that modesty is an attribute of genius; that deference to the opinions of the great and good of past ages is not inconsistent with the progress of knowledge or with independent investigation. Most men of genius, the great thinkers, the profound inquirers, have written under the conviction that the human mind in its best estate is not infallible, and that an overweening confidence is one of the surest marks of error, or of superficial thought.

As an illustration, we may select the assertions of some of the modern critics in relation to the authorship of the Pentateuch. Lengerke has the courage to say: "The question whether Moses wrote the Pentateuch should no more be raised by those who have in themselves any consciousness at all of the development of the history." De Wette subjoins: "The controversy can now be only in respect to the time of the post-Mosaic authorship." Now we suppose that these critics would consider of no account the nearly unanimous opinion in favor of the Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch which is held by the scholars of Great Britain and the United States. These scholars would be set down, possibly, as still laboring under the prejudices of education or of traditional belief. But can the numerous body of learned scholars in Germany, Ranke, Hengstenberg, Drechsler, e. g., be classed in the same category? Is it given to the "liberal" critics of Germany to decide a momentous question for all Christendom besides? Are such summary and sweeping judgments indicative of that honesty and candor of mind which can alone lead to satisfactory results? Are they likely to be acquiesced in, especially when the critics themselves are by no means agreed as to the manner in which the Pentateuch should be dislocated, and its various parts reärranged, and in face, too, of the many corroborating proofs furnished by the Egyptian discoveries in favor of the antiquity and general truth of the Mosaic narratives? In short, assumption and an arrogant tone betray the weakness of the object for which they are enlisted, rather than furnish occasion for doubt and dismay to those who are not inclined to follow in the path which some of the modern critics have marked

out.

'De Wette Einl. ins. A. T. p. 226, 6th ed.

1849.] Continuation of the Conversations Lexicon.

197

ARTICLE X.

NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, AND MISCELLANIES.

Die Gegenwart. Eine Encyclopädische Darstellung der neuesten Zeitgeschichte für alle Stände. [The Present. An Encyclopedical View of the latest History of the Times for all Classes.]

UNDER this title the publisher of the Conversations-Lexicon, proposes to continue that work, from the point where it was left in the ninth edition, of which an account was given in the last number of the Bib. Sacra, pp. 778-790. It is a kind of supplement to that edition; but it has distinctive characteristics of its own, which give it special value. It is to be published in numbers, each of sixty-four closely printed pages, at the rate of two or three a month. The numbers may be obtained in this country for 12 1-2 cents each—twelve of them will form a volume, to the close of which will be appended a register. This will give a volume of nearly 800 pages about every six months, containing a thoroughly digested account of the events and subjects of the greatest interest in the present state of European affairs.

In this publication, greatly to its advantage, the alphabetical order is dropped, so that subjects can be treated of as they occur, while the interest in them is still fresh. It thus becomes a sort of review for the times. According to the prospectus, the plan proposed is to give an account of the most important movements in religion and theology, in philosophy and art; to discuss all questions that relate to politics, especially the social problems of the day; to give the results of historical research, as well as events in recent history; to communicate discoveries in all branches of the natural sciences, and detail the progress of the arts; and also to give biographical sketches of the leading characters of the age. To carry out this plan, the editor has engaged a body of able and competent contributors; and the numbers as far as issued, of which we have seen seven, show that the work will be both popular and thorough. It enters much more into detail than a regular Lexicon could do; but this is an advantage to him who wishes to keep up with the times. It treats, for example, very minutely of the revolution in Paris; it gives a full narrative of the contest between the Russians and Circassians; it supplies a history of the various socialistic and communistic schemes.

