84 Monthly Review of Literature. 



Dr. Chalmers in his work on the Evidences at once "takes the bull by the 

 horns/' selects the strongest antagonist in the enemy's ranks, grapples with 

 him unhesitatingly, and shows a skill with his weapon at least equal to that 

 of his wily opponent. The first points discussed are thosf most controverted 

 by Mr. Hume, and which, if not cleared up, oppose a fatal obstacle to the 

 admission of every succeeding truth, namely, the cognizance which the mind 

 takes of its own operations, our belief in the constancy of nature and the 

 value of human testimony in proof of miracles. These occupy a hundred and 

 fifty pages. Then follows an investigation of the miraculous and historical 

 evidence in favour of Christianity, in which the principles of historical testi- 

 mony are laid down with remarkable clearness ; and we cannot help alluding 

 very favourably to one chapter, in which the secure and impregnable character 

 of the historical argument is most satisfactorily demonstrated. The third 

 book unfolds, 1. The internal evidences derivable from the consistency of 

 Scripture with itself, 2. The moral evidence founded on the purity of Chris- 

 tian ethics, 3. The experimental evidence as based on the communion between 

 God and the soul of the believer. The two latter topics are left almost un- 

 touched by Paley : the last has been ably handled by Dr. Bird Sumner, the 

 Bishop of Chester. The fourth division of Dr. Chalmers' book treats on the 

 establishment of the Scripture Canon ; and the work concludes with an in- 

 vestigation of that very important and difficult subject, Inspiration, on which 

 the author appears to hold firm and decided opinions in favour of the Bible as 

 an inspired book, " for all the purposes of a revelation, perfect in its language 

 as well as perfect in its doctrine," and yet without maintaining those dog- 

 matical and intolerant notions common to the school of plenary and verbal 

 inspiration. 



Thus briefly have we spoken of Dr. Chalmers' book, not without an attentive 

 perusal and we may say with some previous knowledge of the subject an attain- 

 ment not usually deemed necessary by reviewers. Dr. Chalmers deserves respect, 

 as much for his Christian usefulness as his great powers of intellect ; and we 

 sincerely congratulate the Christian public on this valuable addition to the 

 evidential department of sacred literature. 



MEDICAL SCIENCE. 



A Series of Twenty Plates, illustrating- the Causes'of Displacement 

 in the Various Fractures of the Bones of the Extremities. By 

 G. W. HIND. Second Edition. Taylor and Walton. 



IT becomes almost an act of supererogation in the reviewer to direct the 

 attention of his readers to the beauty and utility of a work for which a 

 second edition has been so soon called. The fact sufficiently proves the es- 

 timation in which it is held, and the rapidly increasing favour which it is 

 acquiring with the public. And truly no recent work on Surgery is more 

 deserving. To the student the work is invaluable ; nor will he do justice to 

 his studies in London without making it a prominent feature in his working 

 library. 



The plans are admirably designed and beautifully executed. They speak their 

 meaning plainly and distinctly and convey in themselves all the information 

 that the student can desire. Every conscientious practitioner particularly in 

 the country should provide himself with this useful volume, if he regards his 

 reputation as a surgeon or the sufferings of his patient. Such a guide pos- 

 sesses great advantages over the dry uninteresting description, loaded with 

 useless detail : the surgeon sees the accident, which he is suddenly called 

 to remedy, placed artificially before his eyes, divested of the complication of 

 outward form and confused textures ; he sees the fractured ends of the 

 bones torn from their position, and the new position which they assume ; he 

 traces the cause of their new direction and is enabled at once efficiently to ap- 



