The remarks of Mr. Gillespie on pp. 85-90, are specimens of a bad taste, which disfigures several parts of the volume. Still the book is suggestive and valuable, and we shall be happy to peruse the promised Second Part.

4.- MACVICAR'S INQUIRY INTO HUMAN NATURE.1

THIS work is written in an earnest, but not always perspicuous style. It introduces terms which are not accredited as parts of our philosophical terminology. Some of the author's figures of speech are strained and obscure. We must say, however, that the aim of the volume is excellent. It is to defend the great doctrines of human freedom and responsibility, the spirituality and immortality of the soul. Dr. Macvicar is a firm believer in the liberty of the will. His favorite doctrine is: "that the soul, in its essence, is a free principle and volition, a free power capable of good or evil, as it pleases." He speaks of the soul as a "mere principle of volition;" and teaches, in opposition to what Edwards taught, and, as we think, proved, that the will is not determined by the strongest motives, but the will itself gives to motives their strength. His chapter on Taste and Conscience, and his appendix on the philosophy and science of Common Sense, are worthy of serious regard. He is an admirer, as his father was a personal friend, of Dr. Reid. We are pleased with his enthusiasm in defending that great philosopher, but we object to some of his extreme views.

5. — MEMORIAL OF DR. TAYLOR, AND HIS PRACTICAL SERMONS.

THE Memorial of Dr. Taylor contains three sermons: the first preached at his funeral, March 12, 1858, by Dr. Bacon, pastor of the Centre Church, New Haven; the second preached in the North Church, March 14, the first Sabbath after Dr. Taylor's interment, by Rev. S. W. S. Dutton, D. D., pastor of the North Church; the third preached in the Chapel in Yale College, March 14, by Rev. George P. Fisher, Livingston Professor of Divinity in Yale College. To the Sermons is appended an Obituary Notice of Dr. Taylor by Rev. Chauncey A. Goodrich, D. D., Professor of the Pastoral Charge in Yale College. From these four narratives of the great and good man, we learn that Dr. Nathaniel William Taylor was born in New Milford, Conn., June 23, 1786; he prepared for college under the tuition of Dr. Azel Backus; was graduated at New Haven in 1807; was “approbated "as a preacher in 1810. He "read theology" with President Dwight; and, while pursuing his studies with that eminent teacher, resided in his family two years, and wrote, at the dictation of the President, a large part of the sermons now so extensively known as Dwight's System of Theology.

An "Inquiry into Human Nature." By John G. Macvicar, D. D., author of The Catholic Spirit of True Religion, etc., etc. Edinburgh: Sutherland and Knox. London: Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1853.

2 Memorial of Nathaniel W. Taylor, D. D. New Haven: Published by Thomas H. Pease. 1858. pp. 43. 8vo.

cess.

The position of Mr. Taylor as the favorite pupil and confidential amanuensis of Dr. Dwight, was highly conducive to his mental and moral growth, as well as to his influence in theological circles. In 1812 he was ordained pastor of the First church in New Haven, as the successor of Moses Stuart, who had removed to the Andover Theological Seminary. He remained in this pastorate until 1822, his labors having been crowned with signal sucIn 1822 he accepted the Dwight Professorship of Didactic Theology in the Theological Department at Yale college. This Professorship was founded particularly for him; and the Theological Department of Yale college was planned with the expectation of making him a teacher of theology in it. He continued in this Professorship until the time of his death, March 10, 1858. During the period of thirty-six years, in which he occupied the theological chair in Yale college, he instructed nearly seven hundred pupils, and made large contributions to our theological literature in different religious periodicals. During the same period he was engaged, earnestly and with rare constancy, in preaching the gospel, especially in times of religious revival. As a pulpit orator he had few superiors. He was argumentative and impassioned. He was fearless, solemn, attractive, persuasive. He made nice distinctions and energetic appeals. As a theological instructor he was eminently enthusiastic, frank, and affable. He was acute, discriminating, precise. He loved original investigation, and he encouraged it among his pupils. He had singular confidence in the power of truth, and a peculiar boldness in following the dictates of his reason. He devoted a large part of his time and strength to a defence of the Edwardean theory, that the human will is as free as any will can be, either to choose or to refuse the good, even while there is an infallible certainty that it will not choose, but will always refuse it. He resolutely opposed the Pelagian notion, that the soul is in equilibrio, equally inclined to the right and to the wrong; and he has resolutely combatted the Fatalistic notion, that the will has no power to choose what God commands it to choose, and is under a literal and invincible necessity of doing what God forbids. Perhaps a still larger share of his energies was devoted to a defence of the proposition, that the existence of sin may be a necessary incident to a moral system, and may have been permitted by the Creator, not because it is a means of good, but because it results (necessarily so far as the divine power of prevention is concerned) from that which is a means of good. Probably the most objectionable of Dr. Taylor's favorite themes was, "that all motives that come to the mind find their ultimate ground of appeal in the desire of personal happiness, and that the idea of right, in the last analysis, is resolved into a tendency to the highest happiness." A favorite speculation, and one which involves various disputable theories, by which Dr. Taylor's system has been distinguished, is, that at a certain period in the order of nature before regeneration, the selfish principle is suspended, and, at that point of time, the unregenerate mind uses the means of regeneration under the impulse of a constitutional self-love, and without any moral choice, either right or wrong.

