But is it not wise sometimes to look at the other side of the picture, and to inquire if there may not have been much of unfaithfulness both in clergy and people; if the sufferings of the former were not in a large degree the penalty of their sins; and the romantic loyalty of the latter was not cherished too often at the expense of devotion to GOD. Thus, for example, Mr. Blatch tells us that "the contributions of the Episcopal congregation at Pittenweem, which comprised some of the principal families of the East of Fife," for the support of their Chaplain amounted in some years to no more than eight pounds three shillings. Truth also requires some notice to be taken of such facts as that for some time after the Restoration the Bishops were without Dioceses, the Clergy without Vestments, and the Church without Liturgy or Offices! We trust that Mr. Neale will treat these facts impartially.

Pratique du Zèle Ecclésiastique, ou moyens infallibles pour tout Prêtre de rendre son Ministère fructueux. Par M. L'ABBE DUBOIS, Chanoine Honoraire de Coutances; Ancien Missionnaire; Curé et Supérieur d'un grand Séminaire. Paris: chez Jacques Lecoffre et Cie, Editeurs, Rue du Vieux Colombier, 29. 1852. Pp. 482.

THIS is one of the very best treatises on the duties of the Parish Priest that we have ever met with in any language; and we do not think that any one can rise from its perusal without instruction and profit. That our Gallican brethren, for whom it is specially designed, have duly appreciated it, seems evident from the fact of a very large edition having been entirely disposed of within a very short period after its publication -a circumstance which is the more remarkable, and which testifies powerfully to the usefulness and value of the work, when it is recollected that the French Church is peculiarly rich in treatises of this nature. There is nothing-as is too often the case with this sort of workvague, unreal, shallow, undigested in the Pratique du Zèle Ecclésiastique; but everything is pithy, suggestive, solid, pre-eminently practical (as its title implies,) and to the point, and the whole work affords a gratifying illustration of its pious author's matured judgment, experience, and wisdom. It abounds in sound and discriminating reflections and valuable hints, conveyed in plain, forcible, and attractive language; it takes a high view of the Priest's office, and not only reminds him of his solemn obligations, but teaches him at the same time how he will best be enabled to perform them. No portion of a clergyman's manifold duties is overlooked; in whatever position he may be placed-in whatever relation both of official and private life he may be brought-he will find safe rules of conduct prescribed in the book before us.

A glance at its contents will best explain its character, scope, and objects. It is divided into two parts. The first comprises the following heads:"PRATIQUE DU ZÈLE PAR LE BON EXEMPLE.-VERTUES SPECIALEMENT NECESSAIRES POUR LE RENDRE FRUCTUEUX. Du zèle. Sa nécessité.-Arrivé dans une Paroisse. Comment se conduire les premiers jours.-De quelles vertues il faut déjà donner l'exemple. De la douceur.-De la piété aimable.-De la Charité envers le prochain. Modestie.- Dignité.-Politesse.-Désintéressement mani

festé par les œuvres.-De la Sainteté nécessaire à un Prêtre, au point de vue du zèle." The following are the contents of the Second Part :"PRATIQUE DU ZÈLE DANS LES RAPPORTS DU PRETRE AVEC LES DIVERSES PERSONNES QUI L'ENTOURENT.-Rapports d'un Curé avec son Vicaire.-Rapports avec les Prêtres habitués de la Paroisse.-Rapports avec les confrères voisins.-Rapports avec la personne que l'on a à son Service.-Rapports avec les Instituteurs et Institutrices de la Paroisse et avec leurs élèves.-Rapports avec les autorités civiles de la Paroisse.-Rapports extérieurs avec les pécheurs pour les engager à se convertir.-Rapports avec les pieux fidèles pour les employer à la conversion des pécheurs.-Rapports avec les pauvres.-Rapports avec les malades.-Rapports avec les personnes affligées.-Rapports avec les personnes dans la compagnie desquelles on voyage.-Rapports épistolaries.Rapports avec les fidèles en général pour les porter à la pratique des bonnes œuvres.-Rapports divers.-Avis aux Catéchistes.-Avis aux Prédicateurs.-Avis aux Confesseurs."

Such are the varied contents of the Abbé Dubois' book. Every one of the above subjects is treated in detail with great skill, perspicuity, and knowledge of the world; and we verily believe that every clergyman that uses this book aright will, under GOD's blessing, realise the object for which it was written, and succeed in making his ministry fruitful. In spite of the existence among ourselves of such works as the Country Parson, and the Bishopric of Souls, and above all the Memoriale Vita Sacerdotalis, edited by the Bishop of Brechin, we think that the Pratique du zèle ecclésiastique might with great advantage be translated and adapted for the use of the clergy of this branch of the Church. To our younger brethren it could not but prove especially valuable.

