NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

I. Homiletics; or the Theory of Preaching. By A. Vinet, D. D. Translated and edited by Thomas H. Skinner, D. D., Professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology in the Union Theological Seminary of New York. Ivison & Phinney. 1854. pp. 524.

This, of course, is the companion to the Pastoral Theology by the same author and translator, of which we have spoken so fully. Our space only allows us to say, that it has the characteristic excellences of the former.

When we think what eloquence is, and what the Most High Himself has involved in the right kind of preaching, it will be seen that we can hardly overrate a work of the first class on these subjects. Preaching, on the whole, Dr. Skinner thinks, has been improving, but so far from being in advance of other activities, it has hardly kept pace with them. Few will differ with him when he says, that there is no object of deeper interest, than that preaching should be such as to have "a just adaptation to humanity in its present excited and over active state, and a controlling power over all the changes which, with such unparalleled rapidity, are coming to pass every where in the world." Vinet was deeply impressed with the necessity of bringing the eloquence of the pulpit thus to suit and control the age, and this is one prominent reason with Dr. Skinner for desiring the circulation of this admirable work.

II. A Shoulder to the Wheel of Progress; being Essays, Lectures and Miscellanies upon Themes of the Day. By Wm. Maxwell Wood, M. D., Surgeon U. S. Navy. Author of "The True Sources of Subordination," "Wandering Sketches in South America, Polynesia, &c." Buffalo: Derby, Orton & Milligan. Auburn: Derby & Miller. pp. 291.

Dr. Wood has, under this somewhat quaint yet stirring title, here gathered together a number of his scattered publications. One cannot judge Dr. Wood, as a writer, with perfect fairness; his character prejudices the critic in his favor. A heart full of genuine sympathy for

the people, their progress and improvement, is joined to mind and manners that stamp the gentleman.

Some of the themes are, "The practical Influences of Popular Institutions," "Popular Education," "Historical Sketch of Erie County," "Grog Ration of the Navy," "Profession of Medicine." "The Naval Institutions of a Republic," we noticed in our first number. In all, the side of hope and progress, patriotism, morality and religion is taken; the suggestions are marked by an excellent common sense and true judgment of the necessities of the country, while the spirit that animates them, is such as finds its way straight to the heart.

III. Oriental and Sacred Scenes, from Notes of Travel in Greece, Turkey and Palestine. By Fisher Howe. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1854. pp. 408.

This volume is "got up" beautifully, finely bound and printed, with maps and colored engravings. Mr. Howe is a ruling elder in the Church of Brooklyn, which lately enjoyed the labors of Dr. Cox. He spent a considerable time in travelling in Europe and the East, interested in classic, and especially in Scripture scenes. These he describes accurately, as he saw, and was interested in them. One of the chapters was originally published in our Review, "Dates the Wild Honey' of John the Baptist."

Mr. Howe states at p. 378, that he and his party, among whom was "a physician of distinction and intelligence," in the desert, under a perfect equilibrium of the atmosphere, at night, heard the circulation of the blood. He thus describes it. "The rushing blood that sweeps through my veins, especially through the head, has waked up a sound within me, like the rushing of many waters! A minute's endurance, and each exclaims, 'How wonderful!' The phenomenon, hardly believed, had been realized most satisfactorily." The profits of the work are to be appropriated to the missionary cause.

IV. The Attractions of the World to come. By Alfred Bryant, Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Niles, Mich. New York: M. W. Dodd. pp. 308.

Mr. Bryant has a pleasant, and who will not say, a wise object? The idea of his book is something like that of Dr. Chalmers' great sermon on "The expulsive Power of a new Affection." If men can be brought to feel that the world to come, offers attractions immeasurably exceeding the present, will they not find themselves drawn thitherward? To accomplish this, he aims to make our conceptions

of the Unseen, as definite as possible. He discusses the Immortality of the Soul, the Intermediate State, the Resurrection, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.

Mr. Bryant's mind is of the calm, contemplative cast. He delights to meditate on religious themes, especially on the glory of God and the great things He will do with, and for His people. And he would fain, sinking worldly things into comparative insignificance, draw men to magnanimity by such contemplation.

V. The United States Grinnell Arctic Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. By Dr. E. K. Kane, U. S. N. Charts and 200 wood cuts. New York: Harpers. 1854.

This book has a strange fascination. The slumberous ice-bergs, the pack, the seals, stout Sir John Ross, Upernavik, the hummocks · and floes, all become part of one's consciousness, as if we had made the voyage ourselves. The book is certainly not faultless. There is rather too much display of science; too many unusual words; the details of similar occurences too minute, and yet so attractive is it, that we are inclined to think Dr. Kane not only a brave and enterprizing person, but something very like a man of genius. If any one should ask us whether he should read the Grinnell Expedition, we should reply, "by all means." If any body can find Sir John Franklin, we are inclined to back Dr. Kane.

VI. Louis XVII; his Life, his Sufferings, his Death. The Captivity of the Royal Family in the Temple. By A. De Beauchesne. Translated and edited by W. Hazlitt, Esq. Embellished. New York: Harpers. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co. pp. 432, 480.

