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.

NATURAL ELEMENTS OF REVEALED RELIGION. By Rev. GEORGE MATHESON, D.D. London: James Nisbet, 21, Berner's Street. The Baird Lecture was founded, as our readers are aware, by James Baird, Esq., a few years ago, for the illustration and defence of what the General Assembly in the Church of Scotland consider vital truths, as well as for the promotion of Christian knowledge and Christian work, and also to expose and refute errors and unbeliefs. This is the lecture for 1881, and it is in every respect a very able one. The following extract from the preface of the author will indicate the purpose of the book:-"The aim of these pages is not to trace an historical development. It is rather to look at Christianity as a completed whole, and to analyse it, as far as it will admit of analysis, into its component pre-Christian parts. In tracing the connection of these parts we have sought no order of time. We have not tried to show that one ancient system has grown out of another, but that the need which one neglects has been appropriated by another. The unity we have sought to exhibit is not a unity reached by historical reactions, but the unity of a common idea, which must ultimately enfold all the isolated fragments, however scattered in time and space." The subjects detailed in this book are:-"Christianity and Nature; the First pre-Christian Problem; the Second pre-Christian Problem; the Third pre-Christian Problem; Natural Theology in the Light of Revelation; Immortality in the Light of Revelation." In addition to all this there is an appendix consisting of some very useful notes. The author shows himself to be a student of the best philosophical literature, a profound thinker, and a vigorous logician. In saying this we do not consider that all the parts of the book are well established, or all the sentences very clearly written. Albeit few men in any Church could write a book of such distinguished merit.

CUTHBERT OF LINDISFARNE. By ALFRED C. FRYER. London: S. W. Partridge.

Wherefore the use of raising from the grave of eleven centuries such an ascetic pietist as old Cuthbert, or any of his order, or his race of any time or country? We may ask, wherefore the good of fictitious literature, the literature that now crowds the libraries and weighs down the book stalls of Smith and others? To us the history of men of bygone times, who struggled for what they believed truth, and suffered for conscience, however diseased, is far more healthy in its influence on the mind than the best productions of the mercenary traders in fiction. The history of Cuthbert, of Landisfarne, is fraught with interest and quickening inspiration. The biography is told with discrimination, brevity and force.

THE CREED OF THE APOSTLE OF ST. JOHN. London Bickers & Son.

This volume is much to our liking. It is intelligent, thoughtful, clear, and catholic. The author teaches that the creed of John was the creed of Christ, or rather, Christ Himself. This is true. No less than thirty or forty times does John in his Gospel teach that faith in Christ, and not faith in what theologians write and say about Him, is the true creed. Theologians, ecclesiastics, and nominal Christians have forgotten this, and the consequence is that the living, loving, personal Christ is lost in the creeds, or worse, calumniated by the creeds. Preachers almost everywhere give the chemistry of the rose, which has neither flavour nor beauty, and not the breathing, fragrant, and crimson-tinted flower itself. Ah, me! what a contrast between the Christ of the Gospel and the Christ of the creeds! We heartily recommend this little book to every preacher of Christ.

LIFE MORE ABUNDANT. BY THEODORE MONOD. London: Morgan & Scott.

This address was reported in The Christian, and re-published by the consent of the author. Those who are acquainted with the excellent author's productions will expect to find the conventionally evangelical and the religiously earnest and devout.

IN MEMORIAM: THOMAS CARLYLE. By G. Hunt JACKSON. London: Office of Christian Age.

We have to apologise to the author for not noticing these beautiful poems before. They are twelve in number, and their subjects are various. The author has undoubtedly the glowing temperament and the creative faculty of the poet, and in his utterances he appears in the stately march and melodious chime of a true bard. Take the following extract from a composition in memory of Thomas Carlyle:— "'Tis light, not darkness, that extinguishes The glory and the brightness of the stars. The lesser to the greater softly yields, Melting away before the glowing morn. 'Tis even so with mental luminaries

That rise and shine upon the world's dark night.
They lighten for awhile the minds of men,
And then retire, no more to be reveal'd
To outward sense. Yet are they but eclipsed
In light; the glory of eternity

Encircling them with everlasting day

Mortality all swallow'd up of life."

THE BOOK OF JUDGES.

By GEORGE C. M. DOUGLAS, D.D.

Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.

This is another of Messrs. Clark's excellent volumes belonging to "Handbooks for Bible Classes," and it is one, though very condensed, that is comprehensive and of great value. The Book of Judges is fraught with stirring interest, strange exploits, and much difficulty. Dr. Douglas has handled it in a masterly way, thrown light upon it, and revealed it as an instrument of moral instruction to all mankind. We shall be glad to give a prompt notice of the other volumes as they appear from time to time.