The Plain Commentary on the Gospels (J. H. Parker) is now complete, and will constitute, we do not hesitate to say, a most valuable element in our popular religious literature for many a day. In a new edition the number of volumes might well be retrenched by one half. The space consumed in reference to other notes is most extravagantly great, and the habit of referring the reader backwards and forwards (while a simple reference to the parallel passages at the head of the narrative would be sufficient) is most wearisome. Moreover, the text is printed in far too large a type.

A new edition of Archbishop Laud's Devotions has been called for. They are got up in the usual style of Mr. Parker's reprints and give the Prayers both in Latin and English.

The Railway Accident, and Wanted a Wife, prove that Mr. Parker's series is keeping its ground admirably. They are both by authors well known and welcome to the public, and both are excellent. In "Wanted a Wife," we have that mixture of deep pathos and rich humour which characterizes the author of the Warden of Berkingholt; and the subject of the tale is one calculated to be eminently useful to the young men to whom it is addressed, and whose vices, as a class, it seeks to combat with many excellent counsels. In "the Railway Accident," we meet again with that peculiar fascination of style which is the special gift of

its author, and which gives an interest to the smallest incident; it is in every respect a charming and useful tale, containing some valuable truths, although we must confess that parts of it appear to us rather improbable.

Our Christian Calling, (Mozleys,) goes into some very minute details of duty. One chapter, for example, is headed Love of gossip a dangerous habit. Another: Ill-temper opposed to Christian holiness. The conversational form, however, chosen by the writer, enables her, (we presume that it is a lady who writes), to sustain the interest, with very little flagging throughout.

Mr. GILDERDALE has scarcely done wisely, we think, in seeking a general circulation for his Academical Essay on Family Religion. (Bell and Daldy.) Like other youthful writers he is disposed to attribute too much importance to the subject which he has undertaken to illustrate; and, further than this, he indulges in several most gratuitous assumptions.

The same must be said of the Rev. G. TYRRELL'S Manual, intitled The Fellow Travellers, or Married Life, &c. (Rivingtons.) It is both exaggerated and controversial, and therefore quite unfitted for devotional purposes. It is rather curious to find a Priest of the Church quoting Dr. Cumming and Mr. John Angel James the former as "the ablest of our popular writers."

Mr. BARTHOLOMEW's Sermon on GOD's Care for His little ones (Masters) seems to have extracted a special commendation from the Bishop of Exeter. In our judgment it quite deserves it.

The Story of a Promise that was kept (Masters) is really the history of King Edwin's conversion, and teaches a very useful lesson under a form very likely to take hold of the mind of a child.

Willie Grant (Masters) on the other hand, is a story of humble life and modern times it is well told and contains a moral very suitable to these times of war.

The Churchman's Diary for 1856, we observe, yet contains some small additions to that mass of well selected information, for which it has long been conspicuous. It is an indispensable companion to every Parish Priest who desires to make the Public Worship of his Church, a "reasonable Service."

We need only announce― -indeed till the series is farther advanced, we could not do much more-the commencement of a course of Sermons on The Seasons of the Church, and what they teach (Mozleys) to be edited, and we imagine chiefly composed by the Rev. H. NEWLAND. They seem to promise more of theological reading on the part of the contributors than the series which have preceded them; and under the editorship of Mr. Newland they are not likely to lack vigour. They are also cheaper than any of their predecessors.

Of all literary cheats we must really assign the pre-eminence to what is called a Memoir of the Life and Death of Sir John King, which is

now

first printed" and published by Messrs. Bell and Daldy. We do not mean to say that the Memoir is a forgery: indeed there would be nothing to forge in it; it is simply more scanty and more uninteresting than the poorest Memoir that could be extracted from the Biographia Britannica or any similar compilation.

A few Words about the Inmates of our Union Workhouses (Longman and Co.,) is a very well-intentioned Tract advocating the employment of sisters of mercy, or other properly qualified women in those receptacles of our poor. Unhappily, experience tells us that there are few things of which the generality of Boards of Guardians are likely to be more jealous, and must we not add? -a large number of Chaplains also!

The Rector of S. Helier's, Jersey, has followed up his Sermon, The Poor made rich by Faith (which we noticed in our September number) by a Tract entitled Infant Baptism and Confirmation, as administered in the Church of England, vindicated from the charges of unauthorised innovation and presumptuous self-confidence, in an address to his Parishioners, and written in reply to certain Remarks made on those subjects by a so-called "Churchman.' That this Reply does contain some portion of truth is what we would not take upon ourselves to deny ; but then there is also mixed up with it a vast and preponderating amount of verbiage and silly nonsense. What the precise nature of Mr. FILLUEL's talents may be we cannot of course tell; but it is plain that polemics, any more than sermon-writing, are not the reverend gentleman's forte. When will the Rector of S. Helier's learn to apply to himself the line of Boileau :

"Le plus sûr est pour moi de garder le silence?"

J. MASTERS AND CO., PRINTERS, ALDERSGATE STREET, LONDON.