measure of instruction. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind, that ministers were, at the period in question, exceedingly jealous of any thing like an invasion of their peculiar province. The feeling in itself was doubtless correct; but the mode in which it was often exercised was unscriptural and injurious. The native independence of Mr. Hyatt's mind would not allow him to stoop to any thing mean, and this doubtless, with other things, deprived him of that clerical assistance which he might otherwise have enjoyed.

"Amidst all his disadvantages, however, his 'profiting appeared unto all men.' By the diligent study of the Scriptures, as well as by daily attention to the writings of the old English divines, he became, even while in business, a scribe well instructed in the mysteries of the kingdom.' So acceptable were his labours, that he was invited to settle at more places than one. Mr. Hyatt, in fact, was one of the few men whose natural talents raise them superior to most of the inconveniences attendant upon a defective education, and which elevate them to more even than the rank of many who have been well and regularly instructed. Such men as Andrew Fuller and John Hyatt are not to be judged of by the rules which apply to ordinary minds. The natural acuteness of the one, and the dauntless energy of the other, were of more value than many teachers."-pp. xli-xlviii.

The discourses are nineteen in number, and embrace a considerable variety of subjects. They are both doctrinal and practical. The first sermon, on the Duty of Secret Prayer, we think very excellent. It had been prepared for the press by the author himself, and shows, in comparison with some of the others, the difference between productions, revised and corrected by the writer, and those which were never intended to meet any eye but his own. Still, even those sermons, which were prepared only to be preached, are very creditable indeed to Mr. Hyatt's private preparation, and his powers of composition. The discourse on the "Last Day," from 1 Cor. iii. 13. 66 The day shall declare it," contains many striking passages, and must have produced, in the delivery, a powerful impression on the audience. Speaking

of some things, in reference to mankind, which the day will declare, he says,

"The carnal and corrupt motives by which many were induced to make a profession of religion, will be declared at the last day, to their confusion. We cannot judge of men's motives by their actions,' these are not subject to our inspection; hence we give many credit for their sincerity, on the ground of their actions. Many a Jehu, and Judas, and Demas, has been nursed in the bosom of the christian church. Instances, indeed, sometimes occur, which prove the base hypocrisy of men, but thousands pass out of the world without having been suspected. To purchase fame, or to gain pecuniary advantage, many have erected almshouses, and places of religious wor ship, and occupied important stations in the sanctuary, whose motives the final day will fully declare. Many who entered the christian ministry from carnal and haughty motives, will be exposed at the last day. Some to display their talents and gain applause. Some to obtain a maintenance, and live in luxury and indolence, but all being destitute of those motives, which should be possessed by every one engaging in so momentous and important a work, will be confounded by the disclosures of the final day. Many persons who joined christian societies, to gain connection in business, or to deceive their parents and relations, upon whom they were dependent, or whose property they wished to inherit, will be exposed at the last day. Many who lived in the habit of secret sin, under the cloak of a religious profession, will then be exposed. Secret sots, and swindlers, and fornicators, and adulterers, who extol the preaching of high doctrine,

will then be covered with shame and confusion, and be assigned a portion with Judas.

It

"The ends which mankind proposed in pleading the cause of public institutions-advocating Missionary and Bible Societies -Charity Schools, and other important institutions, the day will declare.' will then be known, whether these exertions were made from vanity, and the love of fame, or from pure love to the souls of men, and sincere concern to glorify God. Whether our religious exercises were made the ground of our hope, or sprang from faith in the atonement of Christ—the final day will declare.

"Every man's work shall be tried.' Ah, how much wood, and hay, and stubble,' will be exposed at that solemn pebe ashamed of many things, for which riod! Even Christians themselves, will they were applauded by mankind, when they shall perceive the motives by which they were influenced, in the light of the

last day. The truth of grace în some whose imperfections, and grievous falls, created much suspicion in the minds of Christians, as to their real character, the day will declare. Some for whose salration few could cherish hope will be found amongst the friends of the Saviour, and some of whose salvation few were dis

posed to doubt, will be found amongst his enemies. The truth or the falsehood of our individual profession of discipleship to Christ, will then be declared. My motive in preaching the Gospel, the motive of every subordinate officer in the christian church, and of all who profess the Gospel, will be publicly declared at the last day; and wo, wo, wo to us, if our motives are not found to be genuine, such as will endure the scrutiny of the Almighty, the Omniscient Judge. Let hypocrites, who wrap themselves in the cloak of office, or of profession, remember, that the day shall disclose their aggravated guilt," pp. 182-185.

