Floreston; or, the New Lord of the Manor. A Tale of Humanity; comprising The History of a Rural Revolution from Vice and Misery to Virtue and Happiness. Dedicated to the Landed Proprietors of the United Kingdom. London Rickerby, 1839. 8vo. pp. 394.

If this work is intended as a satire on the modern socialistic reformers of society, it is very clever. The writer has completely got their tone. The way in which the church, the universities, the aristocracy, the rural magistracy, the labouring classes, are exhibited, is in perfect keeping. Under the old regime, everything in Floreston was wicked and miserable; but when Mr. Dovedale, the new lord of the manor, came and set to work, matters were set to rights in no time. The girls were all taught dancing and "calisthenic exercises," and "the labourers wash themselves all over in cold water in a morning (for which, and their evening attentions, every cottage was provided with a convenience at once simple and effectual,) all the year round before going to their work;-a simple, but invaluable privilege, which the All-bountiful has given us, whereby to guard ourselves against that slavishly dreaded calamity, catching a cold.' And on their return from their work in the evening, by a detersive warm-water, they removed those concentrated animal effluvia which are formed into a kind of crust of chilled perspiration upon the surface of the epidermis, or outer skin of the toilsome labourer. (p. 290.) To get rid of all nonsense among gentlefolks, where there were none else, the lord of the manor marries the maid of the mill by banns, and the miller's sons marry respectively the pluralist parson's daughter by his "honourable" pauper wife, and an heiress with contiguous property. All is mighty fine so far, as it was with Æsop's dogs till one of them spied the ring on the other's neck. But it becomes obvious that all these grand reforms are brought about by the most arbitrary tyranny, the most complete despotism, that can be conceived; and such as never would be submitted to by any population who had emerged from the lowest depth of ignorance, filth, and pauperism. The lord of the manor rules the roast pretty thoroughly; insomuch that, though "the gallant colonel and his lady were persons of a refined taste, and were what is called well connected, and had thoughts of settling at Floreston," yet, on going to reconnoitre, the gallant colonel was obliged to write word to his amiable lady, that they would not be permitted to do so without giving security for good behaviour; and to desire her to tell the shoemaker who had married her maid, that there was "but little chance for him" in the place, because "in admitting any craftsman to a settlement," Mr Dovedale made certain calculations of his own, as to whether he was wanted. Of course, the reviewer does not mean to say that all this is not in good keeping; and, indeed, the work would have been worse than useless without it; for that which people should learn from it is, that the real absurdity of all these Utopian plans is, that they require to be carried through by a complete despotism, which bad men would not submit to, and good men would tremble to see in the hands of petty landed proprietors, even though one in a hundred might use it for the benefit of his slaves. The good people of Floreston (not the "paupers," for there were very few whom unkind people

would call so, and there the very word was proscribed) were constitutionally in the same predicament as Polish villagers; and all this, and its necessity for the practical working of the humanity scheme, is very clearly and forcibly shewn. The reviewer, however, cannot help thinking that this was not the design of the writer, but that he is some person who, with a good deal of what is called cleverness, is soberly writing absurdities without being aware of it. A further evidence of this appears to be afforded by a very profane use of scripture language with reference to things most sacred, which, however characteristic, no well-meaning writer of burlesque would imitate, and which, even when a writer is an avowed infidel, is always a mark of a low mind and bad taste.

On Episcopacy. By the Rev. John Sinclair, M.A., F.R.S.E. Minister of St. Paul's, Edinburgh.

THIS is a reprint from Mr. John Sinclair's Dissertations on the Church of England, and is perhaps the most complete vindication of the doctrine of episcopacy that we possess. Every objection to the doctrine worthy of notice is fairly considered; all the strong points in its favour are brought prominently forward; the author's style is perspicuous, his order lucid, and his temper charitable. To the reviewer it appears that he does not sufficiently warn his readers not to expect in this or in any other doctrine of religion, demonstration. What is required is moral evidence; and the moral evidence in favour of the episcopal succession is every whit as strong as that which dissenters (Jones, for instance) are accustomed to bring forward as sufficient to establish the authenticity and genuineness of holy scripture. We all know that no man can, in the present day, obtain possession of a bishopric without being duly consecrated, because this is a law of the church. But this has always been a law of the church. We have, then, the same moral conviction of the fact in times past as we have in times present. In a revolutionary age, it is just possible that some irregularity may have taken place in one or two sees. To this historical point, therefore, it may be necessary to direct our attention. For example, in a history of our reformation, the papists have invented the Nag's Head Fable. This historical point, therefore, we are obliged to examine; and when we do examine it, nothing is more easy than to shew that the papists are falsifiers of history. How strange it is to find protestant dissenters, and, alas! some churchmen, too, while predicating of popery every evil under the sun, combining with them to propagate this atrocious falsehood, in order to damage the English church.

Practical Sermons. By the Rev. G. W. Woodhouse, M.A., Vicar of Albrighton, Salop.

