554 REMARKS ON THE DUBLIN REVIEW. 



nature, we feel ourselves, as literary journalists, little disposed to, 

 canvass thetn at any length; but, as Protestants before a pi'otest- 

 ant although a liberal public, we must take leave to differ with the 

 conductors of the Review as to the expediency of making it a vehi- 

 cle for elaborate defences of Romanism. Protestants have their theo- 

 logical reviews. Let Romanists have the same. But let not the advo- 

 cates of injured Ireland prejudice their own cause by oifending 

 against that creed which Englishmen look on with reverence and 

 pride. On these grounds we would urge serious objections to the 

 review, or rather eulogy, of Abbe Gerbet on the Eucharist, — to their 

 interference as Catholics in a question most exclusively controversial, 

 the melancholy and disgraceful ' Oxford Controversy,' — and to their 

 discussion of modern monkery, founded on the silly story of ' Maria 

 Monk's Disclosures.' We would grant to the advocates of another 

 Christian creed every latitude that we may ; but will not easily per- 

 mit them to infringe on our own liberties, and to attempt the destruc- 

 tion of those bulwarks of our faith which have been built up by the 

 dearly bought labours of our justly celebrated reformers. 



Of the scientific and literary portion of the Dublin Review, No. 1, 

 it still behoves us to speak ; and it is pleasing to be able to give to a 

 large portion of it our unqualified praise. The article entitled the 

 ' Economy of the Earth' is worthy of a White or a Paley. We 

 have read it with a pleasure that we do not recollect to have enjoyed 

 for some years in the perusal of a work of that nature ; and, how- 

 ever unchristian the feeling, we must acknowledge some degree of 

 envy for the condition of mind enjoyed by the writer of the paper in 

 question. ' Jesse's Gleanings' is a lovely book, and the ' Journal of 

 a Naturalist' is not only admired but really appreciated by his fel- 

 lows in natural science ; but their value is undoubtedly enhanced by 

 the just, but truly elegant and talented, eulogy, bestowed by the sci- 

 entific reviewer. The article on ' Ecclesiastical Music' is in every 

 way worthy of the talent generally displayed in the Dublin Review. 

 It would be useless to dispute the grandeur, beauty, and science, 

 however much we might be disposed to question the utility and mo- 

 ral effects, of the sacred music used in the Romish church. It is an 

 unquestionable fact that at a very early period music was called to 

 the service of the altar, and we see no reason why, as the civilization 

 and refinement of other classes progresses, there should not be a 

 proportionate advance in those arts which administer to the refine- 

 ment of divine worship. In this particular, barring all the mere 

 show and parade of Aomanism, we are very far behind what the ad- 

 vance of musical science, and of musical art too, as practised by Pro- 

 testant professors, require of us as a nation professing to patronize 

 this undoubtedly important science. We do not indeed believe the 

 fabulous stories of Orpheus and those of yore whose charms caused 

 the marvellous tales of the poets; but we cannot discredit the testi- 

 mony of others, or refuse our own eye-witness to the fact, of the sub- 

 servience of really good music to the worship of God. The history 

 of sacred music in the paper before us is well stated, and we at the 

 same time take the opportunity of recommending Mr. Hogarth's ex- 

 cellent volume on ' Musical History' (the professed subject of re- 



