deemer, and therefore books like this of Mr. Chapin, are calculated to fulfil a doubly beneficial mission by awakening Christians, in connection with their primary view, to a proper estimate of our dependence on the Saviour's life. We cannot close this hasty notice of "The Crown of Thorns," without a word upon the style of the composi tion. It is decidedly superior, as a literary production, to any volume which the author has published hitherto. There is more repose in the style, more compactness in the sentences, greater precision of language, and a muscular energy of expression, which characterize the practised and cultivated writer. The vigor of Mr. Chapin's imagination is suggested by every page, but it is held in check by his reason; and we have not noticed a single instance where it has been betrayed into any insubordination to the subject under discussion. There is not, we believe, one flowery passage in the book. The luxuriance of the author's fancy manifests itself not so much in rhetorical passages, and highly wrought imagery, as formerly, but in richness of statement and freshness of thought. He uses his poetic power not so often to adorn, but more frequently to vivify his page. His present style is marked by less violence of passion and more depth of feeling; less turbulence and more power; a less frequent effusion of sparks, but a glowing and fusing mental heat. In his earlier productions we see the stormy strength of an imagination, at times a little lawless in its play, like the ocean in a tempest, while now, under the more equal and serener light of his reason, it has less billowy foam but more of the calm ground-swell of the peaceful sea. It is rarely that we meet with a finer statement of a truth in published discourses, than the following passage from the sermon, "Our Relations to the Departed:"

"A great peculiarity of the Christian religion, is its transforming or transmuting power. I speak not now of the regeneration which it accomplishes in the individual soul, but of the change which it works upon things without. It applies the touchstone to every fact of existence, and exposes its real value. Looking through the lens of spiritual observation, it throws the realities of life into a reverse perspective from that which is seen by the sensual eye. Objects which the world calls great it renders insignif

icant, and makes near and prominent, things which the frivolous put far off. Thus the Christian, among other men, often appears anomalous. Often, amidst the congratulations of the world, he detects reason for mourning and is penetrated with sorrow. On the contrary, where others shrink, he walks undaunted, and converts the scene of dread and suffering into an ante-chamber of heaven. In this light, the apostle Paul speaks of himself and others, 'As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.' Indeed, all the beatitudes are based upon this peculiarity; for the true blessing, the inward everlasting riches, are for those who, in the world's eye, are poor, and mourning, and persecuted. Jesus himself weeps amid triumphant palms and sounding hosannas, while on the cross he utters the prayer of forgiveness and the ejaculation of peace.

ter.

No wonder, then, that the believer views the ghastliest fact of all, in a consoling and even a beautiful aspect; and death itself becomes but sleep. Well was that trait of our religion which I have now suggested illustrated at the bed-side of Jairus's daughWell did that noisy, lamenting group represent the worldly who read only the material fact, or that flippant scepticism which laughs all supernatural truth to scorn. And well did Jesus represent the spirit of his doctrine, and its transforming power, when he exclaimed, She is not dead, but sleepeth.'

6

Yes! beautifully has Christianity transformed death. To the eye of flesh it was the final direction of our fate—the consum. mate riddle in this mystery of being the wreck of all our hopes

"The simple senses crowned his head,

Omega! thou art Lord, they said;

We find no motion in the dead."

Ever, though with higher desires and better gleamings, the mind has struggled and sunk before the fact of decay, and this awful silence of nature; while in the waning light of the soul, and among the ashes of the sepulchre, scepticism has built its dreary negation. And though no mother could lay down her. child without taking hints which God gave her from every little flower that sprung on that grassy bed-though the inexhausted intellect has reasoned that we ought to live again, and the affections, more oracular, swelling with the nature of their great source, have prophesied that we shall; never, until the revelation of Christ descended into our souls, and illuminated all our spiritual vision, have we been able to say certainly of death, it is a sleep. This has made its outward semblance not that of cessation, but of progression-not an end, but a change-converting

its rocky couch to a birth-chamber, overcasting its shadows with beams of eternal morning, while behind its cold unconsciousness the unseen spirit broods into higher life. He fell asleep,' says the sacred chronicler, speaking of bloody Stephen, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,' said Christ to his disciples-and yet again, as here in the text, the beautisul synonyme is repeated, 'She is not dead, but sleepeth.''