THESE Sermons are excellent. They are evidently the production of a thoughtful, learned, pious man, who has only the one great object in view-the promotion of God's glory. His mind has risen above the narrowness and bigotry of the party who would seek to claim him as their own. The sermons entitled "The Times of Restitution," "The

Voice of the Departed," "Impending Judgment," must have made a deep impression on those who heard them, as they will on those who shall read them.

The Metropolitan Pulpit; or, Sketches of the Most Popular Preachers in London. By the Author of "Random Recollections," "The Great Metropolis," "Travels in Town," &c. &c. In two vols. 8vo. London: Virtue. pp. 338, 392.

"I HAVE," says this writer in his preface, "within the last six months, been most earnestly solicited by ministers and others of all denominations, and from all parts of the country, to write a work on the most celebrated preachers in London, on a plan similar to that of the two books already mentioned,"—that is, "Random Recollections of the Lords and Commons," and "Bench and Bar." Perhaps it is most charitable to suppose that this is a mere puff, which by a person of the denomination to which the author belongs, may be thought very allowable. He says, "I am sure that no one can infer from the book, either what minister I sit under, or to what denomination of Christians I belong." As to the precise nature or degree of his Christianity the reviewer does not pretend to judge; but his sect appears obvious, and one has no hesitation in expressing a full conviction that he belongs to the Paternoster-Row denomination. The book is made to sell; and if the object is not immediately accomplished, and the whole edition bought up by the morbid appetite for gossiping personalities which, according to his account, has called it forth, the reviewer will be very glad to help him off with a few copies, by recommending it to the readers of the British Magazine. By them he thinks it may be read with great advantage; and in fact it is a book which should be very attentively studied by all the educated and reflecting members, and more especially clergy, of the church of England. Of course they will not place implicit faith in all the statements; they will be disgusted by offal gossip about the affairs of very respectable men, and miserable (often stale) stories of the eccentricities of very odd and silly ones; they will often be amused with the ignorant, low-minded, absurdities of the author, and his genuine, unconscious self-conceit; but on the whole, the work presents materials-most ample materials-for every one who wishes to study the real state of what is called the religious world; or to learn how important that study has become for all who desire to promote true religion.

The Autobiography of Symon Patrick, Bishop of Ely; now first printed from the Original Manuscript. Oxford: J. H. Parker. 12mo. pp. 292. 1839. Ir is never necessary to tell people to read autobiography, for it is perhaps of all things the most popular; but when such a man as Bishop Patrick, living in such times as he did, writes an account of himself, and his intercourse with his contemporaries, in a pleasant, chatty style, and it is put into our hands in as elegant a form as art can give it, the book becomes perfectly irresistible. Take a specimen : "It was a very rainy night, when Dr. Tenison and I being together, and discoursing in my parlour in the little cloisters in Westminster, one knocked hard at the

door. It being opened, in came the Bishop of St. Asaph, to whom I said, 'What makes your lordship come abroad in such weather, when the rain pours down as if heaven and earth would come together?' To which he answered, "He had been at Lambeth, and was sent by the bishops to wait upon the prince, and know when they might all come and pay their duty to him.' I asked if my Lord of Canterbury had agreed to it, together with the rest. He said, Yea, he made some difficulty at the first, but consented at the last, and ordered him to go with that message.' "The next morning, Dr. Painan (a domestic of his Grace's) came to me about twelve o'clock, and told me with great joy what the bishops had done, and that the prince had appointed them to wait on him at three o'clock that afternoon. I asked if my Lord of Canterbury went with them, to which he replied, 'Yes, yes.' But hearing afterwards he was not there, I was much confounded. And when I saw the Bishop of St. Asaph, inquired of him whether I did not mistake him, the_archbishop not accompanying them as I thought he told me he would. He said I took him right, but the Lord only knew why he did not go along with them, for he had often since asked him why he did not, and he never would give him any reason." p. 139.

But, curious as these little morsels are, the reviewer has more pleasure in giving an extract relating to the personal history of the bishop than in dwelling on his politics.

"When I was at Astrop waters in the beginning of the plague year, there I met a young gentlewoman, grandchild to the Lady Durham of Borstall, who, indeed, was every way amiable, and attracted the esteem of all who were acquainted with her, insomuch that a lady who wished me well, told me that she would make me an excellent wife; to which I answered, she was much above me, and I must think of dying, and not marrying, intending to go and stay with my parish in London.

