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NOTE.-CORRECTION.

We have received from one of the Committee appointed by the last General Convention to report to the next General Convention "upon the whole subject of the Hymnody and Metrical Psalmody of the Church," the following Note, which we publish as thus best accomplishing the end for which the Note was written.

REV. DR. RICHARDSON, EDITOR, &c.

My Dear Sir:

The interesting and sparkling Article in the April Church Review, entitled "Hymns from Compilers' Hands," states, on page 49, and proceeds throughout on the supposition, that the gentlemen who proposed the " Hymns for Church and Home" were the Committee appointed by the General Convention in 1859, and that this book is the result of their deliberations in that capacity.

In fact, as you will remember, they were but a self-constituted "Committee;" the original edition of the book was printed before the Convention of 1859, and copies were placed in the hands of the members of the Convention.

The error, which it is easy to explain as to its origin, does not require any public correction on account of the Compilers of the book. Nor may it materially affect the purposes of the Reviewer, whose criticisms were in both cases equally just.

The Committee appointed by the Convention have never had a meeting; whether it would complain of this ascription of responsibility, I cannot say.

But it is still a historical error; and appearing in the pages of such a publication as the Review, might hereafter mislead some one who should be tracing the history of our Hymnology in the Church.

Yours very truly,

EDITORIAL.

THE absolute impossibility of reaching a large number of the Subscribers to the Review, in consequence of the derangement of the Mails, will compel us to postpone the mailing of this Number to them. Even in this case, the Volume will be completed as usual, and the Numbers will be sent as soon as possible.

We are glad to be able to say, that our subscription list, which was never better than now, has scarcely been affected by the civil troubles of the country, though the disturbed state of the public currency has rendered the payment of subscriptions, especially those at a distance, more than usually difficult. We bespeak from those of our subscribers, living where commercial exchanges are still kept up with New York, prompt remittances, by which we may be in a measure relieved from all embarrassment. Our Southern brethren, among whom are many of our ablest contributors, warmest friends, and best supporters, are assured that we look forward with pleasure to the restoration of a speedy and open communication with them.

The Article in this Number, on the "Essays and Reviews," though long, will not be thought too long by our readers. Nor are we yet done with the subject. This volume will be examined from another stand-point in the next Review. We are also prepared to state, and to prove, that this German Rationalism has already been imbibed in our own Church to an extent much greater than is generally supposed.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The Bible and THE CLASSICS. By the Rt. Rev. WM. MEADE, D. D., Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Virginia. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1861. 8vo. pp. 558.

THERE are few thoughtful Christian readers who have not, at some period of their lives, been startled at facts which meet them in the history and development of the various systems of Heathenism, all over the world, and at their unmistakable resemblance, in some one point or another, to that one great Plan of Redemption, which they regard as alone worthy of their belief and confidence. At one time, Infidelity used this admitted fact as an argument, and with great effect. Of later years, however, the researches of learned men are showing, beyond a peradventure, that these facts in Heathenism are incontestible proofs of a Supernatural Religion, ante-dating all Heathenism, and having their alone solution in "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Among the more popular of modern writers who have given their attention to this line of investigation, are Sir Matthew Hale, Warburton, Cudworth, Hardwick, Trench, Rawlinson, &c. Bishop Meade has attempted a summary of this whole argument; and he has, we think, been entirely successful. He has done enough to guard the great multitude of believers against the cavils of the scoffer, and he points to the sources of a more scientific and thorough examination, if any one chooses to pursue it. In stating his plan, the Bishop says: "Who can question the importance of some work, which shall bring within moderate compass a comparative view of the leading principles and facts of the Bible, and of all the false religions of earth, showing that they had the same origin, but how, under the latter, men gradually "turned the truth of God into a lie," and came "to worship the creature more than the Creator," and, at length, were given up of God to all the abominations which abound in the heathen world."

ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN PULPIT; or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergymen of various Denominations, from the early settlement of the Country, to the close of the year 1825; with Historical Introductions. By WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE, D. D. Volume VII. New York: Carter & Brothers. 1859. 8vo. pp. 848.

The present volume is devoted to biographical sketches of the more distinguished Methodist preachers, of whom the lives of nearly two hundred are given. In intellectual strength, and in solid learning, the preachers of no denomination in our country will suffer in comparison with the Methodists. Indeed, until quite recently, it was quite the fashion among them to decry "book-learning," as it was called. If their zeal was without knowledge, it was not without the appearance of grace, and being seasoned, often-times, with coarse wit, and with a plenty of over-bearing pretentiousness, it carried away the masses of the illiterate, as by storm. Some amusing illustrations of this may be found in the volume before us. And yet, not a few of these preachers were men of great natural shrewdness, and, we doubt not, of sincere piety, and Methodism, in our country, has unquestionably done a

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great work. It is, of necessity, changing its policy now, but it is ceasing to be Methodism. With the exception of Coke, Asbury, Summerfield, Olin, Fisk, Jason Lee, and a few other names, there are few, in the record given by Dr. Sprague, who will attract interest outside of that denomination. We notice some remarkable mis-statements, and some equally remarkable omissions. Thus, in the life of Francis Asbury, it is said of John Wesley, that he "was in the full exercise of all the Episcopal powers at home." Nothing is said of Dr. Coke's correspondence with Bishop White, on the "re-ordination" of the Methodist preachers in America, nor of Coke's attempts to be sent out, as an English Bishop, to India. The whole history of Methodism in this country opens up some important practical questions to us as Churchmen; that is, if the Church is to be any thing else than the Church of a Class, and if she is to be Catholic, in reality, as well as in name.

