information from the pages of historians, but has examined and analysed the most essential documents in all cases, and sifted out the truth by a comparison of different authorities. The reader who will do himself and the author the justice of going through the entire work, will possess a mass of information which can be gained from no other source, and become familiar with the contents of a multitude of rare works of great interest in the history of religious liberty.

It is next to impossible to make any citation which could be fairly considered a specimen of the work. We may, however, present the closing paragraphs, in which Mr. H. takes leave of his reader and his subject:

"Our task is finished; yet from one wild outrage of rationality, our regret is, if possible, increased on leaving it followed by those other evil days' and 'evil tongues,'

The barbarous dissonance

Of Bacchus and his revellers.'

"Had the second Charles been as sedate as the governance of so great a nation awakened to its own interests called for, he had been enrolled in the list of the world's benefactors; but, alas! beguiled by debased and fawning courtiers, and suffered to wallow in a sty of corruption, a corresponding odour cleaves to his memory, the strength of which not time even will abate; for what single virtue had he wherewith to savour the olio of his vices? At his restoration, all that he found of the living body of religion' was destined to be 'bound down to the dead corpse of superannuated polity.' But we resign 'this theme of everlasting interest' into other hands, consoling ourselves with the conviction, that the passion for increase of knowledge,' and 'the mighty instincts of progression and free agency,' are preparing the world for that only 'equilibrium' which is the produce on earth of peace, 'Good will towards men!'

"If a synopsis of the results of our labours in these Historical Memorials be looked for, the following is submitted as among the leading points which make up the sum of those results. Herein, obloquy derived from the Brownists is removed: the personal characters of the earliest promoters of Independency are established beyond the possibility of success in any future attempt seriously to damage them the body of the Independents is relieved from the censure of groundless separation : Independency is proved more than competent to grapple with Presbyterianism: the succession of the Independents is not from the Puritans: Baptists, so called, are reduced to their proper position: political and ecclesiastical facts and principles are brought out, which an unjustifiable timidity allowed to be covered with apparent neglect: historical and philosophical consistency is advantageously effected: Independents possess withal a denominational work, comprising a catenation of documentary evidence not exceeded in interest and importance by any, in its department of ecclesiastical literature."

We give the work our hearty commendation. Every dissenter and every advocate for perfect religious liberty ought to make himself master of the invaluable knowledge contained in Mr. Hanbury's three volumes. He deserves the hearty thanks of all who feel the importance of liberty, both in a religious and in a national sense.

Events

yet in their embryos may be fairly expected to attach a deeper interest than ever to these Memorials. The times will soon convince the friends of liberty, that its enemies are still numerous and powerful. A check may have been given by recent public proceedings at the two universities to the too eager partisans; but the body of ecclesiastics hostile to liberty is stronger than ever. Intolerance is natural to Rome, but the genuine Romanist is more politic, more practised in Jesuitism, than the would-be Romanism of the Church of England. The cause of religious liberty is, however, an object of equal hatred to both, and they would cordially coalesce to overthrow it. Let the friends of that cause prepare for a renewal of the conflict. Mr. Hanbury's volumes will supply them with efficient weapons, and rouse their courage by examples of devotion and prowess never to be surpassed.

1. Hallelujah; or Devotional Psalmody: being a Selection of Classical and Congregational Tunes of the most useful metres, from the Works of Handel, &c. &c.; with a few Chants. The whole arranged in Four Parts, with Organ and Pianoforte accompaniments, &c. To which are prefixed Essays on Psalmody. By John Burder, A.M., and J. J. Waite. London: J. Dinnis. (100 Tunes.)

2. Congregational Psalmody. A choice Collection of Old and New Psalm and Hymn Tunes; adapted to various metres, and harmonised for Four Voices, with a separate accompaniment for the Organ or Pianoforte. By Adam Wright, Professor of Music, and Organist of Carr's Lane Chapel, Birmingham. London: R. Cocks and Co. (112 Tunes.)

