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of her mystery, and on which we found the conviction, that our interpretation of her laws is just and true.

We would commend this volume to the students of the noblest species of history-the history of the progress of human knowledge. To the devotees of the physical sciences-or as they sometimes inadvertently say—of science, it would seem almost superfluous to commend these volumes. We believe, however, that it may not be amiss to suggest to many such, that a more frequent and more profound meditation on the history and philosophy of the inductive sciences, would enlarge their conception of these sciences themselves, as well as suggest their closer dependence upon the metaphysical and ethical assumptions on which all science must proceed. Certainly it would do no harm to ask with Mrs. Browning, "whether, after all, a larger metaphysics might not help our physics," in some important respects.

CHRISTIAN PHILANTHROPY.

As a practical illustration of Christian philanthrophy and benevolence, we commend the little book bearing the title "English Hearts and English Hands,"* published by Messrs. Robert Carter & Brothers. The object of the book is to show the Christian people of England how much honorable and even delicate feeling there is among English daylaborers; and how by a judicious manifestation of kind, personal interest, those who are benevolently disposed may soften the trials, and lighten the labors, and bring under elevating and religious influences, a class of their population for whose improvement it has hitherto been considered almost useless to make any exertion.

The book is written by a lady, very favorably known already as the authoress of the "Life of Captain Hedley Vicars." She is the daughter of the rector of the village church in Beckenham, Kent, hard bye Sydenham, the site of the world renowned "Crystal Palace."

In 1853 some thousands of railway excavators were gathered, in the neighborhood of Sydenham, from all parts of the British Islands, to work on the grounds about the palace. Some hundreds of them were quartered in Beckenham. It was feared that these "navvies" would spread moral contagion through the village. The result was far otherwise. Owing to the personal labors of the lady who has prepared this book, very many of the men became truly religious; and the change in

* English Hearts and English Hands; or the Railway and the Trenches. New York: R. Carter & Brothers. 1858. 12mo. pp. 356.

the character of the whole body of laborers was most marked and most gratifying,

The book contains the record of the daily efforts of this lady to benefit those rude men. She visited them in their boarding houses, made their acquaintance in their own homes, provided them with Bibles and Testaments, formed reading classes for them, persuaded them to attend church, and in numberless ways made them feel that she was their true friend. The warm devotion, which they soon manifested to their benefactress, was really affecting. During the two years they spent in Beckenham they learned to go to her with all their troubles; and her advice, her reproofs, her entreaties, had wonderful influence upon them. On the completion of the palace, these men were scattered in every direction. Some went to Australia, some to the Crimea, some to KanBut the letters which found their way back to Beckenham, from the camp before Sebastopol, from the gold mines, and from the prairies of America, testified to the depth and permanence of the impressions there made upon them.

sas.

No person, who is interested in laboring for the welfare of this same class among us, who have little education and refinement, can read this book without being encouraged to new efforts.

PHILOLOGY.

In calling attention to Prof. Fowler's English Grammar, we will mention some of its special characteristics :

1. It enlarges the field of grammatical knowledge by the introduction into it of many new and interesting topics. English Grammar was at first merely an assemblage of rules for the avoidance of such errors as uneducated minds were most liable to fall into. It was the art of speaking and writing the English language correctly. It has gradually expanded and acquired the dignity of a science. No one can study the English Grammar of Prof. Fowler without having his views of the extent, dignity, and importance of the subject, greatly enlarged.

2. It introduces illustrations from the cognate languages. It interweaves comparative philology. This naturally prepares the way for the advantageous study of foreign languages.

* English Grammar. The English Language in its Elements and Forms, with a History of its Origin and Development. Abridged from the Octavo Edition. Designed for general use in Schools and Families. By WILLIAM C. FOWLER, late Professor of Rhetoric in Amherst College. New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers. 1858. pp. 395.

3. It draws a broad line of distinction between the Anglo-Saxon or Teutonic, and the Norman-French or Latin portion of our language. These two portions of our language require a very different treatment. See Abridg. pp. 175-196. This point has been too much neglected in our common grammars.

4. It has a full phonology of the English language, or a complete account of all the vocalic and consonantal sounds developed in the English language. See Abridg. passim. The account, however, might have been less diffuse and equally complete.

