The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1874-02-18
The British Quarterly Review for
January.

Z ~
fishing Co., New York; opens with an
article Oh "The Ballad: its nature and
Literary Affinities." 1t begins by Civ
ing the original meaning of the, word,
"a dance-song," and showing that the
name was subsequently applied to po-
ems of very diverse character. After
the main features of the
genuine ballad, the fountain head OF
history and the drama, it gives many
Interesting illustrations of the light
which poems of this class throw, not
only on the manners and customs, but
also on the beliefs and feelings of peo
pie of old.
"Molern Scientific Inquiry and Reli-
sious Thought" shows that science and
religion can, and often do, go hand in
hand; deep searches in geology, the
cries of creation, evolution, ETC., in no
wise interfering with belief in God.
but rather Strengthening our faith in
the presence of an intelligent Creator.
1t is followed by an essay on "ln'
duc,ive Theology" which takes the
ground that man is so constituted that
SHE must theoriZe; he must trace eff
fects to their canse, and argue from the
cause to the effects it will infallibly
produces" and goes on to say: "There
are facts enough at our command, both
in the Universe and in the Bible, and
we shall not alter the facts by chang
ing the point from which we view
them; we shall not be untaitliul to the
truth by endeavoring so to conceive it
as to make it tell on our generation"
The main purpose of the article is to
show the application of the scientific
method of inquiry to a few of the fun
damental truths of religion.
WIind and Science of Energy" is a
dissertation on the connection between
physical aud psychical phenomena,
which really seems to bea considera-
ton of the question, What is Thought
After looking at the subject from all
sides, and quoting Tyndall, Huxley,
Buchner, and Herbert Spencer, the
writer is compelled to admit that no
positive conclusion has yet been ar
rived at.
In "Revision of the Text of the New
Testament" after briefly presenting
tie reasons for revision of the text,
the reviewer considers, in some detail,
the principles of the two schools OF
criticism represented by DR.. Tregelles
and DR.. Scrivener. We find here many
interesting details relating to the vari'
Gus readings of many ancient manu-
scripts, together with observations up
on the tests by which their genuine
ness may be tried.
The Autobiography of john Stuart
Mill" does not place before us very
pleasing picture. The poor child,
three years old, Studying Greek, is Ger
taiuly a pitiable object. He must have
possessed wonderful mental and phys
zeal strength, for the precocious brain
does not seem to have worn out the
body, as SO often happens iD snch ca
ses, and it certainly preserved its vigor
to the very last. The impression Civ
en- is that his life was incomplete-that
something was lacking which the read
er misses-and one can we'll believe
that the work is, as the reviewer says,
zone of the saddes books ever written
The present number Of the Review
also contains pleasant account of
Henry Thoreau, the aturalist;
Masson's ''Milton and His Times" Mr..
Bright's Return to the Ministry; Note
to the Article on Herbert Spencer, No.
VI, October, 1873; and the usual no.
tees of Contemporary Literature.
q We publish in our present
issue, at the request Of a Lady
friend, "the first essays Of two ju-
Nenilpsn and trnst nur y0un0 read