ly, without noticing it, such a sterling and pecu-chievous, the sacrifice of time and labor on what liarly sympathetic exposition of the Epistle as that of John Gill. 30-Gowans Bibliotheca Americana, 5. New York: William Gowans. 1869. Octavo, pp. 125. Price $2.50. This is the general title of what is a re-print of George Alsop's very rare Character of the Province of Maryland, with an Introduction and copious historical Notes, by John Gilmary Shea, LL.D. It is the fifth of Mr. Gowans' series of reprints; and, although it is in modern type and, evidently, sometimes, modified in its spelling, punctuation, and use of capital letters, it is, in Doctor Shea's somewhat equivocal words, -except for the few who want accurate copies-"reproduced so nearly in fac simile, that little "need be said about it." The author of this tract was a London scalla wag of upwards of two hundred years agoa scallawag, too, who may, as Doctor Shea suggests, have come from England for England's good, though the agency of "an order of trans'portation, issued in the name of the Com"monwealth of England." At any rate, he went to Maryland in the Fall of 1658; was indentured to Thomas Stockett, a Planter, for four years; returned to England soon after the expiration of his term of service; and published this tract in 1666. The original is exceedingly rare; contains very little concerning Maryland history; and is chiefly important because of its Relation of the Susquehannah Indians. Its style, too, is exceeding ly extravagent; yet, with all its defects, as a very early memoir of the climate, productions, resources, etc., of Maryland, it must be very in teresting to all who read such books, although it may not be, historically, important. This re-print is from the Munsell Press and is very neat ; and it is judiciously edited, as far as it afforded an opportunity for any such service. It must be welcomed, therefore, by the few who are interested in the study of Colonial affairs in America, unto whom the original, from its rarity, has been generally a sealed book. 31-The Philosophy of Teaching. The Teacher, the Papil, the School. By Nathaniel Sands. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp 60. We do not know Mr. Sands nor are we aware of the character of his profession; but this volume clearly indicates that he is a man who employs his eyes and ears, whose judgment is admirable, whose knowledge of the nature and requirements of children is unsurpassed. are known as "classical studies; " and it insists that the teacher and the school shall be transformed the former from his position as a mere task-master, to that of a trusted companion and tried friend; the latter from a prison to that of a pleasant place of resort. It insists that Nature shall be employed in teaching, as well as Books; that natural flowers shall be used as "subjects,' as other "subjects" are used in the schools of anatomy; that animals and birds, also, shall take their parts as instructors; that "the farm, the 'factory, the shop, the counting-house, and the kitchen, should each have its type in the "school, and present to the minds of the chil"dren a picture of real life; " and it insists, too, that "their practice would impart a skill and 'adaptability to the pupils which would insure their preparedness for all the vicissitudes of the "most eventful life." 66 This very handsome tract contains a report of a lecture in which the speaker, from the Roman Catholic standpoint, contrasts Protestantism, under the term "Chaos," with Roman Catholicism, under the term "Order." From the speaker's position, this Address may have been quite effective before a popular audience of members of his own Church; but if, by the term "Protestantism," we are to understand a principle or set of principles, which are necessarily antagonistic to another principle or set of principles, represented by the Doctrines and Practices of "the Catholic Church," this Address is not what it might have been and, therefore, it is not what it should have been. The principles which are known in this Address as "Chaos," are neither uncertain, unmethodical, or chaotic-we wish we could say as much for the practices of many of those who profess to be controlled by those principles, which, because of the evident desire of those professors The volume before us treats of the science of to serve more than one master, at the same time, teaching; and it presents that science in a new are too often inconsistent and too generally chaand most attractive form. It condemns, as mis-otic. Thus, it is the corner-stone of "Protestant "ism," that the Bible is the only rule of faith and practise; yet we see the positive injunctions of that Bible deliberately disregarded by a majority of all who profess to be Protestants, on more than one branch of Christian practise the unfounded traditions of such fathers as John Knox, and John Cotton, and John Wesley, being made superior to the professed "Rule;" and duty being jostled and thrown from its seat by expediency and convenience. On the other hand, the principles which are known in this Address as Order," like the last, are neither uncertain, unmethodical, or chaotic— we should be pleased, too, if we could say as