5. It distinguishes between pronominal elements which are mere indigitations, and verbal roots which have a logical significancy. See Abridg. p. 175 f. This is a very important point in etymology. But Prof. Fowler has done less for the correlation of pronouns than could have been desired.

6. It introduces a full account of the strong and weak conjugation of the verb. See Abridg. pp. 141-146. This is principally from Dr. Latham.

7. The auxiliary verbs, so called, which play a very important part in English Grammar, are explained on the principle that the power of the verb as an auxiliary is a modification of the original power which it had as a non-auxiliary. See Abridg. p. 134 ff. The explanations for the most part are highly satisfactory.

8. It exhibits some of the syntactical principles of the late Dr. K. F. Becker of Germany; perhaps as many as it would be advisable to introduce in the present state of grammatical study in our country. See Abridg. p. 85, 123, 297 ff.

9. It has a very full list of the Figures of Speech, alphabetically arranged, with pertinent and well selected examples. See Abridg. pp.

320-334.

10. It is accompanied with questions at the foot of the page, which will be acceptable to many instructors.

BIOGRAPHY.

"Fifteen years among the Mormons" is a book published by Mr. Chas. Scribner. It professes to be the narrative of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith, who became a member of the Mormon community when about twelve years of age. Two years after, she was married; and in 1846, with

* Fifteen years among the Mormons. Being the narrative of Mrs. Mary Ettie V. Smith. By NELSON WINCH GREEN. New York: Charles Scribner. 1858. 8vo. pp. 388.

her husband, accompanied the Mormons in their exodus from Nauvoo. Some years were spent in wanderings west of the Mississippi, and she at last reached Great Salt Lake City in 1849, and for five years was a resident of the territory of Utah.

Unfortunately for herself, she seems to have had opportunities of becoming thoroughly acquainted with the practical workings of Mormonism, and with the real state of things among that deluded and fanatical people. She is the sister of one of their "High Priests," is personally acquainted with most of their leaders, and long had the confidence of Brigham Young himself.

According to her story, her life in Utah was unendurable. She was forced to see, and hear, and do, and be, all that was most revolting to her nature as a woman. She became convinced, at last, that the religion, in which she had been educated, was worse than a delusion; she was terrified with the crimes in which she was compelled to become an accomplice; and thoroughly loathing the society in Utah, on the earliest opportunity, she fled for her life.

If the tenth part of her story is true, language cannot express the depth of the degradation of the people in Utah. Yet her narrative has every appearance of being truthful; and coming out, as it does, under the auspices of so respectable a publisher as Mr. Scribner, it presents unusual claims to be considered a reliable account of the unparalleled wickedness, meanness, folly and fanaticism, that are clustered around Great Salt Lake City.

MISCELLANY.

We take pleasure in recommending a "Compendium of American Literature," prepared by Professor Charles D. Cleveland of Philadelphia. The work contains selections from the writings of all our American authors, with biographical sketches of each. Professor Cleveland is himself a scholar of refined taste and extensive acquaintance with the literature of all ages.

His selections are well made; and we notice with particular pleasure that he has given place to nothing which will offend the delicacy of a Christian spirit, and has rejected nothing, because it speaks out plainly the words of freedom and Christian philanthropy.

The book is an admirable one to be placed in the hands of young people, whether for use in schools or for their private reading.

* A Compendium of American Literature; Chronologically arranged, with Biographical Sketches of the Authors. By CHARLES D. CLEVELAND. Philadelphia: E. C. & J. Biddle. 1858.

THE

NEW ENGLANDER.

No. LXIV.

NOVEMBER, 185 8.

ART. I.-JAMES A. HILLHOUSE.

Dramas, Discourses and other Pieces. By JAMES A. HILLHOUSE. Two vols. 12mo. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown. 1839.

THE scholar, in the European sense of the term, the man of letters as an expositor of high civilization, was the latest product of American life; his functions were long incidental to the more stringent duties of civil and professional occupation; men of learning and of genius, by the exigencies of a new country, were forced to give their time and talents to immediate practical ends; their social efficiency was remarkable, but it precluded elaborate literary development; hymns and orations, political essays, a satire, a song or a local chronicle were occasionally and creditably produced; but these were the episodes not the deliberate pursuits of existence and hence literature was long essentially crude and casual in the New World; the pulpit, the press and the forum abounded in evidences of vigorous mind, and academic discipline; Jonathan Edwards sus

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