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Yet some deem themselves fully competent to pronounce, with positiveness, on the signification of a text, or the intent of a prophecy, although they know but little of the laws of their own language, and nothing at all of those of the languages in which the Scriptures were penned. Piety is an excellent and a necessary qualification of an interpreter of God's word, but it is far from being the only one. Indeed a man may be a very pious, godly man, and yet be a very poor expositor of the sacred canon. But we intend no dissertation on this subject.

Professor Stuart's Hints are well worthy the careful consideration of philologists, and of all who profess to understand and interpret the Prophecies. For our own part, we are disposed to entertain the same views of the double sense with the author; and as to his rule for the interpretation of time, days, months, years, etc., we find more to favor it, than we had supposed we should. Yet, it has occurred to us, that God having once announced to a prophet, and he to the people, that a day stands for a year, it would be natural for the same people afterwards to recur to this announcement and put the same interpretation on expressions of time, in other prophecies. And, in this view it may be said that such would be the natural understanding, unless there were an intimation of the contrary, or the context imperatively demanded the ordinary acceptation of the terms. The subject calls for investigation.

8.-Dissertations on the Prophecies relative to the Second

Coming of Jesus Christ. By George Duffield, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Detroit. New York: Dayton & Newman. 1842. pp. 434.

This volume is no crude affair, nor the result of hasty thought, but is the expression of a mind used to close thinking, and thorough investigation. Mr. Duffield has made the prophecies a subject of study for many years, and has long entertained the opinion that Christ's second advent will be personal and pre-millenial. His subsequent and latest researches have confirmed him in this opinion and deeming it of much importance, he has here given to the world the reasons which operate in producing this conviction in his mind. Those reasons need to be well weighed, and coming from such a source, they will doubtless secure the atten ion they merit. The topics are- Duty of Studying the Prophecies -System of Interpretation-Outline of the Spiritual and Literal Systems of Interpreting the Prophecies-Traditionary

History-Principles applied and Second Coming of Christ shown to be Pre-millenial-Nature of the Day of JudgmentSeason and Signs of Christ's Coming-Skeptic's Objection.Under these topics there is no small amount of learning ex. hibited. We should be pleased to see the work reviewed.

9.-The Claims of "Episcopal Bishops," examined in a Series of Letters, addressed to the Rev. S. A. McCoskry, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Michigan. By George Duffield, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Detroit. Second Edition. New York: Dayton & Newman. 1842. pp. 316.

This volume, by the same author as the above, will unquestionably be read with interest. It is composed of sixteen Letters, addressed to Bishop McCoskry, in reply to a sermon preached by the Bishop, in which he undertakes to prove Episcopal Bishops the successors of the Apostles, with the exclusion of other Protestant ministers. Mr. Duffield was requested by a number of his people to notice the Sermon, as it seemed to require it. He consented, and has briefly and ef fectually gone over the ground of controversy between Episcopalians and other Protestant Churches. We cannot here enter into the details of the argument, but think our Episcopal friends will find it a hard bone to gnaw, and fear that, in the attempt, they will wear off some of their ivory teeth. From present indications, it will be necessary for us to be prepared to meet the assumptions of those, who claim for themselves all Apostolic gifts, and acknowledge no covenanted blessings without the pale of their own church. This book offers to those, who are disposed to look at the subject, a convenient panoply, in which they will be able to ward of all the darts of their opponents. We ought to say, that the Bishop's sermon is bound up with the Letters, so that both may be seen side by side.

10.-Life and History of Ebenezer Porter Mason; interspersed with Hints to Parents and Intructors on the Training and Education of a Child of Genius. By Denison Olmsted, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy in Yale College. New York: Dayton & Newinan. 1842. pp. 252. We are in this volume reminded, that the light dews of morning, which repose so gracefully on the petals of flowers

and spires of grass, and reflect so beautifully the early rays of the rising sun, soon evanish before those rays; and that some of the most lovely forms of earth fade soonest away. Such was E. P. Mason, the subject of this memoir. Of a delicate structure of body, of fine sensibilities, of pre-eminent genius, of soaring intellect, of high aspirations, earth was his home but a little while. He shone upon it like some brilliant dew-drop, reflecting the light of heaven, but soon passed away, into the atmosphere of the third heavens, and mounted among the stars, on which his admiring gaze was so often fixed. With how clear a vision, and with what amazing glory, must he now contemplate those reflections of the majesty of Jehovah!

Professor Olmsted says, with truth: "The impression made by his writings, is that of a disposition artless, affec. tionate, and benevolent; of a heart fraught with noble and exalted purposes, and strongly imbued by nature with the love of truth; and of intellectual capacities of the highest order and finest proportions."