much for the creeds and practises of many who have profeseed or who now profess to receive and be controlled by those principles. This we certainly cannot do, in the face of either the records of the Past or the every day testimony of the Present; and, if we understand the matter aright, | the approaching Council is to be convened for the very purpose of stamping, as genuine and official, or of rejecting, as unworthy and unauthorized, certain Articles of Faith which, without due authority, have been and are unduly entertained or unduly disregarded by those who profess to be Catholics. If, therefore, Protestantism is chaotic because of the inconsistency of some who profess to be Protestants; so, too, is Catholicism equally chaotic because of the inconsistency of some who profess to be Catholics. Both, as far as these faithless ones are concerned, are alike chaotic; yet, despite these wanderers and triflers, on either side, the great antagonistic principles which underlie, alike, the true Catholic and the true Pro'testant, remain, alike, systematic and effective. We are free to admit, and we freely assert, that the great body of, so-called, "Protestants," " do not, in their every-day practises, take the Bible as the only Rule of their Faith and Practice, and that, so far, they are, in very fact, Roman Catholics; and we are equally free to admit, and we also as freely assert, that there are many, very many, Roman Catholics-males as well as females, Priests and Laymen as well as Sisters of Charity-whose purity of heart, and disinterestedness of conduct, and Christian uprightness of every-day walk and conversation, lift them above all mere party ties and stamp them, thus early, as of those who shall be the Lord of Hosts', in the day when he makes up his jewels. All this is true, yet the great fundamental principles of each, remain and will remain, uncompromisingly antagonistic, until the end of time. The individuality of man and his right of private judgment, limited only by the terms of the Scriptures, are pitted against the uncontrolled and uncontrollable supremacy, even concerning articles of Faith, of a hierarchy; and the accounta bility of every individual, directly, to God, is opposed to such an accountability, of each, indirectly, only, through the Church. The Bible, faithfully translated, as the only Rule of Faith and Practise, confronts the demand of an implicit and pri mary obedience to the declarations of the Church, and indirectly, to the pretence that the traditions of the Fathers, uncertainly transmitted, generation after generation, are to be received as standards, both in matters of faith and in matters of conduct. What that sterling Protestant, Anne Hutchinson, termed "the Covenant of Works," is openly and actively opposed, in the Catholic Church, to what she also termed, "the Covenant "of Grace;" and man's individual helplessness, in securing salvation, either for himself or for another, resists the Catholic belief in the efficacy of good works, either for securing one's own salvation or that of others. There is no half-way, neutral ground, between these opposing sets of principles; nor can there be any. There is no uncertainty in either: there is no " Chaos" in the one which is not also in the other: neither is there more or less of " Order" in one than in the the other. It is to be regretted that such pamphlets as this find places in the printed literature of the day. They serve no good purpose; and what may have been unintentional, very often becomes a source of animosity and wrong-doing. Like the greater part of Mr. Murphy's issues this tract is very neatly printed. 33.-Reminiscences of James A. Hamilton; or, Men and Events, at home and abroad, during three quarters of s century. New York: Charles Scribner & Co. 1869. Oo tavo, pp, x, 647. Many of our readers need not be told that the venerable author of this volume is a personal acquaintance of our own, of many years standing; and there are very few unto whom his Reminis cences will be more acceptable than to ourself. Mr. Hamilton is now more than eighty-one years of age; and, during his entire life, he has been brought into the company of distinguished men; been called upon to participate in notable events; and assisted in producing, therein, results which now are subjects of history. The volume before us is his own record of his own busy life, prefaced with a Chapter on the "Early life of Alexander Hamilton," his own father; and, although there is much in the volume which we should not have found room for, therein, and some things which we cannot think were published understandingly, the writer and student of history will find it exceedingly useful and not to be lightly dispensed with. We are not quite sure, as we have intimated, that Colonel Hamilton has not, sometimes, "let some cats out of the bag" which might have remained therein, more advantageously; yet, we need not feel displeased, nor are we disposed to find fault with him, for having done so. We love details: we like to see the original papers and, notwithstanding Mr. Hamilton has sometimes left his story while one-half of it was yet untold, sometimes thrown a mass of letters together without a connecting or an explanatory sentence, sometimes given us only one side of a correspondence without a word of explanation as to the other side, sometimes very provokingly introduced a name or a letter from some one of whom we would gladly hear more, we are thankful for his contribution to the secret history of the past seventy years; and hope for the speedy appearance of the next of the race. The volume is very fairly printed, without being entitled to be considered as handsome. 