But we will restrain our remarks. It was not our intention to write a criticism, but to point out the excellence which most attracted our at tention. We subjoin the following extracts, partly, to prove the propriety of our commendation, but more especially for the pleasure of our readers who may not have seen the oration itself.

"I am glad that I can refer you to some illustrious examples of what learning does for its votaries, here in the very city in which we are assembled; that I can point you to graves in yonder beautiful cemetery, toward which the whole community of cultivated minds turn a moistened and grateful eye. There lies your WEBSTER; and the fresh earth upon the spot shows that it was but the other day he was laid there. He gave his life, and a long life too, to the cause of letters; but instead of being exclusively the man of the study, he was awake to all the great interests of society, and had not a little to do in directing some of its more important movements. But the primary attraction of his character was the union of the scholar with the Christian-of the ornament of a highly cultivated intellect with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. He moved about among you, a patriarch in the walks of literature, of benevolence, of piety; and his influence blessed all who came within its reach. And you surely can be at no loss in respect to what constituted, still constitutes, his reward. He had it in the happiness and usefulness attendant on his intellectual and moral elevation; in the grateful homage of his country and the world; in the approbation of Him whose favor is life. And now that the grave has closed upon him, and he is receiving, we doubt not, his reward in Heaven, the memorials which he has left upon earth are a pledge that he shall never be forgotten; for they are incorporated not only with the literature of his country, but with the language of the best portion of the world. I met him for the last time a year or two since, when he was on a journey; and though he was well nigh exhausted with fatigue, he seemed quickly to recover himself in the pleasure of literary discourse; and as I saw him bearing his honors with so much dignity and meek ness, and observed the lighting up of the inward fire as he dwelt upon his favorite topic, I could not but exclaim, Fortunate Senex-Fortunate Senex!

"HILLHOUSE, too-has passed beyond the reach of human praise, alas! too early for his country and for the world, but

not until he had lived long enough to provide for the immortality of his own name. I have heard much of his private virtues -of the urbanity of his manners and the generosity of his spirit; of his delicate perception of the right and the honoramirable grace with which he met the vable, as well as the beautiful; of the adrious claims of society upon his time, his fortune, and his genius; but it would ill become me, who am not sure that I ever saw him, to speak of these things to you, with whom they are matter of personal recollection. But I may speak to you of what he was in the great world of letters; for there we all felt that he was our acquaintance. I may speak of the beautiful and boundless creations of his genius; of his imagination, here bursting forth with an almost overpowering radiance, and there moving sweetly and silently, as upon an angel's wing; of his exquisite taste, presiding, with rigid exactness, over his most excursive and brilliant efforts; of the facility with which he could take up and absorb in his own glowing thoughts, whatever is graceful in nature, whatever is instructive in history, what ever is august in the revelations of God. In one respect he stood almost alone on the catalogue of American scholars: while his ample fortune placed him above the necessity of turning his literary la bors to pecuniary profit, his noble spirit could find motives enough for exertion in his devotion to the interests of his friends, of his country, and of his race. It is not for me to say precisely where in the first rank of accomplished minds posterity will assign him his place; but sure I am, that so long as a single copy of his work remains to bear witness for him, no man will dare question that he was one of the luminaries of his age.

"And there is yet another name which I may not omit to mention,—for it seems to me like the genius of the place;-a name around which sepulchral images gather, but which the sepulchre can nev er cast into the shade. You know that I can refer only to the illustrious DWIGHT. There are many of us who can never come back to this spot, but that our minds fill with glorious recollections of that venerated man. We seem to realize again his awe-inspiring presence,-to listen again to the eloquence that once charmed us, and to put ourselves, as in other days, in docile subjection to his mighty mind. We venerate yonder halls of learning the more, because there we admired the splendors of his intellect, and felt the heavenly influence of his devotion. Genius, literature, and piety, have long since woven for him an ama ranthine chaplet. The world is at once the depository of his writings, and the field of his fame. Many of you who

hear me will, I doubt not, be ready to say of him, in the language of Horace

"Multis ille bonis flebilis occidit Nulli flebilior quain mihi."

"But I must not close this address without reminding you of the obligations which we owe to the institution at which we have been trained; to the Alma Mater that has awakened our early aspirations, and guided our early efforts, in the cause of learning. We have watched her growing usefulness as years have passed over her; and if any cloud has temporarily darkened her horizon, we have anxiously kept our eye upon it until it has disappeared. And so we will continue to do. If she is in prosperity, we will thank God and rejoice. If in adversity, we will hasten with filial affec

tion to her aid; and if we can not replenish her treasury with our bounty, we will at least plead her cause before the rich. Let her stand, as she has done, the bul

wark of learning and religion; let her grow fresh as she grows old; let future and better generations lay their willing offerings at her feet; and let her history reach down through all time, and constithe world." tute a brilliant chapter in the history of

We must not omit to say that the good taste which characterizes the style, is equally well represented in the printing. It is done in Mr. Hamlen's best manner, and that is saying enough for any publication. We only marvel at the facility with which his types have restored to certain words, such as honour and publick, their original glory, after having for so long a time stripped them of these ornaments.

