The Revelation of God in his Word, shown in a Graphic Delineation of Holy Scripture, for its Friends and Enemies. Translated from the German of Dr. T. W. Gess, by W. Brown, A.M., Minister, Tobermore. Edinburgh: Clark. 1841.

THIS is an interesting and valuable volume of an interesting and valuable series. It combines the inculcation of religious and moral sentiment, with the imparting of sound knowledge.

The Rights of Laymen; their privilege and duty to receive Blessing equally in every Orthodox Church. London: Fraser. 1841.

WE hardly know whether to attribute this book to a Romanist or a Protestant; much may, however, be learned from it; and the hidden enormities of the confessional are unveiled with a hand far bolder than any that have yet attempted to draw the curtain from, before that mystery of iniquity.

The Joys of Heaven. By a Layman. London: Hatchards. 1841. THIS little volume comes recommended by Mr. Dale, and it appears to be worthy of his recommendation.

The Present State of the Church of England. By the Rev. John Dufton, M.A., Rector of Warehorne. London: Hatchards. 1841. THIS is a sermon preached by the excellent author before the Archdeacon of Canterbury, at his visitatation, and it deserves attentive consideration. It is well written, plain, just, and forcible.

SERMONS.

1. Sermons. By the Rev. T. Tunstall Smith, M.A., Curate of St. Luke's, Chelsea. London: Hatchards. 1841.

2. Explanations on the Catechism and Confirmation, in Parochial Lectures. By the Rev. J. C. Ebden, M.A. London: Hamilton and Adams. 1841.

3. Sermons preached in the Parish Church of St. Sepulchre, London and Middlesex. By John Natt, B.D., Vicar. London: Hatchards.

1841.

4. Sermons contributed by Divines of the Church of England, in aid of the Fund for repairing the damage done to Christ Church, and St. George's Church, Leeds, by the Hurricane of January 7, 1839. Leeds: Cross. 1839.

5. Pastoral Addresses. By William Otter, D.D., late Lord Bishop of Chichester. London: Parker. 1841.

6. Five Sermons, preached before the University of Cambridge, on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. By the Rev. James Hildyard, M.A., Fellow and Tutor of Christ College. London: Rivingtons. 1841.

7. Sermons on the First Principles of the Oracles of God. By the Rev. Henry Erskine Head, M.A., Rector of Feniton, Devon. London: Palmer. 1841.

8. The Image of God in Man. Four Sermons preached before the University of Cambridge. By the Rev. Wm. Harness, M.A., of Christ College. London: Rivingtons. 1841.

9. Plain Sermons on the Church Ministry and Sacraments. By the Rev. Cyril Hutchinson, M.A., Student of Christ Church. London: Cleaver. 1841.

10. Sermons on the Seven Churches of Asia, and other Subjects. By the late Rev. Thomas Wm. Carr, M.A., Incumbent of Southborough, Kent. London: Dalton. 1841.

11. Sermons preached in the United Parishes of St. Andrew by the Wardrobe and St. Ann, Blackfriars. By the Rev. John Harding, M.A., Rector. London: Seeleys. 1841.

NUMBERLESS are the sermons that are published in the present day; there was never a period when there was so many respectable and so few great preachers. Among those, however, whose titles are given here, we must notice with particular respect the addresses of that able and truly good man, Bishop Otter; and an admirable sermon, among those preached for the Churches at Leeds, by the present Bishop of Ripon. Those by Mr. Smith, Mr. Natt, and Mr. Carr, are very good. Of Mr. Harness, always elegant, we cannot speak highly as a divine. Nor are the discourses of the eccentric Rector of Feniton such as we should choose for models either of composition or theology, yet they occasionally exhibit considerable power and pathos. Mr. Hildyard's sermons are classically correct, devout, and practical. We apprehend, however, that he would not have published them, had it not been for the appended observations on theological education. To this latter subject we shall return in our next number, and shall then make further remarks on the views taken by Mr. Hildyard. We cannot but feel pleasure to see so much sound doctrine scattered through the land, by the press as well as by the pulpit. Minor faults will occur, and not unfrequently; but we rarely meet with heresy.-Mr. Harding is so well known, and so deservedly admired, both as a preacher and a Christian, that we need only say we are not disappointed in his published discourses.

POETRY.

1. Flowers from the Holy Fathers. London: Dolman. 1841.

2. Sacred Mountains and Waters versified. By Lady S. London: Burns.

1841.

3. The Book of Poetry. London: Burns. 1841.

4. The Course of Truth; or, the Church of the Redeemed. A Poem, in six Books. By the Rev. William Stone, M.A. London: Hatchards. 1841.

