requirements of the medical profession. But, as we write not for that profession, but for the public, we must notice them in another point of view.

A separate "Pharmacopoeia" is issued by each of the colleges of physicians of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin. There are many essential points of difference between them. Preparations of the same name are of one strength in England-of another strength in Ireland or Scotland; so that people who move about from one country to the other may make awkward mistakes. Several preparations of potent and dangerous medicines differ in this way; and the Dublin College adopts a different system of weights from the others. Thus is created a troublesome source of error, arising quite artificially, and not from any necessity of things. Constituted authority perpetuates this-not rectifies it; so private enterprise has sprung up to supply a want which the powers that be not merely permit, but actually manufacture. Are we not acquainted with other instances of the same kind?

Private enterprise, in its own legitimate sphere, works better than anything else; but, in matters beyond its vocation, it cannot operate with the same economy and effect. Among other things, it cannot legislate. So, the present works are the best possible fusion of three discrepant codes into one that private enterprise could make; but these works can fill the place or perform the functions of one single authoritative code for all; and such a single code, a GENERAL BRITISH PHARMACOPIA, we now want.

never

But this, like many other things, is left for private opinion and enterprise to deal with as they like; while authority, which possesses the largest share of opportunities and powers, and therefore ought to investigate, to know, to foresee, and to be ready to act, before any one else, stands still, sleeps, "leaves matters to find their level," waits for pressure from without, is always the last to see and the last to know, and finally follows, dubiously respected for its tardiness, where it ought to have had the tact and superior intelligence to see and seize the proper moment to come forward and take the lead. But this would entail too much trouble-too acute an exercise of perception and judgment. It saves thinking, avoids present error, and is altogether a safe plan for the time being, for authority to wait till some urgent necessity speaks so very loud that it must rouse itself and attend; and the plan is tempting, because the evils it produces arises so gradually and spontaneously that they can be imputed to no one. But here lies the mischief; for such evils are commonly vast, powerful, and beyond any

man's reach to mend, and proceed in time to sap and change the established constitution of things, mistaken all the while for spontaneous and irresistible movements, when, in truth, they originate in the neglect of incompetent rulers.

Here is a strong instance of the kind: here is the medical profession, being ill-organised, falling into confusion—a different pharmacopoeia in each portion of the kingdom; and medical men, a class so very mixed, that each of them possesses a different diploma, has received a different education, and looks up to a different head, while many assume the name who have no diploma or medical education at all. This evil is now of such magnitude, and so many interests have been allowed to grow up in it, that it is extremely difficult to deal with, and no ten of the profession are agreed as to the means required to set it to rights; whereas, had authority long ago interfered, and established colleges in connection with each other, having uniform arrangements, and fixed by statute the several rights, liabilities, and titles of medical men, which could not be infringed with impunity, this unmanageable difficulty would never have arisen. Can our readers think of no parallel case? Has not our national Church been deprived of much of its stability and influence, and self-nigh reduced to the level of a sect, not merely by overt acts of Government, but also by a long neglect? The Government, that for one hundred and fifty years has assumed the responsibility of its regulation, should have kept up its discipline and unity, seen to its efficiency, extended its organization, and long since settled by law the titles and privileges of its ministers, so as to PREVENT rather than cure encroachment. Has not a terrific famine been recently caused by the ceaseless cultivation of one root always in the same spot? And would not that visitation have been far less severe if Government, when fifty years ago it assumed the sole management of Ireland, had then investigated the condition of the poor, and enacted a strict law for the payment of all wages in cash? For then the con-acre system must have ceased: the peasant could not have lived by filling his acre of bad bog year after year with potatoes: he must have adopted a better standard of living, not so easily attainable; and a check would thus have been placed on the disproportionate increase of population. Then, if it still pleased heaven that this blight should come, it would have destroyed but a portion of the food of the country instead of the whole, and the effects of famine, falling on a stronger and less numerous race, would have been less awfully severe. Might not Government, possessing so many sources of information, and commanding the best energies and intellects

of the country, have foreseen and prevented thus much? Again is not Ireland disturbed and kept back from prosperity by an agitation for tenant-right? Though (to our knowledge) that agitation is a mere piece of jobbing on the part of its leaders, could it have existed or continued for a moment, if Government had years ago laid down the mutual rights of landlord and tenant upon an equitable principle, in detailed explicit statutes, with simple provisions to enforce prompt obedience to them?

These are instances of vast slow-growing evils that seem to arise spontaneously, imputable to no one's overt act, but permitted to spring up by the want of foresight and provision on the part of constituted authorities. We could name many more, and doubtless our readers can think of others, but we desire to refer to another point.

