prize in the compass of two small volumes, the annals of all ages, the history of a religion which yet sways its iron sceptre over a third of the human race-the ascent and downfall of powerful dynasties in three continents-and the records of some of the brightest periods of intellectual refinement. Of course, with materials so vast, no powers of condensation and combination could avail. The reader must necessarily travel like the camel of the desert, or with the speed of the ostrich. Such narrow limits are particularly unfortunate in detailing the events of war. A simple catalogue of victories won or lost, of legions cut in pieces, or of proud monarchs overthrown, will tire the most patient spirit. We need breathing places, oases of refreshment and rest in this interminable march of arinies. In no circumstances is this remark more true than in relation to the sanguinary followers of the son of Hagar. We were also struck with the absence of that elevated philosophical criticism, which in some writers, like Heeren and Neander, give such a charm to the dry narration of events. The remarks of Mr. Crichton are sensible and judicious, but not profound or discriminating. We rise from the book entertained, but not instructed; our minds amused, but not impressed. To write a really first rate history, a man needs not only the powers of research, and of communicating his thoughts in an interesting manner, but a radical acquaintance with human nature as varied by political and religious influences. Mr. Crichton is nearly deficient in these higher qualities. Still the volumes are deserving of much praise. The author faithfully examined the best sources of information, and had the good sense to take Niebuhr and Burckhardt as his guides. He appears to be familiar with Pococke, Reiske, De Sacy, and the best Arabian writers. He must also have the high praise of impartiality. Fully allowing the supreme importance of Christianity, and the inspiration of its records, he has given apparently a fair representation of Mohammed, shunning the bitter invectives of a large number of his biographers. It is truly refreshing to follow a candid and good natured writer through scenes calculated to arouse some of the worst passions of our nature. The author has successfully vindicated the Bedouin character from some of the prejudices which have been for a long time thrown around it. He has also all that clearness of method and illustration which is consistent with the deficiency of philosophical powers above referred to. On the whole, we think that these volumes will well repay the reader, who has not time or means to go more profoundly into the various subjects brought to view. We have never seen so good an account as Mr. C. furnishes of the war of Mohammed Ali with the Wahabees, nor a more faithful summary of the pilgrimage to Mecca, and the ruins of Petra.

5.-Publications of the American Sunday School Union.

ALL books written for children and youth may be regarded as deficient, if they do not possess, in a considerable measure, the following characteristics.

1. Good taste in the embellishments, and mechanical execution generally. One of the most deplorable influences which was exerted by the children's books in general circulation forty years since, arose from the wretched typography, the barbarous wood-cuts, and the caricature-engravings, which were in vogue. One of the most uncouth images indelibly fixed in our minds, had its origin in the title page of Blue Beard, and in the picture representing Apollyon in the Pilgrim's Progress. Great advances have been made in this particular within five years past. Still there is room for decided improvements. It is an object of much importance, and will justify considerable expense. Better operate on a somewhat smaller number of minds, than to communicate erroneous principles of taste, or fail to educate children properly in this particular.

2. All writers of Sabbath school books ought, if practicable, to resort to original sources of information. Less dependance will be placed upon the statements quoted from Hartwell Horne, or Gill, or Faber, than upon those which were taken directly from Burckhardt, Niebuhr, and other unexceptionable sources. There ought not only to be a reference to the best original authorities, but a collation of testimonies. The observation of a particular traveller in Palestine may be limited and doubtful. It is necessary to confront several witnesses. We can account in no other way for the wretched maps which we have had, in illustration of Bible scenes, than that their projectors did not exercise an independent judgment, after having resorted to the best materials in their reach. Thorough research is not only necessary to guard children against error, but to secure the confidence of the small part of the community who are able to judge in these matters.

3. A style which is simple, neat, and elevated. We are persuaded that there is no occasion to resort to childish, half English phraseology, in teaching children. Simplicity and intelligibleness are perfectly consistent with correct and forcible and well arranged sentences.

4. The character of the thoughts must be a little raised above the ordinary comprehension of the mass of children. In what other way is any advancement in the successive generations of children to be effected? If there is a perfect adaptation in the thoughts to the existing degree of intelligence, where is the opportunity for invention, inquiry, and intellectual activity?

5. The piety inculcated should be catholic, comprehensive, and all-pervading. That spirit should be cherished in the bosom of children-the want of which is now a main cause of a great

proportion of the evils which are desolating the church of God. Youth and children should be taught to enter into the meaning of that sublime prayer of our Saviour, "that they all might be ONE." This universal good will should be manifest every where as a cardinal trait of Christianity. Much more, we believe, can be accomplished, than has yet been attempted in conveying to youthful minds the right ideas of the gospel of Christ, especially in respect to its expansive and philanthropic spirit.

We are not sufficiently familiar with all the publications of the American Sunday School Union to determine how far their efforts have been successful in procuring the right kind of books. So far as our examination has extended, we have been highly gratified. TheLithographic Views of Palestine,' lately published, are admirably done. They are accurately copied from Rosenmueller's Views of Palestine, after the original sketches of Ludwig Mayers. They embrace Bethesda, Valley of Jehoshaphat, the brook Kedron, the Mount of Olives, Mount Tabor, Nazareth, Sea of Tiberias, and Bethany. Explanatory remarks accompany each engraving.

The Life of Washington' is exceedingly well written. We read it through with unabated interest. Some original anecdotes are introduced illustrative of the piety of Washington. The pictures are considerably worn and defaced, with the exception of the one fronting the title page.

