and results, make up the entire history of man, and explain his relation to the planet he inhabits. The earth, itself, is but a vast tomb of buried matter, man but the rudiment of a future. Both are destined to a more perfect and useful state. The one to become the base of mighty physical changes, the other the source of moral and intellectual reforms. If, on the one hand, all is destruction, so, on the other, all is re-production. Nothing lives or perishes without its purpose. No variation in nature occurs in vain. If fires burst forth from the centre of our globe, and heave, and twist, and break into fragments, immense beds of rock; if the fountains of the great deep are broken up, and the winds rushing from their prison house, overturn the barriers between sea and land; if empires are destroyed; if whole races of men become extinct, and the records of their sciences crumble to dust;-it is only that new seas and new lands, new races of beings, and new civilization, may rise in their places. All, from the land we stand upon, to the most refined intelligence, is in a state of progression. Each atom of existence forms a part of that great system, which evolves ths destiny of man, and advances him nearer and nearer towards his God."

We should be glad to introduce other extracts from this very superior address, but our limits will not allow us this gratification.

9.-Intrepid Faith; a Sermon on the Death of the Rev. William Tomlinson Brantly, D. D., with a Sketch of his Life and Character, by RICHARD FULLER, D. D. Charleston: W. Riley. 1845.

DR. BRANTLY was conspicuous among the eminent men of our Southern country, and was an able contributor to the pages of our Review. A ripe scholar, a profound metaphysician, an able divine, we may not hope very soon to have his place supplied among us. He was great in many of the elements of greatness, and occupied, through a long life, positions of the highest dignity and usefulness. As a minister of the one high God, he was familiar with the sublime mysteries of his faith; as an instructor, a teacher, a guide in the ways of literature and philosophy, what numbers are there in our Southern country ready to rise and acknowledge their deep and lasting indebtedness to him. We, indeed, have reason to treasure his memory in our affections ;-he was to us the instructor, the friend, and we love to ponder over those lessons of wisdom and virtue which there were his to teach. But he is gone; we honored him in the past, and over his grave we bend now with emotion which cannot be expressed, with sorrow which refuses comfort-for that heart has ceased to beat which once warmed with noblest sympathies,-that elevated spirit has taken its flight forever from our midst.

There could have been no happier selection of a speaker to pronounce the eulogy over Dr. Brantly, than his friend and pupil, the eloquent, pious and gifted Fuller. Public expectation was raised very

high in relation to the sermon, and its matter and delivery must have answered all expectation. We heard the sermon ourselves, and thought it a rich repast; but now that we have it in pamphlet before us, our satisfaction is complete. Those who will have an opportunity of examining it, will agree with us in the high estimate which we have formed of its merits. We regret that our limits will not admit of quotations at large. A single specimen we afford, and that is exquisite:

"'It passeth away' is written upon every thing here. We look, we love, we desire, we possess, but no matter how dear and cherished the object, we soon trace upon its fragile form this melancholy inscription, 'It passeth away. Our pleasures, what are they doing? Passing away. Our afflic tions, what are they doing? Passing away; 'they are,' says the Apostle, 'but for a moment." Where are the companions of our childhood? Where are the associates of our youth? Our fathers, where are they? Where are those who once inhabited the houses in which you dwell, and occupied the chambers in which you will sleep to-night? Where are those who once trod these hallowed courts, and filled this sacred desk? WHERE?Gone! They have finished their course; they have passed away. And we, my brethren, we are following them. We, too, are 'accomplishing as an hireling our day.' 'Our days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;' and every thing around us is changing, consuming, vanishing 'as a cloud,' passing away. This young year is passing away. This Sabbath is passing away. These seasons, these songs, these prayers, these opportunities-all, all, are fleeting, passing away, hasting to be gone.

"Time rolls his ceaseless course.

The race of yore that danced our infancy upon the knee,
How are they blotted from the things that be.

How few, all weak and withered of their force,

Wait, on the verge of dark eternity,

The tide returning hoarse

To waft them from our sight.""

10-Writings of Hugh S. Legaré-(forthcoming.) Charleston: Burgess & James.

WE long to have before us the productions of this erudite scholar and most gifted man, in a form suited to their exalted merit. Every where has the greatest interest been felt and expressed for the enterprize of our publishers, and there can be little question that an issue of several editions of the work will be demanded. It will be embraced in two volumes, and will make its appearance early in the fall. An engraving of Mr. Legaré will be presented, a biographical sketch by some of his literary friends, and a collection of his most valuable writings. Of those which were furnished for the Southern Review, and which gave it so brilliant a reputation, we may enumerate, among others, "Classical Learning," "Roman Literature," "Kent's Commentaries," "Crafts' Writings," "Roman Orators," "Cicero de Republica," "Lord Byron," "Jeremy Bentham," "D'Aguesseau." To the New-York

Review, in his latter days, Mr. Legaré furnished a noble list-"Constitutional History of Greece," "Democracy of Athens," "Roman Legislation," "Demosthenes."

Mr. Legaré's speeches and journals and letters will complete the invaluable collection.

11.-Brownson's Quarterly Review, No. VI., April, 1845. Boston: Benj. H. Greene.

