or brick-dust near at hand, and. having got it into working order, and good and oiled serviceableness, start your immortal locomotive at twenty-five years old, or thirty, express for the Strait Gate on the Narrow Road. The whole period of youth is one essentially of formation, edification, instruction. I use the words with their weight in them, in taking of stores, establishment in vital habits, hopes and faiths. There is not an hour of it but is trembling with destinies; not a moment of which, once past, the appointed work can ever be done again, or the neglected blow struck on the cold iron. Take your vase of Venice glass out of the furnace, and strew chaff over it in its transparent heat, and recover that to its clearness and envied glory, when the north wind has blown upon it; but do not think to strew chaff over the child afresh from God's presence, and to bring heavenly colours back to him, at least in this world."RUSKIN. LORD BROUGHAM AND A FUTURE STATE. THE following story appears in The Life and Times of Lord Brougham, written by himself, just published by Messrs. Blackwood and Co.:-"A most remarkable thing happened to me-so remarkable that I must tell the story from the beginning. After I left the High School I went with G my most intimate friend, to attend the classes in the University. There was no divinity class, but we fre quently in our walks discussed and, speculated upon many grave subjects-among others, on the immortality of the soul, and on a future state. This question, and the possibility, I will not say of ghosts walking, but of the dead appearing to the living, were subjects of much speculation; and we actually committed the folly of drawing up an agreement, written with our blood, to the effect that whichever of us died first should appear to the other, and thus solve any doubts we had entertained of the 'life after death.' After we had finished our classes at the college, Gwent to India, having got an appointment there in the civil service. He seldom wrote to me, and after the lapse of a few years I had almost forgotten him; moreover, his family having little connexion with Edinburgh, I seldom saw or heard anything of them, or of him through them, so that all the old schoolboy intimacy had died out, and I had nearly forgotten his existence. I had taken, as I have said, a warm bath; and while lying in it, and enjoying the comfort of the heat after the late freezing I had undergone, I turned my head round, looking towards the chair on which I had deposited my clothes, as I was about to get out of the bath. On the chair sat G- -, looking calmly at me. ing calmly at me. How I got out of the bath I know not, but on recovering my senses I found myself sprawling on the floor. The apparition, or whatever it was, that had taken the likeness of Ghad disappeared. This vision produced such a shock that I had no inclination to talk about it, or to speak about it even to Stuart; but the impression it made upon me was too vivid to be easily forgotten; and so strongly was I affected by it, that I have here written down the whole history with the date, 19th December, and all the particulars, as they are now fresh before me. No doubt I had fallen asleep; and that the appearance presented so distinctly to my eyes was a dream, I cannot for a moment doubt; yet for years I had had no communication with Gnor had there been anything to recall him to my recollection; nothing had taken place during our Swedish travels either connected with Gor with India, or with anything relating to him, or to any member of his family. I recollected quickly enough our old discussion, and the bargain we had made. I could not discharge from my mind the impression that G- must have died, and that his appearance to me was to be received by me as a proof of a future state." This was on December 19th, 1799. In October 1862, Lord Brougham added as a postscript:"I have just been copying out from my journal the account of this strange dream': Certissima mortis imago! And now to finish the story begun about sixty years since. Soon after my return to Edinburgh there arrived a letter from India announcing G―'s death! and stated that he had died on the 19th December!" Literary Notices. [We hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is unjust to praise worthless books; it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] THE REVIEWER'S CANON. In every work regard the author's end, Since none can compass more than they intend. HUMAN POWER IN THE DIVINE LIFE: OR THE ACTIVE POWERS OF THE MIND IN RELATION TO RELIGION. By Rev. NICHOLAS BISHOP, M.A. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 27 Paternoster Row. "THE design of this work," says the author, "is to consider the Active Powers of the Mind in their relation to the Divine Life, their adaptation to the requirements of the Divine Law, and to the sense of Human Responsibility." The work is divided into ten chapters, the subjects of which are:-Preliminary considerations, human power in repentance, human power in faith, human power in conversion, human power in sanctification, human power in Christian perfection, limits of human power in the perfection of the Divine life, human power in preaching, human power in prayer, and human power in relation to Divine providence. In each of these chapters we have the discussion of a large variety of subjects relating to the general theme. The purpose and plan of the work are excellent, and although the development is far too sketchy and brief to give full philosophic satisfaction, it is all the more suggestive on that account. The author's mental philosophy may, of course in certain points, be debateable, and some of his theological positions may be open to question, but his ability is undoubted and distinguished. The work is full of vigorous thoughts on vital topics, set forth in language clear, fresh, and strong. THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO GALATIANS. A NEW TRANSLATION, WITH CRITICAL NOTES AND DOCTRINAL LESSONS. By JOHN H. GODWIN. