"It is true, the magnitude of the existing evil naturally discourages individual effort. What I can do (says the benevolent man) is but a drop in the bucket: it will effect no perceptible deduction from the enormous amount of suffering.' This is, however, a fallacious mode of reasoning: the bucket is filled with drops; and even if it be so, that a noble example fails to win public attention, or to induce general imitation, still be it remembered that, as individuals, the poor suffer and perish-as individuals, must, both they and we, stand before the judgment-seat of God; that no man will be called to account for more than his own personal share, by commission or omission, in the general transgression against the poor; and that on him who considers the poor and needy, the blessing is pronounced, without any reference to the narrow space within which his actual means may confine his compassionate deeds-to him, who for the sake of Christ, shows substantial kindness to a poor member of the Christian body, the acknowledgment is sure, Forasmuch as thou didst it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou didst it unto me.""

Poems, Original and Translated. By C. R. Kennedy, Esq. London : Moxon. 1843.

WE cannot compliment either Mr. Kennedy or his publisher upon the present volume, whose unassuming title-page led us to hope for much more merit than it really possesses. Mr. Kennedy is an A.M. of Trinity College, Cambridge; but we hope he does not intend us to regard his translations from schylus, and Sophocles, and Horace as samples either of the scholarship or the poetical talent of his University. It is a pity he should have attempted to deal with such materials, as they are evidently beyond his reach. A masterly translation of Eschylus or Sophocles, such as Anstice might have achieved, is, indeed, a classical desideratum; but we may say of the present attempts

"Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis
Tempus eget."

In his translations from the German (excepting the "Sword Song," which is a failure) Mr. Kennedy has been more successful. In his original poems, he would have commanded greater attention had there been less talk of moonlight meetings, love sighs, kisses, and the like. A little more care would not have been amiss; and a gentleman, as much a master of rhyming as our author appears to be, need not to be told that "folly" and " toil ye" have a somewhat inharmonious sound when intended for rhymes. We hope we have not spoken too much in a discouraging strain to a young author, but the tribe of poetasters is becoming so numerous that we are fain to cry out, like Hotspur, against these same "metre ballad-mongers."

The People and the Church of Scotland. A reply to Sir James Graham and the Government, &c. By John White, A.M. London: Sherwood and Co.

THIS book treats of Greathead, Wycliffe, the blind chief Ziska, and a score of other reformers; and its object is to show that they contended for the same principles and liberty as the Scottish Church, and that the present so-called reformed religion of England owes its origin to these, and such like men. Into this question we cannot enter; but with respect to the Scottish Church, per se, we will say that it was bound by a covenant, which it has not scrupled to break; and that as divine history shows us the penalties which have always followed the betraying of human covenants, so do we firmly believe that there is neither prosperity nor stability for the Free (!) Church

of Scotland.

A Treatise on the State of the Soul, with Reference to the Dead to this Mortal Life. London: W. E. Painter, 342, Strand.

THERE are few things in literature of greater importance and value than a well-written pamphlet ; for, generally speaking, they are the offspring of some exigency, some peculiar circumstance, when the opinions of men are of value, and of the more value in proportion to their aptness, originality, and truth.

Some, again, are of a desultory kind, and treat of abstract things. The one before us is of this nature, and without being applicable to any useful purpose that we can discover, is yet interesting, but perplexing. Its ultimate object is ambiguous; but it appears to be a modern treatise from an old text-a divarication of the Pythagorean metempsychosis-the transmigration of souls to places, not forms.

