that we have done if we have done any. As we are always permitted to judge charitably the dead, we may humbly hope that that young singer, who has been taken from us and who once joined in our imperfect songs and praises offered up with weak and sinful hearts, will hereafter unite with angels and blessed spirits in hymns of everlasting joy and love, that it might be engraved with truth upon his tombstone:

"I sang my Saviour's praises upon earth;

upon the conscience with which those who are older are sometimes sadly affected. Thus, in the calling away of this young person from amongst us, we learn that youth is no preservative against death; that the grace of God is sufficient for us in youth as in age, teaching us to resign ourselves to his holy will; that we must expect much tribulation of the flesh before we enter into heaven; that we should rejoice to be of any utility, however small it may appear, in the church of God; that we should be forbearing and humane to those who are burdened with premature affliction; that the departure of the young Christian is not an evil but a blessing; that the remembrance of those to whom we have been kind is pleasing, but of those unto whom we have been otherwise it is the contrary. If we remember these things but in a small degree, so as to influence our conduct and manner of life as regards ourselves and others, then the death of G(eorge) S(mith) will not have been in vain.

NOTICE OF BOOKS.

THE following books have lately reached us :

And he, whose goodness far transcends our worth, Beheld my humble efforts, and in love Called me to praise him in the courts above." But, in considering the death of this lad, there is something more to be said. His was a weak and feeble frame. Those young persons whoare affected as he was have, generally speaking, much to bear with in life, particularly in country villages, where the value of their labour depends much upon their bodily powers: the labour which is light to others, is very often to them a heavy burden: others outstrip them in growth, and surpass them in strength. The strong and healthy youth meets with encouragement at home, and abroad is readily paid; but the weak and sickly one is indifferently paid; and, when Chatterbox," The Children's Prize." London: he has done all that he can do, because he Macintosh. 1868. We observed, last month, that we earns but little and cannot do so much as had just received these two books, but could then only announce their arrival. This is not the first year that others, he is subject to unjust reproaches and these most entertaining works have appeared. Indeed, hard words, and, instead of encouragement, the smaller of them, The Children's Prize," is now of is told that he is good for nothing; and several years' standing, and is, we believe, the parent, so thus it is that he is made to suffer not only the same editor, Mr. J. E. Clarke. They contain a marto speak, of its bulkier companion-and they have both in body but in mind: sometimes he has to vellous abundance of entertaining stories, some original, submit to the jeers and laughter of his com- some adopted from other sources; as, for instance, the panions, and has to retire at night to his pretty tale of Heinrich von Eichenfels, from the German home, not only wearied and tired but dis-of Schmid, though we do not quite understand why pirited and grieved. Now, I do not say that this was the case with this young person who has been taken from us, but I know it to be the case with many. It is a blessing to think of those when dead to whom we have been kind when living. If we should have to do with any whose frames are weak and sickly, let us be gentle towards them; let us not add to the burden wherewith God has burdened them to try their faith and our patience: such seldom live to be very old: a few brief years of troubled life, and they go to witness for ever in favour of those who have dealt kindly with them, and to testify against those who have acted harshly and inconsiderately towards them. Lastly, when the young Christian dies, it is undoubtedly for his good: we mourn; but such a one is in truth highly favoured: the glorious promises of the gospel rob death of its sting, and the grave of its victory. Whatever it may be to live, it is far better to die and be with Christ-to go early and depart without that heavy load of guilt

the name of this old favourite is here transmuted into Ernest of Felsenburg-but all conveying some useful lesson. There are also descriptive pieces, facts from natural history, poetry, &c., with an infinite number of illustrations. We commend them both very cordially to our young friends, only adding that "Chatterbox" "the Children's Prize" younger will suit elder, and

folks.

"The Christian Leaders of the Last Century, or England a hundred years ago;" by the rev. J. C. Ryle. London: Nelson and Sons. 1869. This is a very interesting volume. Mr. Ryle, having waited he tells us for eminent evangelical divines of the last century might be a long time in the hope that some worthy account of the undertaken by some other writer, at last resolved to compile one himself. He has accordingly put together, in a single volume, a series of papers, nearly all of which first appeared in the respectable periodical entitled "The Family Treasury." His book includes notices of Whitfield, Wesley, Grimshaw, Romaine, Venn, Hervey, Toplady, and others; and there is a great deal of valuable matter in it. So that we may well recommend it as bringing to fresh notice several excellent ministers little thought of in the present day. A somewhat-similar task was undertaken by Mr. Stephen Middleton, in his

"Ecclesiastical Memoir of the first four Decades of the reign of George III.," published nearly half a century ago; but that work was more sketchy, and embraced a greater number of figures than Mr. Ryle's, who has con

"A Book for Governesses"; by one of them. Edinburgh: Oliphant and Co. No date. We warmly recommend this book," both to governesses and ladies who employ governesses. It is full of good sense, right feeling, and wholesome suggestion. The position of a governess is a very delicate and trying one. A perusal of this volume may tend to smoothe away difficulties, and will, we hope, produce on the one hand a greater degree of Christian submission, on the other a more liberal appreciation of this most valuable class of persons.

