A Sermon preached on Sunday, the 28th Sept. 1834, in the Royal Chapel of Saint Matthew, Ringsend; in aid of the Irishtown Institutions. By the Rev. Francis Thornburgh, A.B. Dublin; pp. 24. There is, perhaps, but too little encouragement afforded to the publication of single discourses, delivered by our own clergy, especially if they are young, and unknown to fame; and the consequence is, that few issue from the press. We are not sure that sermons always clear the expense of publishing, even when graced with the names of our most popular divines; and hence, while the Northern and Southern metropolis of the sister island teems with "Pulpits," and "Sermons," such things are scarcely known among us. This is not creditable to the Christian people of Dublin: nor, in discouraging such publications, do they consult their own advantage. We hope for better things.

The sermon, the title-page of which is prefixed to this notice, though the production of a young man, and giving indications of a lively imagination, which will require to be kept under restraint, is, notwithstanding, highly creditable to him for sound views of divine truth, independent thinking, and ardent, and elevated piety. We trust it will get a wide circulation, and thus serve the valuable institutions on whose behalf it was preached, and afford encouragement to the author. It is but fair to add, that it was preached without the design of publication; and was printed only at the request of the managers of the institution.

A Manual of English Grammar, Philosophical and Practical, with Exercises, &c. By the Rev. J. M. M'Culloch, Minister of Kelso. 18mo. Edinburgh, 1834.

This is, unquestionably, the production of a man of very considerable talent, and who takes an accurate and profound view of his subject. In the preface he says:

"The first great object of the author has been, to exhibit grammar as a science, rather than an art, and to keep steadily before the mind of the pupil the principle, that grammar rules do not give the law to lan

guage, but are themselves determined by previously existing usages. The student who takes the present manual as his guide, will be led to perceive, that grammar, like every other science, is a digest of facts, not a system of rules; that the usages of speech are to the grammarian what the phenomena of nature are to the philosopher; and that as it is not the business of the latter to prescribe laws for the government of the physical world, but simply to deduce them from existing appearances, so it is the province of the former not to dictate what usages ought to be, but simply to discover them."

This is certainly true, and our inference from it would be, that in teaching our children grammar first, we are beginning education at the wrong end. On this subject we can speak personally, as in learning a language (say the German) we never made use of a grammar until after a considerable advance in the acquisition and use of words.

The author advances some new views, and has adopted some different arrangements; and though we may not altogether agree with him, he deserves much credit for acuteness. Upon the whole, there is much to praise in this little work, and it will be found a valuable assistant to those engaged in teaching advanced students.

Our limits prevent our entering into a minute examination of the different parts, but we assuredly wish Mr. M'Culloch success in his laudable undertaking.

Helps to Repentance. By Rev. A. Westoby, M. A.

This little volume consists of six lectures, addressed to persons of various ages; preached during Lent. There is nothing very original or very profound in these sermons, but there is what is far more important, sound gospel views, and a due appreciation of the importance of the soul, with an earnest desire for the benefit of his hearers. The first sermon is addressed to little children; then follow those to young persons in early

life; to those in early manhood; to those in the prime of life; to persons above the age of forty years; to those above the age of fifty years the last especially we admire. If our state be deeply sinful; if our sins need repentance; if, difficult, and painful, and humiliating to the natural heart, as it assuredly is, repentance be the first step in the Christian life, the very portal of the heavenly road-then is this work written for the purpose of setting forth its necessity, of value, and on this account, most sincerely do we wish it God speed.

Hints Designed to Regulate the Intercourse of Christians. By W. Sprague, D.D. Pastor of the second Presbyterian Church in Albany. With a Recommendatory Preface by W. Urwick, D.D. Dublin. J. Robertson & Company. p. 242

There is no subject on which instruction is more required, in this age of almost indiscriminate profession, than that of Christian intercourse; and the work, whose modest title is prefixed to these remarks, "Hints designed to regulate the intercourse of Christians," happily supplies the desideratum. The subject is unquestionably important, whether considered in reference to individual Christians, or their influence upon society; and our readers will be able to form a tolerably correct judgment of the way in which it is treated, when we give them the following table of contents: The work consists of two parts. First: "Intercourse of Christians with each other;" under which we have -"Objects of Christian intercourse; grounds of Christian intercourse; hindrance to Christian intercourse; mode of conducting Christian intercourse; occasions of Christian intercourse; opportunities of Christian intercourse; Christian intercourse in the family; Christian intercourse of youth; Christian intercourse between the higher and lower classes; epistolary intercourse among Christians; perversion of Christian intercourse; obligations to Christian intercourse from the peculiar character of the age."

The second part is entitled, "Intercourse of Christians with the World." Under this head we have-" The

Christian's intercourse with the world in the common concerns of life; the Christian's intercourse with the world in the social circle; considerations prohibiting the Christian from the gaieties of the world; pleas of the professed Christian for mingling in the gaieties of the world considered; responsibility of Christians in the higher walks of life, in respect to the prevailing conformity to the world; the Christian's intercourse with the unrenewed sinner, in respect to his salvation."

The reader will see from this enumeration, that the deeply interesting subject is fully discussed: and a perusal of the work will leave the conviction in the mind, which rests in ours, that ample justice is done to it in the discussion. We most cordially wish for it a place in every religious library, and in every Christian family circle in the land. It will be, we trust, a blessed means of promoting "pure and undefiled religion," of elevating the tone and standard of true practical piety.

Dr. Urwick has laid the Christian

community under an obligation of no common kind, in bringing this admirable work before their notice; and the respectable publishers will, we trust, be encouraged by the success of this attempt to enrich our theological literature with many other accessions from the treasury of our American brethren.

The Liturgy compared with the Bible or an Illustration and Confirmation, by Scripture Quotations and References, of such parts of the Book of Common Prayer, &c. as are not direct Extracts from the Holy Scriptures. By the Rev. Henry Ives Bailey. Two vols, London, 1833. Rivington, Seeley, Hatchard.

"As Christ," said an old divine, "so the Church, and as the Church, so the Liturgy of the Church, is crucified between two malefactors”—____ on the right hand the Papist, on the left the Dissenter, or, as the good old author we have quoted more correctly speaks, the novelist; for novel surely and unheard-of by the primitive church are those principles on which the non-conformist grounds his prejudices against the Book of Common Prayer.