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tend to read it through, and Providence permitting, to express our views more at large on the important and delicate subjects of which it treats in a future Number of the Repository.-In the mean time we commend this interesting and very seasonable publication to the diligent and devout use of the ministers and members of our churches of different names, whom the Saviour prays and commands to be ONE.

10.-A New Translation of the Hebrew Prophets, arranged in chronological order. By George R. Noyes. Vol. III., containing Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Jonah and Malachi. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1837. pp. 294.

Mr. Noyes has now accomplished a translation of all the prophetical books of the Scriptures. He has persevered with most praiseworthy diligence, though, we regret to say, that but limited support has been yielded to his works. Much benefit in the way of understanding some of the most difficult portions of the Scriptures can be derived by all classes of readers in an examination of these translations. They embody some of the results of the most recent investigations which have been made in Germany in the Hebrew Scriptures. The notes are very brief. We are sorry that some things are to be found in them which show that Mr. Noyes has a very low opinion of the inspiration of the Bible, and which will preclude a large class of readers from obtaining much instruction from what is really valuable. Read the following: "Respecting the comparative merits of Ezekiel as a writer, there has been a considerable diversity of opinion, as may be seen in the remarks of bishop Lowth upon this prophet, in his Lectures on Hebrew Poetry, and the note of Michaelis. To me the judgment of Michaelis appears in this instance to be more correct than that of Lowth. Undoubtedly there are to be found in Ezekiel some striking passages, such as the vision of the dry bones, some great thoughts, such as that in 36: 26, and many bold images. But in general he wearies the reader by endless amplification and frequent repetition, and sometimes disgusts by his minuteness of detail in the delineation of gross images. One illustration, which Isaiah has despatched in a single verse, or a single expression, Is. 1: 21, Ezekiel has spun out into whole chapters, so as to lead us to wonder at the state of society, when such things would not be offensive to the taste of a writer of genius and his contemporary readers. See ch. xvi. and xxiii. His visions and allegories sometimes dazzle and confound rather than impress and instruct us, though it may be said that his contemporaries may have attached a meaning to them, where we cannot. Yet he was himself so sensible of the obscurity of some of his emblems and allegories, that he gives a verbal explanation of them. Some of his emblems are forced and unnatural, and there occurs occasionally

something ludicrous in their want of appropriateness, as when he takes an iron pan, and lays siege to it, as the emblem of enemies besieging the wall of a city. His language is generally prosaic, prolix, and without strength. There may appear to some readers a want of reverence in thus speaking of the style of the prophet; but since the time of bishop Lowth the style of the sacred writers has been regarded as their own, and made the subject of criticism, and in my opinion great injury is done to the just claims of the sacred writers by extravagant and indiscriminate eulogy." Such things require no comment. Far distant be the time when our theologians shall learn to think and write so irreverently of men who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost! Mr. Noyes's views of the prophecies of the Old Testament in relation to the Messiah accord with those held by many in Germany, but which we hope will never have currency among us.

10.-The Family Preacher; or, Domestic Duties illustrated and enforced in Eight Discourses. By Rev. Rufus William Bailey, of South Carolina. New York: John S. Taylor, 1837. pp. 158.

The subjects discussed in this volume are the "duties of husbands, of wives,-of females,-of parents,-of children,-of masters, of servants." The sermons are short, and written in a finished and flowing style, which is at the same time simple and intelligible. They are of a highly practical character and well adapted to family reading.

11.—A Mother's Request. Answered in Letters of a Father to his Daughters. Philadelphia: Joseph Whetham, 1837. pp. 264. This little volume is neatly finished in all respects, and is creditable both to the author and the publisher. Though published anonymously, it is from the pen of the Rev. R. W. Bailey of South Carolina, the author of the "Family Preacher," which we have noticed in a preceding paragraph. The preparation of these letters was the result of one of those mysterious providences, of not unfrequent occurrence, by which the mother of a young and dependent family is removed by death. This affliction in the present instance was attended with circumstances of thrilling interest, and the "Mother's Request," previous to her departure to a better world served to impress upon her surviving husband a still deeper sense of his parental responsibilities. Thus urged by a sacred regard to the wishes of his departed companion, on the one hand, and by the tenderest sympathies on the other, he has given expression to his parental solicitude in a series of excellent counsels, contained in forty-three letters to his daughters. The topics appear to be judiciously selected, and the sentiments of the book are conceived in a subdued and chastened

spirit, are expressed with elegance and neatness, and breathe the tone of piety throughout. It is worthy of an extensive circulation, and cannot fail to be read with profit by the sons and daughters of affliction.

ARTICLE XIII.

SELECT LITERARY AND MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE.

UNITED STATES.

We have received the first sheets of Prof. Bush's Exposition of the books of Joshua and Judges. His main object is to afford facilities for the correct understanding of the sacred text-to aid the stu dent of the Bible to ascertain with exactness the genuine sense of the original. Though the general aspect of the book is critical, yet practical remarks have been inserted to such an extent as to adapt it happily to popular use. One of the excellencies of the author's commentaries on the Scriptures is that he grapples with the really difficult passages, instead of adroitly passing them over, as some commentators do, with a cursory practical remark. We are glad to learn, that it is Prof. Bush's purpose to go over all the historical books of the Old Testament on the same plan. The book of Genesis is already in a considerable state of forwardness.