The conclusion also is good, and with it we shall close our remarks and commendation of the volume.

"If many who refrain from gross sins, and appear amongst religious characters, will be condemned at the last day, what can you who are bold in crime, and daring in iniquity, reasonably expect? Your character and doom is described by the Apostle, who declares, that men's sins are open before hand, going before to judgment." How many aggravated sins are gone before some of our hearers! and if grace prevent not, they will witness against you at the judgment-day. Event. ful meeting, most awful, most terrifying in its consequences. Now consider this, ye that forget God, least he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near.' There is yet hope concerning you. Deeply as you have plunged yourselves in crimefar as you have proceeded in iniquity, the mercy of the Lord can save you; and in accents more sweet than angels use, the Almighty addresses you, saying, 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteons man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will receive him graciously, and love him freely.'

"What effect this discourse will produce upon those who have heard it, in regulating their opinions, and desires, and pursuits, we know not. Whether it will prove useful to the souls of any, or appear to witness against against them at the last day, we know not. What opinions some may form respecting the object which the

preacher had ln view, in delivering such a discourse, we know not. Nor as to this, N. S. No. 26.

have we any anxiety; but one thing we do know, and concerning which we have no doubt, that the day will declare it. That its declarations may prove a source of joy to you all, is our most sincere and ardent desire. Amen."--pp. 108, 109.

An Essay on Craniology, being the Substance of a Paper submitted to the Leeds Philosophic and Literary Society. By Richard Winter Hamilton, one of its VicePresidents. London: Hurst and Co. pp. 104. 3s. 6d. CRANIOLOGY is a subject, on which, of late, many grave reviewers have provided ample materials for determining whether it shall be considered as entitled to the dignity of a science, or be numbered with the mysteries of empiricism and folly. We frankly confess, that it has always appeared to us, when disposed to think on the matter, to be as worthless as it is baseless and unphilosophical, and to be fitted only for a winter evening's amusement. It is chiefly supported by a few lucky coincidences; and has not a thousandth part of the plausibility and seeming array of imposing fact in its favour, which may be pleaded on behalf of astrology and Francis Moore! This age has been called, "the age of reason;" and the liberals and the sceptics boast of the march of intellect, and the progress of inquiry. It might rather be designated, the age of quackery! The gullible powers of the community are every where largely drawn upon; and prompt payment is obtained by those who have the quantum sufficit of modest assurance for the purpose. A large proportion of the adventurers has been imported from that region of speculation where hard names are so abundant, and princes and philosophers are so poor; and hither, therefore, come the Germanic tribes, Doctors of all orders, and connoisseurs and amateurs,

and professors of all imaginable varieties, to enlighten, and astonish, and bamboozle the wonderloving family of John Bull! Such is the genealogy of craniology; and as long as those who have skulls, are not destitute of money, so long will lecturers, and advocates, and journalists, and bustmakers, find it convenient to gratify their coretive propensities!

Few errors can succeed without some admixture of truth; and few nostrums are made up of substances altogether "rank and gross in nature." It might therefore be expected that a few insulated cases, established by evidence, would now and then find their way into general notoriety, and be considered, by the admirers of short reasonings and hasty inductions, as decisive demonstrations on the subject. Nothing can be more certain than the fact, that undefinable sympathies, and almost instinctive feelings, lead all mankind to certain general impressions, when they behold countenances beaming with intelligence, and expressive of mental superiority. The frontal expansion, surmounting the windows through which "the soul looks out" on the world, naturally strikes the beholder; and its formation, and outline, and character, become marked objects of attention. The immoveable parts of the face may generally be considered as indicative of capability; and the flexible and varying features as expressive of habitual disposition. But these are parts of physiognomy; and as far as the prominent cranial expression, in outline or appearance, can blended with the physiognomical indications, so far craniology may be in the way of attaining ultimately to the dignity and certainty of science. But this is immensely different from the entire hypothesis of the school of Gall and Spurzheim. The doctrine of

be

bumps, by which that hypothesis is marked, and the minute partitioning of the capital territory into more than thirty distinct sections, may be truly said to exhibit prima facie evidence of presumption and inanity!