"Tales from Alsace; or, Scenes and Portraits from Life in the Days of the Reformation as drawn from old Chronicles; translated from the German. London: Nisbet and Co. 1868. We hardly know any book of the kind which has afforded us more pleasure than this. It comprises a series of tracts, she Strasburg tract they are called, compiled by a lady, and afterwards translated into French. Here we have an English version, well done on the whole, but with a few unimportant slips. These tales are, for the most part, of the times of the reformation; and eminent persons of the period are introduced; Bucer, Fagius, Zell, for example. And they are not fancy portraits. The real history is given; so that we have truly and vividly before our eyes the love, the zeal, the liberality, the dangers, the persecutions which the great revival called forth. The reader will consequently get valuable historical information, while he has those depicted whose faith he is to follow, attaining, like them, the salvation of his soul. The scenes are in Alsace, in the neighbourhood of Strasburg, a city which welcomed gospel doctrine and gave shelter to many of our own reformers when they fled from the cruelties by which the truth was oppressed in England in the days of Mary I. Let us, let our children, hold dear the Christian liberty, which was purchased by many struggles of those who were ready to seal, and who, in

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earthly setting to the heavenly jewel? the basket of silver to the apples of gold? Man's interpretation has its value: the result of the prayerful thought and experience of holy men deserves to be cherished and attended to; but nothing of this kind should keep a man from the sacred oracles themselves." These are weighty words: may they be deeply pondered by many! The preface to this book is somewhat uncommon: it is in poetry-an ode.

"The World at Home: Pictures and Scenes from Far

off Lands;" by Mary and Elizabeth Kirby. London: Nelson and Sons. 1869. This a book for children,

which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."" We hardly like to hint a fault in this excellent book; but sometimes we think Mr. Aston presses a type too far; and sometimes, by following the English version, he misses the sense of a text. Thus he expounds Psal. xlv. 13 of the inward beauty of the believer, and makes, we admit, some admirable observations. But the real meaning of the passage is, "All glorious is the king's daughter by the wall," i. e., upon the throne, the idea of internal excellence being quite foreign to the psalmist's mind. "The Young Pilgrim: a Tale illustrative of the Pil-giving accounts of many strange animals, scenes, and grim's Progress;"" by Aloe. London: Nelson and Sons. 1869. This book is from a very prolific pen. We earnestly wish that the writer could be prevailed on to abandon the sensational style with which several of the productions under the same name are disfigured. In the tale before us, we have marvellous events, not impossible certainly, but which in real life do not occur once in a century. The hero appears as a poor, ragged, neglected boy of twelve, starved and ill-treated; yet his language is generally quite refined. And he is soon discovered to be a nobleman, supposed by his parents to be drowned, but really carried off by a worthless nurse. He is restored to his title and estates, pursues an admirable course of conduct, but, having suffered great injury in

his successful attempt to rescue a drowning boy, he dies in his fourteenth year. The improbability of all this is most glaring; and, as we read, we continually ask ourselves, Can these things be? Apart from this improbability, the volume is really excellent. By the life of this young nobleman the scenes of the Pilgrim's Progress' are illustrated, and truthful and important religious lessons are enforced. We say again that the productions of this author would be deserving of the highest praise if natural events and characters were depicted. But, with the great fault we have noticed, we are still ready to think well of this volume. It appears in the inviting shape in which so many are issued by the same publishers, well printed, tastefully bound; only it will not lie open by itself.

"The Preaching of the Cross: Sermons ;" by the rev J. Richardson, M.A., vicar of St. Mary's, Bury St. Edmund's. London: Hunt and Co. 1868. We shall class Mr. Richardson's sermons with those of Mr. Aston.

