A Discourse on the Latest Form of Infidelity, delivered at the request of the "Association of the Alumni of the Cambridge School," on the 19th of July, 1839. With Notes. By Andrews Norton. Cambridge: J. Owen. 1839.

The Latest Form of Infidelity examined. A Letter to Mr. Andrews Norton, occasioned by his Discourse before the "Association of the Alumni of the Divinity School," on the 19th of July, 1839. By an Alumnus of that School. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1839.

Remarks on a Pamphlet entitled "The Latest Form of Infidelity examined." By Andrews Norton. Cambridge J. Owen. 1839.

Second Letter to Mr. Andrews Norton, occasioned by his defence of a Discourse on the "Latest Form of Infidelity." By George Ripley. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1840.

Defence of the Latest Form of Infidelity examined. A third Letter to Mr. Andrews Norton, occasioned by his Discourse on the Latest Form of Infidelity. By George Ripley. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1840.

Transcendentalism of the Germans and of Cousin. Two Articles from the Princeton Review concerning the Transcendentalism of the Germans and of Cousin, and its influence on opinion in this country. Cambridge: J. Owen. 1840.

The previous Question between Mr. Andrews Norton and his Alumni moved and handled in a Letter to all those Gentlemen. By Levi Blodgett.

This is a pamphlet in the present spirit of the times. We do not say that it is the aim of the author, but it is the effect of what he has written, to reduce Christianity to the level of natural religion. His object in the first place is, to prove that there are germs of religion in the soul, that religion is natural to man, that man everywhere wants it and everywhere therefore has it, a case which he fully makes out, but which did not need special proof, as we suppose it to be a proposition as universally admitted, as that man needs and will therefore find food. When men agree to reject food or take poisonous substances in its stead, they will reject religion and be atheists. As some have been mad enough to do both these unnatural things, so there are monsters who have denied the being of a God. But they are and will be very few. We have no fears for religion, whatever we may sometimes have for revelation.

But if religion is natural to man - Mr. Blodgett then would have the inference to be drawn-Christianity is not a supernatural religion; seeing it was not needed as such. He does not deny that miracles were wrought; on the contrary he admits their reality, though he does

deny that it can be shown that they were. But as he leaves no office for them to perform of any use or dignity, he takes away every sufficient reason for believing that they were wrought. For if their only purpose was to make men wonder, or if they were only a sign of peculiar natural gifts or genius on the part of the worker, if no higher end can be assigned which they were to answer, the presumption against their actual occurrence becomes almost or quite insuperable. It is the end for which Christians suppose them to have been wrought, namely, to prove the divine mission and inspiration of Jesus, not to prove certain moral truths, as Mr. Blodgett thinks, which makes a belief in them reasonable and easy. It is hardly conceivable that one should long continue to admit the reality of miracles as facts-except through the mere force of habit-who does not see them in the character of proofs-proofs of Christ's authority. Christianity accordingly is in the view of this writer only one of the forms, in which men arrive at religion by their own unassisted genius. Geniuses arise from time to time, who carry on to a higher point science, and art, and philosophy, and so geniuses arise from time to time, who in the same way carry on religion farther and higher. Jesus was such an one. If he wrought miracles, it cannot be known historically that he wrought them, and they served no purpose that we can understand. Still he carried on Religion to a higher point by his divine instructions and his godlike virtues. The latter part of the pamphlet is taken up with specific considerations to show the incompetency of miracles as evidence; that they are not needed and are of no use; and the all-sufficiency of other kinds of proof. We cannot notice these considerations, but refer the reader to the pamphlet itself, if he is curious in such speculations.