The volumes, entitled "Tahiti without the gospel,' and 'Tahiti receiving the gospel,' are neatly printed, and appear to be well written. Ellis's Researches' was very properly the principal authority. It is stated that a third volume will soon follow, entitled 'Tahiti with the gospel.' From recent developments we fear that a fourth must be prepared entitled, "Tahiti apostatizing from the gospel,' or A chapter in the history of New England Rum.' Horrible have been the effects of the avarice of Old England and of New England. We fear that unless this work of death is soon stopped, the third volume will be simply a melancholy record of what Tahiti was. We observe in the volumes a little confusion in respect to the marks of quotation, owing to the use of the single and double inverted commas.

'Jonah Ross,' is a very pathetic story, inculcating admirable lessons of filial obedience, and habitual piety. An intelligent friend of ours took it up casually, and became so interested as to read the whole at once. The style is lively and clear. The book shows many marks of having been written by a man of sense. We cannot doubt but the wide diffusion of publications such as we have now briefly alluded to, will confer eminent benefits on the country. The Sunday School Union, by its books simply, may become one of the great enlighteners of the times, and the blessed almoner of salvation to a dark world.

6.—Publications of the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society.

THE same remarks are applicable to the publications of this Society, which we have just made in respect to those of the parent institution.

The Letters to a Sister,' by Mr. H. Newcomb, intended as a practical directory for young Christian females, are jadiciously designed and executed. The letters are eighteen in number, and were originally addressed to a younger sister of the author. They could be put with great advantage into the hand of any young female. The list of books at the close might be amended, and considerably enlarged.

The Clinton Family,' or 'The History of the Temperance Reformation,' by the Rev. Cyrus Mann, of Westminster, embodies a great variety of interesting facts, which will be instructive to adults as well as children. The religious bearings of the subject are favorably exhibited.

7.-The First Foreign Mission: or Journey of Paul and Barnabas to Asia Minor. By William A. Alcott. Written for the Massachusetts Sabbath School Society, and revised by the Committee of Publication. Boston: 1834.

THE subject of this little work is the journey of Paul and Barnabas from Antioch in Syria, through Cyprus, Pamphylia, and Pisidia, as far as Derbe and Lystra. This the author considers as the first Christian foreign missionary tour. His object, in the work before us, is not only to publish in a new form a narrative of the events of this mission, but to throw additional light upon the scripture narrative, by illustrations drawn from the customs and manners, the geography, history, and mythology of the countries in which the mission was performed. He aims to have his youthful readers form as clear conceptions of the circumstances in which these first Christian missionaries were placed, as the intelligent reader of a modern missionary tour may have, respecting the peculiar situation of the members of such a mission. For this purpose, he not only describes in language, but illustrates by cuts, the kinds of ships then in use, the dress of the oriental nations, some of their more common utensils, the idols then worshipped, and the books then in use. A small map also is given of the country, which is the scene of the apostles' labors during this mission.

The general truths of revelation, relating, as they do, to the moral nature of man, which is universally the same, and to his unalterable relations, must be intelligible in every country and in all ages. Whether we conceive of Paul and Barnabas as sailing to Cyprus in a vessel resembling a bark canoe, a Venetian barge, a modern frigate, or a steam-boat, the great doctrines of the

unity and holiness of God, the apostasy of man, and the necessity of repentance taught by these apostles, will be equally intelligible. In this respect it is that the Scriptures are so plain that he who runs may read.

But these and similar fundamental doctrines, are far from being all the truths of the Scriptures. They are full of narratives and allusions, which can be but imperfectly understood, without an acquaintance with the geography and the civil and political history of the country in which they were written; and also with the customs, manners, dress, education and habits of the people.

For want of information upon such subjects, the Bible appears to many readers a dry and uninteresting book; and not being aware that their difficulty lies in their own want of preparation to understand what they read, they attribute their indifference to the nature of the book. There is, without doubt, a dislike to the doctrines of the Bible, independently of the want of understanding its allusions, but we do not suppose that this is the only, or perhaps even the principal, cause of the prevalent neglect of the Scriptures. Every book, therefore, which is fitted to render the Bible more intelligible to the common reader, we regard as of great value, and this value is proportionate to the amount of light which it is calculated to diffuse.

To this class belongs the work before us. Its author, who is very favorably known as an assiduous and successful laborer in the cause of education, has in the present work evinced his usual industry and discrimination, and we believe that the book will be found of essential use to those for whom it was especially intended.

The language is in general distinguished for its perspicuity. In some passages the author seems to us to have sacrificed neatness and elegance of diction, from an unnecessary solicitude to accommodate his style to the capacities of his juvenile readers. Simplicity of language is certainly to be aimed at in all cases, and especially in writing for the young, or the illiterate; but care is requisite not to mistake the homeliness of colloquial language for genuine simplicity. Such a mistake tends to the corruption of the language, with no corresponding good effect. To children accustomed to elegant language, such a style is not pleasing, and others are prevented from acquiring a correct taste for want of suitable models. Very little effort is necessary to render language intelligible to children, beyond that of employing in all cases the most appropriate words and phrases. If they do not then understand an author, the difficulty, we believe, will generally be found to lie, not in the language, but in the ideas themselves, which the author wishes to communicate. The writer has, in such case, supposed his reader to possess a degree of knowledge in some particular, which does not in fact belong to him; and the remedy is to be found, not in the use of puerile or undignified language, but in imparting the requisite elements of knowledge.