The Birds of Jamaica. By PHILIP HENRY GOSSE, assisted by RICHARD HILL, Esq., of Spanish Town. Van Voorst. 1847. THE author of this work seems to be an accomplished naturalist; minute and accurate in his observations, and recording them. simply, without ostentation or parade; and having that true love for science as to rejoice in its advancement, whether he or another be the means of promoting it, and as willing to record the observations of others as those which are his own. He may rest assured that no apology is needed for the minuteness with which he has recorded dates and other apparently trivial circumstances. It is only the ignorant that will regard any such observations as trivial: the scientific know that such observations are of the greatest importance for the advancement and solid foundation of all the branches of knowledge. Nearly all the birds of Jamaica have come under the inspection of Mr. Gosse, or of his friend, Mr. Hill; and, for those which he had not the opportunity of examining, he refers to works in which a description of them is to be found. And for indicating the spirit in which all these researches have been conducted, we quote the last paragraph in the volume on the use of such studies:

"The Christian is taught whatsoever he does, to do all to the glory of God; and as whoso offereth praise glorifieth him, the constant object of our investigations should be the bringing out to view fresh proofs of his unspeakable wisdom, skill, power, forethought, care, and love, in the creation, preservation, and sustentation of his creatures. The gratification of scientific curiosity is worse than idle if it leads not to this: whatever exactness of knowledge we may acquire or whatever skilfulness we may attain, is, without this result, but shaping letters aright without learning to know their signification and value. It is God appearing in the creatures that is the life, and beauty, and use, and excellency of all the creatures; without him they are but carcasses, deformed, useless, vain, insignificant, and very nothings" (p. 444).

Of such a work as this we can only give a few extracts, taken almost at random, as samples of its style. Speaking of the large vultures which abound in the tropics, it is observed:

"They appear to delight in the hurly-burly of transient squalls, gathering together, and sweeping round in oblique circles, as the fitful gust favours them with an opportunity of rising through the blast, or winging onwards through the misty darkness of the storm. The effect which this imparts to a tropical landscape at a time when thick clouds are upon the mountains, and all vegetation is bending beneath the sudden rush of the tempest, as gust gathers louder and louder, is particularly wild and exciting. Ordinarily, however, in the evening, when the sea breeze is lulling, and the fading day-beam is changing like the hues of the dying dolphin, they delight to congregate and career at an immense height. At this time they soar so loftily, that they are scarcely

discernible as they change their position in wheeling from shade into light, and from light into shade. They seem as if they rose upward to follow the fading daylight, and to revel in the departing sun-beams, as, one after the other, the varying hues are withdrawn, or irradiate only the upper heavens.'

Speaking of a pair of hawks which had built their nest on the top of an immense cotton tree :

"At length he witnessed the emergence of two young ones, and their first essay at flight. He assures me that he distinctly saw the parent bird, after the first young one had flown a little way and was beginning to flutter downward-he saw the mother-for the mother surely it was-fly beneath it, and present her back and wings for its support. He cannot say that the young actually rested on or even touched the parent; perhaps its confidence returned on seeing support so near, so that it managed to reach a dry tree; when the other little one, invited by the parent, tried its infant wings in like manner. This touching manifestation of parental solicitude is used by the Holy Spirit in the song of Moses, to illustrate the tenderness of love with which Jehovah led his people Israel about, and cared for them in the wilderness. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him" (p. 15).

In the Blue Mountains, which rise to 8,000 feet above the level of the sea, there are two living attractions, a crested snake, and a sweetly mysterious singing bird called the "Solitaire." This bird is a thrush, and it is worth a journey to hear his wonderful song:

"As soon as the first indications of daylight are perceived, even while the mists hang over the forests, these minstrels are heard pouring forth their wild notes in a concert of many voices, sweet and lengthened, like those of the harmonica or musical glasses. It is the sweetest, the most solemn, and most unearthly of all the woodland singing I have ever heard. The lofty locality, the cloud-capt heights, to which alone the eagle soars in other couutries-so different from ordinary singing birds in gardens and cultivated fields-combine, with the solemnity of the music, to excite something like devotional associations. The notes are uttered slowly and distinctly, with a strangely measured exactness. Occasionally it strikes out into such an adventitious combination of notes as to form a perfect tune. The time of enunciating a single note is that of the semibreve. The quaver is executed with the most perfect trill. It regards the major and minor cadences, and observes the harmony of counter-point with all the preciseness of a perfect musician. Its melodies, from the length and distinctness of each note, are more hymns than songs" (p. 202).

There is a species of blackbird which builds one large nest by

the joint labours of many birds; and, laying their eggs together, take charge of all that are hatched as a common family: "Some half-a-dozen of them together build but one nest, which which is large and capacious enough for them to resort to in common, and to rear their young ones together" (p. 287).

Many of the descriptions are very graphic and powerful: as on the approach of the May-bird, which is a species of cuckoo:

"The visit of the May-bird is one of the precursors of the spring rains in this island. The hazy atmosphere which precedes the showers of the vernal season has already dimmed the usual lustre of the sky; the winds have ceased; the heat has began to be irritably oppressive; the air to assume a steamy denseness, hot and heavy; the butterflies have left the parched and blighted pastures to congregate wherever they can find any kind of moisture, and the insects to attract the nightjars to the lowlands, when the stuttering voice of this yellow-billed cuckoo is heard among the prognostics of the coming rain" (p. 280).