We think such a tract as the one we are noticing injurious to Christianity, so far as its conclusions shall be adopted. Just so far, it appears to us, as the miracles of the New Testament are made out to be myths, fables, exaggerations of natural circumstances and events, the results of mistaken observation on the part of the evangelists, or anything else but what on the face of the thing they claim to be, just so far is the New Testament shown to be comparatively a worthless book; it is of no more value-except as it is a better book of the kindthan any philosophy or fiction which presents to the imagination and the reason excellent characters and doctrine. If now any should ask whether we really think it is for, or through the miracles most persons believe Christianity, we say no. They do not think much about them one way or another, in becoming Christians. It is the moral and spiritual character of Christ and his teaching, that makes them Christians, so far as the New Testament has any share, in addition to education and circumstances, in making them so. But then, but for the miracles, we contend there would have been no Christ, no Christianity. Mr. Blodgett says he deprecates the theology of those who rest Christianity solely, or chiefly on miracles, and thinks them its true enemies. We in our turn deprecate such a theology as this pamphlet presents, for we are sure it could not be extensively adopted, but at the expense of all that to us is most valuable in Christianity. We had natural religion before Christ came; it is to be had now in Africa and the islands of the Pacific. We value Christianity on the ground, that it is VOL. XXVIII. 3D s. VOL. X. NO. III.

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something additional to that- and so far better, namely, a revelation -using the word in its common acceptation. But however mistaken we may hold the theology of the pamphlet, we acknowledge with satisfaction the earnest and religious spirit in which it is written.

Two Discourses preached before the First Congregational Society in Medford; one upon leaving the Old Church; and one at the Dedication of the New. By Caleb Stetson; Minister of the Society. Boston: 1840.

The Preacher and the Pastor. Two Discourses delivered in Harvard Church, Charlestown, Sunday, March 15, 1840, on the Commencement of his Ministry. By George E. Ellis. Printed by request, for the use of the Society. Boston: 1840.

The Analyst: a Collection of Miscellaneous Pieces. New York: Wiley and Putnam.

This is the play-day work of a man of elegant tastes, and of much good reading. He produces his wares, however, in so many different forms, copied after chosen models, that it is not easy to obtain a distinct idea of his own manner. The volume consists of essays, criticisms, imitations, philosophical speculations, characters, sketches, letters, and fragments, presenting together an agreeable and various repast, to serve as a dessert after the severer studies of the closet. We would gladly bestow upon them a more equal notice, accompanied by extracts, but it is not easy to find the room we want for the merely literary. We think, by the way, that he abuses the clergy_quite too much; at least his pictures are not true of that order in this part of the country. We do not know which of the sects sat to him for its portrait. To sell, the book should have received a more imposing form from the printer. All but great geniuses must be content to owe half their honors and successes to paper, type, and press-work.

On Labor. An Address at the Annual Cattle Shows of the Worcester, Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Agricultural Societies, October, 1838. By H. Colman. Boston: 1839.

An Address to the Middlesex Society of Husbandmen and Manufacturers, at their Annual Cattle Show. By Henry Colman; Commissioner for the Agricultural Survey of the State. Boston: 1839.

Spartacus, or the Roman Gladiator; a Tragedy, in five acts, by Jacob Jones, Esq., Author of "Longinus, a Tragedy," &c. Third Edition. London: 1837.

The Cathedral Bell; a Tragedy, in five acts. By Jacob Jones, Barrister at Law; Author of the "Stepmother"; "Longinus, or the Fall of Palmyra," &c. London: 1839.

Cabiro; A Poem, by George H. Calvert, Author of "Count

Julian, a Tragedy," and Translator of Schiller's Don Carlos. Cantos I. and II. Baltimore: 1840.

There are many signs of a bold and poetical mind in Count Julian, the title of which we gave in our last number. If the author is, as we take him to be, a young man, or a young author, he may do very considerable things yet. In this tragedy he has given a gratifying evidence of courage and of conscious resources, in adopting a fable of extreme simplicity, and throwing himself for success upon his power to unfold character, and speak through noble and interesting sentiment to the heart of the reader. We are obliged to confess, that the words are sometimes more than the idea; the thought is dressed in too cumbrous and startling drapery. The language of particular passages, as well as the general strain of some of the scenes and dialogues, is perhaps a little too much in "Hercules' vein." But in saying this we acknowledge the presence of a reflecting, vigorous, poetical mind. Of Cabiro we have little to say in commendation. There are good lines and stanzas, but it requires more than the genius of even Byron to make such poetry very readable. Beppo and Don Juan are enough of the kind.