"Accordingly I did; and had no thoughts of this young gentlewoman; but about a year after, I was strangely surprised to see her come to my house in Covent Garden in so melancholy a manner that she could not speak, but only weep, and put a paper into my hand, which she prayed me to read. I presently found it contained a case about which she came to consult me. For having read my 'Parable of the Pilgrim,' she fancied I would have compassion on her; and resolving to consult a stranger and not any of the divines she knew, her thoughts pitched upon me, as her guide in the difficulties wherein she was. For her grandmother being a person of quality, a great housekeeper, and very religious, there was a great resort thither from Oxford to the place where she lived, six miles from thence. Among other, a grave divine came often thither, who undertook the direction of all the lady's grand-children in religion; but had a very particular regard to this, whose name was Penelope Jephson. He gave her many rules for her life, and many prayers, and tied her up very strictly in some things, beyond the common practice of other good Christians. To all which she devoutly submitted, and gave up herself so absolutely to his conduct, that at last he persuaded her never to marry; to which she found no difficulty to give her consent, having never felt the least desire of being joined to a man, though she was twenty years old. At last he drew up a paper in this form: I promise and vow that I will live a virgin and never marry any man except yourself.' The last words something startled her, and made her ask what made him put them in, he being an ancient man, and having a wife and many children. To which he answered, That it was no more than to say that she would not marry at all, because there was no likelihood of his marrying her.' The great opinion she had of him made her sign the paper, which he kept, but afterward, she, reflecting upon it, was extremely troubled, and acquainted only one friend with it. She encouraged her to come to me, and ask my opinion about it. I took a great deal of pains to satisfy her that she was not obliged by this promise to him, and vow (as I took it) to God; which was rashly made, and not acceptable to him. Whereupon she never ceased her importunities till he delivered up the paper to her, which she tore and burnt, and then broke quite off all intercourse with him, and consulted me about all things that concerned religion. This brought me into such an acquaintance with her, that I found her to be a person of such extraordinary understanding, piety, good nature, &c., that I fell in love with her, which I never had been with any one before. I concealed it all I could, because I had not an estate to maintain her suitable to her fortune and breeding. But I delighted to be much in her company, which I had

often after her grandmother was dead, and she lodged sometimes in Covent Garden, and then in Lincoln's Inn Fields.

"After I was advanced to be a Prebendary of Westminster, I adventured to declare myself more plainly to her, which she received with great civility, telling me she really intended never to marry, not out of any inclination to her vow, but out of inclination to a single life. But she prayed me to be assured that she wanted not true affection to me, whom she esteemed above all men, and loved me as a brother, but could not as a husband. Ever after she gave me leave to call her sister, and she styled me in her letters by the name of brother. My affection prompted me to say many passionate things to her, but nothing moved her from her steadfast resolution; only at last she declared and prayed me to be satisfied with it, that if she ever married any man it should be me, which gave me abundant contentment. After all this, I

did not cease to pursue her with kindnesses, and among other things, having preached a great many sermons about contentment, I transcribed them into a book handsomely bound, with a prayer suitable to each sermon, and at the end, two sermons on Michaelmas day, about the care which angels take of us. This I made a present to her, and it proved useful to her.

"The next year, in the middle of summer, I made her a visit in Gloucestershire, where she lived with a cousin of hers, married to a Mr. Sandys of Missenden, where I stayed three weeks, and then most unwillingly left her in the same resolution she always had of continuing a virgin. But on the 21st of October, 1674, I had a letter which informed me she was ill of a fever, and though a second letter told me awhile after that she was better, yet on the twenty-fifth a messenger was sent on purpose to tell me that she was in a dangerous condition, and wished often to see me; whereupon I hired a coach and went towards her the next morning early, but could not reach thither the next day. When I came betimes the third day, I found her alive, but in an extreme weak condition, the physicians not knowing what to make of her disease, though there were two of them constantly attending her; one from Gloucester and another from Cirencester. A little after I came she fell into such a drowsiness that she slept for five days together, seldom waking, and when she was awake, spake imperfectly, and presently fell asleep again. There being several dangerous symptoms upon her, I moved for a physician to be sent to her from Oxford, which was about thirty miles off. A messenger was sent thither, and Dr. Elliot came on the 5th of November, and gave her some troches of vipers to make her sweat, which he repeated next day, and stayed with her till the morning after, when he left her in some good hope of recovery. And blessed be God, she had got so much strength by the seventeenth, that then I took my leave of her, after I had attended her three weeks, and watched with her several nights.

"Her strength increased slowly in the winter time, (and she had a fit of an ague in December,) but her affection to me increased daily, so that she sent me word by her cousin that I had overcome her by my tender kindness to her in her sickness; and she resolved, if God restored her former health, she would no longer delay my suit, but give herself wholly to me, to whom, under God, she owed her life; and it pleased God by the middle of summer to restore her to such good health, that she consented I should come into the country to marry her."-p. 70.

The Poetry of the Pentateuch. By the Rev. John Hobard Caunter, B.D., Incumbent Minister of St. Paul's Chapel, St. Marylebone; and Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Thanet. In 2 vols. London: Churton. 1839. 8vo. THIS is an elaborate work on an interesting subject. Though Mr. Caunter speaks of his inquiries with modesty, he evidently gives the result of much thought and reading.

"The field upon which I have entered," he says, "though not altogether new, is certainly one that has been comparatively little trodden, and this only by men of profound erudition, who have rendered it almost exclusive ground, and so hedged it round with recondite speculations and philological subtleties, as to exclude many who, had it been rendered accessible to them, would have gladly entered upon so rich a domain to enjoy the ripe harvest of its invaluable produce. My desire has therefore been to lay it open to the spiritual enjoyments of the ordinary wayfarerto make it common property, where every earnest Christian may not only behold, VOL. XVI.-July, 1839.

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