5. England's Trust, and other Poems. By Lord John Manners. London: Rivingtons. 1841.

WE would willingly speak with praise of poetry, even though Popery were its theme; but we cannot call the "Flowers from the Holy Fathers" by so lofty a name. Take a specimen: the writer speaks of the Saviour:

"He emptied forth that infinite power

Which at a breath bade worlds spring;

A mother's love was all his dower,

Though he co-equalled Heaven's King."

This is anything but poetry. The second work on our list is a pretty little brochure, and of a far higher class. Why does not Lady S. put her name?—she need not be ashamed of her verses. There is much sweetness in the lines entitled "Sion."

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Mourn, O dishonour'd Sion, mourn

Thy ruin'd courts and levell'd tow'rs,
Thy ancient state, thy present scorn-
And dream of long-departed hours!

"Dream of thy beams o'erlaid with gold-
Dream of thy priests beneath that trod-
Dream of thy incense-clouds that roll'd
Before the altar of thy God!

"But though his face be turn'd away,
And dimm'd thy pomp and majesty,
Once more on thee shall dawn the day
Of glory and of jubilee.

"The Sun of righteousness once more

On Judah's gather'd tribes shall shine:
May I with them the Lamb adore,

Prostrate before His awful shrine!"

Of Mr. Stone's poem we can only say it is well intended; there is neither power nor imagination sufficient for us to hold out to

him any hopes, either of fame or profit, from his poetical abilities.

The "Book of Poetry" is a pretty selection.

The poems of Lord John Manners, though hastily written, are evidences that he does possess both ability and feeling enough to make him an acquisition to our literature. His feelings, too, are all on the right side-such as become a worthy scion of the house of Rutland. We take an extract from the larger of his lordship's poems, viz., "England's Trust," to justify these remarks:

"Hail, Independence! who can number all

The blessings rare that can answer to thy call,
And by a stroke of thy enchanter's wand,
Enrich each peasant's hut throughout the land?
Lured by thy light, the working classes own
No sickly love for Church, or State, or Throne:
Proud of his wit, and wise in his conceit,
Th' enlightened booby feels the generous heat;
Disdains to own dependence on the great,
And learns to murmur at his low estate."

This is irony very strong, yet delicate and worthy even of Cowper. Nor do we find lofty aspirations wanting, nor language fitting in which to express them: there is a fine instance in the same poem:

"'Tis past, and England's ear the cry has heard-
That cry has England's inmost heart-blood stirred.
And now with all a mother's love she glows,
To bid her wanderers on the Church repose.
Behold the distant lands that own her sway,
Taught by the Church, her gentle rule obey;
And mark the spirit that in by-gone days
Set the wide world in one religious blaze,
And poured the mailed might of this our land,
In holiest ardour on the Paynim strand,
O'er other lands to those great men unknown,
Waft the deep cadence of their trumpet-tone,
Till England shall, with justice, claim and keep
A holier name than Mistress of the Deep-
That name which Rome in youthful vigour bore,
While Faith repeated it from shore to shore:
MOTHER OF CHURCHES! this thy glorious name,
Thy best prerogative, thy chiefest fame!"

May the prayer be granted. Lord John Manners is partial, like all poets, to the memory of the Stuarts; and there is much grace, as well as pathos, in the mode in which he shows this

partiality. On the tombs of the last princes of that family, in

St. Peter's, he writes thus:

"Weep, angels of my country, weep,

Ye guard no common shrine ;
Your vigils o'er the last ye keep
Of Stuart's royal line.

"The spell that bound us to our kings
Is riven, and men now say,
That he but idly dreams, who clings
To what has passed away.

"It may be so; but I will yet
All dreamingly love on;
Love with a lover's fond regret,
That will not say, 'Begone!"

"Weep, angels of my country, weep;
Within that portal gate

Our monarchs, in their dreamless sleep,
Their Monarch's coming wait."

And now we must candidly tell our noble author, that, with all his old English feeling and poetical ability, his volume is not without faults. His lines are sometimes very careless, and there is no lima labor. Some of the poems were written when he was tired, and some, we fear, when he was half asleep. However, he can do well, and we do not doubt that he will.

Your Life. By the Author of " My Life, by an Ex-Dissenter." London: Fraser. 1841.

THE author of "My Life" has now given us a further portion of his promised series. We have now before us the life of a clergyman, and if not quite so interesting, it is even more instructive than the volume which preceded it, inasmuch as it gives information on subjects less generally understood. The author is, however, in error on some points connected with the Wesleyan Methodists; and, doubtless, had he seen our article on that body in April, he would have refrained from some expressions and remarks which we find in his work.

A full Report of the Case of Mastin v. Escott, Clerk. By W.C. Curteis, L.L.D., Advocate in Doctors Commons. London: Crofts and Blenkarn. 1841.

WE have expressed our opinions on this important case in our Ecclesiastical Report. This volume seems to be very full and accurate, and has also an Appendix of valuable documents.