34.-Countess Gisela. By E. Marlitt. Translated from, the German, by A. Nahmer. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp. 125. Price 35 cenis. Breaking a Butterfly; or, Blanche Ellerslie's ending. By the author of Guy Livingstone. Illustrated. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp. 139 Price 35 cents. Henry Esmond and Lovel the Widower. By William Makepeace Thackeray. With illustrations by the author. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp, 133 and 60. Price 50 cents. Library of Select Novels, No. 325. Kingsly New York: Harper & Bros. 69. Price 25 cents. Hetty. By Henry 1869. Octavo, pp. No. 326. False Colors. A Ben ago; and the perusal of this volume serves rather to indicate the many changes which have occurred there, during that very eventful period, than to refresh our memory concerning matters which are no longer remembered without such a monitor. We see a few, very few, names on its pages which were familiar to us, when a boy; but the mass are those which are strange to us. Johnson and Ebenezer Mack, Robert Halsey and Luther Gere, William A. Woodward and Amasa Dana, Henry Walbridge and Levi Hubbel, Charles Woodruff and T. 8. Williams, and other familiar names no longer find places in the current village record of the Ithaca of to-day; and the places which they once filled are now occupied by others. The volume is a neat; and the map is very well executed. 36.-Edmund Randolph: a memoir, by one of his descendants. Richmond: W. H. Wade & Co. 1869. Octavo, pp. 17. A very satisfactory sketch of the life, and public services, and personal character, of one of the most eminent of Virginians. 37.-Walter Savage Landor. A biography. By John Forster. In eight books. Boston: Fields, Osgood & Co. 1869. Octavo, pp. viii, 693. A curious compound was this Walter Savage Landor, more curious, indeed, than Samuel JohnNovel. By Annie Thomas. New York: Harper & Bros. had a Boswell to narrate his singular character son, and much more of a mystery. The latter and his varied career: the latter is more fortuNo. 327. Meta's Faith. By the author of St. Clave's. New York: Harper & Bros. nate in having found a more judicious biographer 1869, Octavo, pp. 124. Price 50 cents. in Mr. Forster. 1819. Octavo, pp. 152. Price 50 cents. "Love me little, love me long." By Charles Reade. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp. 140. Price 35 cents. White Lies. A Novel. By Charles Reade. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869. Octavo, pp. 171. Price 35 cents. It is never to late to mend. A matter-of-fact Romance. By Charles Reade. New York: Harper & Bros. 1869, Octavo, pp. 242. Price 35 cents. In this formidable mass of well-printed volumes we have an ample variety of fiction, from various pens, for the amusement of those who need this class of amusement, either on the railroad, or on the piazza, or in the parlor; and the cost of it, as will be seen, is a mere trifle. 35.-Directory of the Village of Ithaca, both general and business. Containing, also, historical sketches of the principal public organizations of the place, together with an accurate village map. 1869-70. Compiled and published by G. Whitfield Farnham. Ithaca, N. Y.: Octavo, pp. 182. The Village of Ithaca was once our home; and therein still live some who are very near and dear to us. Our recollections of that village are those which were formed more than thirty years The volume before us is Mr. Forster's narrative of the life, the doings, and the character of Landor. It is one of the most skilfully written biographies, and one of the most fascinating, which we have ever read, notwithstanding the peculiarity of its subject; and we have found ourself insensibly reading its pages when we could poorly afford to expend our time in such an occupation. We can say no more, in favor of Mr. Forster's volume, than this. The volume is from Welch, Bigelow, & Co's University Press; and is very neatly printed. 88.-Moral Philosophy; or, the science of obligation. By James H. Fairchild, President of Oberlin College. New York: Sheldon & Co. 1869. Duodecimo, pp. 326. A short time since, we examined Doctor Hopkins's new treatise on morals; and now another aspirant for academic favor presents itself to our attention. Like most of its class, it originated in the Class-room of a College; and, like the greater number, it displays all the arbitrary inconsistency which distinguishes so many of the pedagogues of our country from those among whom they live. 66 ." tion, by ourselves, the test of the real merit of that action-we fear we should so far lose our As may well be supposed, the volume com- patience, (with our full approbation, too,) that, mences with a Chapter of Definitions, which its the