1

Heretofore, the writings of Dr. Taylor have been scattered through the religious periodicals of his day. It is now proposed to publish, in a uniform series of detached volumes, "such selections from his theological lectures, essays, and discourses, as shall be deemed advisable." One volume of his Practical Sermons now lies before us. It illustrates the remark of Prof. Fisher, that the sermons of Dr. Taylor "were written in terse, idiomatic English, and in so plain a style as to be level to the mind of the humblest auditor. His published writings are not distinguished for perspicuity, but his sermons are. Many who have merely been acquainted with his reputation as a philosopher, have imagined that his discourses to the people were abstruse dissertations, or bold speculations in theology. So far from this, they were made up of great, simple thoughts, clothed in a garb so perfect that it was not noticed, and enlivened by striking illustrations from the Bible, and from common life. Like some of the Epistles of Paul, and his recorded discourses, the sermons of Dr. Taylor were, to use a favorite phrase of his own, specimens of fervid argumentation.' They never omitted a close, searching, pressing appeal to the conscience. When he had brought his truth out of the Scriptures, and set it in such a light that every one saw it, he demanded, in the name of God, the assent and obedience of his hearers. He insisted on an instant compliance with every known obligation. He demonstrated the fallacy, and folly, of the excuses of impenitent men for living without God, and with every warning and every pathetic entreaty, urged them to immediate repentance."

That Dr. Taylor, theoretically and practically, adopted the principle, that sinners should be urged to immediate repentance, and to nothing which does not involve immediate repentance, is evident from many passages in the Memorial and in his Sermons now before us. Does he not, however, if we interpret his language strictly, sometimes deviate from this principle? Does he not sometimes exhort to an effort, which is an act distinct and separate from repentance? "If the first attempt fail, repeat it, and repeat it again and again, as often as it shall fail." "If the attempt fails, repeat it with new and increased effort. On this—oh, on this — everything depends." "Should your first effort fail, and you have another moment's respite, I would say, repeat that effort." (p. 316.) Now here is an effort, which fails, and which is to be repeated again and again, and which the sinner is exhorted again and again to make and repeat. Is this effort repentance? How, then, can it fail of its end? Is it an involuntary act? How, then, can we exhort a sinner to perform it? Is it voluntary? Then it must be holy or sinful. If it be holy, how can it fail of its reward? If sinful, how can we be justified in exhorting sinners to make it?

There are various passages in these Discourses of Dr. Taylor which, ac

1 Practical Sermons: by Nathaniel W. Taylor, D. D., late Dwight Professor of Didactic Theology in Yale College. New York: Published by Clark, Austin and Smith, 3 Park Row and 3 Ann Street. 1858. pp. 455. 8vo.

2 Memorial, pp. 29, 30.

companied with his explanatory tones and gestures and whole style of delivery, would be less liable to start an objection, than they will be on the written page. Thus, when he exhorts the sinner to a specified duty, and says: "Do this, and you would no longer be dependent on the Spirit" (p. 390), he by no means intends to deny the invariable dependence of Christians on the common grace of the Spirit, but merely on the special grace of the Holy Ghost in "softening the heart." His manner of introducing his different Propositions is attended, sometimes, with an obscurity which his impressive elocution would at once remove. Thus, on p. 401, we read: "IV. The same thing is evident from facts." What thing? The duty of making a new heart. "The thing has often been done, and this in two forms. Thus Adam made himself a new heart," etc. But is this the thing to which the mind had been previously directed? We have noticed many similar inaccuracies in the volume (as where sin is said to consist in "preferring God to the world," p. 384), which are evident lapses of the pen, and might have been easily corrected by the proof-reader.

