its object to furnish suitable and attractive reading for young persons on the Sabbath. The general object of the publication must recommend itself to every one who is desirous that the Sunday should be productive of useful and serious thoughts, without becoming burdensome and distasteful to young and active spirits. We believe the publication we are noticing will contribute essentially to this desirable end. The volume first mentioned, containing "The Life of the Saviour," is characterized by a winning style, which cannot fail to lead the most roving lamb of the flock to the great Shepherd, and to stamp upon the tender soul of youth a new and bright image of the Beauty of Holiness. The second volume, containing "The Life of Howard," must, we should think, seize upon the best feelings of the young, and interest them strongly in one who deserves to be ranked among the most devoted disciples of Him who "went about doing good."

As far as regards subject, we should say that the third volume has fewer advantages than its predecessors. Biography seems to be peculiarly suited to interest the young from the singleness of object presented to the reader's mind, and from the personal sympathy which is awakened, and which, if the subject of the memoir be truly amiable and worthy, is not only kept up but strengthened to the end of the book. Whereas in history and description there is of course more detail; the memory is more taxed; the feelings are less frequently appealed to and excited; what is realized by the young mind after the first perusal of such works is likely to be less in amount, than what is carried off by the most rapid reading of the Life of an amiable and worthy person. These remarks are not made in disparagement of Mr. Bulfinch's work. All subjects are not equally interesting, and no skill can alter this inequality. We look upon the third volume as a task-book rather than a pleasure-book; as containing what ought to be studied attentively, rather than what would be eagerly caught at by the young. It seems to be just such a book as is needed in our Sunday schools; and, if a proper set of questions were appended to it by the author, to be answered by reference to the work itself, it would be an excellent text-book for such schools.

The first part of this little work is occupied with the History of the Holy Land. We regret to find omitted in this portion the Scripture account of the patriarchs, especially of Joseph, of the extraordinary providence that raised him to distinction in Egypt, and made him the arbiter of the fortunes of his family, and, in an important sense, the founder of the nation.

The whole of this portion of Scripture is intimately connected with the general History of Palestine and the Jews, and, besides, the story has peculiar charms for old and young.

We think, too, that our author might, even at the hazard of swelling his book a little, have added with advantage more particulars respecting the destruction of Jerusalem in the war with the Romans, in order that his young readers might be compelled to admire the wonderful and exact fulfilment of the prediction of the Saviour.

Our author's style, without being peculiarly adapted to the class of readers for which he wrote, is marked by simplicity and elegance; and, if it does not evince any great tact in writing for the young, recommends him to the more mature of his readers as a good scholar and a man of taste. One who can write with so much purity and beauty, may venture to appear often before the public in the character of author.

Poems, by S. G. BULFINCH. Charleston. 1834. 12mo. pp. 108. About the time that the work on Palestine which we have just noticed was published here at the north, this collection of poetical essays was handed to us from the south. It speaks well for Mr. Bulfinch's industry, that amidst his professional duties, which he has been discharging, as we are assured, to the great acceptance of his congregation in Augusta, Georgia, he has found time to prepare these volumes for the public, in the course of a single year. Several of the the poems, however, had appeared previously, in other publications; as, for instance, the Devotional Pieces, which were first printed in the author's "Contemplations of the Saviour." Mr. Bulfinch's poetry is sweet and flowing, often elevated and inspiring, always pure in its tone and effect, and imbued with a warm and rational piety. The first piece in this volume, entitled "Chivalry," is the longest which it contains, filling twelve of its pages. If we were better pleased with one portion of it than another, it was with the following beautiful strain near its close.

"There hath been Chivalry where arms ne'er came;
Its pure and ardent flame

Hath shed a halo round the warrior's crest,
Hath burned within the patriot statesman's breast,
Nor less has warmed the peasant's humble cot,
And cheered the outcast's friendless, hopeless lot.
For what is Chivalry?

"T is self-devotedness;

A spirit urging onward and still on

To some high, noble object to be won;

And pressing still, through danger and distress,
Regardless of them all,

Till that high object, whatsoe'er it be,

Friendship, or virtuous fame, our country's liberty,
The improvement of our race, the happiness
Of one poor individual,

Or of unnumbered thousands, be attained.
We know it by the burning cheek,

The excited voice, the flashing eye,
Where common souls would coldly speak
Of some high purpose gained.
Such, such is Chivalry!"

- p. 19.

The Youth's Letter-Writer; or the Epistolary Art made plain and easy to Beginners, through the Example of Henry Moreton. By Mrs. JOHN FARRAR, Author of "Congo in Search of his Master," "The Children's Robinson Crusoe," &c. New York R. Bartlett & S. Raynor. 1834. 16mo. pp. 155. If Mrs. Farrar had contented herself with laying down dry rules for the aid of young people who desire to be made acquainted with the mysteries of the "Epistolary Art," she might and doubtless would have produced a much more complete" Letter-Writer than any of those treatises so called, which modestly assume to be complete; but still, as a collection of dry rules, it would necessarily have been a dry book. The work which she has actually presented to the youthful public of epistolary aspirants, is quite an entertaining book. By supposing a clever lad, Henry Moreton by name, on a visit to his uncle, and carrying him through the process of corresponding with his distant friends, under the guidance of that uncle and his family, she has given the subject a narrative and dramatic spirit, which causes it to take hold of the imagination and memory, and throws an agreeable interest round the folding of a sheet of paper and the nibbing of a pen. We therefore recommend the work, not only as the completest, but most readable LetterWriter which is to be had at the bookstores.