MR. BROWNSON's extraordinary career and extraordinary talents, give an interest to every thing which he touches. Whether this interest has ensured him that which, as an editor, he has found in common with ourselves to be most necessary, a large subscription list and prompt payments, we are unable to say. One thing, however, Mr. Brownson is original in conducting a Review on the principle, of being "written in great part by the gentleman whose name it bears." As to the character of these "writings", we need only refer to the title-page, and find they are very like what would have been expected from their author: "The Church against no Church," "Parkerism or Infidelity,” "Miss Fuller and Reformers,” “Catholic Magazine and ourselves," etc. In noticing Mr. Thornwell of South-Carolina's work on the "Apocrypha," Mr. Brownson indulges a little sarcasm, and vows that he will heartily use it up on some early occasion. Speaking of Prof. Thornwell, he says: "He has annexed two pages of errata; if he had annexed some two or three hundred pages, he would have still left no small number to be corrected by the reader." This flippancy of expression may be suffered to Mr. Brownson, but when he comes to measure strength with the Professor, it will be seen that he has a foeman worthy of his most glittering steel, in a conflict with whom, to come off “laurel-crowned", will be no easy matter.

12.-Manual of Ancient and Modern History; by W. C. TAYLOR, LL.D., M. R., A. S., of Trinity College, Dublin. Revised, with a chapter on the History of the United States, by C. S. HENRY, D.D., Professor of Philosophy and History in the University of the city of New-York. D. Appleton & Co. 1845.

HERE is a work got up in an admirable manner, in compact form, and containing some eight hundred pages of well-arranged and digested matter. These manuals of history have their value, and when well executed deserve high commendation. On the score of multum in parvo, they address themselves to readers whose indolence would have prevented their otherwise attaining any idea of history at all. Nor only

this; a very large proportion of mankind have but small opportunities of becoming acquainted with books, and, for such, abridgments and compends are invaluable. To such as these we commend the text-book of Professors Taylor and Henry. So far as we have been able to examine it, the work appears to possess many advantages. We do not assert, however, that it is altogether so philosophical, or that it will have the popularity of Mr. Titler's valuable work on the same subject.

We are glad to perceive that the Messrs. Appleton continue their publications of the more valuable English literature, for much there is that crosses the Atlantic, which had better have remained on the other side of the water.

13.-Plato contra Atheos.

THIS is a very interesting and valuable book. Dr. Taylor is certainly a learned man, and he has here brought his learning to bear upon a portion of Plato's writings, which forms, as he has correctly remarked, "one of the best central positions from whence [which] to make excursions over a large part of the Platonic philosophy." The object of the author is to recommend Plato's writings to the educated men of our country, and to inspire them with the love of his noble philosophy. In this we most cheerfully concur. We believe that the times demand it. The philosophy of the Grecian sage would prove a successful antagonist of many of the philosophical speculations, which are rife among us. The celebrated Robert Hall "often expressed his astonishment at the neglect into which he apprehended the writings of Plato were sinking; and said, that an entire disregard of them would be an irrefragible proof of a shallow age."-Memoir in Works, vol. 3, p. 31. We fear that the present age is open to this charge; and although we unite with Dr. Taylor, in commending Plato to our readers, we confess we do it with less of the hope than the desire of sucGreek is unfashionable among us; and philosophy is confined to a select few, who themselves philosophize to very little purpose. With no very sanguine expectations, therefore, but with earnest good will, we wish Dr. Taylor success in his attempt to "unsphere the spirit of Plato," and bring him down to converse with the youth of our country.

cess.

We wish that this work were more critical. It smacks somewhat of the Anthonian school, in which redundant commentary is substituted for thorough and accurate exegesis. We mean not to speak slightingly of Dr. Anthon. He is an honor to our country; and in common with all candid scholars, we appreciate his vast learning and untiring industry. But we do not hesitate to avow our conviction that the editions of the classics which he has published, are deficient in some of

the main elements of a good school book. Let Dr. Anthon, or Dr. Taylor, do for a single dialogue of Plato, what Bremi has done for Demosthenes, and we shall begin to hope that we shall no longer be compelled to import our school books from Germany.

In conclusion, we commend this book to our readers as a most valuable contribution to Platonic literature, and express our hope that it will meet with such a reception as will encourage the author to proceed in what seems to be to him "a labor of love."

14.-Historical Collections of Virginia; containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anec. dotes, etc., relating to its history and antiquities, together with geographical and statistical descriptions. To which is appended an historical and descriptive sketch of the District of Columbia. Illustrated by over one hundred engravings. By HENRY HOWE Charleston, S. C.: Published by S. Babcock & Co. 1845.

THIS work is entitled to a large Southern circulation. Any thing relating to the "Old Dominion", touches a chord in every Southern heart, and we never burn with a purer and nobler patriotism than when recalling the events of her history. Mr. Howe, the author of the present publication, possesses many qualifications for this species of intel lectual labor, and his work furnishes an amount of local information in reference to Virginia, which could not easily be obtained from other sources. He was associated in the execution of two similar works on the States of New-York and New-Jersey, and is now disposed, it seems, to extend his enterprizes to the Southward. In what manner these enterprizes are conducted, we gather from his preface:

"Early in the year 1843, we commenced travelling over the State, collecting materials and taking sketches for illustrations. Every section of the commonwealth was visited. The better to effect our purpose, we occasionally journeyed hundreds of miles on foot, often sharing alike the hospitalities of the planter and the mountaineer, and cheered onward by pleasant interviews with some of the most intelligent citizens. Much valuable information has been thus obtained by observation and inquiry, and interesting but scattered details of her history and antiquities collected in a form to ensure their preservation. Written communications, moreover, have been received, embodying facts enhancing the value of this publication, and placing us under lasting obligation to their authors."

Messrs. Babcock & Co. inform us that they contemplate a work, similar in its kind to this, on South-Carolina. We gladly commend the undertaking, and will further it in any way in our power. These things indicate a better spirit at the South, and will be crowned with the happiest results. They have our hearty good wishes.