ment and illustration," of Christianity as the basis of individual character. We proceed to remark briefly on that portion of the work which considers its application to society. After establishing the proposition that "religion is the only stable basis on which a commonwealth can be reared," the author draws out and applies the Pantheistic and the Christian theory of social life. Pantheism being the assertion of man's divinity, and the man, consequently, in whom the Divine is most clearly manifested, being the worthiest to rule, it follows that, in a government constructed on this basis, his will would be supreme: all the rest would yield unquestioning obedience. The social theory of this school, therefore, is despotism. Mr. Carlyle does not shun, nay, he even glories in this consequence of his teaching. "Liberty," says he, "requires new definitions." "If thou do know better than I what is good and right, I conjure you, in the name of God, force me to do it; were it by never such brass collars, whips, and handcuffs; leave me not to walk over precipices."

Christianity recognizes government as a Divine institution, but gives an exclusive sanction to no particular form. It enunciates principles, however, relative to government, which, to the extent they are adopted and respected, tend to secure the best form and the wisest administration. It represents God as the supreme ruler; men as essentially equal; their perfection, as securing his glory, the end of their creation. To the gradual achievement of this perfection two agencies specially minister: the one a personal freedom by inherent right, of which none may be wholly deprived; the other, a necessary surrender, in some degree, of this freedom to society, as the price of protection to what is not surrendered. The end of government, therefore, on the Christian theory, is to secure, with the least encroachment of individual right, the largest measure of social good. To the attainment of this end, the agencies of Christianity jointly contribute; and when, through their instrumentality, our race shall have advanced to that state in which freedom and law will be synonymous, this end will be consummated.

Among the agencies for working this result, Christian philanthropy is deemed to hold a prominent rank. We have not space for an outline even of the clear exposition and able vindication which this well-abused agency receives from our author. We shall content ourselves with merely saying, that whoever would see Dickens, et id omne genus, whose vituperative assaults and absurd caricatures. have done so much to bring philanthropy into disrepute, handled with decent severity; and whoever would see the more formidable argumentative ordnance of Mr. Carlyle silenced, his system of heroworship proved absurd, his theory of law exploded, and that which

Christianity recognises triumphantly substituted, may, it is safe to promise, look into this part of the work with no fear of disappointment. Here, we think, the author's ability is most conspicuous. Many of his views are original. The reasoning is conclusive, and over it is thrown a spell as of fascination. Indeed, we would have difficulty in naming a production combining more of chaste eloquence and logical reticulation than this part of the work before us. If to refute error were to destroy it, there would be little need in future that the ground here occupied should be again gone over.

To mark the progress and illustrate the working of this benign agency, by sketching the lives of men whose chief distinction was their sublime devotion, through Christian impulse, to the bettering of their race, was a happy thought. The meliorating influences, which it was before maintained in theory that Christianity would shed upon the nations, are thus shown to be real. Waiving, for the time, the question of theoretic excellence, we here behold its practical embodiment. The streams of compassion are actually flowing. In the dungeon, at the scaffold, in the relations of life and the marts of business, as never before, the brotherhood of men is felt. As emulous of Him "who went about doing good," the sharers of his spirit are abroad in the world, bringing help to the needy, joy to the sorrowing, and hope to the despairing. Of this philanthropic movement, Howard is taken to represent the rise, Wilberforce the growing manifestation, and Budgett, with much else, the application to the relations of business. Of this trio, the first two have long enjoyed a world-wide renown; the last, more from the fact that the theatre of his action was not so conspicuous, than that his merits were less, is doomed, perhaps, to a more limited notoriety. It is not our purpose to speak minutely of their portraits as here drawn. Their full record is only in heaven; but what is here put down must, through all succeeding time, embalm their names in the holiest memories of the race. They have written, in deeds, the grandest comment which that saying of the apostle, "Faith which worketh by love," has ever received.

We are desirous of calling attention to a single point in the life of Budgett. Our author speaks in terms of praise of Mr. Arthur's work. He alleges, however, one grave objection. The extent to which the "born merchant" was wont to push his tact in trade, frequently became the cause of mortification to his slothful or less gifted competitors. This habit of using his talent to the utmost, heedless of the pain he might thus inflict upon his rivals, Mr. Arthur regards "as a defect" in his character. Mr. Bayne contends that this is the wrong way to explain the phenomenon, and is, in fact, an

imputation injuriously affecting his whole commercial character. We have not space to rehearse his manner of showing that, precisely in the fact that Budgett acted thus, is to be read one of the chief lessons which his mercantile career enforces. We refer to it merely to express the hope that his biographer will reconsider the view he was led to take. If truth will allow, the "Successful Merchant" ought, for the sake of his influence, to stand before the world without so serious a defect." We, at least, have been convinced that truth demands that he be permitted thus to stand.

