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Commission published the Liber poenitentialis Theodori Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis Ecclesiae in their volume entitled Ancient Laws and Institutes of England. This was followed in 1844 by the treatise of Kuntsman upon the Latin Penitential Books of the Anglo Saxons, which elicited a very learned review from the pen of Prof. K. Hildenbraud of Würzburg in the Krit. Jahrb. 1845. The many important historical conclusions which were established by the writings just enumerated, imparted additional zest to the labors of German inquirers, and form, as it were, the basis of two works of greater pretension and more comprehensive learning, which, although undertaken quite independently of each other, exhibit nevertheless a remarkable uniformity alike in their general arrangement and results. We allude to the monograph of Prof. Wasserschleben entitled Die Bussordnungen der abendländischen Kirche nebst einer rechts-geschichtl. Einleitung, Halle, 1851, a brief notice of whose contents may be found in the New York Methodist Quarterly Review, July 1852, and Untersuchungen über die germanischen Pönitentialbücher mit besond Beziehung auf den von der Recordcommission in den Ancient Laws and Institutes of England her ansgeg. "liber poenitentialis Theodori a. C. e. by Prof. K. Hildenbraud, Würzburg, 1851. The latter, as its title indicates, treats principally upon the Liber poenitentialis of Theodorus, Archbishop of Canterbury, and convincingly demonstrates that the work of Theodorus cannot be discovered in the Liber poenitentialis edited by the English Commission, but must rather be sought for in the original codices preserved in the Libraries of Munich, Würzburg and Wiener; the Penitentials of the Cambridge Codex being shown to date no further back than the close of the 8th century, to consist of a compilation of formularies and canons from similar MSS. of the times of Beda and Ecgbert, the Cumaan "Poenitentiale" and the "Poenitentiale Romanum Halitgarü," and to be in all probability not of British but of French origin, the work of Alcuin, the friend of Charlemagne, or one of his scholars. The author indeed goes further, and cites weighty arguments in favor of the assumption that "the tradition, supported principally by a passage in the Liber Pontificalis and in Paul Diacomes, of a lengthy work by Theodorus which has been handed down to our times is a groundless fiction," and that the numerous Excerpta which bear his name were collected and systematically arranged by a contemporary writer.

A new edition of the translation of the Koran, from the Arab text, by Kasimetski, interpreter of the French Legation in Persia, and two volumes of the " History of Christian Theology in the Apostolical Age," by R. Reuss, Professor in the Faculty of Theology at the Protestant Seminary, in Strasburg, are amongst the more recent advertisements.

An English publisher, Mr. J. R. Smith, announces the forthcoming publication of a new quarterly journal under the title of "The Retrospective Review." The design of the Review, as stated in the Journal of Sacred Literature, is to seek from the literature of the past, subjects most likely

to interest modern readers; accounts of rare and curious books; essays on various branches of the literature of former days, English and foreign; and the contents of old books critically analyzed: one division of each part will be devoted to the printing of short manuscripts in Anglo Saxon, Norman, and English, preserved in the public libraries of England, and another division to correspondence on literary subjects. The works of living authors will not come within the scope of the Journal."

Sir Archibald Alison will shortly publish a History of Europe from the fall of Napoleon in 1815 to the re-establishment of a military government in France in 1851. It will therefore be in strictness a continuation of his History of Europe.

In Arnold's series of school books the first volume of a translation, Dr. Karl Nepperlez's excellent edition of the works of Cornelius Nepos by the Rev. Henry Brown, M. A., appears.

The Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles have met with little notice from theological critics in comparison with the great amount of attention which has been expended upon the apocryphal Gospels. In antiquity, origin and character, both stand, however, in intimate relation with each other, whilst in respect of their extensive authority amongst ancient heretics, and the consideration paid them by the early Christian Church, the former possess apparently a just claim to take precedence of the latter. In support of this assertion Professor Tischendorff appeals to the testimony of Epiphanius. and Augustine, and draws particular attention to the fact that the learned Patriarch Photius, whose means of information were ample and unequiv ocal, does not hesitate to affirm that no error would probably be committed in considering these histories of the actions of the Apostles, and above all the productions of Lucius Charinus, "as the source and mother of all heresy." Hence, to use the language of the same eminent scholar, it will be readily understood that since the announcement by Thilo in 1823 of his intention to undertake an edition of the apocryphal Acts in direct connexion with the apocryphal Gospels, intense interest has been felt in France, Holland and England, for the fulfilment of his promise, and that not merely in theological circles, but also amongst other literateurs.