3. The Norwich Tune Book. A Collection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, from the Works of the most Eminent Composers, together with many that have never been published. Selected by a Committee, and arranged in Four Parts, by James F. Hill, Professor of Music, and John Hill, Conductor of the Norwich Choral Society. London: Hamilton and Co. (251 Tunes.)

4. The Union Tune Book. A Selection of Psalm and Hymn Tunes, suitable for use in Congregations and Sunday Schools. Arranged by T. Clark, Canterbury. London: Sunday School Union. (371 Tunes.)

5. The Juvenile Harmonist. A Selection of Tunes and Pieces for Children. Arranged for Two Trebles and a Bass. By T. Clark, Canterbury. London: Sunday School Union. (61 sacred, and 21 moral pieces.)

VERILY now there is no lack of Psalmody. Time was, when, save in a district here and there, blessed with its own composer and harmonist, we heard of nothing but Rippon and Walker, who for years, particularly in the south, gave us our sacred songs. Till recently they

have had no competitors able to displace them; they served their day and generation, and as, with all the trash they circulated, they published a goodly number of the old classical tunes, and sold them at a reasonable rate, they may be said to have served it well, and to have prepared the way for a better state of things. During their reign, multitudes of authors appeared of every order of merit and of demerit, -Leach, Moreton, Jarman, and others,-whose names we opine will hardly find a place in the rolls of psalmodic fame; but there have arisen also a Horsley, a Croft, a Boyce, a Webbe, a Hayes, a Wainwright, a Stanley, an Arne, a Novello, and more than one Wesley, who have been throwing off, in their moments of inspiration, not a few melodies worthy of taking rank with the best of the older masters, and requiring to be collected together, and carefully harmonised for general use. Some years since, an attempt to produce a volume of psalmody to meet the wants of congregations and families, was made by Houldsworth, of Halifax. On the whole, it was very creditable : it has been of great service in Yorkshire; but is too expensive to come into general use. Horsley, Greatorex, &c. published selections, but the public was hardly ripe for their style of music; so that the very excellence of their works, together perhaps with their costliness, restricted the circulation. Then appeared "The Psalmist," with its four hundred tunes, gathered from many quarters. We have now placed four, which have since appeared, at the head of this article. How many may be extant that have never reached us, we cannot conjecture; but we see that others are near to parturition, and that this year is to give birth to "The Congregational Tune Book," harmonised for four voices, by the above Mr. A. Wright; and is to contain between two and three hundred tunes for about half-a-crown; and to "The Comprehensive Tune Book," by Dr. Gauntlett and Mr. Kearns, and is to be a manual of a moderate "one thousand psalm and hymn tunes," for a sum which we calculate will not much exceed three half-crowns. Now we rejoice in this; it must improve the taste for sacred music, and gradually prepare the youth of our congregations to join heart and voice in this delightful part of public worship. To one who loves the exercise of praise, it is often very trying, (it was so to the writer last Lord's-day morning) to find himself in the midst of a large congregation, of much respectability and piety too, taking no interest in that branch of the service that peculiarly devolves on them, and saying by their silence, "Though we will consent that Thou shouldest be praised with the stringed instruments and organs, yet with that nobler instrument which thy bounty has given to each of us, the human voice divine, thy name shall not be magnified." When shall this reproach be wiped away?-when shall the melody of sacred song, from the thousand worshippers, sustain, and not quench the Spirit; heighten, and not destroy the interest, of well-conducted devotional services, and of the fervent and able exhibition of the truth?