The first part of Prof. Nordheimer's Critical Grammar of the Hebrew Language has come to hand. It is printed at New Haven by B. L. Hamlen, and apparently with great accuracy. The paper is good and the whole appearance is neat and prepossessing. The work will be completed in two volumes, of about 300 pages each. The first volume, (the first part of which of 120 pages is now published,) will contain the whole of the Grammar as far as the Syntax; the second will contain the Syntax, and a grammatical analysis of select portions of the Scriptures, of progressive difficulty, including those portions usually read in the principal institutions of this country. The whole will be published in the course of the present year. The price of the two volumes will probably be about six dollars.

A small volume has just been published by Gould & Newman, entitled, "Thoughts on a New Order of Missionaries." We have not read the volume, and cannot speak of its merits. It does not propose to interfere at all, as we understand, with existing missionary organizations, but advocates the adoption of means for sending out pious physicians into all portions of the heathen world. The subject is important, and we have no doubt the book will attract attention.

We have received a short communication from a "Friend of Truth and Justice," requesting us to correct a remark which we made in our introductory article in January, 1837, in relation to the British Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. We there stated that at the time when this Society was publishing the Bible in two languages, the British and Foreign Bible Society were publishing it in 150. Our correspondent suggests that the former society does not, like the latter, limit its operations to one department of effort but that its labors embrace schools, missions, distribution of the Bible, and other books, translation of the Bible, lending libraries, and the relief of temporal necessities. Our correspondent also suggests that the former Society had accomplished a great amount of good before the rise of the Bible Society in 1804. In 1711, the Christian Knowledge Society had given instruction to nearly 5000 children; in 1761, it had established upwards of 1400 schools, in which were 40,000 children, in England and Wales, besides similar schools in Scotland and Ireland, and had in 1784, planted a number of missions, etc. We have only to say, in justification of ourselves, that the facts in our article were taken from Mr. Choules's Origin and History of Missions, that taking all the labors of the Christian Knowledge Society in view, at any one time, since the Bible Society was formed, it has exhibited much less energy than the latter, and that what energy it has possessed, has been apparently much augmented by the establishment of the Bible Society. These were the positions taken in our article, and we think the facts will warrant them, notwithstanding the suggestions of our correspondent.

A new edition of Prof. Stuart's Hebrew Chrestomathy and also of his Grammar of the New Testament Dialect will be published during the present year.

We observe that the Rev. Dr. Adams, president of the college of Charleston, S. C. has published a new work on Moral Philosophy. We hope to be able to give it an extensive review hereafter.

Prof. Hitchcock of Amherst College has published De La Beche's excellent Manual of Geology, with additional notes and illustrations.

PERSIA.

We have just received the following items of information from Mr. Perkins of Ooroomiah. "You inquire respecting European travellers, now in these regions. I know of but few. Monsieur Auchet Eloy, a French botanist recently travelled through Persia and the adjacent regions. He had gathered a large and very valuable collection of botanical specimens, and had reached Constantinople on his return; but in that city of conflagrations, his lodgings took fire, and his collection of plants and flowers-the fruits of almost endless toil-were all consumed in the flames. I think he will repeat his botanic excur

sions, in these regions, as I believe it was his intention to publish. Mr. William Hamilton-a young English gentleman, has recently travelled in Asia Minor, and, I believe, to some extent, also, in Mesopotamia. He is a very able young man, and it is understood that he will publish the result of his travels. James Brant, Esq., His Britannic Majesty's consul at Erzroom, has travelled extensively in Asia Minor, and an interesting article from his pen, on the regions over which he has travelled, together with a map of the same, recently appeared in a periodical magazine of the Royal Geographical Society, published at London. I was kindly entertained by Mr. Brant, during my late visit at Erzroom, and he mentioned to me his intention of soon making a tour into Kûrdistán, the result of which he will doubtless be able to give to Christendom important information, respecting regions, which have never yet been visited by a European. The English embassy, in this country, are, at present, doing little of a literary nature. Its members are too fully occupied in political matters, to allow them the necessary time. Mr. Mc Neill, the ambassador, is a man of very high literary standing. Many interesting and able articles, from him, have, within a few years, appeared in Blackwood's Magazine. All the articles on Persia, that have been published in that work, are from his pen. The lithographic press, which was formerly at Tabreez, is now at Teherán, employed in publishing a periodical newspaper, under the auspices of the king. This is the first newspaper ever published in Persia-four numbers have been issued-and, though it is a small thing in itself, it is a day-star of glory for the civil regeneration of this country. It is edited by a Persian Meerza, who was once ambassador to England,-who speaks the English language and is ardently desirous to see the light and civilization of Europe introduced into Persia. And as this light rolls in, how important is it, that the gospel should come with it, and give it the right direction! We have nothing new, respecting Mount Ararat. On my late journey to Erzroom, I again passed along its base; and I never felt so strong a desire to ascend it as in this instance. The earliness of the season, however, forbade the attempt. The snow extended down, at that time, (May,) almost to its base. But I have no doubt that it may be ascended, on the north-west side, which is by far the least steep, with the aid of proper facilities and preparations, and at the right season of the year. In August and September the snow covers not more than one third of the mountain. The region west and south-west of Ararat presents striking indications of having felt the effects of former volcanic action. For a distance of fifteen or twenty miles the surface of the ground is almost entirely covered with stones, each weighing from five to ten or fifteen pounds, which give indubitable evidence of having been in a state of partial fusion.”

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