Excerpta Protestantia; comprising a View of the Church of England in the Aspect of her Articles and Homilies, and of her Antagonism to the Church of Rome. Hatchard. 1848.

THE title sufficiently explains the nature of this little volume, the extracts being chiefly from the homilies, and works like Nowell's Catechism, or such as are held in equally high estimation. But there are many original remarks on the difficulty of meeting the errors of Rome from the novel and ever-varying aspect which so many of these errors assume; for they require us to bring positive proof that doctrines have been condemned by the primitive Church, when the pure minds of the early fathers could not have conceived the possibility of such corruptions creeping in or being for an instant tolerated. The doctrine of indulgences is an innovation. “That the doctrine is a late device of that Church, the perfect silence of antiquity in the whole matter is an abundant demonstration...in fact, there is no one writer of any credit or authority who ever took notice of it; but it was a doctrine wholly unknown to the Church for about one thousand two hundred years after Christ" (107). "Now, although the ancient fathers of the Church could not be supposed to speak in direct terms against this new doctrine of indulgences because in their day it was not in existence, yet they have said many things which perfectly destroy it" (108).

In like manner, purgatory, intercession of saints, prayer for the dead, adoration of the host, solitary mass, communion in one kind, &c. are innovations which stand on just the same footing.

Adventures of an Aide-de-Camp; or, a Campaign in Calabria. By JAMES GRANT, Esq. Three Volumes. London: Smith, Elder, and Co. 1848.

THERE is so much of stirring incident and adventure in these volumes, that we wonder that the author, in this book-making age, had not husbanded his abundant materials and diffused them over two three-volume works instead of one. The popularity achieved by his former book, " The Romance of War," would have warranted the experiment; and the reader would have had no reason to complain of lack of interest. The character of an ubiquitous hunchback, though not very original in conception, is felicitously drawn, and introduced with great effect. The hero is equally conspicuous as a soldier and a lover; but, as he is faithful in each capacity, we have no objection to urge to the combination. It is full of graphic, and occasionally poetic, power.

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My Sister Minnie. By MRS. MACKENZIE DANIEL. Three Vols. London: Newby, 1848.

THIS is not what is termed a religious novel-a class of fictions for which we have no especial regard, since, in nine cases out of ten, they do mischief: in fact, a novel is the very last medium which a really pious writer would choose for the inculcation of religious truth. There is, however, in these volumes a recognition of religious principles which we should be glad oftener to find among works of the class. Some of our most successful writers of fiction-we mean successful in reference to their popularity-appear quite ignorant of the plainest and most familiar doctrines of Christianity; and it is, therefore, not surprising that the moral tendency of their productions is sometimes worse than equivocal. The plot of "My Sister Minnie" is ingeniously conceived, and cleverly developed, and the story is gracefully and effectively told. If there be no great elevation of thought or power of language in these volumes, they are free from affectation and display much sound sense and right feeling. They will be read with interest by those who affect this class of literature, and it will be their own fault if they derive not some profit, as well as amusement, from these pages.

The Master and his Servants: an Allegory. By the Rev. W. H. RIDLEY, A.M. London: Edwards.

WRITTEN in a Christian and kindly spirit, and with a simplicity of diction which will especially commend itself to the young, for whose edification we presume it is chiefly designed. We are generally averse to allegory as a means of inculcating religious truths: it comes to us, we know, with the sanction of the highest example; but we must remember that "He spake as never man spake." The work before us, however, is as little open to objection as any of its class we have met with; and, for the rest, we think it well calculated to promote the pious object of the reverend writer.

Emmeline; or Good Humour. By Mrs. E. SMITH. London : Whittaker. 1847.

WITH a somewhat namby-pamby dedication and no especial display of talent in the composition, this is a story with the tendency of which it is impossible to find fault. It has a pendant in the shape of a ballad on "The Fortunes of Mary Stewart," which has nothing poetical belonging to it but the rhymes.

Tales for the Times. pass of Land and Seeleys. London.

No. I.-The Young Protestant; or, The ComSea to make one Proselyte. By a CLERGYMAN. 1848.

FICTION, as we have more than once had occasion to remark in this publication, may illustrate much, but can prove nothing. Verisimilitude is, however, essential to illustration, and that feature is wanting in the "Young Protestant." His father is tried for killing his wife. The coroner's jury bring in a verdict of "manslaughter:" he is subsequently tried at the sessions and found guilty; but, on the recommendation of the jury, is released by an order of the judge, his previous imprisonment being considered a sufficient punishment for his offence. We are not likely to be suspected of any inordinate admiration of the Roman priesthood; but we are bound, in common charity, to protest against the making a human devil a type of the class. "Fair play is a jewel," says a homely proverb-and this is a very one-sided affair.

