66 66 the slave merchant. "Not Angles, but Angels," was the rejoinder of Gregory, according to the punning fashion popular in his day. "Are they Christians?" No; they are heathens." Alas, alas! that such beauty should belong to the prince of darkness, and that in form so fair should dwell souls which the Spirit of God has never visited. What do you call the province from which they come ?" "Deira." "And from the ire of God they must be brought over into the grace of Christ. And their king, how call ye him ?" "Ella." 166 Surely! for Alleluias must be chanted in his realm." At this time he was not Pope, or Bishop of Rome, but simply a monk; but afterwards, when he became Bishop of Rome, he sent Augustine to preach to the inhabitants of Britain. Augustine was favourably received by Ethelbert, whose wife was Bertha; and baptizing him and ten thousand of his subjects, afterwards founded the See of Canterbury, It is a pity that Mr. Smith has distorted these facts. We sincerely hope that no similar poem may be issued this generation, and that he who was a poet may again be a poet, by returning to a simplicity of thought and expression, purity of imagination, and common sense. Our adverse criticism cannot hurt the fame of the writer of "A Life Drama," but our honest conviction must be told. A sonnet of Wordsworth's, a couplet of Tennyson's, or a page of his own first work, contains more poetry, beauty, and food for thought, than could possibly be extracted from the whole tedious length of "Edwin of Deira." It is with relief and pleasure that we turn to "Lays of Lowly Life," by Ruth Wills: a volume of true poetry, with very many beauties and attractions, and very few faults. The thoughts are all good, and are well told; but haste is too evident, especially in some of the longer pieces; the beginnings being very elaborately written, but the endings written carelessly. A strong lock to bind up a book from even a glance at its contents is " an autobiography;" and "Lays of Lowly Life are preficed with one. In spite of this exhibition of weakness, the book is thoroughly enjoyable, being (unlike too many of the productions of our lady poets) full of very suggestive thought. Take the following as a fair sample: WITHOUT AND WITHIN. Is it that some sweet spirit fills all space, I cannot tell; but this full well I know, The tree-tops thrill with joy; from every bower And glory rests upon each common flower. But sad thoughts come, the pensive mood prevails; 'Tis music still, but, oh, the altered tone! Stars lack their sparkle, summer flowers their bloom- Sweet Nature, love of thee I ever deem A precious boon, by the good Father sent To be to my lone path a cheering beam, A fount of pure delights for aye unspent. Still be my friend, still let me hold with thee Blest interchange of thought, communings sweet; Still let me in thy varied beauties see Types of a world with fairer scenes replete. A Lament, written on the death of the late Dr. Legge, of Leicester, is one of the worthiest poems in the book. Want of space will only allow the insertion of the concluding portion :— "Heaven has won The splendour earth has lost: the music spent Ah, wherefore mourn for thee? What most thy spirit panted for is given Light, freedom, perfectness, the bliss of heaven, Scope for thy powers wide as immensity. Beatitude is thine, beyond compare ; Youth aye renewed, and joy that fears no change; A home of beauty with a boundless range: Not e'en thy gorgeous dreams had imaged aught so fair. But hence in our horizon thou shalt be A star that may not set. We would not wish thee back, and yet, and yet Although the written poetry of this is thought-laden, the un written part suggested by the yearning "and yet" is more effective than can easily be expressed. This is really the poetry of suggestion, —after all, the best and most welcome kind. We wish the author, what she doubtless craves, a true poet's life-love within and without, and peace crowning all. We have various poems in manuscript for review. Those most worthy of notice are by J. L., of Cheltenham, and J. V., of Halifax. The poems by J. L. are deficient in rhythm. We would recommend him to study the art of poetry a little more, and give rein to the imagination a little less. Pope is a good model to study for expression, Tennyson for finish. The "Approach of Autumn," by J. V., has occasionally a sort of inversion of expression, which spoils all preceding. Thus, "To linger and enjoy that blissful state, Which Autumn's thoughts do in my mind create," is anything but harmonious. This defect overcome, J. V. will doubtless become soon one of our list of regular contributors. F. G. The Reviewer. The Ancient of Days: addressed to the Rev. Dr. Cumming. London: H. J. Tresidder. Ir is to be deeply regretted that the theological vagaries of Dr. Cumming should have so deeply offended and embittered the mind of the anonymous author of the above pamphlet. We do not, we confess, believe either in Cumming or in the coming tribulation; and impartiality requires that we add, Neither do we believe, with the author of this pamphlet, that "contempt" is "the most common characteristic of learned teachers, bearing the Christian name, in the present day" (Preface, p. iii.). We hold with the author, that Matthew xxiv. 15 was fulfilled when "Jerusalem was surrounded with armies, and desolated" (ibid., p. iv.); but we do not see that he speaks either rationally or charitably when he writes thus: "Should not this be understood by christian teachers, unless they have fully set themselves to confuse, mislead, destroy, and damn our souls?" He states: "I very much desire the refutation of my opinions, if it can be given." The possibility of a refutation we need not undertake to affirm; but the author will assuredly go on seeking an opponent long centuries after the date fixed upon by Dr. Cumming for the winding up of the world's affairs, if he challenges refutation after such a fashion, and in such a spirit. The aim of the author seems to be to demonstrate that "professing