[British Critic, July 1838.]
Since our last number the long anticipated Life of Mr. Wilberforce by his Sons has made its appearance; we hope to have an early opportunity of reviewing it, meanwhile it will be enough to notice, what is on the surface of the work, the exceedingly great pains which have been spent upon it, and its importance as an addition to the historical records of the times to which it belongs.
The most important theological work which has lately appeared is Mr. Palmer’s Treatise on the Church, which also will, in due time, receive from us the careful attention which it claims from all Churchmen. Whatever judgment be formed of the conclusions to which he has come on the variety of points which he has had to consider, we cannot contemplate without admiration, and (if it were right) without envy, the thorough treatment which his subject has received at his hands. It is indeed a work quite in character with the religious movement which has lately commenced in different parts of the Church, displaying a magnificence of design similar to that of the Bishop of London’s plan of fifty new Churches, and Dr. Pusey, of Oxford’s, projected translation of the Fathers.
This latter arduous undertaking, we rejoice to know, is now beginning to show fruit, the original text of St. Austin’s Confessions, for which five Oxford MSS. have been collated or re-collated, is now through the press, all but the index; the translation also will issue from the press in the course of a short time, as will also the translation of St. Cyril, of Jerusalem. A portion of St. Chrysostom’s Comment on St. Paul’s Epistles has been printed since Christmas; but an important reason for suspending it has lately occurred in the researches which have been made into the Paris MSS. which Montfaucon used in the Benedictine text. Nothing has been found to throw suspicion on his theological honesty, but enough to show that readings may be materially improved by re-collation. Re-collations are proceeding for the same reason in the Oxford text of St. Cyprian; but they will not interfere with the translation, which is ready to go to press at once. Meanwhile Mr. Bickersteth has brought out an interesting little volume of portions of the works of the Fathers of the first and second Century. The work is conceived in the best spirit, and can but elicit kind and respectful feelings even from those who consider that Mr. Bickersteth does not enjoy in full measure the pure light of catholic truth. May there be less difference year by year between such men as him and them, and we think he is taking the way to fulfil the wish!
In Oxford, Mr. Parker’s series of select Religious Works continues. Bishop Taylor’s Golden Grove, Archbishop Laud’s Devotions, Bishop Patrick’s Heart’s Ease, Dr. Sutton’s Meditations on the Lord’s Supper, and Hymns from the Paris Breviary, have already been published. These volumes present an appearance most appropriate to their contents, being beautifully printed and embellished, yet without an approach to the bad taste of the day. We are not quite satisfied with the judgment on which the Breviary Hymns are edited, A selection has been attempted; now this seems to be impossible. In such compositions Romanism obtrudes itself sometimes in a mere word, where the hymn is otherwise catholic and beautiful; and thus reduces a selector to the dilemma of omitting it altogether, or of seeming to countenance what is erroneous, We incline to think that in a second edition, which we hope soon to see, all should be printed, and the task of discriminating between them, which is not difficult, left to the reader. It is a curious coincidence, considering how little Dr. Sutton’s works have been known of late years, that while his Meditations were publishing at Oxford, his Disce Mori (Learn to Die) has appeared in London, without any understanding between the respective editors. Our readers will not be sorry to have had this little work also warmly recommended to their attention.
Archbishop Laurence has published a third edition of his celebrated Bampton Lectures, also of his Treatise on Baptism, which is scarcely equal to them, and of his Translation of the Book of Enoch.
The little tract called “A Catechism on the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church,” has, in the course of a few months, reached a third edition. As its sale shows, it is well adapted to distribution. In connection with which, though with no real connection beyond that of subject, may be mentioned a small Catechism, “Of Scriptural Episcopacy,” published at Belfast. It contains much information in the course of a few pages.
A volume of Poems has been published at Oxford called the Cathedral, with a number of elegant wood cuts. These Poems have obscurities, as a great deal of poetry must have, and ever has had; but we are greatly mistaken if they have not a long course of prospective influence in store for them.