the Colony of Rhode-Island. It is a faithful and highly instructive narrative of the events of the intervening century. The rest of the volume, compiled by Prof. Elton, is rich in illustrations of the history of those times We have been especially interested in the evidence given in these collections, of the liberal sentiments of the early Baptists in this country on the subject of open communion. In the Church Covenant of the first Baptist church gathered in the province of Massachusetts, it is declared: "That union to Christ was the sole ground of their communion with each other, and that they were ready to accept of, receive to, and hold church communion with, all such, as in a judgment of charity, were fellow members with them in their head Christ Jesus, though differing in such controversial points, as are not absolutely and essentially necessary to salvation." Accordingly they were accustomed to invite the Congregational churches to unite with them in the ordination of their ministers and in other acts of communion. Mr. Callender urges these usages upon the Baptists of his time in a discourse preached in Boston, 1738.

It is known to many of our readers that Dean Berkeley, afterwards Bishop of Cloyne, the author of the "Minute Philosopher," etc., resided some time in this country. In a letter of his to a friend in Dublin, dated Newport, R. I. April 24, 1729, occurs the following remarkable account of a town, which appears to have been as large 111 years ago, as at the present time. "The town of Newport contains about six thousand souls, and is the most thriving place in all America for bigness. It is very pretty and pleasantly situated."

9.-Elementary Geology. By Edward Hitchcock, Professor of Chemistry and Natural History in Amherst College, and Geologist to the State of Massachusetts. Amherst: J. S. and C. Adams; 1840, pp. 329.

The science of Geology has, for many years, excited much interest in different countries of Europe. The first of European philosophers have pronounced it to be second to Astronomy only, "in the magnitude and sublimity of the objects of which it treats." It has lately attracted much attention among us. Full courses of lectures are given upon it in all the best of our colleges. Popular lectures on this subject are eagerly sought for in our cities and large towns. Geological surveys have been instituted by the governments in most of the states, and nearly or quite completed in some of them.

The results of these have given to this science an economical importance beyond that of almost any other. And while these facts are an evidence of the degree of interest in the subject which already exists, they also tend, at the same time, to excite a still greater one. Under these circumstances, the appearance of this volume from the pen of Professor Hitchcock will be peculiarly gratifying to many in the community.

This work, like that of Dr. Lee, noticed in our April No., is designed to be used as a Text-Book for classes in Geology, in colleges and other seminaries of learning, and, also, to supply the wants of the general reader, who has not the leisure to study the numerous and extended treatises that have been written on different branches of this subject. The plan of it, we think, is admirably adapted to the first of these uses, and nearly or quite as well suited to the second. It enables the author to give a full, and, at the same time, a very condensed view of the facts, theories and hypotheses of the science, together with its religious, historical and geographical relations. One of the peculiarities of this work consists in the abundant references which it contains. These answer as an index to all the valuable works which have been written on subjects connected with Geology, and will very much facilitate the labors of those who wish to make extended investigations in the science. More than a hundred wood-cuts are inserted, illustrative of the structure of the earth and the reasonings of the science. It is, also, ornamented by a Palaeolontological Chart inserted as a frontispiece, the object of which is, "to bring under a glance of the eye the leading facts respecting organic remains." We will only add concerning the contents of the work, that one whole chapter, out of the eleven into which it is divided, treats of the connection between Geology and Revealed Religion. It forms a valuable summary of the various arguments and reasonings that have been advanced on this interesting topic.

We are sorry we cannot speak favorably of the manner in which this work is got up. Besides numerous typographical errors, the paper and print are of an inferior quality, and the wood-cuts are not well executed.

10.-German Literature, translated from the German of Wolfgang Menzel. By C. C. Felton, Professor in Harvard University. In three volumes. Boston: Hilliard, Gray & Co., 1840.

These volumes form the seventh, eighth and ninth in Mr.

Ripley's Specimens of Foreign Standard Literature. This series of books is handsomely printed, and, what is far more uncommon, well translated. Mr. Ripley, the translator of the earlier volumes, is an accomplished scholar in the modern languages. Professor Felton is the well known and able editor of Homer's Iliad, and is a frequent and popular writer in our principal periodicals. So far as we have examined the translation of the volumes of Menzel, we find the work done with remarkable tact, spirit and adroitness. The translator acknowledges his obligations to his friends, Professors Beck and Longfellow, for their kindness in helping him over the difficulties of his undertaking.