The style is somewhat more pretentious; but there is the same grasp of gospel truth, the same faithful exaltation of Jesus as the only Saviour. The object is somewhat different. Mr. Aston wished to show how Moses and the prophets testified of Christ: Mr. Richardson would vindicate the teaching of the divine Saviour and his apostles from that human traditional alloy with which some would now debase it. But as Mr. R. says, "What is man's word to the word of God? Many are the noble structures which human thought has raised. We wonder at the height to which the genius of man has raised them. There are pyramids of wisdom which have lasted, and will last, for ages, as the monuments of the skill and industry, of the mind or imagination, of our human race. We are surprised that anything so noble and beautiful in science and art and poetry should ever have been fashioned by so feeble hands out of so few and frail materials. But God's word is a mountain by the side of man's greatest work of highest wisdom. God's word has its base deep down amongst the eternal things of the mysterious past; and, if there be clouds and dimness upon some of its higher peaks, it is because its top rises up amongst the sublimities of a glorious future. Now and then a gleam lights up the awful heights to which revelation towers; and the eye of faith is strong enough to see the rosy tints which tell that those holier mysteries are near to the beauteous heaven to which they point. At such a time the believer will say, 'What is the chaff to the wheat? the fallible comment to the infallible text? the

customs in various parts of the globe. And it comprises a profusion of illustrations, so that it combines amusement with instruction in a very high degree. It appears to be intended for very young children. Accordingly, it is written in somewhat an infantine way; and it is broken up into very brief paragraphs, multitudes of these containing respectively but one sentence. We cannot help thinking that with a different style the book might have been quite as intelligible to the infant population, while it certainly would have been more acceptable to older children. Nevertheless we freely say that, as it is, it is a volume sure to please the small members of many families.

"The Life of the Rev. W. Marsh, D.D.;" by his A year daughter. London: Nisbet and Co. 1868. and a-half ago we expressed ourselves pleased with the first edition of a very interesting memoir-that of the saintly Dr. Marsh. We have nothing therefore to add to our general opinion of the book. But we may say that the edition now before us is somewhat abridged; one of the chapters, "Letters to Sir Thomas Baring," being omitted, and a few small alterations besides being made. It is in a more portable form and will probably be more widely acceptable than the bulkier original edition. We think that a few words should have been prefixed stating the fact and apprising the reader of the differences between this and the first edition. As it is, any one might take it up without being aware that any previous edition had appeared.

"Aunt Judy's Christmas Volume; for Young People;" edited by Mrs. A. Gatty. London: Bell and Daldy. book we have yet seen. 1868. We think this is the gayest-looking Christmas It comes to us decked in crimson and gold, and filled with really-good illustrations. Its contents, too, are pleasant, sure to encourage the mirth of the social circle. We find in it a series of very interesting papers-"The Heroes of La Vendée." We know no more interesting book than the story of the Vendean war by Madame de la Rochejaquelein. We have in the course of our life read it three or four times, and we have visited many of the places where the most thrilling events narrated in it occurred. The noble hearts that rallied round the standard of loyalty are worthy of all honour; and we are pleased to see that young people are in these papers made acquainted with some of the pages of that thrilling history. There is also mirth and merriment in this volume. Nursery songs are illustrated by curious legends fitted to them: droll incidents are related: some amusing games are described; and altogether the character of the book is healthful as well as attractive: it is well stored with fun that will call forth a hearty laugh; but it is a kind of fun which we think that seniors will not be un

willing that the juniors shall enjoy. The volume may well therefore be introduced into the family.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAGAZINE.

we are not very well disposed to accept the writer's theory. Much is said against those who " spiritualize" the prophecies; and the literal fulfilment is insisted on. Doubtless where, taking all things into consideration, a literal interpretation of the divine word will stand, that interpretation is to be preferred. But the writer seems to have overlooked the highly-typical character-as scripture itself teaches us-of many declarations and events. We think therefore that a too-great disposition is shown to confine to literal Israel what is at least the equal heritage of spiritual Israel. Then the author considers the whole of the Revelation as yet unfulfilled and future, and cannot admit any reference therein to the papacy. And it is maintained that Jerusalem, and not Rome, is the city upon seven hills (Rev. xvii. 9). We are suaded that here and in other particulars there is a disposition to force scripture into agreement with theory. While acknowledging therefore the pious spirit evinced, we differ widely from much we find in this volume.

though oor blind een whiles canna see him; but that
makes nae odds: he's aye shining whether we see him or
no. O honey, trust him, though it be in the
very dark."
It was not long dark: the dying girl cast herself upon
the Saviour's finished work, and passed in blissful hope
into eternity. There are perhaps one or two expressions
we might wish slightly altered; but we are exceedingly
pleased with this little book. May God bless its affecting
lessons to many readers!