While this improvement in the tone of Mr. Chapin's writings is very grateful to a critical taste, it is still more pleasant from the fact that it is connected with spiritual growth. Compared with former sermons of the author, this volume shows more spiritual insight, a deeper and more intimate acquaintance with the soul, and the finer provisions for its life contained in Christianity. If we may venture a judgment as to the influences that have moulded and directed his feelings and thought, we should say they were books like "Martyria," and the writings of Martineau; and that while their healthy spiritualism have harmonized with, satisfied, and strengthened his own view of the gospel, the mellow purity of the one, and the deeply shaded, ethical grandeur of the other, have united to educate his taste, and to give the chastened glow and earnest energy which now characterize his composition. Most heartily, then, would we recommend this little volume, and express our conviction that the Universalist public owe a debt of gratitude to its author for the influence which all his published writings have exercised in directing attention from doctrinal disputes to those spiritual elements of Christianity, a practical interest in which alone will give life and vigor to a sect, or peace and happiness to the individual soul.

T. S. K.

ART. XXI.

Literary Notices.

1. General History of the Christian Religion and Church: from the German of Dr. Augustus Neander. Translated from the Second and Improved Edition. By Joseph Torrey, Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy in the University of Vermont, &c. &c. Volume the First, comprising the First Great Division of the History. Boston: Published by Crocker & Brewster. London: Wiley & Putnam. 1847. Royal 8vo. pp. xxiii. 740.

WHEN we gave a notice, three years ago, of the American edition of Rose's Neander, we added, "It is said that Professor Torrey, of Burlington, Vt., is preparing, or has already prepared, a new translation, which, in many respects, excels that of Rose." This work has at length appeared, and it fully realizes all that was expected of it. The original is in the most untranslateable style of German; the sentences long, involved, and, though vigorous, winding through a complicate series of thoughts, with their vari ous modifications. But Professor Torrey has succeeded to render the whole into good English, with a precision that surprises us, and with an ease that makes us forget the difficulties of the orig. inal. Were we to select the best example we are acquainted with, of mastery over intractable German prose, we think we should fix on this. No one can compare it with Rose's version without perceiving its great superiority in clearness and point.

As we formerly gave our views of the general character of Neander's History, it only remains for us, at present, to mention, that this translation is made from a recent and much enlarged edition of the original; and that the second volume will soon appear. We confidently recommend it to all such as are prepared to use it, by a sufficient study of the elements of ecclesiastical history. When the translation shall have been completed, we hope to have an opportunity of speaking more at large on the merits of the work.

2. A Blind Man's Offering: by B. B. Bowen, &c. &c. Boston: Published by the Author. 1847. 8vo. pp. 432.

A book by a blind man! He will not thank us, however, for that note of admiration; for he tells us, in his preface, that "those who are acquainted with the extent to which the blind are

now educated, will have no difficulty in conceiving that one, without the aid of sight, could write a better work than this claims to be." It is, nevertheless, a creditable production, even if we lay out of our estimate the disadvantages under which it must have been composed. Several of the essays, of which it consists, treat of the blind, of their experience, peculiar character, and education, and of remarkable persons who have belonged to that class. One of these articles, that on the celebrated Sanderson, may be found in our No. for last January, and may be regarded as a favorable specimen of the author's work.

3. Review of the Life and Writings of M. Hale Smith; with a Vindication of the Moral Tendency of Universalism, and the Moral Character of Universalists. By L. C. Browne, &c. &c. Boston; Published by A. Tompkins. 1847. 12mo. pp. 360.

Whatever we may think as to the need of a defence against the Rev. Mr. Smith's representations, no one can deny that the work has been very thoroughly done in the book of which we have given the title. It is executed, too, in a style of moderation, that we hardly looked for in a review of such a "Life and Writings." Mr. Smith is an anomaly in the moral kingdom, and therefore a proper subject of study for those who are curious in their observation of human character. To all such we may recommend this Review, as pourtraying one of the most remark. able specimens that can perhaps be found. From our acquaintance with Mr. Browne, as well as from our knowledge of many of the facts he has reported, and from the documents with which other facts are sustained, we believe that all the material statements may be fully relied on.