We mentioned the necessity of uniformity in artificial arrangements throughout the united kingdom, adducing the pharmacopæia, or code of medical formulæ by law established, as an example. That a kingdom should be in very deed united, and that impediments and mistakes should be avoided and all transactions rendered safe and facile, uniformity in artificial arrangements of every description is absolutely necessary; that there should be throughout all parts of that kingdom one language, one system of weights, measures, and coinage-one law, one organization of each respective class, trade, profession, and body corporate-one system of education adapted to each, and, as far as may be without trenching on liberty of conscience, one Church. This would tend to foster facility of intercourse, friendliness and unanimity of feeling, and stability of opinion. The mind of such a people must become more intensely national, and will express itself in a more perfect national literature, music, painting, sculpture, and architecture, in more purely national manners and customs, and in a national character uniformly respectable and respected in the eyes of the world. But we are as yet far from this; many little difficulties have to be smoothed away-many matters of detail must be regulated, and many discrepant arrangements fused into onearrangements small in themselves, and troublesome to see to, but merely needing diligent attention, and infinitely easier to deal with than the evils which may grow out of their neglect in the course of the future.

Dealings with the Inquisition; or, Papal Rome, her Priests, and her Jesuits, with Important Disclosures. By the Rev. GIACINTO ACHILLI, D.D., late Prior and Visitor of the Dominican Order, Head Professor of Theology, and Vicar of the Master of the Sacred Apostolic Palace, &c. Second Edition enlarged. Hall and Virtue. 1851.

WHAT the public most need to know is the actual present working of the Papal system. Such as are acquainted with history know full well what it has been in past times, and it is also generally understood that unchangeableness is a favourite and deeply cherished attribute of the Roman Church; but still we want to know how far the old cruel and intolerant principles of that Church, as exemplified in the Inquisition, are carried into practice in the nineteenth century, which boasts so much of refinement and humanity; and we want to know this from persons who have seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears, and from those who have been in the confidence of the parties, and could not therefore be mistaken as to the facts.

In all these respects Signor Achilli has rendered great service to the cause of truth in these disclosures. They show by the most incontestable facts that the Papal system is just the same as ever; and that the Inquisition, whenever the opportunity is afforded it, stands ready to execute, with the same relentless cruelty as before, any of the commands which the Pope may be pleased to give.

The first edition of this work has, probably, been seen by many of our readers. The chief additions to the volume before us are contained in an "Appendix" of nearly sixty pages, consisting of correspondence and original documents. Among these is an edict against the Jews issued in 1843, and published in order to show that the Inquisition has not changed in spirit since the days of Ferdinand and Isabella, when fiftythousand Moors, and as many Jews, with a countless number of victims charged with the crime of heresy, were consigned to the flames alive by means of that terrible institution. "The above edict, authorised by Rome, is a sufficient answer to those who pretend that the Inquisition is no longer what it was three centuries ago. We have here the decree of the very essence of the Roman Court, composing the Holy Office, fifteen Cardinals, thirty Councillors, &c., &c., with the Pope at their head" (394).

We heartily recommend the work to the notice of our readers. Dr. Achilli tells his own story in a plain straight-forward manner, and it is interesting as a personal narrative, as well as instructive for the information it gives and the warning it holds

out to us.

Certain Sermons appointed by the Queen's Majesty to be declared and read by all Parsons, Vicars, and Curates, every Sunday and Holiday in their Churches....... ..Edited for the Syndics of the University Press. [By the Rev. G. E. CORRIE, B.D., Norrisian Professor of Divinity, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.] Cambridge, printed. London: J. W. Parker. 1850. (pp. lxv. 685). 8vo.

AT the Reformation, in the sixteenth century, a large body of the English clergy were men utterly unfitted, from their ignorance and incapacity, to be instructors of the people: and those who complied with the changes then made were not universally well affected to them; so that it was not safe to commit so important a trust to the capacity of the one or to the integrity of the other. To obviate these difficulties, two Books of Homilies were prepared; the first of which was published in the reign of King Edward VI., the second in that of Queen Elizabeth. Of these Homilies, Professor Corrie has published the present beautiful, accurate, and greatly improved edition. In his preface he has, with much industry, traced out the authors of many of the Homilies. The text is accurately reprinted from the edition printed by Richard Jugge, in 1574, with a few exceptions which are always indicated. The various readings of seven early and authentic editions are printed at the foot of each page; the spelling has been modernized throughout; and the very numerous references to texts of Scripture have been verified and corrected. Wherever the very words of an ecclesiastical writer are quoted, the quotation is marked by double commas ("-"); and, when the substance only of his words occurs, the passage is denoted by single commas (-). Accurate references, throughout, are made to well-known editions and pages of the works of the fathers and other ecclesiastical writers, who are cited; and in very many instances the original Greek and Latin passages are given at length in the foot-notes. This we regard as a capital improvement. To the whole are prefixed three copious indexes; one, a General Index of Matters; a second, of the writers quoted; and the third, of more than fourteen hundred texts of Scripture which are cited. In short, this is the very edition of the Book of Homilies which has so long been wanted; and the clergy, candidates for Holy Orders, as well as students at our Universities and other colleges, are under great obligations to Professor Corrie, and to the University of Cambridge, for the cheap and excellent edition now offered to them. Undergraduates at the Universities and candidates for the ministry cannot better employ a portion of their leisure time than in analyzing and abridging these discourses. They would gradually acquire a large amount of valuable infor