2. A Universal and Critical Dictionary of the English Language: to which are added Walker's Key to the Pronunciation of Classical and Scripture Proper Names, much enlarged and improved; and a Pronouncing Vocabulary of modern Geographical Names. By Joseph E. Worcester. &c. &c. Boston: Wilkins, Carter & Co. 1846. Royal 8vo. pp. lxxvi. 956. In the neighborhood of Boston, Mr. Worcester's Dictionaries are becoming the standard, at least for orthography and pronunciation, in our common schools, as well as in the higher seminaries of learning. How they are regarded in other parts of the country, we know not. It seems probable, however, that they will be eventually received as the current authority, in those respects, throughout New England; unless, indeed, some new work of the kind shall appear among us, under higher patronage. The present volume is a Critical Dictionary, as its title claims. It begins with an Introduction of nearly 80 pages, consisting of remarks on the principles of pronunciation, on orthography, some account of the origin, formation, and etymology of the English Language, its grammar, notices of its archaisms, provincialisms, and of Americanisms, and a brief history of English lexicography. The last 120 pages are occupied by a Key, enlarged from Walker's, to the pronunciation of Greek, Latin, and Scripture proper names, and by a catalogue of geographical names with their pronunciation. The Dictionary proper, which of course forms the bulk of the work, is very full. The authorities are generally named, for the sense that is given to the words respectively; and in cases of disputed pronunciation, the decisions of the different orthoepists are signified. We are not qualified to pronounce on the merits of a critical work of this kind. So far as we can judge, however, Mr. Worcester appears to have performed his laborious task with great faithfulness, with discrimination and good taste. We hope that, in a future edition, he will give us a still fuller catalogue of geographical names; for, in this branch of reading we are often at a sad loss how to frame our utterance aright. 3. Sacred and Miscellaneous Poems. By William B. Tappan. Boston: Published by Benjamin B. Mussey. London: Chapman, Brothers. 1847. 8vo. pp. 332. We admire the strong and thorough religious spirit, which is the distinguishing excellence of these poems. It is not of the effervescent kind, sparkling here and there, for the sake of effect; it is a steady, quiet and pervading vitality. On this account we commend them, notwithstanding a few occurrences of Trinitarian ideas, in rather an offensive and even shocking form. What could make Mr. Tappan so far forget the reverence due to God, as to write thus, of the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane ? up." pp. 20, 21. It is but seldom, however, that flagrant offences, like these, break the still current of piety, that runs through the whole of Mr. Tappan's volume. Generally speaking, we can commune with the heart of the writer, and feel the chastening spirit which breathes around him. But when we have mentioned this religious element, we have exhausted the praise that is due to the work. The poetry is seldom above mediocrity; shall we say that it is sometimes below it? The Muses have been sparing of their inspiration to the verse; there is hardly enough of imagination to give it life, or of poetic taste to preserve it from occasional awkwardness, and prosaic flatness. Though there seem to be some attempts at bril. liance, we may observe, what is really favorable to the character of the whole, that they do not conceal the mediocrity, nor will they be likely to mislead the reader into an undue admiration. The publisher has done his work better than the poet; the volume being one of the most tasteful, in respect to typography and binding, that, within our knowledge, have appeared this winter, from the American press. 4. Scriptural Temperance. A Sermon, delivered in the Hollis Street Meeting-House, Boston, on Thanksgiving-day, Nov. 26, 1846. By David Fosdick, Jr., Minister of Hollis Street Society. Published by Request of the Society. Boston: W. Warland Clapp & Son. 1846. 8vo. pp. 26. 66 66 "Why, Riding in the country, some years ago, we saw a church, a little out of the village. Hallo, Friend, what church is that?" asked we. "It belongs to the Jug-Baptists, Sir." 'Well, but who, in the name of Legion, are the Jug-Baptists ?" Sir, they had a long fight with the old Baptist Church, down yonder, because it went against the rum-jug," "said he," and now they've left, and settled a minister of their own to preach against the temperance folks." The Sermon, mentioned above, seems to have been addressed to a sister Jug-Church, and is valuable as the only theological ex position, we have seen, of the tenets of this tribe of our Israel.Logically, its doctrine would be that temperance is moderate indulgence, and that we ought to practise this in all things, (pp. 8, 9.) -that we ought to indulge moderately in slave-holding, rum-selling, rum-drinking, war, and other evils. But apparently, its meaning is, only, that we ought to be moderate in condemning these sins, while, on the other hand," we ought to speak out, against the intemperate demeanor" of those who are trying to check slavery, rum-selling, rum-drinking, &c. It is written in familiar style, with a fair appearance of scholarship; and is illustrated by a number of texts from Shakspeare's Plays, which would seem to be the Sacred Books of the tribe. We looked, in vain, for that very apposite passage, "If I had a thousand sons, the first human principle I would teach them, should be, to forswear thin potations, and addict themselves to sack." Is this an interpolation in our secular copies ? 