Literary Notices. [We hold it to be the duty of an Editor either to give an early notice of the books sent to him for remark, or to return them at once to the Publisher. It is unjust to praise worthless books it is robbery to retain unnoticed ones.] THE REVIEWER'S CANON. In every work regard the author's end, Since none can compass more than they intend. LECTURES ON TEACHING. By J. G. FITCH, M.A. Cambridge These lectures were delivered in the University of Cambridge during the Lent term, 1880. The subject is a supreme one, and treated in a most scholarly and practical manner. The subjects of the leading chapters are: The Teacher and his Assistants-The School: its Aims and organisation-The Schoolroom and its Appliances-Discipline— Learning and Remembering-Examining-Preparatory Training— The Study of Language The English Language-Arithmetic as an Art-Arithmetic as a Science-Geography and the Learning of Facts-History-Natural Science-The Correlation of Studies. The book abounds with useful thoughts most elegantly expressed, the author's mind runs on the lines of a deep philosophy. The following short extract on the different forms of associations may be quoted as an example:-"Now, if we consider it, the main differences in the mental calibre and character of men depend largely upon the sort of ideas which habitually or most readily coalesce in their minds. To a man of strong or lofty imagination a very common incident may suggest some hidden moral analogies or far reaching truth : "To him the meanest flower that blows did give, And such a man we call a poet. In the case of another man every striking scene in the phantasmagoria of life sets him reflecting on its antecedents and consequences: and such a man has the philosophic temper, he is the reasoner, the moralist, the sage. To a third the sound of a word suggests only some grotesque simile, some rem ote allusion, some idea, which, though essentially different, has a superficial resemblance; and such a person is the man of fancy or of wit. But when on hearing a word, or being reminded of a scene, the mind at once passes to the other words or actions which were linked with it when we recognised it at first: when it simply recalls a certain group of words or thoughts in the same sequence as that in which they were before presented: then we say the man has a good memory. He can, in fact, reproduce readily former associations, whether logical or not." THE SPIRIT OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. BY REV. STOPFORD BROOKE, M.A. Second Edition. London: Kegan, Paul & Co., 1, Paternoster Square. The Author's preface to these sermons is somewhat remarkable. "The sermons published in this book have been in print for nearly a year, and were intended for much earlier publication: but they were unavoidably delayed, and in the meantime I have left the Church of England on the ground that it is no longer in my power to believe in the miraculous foundation of Christianity. I have not seen the sermons here set forth for months, and I cannot tell whether there may not be statements in them which I should not now modify. I have not time to look over the book now, but I should conjecture that there are very few passages, if any, which would need changing, for I have left the Church not to be less, but more, of a Christian. My only anxiety is that the book should not be read as a manifesto of my present views. The sermons contained in it are for the most part practical, not doctrinal." Whilst there is the absence from these sermons of what is called orthodox doctrine, there is the presence of a great and highly-cultured mind, outpouring thoughts, wide as the heavens, refreshing as the morning dew. The subjects of the discourses here are The Awakening of St. Peter-The Last Scene with Peter— One Thing is Needful-Judgment of Others-The Law of Divine Judgment—The Limits of Forgiveness-The Sixty-third Psalm—The Second Psalm-The Root of Religious Life-The Surprise Christ Felt -Simeon-The Syro-Poœnician Woman-Spiritual Exhaustion— Unselfish Immortality-Sunshine-Shadow-The Work of Inspiration-The Law of Giving-The Day of the Lord-Some Words on Prayer Christ's Election of Disciples-God in Christ-The Peace of Christ-Shakespeare and Human Life-The Search for God. Such sermons as these break in upon conventional thought like vernal influences upon the withered wastes of nature. THE JESUS OF THE EVANGELISTS. By REV. C. A. RowE, M.A. London: Norgate & Co., Covent Garden. We have always considered that the moral character of Christ as depicted in the gospel is a stronger proof of the divinity of His mission than the miraculous works that are ascribed to Him. In truth, before a miracle has any evidential force in establishing the Divine mission of its author, two things at least must be demonstrated; first, that no being but God can perform what we consider to be a miracle; and secondly, that God would never authorise any being to perform a miracle but in favour of truth. Neither of these positions can be established. But the record of a moral character not only utterly sinless, but sublimely, perfect in every virtue, seems to us an incontestable proof of the divinity of such a record. This is the proof which the able author of this work here employs. Besides a most valuable introduction, we have here eighteen. chapters, the subjects of which are: The Portraiture of the Jesus. as it is exhibited in the Gospels-The Portraiture