The Last Day. London: Nisbet. 1847. Third Edition. We spoke in terms of high praise of this admirable little book on its first appearance. We are glad to find that our judgment has been confirmed by the approbation of the public-a fact evidenced by the work having reached a third edition. It is a sweet book.

Sermons on Practical Subjects. By the Rev. S. WARREN, LL.D., Incumbent of All Souls', Manchester. Blackwood. 1848.

"PRACTICAL utility, rather than novelty or research, is the object proposed by the author of the following sermons: he has, therefore, purposely abstained from an abstruse and metaphysical manner of treating the subjects contained in them. This is mentioned to prevent disappointment on the part of some, who might otherwise expect in this volume what they will be sure not to find" (Preface).

The sermons are twenty-five, and they are well suited for reading in families.

The Thirty-nine Articles no Test of Heresy.

1848.

London: Masters,

THIS small pamphlet purports to be a brief examination of a pamphlet by the Rev. William Goode, entitled "A Defence of the Thirty-nine Articles." We must refer those who are curious on the subject of the controversy to the publication itself; we have not room to discuss it.

A Brief Sketch of Human Nature in Innocency. By the Rev. W. GURDEN MOORE, M.A. London: Painter. 1848.

THIS little volume, by the Vicar of Aslackby, Lincolnshire, is introduced to us in a very modest and sensible preface: The subject, in itself highly interesting, is ably, and, in some respects, originally treated. The book reflects great credit on the learning and piety of the author.

The Gospel of Christ the Power of God unto Salvatian. By the Rev. W. A. NEWMAN, M.A. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. THIS is a series of twelve "Illustrations," inscribed by the author, the Curate of St. Georges', Wolverhampton, to his flock, from whom he is about to be separated; and a more appropriate or valuable parting gift could not be bestowed upon them. It is eloquently and gracefully written, and altogether a superior volume of sermons.

A Pilgrimage to Rome: containing some account of the High Ceremonies, the Monastic Institutions, the Religious Services, the Sacred Relics, the Miraculous Pictures, and the general State of Religion in that City. By the Rev. M. H. SEYMOUR, M.A. London: Seeleys.

8vo. 1848.

THIS important work came under our notice too late to admit of our giving an analysis of its deeply-interesting contents. While the majority of travellers to Rome are, naturally enough, occupied with surveying the remains of ancient art, and the exquisite paintings of the greatest masters of modern time, Mr. Seymour (than whom few clergymen are better acquainted with the doctrinal system of errors maintained by the modern Church of Rome), employed himself, during a residence of several months, in a minute examination of the practical working of Papacy. The result of his patient and accurate researches is comprised in the present elegantly-executed work, to which we propose to call the attention of our readers in the ensuing volume of our journal. At present, we need only remark that it fills up a most important chasm in the numerous descriptions of Rome, which, of late years, have issued from the press.

London: W. E. Painter, Church and State Gazette Office, 342, Strand.

THE

CHURCH OF ENGLAND

Quarterly Review.

OCTOBER, MDCCCXLVIII.

ART. I.-Sacred Annals; or, Researches into the History and Religion of Mankind, from the Creation to the Death of Isaac: deduced from the Writings of Moses and other Inspired Authors; and illustrated by Copious References to the Ancient Records, Traditions, and Mythology of the Heathen World. By GEORGE SMITH, F.S.A., &c. Longmans. 1847.

THE present, which so far outstrips all former ages in activity and rapid progress, is an age which has also distinguished itself by the importance of many of its discoveries, both in regard to the unexpected light cast thereby upon some of the darkest points in the past history of the world, and in the superior accuracy which this has been the means of imparting to our general knowledge, so as to render a revision of all our old ideas on sacred history and chronology imperatively necessary to every student of theology. But we do not mean to advert on this occasion to more than two of these discoveries in an especial manner, the one belonging to ancient history, the other to science in general both being, however, characteristic of the progress we allude to and both peculiarly the boast of modern timeswe mean the decyphering of the hieroglyphics of Egypt and the observed order of stratified rocks throughout the world; for the Egyptian monuments are regarded as affording the means of determining the chronology of one of the oldest families of mankind, and geology is supposed to furnish data by which we may

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