The author of these entertaining volumes, Wolfgang Menzel was born at a village in Silesia, June 21, 1798. He studied philosophy at the Universities of Jena and Bonn. In 1825 he formed a connexion at Stuttgard with the great bookseller Cotta. In 1823, he was elected a member of the legislature. He first made himself known to the literary world by some poems, published in 1823. His history of Germans appeared in 1827. A second edition in one large volume was issued in 1834. His work on German literature, published in 1828, gave a brilliant proof of the originality and universality of his intellectual powers. This work has been very well received in England, and been strongly commended by the most respectable periodical publications there. One English critic compares the author to Burke; and one of his own countrymen said of him, that he wrote like an Englishman. "He is, undoubtedly," remarks his translator, "a writer of extraordinary vigor and clearness, and his style occasionally rises to eloquence. His power of illustrating his ideas by the ornaments of fancy is almost unrivalled." On the other hand, he is often careless; he sometimes descends to coarseness and vulgarity. He occasionally allows the violence of party feeling to blind his better judgment. What he says of Voss and Goethe must be taken with no inconsiderable deductions. Against the last writer he maintains a vigorous and most unrelenting warfare. He denounces with a bitter pen, the idolatry with which almost all Germany have worshipped the "many-sided," though by no means "the most distinguished" man of his age. The moral character of neither Schiller nor Goethe, we fear, will stand a very close examination; though the latter, doubtless, is the more guilty. What Menzel says of his political offences needs large qualifications. The fine criticism, however, will amply repay a perusal. Menzel brandishes alike a heavy claymore and a keen scimetar. He can knock down with the

ponderous blow of Ajax, and wound with a fatal elegance and a practised adroitness.

The religious reader will find not a few things in these volumes for which he will thank the author. Menzel has no patience with the cold hearted neologists around him. The religion of Germany wants fire. It is learned, but heartless. It is simple, soothing, flattering, but inefficient. The preachers are not clothed with the terrors of the Almighty. They ought to sound an alarm in God's holy mountain.Such advice, coming from a layman of keen wit, of splendid talents and wide acquisitions, must be felt. The hatred which it has aroused is proof enough that the shots are not at random.

The volumes will furnish one important contribution to our materials for estimating the German character aright. We have the full verdict of a German in the premises: a verdict too which is, perhaps, as impartial as could be expected. We have been far too ready to condemn the Germans by wholesale, to laugh at them without any discrimination; or else, which is a more rare case, applaud them too inordinately. 11.-Introduction to the French Language; comprising a French

Grammar, with an Appendix of Important Tables and other matter; and a French Reader, consisting of Selections from the Classic Literature of France, accompanied by Explanatory Notes, and a Vocabulary adapted to the Selections. By David Fosdick, jr. Andover and NewYork: Gould, Newman and Saxton; 1840. pp. 402.

The principal difficulty in the French grammars which we have attempted to study, is their plethoric fulness. They were made by Frenchmen for Frenchmen. We can imimagine scarcely any thing so preposterous, as that we should undertake to write an English grammar for Germans and Frenchmen. We should not meet their wants; we might, indeed, say something about the pronounciation of the s and the th, or the enormous or rather abnormous character of some of our verbs; but, on the other hand, we should multiply superfluous remarks and be guilty of manifold deficiencies. We do not understand the French idiosyncrasy, or what a Frenchman considers to be the knotty points in our language. Wanostrocht's French grammar is a perfect wilderness. To the eye of the tyro, at least, it is an inextricable labyrinth of rules, exceptions, exercises, criticisms, etc., without any clear, typographical divisions."

Mr. Fosdick has avoided this serious embarrassment both in his German and French grammars. The typographical arrangement is distinct. The pages are not encumbered with useless or less important matters. Their appearance is inviting. The author has not introduced exercises for practice in writing French, because a grammar does not appear to be a very suitable repository for such exercises. The learner will do better by translating some easy French into English, and when he has forgotten the words of the original text, he should re-translate the English into French. The grammar of Mr. Fosdick occupies about three-fourths of the volume. About fifty pages are taken up with selections from French literature, and the same number of pages with the vocabulary. The lessons are firm standard writers, such as Boileau, Rousseau, Pascal, Fenelon, Montesquieu, De Sevigne, Condorcet, Maury, La Harpe, Lamartine, Bossuet, Massillon, etc. The selections have been made especially from those authors who furnish a convenient opportunity of presenting entire pieces, or, at least, extracts not unintelligible when withdrawn from their connection. There are various explanatory notes which refer to principles in the grammar by which they are iliustrated. A somewhat minute account is very properly given of French pronunciation. This is one of the principal obstacles which a foreigner meets in acquiring the language. Upon a prominent peculiarity of the grammar-the incorporation of the syntax with an account of the etymology, or of the forms of words, we do not feel authorized to pronounce an opinion. 12.-Views of the Architecture of the Heavens. In a series of

letters to a Lady. By J. P. Nichol, L. L. D., F. R. S. E., Prof. of Practical Astronomy in the University of Glasgow. Republished from the last London and Edinburg Editions: to which has been added Notes, and a Glossary, etc. by the American publishers. New-York: H. A. Chapin & Co.; 1840, pp. 138.

The wonderful discoveries of Modern Astronomy claim the attention of all classes. Though intensely interesting to the man of science, they can be clothed in a popular form. In proof of this we have only to appeal to the work before us. While most of these discoveries, particularly those revealed by the late researches in firmamental nebulæ are confined to learned and elaborate treatises, this volume, the publishers justly remark, "is indited in plain but glowing and elevated language, comprehended by, and alike inspiring to all." The author takes us into the very centre of the mighty frame