It cannot be expected that we should enter into the discussion of this useless subject. The ingenious author of the pamphlet before us has produced an admirable jeu d'esprit, and well employed the light forces of ridicule and humour on the subject. His imagination is vivid; his argument is at times powerful and irresistible; and his wit is sparkling and buoyant, but all the while in good keeping. Occasionally, indeed, he frisks and capers in such a flourishing and curvetting style, that a phlegmatic observer might fear he would be thrown off; but he contrives to keep on to the end: and we can assure those of our readers who admire feats of this nature, that they will be highly amused and delighted with the exhibition. We give the conclusion as a specimen of the performance.

"I would sum up with as much indulgence as the case will allow; and really do think that Craniology will deserve respectful attention when it can exhibit one fact for its basis, one plausibility for its recommendation, one application for its use:-but not till then! If my faculties be developed or not, if they be various or not, all of which I am conscious determine me against this system. My order revolts at a confusion of genera and species and substances, such as it involves. My locality rejects an area so pitiful, refuses to prate of such a where-about,' pronounces a theory like this unworthy to and seeks a limitless space. My comparison be weighed against the standard systems of human philosophy. My causality demands premises and reasons, as well as conclu

sions. I trust I have too much wit to be overawed by such shallow pretence, and I am sure I have too much ideality to be reconciled to such debasing materialism. My cautiousness renders me suspicious of the thousand and one tales of modern discovery. My benevolence holds me back from giving a sanction to that prying inquisitorial surveillance, which, if it were general, would taint all the sources

of confidence and good will. Veneration teaches me to adore the Great First Cause not only as a Potter having power over his clay, but as the Father of Spirits. Hope cheers me that the silly bubble will speedily burst My conscientiousness yields me the testimony that in scouting such charlatanism, I am subserving the cause of truth and virtue. My pride I own disdains affinity with the brutal herd. My decision confirms my purpose, however fashion may simper its favour upon this conceit, and gaping credulity devour it. My love of approbation assures me that I shall gain the applause of many, for an honest effort against a dangerous folly. My adhesiveness shall still grapple ine to my friends, whether their heads be circular, projected on a plane or tapering to a cone, small or large, elevated or oblong. Nay, my Love of Offspring is so passionately intense, that I will not, I cannot, be, a party in transmitting such a distorted mischievous fable to posterity!"--pp. 100 --102.

The postscript contains information as well as amusement. From this it appears that Craniology is not a new thing under the sun. A collection of tracts, published in 1500, by a Petrus De Montagana, at Venice, has in it a tract with the following title. "Incipit fasciculus medicinæ compositus per excellentissimum ar

tium ас Medicinæ Doctorem, Dominum Joannem De Retham Alamanum; tractans de anatho-. mia et diversis infirmitatibus corporis humani." The ancient German speaks of the cellula imaginativa, cellula communis sensus, cellula memorativa, &c. &c. This is a curious discovery, though it does not disprove the claim of the modern Germans to the honour of inventing the system, unless it can be shown that they were acquainted with this collection of tracts. Our chief objections to the entire theory are founded on its tendencies to materialism, its cherishing the spirit of impertinent curiosity, its fostering pride and selfcomplacency in some, and leading others to a diminished sense of responsibility, if they should conveniently find out that their physical propensities were criminal. It is a study which honours neither the head nor the heart. It explains no mental phenomena, it strengthens no moral principles, and is conducive only to levity, vanity, and presumption.