This is the large work of Beauchesne, with all the documents to prove the death of the Dauphin. It is, of course, elaborately antiWilliams. It is indispensable to those who would read both sides, that after examining everything presented by Mr. Hanson, they should take up M. Beauchesne.

The same publishers have also issued an abridgment of the larger work, called: The Bourbon Prince. The History of the Royal Dauphin, Louis XVII. of France, pp. 202; which presents the material parts of the former, in about one-fourth of the space.

VII. History of the Captivity of Napoleon at St. Helena; from

the Letters and Journals of the late Lieut. Gen. Sir Hudson

Lowe, and official Documents not before made public. By William Forsyth, M. A., &c. New York: Harpers. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co. pp. 635, 672.

This is the English, and of course, the unpopular side of the St. Helena question. It is very full, minute and elaborate, and quite indispensable to any one who would satisfy himself as to the merits of the case. That Sir Hudson Lowe had a most painful and difficult task to perform, no one we presume, will deny, and the book certainly makes some impression in his favor. The popular French and American term, "the jailor," gives a wrong impression of Sir Hudson Lowe. Though narrow-minded and martinet-like, he was still an English gentleman. There is a great deal of frivolous detail, but still the work cannot fail to be interesting. It may be considered semi-official. "Thirty folio volumes and several large boxes" of MSS. were carefully examined, and full access had to the Lowe and Government documents.

VIII. The Catacombs of Rome, as illustrating the Church of the first three Centuries. By the Right Rev. William Ingraham Kip, D. D., Missionary Bishop of California, author of "The Lenten Fast," &c., &c. New York: Redfield. Philadelphia: Henry Carey Baird. 1854. pp. 212.

We will frankly confess that we were a little suspicious of this book, and so we have read it through, every word, from beginning to end. The result is altogether favorable. There is not very much effort to find Episcopacy in the Catacombs, and what there is, the reader will perceive not to be very successful; but the testimony to primitive Christianity, as held by all evangelical churches, is unequivocal and beautiful.

As all our readers may not be acquainted with this subject, we will mention the material facts. Under the city of Rome and the adjacent country, extend excavations of unknown extent; some say to Ostia, twenty miles in one direction, and to Albano, twelve miles in the other. Nineteen, twenty-one, thirty-nine and even fifty, separate cemeteries have been enumerated as belonging to them. Rome is based on soft tufa or pozzolano, and the quarries, for such they were originally, were worked at an unknown period, probably by the people generally called Etruscans, long before the alleged era of Romulus. These excavations are mentioned in the Augustan age, and at an early period were used as cemeteries.

And here is the interesting point in the case. The earliest Chris

tians found there a hiding-place, and there they buried their dead. Multitudes of martyrs here reposed, and as the essence of the Christian's faith is often impressed upon his tomb-stone, we here find engraven on the soft walls of the catacombs, the views of the Church of the first three centuries. They are very sweet and beautiful. There are no pictures or sculptures of crucifixions, no agony, no gloom, no purgatory or prayers for the dead, no adoration of the Virgin or the saints, no personation of the Deity. All is Puritan simplicity, only with a softer and gentler element. Nor does the celibacy of the clergy find sanction there, for the minister's wife reposes in peace with the wives and children of his flock.

The tone of the inscriptions is very touching. "Victorina, in peace and in Christ." "In Christ. In the time of the Emperor Adrian, Marius, a young military officer, who had lived long enough, when with his blood, he gave up his life for Christ. At length he rested in peace. The well-deserving set up this with tears and in fear, [on account of the existing persecution,] on the 6th, Ides of December." On this tomb is inscribed a palm-branch. The dove is a frequent emblem. In memory of a child: "You have already begun to be among the innocent ones." Another: "Borne away by angels on the seventh, Ides of January." "Arethusa, in God." "Sweet Faustina, may you live in God." "Navira, in peace, a sweet soul (anima dulcis), who lived sixteen years and five months: a soul sweet as honey (anima meleiea.) This epitaph was made by her parents—the sign, a ship." Our Saviour, at his baptism, is represented as standing in the stream, and John pouring the water upon his head.

The work professes to be only a popular presentation of the most striking parts of various extensive publications; but it is well done. Father Bosio, we are told, spent more than thirty years (1567 to 1600) in exploring the Catacombs, and making drawings, &c. It became the absorbing passion of his life. His work was published, posthumuously, under the title of "Roma Sotteranea," by Father Severano, who added a chapter of his own, 1632. "The most important work was by Father Boldetti, custode of the Catacombs," 1720. He, too, passed more than thirty years in these examinations.

D'Agincourt, "an ardent student of Christian archæology, toward the close of the last century settled himself in Rome, intending to stay six months, but he remained fifty years, solely occupied in collecting and arranging the materials for his book on this subject, which did not appear till after his death. It is entitled, "Histoire de l'Art par les Monumens." More modern writers are, Münter, a Danish bishop, M.