President being our witness, while it would author opens with a candid admission of his own thus become necessarily virtuous to us, it would entire inability to define the term " obligation," be, at the same time, necessarily wicked to him which is the subject of his volume-his words are: who disapproved it, and neither one nor the other, obligation, the theme of ethical philosophy, to the happy-go-lucky person who attends to "admits of no definition, except by a synonyme.' his own affairs, and who knows nothing about Now it seems to us that that author who can it or has formed no judgment concerning it. not define the subject on which he proposes to So, too, Sin is that only which we ourselves write, is not qualified to write a volume concern- condemn, if President Fairchild is to be believed, ing it; and that teacher who undertakes to in- in Chapter III. "We," whether intelligent or struct others on a subject which he cannot define, the reverse, God-fearing or the reverse, are made most certainly has mistaken his calling. That to take the place of Deity, in the judgment-seat; this indication, in the first page of the first Chap- and the Conscience, the Self-interest, the Stupidter, of the first Part, of this volume is true to its ity, of that uncertain Judge is made to supercede mission-proving that President Fairchild is not the Law of God, which is really the only standcompetent to teach a Class in Moral Philosophy, ard of right and wrong. The Apostle John tells intelligently-will be evident to every one who us, admirably, that "Sin is the transgression of shall carefully go over his arguments. "the law: "the President of Oberlin tells us that Sin is "the action which we morally con"demn, and for which we pronounce the agent "blameworthy." Need we say that we prefer the good old definition which the Apostle has sent down from the Past; that the fantastic skepticism of Oberlin must look elsewhere for favor than in THE HISTORICAL MAGAZINE; and that a teacher who thus defines his subjects is not only vicious but dangerous? 66 66 His definitions of the terms "intellect" and "sensibility" are well enough; but that of "freewill," is warranted neither by reason nor revelation. The idea that all "obligation" begins only with the ability to act freely, either in discharging it or in failing to do so, is simply preposterous. Does President Fairchild pretend that no "obligation" to discharge a known duty rests on one who has voluntarily disqualified himself, physically, for discharging that known obligation? Did the obligation " to serve his country, anywhere, for instance, cease to rest on him who, in order to avoid the discharge of that obligation, during the recent War, cut off a finger or a toe, or knocked out a tooth, so as to incapacitate himself for pulling a trigger, or marching with his Regiment, or biting the paper off his cartridges? The idea cannot be entertained for a moment; neither are those relieved of their "obligation to obey the Law of God who, by reason of the Fall, are incapable of obeying it and whose every action willingly violates it. So, too, his definition of "a moral act" declares it to be "an act to which obligation per"tains, of which we affirm that it ought or ought "not to be done." Does President Fairchild's "we" include every individual man, of every grade of intellect and every shade of sensibility; or of some only, excluding others? If he really proposes to consider only that to be "a moral act" which every human being, nemene contradicente, would "affirm that it ought not to be done,' the aggregate of his assumed "moral actions" will be very small if that is not his meaning, his words are simply nonsensical. But it is not alone in Theoretical Morals that Doctor Fairchild is ridiculous as a teacher of the young people of the country; in Practical Morals he is equally at fault. In his Preliminary Remarks, he as wholly disregards the Scriptures and the Law of God, as the standard of practise, as the King of the Cannibal Islands would have done; and when he tells his readers, that "the sole principle to "guide us is the good of being; and in every case the final enquiry is, 'What will advance "the general interests?" he simply repeats what he did earlier in his career-he tips over the throne of the Almighty and lifts poor human nature on the ruins, as the final and unimpeachable Judge of right and wrong. "In every Government," he tells us, "there 'are two parties"-the ruler and the subjectsas if the People of Ohio, who constitute the State, is subject to those individuals who, as the agents of the State, are called by it and deputized to administer its affairs. Evidently, he supposes he is in Turkey instead of the United Statesindeed, his definition seems to indicate that he sees no difference between the status of "the "Government" and the People of Turkey and those of Ohio. We have not the room, in this place, to follow President Fairchild, even through his first Chap- "The proper end of Government," he tells us, ter; and were we to examine his second Chapter "is to secure, to a greater or less extent, con-wherein he makes the approbation of an ac-"formity to obligations." We have read some * 66 where, possibly Doctor