We intend, in future impressions, to give extracts now and then from this book, one of the most Christian works that has ever been published; but we would earnestly recommend to our readers not to be satisfied with extracts. We advise them to become possessors and possessed of the little volume and its contents. When marked, learnt, and inwardly digested, it must prove to the possessor and possessed a priceless estate. We are glad to see a fourth edition of ADOLPH SAPHIR on THE LORD'S PRAYER in circulation, but we sincerely hope that many an edition will speedily follow. Our dear brother is blessed with the rare gift, which enables him to concentrate his profound spiritual knowledge of the sacred volume, as well as his vast and varied readings, upon the immediate subject under his treatment. In other words, ADOLPH SAPHIR treats all his themes exhaustively. His Lectures on THE LORD'S PRAYER is one of his ablest works.

Supplemental Hymnal. By the Rev. W. STONE, M.A. London: W. Macintosh, 24, Paternoster Row; Nisbet and Co.

THIS little volume forms, as the titlepage tells us, "An appendix of 170 Hymus and 120 doxologies to the Hymnbook in use at St. Paul's, Haggerstone. Compiled from the best modern sources, and adapted for general use." The compiler, who is the worthy Vicar of St. Paul's, has long been known amongst the Christian minstrels in the Church of England. In his younger days, he published a thoughtful volume in verse, entitled, "THE COURSE OF TRUTH, or, The Church of the Redeemed." When he was appointed to the spiritual charge of St. Paul's, Haggerstone, he published a collection of Hymns-partly compiled and partly original sisting of 750, for the use of his own congregation, at the very moderate price of one shilling. With this newly added Supplemental Hymnal, Mr. Stone's collection of "Spiritual Songs" may be said to have become unsurpassed. It is enriched by many a sacred ode from the muse of his gifted son. The poetic mantle of the sire seems to have fallen upon the son. The latter, young as he is, has already made himself an enviable name amongst the bards of his land and his Church. His contributions to

con

his father's Hymns form a comely feature in the Collection. St. Paul's Hymn Book, together with the "Supplemental Hymnal," contains some of the arest gems in modern sacred poesy and hymnology.

[FIRST NOTICE.]

The Book of Psalms; a New Translation, with Introductions and Notes, Explanatory and Critical. By J. J. STEWART PEROWNE, D.D. Vol. I. Third Edition, revised. London :

Bell and Daldy. Right of Translation Reserved.

WE happened to be once in conversation with an eminent and learned publisher, when an Oriental scholar, of European celebrity, a mutual friend of ours, called to propose a new work on the Psalms. "Dear Dr.- - !" exclaimed our friend, at the head of his publishing firm, "the Psalms have been worked to death!" "Murdered, you mean!" retaliated the renowned Hebraist. 66 Say rather." we ventured to suggest, "killed with over-zealous attention." "Have it any way you please," rejoined the publisher, "the cause of death does not alter the effect upon the Book market." The laconic dialogue recurred to us with great vividness on the careful perusal, with many a sigh and many a smile, of the above work.

On our second examination and annotation of the volume, we turned once more to the title-page, moodily conning over it, and we observed the precautionary phrase," Right of translation reserved." "What!" was our involuntary exclamation, "does Dr. Perowne expect that the land of Bleek, Delitzsch, Ewald, Havernick, Hitzig, Hupfeld, Keil, Moll, and of many more such like, stands in need of the works of English Biblical critics?" Let a writer in the Times depose to the inquiry. In one of the leaders of the leading journal, for November 7, 1866, there occurs the following :"The pernicious taste which has been formed during the present generation may be changed, and it will be changed whenever the most intelligent and large-minded of the clergy receive the support of the Episcopal bench and the influential laity. . . . Under the influence of the Episcopal bench, all the studies connected with theology have withered, until English Biblical critics are the scorn of foreign scholars." The writer of these sentiments did not

speak without his book. It is a long, long time since the Germans have translated any English work on Biblical philology into their own language. Dr. Perowne's work on "The Book of Psalms" is not likely to break the spell, or the silence. The work seems to have been written for mere tyros in Biblical criticism, as well as in scriptural exegesis. As a compilation of hitherto published opinions on the Book of Psalms, it cannot be compared with Mr. Spurgeon's great work on the same subject. Our surprise is fully as great at the first volume having reached a third edition, as at its having gone to the press at all in the first instance.

That we may not be deemed captious, we purpose to give the work a thorough ventilation. The interests of sound Biblical criticism, moreover, demands such a process at our hands. We intend to devote several articles on the volume before us. We confine

ourselves at present to the prefaces; we shall take them in the order they are placed in the third edition: Third, Second, First. The "Preface to the It third edition is very concise." covers about half a page, which tells us first of the critical aids and authorities of which Dr. Perowne availed himself in preparation of that edition. We have looked in vain for two names which ought, in common justice, to have been conspicuous, in one or other of the prefaces, namely, De Burgh's work on the Psalms, and Robert Young's new translation of the Bible. The second item in the said preface is an expression of thanks" to Mr. R. L. Bensley for revising the sheets of the work as it [sic] passed through the press." How well Mr. Bensley performed his revision work may be 'judged from the fourth page of the "Preface to the second edition." In that page [xi.], in the eleventh line from the bottom, we have a reference to Ps. lix.," in lieu of "lv.," notwithstanding that that preface opens with the assurance that "all the references have been carefully revised." How Dr. Perowne elucidated the verse referred to, shall be noticed hereafter.

