experienced; I was admitted, as it were, to draw aside the veil andTM look into heaven, and would have been content to have been dissolved that instant. O that I were in such circumstances in the world! wherein, free from the hurry of business and the cares of this life, I might serve my God, and enjoy sweet communion with him. The world is not my element. I am like a stranger in a far country, and exile chained to his oar. I do not ask to be taken from the world, I only beg to be found in my duty, and that I may have counsel to conduet, and grace to devote myself to the service of God; and if he have any use for me either to act or suffer, here I am, but my warfare must be at his charges."

Helon's Pilgrimage to Jerusalem: a Picture of Judaism in the Century which preceded the Advent of our Saviour. Translated from the German of FREDERICK STRAUSS, with Notes and Illustrations by the Translator. 2 Vols. 8vo. 16s. Mawman.

SUCH a story as this title promises, if well imagined and possessing enough of verisimilitude, cannot fail to be interesting. We learn that

"The work which is now offered to the public appeared in Germany in 1820, unaccompanied by notes, or even references to Scripture. The author promised to remedy the deficiency. As the work had been partly translated into Dutch, and illustrated with notes by the Professors Vanderpalm and Clarisse, he purposed to add his own notes to theirs when their translation should be completed."

The translator adds,

"It was my original intention to have waited for the appearance of this appendix, but as four years have elapsed, and I have been unable to hear any tidings of it in Germany, I thought it better to endeavour to supply the defect. The reader who is not acquainted with any other authorities for Jewish antiquities than the Old and New Testaments, will not, perhaps, be displeased to find here a brief statement of the sources whence the materials of the following work have been derived."

The author's account of the principal object which he had in view is this:

"The present work contains a picture of the Jewish people, in which their ecclesiastical and civil constitution, their social and domestic life are represented, as they existed at the time when the Messiah was at hand."

After stating the feelings which gave rise to his design, and the progress of them in his mind, he goes on to unfold his plan.

"A young Jew, who had been enamoured of the prevailing Grecian philosophy, has returned to the observance of the law of his fathers at one of those important crises in life which decide the character of succeeding periods. Bent on the fulfilment of the law, which he believes it impossible to accomplish any where but in the place where the altar of Jehovah is fixed, he makes a journey from Alexandria, where he had been brought up, accompanied by his uncle, to Jerusalem, in the spring of the year 109 before the birth of Christ, remains there during the half year which included the principal religious festivals; becomes a priest; enters into the married state; and by the guidance of Providence and varied experience, attains to the conviction that peace of mind is only to be found in believing on Him who has been promised for the consolation of Israel."

After stating his reasons for selecting that period, he finishes his preface thus.

"It is well known that the want of a lively and distinct picture of those local and national peculiarities which are presented in the Bible, revolts many from the perusal of it, and exposes others to very erroneous conceptions. It is the author's prayer to Him from whom these precious records have proceeded, that the present work may serve, under his blessing, to make the perusal of the Scriptures more attractive and edifying; and he hopes those who shall drink with pleasure from his humble rill, will not be satisfied without going to the fountain of living waters."

Of the story, which opens with a description of the preparation for the departure of Helon and his uncle Elisama from their home at Alexandria, and closes with the loss of the ship at sea, in which Helon was returning thither, we have no room to speak. We can only add, that the manner in which it is told will be found both instructive and entertaining, especially to young persons who are beginning the study of Scripture history. No opportunity is lost of bringing to the mind of the reader the events which have occurred at each particular place through which the travellers pass; and upon every occasion selections from the Psalms and Prophets are introduced, which seem to come forth as the effusions of the mind at the moment, and exemplify, in an interesting and appropriate manner, the beauties of the sacred volume. The version made use of is neither that of the Bible nor of our Prayer Book. The translator in a note states it to be that of Dathe and others.

The notes and illustrations are satisfactory, as they give the authorities of learned writers upon the Jewish history, and of our most esteemed travellers, with respect to the customs and habits of the eastern countries, upon which the descriptions in the text are founded.

A Practical Treatise on the Law of Advowsons. By JOHN MIREHOUSE, of Lincoln's Inn, and of the Inner Temple, Esa. Barrister at Law. 8vo. 824pp. 148. Butterworth. 1824.

