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Dramatic Sketches and other Poems. By the Rev. JAMES WILLS, A.M. Dublin: Curry, Jun. 1845.

This is a small but pleasant volume, consisting, for the most part, of short pieces, occasionally published in periodicals. That Blackwood and the Dublin University have given them lodging is a considerable voucher for their respectability. There is a spark of the old Milesian vigour about them, which our welltried friends, Moore and Lover, have taught us to expect. What is better than all, the author appears to be a feeling and a modest man, who comes forward with no flourish of trumpets," but quietly, and very much in the guise of one who will take his meed of praise or blame with humility. We like a man to say of himself" I think it right to explain that, like many of the idlest acts of the most laborious lives, poetry has consumed no portion of mine which could be more usefully or appropriately employed."

The contents of this volume are three dramatic sketches, and several minor poems. Among the former, we have read "The Court of Darkness" with much pleasure. The idea is boldly conceived, and well worked out. The hatred which Sammael, the chief of the fallen angels, feels for his miserable associates in guilt and punishment, is a masterly delineation of the fruits of wickedness among men, not inappropriate to devils. The following lines are very good:

"SAMMAEL (musing).

"How livid consternation's many hues

Cloud their scarred brows with fear's deformity!
'Tis a fair sight, and soothes my wounded pride.
I love to gaze upon them thus-and muse
In calmness upon things that angels fear.

Ye worthless fiends, when I behold you thus,
Crouch terror-stricken at the name of that
Ye must substantially endure, I feel
Strange pity touch my bosom's adamant

To think how lost ye are. I could nigh weep
Over your hopeless fall; as the lone granite
Pours down the night dew o'er the desert sands,
As if it wept for their sterility

With softness not its own."

(aloud)

We are sorry that Mr. Wills has attributed the human feeling of "regretting sin" to his fallen angels, because we conceive that such is incompatible with evil and condemned spirits, who rather defy and despair: remorse even savours of repentance "Thoughts which can die not," for "Thoughts which cannot die," appears to us (to say the least) awkward English. "The Last Days of Nero," the second dramatic sketch, is longer than

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the former, and not quite so good. Howbeit, Mr. Wills has not read Tacitus to no purpose; there is much loftiness about the style of this poem. The fine old Roman describing death pleased us much :

"Life, my Caius,

Is as the bubble on some caverned stream,
That floateth gladly into golden morn :

At morn we meet our fathers."

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The terror of a bloody tyrant forced upon self-destruction is a fine subject for a more nervous description than the author has given us. On the whole, however, we like these dramatic sketches so much, that we advise him seriously to consider whether he could not write a good tragedy. We have no doubt he will be soon undeceived by the critics (perhaps by ourselves)," if he mistakes his turn, and we really think it is worth his while to consider the matter. "The Daughter of Time" is better suited to the readers of a magazine than to a volume of poetry. We never liked the political muse. We are of the old school, who cry- Arcadia for ever! no treasury and opposition benches!" But it is in minor poems that a man's turn of mind is to be traced. So Shakspeare is revealed to us; and so, in part, Mr. Wills. We think we discover in him a hatred of innovation and steam, which is vastly edifying, though we fear it comes too late. After all, perhaps, a poet is none the worse for this at least, the father of the nineteenth century song was not ashamed to let the readers of the Morning Post into his secret, when the lakes were threatened with "cold iron." The following lines are very beautiful-the fifth and sixth rather remind us of our eccentric friend, Jean Paul's, auricular sensibility, who heard in the evening "the ever-pealing tone of old eternity." They are headed "The Hours," and we conclude our short notice with them :

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"At early dawn, when from the eastern hill
The golden eye of morn awakes the prime,
And dewy mists, from lowland field and rill,

Breathe upward, while each bowery wild lies still:

Methought I heard the low-toned wheels of Time of sicia
Up the far dusk, keeping their way sublime,

Still constant on, while mortal labours stay; an

And hearing, sighed. 'Tis thus the moments keep d
Their fleeting course, and bear our lives away
With even swiftness, whether toil, or sleep,
Or pleasure, cheat us with supposed delay.

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Mocked by the still-paced round of night and day, 92067
They like the river to its far-off shoretics 1-lt
Through light from darkness glide once seen and sof
Seen no more."

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The Old and New Testament connected in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations, from the Declension of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the Time of Christ. By HUMPHREY PRIDEAUX, D.D., Dean of Norwich. With an Account of the Rabbinic Authorities, arranged Alphabetically, by the Rev. A. M'Caul, D.D., With Maps and Plates. London: Tegg. 1845. 2 vols. 8vo. A VERY neatly-executed and cheap edition of a most valuable work, which has long been duly appreciated by biblical scholars. Dr. Prideaux's connection is not merely a compendium of information convenient to the student, but it also lays open to him the sources of that information. Dr. M'Caul has enriched this edition with an account of the rabbinical authorities, from which the original author derived much important

matter.

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Thirty Lectures on Popery. By SAMUEL DUNN. London: Snow. 1845. Square 12mo.

Most literally multum in parco. We cordially recommend it to all who have not much money to spare for books, nor much leisure to read them.

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A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament. By the REV. S. T. BLOOMFIELD, D.D. Second Edition, greatly enlarged, 10and very considerably improved. London: Longman and Co. 1845.