From these extracts our readers will perceive that this is no ordinary book; but that it deserves very high commendation both from the interesting nature of its contents and from the ability and good taste manifested in its composition.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper. London: Painter. 1847. THIS little book is put forth as a "Brief Exposition" of the sacred ordinances which head this notice. It is written in a right spirit, and with clear and orthodox views of the all-important subjects to which it is devoted; and we, therefore, commend it to the perusal of our readers, who, brief as is the treatise, will find in it much food for serious thought on matters which are but lightly considered by, we fear, too many professing Christians.

The History and Principles of the Book of Common Prayer practically Explained. By the Rev. J. HUDSON. London: Painter.

1847.

BELIEVING, as we conscientiously do, that the beautiful book to which this little volume is devoted has the Scripture for its basis, we hail with cordial welcome a history of its origin and an exposition of its principles, which cannot fail to commend it to the serious, and, we will hope, the edifying consideration of all who are included in the communion of our Church. The individual history of each prayer, and thanksgiving, and rite, is not the least interesting feature in this valuable little work.

VOL. XXII.-R

our talented and reverend brethren will derive any great gratification from the somewhat indiscreet manner in which their claims to commendation are enumerated.

On the whole these volumes are very interesting, and will prove acceptable to a large portion of the reading public. A pleasing sketch of the author's life, by his friend, Dr. Tyng, is prefixed, from which we gather that he was a truly pious man, devoted to his work, and greatly beloved by those amongst whom he ministered. We would refer to the descriptions of Gibraltar and Rome, in the first volume, both as specimens of the author's style and classical attainments.

Dr. Tyng, who is the author of "The Recollections of England," is the rector of St. George's, in New York, and was a contemporary editor with Dr. Clark of a periodical called "The Episcopal Recorder." Like Dr. Clark, Dr. Tyng found his chiefest interest, when in England, in studying the different aspect of religious parties, giving, however, all his sympathies to that which is exclusively called "Evangelical." He writes very kindly of the hospitable and Christian reception which he met with in England; but is more decided than Dr. Clark in the opinion which he gives of the condition of religion and the qualifications of preachers. Of Dissenters, he says, their "prevailing feeling is certainly very great hostility to the Church, not only as an Establishment, but to its very principles of government and order. I saw many who seemed to me perfect illustrations of old Thomas Fuller's description of Prynne, So great is their antipathy against episcopacy, that if a seraphim himself should be a bishop they would either find or make some sick feathers in his wings.' The contrast to this spirit among the clergy of the Church, with whom I was connected, was very remarkable and impressive. In them I found a courtesy and delicacy of character and conversation, which would not allow the intrusion of unkind remarks against any of the professed followers of Christ. I never heard the Dissenters spoken of among them but charitably and kindly. Their conversation was Christian, affectionate, and improving. It seemed to me, therefore, a personal controversy to which there was but one side. I was ready to ask—what cause is there for all this bitterness?" He asks, as there are no restrictions on the free exercise of their religious views, if their cause be really a popular one, how it is that they do not take possession of the people? "But the real fact is entirely the contrary. As it is, Dissent has become extremely political and worldly in its spirit, and appears ready to unite all doctrines, true or false, in the single cause of an assault on the Established Church."

Dr. Tyng thus remarks on the preaching of English ministers:- "One most important and deeply interesting subject of observation by me was the character of English preaching. I had formed a very high notion of this, from the distant notice which I had been able to take of men through the writings and reputation of English preachers; but shall I say I was disappointed in what I heard? It was the fact: week after week, in London, I was asking intelligent friends where I should hear the best and most effective specimens of Gospel preaching; and after going from place to place, I must honestly say I was still disappointed: I was disappointed in the want of a deep and clear exhibition of evangelical truth among the most distinguished of the preachers of that class. Though there was often a bold enunciation of doctrines, even of some that are often withheld, there was a superficial character in the sermons which I heard which surprised me. I once asked a very intelligent lay friend, Where are the successors of Romaine, Newton, and Hawker?' His simple answer was, "They have left no successors.' Dr. Tyng quotes the author of "Essays on the Church" in support of his view, and adds, "Sermon after sermon seemed to me to be a dwelling in the mere alphabet of religious truth. Though the manner of the preacher was generally affectionate, persuasive, and interesting, his thoughts seemed to be the simplest inditings of the good matter,' and both preacher and people appeared satisfied with this provision. Almost all the preachers whom I heard in England were extemporaneous preachers, and their style of preaching, in its execution, was generally very desultory and apparently with a want of due preparation......I certainly heard discourses addressed to large audiences, and apparently to their entire satisfaction, which were in no degree above the character of lecture-room exhortations, according to our habits, in which the Christian minister feels himself rather in conversation with his people than delivering a public address, and therefore the subject of no criticism for the style of his performance."

This is at variance with Dr. Tyng's statement when speaking of Mr. Stowell. With him he is delighted, and says, "Like all the evangelical clergymen of England, he did not shun to declare the whole counsel of God." This discrepancy is either the result of writing in conventional forms, the full meaning of which is lost sight of in the adoption of a certain phraseology as the necessary distinction of a certain class; or of a forgetfulness, on the part of the author, of the different impressions by which he was influenced. "The whole counsel of God" embraces the truth in its fullest extent, and implies "the higher, deeper,