mind instantly revert, but to a Thornton, a Howard, or a Reynolds or to some of those devout disciples of Josus, who have not ye entered their rest, but who, by their liberality, are endeared to thei country and to the world?

'Nor let it be forgotten, that though Thornton, and Howard, and Reynolds, were united to different denominations of Christians, their faith, in all its essential principles, was the same. Each looked for redemption to "the blood of sprinkling," and each gave himself up to the influences of the Holy Spirit, for the direction of his conduct, for assistance in duty,-and for his sanctifying grace to render him "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light."""

p. 20.

Before Howard left this country on his last embassy of benevolence, impressed with the uncertainty which attached to his return, and desirous of precluding all posthumous flattery, he caused a simple tablet to be erected in the church of his favourite village, Cardington, on which were inscribed his name, the date of his birth, and the words, died at leaving

just room for the insertion of the place and date of his death, and beneath them, these expressive words, as his dying testimony, and his best epitaph: CHRIST IS MY HOPE. It is placed by the side of his friend Whitbread's marble monument.

In the last letter Mr. Reynolds ever wrote, addressed to an intimate friend, ten days previous to his departure, he thus expresses himself.

"I will not conclude without mentioning that, through my illness, I have not been without hope, and which, with humility and thankfulness, is mercifully continued, and I trust will be to the end. But it is solely founded on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, who died for us;-in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins."' Sermon. p. 8.

And a few days only previous to his departure, he said to an endeared female friend: My faith and hope are, as they have long been, on the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, who was the propitiation for my sins, and not for mine only, but for the sins of the whole world.'

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, ' and to keep himself unspotted from the world.' To how many nominal Christians would that be a hard saying, 'Go, • and do thou likewise.'

[82]

Art. VII. The Antiquarian Itinerary; comprising Specimens of Architecture, Monastic, Castellated, and Domestic; with other Vestiges of Antiquity in Great Britain. Accompanied with Descriptions. Vols. I. II. III. and IV. comprising twenty-four monthly Numbers; and three Hundred and twenty-seven Engravings, nearly two Hundred of them on Copper, and the remainder on Wood. Price, foolscap 8vo. 2s. 6d, the Number, or 15s, the Vol. in boards; demy 8vo with proof Impressions, 48. the Number, and 11. 4s. the Vol. W. Clarke, &c, 1815-16.

IT

T is curious to observe what a length of time, and what a multiplicity, diversity, and succession of labours, it takes, to bring fully out, if we may so express it, the features of a country, in a literary and graphical portraiture. This island may be taken as the instance; and it will readily occur to a person moderately conversant with our national literature of the present and some moderate portion of past time, what an immensity of labours, of travellers, surveyors, authors, and artists, have been employed upon it,-employed upon it considered as a subject of ocular inspection. Every one has heard, for instance, of that very long course, still carrying on, of scientific operations, which are now resulting in the grand series of maps that will, when completed, present to the eye a marked notice of every spot and point, of the smallest consideration, in the country, even down to all the most remarkable private residences and farm houses; exhibiting every object, at the same time, in the strictest geographical truth of position.-There are in progress several most elegant works intended as picturesque representations of the mere outline of the country; giving beautiful delineations of the most remarkable points and views of the sea coast, all round the island. There has lately been published, as the result of the assiduous labours of a large portion of the author's life, a very large and valuable Map of the Strata of England and Wales, and part of Scotland, exhibiting the collieries, mines, and coals; 'the marshes, and fen lands, originally overflowed by the sea; ' and the varieties of the soil, according to the substrata; illus'trated by the most descriptive names of places, and of local districts; shewing also the rivers, sites of parks, and principal 'seats of the nobility and gentry; and the opposite coast of France.'-There are volumes descriptive of almost every distinct county, and of a vast number of much more contracted localities; together with agricultural and statistical surveys of various districts.-There are a number of comprehensive descriptions of the whole country; at the head of which works stands the last enlarged edition of Camden's Britannia.-Add to these, the innumerable lighter works of tourists, descriptive of scenery, and the condition, customs, manners, occupations, and even

costumes, of inhabitants, in all the parts, almost, of the territory.-And then there are the antiquities, of all classes, which constitute, if we may so express it, the roughness and wrinkles of age, in the physiognomy of the country. These have been the object of the peculiar attention of numberless examiners, some erudite, some scientific, some fanciful and poetical, some tasteful and pictorial. All these classes of antiquarian researchers, describers, and representers, have rendered valuable service, in their respective ways. The last are at present in very great and increasing favour with the public; and it is no wonder, when we consider the signal advantage they possess in the very high state of excellence which has been attained in the arts of representation to the eye: an excellence so great that they are capable of giving an interest to the representation even beyond what, in some instances, really belongs to the object.