12mo.

THE first edition of this unassuming but really valuable lexicon to the Greek Testament appeared five years since, and was noticed at the time of its publication. In preparing this new edition for the press, besides availing himself of every critical aid to which he could obtain access, Dr. Bloomfield has completely recast-we might perhaps say, almost re-written the work. At least one-sixth of new matter has been added. The etymological department of the work has been much improved. In the more important words of the New Testament, instead of bare references, which he had before given, the words themselves are now added, insomuch that the work in its present state may, in most cases, serve as a concordance to the Greek Testament. Great additional pains have further been bestowed in collecting from the Septuagint, and from the learned JewishGreek writers, Philo and Josephus, whatever is most adapted to illustrate the peculiar idioms of the New Testament. We regard this as a capital improvement. The typographical arrangement of the pages is also greatly improved. Altogether, this is confessedly the most useful, as it is the cheapest lexicon to the Greek Testament extant in our language.

An Exposition of the Church Catechism. By the Rev. JoйN STONARD, D.D., Rector of Aldingham, Lancashire. London: Whittakers.

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THE remark of the learned and pious Bishop Hall respecting catechetical instruction, at the close of a life spent "not unpainfully, nor unprofitably" in the service of his Divine Lord and Master, is entitled to the serious consideration of every minister of the Church who is anxious to "feed the lambs" of the flock committed to his charge. "There is no one thing (said that venerable prelate) of which I repent so much as not to have bestowed more hours in this public exercise of catechism in regard whereof, I would quarrel with my very sermons, and wish that a great part of them had been exchanged for this preaching conference. Those other discourses enrich the brain and the tongue-this settles the heart. Those others are but descants to this plain song. Contemn it not, my brethren, for the easy and noted homeliness: the most excellent and most beneficial things are most familiar." We cannot but regard the many helps afforded to the due discharge of this duty, in the numerous expositions which have lately appeared of that "form of sound words," our Church Catechism, as amongst the most encouraging "signs of the times." We may take it as an indication that this invaluable exercise is now more generally appreciated according to its real importance. Of the expositions alluded to, that which stands at the head of this notice deserves a very distinguished place, as well for the fulness of its instruction upon all the points of the Catechism, as for the soundness of its lessons. It breathes the spirit of the incomparable liturgy and formularies of our Church, and is as a beacon-light, guarding against the errors of Popery on the one hand, and the various systems of Dissent on the other. It contains many. illustrative historical notices, both from the Old and New Testaments; a compendious view of the evidences for the truth of our holy religion; and (what has ever been considered a desideratum in our Catechism) an account of the constitution of the Church, and the grounds of its ministry, under the article of the Creed "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church," abridged from the author's valuable volume "Six Sermons on the Church," &c. This "Exposition" is, in fact, a compendium of sound theology. The system of question and answer is sustained throughout in so lively and animated a manner as can hardly fail to interest the attention of both catechist and catechumen. The reader may easily imagine himself in the presence of a venerable pastor, surrounded by the young and tender of his flock; and, like a "scribe well instructed unto the king

dom of God, bringing out of his treasure," for their spiritual sustenance, "things new and old.". We heartily wish that the minds of the young in our grammar schools, diocesan training institutions, and national schools, throughout the kingdom, were, imbued with its sound doctrine and holy lessons; and trust that the cheap form in which the work has been printed may secure its general distribution and adoption.

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Missions in Western Africa: being the first undertaken by the Church Missionary Society for Africa and the East. With an Introduction, containing, 1. A Sketch of Western Africa; 2. A Brief History of the Slave Trade; 3. Some Account of the Early African Churches; 4. A Condensed Survey of Missionary Exertions in favour of Africa. By the Rev. S. A. WALKER, Rector of Gallo, Meath. London: Longnians. 1845.

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THE notices of missionary efforts, for histories they can scarcely be called, are usually drawn up by those who have themselves been missionaries; and are, therefore, chiefly interesting to those who are already acquainted with that work and that field of operation which have been the sphere of their labours; and, writing under a consciousness of this, they omit many things which the general reader would wish to know, under the impression that such things are familiar to readers of missionary registers, and multiply or amplify topics which are rather of local interest and of temporary importance, than belonging to general history.

Mr. Walker is not a missionary; and has published this volume, as the first of a series of historic notices of all the various operations of the Church Missionary Society, in different quarters of the world. And he has selected Western Africa for the commencement, as being one of the earliest, and, as he conceives, one of the most important of their missions; not in the effects which have been already seen, but in those which we may reasonably expect:

"It has been suggested that I could have selected a more interesting district of the missionary field than Western Africa, for my first attempt to commend to public patronage the labours of the Church Missionary Society. I think I may meet that suggestion with a simple denial. It is impossible, I conceive, to overrate the importance of our West African mission: its effects, if the Lord continues to bless it, will be gigantic. In other countries the Gospel merely calls out members of the Church; but in Africa it is enlisting whole regiments of missionary soldiers; and sending them forth, armed and accoutred, to engage in deadly conflict with the demon of superstition, crime, and death; and the facilities afforded for this peculiar work are among the most remarkable evidences of providential arrangement which the history of the Church of Christ supplies."-(Preface vi.)

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