MODERN School Geography, accompanied by an Atlas: Physical and Political. By William C. Woodbridge, member of the geographical societies of Paris, Frankfort, and Berlin. Published by Belknap & Hammersley, Hartford.

We are happy to learn that Mr. Woodbridge is still among the living benefactors of the youth of our country; and that he has strength to revive, and invigorate with new life, his excellent work, entitled: Rudiments of Geography. This publication, however, merits, as it has received, a new title; for though formed on the same general principles and plan, almost all the matter is new, and very many valuable improvements are introduced. The author and publishers can not fail to receive a liberal share of patronage.

The six following works are from the press of John S. Taylor, No. 145 Nassau Street, New York; and may be purchased at Mr. Stebbins' Sabbath School Depository, New Haven, and at the Bookstores

generally. They are too well known to need any expression of our opinion of their merits. The work by Gaussen on the inspiration of the Bible, beautifully translated, with few exceptions, by the Rev. E. N. Kirk, is the ablest defense of a plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, that we have seen. Yet we are not satisfied with the soundness of every argument; nor convinced of the correctness of his theory of inspiration.

The Voice of the Church One, under all the successive forms of Christianity; a Discourse, pronounced at the opening of the Theological School at Geneva. By J. H. Merle D'Aubigné, D. D. Transla ted by the Rev. R. Smith, Waterford, N. Y. 1844.

Letters from Ireland in 1837. By Charlotte Elizabeth.

Danger and Duty; or a few words on Popery, Puseyism, and the Present State of the Times, in connection with Truth, Righteousness, and Peace. By the Rev. Richard Marks, Vicar of Great Missenden, Bucks.

A Protestant Memorial: comprising, 1. A Concise Historical Sketch of the Reformation.-2. The Antiquity of the Religion of Protestants demonstrated.-3. The Safety of Continuing in the Protestant Church. -4. Romanism Contrary to the Bible. By the Rev. Hartwell Horne, B. D., of St. John's College, Cambridge. 1844.

Theopneustry, or, The Plenary Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. By S. R. L. Gaussen, Professor of Theology in Geneva, Switzerland. Translated by Edward Norris Kirk. Second edition, enlarged and improved. 1844.

The Wrongs of Woman; illustrated by the story of the Little Pin-Headers. By Charlotte Eliza beth. 1844.

The Way of Safety. Lectures to Young Men. By L. E. Lathrop, D. D., Pastor of a Presbyterian Church, Auburn, N. Y. 1844.

These lectures are distinguished by great simplicity of style, and by an evident desire to benefit the class of persons for whom they were prepared, and not to make a display of great originality. They can not fail to make a good impression on the mind of the young reader.

The various writings of Cornelius Matthews, embracing The Motley Book, Behemoth, The Politicians, Poems on Man in the Republic, Wakondah, Paffer Hopkins, Miscellanies, Selections from Arcturus, and International Copyright. Complete in one volume. Published by Harper & Brothers, 82 Cliff Street, New York. 1843.

We reserve our remarks on this collection of writings for a future

number.

The Hare-Bell; a Token of Friendship. Edited by Rev. C. W. Everest. Published by Gurdon Robins, Jr., Hartford. 1844.

The accomplished editor of this beautiful volume of original poems, was prevented by domestic afflic

tions, from doing full justice to his intentions. Yet he has succeeded in offering to the public a new proof of his own taste; and at the same time encouraged the youthful genius of our country, to higher attain. ments in the art of poetry.

A Narrative of the Expedition of Cyrus, the Younger, and of the Retreat of the Ten Thousand. By Xenophon of Athens. Edited by Alpheus Crosby, Professor of the Greek Language and Literature in Dartmouth College. Boston: published by James Monroe & Com pany. 1844.

This edition of the Anabasis is designed to accompany the Greek Grammar of the editor, which we have already noticed. It is, how ever, the best edition to place in the hands of any Greek student, both on account of the correctness of the text, and the beauty of the type.

Remarks on the Book of Daniel, in regard to the four kingdoms, especially the fourth; the two thou sand three hundred days; the sev enty weeks; and the events predicted in the last three chapters. By Irah Chase, D. D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the New ton Theological Institution. Gould, Kendall & Lincoln, Boston. 1844.

