Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-25


nology of the beginning and history of the hui
man race, against the results of archaeological
and scientific investigation. He assumes err
roneously, that tine various and varying schemes
of the current chronology arc biblical" just
as the Christian ministers of Galieo's time, as.
sumed that their current scheme of astronomy
was biblical" TITS assumption regulates his
inquiries limits his possibilities of belief in the
past, and vtiates his conclusions. It seems to
us very great mistake for a Christian minis
ter to identify honest and intelligent faith in
the Bible with any schemes of chronology, for
these are human devices merely, and can not
escape the influence of honest enquiry. 1t is en-
outrage TO identify them with the Bible and
treat rejection of them as "infdelity,"
whether so intended or not 1t must be said of
Mr.. Burgess, however, that, while he seems to
do this, he discusses the subject with admirable
good temper, and does not allow himself to use
that blind violence of denunciation which is
| sometimes employed when reason fails.
1t is noticeable that he has not always studied
his subject in the best and most important books
relating to it. For instance, in what he says of
Egyptian Chronology, he merely mentions Lep-
sius, whose great work on this chronology is of
the first importance. Noother work on the SUBJ
ject has equal value Moreover, in theology
Professor Lepsius is quite as orthodox" as Mr..
Burgess, and therefore appreciates and discusses
thoroughly all the queries and difficulties sug-
| gcsted by tradition" for which Mr.. B. has
much reverence and no criticism. His work
should have been fully considcred but there is
nd;
Throughout his argument from history" he
fails to notice some Of the most important facts
used against the chronology he would sustain;
and his method is fairly illustrated in what he
repeats from Mr.. Legge and others concerning
The Chinese cycle of 60 years. Here and there,
he allows the influence of tradition to supercede
reason to an extent that fills one with amaze
ment. For instance, he is sure tina: Dionysus,
Osiris, and the Greek Bacchus were Noah; and
he interprets various other personages of remote
antiquity TO mean Noah But this book de-
serves something more than adverse criticism.
1t has much that is valuable; and even the por-
lions which we regard as open to sharp criti-
cism, may incite inquiry, and lead readers to
examine other works on the topics discussed.
For sale at Sanlord's.
THOUGHTS ABOUT ART. By Philip Gilbert
Hamerton. A new edition, revised by the
author. Boston: Roberts Brothers This is an
English hook first published in 1862, when it
was issued as a companion volume to the same
authors painters Camp in the Highlands" 1t
has been revised, some new chapters have been
added, and now, being greatly improved, it is
published by itself. Mr.. Hamerton is master of
his subject, as we can see, not only in this vol
ume, but, also, in other successful works from
his pen. He writes well, and his method of
treating the various topics to which he gives at
tention, will make the book interesting to gem
eral readers. What he says of the relation of
the painter to society is more pertinent in En-
gland than here. The chapters on picture buy
ing and art criticism we find very good; but
there is not much in the book that will fail to
get the attention of people interested in art.
They will find it readable and attractive. For
sale at Bigelow's.
Smiths SALOON; or the Grays and the
Grants. By Mrs. L. L. Worth. Published by |
Israel P. Warren, Boston This is a well told |
temperance story Mrs. Worth thinks very
Justly, that it is well to point out those places
'long the path Of life, where others have slipped
md fallen, and warn our fellow travellers of
LANCER. In one Of the neighborhoods described
n the story, one of these dangerous slipping
,laces was "Smith's Saloon" which "Young
america thought a capital place to spend the
ong winter evenings" and which proved to be
terrible agency of ruin. For sale at Sanford's.
My DISCONTINUED COUSIN. Published by
Roberts Brothers, Boston. This book, by an
anonymous author, relates the incidents of
summer visit paid by young English lawyer to
his cousin, a rich, young and handsome, but in |
lolent and slightly misanthropic squire. The |
story does not amount to much, but the CONVEX
ations on all sorts of subjects, which constantly |
interrupt the narrative, though neither very |
profound nor very brilliant, are pleasantly writ
en- and attractive. The book, on the whole, is
he very lightest of light reading, and is only
edeemed from dizziness by the tone of good
cynical banter which pervades it,
The same tone is the chief, though rather ques-
ionab'e, merit of most of the writing in the
english monthly magazines, of which style this
Tolume is fair specimen. 1t is issued in a neat |
md attractive form, as one of the "Handy Vol
lme Series" of these publishers. For sale here |
1y L. H. Bigelow.
MUSINGS OVER THE CHRISTIAN YEAR, and |
Lyra Innocentium, with Few Gleanings of |
of the Rev. John Keble, by Miss
Yonge. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Miss
Yonge's intimate friendship with the author of |
the Christian Year, her reverence for his char
acter aud thorough sympathy with his religious
feelings, tastes and habits of thought, give her |
uncommon qualifications to write a memorial of |
him, and she has done the work with excellent
judgment and taste 1t will be especially at
tractive to members of the Episcopal church,
whose admiration for the sincere and Jealous
of the recollections, together with his elegant
scholarship and refined poetic taste, is not weak
ened by kind of Impotence with his extreme
and his reverential regard for the
forms ana 1bservances of his church. The book
is for sale 6y l.. H. Bigelow.
THE DAISY CHAIN, by Charlotte Mary Yonge,
New York: D. Appleton & Co. This story, in
two volumes, continues the series of Miss
Yonge's work now in course of publication by |
the Appletons. Like those which have preceded
it, this is story of English country life, pure
" 'i''iSH' anu ulctlon, ana lull OF interest IN |
It's development of character and incident. 1t
is for sale by L. H. Bgelow.
lHE SUNDAY AT HOME, a family magazine of |
religious reading, is published by the London
Religious Tract society. Each number contains |
sixty-four pages, super royal octave. with sune.
rior engrayings. Among the articles PROMISED
for 1871 are Sam Bakers New Loan, by the an.
thor of Quality Fogg's Old Ledger Daily
Thoughts of Christ by Lord Kinloch, The Life
of David as reflected in the Psalms, by Rev.
Alexander Maclaren, Marianne Rosenbaum,
Tale of Jewish Life, by the Rev. DR.. Edresheim,
Devotional Papers, by Rev. Newman Hall, Por-
traits and Biographies, sacred music and origi
nal poetry, Stories for the Young, Scriptural
Enigmas, &c. BY special arrangement with
the London tract society the American Sunday
school union will furnish copies of this maya
zine at $500 per annum. Single copies thirty
cents each. We have received the first four
numbers of the year and they fully bear out in
all respects the promise of the publishers. The