narily written it has been made the engine of a party, or the opportunity for a heartless anatomical treatment, a complete vivisection of ancient documents. Exceptions there have been, but it is a known fact that the study is not popular, and that so-called popular works are almost invariably only consulted and not read. Daring souls are found who go down into the catacombs of Baronius, who plunge into the abysses of the Magdeburg centuriators, or who wander over the wide field of Fleury and his congeners. But they are few. The majority are content with meagre compilations; and while some read one or other of these once in a lifetime, most remain content with occasional references to them. And no wonder; for, with the exception of very few, the English Church historians are not inviting or entertaining.

Canon Stanley has shewn how Church history may be written. His graceful pen, aided by a keen perception, a lively imagination, a genial temperament, and good stores of learning, has produced a work which will be read by many. He is right for while a severe criticism will accuse him of credulity sometimes, and of painting often, he has found out the happy art of writing Church history in a most attractive manner. Nor is this his only merit; he has displayed no little courage in striking out a new tract, and in expressing himself with all honesty and candour. This most transparent volume is one which, with all its questionable statements, presents us with a living form, and not a dead skeleton.

We cannot find space for an analysis of this charming book, but we record our impressions respecting it, and will briefly indicate the sphere it occupies. It contains twelve university lectures, which the Oxford men must have listened to with delight. The introduction contains three sections on the province, the study, and the advantages of ecclesiastical history. This part of the work is very beautiful, and will probably not meet with many objections. The first lecture is on the Eastern Church, its general divisions, its historical epochs, and its general characteristics, with a statement of the advantages of studying its history. The second lecture is on the council of its Nicæa, its oriental character, its general interest, and the peculiarities of its history. The third lecture on the same subject records the meeting of the council, its occasion, the selection of the place, the time, the assemblage, diversity of characters, and preliminary discussions. The fourth lecture continues the enquiry, and goes into the details of the opening of the council. The fifth lecture on the conclusion of the council shews us what was decided, and how the business was concluded. The sixth lecture is on the emperor Constantine, who is judged with rare impartiality. The seventh lecture is an able sketch of Athanasius and his chequered experience.

The eighth lecture is very important, on the relation of Mahometanism to the Eastern Church; a study by itself. The ninth lecture is on the early history of the Russian Church; and the tenth, on its history in the middle ages. Two valuable lectures they are. The eleventh lecture is on the patriarch Nicon, the Russian reformer of the seven

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teenth century. The last lecture is on Peter the Great, and the modern Church of Russia. The volume concludes with a chronological table and an index, two most desirable adjuncts.

If Dr. Stanley will by some be thought to believe too much, he will by others be accused of believing too little. Nevertheless, it is our impression that he has succeeded in giving the most generally truthful representation of the men and times he treats of, than we have elsewhere met with. We earnestly hope that our readers who have not done so will hasten to peruse this fascinating, and yet learned, volume.

The Life and Epistles of St. Paul. By the Rev. W. J. CONYBEARE, M.A., and the Rev. J. S. HowSON, D.D. Two vols. People's edition. London: Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts. 1862. THE third edition of an admirable and highly useful work. The first and second editions were in quarto, with a larger number of illustrations and critical notes. Such as prefer the work in its larger and more expensive forms can still obtain it, but the present has been prepared to meet the wants of a larger number. Owing to the death of Mr. Conybeare, the task of modifying the volumes and of fitting them for more popular use has devolved upon Dr. Howson, who has done his work excellently. The alterations in the text are very few, but the notes have been considerably abridged. The two volumes contain an exhaustive narrative of the life and labours of St. Paul, and a translation of all his epistles. Everything has been done to make this the most complete illustration and exposition of the Acts of the Apostles so far as they relate to the Apostle of the Gentiles. No important source of information has been overlooked, and the whole of the work proceeds on sound critical principles. While we should not accept every conclusion arrived at, as that the epistle to the Ephesians was really addressed to the Laodiceans, we have the utmost confidence in the correct scholarship, accurate research, and genuine ability which appear throughout. An eminent French author tells us that it is one of the most precious books in his library, and he is right in his opinion.

Reasons of Faith; or, The Order of the Christian Argument developed and explained. With an Appendix. By the Rev. G. S. DREW, M.A. London: Bell and Daldy. 1862.

