describes the Russians in his time as "bianchi grandi é bellissimi," and Arab historians speak of the military expeditions into Russia merely for the sake of beautiful slaves.

(To be continued.)

Reviews and Notices.

There must still be a multitude of clergy, and not a few laymen, who without committing themselves to an elaborate system of Ritual, desire to know what are the principles on which our Prayer Book has been constructed, and according to which the services should be conducted. To all such we recommend the Churchman's Diary or Almanac (Masters,) which we are glad to see goes on improving every year.

The "Life of S. Jerome" in The Fathers for English Readers (S. P. C. K.) has been confided to Dr. Cutts, who has made of his subject a most interesting volume. S. Jerome is justly regarded as the most learned of the Fathers : his great work being the translation of the Old and New Testaments from their original languages into the Latin of the day; which was thence called "the Vulgate." Besides this, he introduced the idea of what is technically called "the Religious Life" into the highest circles of Roman Fashion, when Rome had reached the very highest pitch of grandeur, and carried with him many men and women, matrons and maidens, to build and occupy monasteries in Palestine. No one of course but a man of the strongest will and most fervid devotion could have accomplished such a result, and no wonder if such a mighty torrent of enthusiasm carried some evil in its train. Dr. Cutts, whose province is that of a biographer rather than a critic, makes no reference to this fact; but there is no doubt that it was Jerome's intense realisation of the unseen world and his intimate association with those who gave themselves up entirely to the life of prayer in the deserts of Egypt and the monasteries of Bethlehem, that led the way to the general Invocation of departed Saints. It seemed but a natural thing to him to apostrophise the memory of one with whom he had been bound in the bonds of a holy fellowship for many years in terms such as these: "Farewell, O Paula, and help thou by thy prayers the old age of him who bears thee a religious reverence." And no one could foresee that it would be the beginning of a habit which practically constituted for the vulgar many mediators; and in time so completely changed the character of devotion that they who in the early days of the Church (as S. Mary and the Apostles and Martyrs) were habitually prayed FOR in the Liturgies, after this began to be prayed To. It was to S. Jerome more than to any other man, beyond all question, that this pernicious change (as it turned out to be) is attributable. The early Hymn-writers as

a rule kept marvellously clear of this habit; but the poet Prudentius at a brief interval, very commonly adopted this form of apostrophe. The seeds of the practice therefore we may say were sown at the very beginning of the fifth century.

There is so much that is really excellent in Primary Truths (Bosworth) -specially in the two Chapters on Baptism and the Eucharist-that we would gladly give an unqualified recommendation to the work. Indeed we have no doubt that to the ordinary untheological reader it will do good. But there is an unmistakeable smack of Irvingism throughout, and the chapter on Justification is as muddy a piece of writing as we ever read.

For any one who wants to make a handsome present (the price we think is four guineas) we can thoroughly recommend Mr. Murray's Handbook to the Cathedrals of England and Wales in seven volumes. The illustrations are excellent, and the descriptions quite reliable.

Another work of great beauty is Places of Interest near Oxford (Cassell and Co.) We are glad to meet these publishers in a new sphere.

Mr. Pickering has just published a new edition of the late Robert Wilberforce's Five Empires-than which we hardly know any work of its size more truly valuable to the student of History. The assuming the Prophecy of Daniel as the basis of early history, however, necessarily excluded all mention of Egypt, as well as of Indian civilisation. It is a pity we think that this has not been supplied in an Introduction. The work would then, so far as its limits permit, be altogether complete.

We gladly welcome a new and sound series of penny tracts, edited, and chiefly written, by Dr. Cozens, Vicar of Dudley, as there has been recently a great dearth of such publications. "Why am I a Christian ?" and “ Why am I a Churchman ?" are by the Editor; and “ Are Forms of Prayer right ?” is by Mr. Walsham How. We would suggest that the affixing of numbers to the chief divisions of the subject would help to their being better understood. They are published by Poole of Paternoster Row.

Messrs. Mowbray (Oxford and London) have provided various Christmas and New Year's gifts for children, which will be very acceptable to them. Father Christmas's Present for Little Children contains twelve really good and reverent designs of the principal events of the Christmas and Epiphany season for the modest sum of one shilling.

Stories of our Guardian Angels (Mowbray) is also chiefly to be commended for its illustrations, which will be attractive to the little folks. The stories do not give any of the real incidents of angelic intervention which are known to have occurred, as we should have inferred from the title, but only sketch very briefly the supposed offices of Guardian Angels to Christian persons.

Mr. Sidney Boucher's Lecture Notes (Mowbray) contain an immense quantity of valuable theological matter, but being grounded professedly only on "the Sacramental Articles and Offices of the Church of England," we fear that they will scarcely fall into the hands of the general reader.

My Sunday Friend (Mowbray) is known as a cheap and useful Magazine

for children, and seems to be progressing well under the editorship of the Rev. H. C. Shuttleworth, of S. Paul's. The volume may be had for one shilling, or in cloth for two shillings.

The House Surgeon, or the Doctor at Home, by Alfred Smee, F.R.S., (published by the London Accident Assurance Company Limited, Lothbury) gives instruction as to the means to be used in cases of ordinary ailments and accidents, before medical advice can be procured, and is a useful little manual.

An illustrated packet of Penny Tales by Aunt Gertie (Mowbray) will be found very suitable for village schools.

Mr. Samuel Cox, Editor of "The Expositor," and himself a minister of some Dissenting denomination, has stated that "few of the more thoughtful and cultivated Preachers of the Gospel (i.e. of course Dissenting Preachers) now hold the dogma of everlasting torment," adding that "in a large circle of acquaintance he hardly knows one." We cannot say that this surprises us, because we have long felt that in the disregard of Creeds and Traditions which is of course the very essence of Dissent, there is nothing to check the progress of scepticism, which in a short time must eat out the life of religion in their communions. Upon the mind however of the Rev. A. M. Wilson, who is we suppose a Scotch Presbyterian Minister, Mr. Cox's assertion and the bad faith consequent on it which keeps Dissenting Preachers silent, nevertheless, on this and other such subjects for fear "of giving offence" to their congregations, has fallen as a thunderbolt. He disputes indeed the truth of the allegation, but at the same time has wisely set himself to refute these novel views. And the result is a really well-reasoned treatise under the title of The Destiny of the Wicked, (Hamilton, Adams and Co.) which is at the same time quite free from extravagance.

At the beginning of a new year we feel it a duty to call attention to the "Home Re-union Society," which has Lord Nelson for its Chairman, and the Bishop of Winchester for its President. A Post Office Order for 1s. 6d., addressed to Mr. Wells Gardner, Paternoster Row, who is its publisher, would bring a full report of the Society's work, and a subscription of 5s. would constitute a member.

Several very useful publications (chiefly we are glad to say by laymen) would serve to bring the subject of re-union before the minds of any religious Dissenters but specially we would call attention to a sermon by the President, which in power far surpasses anything we have ever read of his,—and the report of an Address and Conference held by Lord Nelson at Salisbury, on which we can most thoroughly congratulate his Lordship. The arguments are conclusive, and the tone excellent. Conferences have also been held, we believe, at Ipswich and Yarmouth, and we hope that, as funds are provided, other places also may have the overtures of peace and union submitted to them.

Correspondence.

[The Editor is not responsible for the opinions of the Correspondents.]

To the Editor of the Churchman's Companion.