A new work on the prophecies of Daniel, first published in the Christian Review, for March, 1842; and worthy of republication in this form, for general circulation. The grand distinction between Dr. Chase's interpretation, and that of most writers on the subject, ancient and modern, is, that he distinguishes between the empire of Alexander, and that of his successor, called, the kingdom of the Greeks; and that he regards this kingdom, and not the Roman empire, as represented by the fourth beast. In support of these positions, he arrays an amount of evidence which it will be difficult to meet; although, as was to be expected, his argument will not be conclusive to all minds.

In order that church psalmody may accomplish its high end in public worship, its various branches must be cultivated with a zeal corresponding to the general culture of the age. It must win to its service the best efforts of genius in poetry and in musical composition; and these labors in its higher departments, must be made to move and elevate the whole public mind by means of widely spread and judicious instruction in sacred music.

The songs of public worship are one of the most powerful auxiliaries for accomplishing the ends of the Christian ministry and of the Sabbath. In the weekly assembling of a congregation, when the high and the low, the rich and the poor meet together, there is found a diversity of habits, of character and of temperament, which the unaided accents of instruction and prayer may in vain labor to unite and move with a pervading and deep emotion. The minister rises in the pulpit on Sabbath morning to begin the service. As he opens his lips to ask for the blessing of God, his voice sounds weak and thin; his words seem to flit away into empty air, or if they come back to him from the distant walls, they come back mingled with the noise of rustling garments, shufVol. II.

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fling feet and the tramp of late comers. Thus he goes on, well reminded of his weakness, through the invocation, the reading of the Scriptures and of the hymn. If now the singing that is to follow be what it should be, how great a change soon comes over that assembly. The Christian psalm, when sacred words, rendered doubly sacred by long association, are uttered in full choral harmony-to what shall we compare it? It is not a stream nor a shower; it is rather the breeze from heaven, pervading all hearts ere its presence is known.

The united voice of the choir speaks to all hearts. It is so pure and elevated that the most refined forget that they can criticise; it is so powerful that the dullest can not but feel. The heart torn with passion or cankered with care, has its tumult hushed; trifles and sinful thoughts have passed away, and the soul finds itself arrested and still in the presence of eternal things. Meanwhile the minister has shared to the full the influence which is uniting and kindling the hearts around him. The chill of depres sion with which he commenced has passed away. His heart is warmed; his hopes rise; he feels that he has found his people, and now when

he prays or preaches, they have communion with him.

This precious influence, however, is not a thing of course. It is not felt wherever a choir sing psalms and hymns in meeting; nor in the most favored cases do we believe we have felt or witnessed more than the first fruits of its promised power. The demands of sacred music on all who would aid in its advancement, are strict and high. Its success requires a combination of faithful labor, from the highest efforts in composition, down to the simplest elements of practice. When this important cause is left to languish without any union and steadiness of aim on the part of those who should support it; when the influential members of a parish will not cultivate sacred music themselves, nor give their countenance and money for the aid of those who will; when in the singing on the Sabbath there is neither "voice" nor "verse" worthy of the name; when the leader of the choir has for his chief qualification the power to make a loud noise, and the band around him see no higher end before them than to emulate their leader; when the best training the best of them have had, has been in a stormy singing school, and scarcely a Sabbath passes with out some failure so obvious as to render the performance a matter of sport to all the frivolous minds in the house; when such is the condition of this sacred art, what can we expect will come of it. It is not enough to say, that here must be an utter loss of the great spiritual good which church music rightly performed, will, through the divine blessing, bring to the souls of a people. It were well if this were all. But wide. spread mischief has been done. The services of the house of God have become cheap, and an occasion of ridicule in the eyes of the very persons whose salvation, in God's ordinary providence, must come from this same source. Those

who have neglected to honor and advance this precious means of grace, have sown not chaff merely, but tares and thorns; and they and their children will bring the harvest home.

While the apathy and negligence on the subject of church music in many places is gradually undermining the respect for all the institutions of the church; we gladly notice the general fact of a decided improvement in the character of both sacred music and poetry, and in the general diffusion of elementary instruc tion in singing. We are not fond of the language of complaint; we prefer rather to welcome cheerfully what signs of improvement there are, and offer our small tribute of thought to the advancement of a growing cause.

We shall limit our observations to a single branch of the subject before us-the preparation of books; and here we shall have a few things to say, as our limits will allow, both on books of music, and on books of psalms and hymns.

In regard to the first of these, it would seem desirable that a better understanding should exist between the professors of the art, and the public. On the publication of every new singing book, we hear the com plaint repeated of the innovations made in old and time-hallowed tunes. Were this complaint uttered by those persons only to whom association is dearer than thought, and with whom change of every kind is an evil; if it were not uttered by those whose culture and position give them a title to be heard, the omission to notice it altogether, would be an appropriate and sufficient answer. But when, as in some instances has happened, a considerably numerous body of clergymen have united in a public expression of their dissatisfaction with the course pursued by the editors of singing books, we think the question involved in the complaint, invites discussion.

We do not say that there is not