THIS attempt to develope and explain the order of the Christian argument, is meant to indicate a path of inquiry and reflection by which any considerate man may be led forward from facts around him to a position of well grounded and intelligent belief. The author contents himself with furnishing little more than an outline of each branch of evidence, and gives references to works which treat them in detail, especially such works as are likely to be within the reach of those whom he addresses. After an interesting and somewhat original in

troduction, the chapters proceed in the following order: 1. First steps, Historical trustworthiness of the Evangelists; 2. Purpose of the Gospel history; Life and character of Christ; 3. Jewish position and character of Jesus Christ; 4. Verification of the Old Testament and its unity; 5. Works of Christ bearing witness of Him; 6. Internal evidences; 7. Christ's Gospel, and the religions of the world; 8. Limits of revelation and its mysteries; 9. Christian life; its sphere (the Church), and its interpreter (the Bible); 10. Future prospects; 11. Conclusion. The appendix contains notes and extracts. Mr. Drew is a thoughtful and religious writer, generally clear in his perceptions and expressions, but a little inclined to be speculative on some subjects. There is a freshness, depth and originality in much that he says, which is sufficient to indicate his independence and his ability to strike out a path for himself. A firm believer, he is not ashamed of his faith, and he is well able to give reasons for it. Our readers will not find in this volume a mere common-place work on the evidences, but something more, and for these times, far better.

Supplemental Notes on St. George the Martyr, and on George the Arian Bishop. By JOHN HOGG, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., Honorary_Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society of Literature. From the Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature. London: John Edward Taylor. 8vo. pp. 32.

THERE are, in history, two persons named George, who are by some said to be identical,-George the Martyr, and George the Arian Bishop of Alexandria. Gibbon was of this opinion, and many writers have followed him; but Mr. Hogg proved, some time ago, from an ancient Greek inscription still existing in the south of Syria, that this asserted identity is contrary to fact. In these notes the subject is resumed and more fully discussed. The question is important in a historical point of view, and Mr. Hogg enters upon its consideration with much enthusiasm. He says:—

"At the same time, it may be asked, why have I taken so great pains to determine from ancient authors the hitherto unsettled question, whether the holy Martyr George, the tutelar saint of England, be the same with the Arian bishop of that name, or not? To this I reply, that my trouble would have been of little or no importance, except in a purely historical, or rather, in a biographical view, had not this Saint been esteemed for so many centuries the patron of our country, under whose banner our soldiers have successfully fought, and especially the patron of the most noble military order in the world.

"For surely every Englishman must feel considerable interest in the question, and more particularly must every distinguished Knight of St. George and the Garter, and, above all, must our gracious Queen, as Sovereign of that most illustrious Order, be individually interested in its determination! And who in truth is there among us in England, who would either in battle be inspired with the waving of the red-cross banner, or at home in civil pursuits, regard with any degree of sanctity or respect the name of Saint George, had that person really been the infamous heretic, and Arian bishop of Alexandria ?"

It appears that two or three learned antiquaries of the two last

centuries felt as Mr. Hogg has done, and doubting the identity of these Georges, tried to establish a fairer fame for the patron Saint of England; but they failed in their object, and one learned man, Dr. John Pettingal, said, in the year 1753: "Whether our St. George was the Arian, or whether he was a real person or not, is a matter not settled." But this latter supposition is not tenable, for, as Dr. S. Pegge has observed, "The Crusaders undoubtedly regarded him as a real person, a most glorious and illustrious martyr; they found his name in the calendars; they met with various places denominated from him; they frequented his tomb," etc., etc. At length Mr. Hogg appears to have settled the matter by the documentary evidence he produces in this pamphlet. He displays the fruit of much learned research, supplying the earliest notices of these two Georges which are known to exist. We can only give the conclusion, and recommend this valuable monograph to our readers.

"In the year 1858, I was fortunately enabled, by careful examination of the Greek inscription (No. 40), which Mr. Cyril Graham had, in the previous summer, copied from a very ancient church-originally a heathen temple-at Ezra, in Syria, to determine most satisfactorily that Saint George had died before the year A.D. 346, in which he is expressly called a 'holy Martyr.' Also, it is clear that this date occurred during the lifetime of the other George-the Alexandrian bishop-who survived for fifteen years longer, viz., to A.D. 362; and who then, having expiated his vices and base conduct by assassination, could not, under any consideration, be esteemed a Martyr.