SCHLEUSNER'S LEXICON TO THE NEW TESTAMENT: Abridged by John Carey, LL. D., &c. yet containing all the Explanations and Scriptural References of the Original. 14s. Holdsworth.-This is a very excellent and careful reprint of so much of Schleusner's invaluable work as relates to the New Testament. It contains references to all the passages in which each word is used; and though it omits all the author's classical illustrations, as well as the citations from the Septuagint, it will be found fully adequate to the interpretation of the Greek of the New Testament. Those who have been in the habit of using Schleusner's larger work, must often have felt it irksome to toil through the lengthened explanations and references, by which he is led to the author's

opinion; and would, in most cases, be happy to reach the results of many elaborate investigations by a shorter process. We apprehend the present work will subserve all the purposes which younger students, and ordinary expounders of the New Testament wish to attain. The fidelity and judgment of Schleusner may, in almost every case, be implicitly followed, and his interpretations adopted with confidence We therefore consider this abridgment as calculated to answer nearly all the purposes of the larger work. It is well executed, both as to editorship, and typography, being incomparably superior to the continental editions of Schleusner. The editor should have preserved the Greek accents, which are contained in all the foreign editions we have seen.

We hope they will be included should a second edition come forth. There are a few errors which require correction. For the Biblical student it would also be an additional advantage, to admit all the references to the Greek of the Septuagint. The use of that version by the New Testament authors, seems to ren der this essential to the completeness of a lexicon from the writings of those authors. We earnestly recommend this abridgment to the attention of Biblical scholars. It will save them much trouble in consulting the learned Schleusner, and enable many to avail themselves of his assistance, who cannot afford to purchase the complete work.

THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, PREVIOUS TO THE REFORMATION; consisting chiefly of Sketches of the Lives, and Extracts from the Writings of Christians, during the early and middle ages. Vol. I. Containing the First, Second, and Third Centuries. London: printed for the Religious Tract Society. 1826. pp. 384. Price 4s.-We feel the more disposed to notice this work, from the circumstances which occurred upon its first announcement, united with that of our having met with nothing in its pages calculated to give offence to our dissenting predilections. The passages which, in the original, excited in our minds no small degree of disgust, have been expunged. We have no doubt but that the editor, who, we understand, is a churchman, has performed his office with a conscientious regard to the feelings of his non-conforming brethren; and we have no difficulty in recommending the result of his labours, as the very best compendium of ecclesiastical history, so far as it has yet proceeded, with which we are acquainted. Perhaps, however, some of its readers will think that, as the name of Milner does not appear, some further improvement of the style might have been attempted, especially as a dash of the pen, or the transposition, or change, of a single word or phrase, would, in many cases, have accomplished this object. We apprehend too, that there are a few passages remaining which would have been struck out by some highly respectable persons, whose theological views in general agree with those of the original author. We allude here particularly to the account of the Apostle John and Cerinthus, which may be found at page 88. While the correctness of the story itself will be regarded as extremely

doubtful, the principle deduced from it, carried out, as it here is, will be deemed neither compatible with the necessary intercourse of society, nor at all calculated to subserve the interests of real religion. We are aware, however, and we think it right to state our opinion, that the friends of serious piety, are not in the present day much in danger of erring by a too rigid separation from the world, or from heterodox professors of Christianity. Their danger is of an opposite description.

At page 365 there is a passage which has a good deal the appearance of inculcating the exploded doctrine of passive obedience and non resistance The admirers of Bishop Hoadley's works will contend that the calm resignation of the primitive Christian martyrs had no particular reference to the 13th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans; and that the meaning which Milner would attach to the passage, when taken in its connexion, is really a perversion, rather than its "plain and literal sense.'

Again, at page 180, we have the following passage:

"One may hence infer, that discipline was as yet administered with much strictness in the churches; and that purity of doctrine, as well as of life and manners, were looked on as of high importance; insomuch, that some were inclined to a degree of rigour incompatible with the Gospel, which promises full and free forgiveness to every returning sinner, without limitation or exception. Such inferences concerning the manners and spirit of the Christians at that time, seems obvious and natural. The present state of church-discipline, among all denominations of Christians in England, would undoubtedly suggest very different reflections."

This passage, to say the least of it, betrays a want of information as to the state of church-discipline in some Christian communities, with which the writer might very easily have made himself acquainted. We could scarcely expect that the editor would strike out or exchange such words as see, primate, &c., though they have certainly no Scripture authority, and evidently no very appropriate application, in the sense in which they are now used, to the state of Christianity in the first, second, and third centuries.

We are really sorry that we have felt ourselves obliged to make these remarks, because this abridgment of Milner's Church History, with a little more pruning, would have filled up an important