of the Suffering Jesus of the Gospels-The Union of Holiness and Benevolence in the Person of the Jesus of the Gospels-The Moral Teaching of our Lord— The Law of our Religious and Moral Development-The Preparations made in the Gentile World for the Advent of Christianity-The Preparations made by Providence for the Introduction of Christianity through the Development of Judaism-Messianic Conceptions in the Old Testament-The Development of the Messianic Conception between the Prophetic Period and the Advent-The Developments of Judaism between the Termination of the Prophetic Period and the Advent-The Portraiture of Christ as depicted in the Gospels constitutes an Essential Unity-The Limits of the Influence which can be assigned to the Historical Jesus in the Creation of Christianity on the supposition of His purely Human Character-The Jesus of the Gospels no Mythical Creation-The Moral Aspect of our Lord's Character and Historical Reality-The Limits of the Period which Authentic History assigns as that within which the Conception of the Mythical Christ must have been Created and Developed in its Fulness-The Evidence afforded by the Epistles for the early existence of the Portraiture of the Christ—The Nature and Character of the Mythic Gospels. This is certainly one of the most valuable works on the subject within our knowledge. It is the second edition, and therefore does not require to be particularly characterized or formally recommended. Every preacher should possess it. TEN LECTURES ON THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF UNITARIAN THOUGHT AND DOCTRINE. By Various Ministers. With Preface by Rev. JAMES MARTINEAU, D.D., LL.D. Unitarian Association, 37, Norfolk Street, Strand. These Lectures are not to be taken as advocacies in the interest of what is called Unitarian Christianity, nor as controversial refutations of orthodox Christianity. "The Lectures," says Dr. Martineau in his able preface, "stand forth in defence of truths which others also hold, but hold under conditions less favourable, it is conceived, to their clear exhibition and firm support." We think we discover some discrepancies between the views of some of the authors of these discourses. This might have been expected, and enhances the interest and merits of the work. "As it speaks," says the; preface," with various voices, it may the better go home to various minds so that each in his tongue may hear of the wonderful works of God." As the various authors are not in thorough agreement amongst themselves, it will not be strange if we, who occupy a different standpoint and have passed through a different train of thought, should not find ourselves in entire harmony with all the views of either, or of all. To us the work is not the less valuable, but more so, on this account. To compare the abilities of the various authors as here displayed would be invidious, at the same time we feel bound to say that there are two or three who reveal powers of mind, culture, logical acumen and rhetorical utterance of the highest kind. GEORGE HOPE, OF FENTON, BARNES. A SKETCH OF HIS LIFE, COMPILED BY HIS DAUGHTER. Edinburgh: David Douglas. This book is a record of the life of a tenant farmer, which was spent almost entirely in his native country. It consists mainly of extracts from his letters to one of his brothers with whom he kept a regular correspondence for more than forty years. These extracts are made and compiled by his daughter. The letters reveal one of the highest types of human kind, the son of a poor farmer by his own efforts, indomitable, indefatigable, arduous, and withal thoroughly honest, rising to those heights in life of practical intelligence, public sympathy, philanthropic distinctions, compared to which the highest heights of human occupants are only as mounds to the Andes. He was a coadjutor with the great reformers of his day, and a leader of some of the most important questions of his times. THE POEMS OF GEORGE HEATH, THE MOORLAND POET. By FRANCIS REDFERN. Hanley: Allbut and Daniel, Percy Street. Many if not most, of the greatest minds have been born in obscurity and cradled in poverty. And is it not far better to come. into the world in scenes of penury and want with a great mind, than to enter it in scenes of luxury, opulence, and splendour, with the soul of a dwarf? The Author of these poems is an example of the former mode of advent. Some of these poems reveal a high order of mind, he had an eye that looked into the heart of a thing, and a heart to reach through forms into the spirit of things. Undoubtedly, had his life been extended-for he died in his twentyfifth year he would have taken a high place amongst the bards of England. MATTHEW MELLOWDEW. A STORY WITH MORE HEROES THAN ONE. By JACKSON WRAY. London: Cassell, Petter & Galpin. The recommendatory words which we gave "Nestleton Magna,' a previous work of this author, we would heartily give to this. The dramatic genius, the humourous current, the moral insight, the broad humanity, and the literary aptitudes-necessary qualifications of a good novelist—are manifest in this book. Whilst there is a little too much unctuous pietising to please us always, it abounds with that which charms and instructs. JOHN'S APOCALYPSE. By H. BROWNE, M.A., M.D. Manchester: Tubbs & Co., Market Street. Whoever goes into the Apocalypse, it has been said goes into the region of fog, where objects are seen very indistinctly, often in a |