"This confusion of identity is supposed, and indeed with much probability, to have been purposely made by the Arians, in order to raise the credit and repute of their own bishop, George, whom they had elected at Alexandria in the place of Athanasius, and whilst he was in retirement, at the expense of the fame and virtues of George the Syrian martyr. From the authorities detailed in my preceding and present papers, we find on the one hand, that Saint George was born at Lydd, or Lydda, in Syria; that his parents, being in good circumstances, and Christians, nurtured him in the fear of the Lord,' as in fact we know that 'all who dwelt in Lydda' had turned to the Lord' even as early as the year of Christ 38, after St. Peter had come down to them. That his parents took him when young into Cappadocia, from whence he went to Nicomedia, where the Emperor Diocletian resided, and in whose army he served as an officer. By the orders of that Emperor he, with a great many more Christians, suffered cruel torments, during, in all likelihood, the ninth persecution. That, according to the legends, shortly before his death, he rescued by his prayers the Empress Alexandra from the depths of hell, and vanquished by his prowess the ferocious Dragon, both being merely fabulous, but excellent emblems of the true Christian's victory over hell, and conquest of sin, or the Devil.

"On the other hand, we learn that the second George was born in a fuller's mill, according to some, in Cappadocia, or, as others state, in the neighbouring district of Cilicia, that after certain disreputable acts he, assuming the profession of Arianism,' proceeded to Alexandria, in Egypt, of which city he was chosen bishop by the followers of that heretical sect; that, in consequence of his vile conduct and intolerable exactions, the heathen populace there murdered him, with his two friends, the master of the mint, Dracontius, and Count Diodorus.

"Hence the confusion, whether designedly or erroneously, may have arisen from both Georges being reported to have been from or in Cappadocia; from the stories of the Empress Alexandra, of the city of Alexandria, and from the slaughters of the beast Dragon, and of the man Dracontius."

The Old and New Testament Dispensations compared. Shewing in what respects they differ; what things are peculiar to the former; and what are common to both. By Rev. W. ALFORD, M.A. Second edition, with an Index. London: Hatchard and Co. 1862. To determine the relations of the old and new dispensations is a highly important problem, and Mr. Alford has applied himself to its solution in an earnest and intelligent spirit. As he states in the title, he traces their differences and agreements, and shews what is peculiar to the Old Testament. He writes in a believing and reverential spirit, and if there is nothing of the daring speculation which some so much approve, there is much that is substantial and instructive. The work does not aim at either minute or extensive philological criticism, but its scholarship is respectable. Here and there we have noticed the adoption of critical conclusions, which are not now generally acquiesced in by interpreters of the orthodox school, but they affect the general arguments very little or not at all. The writer is a patient explorer and investigator of Scripture texts, and indeed it is a leading principle with him to expound the Old Testament by the New, and obscure passages by those which are transparent. His tenets are those of the moderate evangelical school, and he does not propound those extreme notions which find favour with some. For example, and as we think, rightly, he distinguishes between plenary inspiration and verbal; in other words, he maintains that inspiration may be plenary and yet not verbal. We can safely recommend it as a work which may be read with real profit.

Die Offenbarung Johannis aus dem Zusammenhange der Messianische Reichsgeschichte nach Analogie der Schrift für Freunde der Christlichen Weissagung. ("The Revelation of John, etc.") By J. PH. SABEL. Heidelberg: K. Winter.

THE lovers of mystery and symbol, whose criticism is that of the imagination and not of the intellect, will find a treat in this volume. On taking it up, we asked our usual question in such cases, what is made of the number of the beast? We found the answer at p. 268. The number represents, we are informed, a threefold form of evil, indicated by its component parts 6+60+600. By 6, heathen evil is meant; by 60, Jewish or pharisaical evil; and by 600, antichristian evil. The three are combined in the beast. The two witnesses are the law and the prophets, personified by Moses and Elias, whose mission was to the middle ages, in which period we fear they were not much better known than Christ and his apostles, who are supposed to have been silent.

A Key to the Emblems of Solomon's Song, with a translation. By the Rev. A. MoODY STUART. London: James Nisbet and Co. 1861. A VERY elegant little volume, the appearance of which leaves nothing to be desired. The author has given us a new translation of the Can