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texts which speak of "eternal life." For example, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." "Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.' "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." That is, eternal life is experienced wherever there is true faith in Christ, whether here or hereafter; the life of the gospel, which the believer now enjoys, is the same in kind as that which constitutes the blessedness of the future and eternal state.

To revert from his "Letter" to his "Essays," we find in the latter that Professor Maurice very decidedly rejects the doctrine of Vicarious atonement, the moral inconsistencies of which he exposes with clear insight and with much force.

17. Archimedes and Franklin. A Lecture, introductory to a Course on the Application of Science to Art, delivered before the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, Nov. 29, 1853. By Robert C. Winthrop. Second Edition. Boston: Press of T. R. Marvin, &c. 1854. 8vo. pp. 47.

A lecture that will be remembered, not only for its intrinsic excellence, but for the work also which it did: it awoke Boston to the long-neglected enterprize of erecting a monument to her renowned son, Franklin. Mr. Winthrop tells the story of Archimedes in a very interesting way, and takes occasion to set before us some of the wonders of mechanical science and art in ancient times. From the old Syracusan, who would have " moved the earth," he passes to the American, who did take the lightning from the skies and the sceptre from the hands of tyrants; and, having presented the claims of Franklin on the gratitude of Boston, concludes by expressing " an earnest hope that the day may soon come, when it shall cease to be in the power of any one to say that the great Patriot Mechanic and Philosopher of modern times is without a statue or a monument, either in the city of his burial-place or his birth-place."

18. The Lost Prince: Facts tending to Prove the Identity of Louis the Seventeenth of France, and the Rev. Eleazer Williams, Missionary among the Indians of North America. By John H. Hanson. New York: G. P. Putnam & Co. 1854. 12mo. pp. 479.

We have not read the whole of this volume, but have looked over enough of it to understand the general drift of the argument. It is our belief that many a man has been hung upon less positive evidence of his guilt, than this book presents of the identity of Louis XVII. and Rev. Eleazer Williams. But this statement, if true, only shows the danger of relying upon circumstantial evidence. Mr. Williams is not, probably, the son of Louis XVI. The historical information which this volume contains, would be of some

value, if the author had been less intent upon making out a case: his special pleading in several instances is perfectly provoking. W.H.R.

19. The Works of Joseph Addison, including the whole contents of Bp. Hurd's Edition, with Letters and other Pieces not found in any previous collection; and Macaulay's Essay on his Life and Works. Edited with Critical and Explanatory notes. By George Washington Greene. In five volumes. New York: G. P. Putnam & Co. 1853-4.

In the January number we noticed the first volume of this excellent edition of Addison's Complete Works. Since that time the second and third volumes have been issued, which complete his miscellaneous writings. Volumes four and five, comprising the "Spectator," are now in Press. This edition of Addison fairly takes the precedence of all others. The paper, print, arrangement, and size, are every way suitable for a library edition. The price of the five volumes, in cloth, will not vary much from seven dollars.

20. The Lamplighter. 12mo. pp. 528.

W. H. R.

Boston: John P. Jewett & Co. 1854.

This is an American romance, very finely written, abounding in genuine good feeling and healthy sentiment. The title is a little affected, and there is a general hurrying up of things at the end of the volume; but, in spite of these slight defects, the Lamplighter is an excellent story and will bear criticism. The author is said to be

a young lady by the name of Cummings, who resides in Dorchester. Her pen should not be idle.

We had proposed to give a general outline of the story, but since everybody is likely to read it (twenty thousand copies having been sold in twenty days,) there appears to be no need of this. Messrs. Jewett & Co. are fortunate publishers.

W. H. R.

21. Russia and the Eastern Question. By Richard Cobden, Esq., M. P. With an Introduction by an American Citizen. Boston: J. P. Jewett & Co. 1854. 12mo. pp. 156.

This is a reprint of a work issued in Great Britain in 1836. Though written several years ago, it is well adapted to the present aspect of the Eastern Question, as the author ably shows in a letter of his, which is inserted in the appendix. Mr. Cobden takes the ground of a friend of peace, and urges upon his countrymen by an imposing array of facts, figures, and arguments, the doctrine of nonintervention in the affairs of Russia and Turkey. The publishers have placed the book within the reach of all, by issuing it in paper covers for twenty-five cents. It fully deserves, what we believe it is receiving, an extensive circulation.

W. H. R.

ART. XV.

The Eastern War Question.