Thus, for example, in the preface to his Andreas and Elene the celebrated Jacob Grimm inquires as follows; "Who amongst us does not wish that Thilo in the long and eagerly looked for continuation of his Codese Apocryphus, would publish in full the πράξεις ̓Ανδρέου, since every thorough investigation of the historical phenomena of the middle ages stands in extremely close relationship with the early writings and traditions of the Greek Church?" The want so long felt has been at length gratified by the appearance of Prof. Tischendorff's volume, entitled "Acta Apostolorum apocrypha, ex triginta antiquis codicibus graecis vel nune primum vel secundum atque emendatius edidit Constantinus Tischendorff (pp. xxx and 276, Leipzig, 1851,) containing thirteen narratives, of which six, the

Acts of Thomas, the Acts of Peter and Paul, the Acts of Andrew and Matthias, the Acts of Barnabas, the Acts of Paul and Theda, and last in order, though by no means in importance, the Acts of Andrew, have been previously edited. It is remarkable how early one of these fictitious narratives, the Acts of Andrew and Matthias in the city of the Men-eaters, an excellent epitome of whose contents may be found in the last number of Dr. Kitto's Journal of Sacred Literature, was known in England, for, as above intimated, it forms the subject of the "Andreas and Elene," an early Anglo Saxon poem. The remaining seven, which comprise the Acts of Philip, the Acts of the same Apostle in Hellas, the Acts and Martyrdom of Matthaeus, the "Consummatio" of Thomas, the Acts of Bartholomæus, the Acts of Thaddaeus and the Acts of John, are now for the first time given to the world in a text founded upon professedly a very thorough collation of the original Greek manuscripts. For more precise information upon each and all of these writings the reader is referred to the work of Dr. Tischendorff. These narratives furnish a striking demonstration of the manner in which these semi-pagan, semi-Christian legends originated, and "what we might expect the New Testament to have become, had it been, as the adherents of the mythic theory tell us, composed after the middle of the second century."

Amongst the more recent volumes of Putnam's Semi-Monthly Library for travellers and the fireside, a translation of a very entertaining German work entitled Pictures from St. Petersburg, deserves especial notice. The author, Mr. Edward Jermaun, informs us in the 15th chapter of his book that he passed three years in Russia as the manager of a German theatrical company. During his sojourn in the Russian capital few things seemed to have escaped his observant eye, whilst the social relations which he formed in that hospitable city gave him unusual opportunities of investigating the temperament and character, the manners and customs, the social and political circumstances of all classes of its inhabitants. The work which he has produced is not only exceedingly readable, but full of important information. With apparently heartfelt conviction he takes every opportunity of describing and attesting the noble efforts of the Czar to improve the condition of his subjects and to elevate them to a knowledge and enjoyment of their rights as men. We must nevertheless express our suspicion that his eulogies of the emperor are colored unconsciously to himself, by the kindness of his reception at the Russian court. On no other supposition can we understand how it happens that so sharp sighted an observer should have failed to remark how little the Czar has after all done for the happiness of his subjects, in comparison with what might have been effected had he really been as anxious to promote so desirable an object as his panegyrist

affirms.

A careful examination of the different periods during which the missionaries of the different societies have labored in India, will at once explode

a fallacy, widely circulated among the friends of missions, in relation to the length of missionary service. It is generally believed that in India, owing to the deadly climate, the average duration of missionary life is sev en years; and many have come out as missionaries under the idea that they would be certain to meet with a premature death; but this is a great mistake. From a careful induction of the lives or services of 250 missionaries, we have found that hitherto the average duration of missionary labor in India has been 16 years and 9 months each. It was doubtless much less at first, and numerous cases can be adduced in which young missionaries were cut off after a very short term of labor. But a better knowledge of the climate, and of the precautions to be used against it, the use of airy dwel ling houses and light dress, with other circumstances, have tended very much to reduce the influence of the climate and preserve health; so that the average duration of life and labor is improving every year. As an illustration of this fact, we may state that, out of the 147 missionaries laboring in India and Ceylon in 1830, 50 (we can give their names) are still laboring in health and usefulness; while of the 97 others who have since died or retired, 20 labored more than 20 years each. Several living missionaries have been in India more than 30 years. It is a remarkable fact that the average missionary life of 47 of the Zanguebar missionaries last century was 22 years each.-Calcutta Review.

