tury. Of the general character of his works, the Reader may take the first impression from the authority of the learned Mosheim: If the growth and perfection of a science,' says that judicious Historian, were to be estimated by the multitude of writers it produces, that of morals must have flourished' greatly at this time; for the number of those was very considerable who applied themselves to that excellent study. But MACARIUS, an Egyptian Monk, undoubtedly deserves the first rank among the practical writers of this time, as his works displayed, some few things ex. cepted, the brightest and most lovely portraiture of sanctity and virtue.'

Our Readers will be gratified by some account of the life of this pious Father.

"St. Macarius, surnamed the Egyptian, to distinguish him from his eminent contemporary and colleague, Macarjus the Alexandrian; and afterwards called the Great, to distinguish him among those in the Church who also bore the name of Macarius (and of whom Fabricius enumerates upwards of fifty), was born in the province of Thebais, in the Upper Egypt, in the year of Christ 301, during the reign of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Of his family and infancy we have no certain accounts. The early and determined bias of his mind to a pure philosophy, and to the sublime precepts and prospects of the Gospel, prompted him, when young, to repair to the deserts of the Lower Egypt, and there to place himself under the spiritual instruction of the great St. Anthony; the friend of St. Athanasius, and founder of the religious retirements of Egypt; whose pious history has been so much corrupted and debased. It was to this school that Macarius repaired; and so great was the proficiency of the disciple, that he was soon distinguished therein by the characteristic appellation of aidagogy, or the aged youth. His entrance into manhood found the Church at the beginning of the troubles and distractions caused by the promulgation and wide diffusion of the errors of Arius; which gave occasion for convoking the first General Council of the Church, at Nice in Bithynia, in A. D. 325, in the nineteenth year of the reign of Canstantine, and when Macarius was in his twenty-fourth year. At the age of forty, he was ordained presbyter, or priest; and established himself in the solitudes of Scetis or Nitria, beyond the Western branch of the Nile, surrounded by a confraternity, who sought, under his conduct, the same freedom from the

tyranny of Arianism (which was then become predominant in the Empire), and the same peaceful and celestial prospects, with himself. - Here their time was passed in offices of devotion and charity, in Apostolical progresses and instructions, and in labours and works of different kinds; and with a constancy and sanctity so exemplary and notorious, that some imagined the prediction of the Prophet-the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose'-to have been literally fulfilled in the solitudes of Egypt. And Sulpitius Severus, the Latin historian of the Church, who was but little junior to Macarius, was led by his own experience to exclaim, 'While I have life and sense I will extol the Monks of Egypt, honour their Anchorets, and admire their Hermits:' an eulogy entitled to the greater attention, since the same Historian has not been backward to expose the abuses of other Monastic societies. - Yet Mr. Gibbon has taken upon himself to affirm, without producing or seeking any evidence, that the school of Antony was inspired by a savage enthusiasm, which represented man as a criminal, and God as a Tyrant, Whether the truth in this matter lies with Sozomen, or with Mr. Gibbon, is a point which will be best determined by the following Treatise; since it is the work of one, who was a distinguished and an early disciple in that School, and afterwards an illustrious teacher and example in the same. For, as the school of Socrates is best known by the writings of its most distinguished disciples, so will that of Antony be best known by this surviving document of his own school; and as no one who is much solicitous for truth will take his idea of Socrates from the farce of Aristophanes, when he can obtain the testimony of Plato and Xenophon, so neither will he take his notion of Antony from the fictions of Monastic fabulists, when he can command this evidence of Ma carius. Upon the death of Athanasius, in A. D. 373, the authority which his venerable name had always in some degree maintained, even over his adversaries, was at once extinguished; and the mandate of the Emperor Valens having confirmed Lucius, the Arian, in the Episcopal chair of Alexandria, the fury of persecution immediately burst forth upon the orthodox Christians of Egypt. Lucius, gaining to his views the Governor of Egypt, and perverting the tenor of an Imperial edict, carried a military force into the solitudes and after indulging his vindictive bigotry against the unresisting recluses, by every mode of violence and cruelty, he ba

nished Macarius and his brethren to a remote and desolate island of Egypt (probably Tabenne in Thebais), where he left them to endure all the sufferings which his malignity had designed for them. Their constancy, however, baffled every effort of the Episcopal tyrant to gain them to his creed; and Lucius, beginning to fear lest his brutal conduct towards those venerated persons should excite disturbances in Alexandria, which

he might not be able to resist or to quell, suffered them to return from their exile, and to resume their former stations, from which he had expelled them. Macarius reinstated himself in Nitria, where he was visited by St. Jerom in A. D. 386, and where, at length, he closed his evangelical course in serenity and peace, in A. D. 391, and in the 91st year of his age."

Thus much for the good old Father. The Translator now speaks:

"In presenting a work of such a character to the Christian Reader, the object of which is to teach Christian Perfection, I cannot but feel it very necessary, that I should accompany it with some apology, for the boldness, not to say presumption, of my undertaking.

And since I can devise none more suitable to the occasion than that with which Tertullian has introduced his Discourse "de Patientia," a virtue in which that eminent Father was sensible he did not excel; I shall without scruple adopt it: 'Confiteor ad Dominum meum, satis temere me, si non etiam impudenter, de Perfectione Christiana componere ausum, cui præstandæ idoneus omnino non sim; quando oporteat demonstrationem et commendationem alicujus rei adortos, ipsos prius in administratione ejus rei deprehendi, et constantiam commonendi propriæ conversationis auctoritate dirigere, ne dicta factis deficientibus erubescant. Itaque velut solatium erit disputare super eo quod frui non datur, vice languentium, qui cum vacent a sanitate, de bonis ejus tacere non norunt.' I am especially desirous to disclaim all idea of offering this Tract in any capacity of a teacher of its sublime matter; and to declare, that I do so merely as a very humble instrument for conveying to the English reader a production, which has been too long withheld from him. The original work fell into my hands by one of those happy coincidences to which we unthankfully give the name of chance; and the perception of its excellence presently awakened an imperious sense of duty, to impart what I had found to be so valuable: especially, as I could discern no prospect of the

same office being undertaken by a more worthy hand.-To give a general view of the age of Macarius, and of the Ecclesiastical personages and events by which it was distinguished, a Chronological Table is annexed; to which I have subjoined a General View of the Correspondence subsisting between these Institutes and the Homilies."

