410 



Monthly Review of Literature, 



[OcT. 



burning sun. The resemblance between 

 the words Triton and Tirit-on is probably 

 a mere accidental coincidence. 



TheScaean Gate (144) is derived, cor- 

 rectly enough, from the word " left-hand" 

 what we should however call, with re- 

 ference to Greek superstition, the w<?.y<- 

 gate a better term than the Greek one, 

 because the sense is not affected by change 

 of position. 



The impurities of mythology are care- 

 fully swept away, even to a degree of 

 fastidiousness. The Amazons, for in- 

 stance, are every where represented as 

 amputating or compressing the right 

 breast, to enable them to draw the bow 

 with more facility. The very name may 

 seem to be derived from the custom at 

 least no better etymology perhaps can be 

 suggested Now this, in a very particular 

 description of the appearances of these 

 martial ladies, is studiously emitted. 



In many places, we observe, things are 

 brought together very usefully, and very 

 accurately. The succession of the kings 

 of Argos and of Athens. The emblems of 

 the muses. The variety of dances, to 

 which such frequent allusions occur in the 

 classics, &c. &c. 



The volume, though it will not get into 

 schools, male or female, perhaps, will yet 

 be acceptable in domestic education. It 

 will quickly, we hope, be found in every 

 governesses apartment, in every family in 

 the country where it will be really use- 

 ful, and for which it is best calculated. 

 It has our hearty commendation ; and we 

 hope before long, under another shape, to 

 see it making Lempriere fly before it. 



Elizabeth Evanshaw, 3 vols. I2mo. ; 

 1827. This is a continuation of a story 

 entitled "Truth," which appeared some 

 time ago, without exciting any attention 

 among novel readers, though even as a 

 novel it was not without considerable at- 

 tractions. The design of the author, as 

 he himself says, has been pretty generally 

 misapprehended ; that design was not to 

 defend deism, but deists a very intelli- 

 gible distinction ; his view was not to 

 inculcate a system of unorihodox theo- 

 logy, but to demonstrate the cruelty of 

 confounding opinion with principle sup- 

 posing opinion to mean what does not, and 

 principle what does influence the conduct 

 by exhibiting the hardships to which a 

 person, even in this land of boasted tole- 

 ration, may be exposed by entertaining 

 deistical notions, though coupled with 

 conduct the most exemplary, principles 

 the most equitable, and sentiments the 

 most honourable and humane hardships 

 not arising from the operation of the 

 laws, but the blind prejudices of peo- 

 pie, which, however, those laws have fos- 

 tered. 



Christianity depends iu our days solely 

 upon evidence, historical and documen- 

 tary, the effect of which is not, and in the 

 common experience of mankind, cannot be 

 on all minds precisely the same. Some 

 are incapable of weighing it, and must 

 take it upon trust ; others are prepos- 

 sessed and will not examine ; while others 

 examine and believe; and some few come 

 to conclusions different from their fellows. 

 But whether the impression be the result 

 of habit, faith, or examination, it is equally, 

 in effect and in influence, conviction; and 

 so long as a person acts upon such con- 

 viction he acts honestly, and never can 

 believe himself justly culpable. We have 

 no manner of doubt there are deists upon 

 calm and unbiassed examination who 

 have no desire whatever, we mean, to be 

 relieved from the restraints which reve- 

 lation is supposed peculiarly to lay upon 

 the indulgence of passion and what right 

 have we to question their sincerity, or at- 

 tribute to them desires which they dis- 

 avow ? Nay, it will be said, but what se- 

 curity have we for one who does not be- 

 lieve in revelation, and therefore in re- 

 sponsibility for he denies, or at least 

 does not know, that there is a day of judg- 

 ment? It might be replied the love of 

 credit, of respectability reverence for the 

 moral approbation of the world self- 

 approval sympathy honour. Oh, but 

 what security is this compared with what 

 we have from the fears of those who dread 

 the punishment of hell? To this also it 

 might somewhat triumphantly be replied 

 what security have we that those who 

 call themselves Christians, really believe, 

 and are influenced by the dread of these 

 punishments? Is it enough to profess 

 such belief? Shall we place an absolute 

 reliance on such profession, especially 

 when such profession seems to entitle 

 to confidence? This would surely be a 

 little too precipitate. Profession and prac- 

 tice must concur to secure our confi- 

 dence. If we see a person who professes 

 belief in Christianity, shaping his con- 

 duct in all the relations of life accord- 

 ingly regulating his passions, control- 

 ing his sentiments neither selfish nor 

 intolerant, but kind and unpresuming 

 unconvicted of wrong, and unsuspected 

 of wishing it then we have grounds for 

 security. But when we find with multi- 

 tudes the profession of religion coupled 

 with feelings, and impelled by views, 

 which that very religion condemns, and 

 shewing itself mainly in cavilling and 

 carping at others in taking unbelief as 

 evidence of profligacy, and asserting self- 

 superiority without giving an atom of 

 proof, all confidence in the supposed 

 security is lost; and we have no more 

 grounds for reliance than we have in one 

 who disclaims revelation. Nay, not so 



