LIBRARIES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, Burlington. Library of the University of Vermont, 10,000 vols. 5,250 15,250 There are two small funds for the support of the university library, amounting to $1250. This library, though not among the largest, is among the best selected in New England. Somewhat less than two thirds of the books are in the English language. The collections of Greek and Latin authors are nearly complete, and of the best editions. Among the valuable and comparatively rare, might be mentioned Stuart's Athens, 3 vols. fol.; Visconti's Iconographie, 5 vols. quarto, and 2 vols. fol. of plates; Montfaucon's Antiquit expliquée and Palæographie; Catesby's Carolina, 2 vols. fol.; Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, in about 60 vols. quarto; Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions, 50 vols. quarto; Hansard's State Trials, several vols. in fol.; Cuvier et Valenciennes Hist. naturelle des Poissons, with the colored plates, some 15 vols. quarto. Among the single volumes, not often to be met with, are Fuller's Church History of England, fol.; Baxter's Life, by himself, fol.; John Scotus de Divisione Naturæ, fol., etc. The books of the Hon. George P. Marsh, minister of the United States at Constantinople, amounting to between 3000 and 4000 vols., are deposited in this library. Nearly all these works are in foreign languages, principally in the Spanish and Scandinavian. There are, however, some very rare books in the English language. 8,000 vols. 11,900 LIBRARIES IN MAINE. Library of Bangor Theol. Seminary, nearly Library of Bowdoin College, Libraries of two College Societies, Bowd. Coll. (5000; 4000) 9,000 Medical Library in Bowd. Coll. Library of the Theological Society in Bowd. Coll. 3,300 1,500 5,300 3,000 500 34,500 Bowdoin College has no fund specifically devoted to the purchase of books. An annual appropriation of $200 is made from the college funds for that purpose. The two Students' libraries are increased annually each by about 200 vols. The Medical Library contains a remarkably good collection of books. The college library has been lately removed to 1850.] Miscellanies. 407 a fine apartment, and arranged in systematic order. Waterville college has a subscription of $10,000 in process of collection for the purchase of books and philosophical apparatus. GENERAL SUMMARY. Whole No. of books in the New England Libraries, in our last No., 256,200 Some general remarks on the subject of libraries we are compelled to postpone till another opportunity. ARTICLE XI. MISCELLANIES, THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY. A NEW edition of Dr. Kühner's School or Middle Grammar of the Greek Language is about to be published by the Messrs. Appleton of New York. A very large edition has been sold within a few years. There are numerous references to it in most of the editions of the Greek classics published within four or five years in this country. In the recent commentaries on the New Testament published in Germany, e. g. Meyer, the grammatical works of Kühner are largely referred to. In England too they are winning much favor, notwithstanding the rigid adherence of English scholars to long-established methods and text-books. We stated in our last No. p. 203, that an edition of Menzies' translation of Tholuck's Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, was about to be printed in Andover. Since that time, it has been concluded to have the work translated anew from the third and last edition. The Edinburgh version was made from the first German edition. The work in its present form has many and decided improvements over the first edition. It is in the process of translation by Mr. E. Robie, Hebrew Instructor in the Seminary, and Mr. J. B. Bittinger, Principal of the Female Academy, Andover. The edition of the Works of Horace, by Prof. Lincoln of Brown University, is passing through the press. We have seen a copy of the Odes, which has a remarkably fair appearance, and very a kindly look for the eyes. The type is large and very distinct. The various readings, at the bottom of the page, are a valuable feature, and new in American editions of Horace. The book will contain illustrations by neat outline cuts of various objects, e. g. lyra, tibia, etc. There will be full notes, illustrat ing Roman literature, life, etc., a Life of Horace, account of the Metres, chronological tables, copious indices, etc. Prof. Lincoln has enjoyed excellent facilities for the preparation of this work by study in Germany, a residence in Rome, etc. The "Greek Prose Composition" of Prof. Boies of Brown University, is a carefully prepared book, and a valuable addition to our helps for classical study. Prof. Stuart's Commentary on Daniel is passing rapidly through the press in Andover. It will be in one vol. 8vo. and published by Crocker & Brewster of Boston. The 2d vol. of Dr. Woods's Works has been published, and another is now in the press. A new Life of Martin Luther, especially of the earlier portion, by Dr. Sears, Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, is soon to be published in Philadelphia and London. Sir James Stephens has been appointed professor of Modern History in the University of Cambridge, England, in the place of Mr. Smyth deceased. Among the recent publications in Germany, are the following:-- A 3d ed. of Julius Müller's Treatise on the Doctrine of Sin, pp. 1218; 3d of Harless' Christian Ethics, pp. 331; 2d of Hagenbach's Church History of the 18th and 19th centuries, pp. 475; Exegetical and