Some of these works are on a magnificent and costly scale; but there have been a number, and especially just of late, which, on a comparatively small scale, and at a very moderate price, have displayed great excellence of workmanship. Among the foremost of these stands the publication of which we have transcribed the title. For a work of such merit it is uncom→ monly cheap; and it highly deserves the favour of persons of taste. The engravings on copper are in the line manner, uniformly highly finished, and often quite exquisite. The vignettes on wood are not less remarkable for merit. In the notice from the publishers, in the first announcement of the work, it was stated that these beautiful vignettes would all be both drawn and engraved by the well known artist, Mr. L. Clennel. The selection of subjects is, for the greater part, good, but, we think, with some exceptions: a minor proportion of them, perhaps as much as one in five or six of the copper-plates, are such as we are tempted to be sorry to see so much delicate labour expended upon. Several of the churches, for instance, and of the monuments, hardly deserved one stroke of the pencil or graver. On so unlimited a field it will be practicable to exclude from the selection all subjects that are really in all respects insignificant.

The letter-press, which is elegantly printed, is not confined to a bare notice of the objects represented; but forms an assemblage of topographical and historical essays, many of which are of considerable value and interest.-The wood engravings being without subscribed denominations, and frequently not belonging to the part of the letter-press at the beginning or end of which they are inserted, there is a sensible want of some more ready indication to the places where their subjects are described. The purchasers would be thankful, we have no doubt, for the addi

tion of some little facility of this kind. It is not signified to what length the work may probably be extended; but certainly no one that does justice to its beauty, will wish its speedy arrival at the termination.

Art. VIII. 1. The Sunday School Teacher's Guide. By J. A. James. Second Edition. pp. 192. Price 2s. 6d. Beilby and Co. Birmingham. 1816.

2. The Sunday School Teacher's Monitor. Together with Hints for Self-examination, addressed to Persons of various Classes in connexion with Sunday Schools. Being the Substance of Two Addresses delivered to the Teachers of Great George-street Sunday School, and published at their Request. By the Rev. Thomas Raffles. pp. 35. Price 1s. Liverpool.

TOTWITHSTANDING the great proportion of zeal, ac

tivity, and judicious management, exerted in our Sunday School Institutions, all who are acquainted with their internal economy, or who reflect upon the subject, must be convinced of the desirableness of an experienced enlightened guide to the young Teacher. Even where the impulse of pure motives and good intentions is not wanting, there must inevitably, in numerous instances, be a deficiency of qualification in those engaged, whether from age, or education, or talents, &c. so that to grow wiser than their teachers are,' would, in some cases, perhaps, imply no very extraordinary proficiency on the part of the scholars. But none will be so grateful for the assistance Mr. James has afforded, nor so conscious of its value, as the sensible pious teacher; for while the lukewarm and the illqualified feel the irksomeness of their task, the zealous and judicious will ever be most sensible of its difficulties.

We are persuaded that no one engaged in Sunday School tuition, will rise from the perusal of this little volume without a deeper sense of the importance of his station, and a quickened zeal for the discharge of its duties. If the strain in which Mr. James frequently treats his subject, and which is that of pulpit eloquence, is not exactly what might be deemed the best adapted to the nature of it, the impression made by the whole, is of a nature to leave little inclination on the part of the reader, to dispute the appropriateness of the style. And we may be assured, that that style of address which produces its effect in print, without the powerful auxiliaries of tone, gesture, and emphasis, or the excitement of a crowded assembly, is eloquence. But what is still better, the advice here given is evidently dictated by one well-experienced and benevolently interested in the subject.

The Introduction contains an account of the origin and pro

gress of the Sunday School system. The succeeding Chapters are arranged under the following titles.

1. The object which Sunday School Teachers should ever keep in view, as the ultimate end of all their labours.

2. The qualifications which every Teacher should seek to possess.

3. Directions concerning the manner in which a Teacher should discharge the duties of his office.

4. The duties of Teachers to each other.

5. The temptations to which Sunday School Teachers are peculiarly exposed.

6. The discouragements of Sunday School Teachers.

7. The most effectual means of keeping up the spirit of the office.

8. Motives to diligence in the work.

The Author has aimed, and with success, throughout, to exalt the importance of Sunday School exertions, by investing them with the solemn grandeur of eternity,' and to counteract the secular view in which they are regarded by many, who, in the midst of much activity and bustle in their support, would by no means have it supposed that they are engaged in the methodistical design of saving souls. He thus represents the subject.

• Look round upon the crowd of little immortals by whom you are encircled every week; view them in the light which the rays of inspired truth diffuse over their circumstances: follow them, in imagination, not only into the ranks of society to act their humble parts in the great drama of human life, but follow them down into that valley, gloomy with the shadows of death, and from which they must come forth," they that have done well to everlasting life; but they that have done ill to everlasting shame and contempt," and while you see them plunging into the bottomless pit, or soaring away to the celestial city, say, what should be the ultimate object of a Sunday School Teacher's exertions. Sunday Schools, to be contemplated in their true light, should be viewed as nurseries for the Church of God: as bearing an intimate connexion with the unseen world; and as ultimately intended to people the realms of glory with " the spirits of just men made perfect." To judge of their value by any lower estimate; to view them merely as adapted to the perishing interests of mortality, is to cast them into the balances of atheism; to weigh them upon the sepulchre; and to pronounce upon their value without throwing eternity into the scale.' pp. 46–48.

In giving directions concerning the manner in which a Teacher should discharge the duties of his office, Mr. James remarks:

While your eye is fixed upon the children, your heart should be lifted up to God. You should sit down as between them and the