Meditations for the Afflicted, Sick, and Dying. Boston. Samuel G. Simpkins. 1833. 24mo. pp. 216. - This is the fifth volume in the series of books which has lately been issued by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, Piety, and Charity. It is chiefly extracted, as we are informed in the Advertisement prefixed to it, from a work published at Edinburgh, entitled "Farewell to Time, or Last Views of Life, and Prospects of Immortality." The editor expresses his persuasion

We have no

that it will be acceptable to the serious reader. doubt that it will prove so. Without pledging our assent to all the sentiments contained in it, we hesitate not to name it as in most respects the best book for its purposes which has yet been offered to the Christian public.

An Universal History, in Twenty-four Books. Translated from the German of JOHN VON MÜLLER. In Four Volumes. Boston Cottons & Barnard. 1834. 12mo. pp. 286-300 – 304-264. Whoever would read history for the spirit of history, for the moral instruction which it conveys as well as for the facts which it preserves, will do well to study this compend by the celebrated Müller. Since the publication of this translation, we have referred to it in several places, and for the histories of different nations, and have always found information, conveyed in a lively and interesting manner. We have heard it intimated, that the author has not spoken of Christianity as a believer in that religion or its miraculous origin. We think the charge is wholly unsupported by the History itself; and we "Jesus will give our readers an extract from the section on Christ," that they may judge for themselves.

"After he had openly testified, in the most impressive manner, that no other completion of the hopes of Israel was to be expected, but this blessing which was destined for all mankind, through the medium of their traditions and system of worship, Jesus knew what he had to suffer from the disappointed vanity, and the selfishness and ambition of the priests, and foresaw with compassion the misfortunes which their prejudices would bring upon the nation. But as Providence by the direction of events had combined in him the most striking traits of the ancient prophecies, by which the Jews might know the Saviour of Israel, Jesus had no other purpose than the completion of his destination. Hereupon he was calumniously accused by his nation before Pilate, the Roman governor, and sacrificed by him to the factious spirit of the Jews. With greater than human fortitude he suffered death; he rose again to life, confirmed his words, and left a world which was unworthy of his presence.

"The work of the Author of mercy and love was completed; the root which he had planted, namely, the renovated doctrine of the patriarchs, in the course of a few centuries spread its shoots beyond the boundaries of the Roman empire, and, together with the veneration of his name, subsists in the most essential points even among the disciples of Mahommed; expiatory sacrifices, polytheism, and the belief in annihilation, have vanished from the greater portion of the human race; the more clearly the true nature of his doctrine is displayed to our view, when purified from the corruptions of calamitous times, the more deeply does its spirit penetrate into the foundations of society; many who have supposed themselves to be his adversaries, have la

bored in the accomplishment of his plan; and after Christianity, like its founder, had long suffered abuse by priestcraft, every developement of our sentiment for moral goodness, and every successive advancement in philosophy, gives us new feelings, and opens to us more exalted views, of its true principles and inestimable worth."- Vol. 11. pp. 30, 31.

The Story without an End. Translated from the German by SARAH AUSTIN. Illustrated by WILLIAM HARVEY, Esq. London. Published by Effingham Wilson, Royal Exchange. 1834. The soul of childhood dwells in an earthly tabernacle, where is provided a resting-place, on which it may repose when it is weary, unconscious even of itself, and where also is found a means of self-consciousness, on which it may look when the era of reflection comes.

But when this tabernacle is placed among the beauties of nature, the soul of childhood is attracted from its primeval repose, to go forth into the external world, and feast upon the simple and beautiful objects it finds; and when thus strengthened, it goes on under the guidance of ever active imagination, and communes with the light and the water-drops, the flowers and the birds and the tiny beasts, through the mysterious influence of that original sympathy by which God has wedded the soul to nature, in order that the affections of the soul may be touched, its intellect exercised, universal love be stimulated, and immortal hopes awakened.

Such is the hidden meaning which is symbolized by one of the most enchanting forms, with which imagination ever clothed spiritual facts. We will not anticipate the pleasure of the reader by giving him beforehand those details of the meaning of the several parts, which it is so delightful to feel breaking upon the mind from the symbols themselves. We will quote only the last passage, as a specimen of the beautiful English in which Mrs. Austin has set this gem from the German mine.

"And the child was become happy and joyful, and breathed freely again, and thought no more of returning to his hut; for he saw that nothing returned inwards, but rather that all strove outwards into the free air; the rosy apple-blossoms from their narrow buds, and the gurgling notes from the narrow breast of the lark. The germs burst open the folding-doors of the seeds, and broke through the heavy fissure of the earth in order to get at the light; the grasses tore asunder their bands, and their slender blades sprung upwards. Even the rocks were become gentle, and allowed little mosses to peep out from their sides, as a sign that they would not remain impenetrably closed for ever. And the flowers sent out color and fragrance into the whole world; for they kept not their best for themselves, but