a sex, are peculiar and deep. It has broken down the vassalage which was enforced even in the most polished heathen climes. Its humility hath persuaded men to give honor to " the weaker vessel." The depressed condition of our sex in classic Greece, is familiar to all who read the pages of history. Though her epic poet portrayed, in radiant colors, an Andromache and a Penelope, yet they were but the imagery of fiction, and the situation of woman in real life was scarcely a grade above that of a slave. Even in Athens, the "eye of Greece," Thucydides, her most profound and faithful historian, asserts, that "the best woman is she of whom the least can be said, either in the way of good or harm." Her degradation into a cipher accords with their estimation of her powers, and the place they intended her to fill in creation. The brutality with which she is still treated in pagan lands, and the miseries which make her life a burden, cause her to deplore the birth of a female infant, with the same unnatural grief that the ancient Transi cherished, who, according to Herodotus," assembled to weep when a child entered the world, on account of the evils of that existence into which he was ushered; while they celebrated funerals with joy, because the deceased was released from all human calamities." That policy, which, for ages, regarded women as toys of fancy for a moment, and then slaves forever, so vile as to be shut from the consecrated temple on earth, and so devoid of soul as to be incapable of an entrance into heaven, is "abolished by Him, who hath made both one, and broken down the middle wall of partition between us." Double cause, then, hath woman to be faithful to her Master; to be always longest at his cross and earliest at his sepulchre. Let us earnestly strive not to live altogether "to ourselves, but unto Him who hath called us to glory and virtue."

Time compels us here to close our extracts. Those given, may serve as samples; and will, we trust, fully evince the extraordinary merit of the volume before us. The present edition contains so much new matter, that it may be regarded as a new work. Indeed we believe that most of the extracts here given, are not to be found in either of the previous editions. In its present enlarged and matured form, the work reflects great credit on the literary character of our country. It forms a gem in her cabinet of letters. We wish to see its circulation co-extensive with our vast empire. Every daughter of our land should read and study it.

The mechanical execution of the work is in good taste, and very creditable to the publishers, who are justly distinguished for their enterprise and judgment.

ARTICLE IV.

REVIEW OF THE Edinburgh BIBLICAL CABINET.

THE publication of the Biblical Cabinet was commenced in 1832, at Edinburgh, by Mr. Thomas Clark, bookseller. The object as stated in the Prospectus was to publish successively translations of the most useful foreign works on hermeneutics, criticism, and exegesis, with such additions and illustrations by the translators, as might render them more suitable to the state of theological learning in Britain; and with such notes, as might counteract any thing of a neological, or infidel, tendency. At the same time, the work was not to be so strictly limited to the German school of theology, as to preclude the insertion of any valuable tracts which may exist, or be produced elsewhere. Prof. Tholuck thus describes the general design of the Cabinet: "The attempt to transplant a portion of the theological literature of Germany into the soil of England, is doubtless cheering, provided that such works shall be selected for translation as are really calculated to promote, in the lands where the language of that country is spoken, the growth of pure, evangelical theology. How glorious it would be, if the Protestant churches, of all nations, were thus, like sisters, to join hand in hand, in order, with one accord, to advance the great work of building up the kingdom of God! To Great Britain, in these modern days, we Germans are already under no small obligations. The serious practical Christianity of that island, which has manifested itself since the beginning of the present century, in its numerous philanthropic and religious undertakings, has afforded us a model for similar institutions, and in our country also Bible, Missionary and Tract societies have sprung up. In like manner the practical theology of England, more especially in the branch of biographical literature, has yielded fruits which have had a blessed influence among the people of Germany.

"It hence could not be otherwise than pleasing to us, if Britain, on her side, were not to despise what we have it in our power to offer her in return. And, indeed, it cannot be denied, that while the revival of the true faith among us, has, as yet, in the domain of practical life, operated incomparably less beneficially than in England and Scotland, the fruits which it has pro

duced in the field of science have been so much the more abundant. The day has been when Germans were wont to look for instruction from the great men of the English church, such as Pococke, Lightfoot, Usher, and Selden; and I know not to what cause it is to be ascribed, that, at present, in the department of theological literature in England and Scotland, few works appear worthy of general attention. In this respect, our country may now, perhaps, lend Britain a helping hand, in brotherly love, according to the precept of the apostle, Eph. 4: 16, and in this manner the bond between the christian churches of Britain and Germany be more closely cemented."

One of the causes of the comparatively low state of biblical literature in Great Britain is the want of theological seminaries. Theology and sacred literature, so far as they are pursued, are studied, for the most part, at the universities, or in connection with secular science and literature. But little prominence has been given at the English, or Scotch universities, or at the various Dissenting academies to biblical science as a great department of cultivation for the theologian. At some of those institutions, classical studies have usurped an undue share of attention.

Another cause of the deficiency in question is the political and ecclesiastical controversies in which the scholars and religious men of Britain have been, and are yet, so warmly engaged. They have little time or disposition for quiet study and profound investigation, while passing through the billows of controversy. Questions connected with the external form and polity of Christianity have more present interest than mere biblical inquiries.