5. The Universalist's Assistant; or an Examination of the principal Objections commonly urged against Universalism, &c. &c. By a Believer. Boston: Abel Tompkins, 38, and B. B. Mussey, 29 Cornhill. 1846. 18mo. pp. 234. Though we have not had leisure, as yet, to give this little book a thorough perusal, yet we are satisfied, by a cursory inspection, that it may be safely recommended, and that it will do good. Its brevity will be a convenience with such as are stinted with respect to time. The peculiarity which distinguishes its plan, from that of other works published among us with a similar purpose, is two-fold: 1. It takes Universalism, in its broad and true sense, as the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of all mankind through Jesus Christ, without confining it either to the particular theory of universal salvation at death, or to that of a limited future punishment; and 2, the subject is treated chiefly by way of answer to objections which have been made against the doctrine. So far as we have read, the work is written in a style of perfect candor, and apparently with a spirit of impartiality not always found in polemic treatises. To our taste, there is rather too great an array, of cheap, second-hand Greek criticism, such as any body may write, who has learned the alphabet, and got a few current English works in point. We, Universalist authors, flourish considerably with this sort of learning, for want of better, and sometimes make whole Greek Indices to our books, no doubt to the admiration of the "natives." But for ourselves, having partially repented of some early misdemeanors of the kind, we intend, by way of expiation, to lash every one who yields to " the sin that doth so easily beset us." We have a rod in pickle for some of our brother offenders, and are biding our time to lay it on. We do not mean that the fault alluded to, is such as to impair the usefulness of this work; it only offends against what we call good taste. On opening at the last page, where we usually begin to read, and seeing in the margin, a word which we thought was never affixed but to Greek editions, what was our joy in supposing that some friend had sent us a clean and handsome copy of one of the Greek fathers! A little irritation may be forgiven us, in the disappointment of finding it an English book, after all. 6. A System of Moral Philosophy, adapted to Children and Families, and especially to Common Schools. By Rev. D. Steele, and a Friend. Boston: James Munroe and Company. 1847. 18mo. pp. 80. This little work appears well to deserve the patronage to which it aspires. It is perfectly simple in its plan and execution, intelligible we think even to children, and yet written in a style by no means distasteful to persons of mature age. The striking illustrations with which it abounds, drawn from every day's experience and from universal consciousness, render it peculiarly interesting, and suggest, to all readers, some of the most important lessons of practical life. We cannot better describe its moral character, than by the following words from the commendatory notice of Rev. Dr. Bond, editor of the Christian Advocate and Journal, New York: "The authors base the whole system of morals on the one law of love, illustrating and applying this law to every feeling of the soul, and every relative duty of life. The code is complete; the obligation to obey it, and the benefit of obedience, are clear, and are cogently enforced, and the necessary, unavoidable consequences of disobedience to this law are shown to be suffering-mental or corporeal-in all cases. They cannot be prevented or evaded." We recollect but one word in the book, to which we should object, (p. 28.) But so great are its excellences, so thoroughly sound is its general doctrine, and so pure the influence it must exert, as to make us forget a single questionable expression. We earnestly commend the work to the patronage of all who feel an interest in the moral education of the young. 1847.] Analogy between the Present State, &c. 113 ART. VII. Analogy between the Present State and the Future. OUR views, on this interesting topic, have been so well presented and argued by others, in former volumes of this publication, that we should be obliged to repeat much of what they have said, were we to go over the whole ground. We shall, therefore, devote a large part of our labor, here, to the general principles involved in the subject, and to some incidental questions that have been associated with it; contenting ourselves with a briefer statement, when we come to the central points in the case. For a more thorough illustration of these, it will be sufficient to refer to the articles in which the work has already been done, with so much ability and completeness. Perhaps the term, analogy, has incurred some odium, in the controversies that have risen on the subject. Still, it seems expedient to retain it, here; because that, whether it be the best word that could be chosen for the purpose, or not, it has been so commonly employed in this connection, as to have become familiar to our readers, in the general purport at least that we have in mind. Its particular use, too, has been already explained, 1 as carefully, perhaps, as we should be likely to define that of any other term, were we to select anew. 1 A few words, however, to guard against hasty misapprehensions, may not be out of place. By analogy, we mean, here, not any merely casual resemblance between the two states of our existence, but the action of some principles and laws that must be common to both, such as are necessary to man in all possible circumstances, as a human being under the divine government. It is important to mark this definition, at the outset, because it appears to have been sometimes overlooked. For a like reason, it may be well to observe, also, that analogy must not be 1 Universalist Quarterly, vol. ii. Art. xxii. pp. 255, 257. |