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alone, we concur in the conclusion drawn by the dean of Ardagh, and by him stated in his evidence before the Committee of the Lords, that more scriptural information may, decidedly, be acquired by reading a chapter in the Bible without explanation, than by reading scripture extracts with explanation. This, however, is not the question at issue: it is, whether or not a work to which English money, influence, and patronage are devoted, is one calculated to entail temporal wretchedness and everlasting destruction upon those to whom the insidious gift is presented.

SELECT MEDITATIONS for every Day in the Year: being consecutive portions from Sermons, by Edward Reynolds, D. D. Bishop of Norwich. With suitable Texts of Scripture prefixed. Arranged and edited by the Rev. Cornwall Smalley, M. A. Vicar of Brailes, Warwickshire, and Minister of Bayswater Chapel. Burns.

THIS good man, whose lot it was to pass through the trying times of our first Charles and the Commonwealth, before he was promoted to a bishoprick, was one of those deeply experimental divines, whose works bear the impress and the flavour of that "old wine" with which no fruit of our modern vintage can compete. This is a judicious and beautiful selection, each portion occupying not more than a single page, in the moderate-sized volume, but complete in itself, and rich in profitable meditation for the day. We cordially recommend it.

SCENES IN THE HOP-GARDENS. Smith, Elder, and Co.

FOR those who like the narrative and conversational style, as a medium for conveying useful truths, here is a very pleasing specimen, comprising some variety in character and circumstances, with touching incidents intermixed. It is written decidedly in a Church-of-England spirit, and may not be quite so palatable to those who dissent therefrom: but we cannot tax the writer with any uncharitableness, while boldly maintaining the superior excellence of the establishment to which it is her glory to belong.

THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD EXPLAINED, in Familiar Conversations between a Mother and her Children. By the Wife of an Irish Clergyman. Seeley and Burnside.

WELL adapted for young people: pleasing in style, sound in doctrine, and useful in application. It is to be hoped that each Christian mother fulfils to her own progeny the office here assigned to an imaginary person but some shrink under conscious or supposed incompetency; others are obliged to devote so much of their time to making provision for things honest, as to be unable to do what they would greatly prefer doing; and not a few are obliged to set their seal to the saying that a prophet has little honour among those of his own house. There are also mo

CONVERSATIONS ON THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 177

therless, and there are worse than motherless families, within whose reach some watchful friend may desire to bring such simple profitable manuals as this, and the two following, which we are now about to notice.

CONVERSATIONS on the Historical Truth and Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. For the use of Young Persons. By a Clergyman's Widow. Whyte, Edinburgh.

THIS is principally adapted for the study of boys, though profitable for both sexes, and for all ages. Those who have closely watched the prevailing sin of early youth, in these days, will be ready to acknowledge that a tendency to cast off wholesome restraint is the reigning evil. Looking back to the usages not only of scripture times, but even of half a century ago, the head of a family or of a seminary may often take up the language of holy writ, and say, If I be a father where is my honour? if I be a master, where is my fear? Never were the reins of discipline so loosely held; never was restraint so vauntingly spurned at. Rationalism is the order of the day; and of that vain impious character, which specially arrays itself against Revelation. Knowing this, and lamenting it, we are most particularly pleased with the small but comprehensive book now before us. A boy is introduced, lamenting to his tutor the distress of mind occasioned by a young playmate scoffing at his love for the Bible, and daring him to prove its FEBRUARY, 1838.

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authenticity. This the tutor, in a series of dialogues, enables him to do; and we must say the author has been eminently successful in condensing in so small a compass the evidence required. We pray our friends to place this valuable little work in the hands of schoolboys: it is more needed than they may be willing to believe.

MORNINGS WITH MAMA or dialogues on Scripture for young persons, from ten to fourteen years of age. Whyte, Edinburgh.

A FOURTH volume, or series, is now added to the preceding three, which have reached a second edition. The work is well known, and needs no farther comment than to remark that the last is fully equal to those which preceded it. The principal character of the whole is solidity, depth of thought, historical exactness, and very close practical application. Alike to mothers and children, it certainly is a most useful, important help.

We, however, always enter a protest against withholding any part of the New Testament from children. The 'mama' in this work thinks it advisable not to give her little girl the epistles until after ten years of age: we would give them at five; yea, at three, in some cases. And here we will append a few words more of the invaluable Evidence' of the dean of Ardagh, whom we verily believe to be, in matters of scriptural education, one of the very first authorities of the age. The queries and replies run

thus; at page 1061, of the evidence. Does your experience satisfy you of the beneficial effects of imbuing the minds of children with a knowledge of scripture, even before they are fully capable of understanding what they read?'-' Decidedly, I am of opinion that it is necessary.' 'Has your experience ever given you proof of it?'-' Repeated proofs of children dying, rejoicing in the Saviour; just knowing no more than that they were sinners, and that Jesus died for them.'' Had that stuck in their minds from having heard it first as mere children, before they could understand it?'—Yes; and before they could read; mere babes almost.'

Now, the passages that expressly declare this soulsaving truth, occur continually in the epistles: therefore we dare not withhold them even from babes. The 'Mornings with Mama,' embrace the Jewish history from their captivity in Egypt to that in Babylon; and we repeat, it is an excellent work.

SELECT SERMONS. By the Right Rev. William Beveridge, D. D., bishop of St. Asaph. Religious Tract Society.

A REPRINT, selected from the works of one who, in his high office, adorned the doctrine of God his Saviour. These sermons are exceedingly practical: duties are insisted on, with the zeal of a pastor who knew that a part of his commission was to exhort Christ's people that they should be careful to maintain good works. He does not, like some, reverse the order of architectural proceedings, and make

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