Fairchild can tell where, subject; and we hardly consider it necessary to "that all men were endowed by their Creator to do so. Our readers will readily perceive that "with certain inalienable Rights, * *that our sense of Doctor Fairchild's doings is that "to secure those Rights, Governments were insti- they are blameworthy" and, according to his "tuted among men. "etc. In other words, Doc- own theory, necessarily vicious and altogether tor Fairchild considers " every Government" as wicked. We regret, too, that a volume that is offensive in its character and purposes; while so well calculated to work mischief has found a the Declaration of Independence asserts, on the place on the book-lists of so respectable a house contrary, that it is defensive. as Sheldon & Co. He tells us that "the right of a Government "to exist" consists solely in its adaptation to "secure the advantage of its subjects." We have supposed that "the right" referred to rested solely, in a republic, on the consent of "the Governed," without the least respect to its adaptability, and, in a monarchy, on the power of might, without the least regard to either its fitness to secure the great ends of Governments or the consent" of those whom it controls; and we have seen no reason, in this volume or elsewhere, to change our opinion. 1869. 39.-Notes, critical, explanatory, and practical, on the Volumes II and III. New York: Harper & Bros. Book of Psalms. By Albert Barnes. In three volumes. Duodecimo, pp. (II.) Title page and verso, 383; (III.) Titlepage and verso, 343. In our January number, we referred to the first volume of this, the closing work of its distinguished author; and we have pleasure in noticing its completion, in these volumes. They are neatly printed; and will be widely welcomed. 40.-Adventures in the Wilderness; or, Camp-life in the Adirondacks. By William H. H. Murray. With illustrations. Boston: Fields, Osgood & Co. 1869. Duodecimo, Pp. 236. This is the volume concerning which so much has been written, both in praise and censure. It is a modest unassuming description of the Northern Woods in this State; and of the pleasure and benefit which sensible people may secure by a sensible visit to that region. It describes the Wilderness, briefly; it tells of the facilities it affords for legitimate sport; it instructs as to outfits for those who propose to visit it; it counts the cost; it describes the routes to the ground; etc,-all without any extravagance of expression and unnecessary words. It is not encumbered with lac-a-daisical re He tells us that he has the right to govern, "who possesses such qualifications and occupies "such a position, that he can best secure the "ends of Government "—which he has previously told us are to enforce obedience to their obligations, by those who are its " subjects." Verily, an apologist for successful tyrants has arisen in Ohio-"the right to govern " is to be tested, hereafter, in Oberlin, it seems, by the steadiness of his nerve and the success in holding his seat of empire, which any usurper can display. "That form of Government is legitimate which "is best adapted to answer the end of Govern"ment, under all the circumstances of the case,' he says; but he fails to tell who shall determine as to its adaptability to the proposed end, and what, in our case, shall be done with an adverse "supreme law of the land," which may, once in a while, possibly throw a cloud over the "le-flections, nor disfigured with stale jokes, or ex"gitimacy" referred to. Was Andrew Johnson "best adapted to answer the end of Government," as Doctor Fairchild understands "the "case?" We doubt; yet even he will scarcely deny the official "legitimacy" of Andrew John son. "The extent to which the authority of a Gov"ernment may reach, is to be determined by the wants of the community to which it per'tains, and by its ability to meet those wants," he says: we supposed, in our verdancy, that "the extent to which the authority of a Govern"ment may reach," where there is a Constitution, is "determined" by the terms of that Con stitution; and where there is no such supreme law, that the strength of the arm which holds and directs the bayonet, "determines" the extent of the authority of him who is behind that arm. But we must devote no more space to this aggerated stories, or elaborate conversations, crowded with slang phrases; but, in a pleasent, lively style, as befits the subject, it describes the locality and tells of its advantages and how to enjoy them. If half-witted simpletons have seen anything, in any part of this volume which can reasonably warrant the supposition that every consumptive may find there a cure for his ailments, and every thicket a deer awaiting the visit of a silly burgher, and every brook a string of trout each anxiously seeking a camp-fire, they have found in the volume what we have not seen in it; and they have seen there what, evidently, the author never placed there nor intended to place there. But, our purpose is to call the attention of those who collect "locals," to this little volume, as one, concerning a vast section of this State, which they should not overlook. It is such an one as will serve a double purpose, hereafter,― |