To say merely that the Translation is elegant, would scarcely be doing justice to Mr. Pean-unless we add that it is also a faithful transcript of the mind of an early Father of the Church.

27. A Selection from Bishop Horne's Commentary on The Psalms. By Lindley Murray, Author of an English Grammar, &c. &c. 12mo. pp. 347. Longman and Co.

66

THERE are few of our Readers who have not, with the present Selector," perused with pleasure," and we hope with profit," Bp. Horne's very excellent Commentary on the Psalms. To those who do not possess that valuable Work, or who do not choose to purchase two large octavo volumes, this "Selection" will be a very acceptable present.

"Dr. Horne's Commentary will be recommended to many Readers, by the very interesting account which he has given of the pleasure and profit he derived from it, during the many years that he was employed in the work. And the Editor does not know how he could better conclude his Preface, than by reeiting, in the Author's words, the paragraph which contains this pleasing account. And now (says Dr. Horne), could the Author flatter himself, that any one would take half the pleasure in reading the following Exposition, which he has taken in writing it, he would not fear the loss of his labour. The employment detached him from the bustle and hurry of life, the din of politicks, and the noise of Folly: Vanity and Vexation flew away for a season, Care and Disquietude came not near his dwelling. He arose, fresh as the morning, to his task; the silence of the night invited him to pursue it; and he can truly say, that food and rest were not preferred before it. Every Psalm improved infinitely upon his acquaintance with it, and no one gave him uneasiness but the last; for then he grieved that his work was doue. Happier hours than those which have been spent in these meditations on the Songs of Sion, he never expects to see in this world. Very plea

santly

santly did they pass, and moved smoothly and swiftly along; for, when thus engaged, he counted no time. They are gone but they have left a relish and a fragrance upon the mind, and the remembrance of them is sweet.""

We recommend both the "Selection," and the original"Commentary.”

28. Facts and Observations on Liver Complaints and Bilious Disorders in general; and on those Derangements of that important Organ, and of its immediate or intimate Connexions, which most sensibly influence the Biliary Secretion; with Practical Deductions, drawn from a close and constant Attention to this Subject in various Climates; connected by an appropriate and successful Mode of Treatment. The whole illustrated and confirmed by an extensive Selection of Cases, demonstrating the many serious and fatal Consequences which too often arise from a mistaken View of the primary Seat of Disease. The Second Edition, considerably enlarged, and additional Cases. By John Faithhorn, formerly Surgeon in the Hon. East India Company's Service. 8vo. pp. 160. Longman and Co,

-THE Author of this interesting Volume has, in the present Edition, we observe, besides additional Cases, illustrative of the principles advanced, added a Chapter on Gall-stones and Biliary Concretions, as a cause of Jaundice, with other important remarks and practical observations. It appears to us, on the whole, devoid of technicality, so that the subjects may be comprehended by the general Reader; which certainly much enhances the value of the Work.

A MOST curious and well-contrived book, printed last year in Paris, and which has run through several editions, extremely useful to Criticks, Editors, Orators, and all who may have a wish to discover the principles of the eminent men who have figured during the French Revolution up to this time. The Reader will be much entertained, if, among others, he look at the names of Berthier, David, Constant Benjamin, Che nier, Chateaubriant, Carnot, Camba ceres, Boissy d'Anglas, Barbé de Mar

bois, Augereau, Denon, Francis De Neufchatel, Giraud, Joui, Martin ville, &c. &c. &c.

30. The Ready Writer, whereby more may be written in Forty Minutes, than in One Hour by any other System of Short-Hand hitherto published. By the New Method laid down in this Book (which is more easy and legible than any other), and without the Assistance of a Teacher, any Person who can but tolerably write his Name in common Writing, may, with the greatest Ease and Certainty, take down from the Speaker's Mouth, any Sermon, Speech, Trial, Play, &c. Word by Word, and may likewise read it distinctly at any Distance of Time after it is written. Invented and Perfected by James Henry Lewis, of Ebley, near Stroud, Gloucestershire. small 8vo. pp. 106.

THE Title so fully describes the nature of this Work, that it is unnecessary to enter on its particular merits. In thanking the Prince Regent, to whom it is by permission dedicated, Mr. Lewis, with grateful propriety, says,

"It is impossible not to reflect on the happiness of a people, whose Chief Magistrate lends a willing ear to the petitions of his humblest subjects, and extends his patronage to every branch of Science and of Letters that may conduce to the improvement of the National character, and to the purposes of general utility."

A Second Address is thus worded:

"To the Masters of Academies, Schools, and other Seminaries of Learning; to the Students in Law, Physick, and Divinity, at Universities; to Writing-Masters, Clerks, and Penmen of every description;

Short-Hand, which has not only received "This new and improved system of

the unbounded applause of the most celebrated Masters of the Art, but bas also been recommended by them as the most perfect system ever presented to the publick (being founded on Nature, Grammar, and true Philosophy, and upon principles applicable to the European languages), is, with the utmost gratitude and respect, humbly submitted to them for their patronage, by their most obliged and obedient servant,

JAMES LEWIS."

A Preface of some length laments that the Art was not known to the Ancients; and descants very ably on