We have but little to say of that part of the work which treats of the Positive Philosophy. To be honest, our acquaintance with this system does not warrant any very positive utterance respecting it. What we do know favours the belief that our author's censure of it is somewhat too sweeping. He finds no difficulty in detecting, and uses no qualification in asserting, its blood-kin to that Atheism which makes the world "a workshop for the living, and, for the dead, a grave." Conceding all that is claimed for it in the domain of the physical, he asserts its "tendency to discrown man, and take the light off the universe." Allowing, however, that this judgment is correct, and further that, by reason of its systematic completeness, this phase of materialism is really the most formidable antagonism of the kind which Christianity has ever had to encounter, there is still no just cause of fear. Belief in the spiritual is, with the million, an intuition, and can in no way be destroyed. If once it shall come to be understood that Positivism ignores the spiritual altogether, men generally will ignore it. Whoever shall declare, be he even Auguste Comté, that "there is no God," may be sure of winning the distinction which of old the Psalmist accorded to the assertors of such folly; nor will it ever be in the power of any system founded on this declaration, whatever its merit in. other respects, to inflict enduring harm on that system which, recognizing the spiritual, affords the only rational account of man's relation to it. Nay, it is not to be doubted that every such system, how great soever its seeming potency of evil, will be found, in the summing of results, to have brought its contribution of good to the one which it threatened so seriously to injure.

We suppose it likely that the intelligent Christian will find little in the work to strengthen his conviction of the preciousness of evangelical religion. A richer experience of its saving power can alone do that. And if it cannot be claimed that the author has added much to the proof, already perhaps complete, which is to satisfy others that Christianity is the only hopeful reliance of the human race, he must at least be allowed the praise of having swept aside

the aspersions which, from high places, have been cast upon it; as also of having shown, in a clear light, how unfounded are the pretensions of that Pantheistic spiritualism which, with loud trumpeting, has set up its claim to be the sole reliance. His work, moreover, is extremely opportune. At a time when men of confessed ability are pronouncing Christianity a failure, its agencies a "phosphorescence," and the Church a dead carcass; when, too, the unwonted license of thought, which now obtains, is apt to secure a hearing for any wildest vagary having the merest modicum of plausibility, it is well that the ground on which assertions must stand or fall, be calmly surveyed. This he has done, with what result we have more than once declared. But the mouth of slander will not be stopped, nor will a general assent that revealed religion is the only hope of men, be secured. This result is to be wrought by a power mightier than man's. But it will one day obtain. The indications of its coming are neither few nor insignificant. Christianity is silently demonstrating its power to renovate the world. Casting a glance over the unwritten history of the present, we cannot fail to discern, amid much to excite our sorrow, the one cheering fact, everywhere conspicuous, that our race is moving, not, indeed, with uniform pace, nor without some detours, yet with hopeful progress, toward a higher and improved condition. Equally obvious is the fact, that it is Christianity which impels and guides this onward movement. Her torch flames in the van of our marching kindred with a milder, yet clearer radiance, than of old led on the Hebrew exodus, and to it the eyes of men turn with hope. The conviction is growing, both in intensity and diffusion, that the aspirations of humanity can be met only by following where it leads. Silently, as leaven in the meal, the belief is diffusing itself among men, that the voice which speaks from heaven must point their way and control their exertions, if their destiny is to be fulfilled. The waxing might of the antichristian power may impede, but cannot imperil, this consummation. When it shall have come to a head, and, embodied in "the man of sin," offers battle to the Prince of truth, the long conflict, dating from the past eternity, will conclude with its everlasting overthrow.

We are sensible how little these remarks have been à la mode critique. But if we have dealt more in praise than is the wont of critics, we shield ourselves under the view that to commend where justice permits is, at least in theory, as much a function of criticism, as to condemn where justice requires. Bating the very occasional obtrusion of Calvinian peculiarities, we regard the book a masterly exhibition of the working of Christianity, as also a masterly refutation of prevalent error; and to say this with the least possible

qualification, we have deemed a better service to the cause of truth, than to offer strictures on some minor points, from which our assent is withheld.

We close with an allusion to the author. At present he resides in London, but Scotland, whose sons, among the dead and living, have performed so enviable a share of the world's substantial work, is his native country. He was born in Aberdeenshire, and graduated at Marischall College, in the city of Aberdeen. "He subsequently studied divinity at Edinburgh, where also he 're-studied' philosophy under some of the most eminent professors of that celebrated school. It is understood that he was particularly partial to the system of Sir William Hamilton, of which, indeed, there are indications in the Christian Life."" His original purpose was to enter the ministry of the Free Church, of which he is a member; but this purpose he is understood to have relinquished for that of authorship. Except some review articles of great merit, the "Christian Life" is the first fruit of that determination. May he be encouraged to gird himself for further, and even better, service to the Church and to the world.

ART. IV.-ABBOTT'S NAPOLEON.

The History of Napoleon Bonaparte. By JOHN S. C. ABBOTT. With maps and illustrations. In two volumes. New-York: HARPER & BROTHERS. 1855.

MR. ABBOTT'S "history" originally appeared in Harper's Magazine, and, consequently, had a very wide circulation before it took the form of a distinct publication. We also learn that it has had a large sale in its more dignified form; and it is probable that it has been more generally read, in this country, than any other account of the great warrior. It is, therefore, quite likely that a large portion of our young men and young women will receive their main impressions of the world's mightiest chieftain from Mr. Abbott's pages.

Under these circumstances it may not be amiss to inquire, whether the views of Napoleon's action and character presented in this "history," are such as should be generally accepted by our young people, and are consistent with the facts which the author has given to the world. The endowments of Napoleon were so splendid, and his action on society so brilliant and powerful, that our hero-worshippers, in the enthusiasm of their idolatry, have undertaken to make