ALTHOUGH the title of this book may well be supposed to have some attraction for those among us who are clerks, yet, after a careful perusal of it, we cannot say that it is one from which we can promise the general reader much amusement. Indeed with the exception of the far-famed Commentaries of Sir William Blackstone, a little tract of Sir William Jones on Bailments, and a few others ejusdem Farina-and above all the delightful Lectures of Mr. Job Surrebutter in verse, we cannot call to mind any legal treatises of a very lively character. If their authors are not to be classed amongst those, who are "sleepless themselves to give their readers sleep"-it is because they for whom their labours are particularly designed, sit down to them with minds excited by more powerful feelings than those of mere curiosity, or the hope of entertainment. With them no doubt both writers and readers,

"Fame is the spur that the clear spirit doth raise
(That last infirmity of noble mind)

To scorn delights, and live laborious days :-"

And we are always happy when "the fair guerdon" rewards at length their honourable and indefatigable exertions. But still we fear that they who are "out of the pale" of forensic enterprize, will always find something dry and uninviting in legal composition, which it is perhaps more easy to account for than to avoid. The matter of which it consists is almost always (as in the instance before us) to be collected from a great variety of sources. Propositions laid down by very different men, at very distant periods, are to be amalgamated and reduced to order and harmony. This is no easy task. For though it may be true, that a strong family likeness pervades the styles of lawyers at all times, still there is a difference

"Facies non omnibus una,

Nec diversa tamen ; qualem decet esse sororum.

We do not mean to say that Mr. Mirehouse has not contended with this difficulty as successfully as most of his predecessors have done. But still it is a difficulty not wholly to be overcome, and it imparts a certain stiffness and occasional obscurity to his sentences, which probably would not be found, if he were writing more immediately from the dictates of his own mind.

But passing from the ner, let us consider shortly the

matter of this treatise. It is upon the Law of Advowsons, and it naturally commences with their origin and history. But we have looked in vain for any clear account of one very important and considerable portion of them. We allude to those livings which are in the gift of the crown. It does not appear how or when they became so invested: and still less why a certain part of them has become the patronage of the Lord Chancellor; and the remainder, of other ministers of state. We are far from questioning the legality on the expediency of this arrangement. We do not know that they could be in better hands. But it does appear rather extraordinary that such a matter should apparently be involved in so much obscurity. We are told indeed, that "in consequence of his prerogative in church matters, the king is patron paramount of all benefices in England:" and, "that the right of presenting to such benefices as do not belong to other patrons belongs to him." But it does not appear whether the king as founder was the original patron of any of these churches: or if otherwise, how the original patrons have lost their rights.

"The right of presentation to a church (says Mr. M.) origiginally commenced in the endowment, or foundation of the church, or in the donation of the soil on which it was built; or as the old books express ratione Donationis, ratione Fundationis, ratione Fundi." He then goes on to say that "the original rights of church patronage in England have been the subject of a variety of opinions"-from which he draws certain conclusions. But none of them throw any light upon the existing patronage of the crown. "In the earliest Saxon times (he says) the interest and government of churches were exclusively in the bishop" and this when "many churches were erected by the kings." This continued till lay foundations commenced about the 8th century. "These originated in laymen desiring the country residence of chaplains and other spiritual persons; whence thanes and lords of manors began to build oratories and churches, which were endowed by the founders with a peculiar maintenance for those incumbents who should reside there, and there only." Hence Advowsons became naturally appendant to manors. And when they were severed from them by a particular grant of the Advowson only, without any other interest in the land, they were called by a term which does not appear now at least to be very happily chosen-namely-Advowsons in Gross. That is if a man had the Advowson and nothing else, he was said to have it it in gross-if with the manor, then it was appendant. But still here is no trace of crown patronage, except where the manors belonged to the crown. We must travel a considerable way

with Mr. M. before we come to any thing upon which we can build a conjecture of our own upon this subject.

The 5th chapter treats of appropriations, and shews in what manner certain livings were annexed to the monasteries then existing in England. And informs us that

"These monasteries after first officiating in the churches themselves (rather a singular operation by the way) soon began to appoint annual curates taken from their own body, either by turn or lot, who were called secular priests, and accounted for all the profits of the church, tọ the house from whence they were selected."

At the dissolution of monasteries by the 27th and 31st Henry VIII. it was enacted

"That the king should have and enjoy to him and his heirs for ever, all monasteries, parsonages, appropriate and religious houses, with their sites, circuits, precincts, and revenues, in as large and ample a manner as the abbots and religious houses held and enjoyed them.'

Hence we apprehend may have sprung the patronage of most of those livings which are at present in the gift of the crown: though in opposition to this conjecture, we are told, that

"The religious corporations being thus dissolved, the king granted the advowsons and other of their possessions to laymen, and the advowsons, benefices, rectories, and livings which have since that period got into lay hands, are called impropriations*, of which there are in England about three thousand eight hundred and forty-five, in contradistinction to those in the possession of spiritual persons.

So that it should appear, that the attachment to glebes and tithes is not peculiar to churchmen. But we will not anticipate what will come more regularly under another article which calls for our notice.

We have thus offered a slight specimen of Mr. Mirehouse's book. If upon the particular point upon which we have commented, it does not give us any satisfactory information, we conclude that it is because none such is to be had. Upon other matters, such as presentations, institution and induction, lapse, and simony, we have no doubt the law is accurately laid down, as it seems to be duly fortified with authorities and we can recommend the work to our clerical readers, as an useful addition to their collections, as well as to those of that profession, for which it is more particularly intended.

* An Impropriator-Dr. Johnson defines to be "one who seizes to himself."