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 27 Paternoster Row. "SEVERAL Commentaries," says the author, "on this Epistle have been lately published, but they are chiefly for those who can use the original text. This is designed also for others, and is therefore made intelligible throughout to English readers. The language of St. Paul being colloquial rather than literary, sentences which grammarians may deem faulty are to be expected. His letters are speeches, and have the irregularities which are not improper in popular discourse, when they are natural and forcible. For the same reason the interpretation of his words must often be obtained from his own writings, and the evidence given by the subject and purpose of his statement is of more importance than that which is afforded by the usage of other writers. Common sense and Christian sympathy are the principal requisites for the understanding of St. Paul, and the occasions are few in which considerations which can only be appreciated by the learned are of much consequence." Those who have not such works on this Epistle as those of Prof. Lightfoot, Bishop Ellicot, Dr. Eadie, &c., would do well to procure this little volume, which contains nothing remarkably fresh. Indeed the author, in a foot-note, states that beside his obligations to Dean Alford, Dr. Eadie, Prof. Jowitt, and Dr. Lightfoot, he owes "innumerable" obligations to other sources. So that as the book is so small, and the obligations so innumerable, we may suppose that there is not much of the author himself in it. We presume that the practical lessons which are drawn from the passages, however, must be ascribed entirely to the author and their triteness is really amusing. For example-the following are the lessons drawn from chap. ii. 11-14-which we take as the very first on which our eyes rested: (1.) "The wisest and best may judge and act wrongly." (2.) "Many are led astray by an improper sympathy." (3.) "The promotion of Christian truth and love is the highest rule." (4.) “Reproof should be given and received with gentleness.” How profound! How keen and penetrating the vision to, make such discoveries! THE TREASURY OF DAVID. By C. H. SPURGEON. Vol. ii. Ps. xxvii. to lii. London: Passmore and Alabaster, 18 Paternoster Row. To the first volume of this work we have already called the attention of our readers, and heartily commended it. The author has pursued the same plan as that adopted in the former volume, and we think the plan a good one. The one great fault we find with this work on the Psalms (a fault which attaches to most of the commentaries with which we are acquainted) is the endeavour to make a confessedly imperfect man appear always good, and even Messianic in his imprecatory utterances. We think this is unfair in interpretation, and detrimental to Biblical morality. We wish Mr. Spurgeon would employ his vigorous common sense in looking earnestly and independently into this matter. This book not only shows, on the part of the author, very great ability as a Biblical expositor, but amazing industry. Here are extracts from nearly 600 writers, and some of them are the brightest names in the long roll of sacred authorship. As we are going through the Psalms ourselves, we are prepared to appreciate Mr. Spurgeon's labours, and we shall not fail to make the best use we can of them for the benefit of our readers. Trusting that the author's life and health may be preserved to finish a work which he has so well begun, we repeat our hearty recommendation of the production. GOSPEL UNITIES. By Rev. JOHN RICHARDSON, M.A. London: Wm. Macintosh, 24 Paternoster Row.-An excellent little work is this, adapted to awaken spiritual thought, and to improve the moral temper of Christians. GEMS FROM THE CORAL ISLANDS. By Rev. WM. GILL. London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row.-A work in the ninth edition, and to which we have often called the attention of our readers, requires only to have its new issue announced. LIFE IN CHRIST: A BRIEF MEMOIR OF JOHN LOUDON, OF STANE. By Rev. JOHN WHITSON. Glasgow: T. D. Morison, S Bath Street.-A brief memoir of an excellent man, interestingly given, to which is attached a short but touching discourse. A HOMILY ON The Unknown God. "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN Gop. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you."-Acts xvii. 23. N this paragraph, we have a graphic though brief description of the character of the men of Athens. "For all the Athenians and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing." Athens was a city illustrious for its learning; on her streets some of the profoundest thinkers of the race had been discussing questions the most momentous to man. The spirit of debate had become incarnate in the inhabitants. But during the last century or two, serious and perceptible decay had taken place in the thought of the city; instead of investigating the true, the people were raving after the new. "They spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing." And when the love of the new gains ascendancy over the love of the true, degeneration is inevitable. The distinction between true and false philosophy, in every age, VOL. XXVIII. X |