Many opinions, speculative, dark, and wild, have been made with respect to the soul of man-its location, its derivation, its energy; its boundless desire to leave the things of earth; its aspiration, and dim imaginings of glories, and of things not to be spoken. From Plato to Isaac Taylor, heaven, earth, air, and sea, have been made the habitations of other existencies. Much do we read in the holy Scripture of those that are in Tophel, and lift up their eyes in torment; of others, and myriads, who stand around the THRONE; and of some that walk in white, for that they were worthy. Plato's ideas are known, and so (to some extent) we think are Isaac Taylor's: he has many beautiful things profoundly written, but he has cast a mantle of materialism over the spirituality of the breathed essence of God! From the demon of Socrates, to the demonology of Dr. Johnson, wonderful things have been said that the soul lives in a separate and isolated state (why not in repose?) until its final judg ment. Our author says the "lethargic state is difficult to imagine. We do not see this so clearly; and repose is, to the Brahmin, the highest possible happiness enjoyed by a divine nature; and Sallust, in his "Treatise," describes it (the divine nature) as being utterly unmoved by human passion, while the body becomes the depository of a million lives. These are bewildering things to consider the

re-union of the myriads of separated atoms of the body, these being again the habitation of the soul at the resurrection: we say these things are intensely bewildering and unsatisfactory.

To enquire what becomes of the soul after death (until its final judgment), whether in its transition state it moves in an element peculiar to itself; or whether, like the Ghost in Hamlet, it is expiating sin in tortures; or whether there be a Hades, a Tartarus, or a Purgatory, which we think mean the same thing-we say these enquiries, from the absolute want of an established fact, are of necessity useless. If we look upon the story of Dives and Lazarus, the frightful picture showing the existence of a fact-viz., spiritual torture must necessarily presuppose judgment; but as we understand that judgment is "to come," we are to imagine that in the parable the comparison between reward and punishment has been anticipated for the effect of the moral intended to be drawn.

The above pamphlet is, however, worthy of a perusal, as it may offer the groundwork of many ingenious reasonings, observations, and hints.

1. The Key to Modern Controversy, or the Baptismal Regeneration of the Established Church explained and justified, in reference to the late Charge of the Bishop of London. By the Rev. G. Bugg, B.A.

2. The Christian's Liberty in Relation to the Temperance Pledge. A Sermon preached at Little Walsingham. By the Rev. James Lee Warner. London: Hatchard and Son.

Two works on controverted subjects, which, such is the nature of controversy, will be adopted or rejected solely as men are led to think by feeling rather than by reason. We like the charity inculcated in the sermon; and we object to the flippant and self-satisfied tone of the author of "The Key," particularly when speaking of Dr. Pusey. We dislike as much as he can do the bold and fatal innovations of the great Tractarian; but lack of courtesy or charity will effect nothing towards the settlement of the question of Baptismal Regeneration.

The Authority of the Services, for-1. The Fifth of November-2. The Thirtieth of January-3. The Twenty-ninth of May-4. The Accession of the Sovereign, considered. By the Rev. T. Lathbury, M.A. London: Painter. 1843.

THIS is an admirably-timed publication, and, we think, must carry conviction to the minds of all who are willing to be convinced, that the use of the present State Services (as they are commonly termed) is obligatory on the clergy. As the bishops, ever since the Revolution, have sanctioned the use of these Services; and as the Crown, with the advice of the Privy Council (of which the archbishops are members) has actually enjoined them, we fully concur with the author, that the clergy are not at liberty to depart from the use of them. Independently of the interest which must attach to the publication of this tract in these days of excitement and irregularity, it is richly deserving of attentive perusal on account of the thorough knowledge which the author has evinced of liturgical matters.

The Two Kingdoms. An Allegory. London: Seeley and Co. OF much better conception than execution; and yet neither destitute of merit nor utility. The " Allegory," indeed, must be written with an uncommon pen that could make us for a moment forget him, before whom the writers of all modern works of this nature shrink into nothingness; we mean, of course, the author of the "Pilgrim's Progress."

General Intelligence.

THE BISHOP OF LINCOLN AND THE NOTTINGHAM NATIONAL

SCHOOLS.

THE following important notification, respecting the Nottingham National Schools, has been communicated by the Bishop of Lincoln to the Archdeacon of Nottingham: :

"Riseholme, Lincoln, Sept. 23.