Unitarian Christianity, What it is, and what it is not. A Discourse delivered at the Installation of the Rev. John Parkman, as Pastor of the First Unitarian Church and Society in Dover, N. H. April 22, 1840. By Ezra S. Gannett, Junior Pastor of the Federal Street Church, Boston. With the Charge, by Rev. John Pierpont; the Right Hand, by Rev. Samuel Ösgood; Address to the People, by Rev. Francis Parkman, D. D.

Two Discourses, delivered September 29, 1839, on occasion of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Gathering of the First Congregational Church, Quincy:' with an Appendix. By William P. Lunt. Boston: 1840.

A Discourse delivered in the Church in Brattle Square, on Sunday, May 3, 1840; occasioned by the death of Rev. John Thornton Kirkland, D. D., LL. D., late of Harvard University. By Francis Parkman, D. D., Pastor of the New North Church. Boston 1840.

A Discourse on the Life and Character of the Rev. John Thornton Kirkland, D. D., LL. D., formerly Pastor of the Church on Church Green, Boston, also late President of Harvard University, delivered in the Church on Church Green, May 3, 1840. By Alexander Young. Boston: 1840.

A Letter to Rev. Ezra S. by his Tract on the Atonement. Essex Street Church, Boston. 1840.

Gannett of Boston, occasioned By Nehemiah Adams, Pastor of Boston: James Munroe and Co

A Discourse on the Life and Character of the Rev. Charles Follen, LL. D., who perished January 13, 1840, in the conflagration of the Lexington. Delivered before the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, in the Marlborough Chapel, Boston, April 17, 1840. By Samuel J. May.

Poems, by William Thompson Bacon. Third Edition. Boston: Weeks, Jordan, and Co. 1840.

The Bible Reader; being a new Selection of Reading Lessons from the Holy Scriptures, for the use of families. By W. B. Fowle, Author of the Primary Reader. Boston: 1839.

Mr. Fowle thus states his design in making these selections, which it seems to us he has accomplished very successfully. "The author of the compilation has endeavored to furnish such a selection of Scripture Lessons as may be used in schools and families, without subjecting the teacher or the reader to the trouble of making a selection at the time of reading. That some selection was called for, no one will deny, who has attempted to read the Bible in course to his pupils or to his family." Those very familiar with the Scriptures might prefer to make their own selections for morning and evening service, but by others this volume would be, we think, a very convenient manual. "The text of the common translation has been followed." "In a few cases the pronunciation of difficult words is marked. The work is divided into three parts, the first containing selections from the Old Testament, the second such miscellaneous passages as most fairly exhibit the precepts of Religion, arranged under suitable heads."

The Chapel Hymn Book. Third Edition; with additional Hymns. Boston: 1839.

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"Sim

A small, neat pocket volume of 288 pages and 437 Hymns. plicity and cheapness," say Messrs. Barnard and Gray, "were our objects in compiling it." It is offered to the public," having been prepared originally for the Warren and Pitts Street Chapels," at the request of certain of our friends, who think it may be acceptable in Sunday Schools, Families, or some of our smaller Churches."

Academical Lectures on the Hebrew Scriptures and Antiquities. By John Gorham Palfrey, D. D., LL. D. Vol. II. Genesis and Prophets. Boston: James Munroe and Co.

Theory of Legislation; by Jeremy Bentham. Translated from the French of Etienne Dumont, by R. Hildreth, Author of "Banks, and Banking, and Paper Currencies," "Despotism in America," "Archy Moore," &c. Vol. I. Principles of Legislation. Boston: Weeks, Jordan, and Co. 1840. 2 vols.