THE Eclectic Review. MDCCCXXV. JANUARY JUNE. NEW SERIES. VOL. XXIII. Φιλοσοφίαν δε ου την Στωικην λέγω, ουδε την Πλατωνικήν, η την Επικούρειον σε CLEM. ALEX. Strom. Lib. 1. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY B. J. HOLDSWORTH, 18, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, SOLD ALSO BY JOHN ANDERSON, JUNIOR, AND CHALMERS AND COLLINS, GLASGOW ; AND R. M. TIMMS, DUBLIN. Adams's Actual State of the Mexican Mines, &c. PAGE. 289 Bentham's Church of England Catechism 254,537 Butler's Letter to the Right Rev. C. J. Blomfield, D.D. Bishop of Chester 475 173 Carey's, Frances Jane, Journal of a Tour in France in the Years 1816-17 Cochrane's, Capt., Narrative of a Pedestrian Journey through Russia and Tracts upon some leading Errors of the Church of Rome Harty's Historic Sketch of the Causes, &c. of the Contagious Fever Epidemic in Ireland, during the Years 1817-18-19 Hawkins's, Lætitia Matilda, Anecdotes, Facts, and Opinions, collected and 254, 537 162 Historical Life of Joanna of Sicily, Queen of Naples, and Countess of Pro- vence 38 Kinghorn's Considerations, addressed to the Eclectic Reviewer, &c. Landor's Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen 431, 544 211 412 95, 192, 288, 383, 480, 576 Mant's, Dr., Book of Psalms, in an English Metrical Version, &c. 1 454 139 Mill's History of Mexico, from the Spanish Conquest to the present Era 289 181 Modern Traveller, Parts XI. and XII. Mexico 289 Monro's Plea on behalf of a Christian Nation for the Christian Education of Sketches of the Principal Pictures in England 276 Smith's, Dr. J. P., Vindication of those Citizens of Geneva who have been 184 61 Spirit of the Age, or Contemporary Portraits 152 Stennett's Memoirs of the Rev. William Ward, late Baptist Missionary in India 188 31 THE ECLECTIC REVIEW, FOR JANUARY, 1825. Art. I. The Book of Psalms, in an English Metrical Version, founded on the Basis of the Authorized Bible Translation, and compared with the Original Hebrew; with Notes Critical and Illustrative. By the Right Rev. Richard Mant, DD. M.R.I.A. Lord Bishop of Down and Connor. 8vo. pp. xxii. 506. Oxford. 1824. THE HE Book of Psalms is styled by St. Augustine, a kind of abridgement of the whole Scripture. The choice and 'flower of all things profitable in other books,' says Hooker, the Psalms do more briefly contain, and more movingly also express, by reason of that poetical form wherewith they are written.' As prophetical records, as devotional compositions, and as the sublimest, as well as the most ancient specimens of lyric poetry, it is impossible to venerate too highly this portion of the Hebrew Scriptures. But the veneration in which the Psalms have been held, has been singularly disconnected with either the rational interpretation or the practical use of this part of Holy Writ. From the Talmudists and the Christian Fathers, down to Hutchinson and Horsley, the obscurity of these sacred compositions has afforded room for displaying the perverted ingenuity of mystical commentators, who have refined away both their beauty and meaning, till these inspired poems and prophecies have been converted into most recondite enigmas. The mode of proceeding adopted by these interpreters, may be compared to the conduct of the minehunters of South America, who, in searching for hidden treasure, wash away into the rivers the fertile soil from which they might have obtained their bread. Some of the Fathers have discovered mysteries in the order of the Psalms. Thus, Hilary, Ambrose, and Origen have thought they could trace the succession of events in the life of David; others have detected VOL. XXIII. N.S. B |