GLEANINGS. By Mrs. L. H. SIGOURNEY. Hartford: Brown & Gross. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1860. 8vo. pp. 264.

If these are "Gleanings," they are the gleanings of a rich and plentiful harvest, and, we suspect, that, like as with the reapers of Boaz, some of the handfuls have purposely been let fall. We have long desired and designed to examine with care the writings of Mrs. Sigourney, one of our truest and purest of poets. The high moral tone, the keen sensibility to the Beautiful and the True, the deep Christian devotion, which looks instinctively through Nature and Providence, up to Him who rules immediately in both, and the easy, flowing verse, these charming characteristics of Mrs. Sigourney's poetry, will always make her a favorite with the very best class of readers. It is a depraved public taste, and just now a growing one, which mistakes irreverence and doctrinal impiety for Genius; and two, at least, of our most fashionable writers are floating upon the top-most wave of just such a popularity. One of them has lately received his just deserts at the hands of an English critic, and the other will soon die a natural death.

One of the most beautiful things in this volume is, the Lines on that touching scene in the last General Convention, when the Gloria in Excelsis went up to GOD, from all hearts and all voices, in prayer and praise, at the appointment of two new Missionary Apostles to the moral wastes of our own land.

"The glorious anthem ceas'd-yet still they stood,
Wrapped in adoring silence."

We are half disposed to make a note of that "Stuffed Owl" from "Plymouth Rock,' yet we fear the fair poetess would not forgive us, and it is, perhaps, just as well, that the solemn cadences of the “koko-koho" should die away without an echo from us. There is something in the volume for almost every mood. CHAMBERS' ENCYCLOPÆDIA: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People, on the Basis of the Latest Edition of the German Conversations Lexicon. Illustrated by Wood Engravings and Maps. Vol. I. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers. 8vo. pp. 824. Although the title to this work is an old one, with which every body is familiar, the work before us is, essentially, a new one, and, for many reasons, deserves special attention. Ephraim Chambers' great work, his Scientific Dictionary, a folio in two volumes, published in London, in 1728, was the first attempt made to arrange in alphabetical order the several branches of knowledge; a plan which has since been so generally adopted, and so thoroughly carried out. Messrs. Wil

1860.

liam and Robert Chambers, the authors of the work before us, are men of established literary and scientific reputation, abundantly competent to execute, thoroughly, the task which they have undertaken. Their first determination was, to translate the celebrated German work, The Conversations-Lexikon, first published at Leipsic, in six volumes, (1796-1810,) and which has passed through ten successive editions, the last in sixteen volumes. They soon, however, abandoned this idea, and determined to bring out a substantially new work, making the last edition of the Conversations-Lexikon the basis of their work, but adding to it from all the sources within their reach. The first volume (A. to Bel.) is precisely what its titlo indicates, A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge for the People. For all ordinary purposes, it answers the end of an Encyclopedia. All important terms are given, and the really necessary information stated, thoroughly and compactly, with the aids as above mentioned. There are also numerous illustrative Maps and Engravings, and, at the conclusion of the work, a copious General Index will be given. There is one feature of this work which deserves special notice. While it is thoroughly learned, there is in it the entire absence of that rationalistic infidel temper, which pervades so many of our modern Cyclopedias, and which alone should bar them from general circulation. The same amount of scientific information cannot be found elsewhere within the same compass.

THE NEW AMERICAN CYCLOPEDIA. A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge. Edited by GEORGE RIPLEY and CHARLES A. DANA. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Vol. XII. 8vo. 1861. pp. 788.

This Cyclopedia has solid merits, and has already obtained a large circulation. So far as it has a character of its own, we are obliged to say, that the work is evidently compiled under the influences, we will not say in the interests, of the modern rationalistic philosophy; if that can be called philosophy, which is, rather, a habit of thinking than a system, and which evinces more knowledge than wisdom, and is rather pretentious than modest and deeply learned. We are surprised at the six columns and more of eulogistic obituary bestowed upon Thomas Paine; a man who lived like a brute, and died in the agony of remorse. The article on the terms "Objective and Subjective," though carefully written, takes no cognizance of one of the most important distinctions between them, and one which Coleridge has rendered too familiar to be thus passed by.

THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND, from the Accession of James II. By THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY. With an original Portrait of the Author. In Five Volumes. Vol. V. Edited by his Sister, LADY TREVELYAN; with a complete Index to the entire work. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1861. 12 mo. pp. 293.

We have here all of the continuation of Macaulay's "History of England," which the author had transcribed and revised. It is brought down to the death of William III. We know of no writer so popular, and at the same time so little likely to hold, permanently, the public confidence. Tories and Quakers, Dissentersand Churchmen, all will have an account to settle with the facts of his History, when his grandiloquent and well rounded periods come to be coolly dissected. A few years hence, nobody will quote him as authority, simply because nobody will claim that he is candid and impartial. Macaulay was a splendid reviewer, and as a word-painter, many of his sketches are masterly.

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