At the Royal Society of Literature July 21st, Mr. George Scharf jr., read a paper "On the ancient portraits of Alexander and Demosthenes." Mr. Scharf observed that, after long familiarity with the thoughts and actions of a great man, one naturally forms some idea of his personal appearance, rarely however finding this preconceived notion realized. Of Alexander, who is known to us by his excellent comedies (and who is quoted by St. Paul,) we cannot speak with certainty which of two or more is the real portrait.

With regard to Demosthenes it is very different; the portraits are very numerous, and the similarity in the likeness in all of them is very striking. A bronze bust, with the name inscribed in silver letters, found at Herculaneum, determined the identity. Another bust has also been found, with the name written in the field in a kind of open tablet. But busts of Demosthenes are too numerous to be even specified. There exists also some noble life-size statues of him, one in the Louvre, and formerly in the Vatican, which is seated; one at Rome, standing perfectly erect; and the finest of all, a full length figure, the size of life, which is preserved at Knowle Park, Kent, the seat of Lord Amherst. It exactly resembles the figure in the Vatican; its material is a fine highly crystallized marble. The surface is in the genuine condition in which it was found. It was discovered in Campania and brought to England by the Marquis of Dorset. -Literary Gazette.

Mr. Kennet Loftus, the first European who has visited the ancient ruins

of Warka, in Mesopotamia, and who is attached to the surveying staff of Colonel Williams, appointed to settle the question of the boundary-line of Turkey and Persia, writes thus:-"Warka is no doubt the Erech of Scripture, the second city of Nimrod, and it is the Orchoe of the Chaldees.

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The mounds within the walls afford subjects of high interest to the historian and antiquarian; they are filled, nay, I may say they are literally composed of coffins piled upon each other, to the height of forty-five feet. It has evidently been the great burial-place of the Chaldeans, as Meshed Ali and Kerbela at the present day are of the Persians. The coffins are very strange affairs; they are in general form like a slipper-bath, but more depressed and symmetrical, with a large oval aperture to admit the body, which is closed with a lid of earthenware.

"The coffins themselves are also of baked clay, covered with green glaze, and embossed with figures of warriors, with strange and enormous coiffures, dressed in a short tunic and long under-garments, a sword by the side, the arms resting on the hips, the legs apart. Great quantities of pottery, and also clay figures, some most delicately modelled, are found around them; and ornaments of gold, silver, iron, copper, glass, &c., within.”— Art Journal.

On the 15th of November, at the age of 63, died the renowned geologist, Gideon Algernon Mantell, LL. D., F. R. S. At an early period of his life, Dr. Mantell evinced a decided taste for the study of natural history, and having fixed his residence as a medical practitioner at Lewes, was led to devote himself with great enthusiasm to the investigation of the fossils of the Chalk and of the Wealden of Sussex. Little attention had been excited among geologists to the wonderful organic remains of this district, and to a mind of such penetration and sagacity as his a rich field presented itself for observation. In 1812-15 he commenced forming at Lewes the magnificent collection of 1300 specimens of fossil bones, which is now in the British Museum, and in 1822 appeared his "Fossils of the South Downs," a large quarto work, with forty plates, engraved by Mrs. Mantell, from drawings by the author. Another work was published by him about the same time, entitled "The Fossils of Tilgate Forest," and, compared with the geological literature of the period in which they were written, they are meritorious productions. In 1825 Dr. Mantell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and he has contributed some important papers to its "Philosophical Transactions." For his memoir "On the Iguanodon," he had the honor to receive, in 1849, the Royal Medal. The works by which he is more popularly known are his "Wonders of Geology," "Medals of Creation," Geological excursion round the Isle of Wight," and an enlarged edition of his "Thoughts on a Pebble," all of which are profusely illustrated, and have passed through several editions. His latest work was a handbook to the organic remains in the British Museum, entitled "Petrefactions and their teachings." To these may be added "Thoughts on Animalcules," and "A Pictorial Atlas of Fossil Remains," selected from

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