THE DAY AFTER DEATH; OR, OUR FUTURE LIFE ACCORDING TO SCIENCE. Translated from the French of LOUIS FIGUIER. London Richard Bentley & Son.

The subject of this book is one of pre-eminent interest, racewide, profound, and enduring. The volume consists of twenty chapters, besides the introduction and an epilogue. The subjects of these chapters are-Man is the Result of the Triple Alliance of the Body, Soul, and Life--Of what does Death Consist ?-What becomes after Death of the Body, Soul, and Life ?-Where does the Superhuman Being reside ?-Do all Men pass after Death to the State of

Superhuman Beings?-Re-incarnations of Perverse Souls--Re-incarnation of Children who have died in Infancy-What are the Attributes of the Superhuman Being ?-Physical, Shape, Senses, Degree of Intelligence-Faculties of the Superhuman Being-What becomes of the Superhuman Being after Death ?-Deaths, Resurrections, and new Incarnations in the Ethereal Spaces-Physical and Geographical Description of the Sun-The Sun-Definitive Sojourn of Souls arrived at the highest degree of the Celestial Hierarchy-The Sun is the final and common sojourn of the Souls, which come from the Earth -Physical Constitution of the Sun-This Heavenly Body a mass of Burning Gas-The Inhabitants of the Sun are purely Spiritual beings The Solar Rays are emanations from Spiritual Beings that live in the Sun-These Beings thus produce Vegetable and Animal Life on Earth-The Continuity of Solar Radiation inexplicable by Physicists, explained by emanations from the Souls of the Inhabitants of the Sun-The Worship of Fire and the Adoration of the Sun in Different Nations, Ancient and Modern-What are our Relations with Superhuman Beings?-What is the Animal ?—The Souls of Animals-Migrations of Souls through the Bodies of Animals -What is the Plant ?-The Plant can Feel-How difficult it is to distinguish Plants from Animals-General Chain of Living BeingsDoes Man exist elsewhere than on the Earth ?-Description of the Planets-Plurality of the Inhabited Worlds-That which took place on Earth for the Creation of Organised Beings must have equally taken place in the other Planets-Successive order of the appearance of Living Beings on our Globe-The same succession must have taken place in each Planet-The Planetary Man-The Planetary Man, like the Terrestrial Man, is transformed after Death into a Superhuman Being, and passes into the Ether-Proofs of the Plurality of Human Existences and of Re-incarnations-Without the aid of this doctrine, the Presence of Man upon the Earth is Inexplicable, likewise the unequal conditions of Human Life, and the fate of Children who die in Infancy-Faculties peculiar to Certain Children, Aptitudes and vocations among Men are additional proofs of reincarnations-Explanation of Phrenology-Descartes' innate ideas, and Dugald Stewart's principle of Causality can only be explained by the Plurality of Lives-Vague Remembrances of our Former Existences-Summary of the system of Plurality of ExistenceAnswers to some objections, First: The immortality of the soul, which serves as the basis to this system is not demonstrated.

Second We have no remembrance of former existences. Third: This system is only the metempsychosis of the ancients. Fourth: This system is confounded with Darwinism. Sequel to objections— Difficulty of understanding how the rays of the Sun-Material substances can be the germs of souls, immaterial substances-Practical rules resulting from the facts and principles developed in this work-To elevate one's soul by the practice of virtues, and by trying to acquire a knowledge of nature and its laws through science -To render public worship to the divinity-We should preserve the remembrance of the dead-We should not fear death—Death is but an insensible transition from one state to another, it is not an end but a metamorphosis-Impressions of the dying-Those who die young are loved by the gods. This books contains a great variety of scientific information, much vigorous logic, and a profusion of original and speculative thought. Though much of the speculation seems to us to be unsupported by fact or argument, it is nevertheless mentally exciting and religiously inspired. The long series of incarnations, into which the author says the soul passes after it has quitted its present organisations, will, he maintains, if it continues to grow in spiritual intelligence and virtue, reach the very centre of the universe, the fountain of life and light. The tendency of this book is intellectually stirring and morally uplifting.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE OCEANS. By J. WILLIAMS, F.R.G.S., London: George Philip & Son, Fleet Street.

"This little treatise," says the author, "must be regarded only as an attempt to present the leading facts of the geography of the oceans, in a simple and systematic manner, and is mainly intended for the use of students who have to pass a special examination in this subject. It may also be useful to those who wish to supplement their general geographical knowledge, which is ordinarily limited to the Physical and Political Geography of the Countries of the World, by an acquaintance with the main facts relative to the great world of waters." This volume gives in a most interesting and instructive way a general geography of the oceans, physical geography of the oceans, and the geography of particular oceans, such as the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian, the Antarctic, and the Arctic. It contains also a list of maps and charts of very superior kind. It is a book of great worth, and will, we have no doubt, have a very extensive circulation.