We look forward with unusual interest to the forth-coming Volumes of this great work. We are not prepared to sanction all the theories of its revered author; but we anticipate rare pleasure and profit from the results of his rigid study, and from the record of his profound and elaborate thought. He was a man whom posterity will delight to honor.

We regret the necessity of deferring some Literary Notices prepared for the present Number; of deferring, also, the larger part of our Literary and the whole of our German Intelligence. We have room only for the following items.

Among the works published during the present year, by the enterprising House of Gould & Lincoln, Boston, are the following:

"Annual of Scientific Discovery; or Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art, for 1858, exhibiting the most important Discoveries and Improvements in Mechanics, Useful Arts, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, Meteorology, Geography, Antiquities, etc.; together with a list of recent Scientific Publications, a classified List of Patents, Obituaries of eminent Scientific Men, Notes on the Progress of Science during the year 1857, etc. Edited by David A. Wells, A. M." This is a work of rare interest. As a book of reference, it is of permanent value.

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Essays in Biography and Criticism. By Peter Bayne, M. A., author of 'the Christian Life, Social and Individual,' etc. Second series. pp. 392, 12mo. This volume contains many passages of brilliant rhetoric. Its moral tone is healthy; its entire influence is stimulating to all good aims. "The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans; with Notes, chiefly explanatory. Designed as an Accompaniment to the Author's Notes on the

Gospels and the Acts. By Henry J. Ripley, Newton Theological Institution. pp. 147, 12mo. We have examined this work with some care, and regard it as one of the best popular commentaries on the Epistle to the Romans with which we are acquainted.

"A Commentary on the Original Text of the Acts of the Apostles. By Horatio B. Hackett, D. D., Professor of Biblical Literature in Newton Theological Institution. A new edition, revised and greatly enlarged." pp. 480, 8vo. The first edition of this learned Commentary has been highly valued in this country and in Europe. The second edition is still more scholarly and complete than the first. We regard it as the best Commentary on the Acts, which can be found in the English or in any other language.

Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., New York, have published the sixth volume of Olshausen's Commentary. Its title is: "Biblical Commentary on the New Testament, by Dr. Hermann Olshausen, Professor of Theology in the University of Erlangen. Continued, after his death, by Dr. John Henry Augustus Ebrard and Lic. Augustus Wiesinger. Translated from the German, for Clark's Foreign and Theological Library. Revised, after the latest German edition, by A. C. Kendrick, D. D., Professor of Greek in the University of Rochester." pp. 624, 8vo. This volume embraces Wiesinger's Commentary on the Epistles to Timothy and to Philemon, and Ebrard's Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews. The six volumes now completed form an admirable Exposition of the larger part of the New Testament. They supply a peculiar want which English and American Commentaries leave unsatisfied. The faithful study of this Exposition by our clergymen, will not fail to improve the style and general character of the pulpit, giving it a more spiritual tone, more fervor and comprehensive charity.

Sheldon, Blakeman & Co. have also, during the present year, published "Select Discourses by Adolphe Monod, Krummacher, Tholuck, and Julius Müller; translated from the French and German, with Biographical Notices, and Dr. Monod's celebrated Lecture on the Delivery of Sermons. By Rev. H. C. Fish, and D. W. Poor, D. D. With a fine steel Fortrait of Dr. Monod. pp. 408, 12mo. This volume contains many spirited sermons. Their dissimilarity to the discourses of English and American divines, gives them a new and peculiar interest.

Among the other American works, or American re-prints, now lying on our table, are:

A treatise on the Greek Prepositions, and on the Cases of Nouns with which these are used. By Gessner Harrison, M. D., Professor of Latin in the University of Virginia. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. 1858. pp. 498, 8vo. Those who have read Prof. Harrison's "Exposition of some of the Laws of Latin Grammar," will not be disappointed in the present production. It is a work of substantial merits, indicating close observation,