The second preface may be described as a sort of apology, or vindication, on the part of the author, before his critics. We do not think that he succeeded. The failures will be made patent in subsequent articles, when we shall enter fully into an examination

of Dr. Perowne's translation and critical notes. At present we shall simply observe that our author has not adopted the happiest mode of apology or vindication. The appeal to Mrs. Austin's defence is more than quaint. We have heard many a scornful remark evoked by the reference. We are far from appreciating the "very cogent grounds of Dr. Perowne's vindication of the use of the name Jehovah, instead of The LORD, in answer to the strictures of the Saturday Review. (1.) Our translators make a distinction between the

-The for אדני and יהוה .two names

mer term they distinguish by having the translation LORD printed in small capitals; whilst the latter is in ordinary characters. (2.) The critical discussions which have made the term prominent may be decided without profaning an ineffable name, the right pronunciation of which was always considered mysterious. (3.) With all due deference to Coleridge, our Lord, in His quotations from the Old Testament, plainly and positively endorsed the Septuagint substitute Kúpios for M In a future article on the work under notice we shall demonstrate what our Lord, our great Exemplar, indirectly taught on the subject;-something very different from Coleridge, or from certain modern professors of the Hebrew language. (4.) From what has been hinted at in the foregoing it will plainly appear that it is but a gratuitous and unsustainable supposition that, "owing to merely superstitious scruples the name fell out of use in the Jewish Church." Neither our affectionate esteem for dear Delitzsch, nor our respect for other great names in Germanywho have done so much for Biblical criticism-will induce us to look upon their meddling with the pronunciation of in any other light than as sacrilegious on their part.

The second preface ends with a plea for the revision of the Old as well as of the New Testament. We most cordially sympathise in the plea; but we question whether the revision is at present in the hands that such an enterprise should be. There is such a discrepancy between Dr. Perowne and ourselves as regards our respective opinions of the characteristics of an efficient Hebrew scholar!

The "preface to the first edition " tells us the design of Dr. Perowne's work. I. He has given a new trans

lation of the Psalms. We shall show just cause, in the course of our notices of the selfsame new translation, why, in many instances, we do not approve of it. II. He professes to give the flowers of his learned predecessors in the same field of labour. We are dubious whether Dr. Perowne has made the best use of the authors and their works which he marshals before us in this section. Two authors' names, as has been already intimated, and the names of their works we altogether miss, namely, Dr. William De Burgh's "Commentary on the Book of Psalms; Critical, Devotional, and Prophetical;" and Robert Young's new Translation of the Bible. III. Our author designed and furnished "a series of notes," in which he discussed the criticism of the text, the various readings, &c. Our estimate of the performance of this part of the design will appear when we have submitted the result of our criticism in the course of our Monthly. It would have afforded us sincere pleasure to have been able to speak of the work with the same respect which we entertain for its learned and accomplished author.

THE TWO GREAT WORKS OF ART, OF THE PRESENT SEASON PITIFULLY BLEMISHED.

M. GUSTAVE DORE'S PICTURE, CHRIST LEAVING THE PRETORIUM, displays the talented artist's wonderful ability as a limner of the highest order. Grand and manifold as the theme was which the painter of the age set before himself to accomplish, he has almost effectually achieved it. To appreciate the artist's success, one must study his great picture with care and attention, group by group; just what one must do if he wishes to enter into the spirit of Milton, Dante, Tasso, Klopstock, and other poets of their kind. We have studied that grand epic on canvas as much as any one, and have learnt to admire it more and more every time we have scanned it. But the oftener we scan the picture, the more does the great blemish of the garb, in which the artist clothed Christ on the eventful occasion, appear pitiful and monstrous to us at the same time. Why will not Gentile painters and sculp

tors condescend to study-when they are engaged on works in which Jewish customs and costumes form essential features-the works of men who know how to describe, and have correctly described, the things that appertain to the regulations of Jewish habits and dress, as preserved in the Hebrew code of laws? That night-gown sort of dress, in which M. Doré apparelled the Saviour on His leaving the Prætorium, is a marring blemish and a miserable eye-sore.

It is the fringed garment (examine the original text of Luke viii. 44), the Jewish TALITH, in which our Lord should have been represented as having been attired when he left the Prætorium. To our thinking, this blemish damages the whole picture most seriously, and renders it almost worthless to such persons to whom the principal figure in the painting is the principal attraction.

MR. STORY'S STATUE OF 66 'JERUSALEM is a masterpiece of the wellknown American sculptor, whose studio at Rome has for some years been the resort of every person of taste and cultivation. Mr. Story has lately executed an exquisite statue of a female figure, intended to represent Jerusalem, or rather the Jewish nation. It is on its way to Philadelphia. We were favoured with a view of it whilst on its stay in London. The figure is cut in a magnificent block of white Carrara marble, faintly toned. Its pedestal is of gray marble from the same quarries. The figure is represented in flowing drapery, sitting on ruins; its right arm is bent, and leans upon some of the stones of the Temple; its left hand is thrown upon the fold of its drapery. The Times' reporter thus decribed the face of the statue :

"The large eyes of the face, which is inclined slightly upward, look into space, the muscles of the nose are slightly contracted with passion, the pitiful mouth sinks at the corners. But neither the expression nor the pose is that of frantic abandonment, nor is there any listless weariness of despondency in that beautiful face's intense despair. A soul inhabiting a perfect human tenement acknowledges