Christians" have "corrupted" the Bible by their interpretation 66 of the prophetic Scriptures; and that Daniel, St. John, and Christ, have uttered prophecies mainly to show that vengeance is reserved, not for "Jannes and Jambres," nor for "Mohammedans," but for "the Christians" (pp. 3, 4). He wishes it to be "understood”—and let our readers see that they do understand—“ that the nations that shall be turned into hell are christian nationsthese prophets" who "have deceived the whole world." The date assigned for this event will give some comfort to those of our readers only whose lives no insurance office would take. "Looking," says our author, "at the times in Daniel and Revelation, I conclude they will be cast into a lake burning with brimstone and fire some night or day in the year 1896; it will be at a time when they do not expect such a thing to happen" (p. 9). Pondering on such statements, which form the staple of the work, and hoping that we belong to a christian nation, and not to the fraternity of Jannes and Jambres, we are compelled to adopt the opinion that this is a case for medical men rather than a reviewer in the British Controversialist. M. H. The Testimony of Sceptics to the Truth of Christianity; with the Evidence of Pagan Historians, and the Confirmation of Fulfilled Prophecy. By the Author of "Heroines of our Time." London: Darton and Co. 1861. THE author of this little volume having, in the course of his reading, met with many striking passages from the pens of sceptics, confirmatory of the truth, or illustrative of the principles, of Christianity, has collected them with great care, and published them in a cheap form. He thus cites some of the opinions of Lord Viscount Bolingbroke; Edward, Lord Herbert of Cherbury; Thomas Hobbes, of Malmesbury, Dr. Tindal, Mr. Chubb, Dr. Morgan, Rousseau, Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Robert Owen, Joseph Barker, George Jacob Holyoake, and Thomas Cooper. He then treats of The evidence and inconsistency of philosophers and celebrated enemies of Christianity;" "The evidence of profane historians to the truth of Christianity;" and, "The testimony of fulfilled prophecy to the truth of Christianity." A Chronological Table of the Principal Events in English History. Stafford R. and W. Wright, Greengate Street. This is a "handy book" for the use of schools. It appears to have been compiled with care; is printed on good paper and in clear type, and will doubtless prove very acceptable to many selfeducators and instructors of the young. The writer very properly observes,-"In schoolboy phraseology, the study of dates is accounted dry; but it might be rendered otherwise. Let the teacher give the study an importance by making each date the nucleus of some interesting contemporary information, and the pupil will not be long in discovering its utility." The Topic. WAS THE SEIZURE OF MESSRS. MASON AND SLIDELL JUSTIFIABLE? AFFIRMATIVE. SUCCESS now-a-days sanctifies and justifies everything. Our only moral measure and rule is, Did it succeed? If the answer is in the affirmative, all is right; for "Whatever is, is right," and nothing that succeeds can be wrong. Wilkes has been successful; he has taken the great world-satisfying prize; and because he has so far gained his point, his act is justifiable. No amount of after-going war can efface the fact that success has justified the proceeding of the creation-flogging, Britanniadespising commodore, who seized Messrs. Mason and Slidell, and proved by this sly deal an overmatch for the mail-ship of her Majesty, by levying black mail on the high seas of which she claims to be Queen. The game is in his favour as yet, and his procedure is justified by its results. This is judging by the world's standard, and of course it is useless to try it by any other.-AMI NADAB. "Risk nought, gain nought" is the maxim of life. The gain is in proportion to the risk. Wilkes has risked much, and gained all he wanted-éclat for himself, and the Confederate Commissioners for his masters. Heroism and duty having had their reward, what other justification can be required ?— TOM TIDDLER. The need of a test of friendship and enmity was imminent in American affairs. The great law of induction requires that an experimentum crucis should be chosen and tried, and the American captain has supplied the very want of the times. If Britain wishes to be entirely neutral, she can be so by acknowledging that expediency justified the seizure of Mason and Slidell, and that she is quite willing to leave the decision of the question to the arbitration of arms between the countries [so called] of the seizers and the seized. But if cotton is at the bottom of all her patriotism, and her expressed neutrality is really a befriending of the South, and an express enmity to the North, any event which brings this disagreeable state of matters to an end, and forces Britain to take a decided and known posture, must be useful. Such a testevent has been got now, and it will be seen whether the reputed antagonism of Britain to slavery is real, or her devotion to cotton and commerce is most pressing on her heart. If Commodore Wilkes has been successful in bringing out either the latent friendliness or enmity of Britain to North America, he will have done well, and so his conduct will be justifiable.-G. C. L. This is a case that must be reasoned out per se. Quotations from the pandects or pundits of international law will not do for this case. From all European schemes of international right the United States have sedulously kept themselves officially free. They are bound by no ties on this head, either by treaty or by practice. The only matter for their consideration is the expediency of the transaction. If it was expedient it was justifiable. It was expedient, because it showed they were in thorough earnest, and would do and dare anything to reintegrize their empire; because it created éclat, and roused the spirit of the Northerns, while it baffled the schemes of the Southerns; because it supplied the Government with |