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It is not alone the excitement attending an approaching crisis in the affairs of European nations, that gives interest to the War Question, which we have selected as the subject of the present article. Even should events prove unfounded the conviction, expressed by statesmen competent to form a judgement on the subject, that the war into which Russian ambition has plunged the leading nations of Europe will be the most momentous known to the present generation, the question involved will nevertheless continue a subject, not only of paramount, but of permanent importance. A slight knowledge of the interests and purposes of the great powers now brought into hostile relations, is sufficient to show that no speedy adjustment of the difficulties between the opposing parties can be permanent. The preliminaries which have led to declarations of war against Russia, first on the part of Turkey, and next by England and France as allies of the Turk, indicate feelings which no skill of diplomacy, nor any pressure of threatened commercial interests, can possible harmonize. Whether the appeal to arms can result in giving permanency to any determined relations of the European nations whose interests are now in suspense, is a question which no finite mind can answer; but in case of sudden and protracted peace, enmities, which, though suppressed have not been eradicated, must for years, perhaps for generations, make the Eastern Question one of absorbing interest throughout the civilized world.

As helping to account for the permanent interest attaching to the question in hand, it is further to be considered -and we name the fact as an urgent reason for introducing the subject in a religious publication,—that the war in the East has a religious as well as a political character. With the people of the several hostile nations, the subject, to a greater or less extent, has a religious aspect; while the schemes of the great court, to whose ambi

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tion the evils of the coming contest are mainly attributable, are, as will presently appear, ostensibly based in a religious obligation. The religious and the political are indeed strangely and complexly interwoven-so much so, that it is quite impossible to present the one phase of the question without, at the same time, presenting the other phase also.

Let it also be added, that we of this country, are religiously and politically interested in the struggle now coming to a head in European affairs. The distance which separates us from the scene of conflict, is in effect by no means as great as a mere view of the geographical distance might lead us to suppose. In fact, the news of every movement of the contending powers is read by the people of every part of this country, nearly as soon as by the courts, and generally much sooner than by the commonality, of those powers themselves. The present methods of transporting intelligence, making no account of distance, have in effect brought the people of America into almost direct observation of the movements of European society. Of course, the progress of liberty or of despotism, in either world, cannot be without a potent influence in its relation to the weal or woe of the other.

With a view to as much unity as the diversified character of the subject will permit, we will endeavor to present the materials gathered for the present article, under the following divisions: First, the proximate causes of the existing war between Russia on the one hand, and the allied powers of Turkey, France and England on the other; second, the respective circumstances of the two powers directly interested, Russia and Turkey, with reference to their qualifications for hostile operations; and third, the probable future of the Mussulman dominion in Europe as an independent power. In proceeding to the work thus laid out, we pass over all discussion relative to the aggrandizing policy of Russia towards other nations, that of Turkey especially; simply taking for granted, what, had there been any chance for uncertainty before, is now made sufficiently evident, by the disclosures of the Secret Correspondence, recently published, that Russia wants Constantinople and the Black Sea, and has only waited for a quarrel with the Turkish Empire, as furnish

ing an occasion to put in execution a long cherished purpose.1

The statement has already been made, that the schemes of the Russian court in the matter leading to the present war, are ostensibly based on a religious obligation; the character of this obligation will appear as we state the proximate cause of existing hostilities.

As we hardly need say, a large proportion of the population of European Turkey, are Christians, for most part devotees of the Greek Church. The Greek Christians, in fact, comprise much the largest proportion of the inhabitants in the several provinces of Greece, Albania, Bosnia, Servia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro-the latter state in consequence of its physical structure being peculiarly related to the others enumerated. Now the emperor of Russia assumes to be the rightful head of the Greek Church; and it is by virtue of this alleged headship, that he claims the right to a protectorate over the Greek Christians of the Turkish, empire-a Protectorate whereby it becomes his religious and political duty, to guarantee to these Christians certain rights and privileges. The significance of this claim becomes evident when it is considered that were it conceded, it would recognize in the Russian emperor the right to a direct interference in the religious-and, as will presently appear, an indirect interference in the political

1 To save the necessity of frequent reference, we may here state the principal sources from which the materials of this article are gathered. Oliphant's "Russian Shores of the Black Sea," a very valuable work reprinted by Redfield, has given us important information relative to the internal condition of the Russian Empire. Smyth's "Year with the Turks," as indicating a shade of partiality for the people he describes, is good authority for facts adverse to a hopeful view of the future of the Ottoman power. The very able, yet lawyer-like work of Cobden, "Russia and the Eastern Question," reprinted by Jewett and Company, presents the subject as viewed from the stand-point of the Peace party. The condensed statistical as well as speculative work of Gurowski, "Russia as it is," from the Appleton press, we have found very serviceable. Of the several Review articles to which we are indebted, we may here name the one in the Edinburgh Review for January, 1854, entitled "The Ottoman Empire." Though evincing perhaps too much contempt for the Turks, it gives a very thorough description of their internal affairs, as a nation. For completness of view, and for freedom from partiality, the article "Turkey and Russia," in the London Quarterly Review, for January, 1854, is by far the best that we have seen on the subject.

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