Of periodicals the following have reached us: "The Christian Observer, December" (London, Hatchards, 1868)—there are some valuable papers in this number: we would instance bishop Harding's "St. Paul's 'Yea per-doubtless' (Phil. iii. 8)," "The Life of John Newton," rev. E. B. Elliott's "Counter-retrospect,' "The Roman Empire and its Ten Divisions" is a sad &c.; but muddle; "The Christian Advocate and Review, December" (London, Hunt and Co., 1868)-Mr. Mac Cartie's "Missions of the Irish Church in Connemora" and Mr. Garratt's "Ecumenical Council of 1869" deserve well to

"Every Day: a Story of Common Life;" by the Author of 66 Ismael and Cassander." London: Provost and Co. 1868. This is a clever story certainly. The heroine, a sensible good girl, is a teacher in a ladies' college; and most of the female characters occupy similar situations. They enjoy very queer Christian names; and their conversation is such as we think must be above the capacity of ordinary readers. We find ourselves not unfrequently obliged to pause and ask what really is meant, and when we have caught the meaning it does not always repay the trouble we have had in the search. Yet there is much nice discrimination of character, and much acquaintance evinced with the complex workings of the human heart. We are at some loss to know with what object this story was composed. Generally, the matter to be illustrated, the moral to be drawn, in a book, are clear enough; and unity is thus given to the whole. Here the unity is lacking; for there is no lesson clearly taught or readily deducible. And there is a bit of very droll Latin: did the printer make it?

"Noon-tide at Sychar; or, The Story of Jacob's Well;" by J. R. Macduff, D.D. London: Nisbet and Co. 1869. We have frequently had occasion to notice works from Dr. Macduff's pen. We have generally expressed our approval. In his earlier writings, indeed, some exuberances wanted pruning off, his style was hardly sufficiently chastised. But improvement in these respects has become visible; and, while Dr. Macduff is as lively and graphic as ever, there is a greater and chaster ripeness in his successive productions. We have every reason to be well satisfied with that before us. It narrates very well the author's visit to the well, describes all the scenery and the surroundings, and then illustrates in an excellent way our Lord's teaching in his conversation with the woman of Samaria. We are glad to recommend the volume to our readers as of high inte rest; and we trust the promise of usefulness it exhibits may, with God's blessing, be largely accomplished. We do not think any can read it carefully without profit.

"Lucy Smith, the Music Governess;" by S. E. P. Edinburgh: Oliphant and Co. 1868. This is a most touching story. A young girl is placed as assistantteacher of music in a ladies' school. She has deep religious impressions and a loving heart. Her conduct and her conversation are blessed to the conversion of the teacher, her special friend, with whom she is immediately associated in school-work. But she is struck with illness; and life is evidently fading away. She is not happy in the prospeet of death, because she is looking too much to her own feelings, and hardly with full implicit trust resting on Christ. But an excellent Scotch domestic cheers her: "The Sun o' righteousness is aye shining,

be pondered: there is also a very interesting article by Mr. Tristram, "Recent Explorations in Palestine," in which Dr. Colenso's vagary about the multiplication of speak; "Golden Hours, December" (London, Macintosh, wild beasts is well exposed by one admirably qualified to story" Dare to be Wise" ends lamely: we think many of 1868)-we continue to approve this journal; but the and there is an error of date in "Number Eleven:" our story-writers do not make satisfactory conclusions; Marie Antoinette was married in 1770, not in 1780; ridge, 1868)—there is always much that we value in this "The Gospel Magazine, December" (London, Colling periodical; "Mission Life, December" (London, Macintosh, 1868)-ever full of missionary intelligence and interesting matter bearing on missions; "Old Jonathan, Visitor, December" (London, Hunt and Co., 1868)-we December" (London, Collingridge, 1868); "The Home consider both useful; "Monthly Record of Ladies' Scriptural Missions, December" (London, Nisbet and Co., 1868); "Missing-Link Magazine, December" (London, Macintosh, 1868); "The East London Evangelist, October-December," three numbers (London, Morgan and Chase, 1868).

(London, Religious Tract Society, 1868); "The ChilWe have also received "The Cottager and Artisan" dren's Paper" (London, Nelson and Sons, 1868)-two very useful publications, of which we may very well speak highly: their titles show for whom they are specially in1868)-a valuable tract; "Earnest Words, New and tended; "What Church ?" (London, Hunt and Co., date); "Dixon's Spiritual Wives and the Religious Old," by B. North, B.A. (London, Hunt and Co., no 1869); "Your Election: a Tract for the Times," by Lawsuit of Koenigsberg" (London, Williams and Norgate, the rev. J. C. Ryle, B.A. (London, Hunt and Co., 1868).

Several other books have reached us this month. Of some we can now only specify the titles, as "The Days of Knox: a Tale of the Sixteenth Century" (London, Nelson and Sons, 1869); "A Third Year in Jerusalem: a Tale," by Mrs. Finn (London, Nisbet and Co., 1869)— we shall notice these more particularly next month.

and SON, 9, Ave Maria Lane, St. Paul's; ROGERSON London: Published for the Proprietors, by S. D. EWINS and TUXFORD, 265, Strand; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country.

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265, STRAND, LONDON.