A strong prejudice exists in Great Britain, as well as in this country, against whatever bears the name of German theology, and which inclines many to view with alarm and suspicion every production that comes from the infected regions of rationalism, as necessarily tainted with heresy and error. This feeling, to a certain extent, is justifiable. Many of the theological and philosophical works of Germany ought not to be translated into the English language, or if translated, should be accompanied with a sufficient antidote to the poison which may lurk in the pages. The danger is, however, much exaggerated. The sun of divine truth has again risen on Germany. A multitude of young men are now rising up in her universities, who are not ashamed of the truth as it is in Jesus, and who are endowed with talents and learning sufficient to overthrow the strong holds

of infidelity and error. We are assured by a gentleman very recently from Germany, that the cause of orthodoxy and true piety is making very gratifying progress. Even some of the most important philological works from the hands of the neologists contain but little which is objectionable.

The first and fourth volumes of the Biblical Cabinet contain Ernesti's Principles of Biblical Interpretation, translated by Charles H. Terrot, A. M., late fellow of Trinity college, Cambridge. Ernesti, born in 1707, was educated at the universities of Leipsic and Wittenberg. He became, successively, master of the school of St. Thomas at Leipsic, and professor of ancient literature, of eloquence, and of philosophy, in the university there. He died in 1781. His name as an accomplished editor of the Latin and Greek classics, is well known to many who are not acquainted with him as a theologian. His theological works are numerous and valuable. His Institutio Interpretis Nov. Test. was published in 1761. Prof. Stuart's Elements of Biblical Criticism, two editions of which have been published in this country, and one, under the care of Dr. Henderson, in England, is not properly a translation of Ernesti's Institutio, but partly an original work, and partly a translation from Ernesti, Morus, Beck, Keil, etc. Mr. Terrot's translation is from the 5th edition of Ernesti, edited by Dr. Ammon of Gotha in 1809. This is the standard edition. Ammon himself is a man of extensive learning, and ranks high among the theologians of Germany. In cases where the rationalistic views of Ammon are brought out prominently, the translator has subjoined his reasons for dissent.

The second volume of the translation, or the third part of the original work, treats of the hermeneutical apparatus, and its proper use,' and has not, we believe, been hitherto accessible to the mere English reader. The following topics are embraced : The authenticity and genuineness of the books of the New Testament; manuscripts and their use; editions of the New Testament; versions; writings of the fathers and their application; cause, origin, and choice of various readings; Septuagint, Aquila, Symmachus, etc.; use of works written by Jews; interpreters of the New Testament, and their use; and the necessity of general information.

The second volume of the Cabinet consists of four tracts, 'on the language of Palestine in the age of Christ and his apostles,' VOL. IX. No. 26.

41

translated from the German of Pfannkuche by Thorl G. Repp; ' on the Greek Diction of the New Testament,' translated from the Latin of Henry Planck, by Alexander S. Patterson; 'Hints on the Importance of the Study of the Old Testament,' translated from the German of Tholuck by Prof. R. B. Patton, and first printed in the Biblical Repertory; and Remarks on the Interpretation of the tropical language of the New Testament,' translated from the German of Beckhaus, by Chas. H. Terrot. The essays of Profs. Pfannkuche and Planck were both inserted in the first volume of the Biblical Repository.

The third volume of the Cabinet contains a translation of Prof. Tittmann's Remarks on the Synonyms of the New Testament, translated by the Rev. Edward Craig, of Oxford, translator of the Thoughts of Pascal.' The author, Dr. John Augustus Henry Tittmann, was born August 1, 1773, at Langersalza in Upper Saxony. His education commenced at Wittenberg, after the removal of his father to that place. At fifteen years of age, he published an Essay: De Virgilio Homerum imitante. He enjoyed the privileges of such teachers as Schröck, Antoni, Hiller, and Reinhard. In 1792, he went to Leipsic and studied under Morus, Rosenmüller, Keil and Wolf. In 1793, he opened his first course of lectures. In 1795, he was appointed morning preacher to the university church. His prelections to the theological students were so much approved, that in 1796, he was appointed professor extraordinary of philosophy. In 1805, he took the degree of D. D., and was admitted into the concilium professorum. On the death of Wolf in 1809, he was appointed the third regular professor of the university. In 1815, he succeeded Rosenmüller as the second professor; and on the death of Keil in 1818, he rose to the honorable position of academiae professor primarius. In all these stations, his talent for business was as eminent as his theological attainments. He was ever the ready counsellor of his pupils in all their various doubts and difficulties. He continued to lecture, during a course of forty years, on the exegesis of the New Testament, on the method of theological study, on church history, on the evidences, the morality, the creeds, and the dogmatic system of Christianity. His system of exegesis led directly to the bringing out the meaning from the sacred text itself, independently of all consideration of the opinions of commenta

Lors.

His views on church history are given to the world in his