458 



Monlhlif Review of Lilernlure, 



[pcf. 



writer of these devotional pieces, now ex- 

 tensively known, entitled Tiie Morning 

 and Evening Sacrifice, and Farewell to 

 •Time, has completed, in the publication 

 ■before us, the scheme lie originally, it seems, 

 contemplated. Tlie Last Supper is in- 

 tended by him to arrange next to The 

 ■Morning and Evening Sacrifice : and the 

 ^Farewell to Time to form the close of his 

 meditations. This order, though a favour- 

 ite with him, will probably not be so with 

 many of his admirers. Of his former pro- 

 ductions, the first is excellently calculated 

 to assist and guide the " giver of thanks ;" 

 and the latter to console and strengthen the 

 old and dying — to console for the loss of 

 fleeting but most influencing interests, and 

 strengthen for the entrance upon more en- 

 during scenes. The topics are prompted by 

 natural feelings and inevitable position. But 

 the subject of The Last Supper involves 

 other matters — it is connected with circum- 

 stances of a conventional cast ; and the ap- 

 pointment itself is one, the continuance of 

 •which, and even the use of it, may surely, 

 •without offence, still be subjects of inquiry, 

 as they iiave often been in the conflicts of 

 controversy, which are just the things most 

 calculated to obstruct devotion. What is 

 the aim and advantage ? To keep in re- 

 niftnbrance Christ's death. The ■writer 

 takes infinite pains to remove all mysteries 

 on the subject, and insists upon the strict 

 repetition of the ceremonial, for the one ob- 

 ject at the feast expressly named. With 

 this is coupled, but not connected by words 

 of authority, a further and a practical use — 

 to make it a reminder of baptismal vows, 

 and convert it into an occasion for practising 

 forgiveness. He presses, over and over 

 again, the matter of strict repetition and 

 close imitation, and goes through the steps 

 of the original institution — all of which, he 

 insists, must be carefully observed — even to 

 the sitting at table. For kneeling, the prac- 

 tice of the English church, only misleads. 

 The ceremony is a feast, and not a sacri- 

 fice ; and therefore sitting, and not kneel- 

 ing, is, in this view, the appropriate pos- 

 ture. This is the Scotch mode; and. the 

 ■writer is a zealous Presbyterian, though oc- 

 casionally taking a tone v hich rises above 

 all forms ; yet, strictly, even sitting was not 

 the original posture, but reclining. 



In tracing the details of the first institu- 

 tion, he couples with it, as apparently was 

 really the case, the Saviour's washing the 

 feet of the disciples. But, stickler as the 

 author is for closeness of imitation, why is 

 not the repetition of this act also insisted 

 upon ? The obligation is surely equally 

 imperative. After the distribution of the 

 elements, the words were — " Do this in re- 

 membrance of me." After the act of wash- 

 ing, they were — " I have given you an ex- 

 ample, that you should do as I have done." 



The characteristics of the work are thus 

 very accurately described in the preface — 

 In the first place, the view oftcred in it of 



the meaning of the sacramental service, ap- 

 pears to him to be much simpler and more 

 satisfactory, and consequently much more 

 likely to be useful in its effects upon the 

 understandings and hearts of Christians, 

 than any that has yet come under his no- 

 tice. In the second place, the work con- 

 sists altogeiiier of a more complete and 

 varied assortment of materials than is af- 

 forded by i'liy other work on the same sub- 

 ject with v.hich the auilior is acquainted — 

 comprising a Discourse explanatory of the 

 Christian Sacr.ijucnts ; a Sacramental Ca- 

 techism ; Dcvo'Lioiial Exercises preparatory 

 to communion ; a series of Sacramental 

 Addresses, illustrative of the mode in which 

 the Corinuniion Service is celebrated in the 

 Presby'ierii.n Churches ; and, lastly, a Dis- 

 course on the very important subject of the 

 Imiiar.'ou of Cliriil, and designed to be used 

 occasio'i.lly between seasons of sacramental 

 coiiiriMinion, by those who wish to recal and 

 to strc)v;iheu tlie vows which, in that most 

 holy .-ervice, ilioy had voluntarily taken, 

 and by which they bound themselves to 

 live, amidst all the seduciuginterests of time, 

 as disciples of Christ. 



The Neiv French Manual and Travel- 

 ler's Companion, the Third Edition, by 

 Gabriel Surenne, French Teacher at 

 Edinbiirgh. — To reach a third edition is of 

 itself proof enouyh of the merit of a book of 

 this kind, because it cannot he fashion that 

 seUs it, but its usefulness. No vanity is 

 gratified by the piu-chase or possession of 

 such a book ; on the contrary, it is bought 

 in spite of vanity — its utility prevails over 

 the shame of requiring such a thing. 



The distinguishing advantage of the vo- 

 lume — as pi'.t prominently forward by the 

 author — is its coupling the \x\.\\ity oi a, guide 

 for the traveUei', wiih a class-book for the 

 student. The descriptive dialogues relate 

 to subjects of inlerest or curiosity at Paris ; 

 and these are made subservient to the ac- 

 quisition of the language, in " grammatical 

 purity, and idiomatic propriety and ele- 

 gance, and correctness of pronunciation." 

 This applies to the first edition. The third, 

 now before us, extends the route traced in 

 the first. The author's aim has been — 

 taking Paris as the centre — to embrace the 

 greatest variety of objects within the narrow- 

 est compass. This new route (the old one 

 was confined to the direct road between the 

 English and French capitals) is continued 

 through Holland, through Germany, up 

 the Rhine, and through Switzerland — in all 

 which countries, the principal objects likely 

 to arrest the attention of the tourist, are 

 described. The promises are large, but 

 not — so far as we have glanced over the 

 book — greater than the performance. Maps 

 and plans accompany, and models of French 

 epistolary and complimentary correspond, 

 ence — to enable one to ask favoiu-s, return 

 thanks, &c. — thus : " Monsieur, votre ob- 

 ligeance envers les Strangers ^tant isi connue. 