11.-Elements of Chemistry. By Robert Kane, M. D., M. R. I. A. etc. etc. An American Edition, with Additions and Corrections, by John William Draper, M. D., Professor of Chemistry in the University of New York, etc. etc. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1843. pp. 704.

This work is arranged for the use of Universities, Colleges and Schools, and seems to us, on a hasty review of it, well adapted to the purpose. It is sufficiently extended to unfold the present state of the science in its different relations, and as brief as it could be without the omission of much that is essential an ordinary knowledge of Chemistry. The general principles and facts of the science are here unfolded and abundantly illustrated, and its applications to Physiology and Pathology are treated of in accordance with the present state of knowledge on this subject.

12.—Animal Chemistry, or Organic Chemistry in its applications to Physiology and Pathology. By Justus Liebig, M. D., Ph. D., F. R. S., M. R. I. A., Professor of Chemistry in the University of Giessen. Edited from the Author's manuscript by William Gregory, M. D., F. R. S. E., M.R. I. A. etc. New York: Wiley & Putnam. 1842. pp. 356.

A note at the beginning of the book says: This edition is

printed from the corrected London copy, and is complete, with all the additions.'

The application of Chemistry to Physiology and Pathology is comparatively a recent application of it, and, unquestionably, one of the most interesting. When this science comes to aid us in discovering the proper functions of our several organs, the exact relations of different kinds of food to the human organism, and their precise influences on disease; when it discovers that the fat of the animal system is made out of sugar, etc. etc., it is coming near home to all of us, and must awaken a new interest in the minds of intelligent persons. Let such read and study this book.

13.-" Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places." By Charlotte Elizabeth. With an Introduction, by the Rev. Edward Bickersteth. New York: John S. Taylor, & Co. 1842. pp. 298.

Charlotte Elizabeth's works have hitherto been among the most popular of foreign authors; and the present volume, we think, will be equally so. The subject is unusual in these days, but perhaps, for that very reason the more needful. And the fact that the authoress has taken the Bible as her only guide, without consulting commentators, will excite a special interest to know the results of her inquiries. Part I. treats of Evil Spirits. Part II. of Holy Angels. The nature and relations of both are fully considered; and we hope those who are skeptical on the subject of the Devil and his angels, will read this book, and ponder well the Scriptural evidence of their existence and activity. We are inclined to believe, that they have much more to do in the management of this world than has been generally supposed; and if they have, it is well for us to be aware of it. The fact that we cannot see an evil spirit, is no evidence of its non-existence-that we cannot feel it, no evidence that it is not nigh, even at the door of our hearts.

14.-The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. By Gilbert Burnet, D. D., late Lord Bishop of Salisbury. With the Collection of Records, and a copious Index. Revised and corrected, with additional Notes, and a Preface, by Rev. E. Nares, D. With a Frontispiece and twenty-two Plates, 4 vols. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1842.

D.

The publishers merit the thanks of the public for this

beautiful edition of Bishop Burnet's celebrated History of the Reformation. It is issued in four large octavo volumes, in large, clear type, and on good paper; so that those who read it in youth, and wish now, in old age, to re-peruse it, will find it well adapted to their impaired vision. This History has so long been a standard work among Protestants, and its character so well known, that it seems unnecessary more than to announce its re-publication. And yet we should be glad to dwell a little on its merits, had we the requisite space. We can only subjoin an extract from the editor's preface. "Scarcely any other book of equal importance, perhaps, stands so much in need of preliminary explanations, as this great work. And it must often, we think, have been a matter of just surprise to the readers of this History, that, in the editions hitherto published, the errors in the first and second volumes have been reprinted, which the author himself noticed at the end of the third volume. In the present edition, the text will be found corrected as it should be, and many explanatory notes added throughout the work." We must not omit to mention that the price of the four volumes is eight dollars.

15.-General History of Civilization in Europe, from the

Fall of the Roman Empire to the French Revolution. By M. Guizot, Professor of History in the Faculty of Literature at Paris, and Minister of Public Instruction. Third American, from the second English edition, with occasional Notes, by C. S. Henry, D. D. New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1842. pp. 316.

This being the third edition of the work, we shall be excused from repeating what has been said before, to recommend it to public attention. The author is so well known, and his talents so highly appreciated, that they are, in themselves, a sufficient recommendation. It is by no means an ordinary history, a mere tissue of facts; but rather, presuming the facts to be known, it is a philosophic generalization of them, an investigation of their causes and consequences, an embodyment of the spiritual of history, a revelation of the interior movements. Some such work needs to be studied in connection with more general histories, or rather subsequent. ly to a pretty thorough knowledge of the facts of any particular period. In this relation it is well adapted to become a text book in Colleges; we should say, in the higher classes.

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