Critical" Ahrenlese zum Alten Test." by Dr. F. Böttcher, pp. 112; The Epistle to the Philippians vindicated against Baur, a theological prize essay by Brückner of Leipsic, pp. 93; Life of F. Perthes of Hamburg, by his son C. T. Perthes, professor of law at Bonn, Vol. I. pp. 368 (Perthes was the eminent bookseller, born at Rudolstadt, Apr. 21, 1772); Corpus Inscriptionum Graecarum ex materia collecta ab A. Böckh, ed. J. Franz, 2d fascic. Vol. III. part 29 inscrip. Aegyp., part 30 inscrip. Aethiop. super Aegyp., part 31 insc. Cyrena., part 32 insc. Sicil. cum Melita et Lipara, pp. 387, (said to be more interesting than the preceding); Das Buch Job übersetzt u. erklärt von Dr. B. Welte, Freiberg, 1849, pp. 424; Corpus Refor matorum ed Bretschneider, Vol. XV. of the Works of Phil. Melanchthon, pp. 698; Opera Horatii for Schools, by Henry Düntzer, in 1 vol., author of the Kritik u. Erklärung of the Horatian poetry, in 5 vols.; a Practical Commentary on the Epistle of James, by Dr. Neander; the 1st vol. of the Church History of Jacobi, a pupil of Neander, said to be characterized by a "very exact style and scientific precision." BIBLIOTHECA SACRA AND THEOLOGICAL REVIEW. NO. XXVII. JULY, 1850. ARTICLE I. MAN THE IMAGE OF GOD. By Rev. Edward Beecher, D. D., Boston. It is a fundamental question in all theology, and in all religious experience, are the relations of the divine and the human mind such that it is possible to have a true knowledge of God? It is commonly assumed that such is the fact, and systems of theology are constructed, and the reality of an intelligible and rational religious experience is defended on the assumption that it is possible to know God, and to commune with him. And yet there is a form of scepticism which at the present time is extensively prevalent, which denies the possibility of any such knowledge, and thus strikes a blow at the root of all such theology, and all such religious experience. Moreover in the writings even of some of the most orthodox divines, there are the germs of a scepticism concerning the reality of our knowledge of God, in some respects, which when fully developed lead to similar resultsresults which they above all others on reflection would repudiate. And yet, vitally important as this question is, it has rarely if ever been directly, fully and formally considered, as its importance demands. It is our purpose to invite the attention of thinking minds to this subject, by a few remarks on some of the prominent points which it involves. We shall first inquire how that knowledge of God is obtained, which is at the basis of all our common systems of theology, and of religious experience, and then pass in review some of the modes in which the reality of that knowledge is assailed. Such knowledge of God as has been adverted to is obtained by the assumption that God designedly made the human mind in his own image, in order that every man might have in himself the means of knowing God and thus the power of communing with him. By assuming that the mind is made in the image of God it is meant that God and man alike have rational powers, that is, the powers requisite for the perception of truth, for the comparison of objects, and for judging of the value of results; that they have the power of choosing ends, and of forming plans to gain those ends; that they have the power of benevolent emotion or love; that they have the power to perceive and to feel, what is honorable and right, so that they are capable of pleasant or painful emotions as they are conscious of regarding or disregarding truth and right in their conduct, and that in these respects the divine and human mind so far correspond that by knowing the human mind, we can know the divine. That our current systems of theology are in fact based upon this assumption is too obvious to need a labored proof. It is enough to advert to a few illustrations of the fact. Take then any of the doctrinal treatises of the elder President Edwards, for example that on the End for which God created the World, and it is obvious at a glance that the idea of God which pervades that treatise, the only idea which could render such a discussion possible, is taken from the human mind. If man had not the power to consider the nature and relations of things, to select an end for which he will act, and to put in operation a system of means to gain that end, and if he did not assume the existence of similar powers in God, he could neither raise, discuss or understand the question considered in that profound and fundamental dissertation. The whole of the introduction, containing explanations of terms and general positions, discriminating between chief and inferior ends, and ultimate and subordinate ends, in relation to God, consists entirely of illustrations taken from the actions of men with reference to such ends, in choosing them and forming plans to obtain them. In like manner, in his treatise on the Will, he argues that a determination of the will may be virtuous and praiseworthy, though necessary, thus: "God is necessarily holy, and his will is necessarily determined to what is good." He also argues against the Arminians on the ground that they concede the truth of this position. Here is a most manifest assumption on both sides that man, so far at least as the will is concerned, is truly in the image of God, - -so as to authorize reasoning from the divine to the human mind. Indeed in one instance in his work on the will, Edwards thus explicitly states this assumption as the basis of his reasoning:1 1 Part II. § 5. |