the church at Pentonville, London, of which Mr. Blackburn is the pastor. The publication is an affec tionate memorial of a man who was highly and justly esteemed as a Christian of more than ordinary intelligence, consistency, and usefulness.

XXX. The Protector, a Vindication. By J. H. Merle D'AUBIGNE, D.D. 8vo. Edinburgh, 1847.

If this volume does not produce all the impression in England which some of the admirers of Merle D'Aubigne may be led to expect from it, the causes of the disappointment may be found in part in the fact that the manner of the writer has now become familiar to the English reader ; in part to the subject, Cromwell being a much less acceptable person to a large portion of the religious public in England than Luther, and in part in the circumstance, that, as a foreigner, the author was much more competent to become our instructor, in respect to the history of the continental churches of the sixteenth century, than in respect to the characters and events which belong to the most complex and momentous period of our own history. Nevertheless, the same full and outspoken heart, and the same graphic power, which gave so much interest to the author's 'German Reformation,' are before us in this generous Vindication' of our great countryman; and the work will contribute largely in many connexions to beget a more just estimate of the character of the Protector, and of the great interest with which his name is identified.

XXXI. The Education of the People: a Practical Treatise on the means of extending its Sphere and improving its Character. By T. WILLM, Inspector of the Academy of Strasburgh. With a Dissertation on some points connected with the present position of Education in this Country. By J. P. NICHOL, LL.D., Professor of Astronomy in the University of Glasgow. 12mo., pp. lxxxiii., 250. Simpkin and Co., London, 1847. We much regret that we cannot call the attention of our readers to this volume in a manner to which it is entitled. With English Dissenters, unhappily, the question how to educate-which is the great question of this volume-is so completely postponed to the question who should be the educator, that we must hope for some more favourable opportunity for dealing with the contents of this publication. In the meanwhile, however, we can recommend it as a work rich in thought, and in the results of experience on the important topic to which it relates-viz., the manner in which the sphere of popular instruction may be best extended, and its character improved.

INDEX.