But what are we to do with this multitude of psalm and hymn tunes? and the number is continually being swelled; for these volumes are by no means made up of old harmonies, and old tunes newly harmonised; but every editor must needs insert a goodly number of his own bantlings, and set forth the " many that have never been published," (would they were not now!) as a chief recommendation of his work. No one at present has seemed to imagine that we really have all the material we want, and set to work to produce a volume which, like the "true church," might become "catholic and universal." But surely now this is a desideratum that cannot be long delayed, and we shall at length have "The Tune Book," as well as "The Hymn Book ;" and if the former be as well put together as the latter, the editor may calculate on our hearty commendations. But in the mean time what shall we do? We cannot buy all these for private use; we cannot introduce all into our choirs. Which shall we select? Houldsworth must be limited in its circulation, by its price. The Union Tune Book we cannot recommend, for, although it contains many good tunes, it is half filled with rubbish. We know not what control the Sunday School Union has over the work; but if any, it is grievous that its committee should be the instrument of perpetuating that false and vulgar taste, which has long been far too prevalent amongst the rising generation. They ought either to weed it unsparingly, or suppress it. The Norwich Tune Book, saving about a score of its melodies, is a good one. Of its original melodies we say nothing, as we never profess to be able to form a settled opinion of the quality of a piece of music with which we have not been familiar for several years. A choir confining itself to the use of it would be abundantly furnished, though we regret to miss some real gems which we have long known. Its editors, however, in publishing it in score only, have made a serious mistake. It is vain to expect that any book can come into general use in our congregations, which is not also adapted for the parlour. Gentlemen, in general, cannot, much less can ladies, play from four lines, one or two of which are written in the C clef.

The Psalmist, notwithstanding the few errors which we formerly pointed out in it, is undoubtedly the best and most complete manual which has yet appeared; and if one might be permitted to take out of it about 250 of its harmonies, and add to these seventy or eighty more very choice ones, which seem to have escaped the researches of its editor, we think that, without vanity, we might fairly designate the new work "The Tune Book :" and if then we could manage to sell it at half its present price,* it would stand a fair chance of coming into general use.

* We are happy to see that, since this was written, a considerable reduction has taken place.

The idea of Messrs. Burder and Waite is excellent,-viz., to furnish a manual sufficient for the wants of a congregation, from which every inferior melody, however popular for the moment, should be excluded, and none but the best classical music introduced. To a certain extent they have succeeded. With scarcely an exception, the tunes inserted are of the right kind; the harmonies, save two or three which have been altered for the worse, are exceedingly chaste, and though less elegant than those of "The Psalmist," sufficiently scientific, perhaps, for the majority of our congregations. We are sure that it is unnecessary to apologise for pointing out two defects. The first is, it is too limited. It contains a hundred tunes; and perhaps a hundred tunes, should all happen to take, may be enough for any people; but no man's taste can be expected to be so accurate, as just to hit the mark, and make a selection which will approve itself to every congregation. Besides, after deducting the chants, which, for our parts, we like much to the Psalms in prose, but cannot fancy to verse, and the melodies which are either entirely new, or known only to a very narrow circle, we can hardly count fifty established standard tunes; established at least in those populous districts in which our days have been pretty equally divided, which stretch from Middlesex, through the intermediate counties, to Lancashire and the West Riding, and embrace more than half the population of England. We say, then, that the tunes contained in Hallelujah, which are likely to be adopted by any one congregation, are too few. The second mistake is, the exclusion of music of a bold, joyous, and lively character, adapted to hymns and psalms of praise and exultation. One of the editors seems to be aware of this, and, as a remedy, recommends that the same tune be sung in slow or lively measures, according to the character of the words. Were this practicable, which it is not, we believe it would still fail. The very tune he selects, St. Stephen's, which, when made to occupy 67 seconds, is a noble tune, becomes to our ears just ludicrous when its speed is so increased as to bring it within 48.*

Congregational Psalmody, by Mr. Wright, is admirably got up. It

Montgomery, if we mistake not, is Handel's air, not Stanley's, though it is not improbable that he arranged and baptized it by the name " Magdalen," which Mr. Wright has retained.

We do not think that New Sabbath, Hart's, Spain, and one or two more, are worthy of a place in Mr. Waite's collection. We regret also that he has altered the pointing of Alma, and instead of dotted minims, followed by two quavers, in the third line of the air, put minims with two crotchets. So, in our opinion, Solomon is rendered exceedingly tame, by departing from the original and equalising the notes. But there is no change we more regret than the one made in St. Ann's, whose fine original chords at the close of the third line are taken away, on the ground, we presume, of their violating a grammatical rule, the universal application of which, however, we believe to be more than questionable. We are astonished that Mr. W. should have reduced Bedford to common time!