"Rev. Sir-A lay member of the Church of England, connected with the town of Nottingham, and desirous to secure to the children of the poor the means of religious education according to the principles of the Church of England, has offered to deposit in my hands the sum of 500., to be employed in the accomplishment of that object. The offer was made in the early part of last month, but the business of my visitation has hitherto prevented me from communicating with you upon it. You will, I am assured, share the anxiety which I feel to give effect to the benevolent donor's intentions; and in this assurance I request your co-operation in the following plan, which appears to me, after due consideration, to be the best calculated for the attainment of the desired end :

"1. That the incumbents of all the churches in the town of Nottingham, district as well as parochial, together with the clerical secretary of the committee for erecting the new church by the Leen Side, shall form themselves into a committee, having power to add to their number, for promoting the building, and, if possible, the endowing of a sufficient number of national schools for the children of the poor of every parish and parochial district in the town of Nottingham; to be placed under the superintendence and control of the

several incumbents.

"2. That schools, capable of containing four hundred boys and girls, shall be erected for the several parishes of St. Peter, St. Nicolas, and St. James, and for the district hereafter to be assigned to the Leen Side Church; that a school for four hundred boys shall be erected in St. Mary's parish, there being already in that parish a school for six hundred girls: that the present National School, which is situate in St. Paul's district, shall be transferred to that district. Trinity district is not mentioned, because it is understood that sufficient funds 1ave already been raised for the erection of schools in that district.

"3. That applications shall be made to the Committee of Privy Council and to the National Society for assistance towards the erection of the schools, and that a subscription shall be immediately set on foot in the town of Nottingham and its vicinity. It is calculated that the sum of about 4,500l. will be required for the erection of the schools, and that assistance to the extent of 3,000/. may be obtained from the Committee of Privy Council and from the National Society. In addition, therefore, to the benevolent donor's gift of 500/., a sum of 1,000l. must be raised by subscription.

"4. That the religious instruction given in these schools shall be in strict conformity with that given in the central school in London. "5. That, in case the plan here proposed shall not be carried into effect, the sum of 500., which is to be deposited in the bishop's hands, shall be returned to the donor.

"I am, Rev. Sir, your very faithful servant,

"The Rev. Archdeacon Wilkins.

"J. LINCOLN."

THE BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS.

At the general meeting of the Bath and Wells Diocesan Societies, held at Wells last month, the Special Commissary, the Hon. and Rev. Towry Law, in returning thanks, spoke as follows:

"You cannot be surprised if, on this occasion (which I consider my retirement from the diocese), I ask you to allow me a very short time, whilst I tell you why I think this is the last occasion on which I shall address you. You are well aware that when any rector, vicar, curate, canon, or any minister of the Church grows aged, and infirmities come upon him, we permit him to retire; but when age and infirmities advance upon a bishop, he is not so permittedwork on he must. For fifty years my parent was able and zealous in devoting his services to the Church, as a private clergyman and as a prelate; but seven years ago, when he was seventy-five years of age, I first perceived the approach of failure. I then offered to give up house and home-my wife and family did the same-to render him my inefficient services. At first they were not accepted; but five years ago I was permitted to come to my parent's aid. By God's blessing, the imperfect services which I rendered to him seemed not altogether in vain; my parent acquired more strength and more confidence; and I did hope that it would please God to permit me to continue by his side as long as life was spared him. However, at the end of the second year, it seemed that my fond anticipations would not be realized, for it was represented to the Archbishop of Canterbury that I was assuming the authority, and that the prelate was unable to perform his duties; but, after long consideration, at the end of five or six months, the Archbishop of Canterbury treated me as the de facto administrator of the affairs of the diocese, and requested me to resume my post. Then again I hoped and prayed that I might be permitted to continue in this diocese so long as my father lived; but I confess to you that his infirmities increased more and more, till at length, early in this year, the pen, in a manner, fell from his hand, and he was totally incapa