The thread of historical narration is generally taken up with the year 1840; though, wherever necessary, it runs further back. Perhaps the best view of the work will be obtained by giving the titles of its Articles: The French Revolution of Feb. 1848; the German People, as distributed over the Earth; the Social Movements of the Times; the Newest Discoveries in our Planetary System; the Eastern Provinces of Prussia, in relation to other Nations; the right Constitution of Armies in a National Spirit; the Geographical and Political Position of Italy in Relation to other Nations; Bavaria and its King, Louis I.; the Christian State; the StreetFight of Paris, in June, 1848; State-Service and State-Officers; Schamil and the Holy War in the Eastern Caucasus (the Circassian war); Socialism and Communism, in France; the Higher Burgher School; David Frederic Strauss; the Political Relation of the Jews in Germany; the Cavaignac Family; the Occurrences at Mayence, in May, 1848; the German Navy. It promises, in the subsequent Numbers, articles on the Cholera; Archduke John, the Vicar of the Empire; the Russian Baltic Provinces; the Gagern Family; the Death-Penalty; Labor; Chemistry and Medicine; the Preliminary Parliament, in Frankfort; Würtemberg; Louis Blanc; Pestalozzi; the Caucasus; Afghanistan; Prussia, under William the Fourth.

The historical value of such a work will be apparent from this list of its subjects. Its articles on society and political matters are candid and thorough, and on the liberal side. If we may judge of its theological position by its account of Strauss and his works, we should deprecate its influence in this respect. It is not impartial nor neutral, but shows decided leaning to his subversive criticisms and speculations. And, in point of fact, much of the liberal spirit of Germany in politics is connected with anti-Christian elements. Political freedom is not there born of a zeal for religious liberty, as it was in England and America.

The Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of the French Institute is engaged in the publication of a series of small treatises upon social and political movements and theories of the day. In the preface to the first of these tracts, an account is given of the origin of this enterprize. The "chief of the executive power," general Cavaignac, summoned the president of the Academy, M. Charles Dupin, to invite that body "to concur in the defence of those social principles which were attacked by all sorts of publications. Being persuaded that material order could not be reestablished by means of force, if moral order were not also reëstablished by means of true ideas, he thought that the only way of pacifying men's minds was by enlightening them." The Academy accordingly appointed

1849.]

New Moral and Political Treatises in France.

199

a commission to carry the plan into effect, composed of MM. Cousin, de Beaumont (afterwards replaced by de Tocqueville), Troplong, Blanqui, and Thiers. M. Blanqui was sent to the manufacturing cities of Marseilles, Lyons, Rouen, and Lille, to investigate the moral and physical condition of the working population. A series of publications was also commenced, to be issued by Didot, in numbers of from 60 to 100 pages, and sold at 40 centimes each. The first of these is by Cousin, upon Justice and Charity-showing that these are the two pillars of all social order, that neither is right without the other. He traces most of the false systems of morals and politics to the exclusive reliance upon one of these elements. He applies these principles, with skill and clearness, to many of the questions of the times. The second treatise is on Property, according to the Civil Code, by M. Troplong. The tendency of a true democracy is asserted to be, the confirmation of the right to property. Despotic and aristocratic societies alter the rightful conditions of property; but the merit of democracy is that it respects and guards all the natural rights of men, and all that man obtains in the use of these rights. "Liberty is necessary to acquire property; equality makes it sacred." The foundation of the right of property, the different theories respecting it, are ably discussed. It is interesting to notice the tribute paid to the merits of Locke and Reid, in the course of this treatise. The third number is on the Causes of the Inequality of Riches, by M. Hippolyte Passy, who has recently been made Minister of Finance by the new President of the Republic. These are all the treatises we have seen. It is also proposed to treat of the family and its organization; of the condition of the different classes of society; and of the main points in social economy. All these tracts are written in an enlightened and philosophical spirit, yet in an eminently practical manner. They seem well adapted to carry into effect the aphorism with which the Introduction ends: "The first right of a people is the right to the truth."

Under the same auspices we also have some 25 pages of "Popular Philosophy, by Victor Cousin," as a preface to the republication of the first part of Rousseau's Confession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicar. Cousin sets this Confession over against the Social Contract. In this Popular Philosophy, he lays down his own confession, in clearer terms than he has ever before done, of his faith in the freedom, the spirituality, and the immortality of man, in the supremacy of the moral law, in the being and moral attributes of God, in the necessity of obedience to conscience, and of a religious life. The contrast between such a series of publications, and those which were published in the era of the first Republic, is signal and auspicious.

Commentar über den ersten Brief Pauli au die Korinthier, von J. G. Osiander. Dekan in Göppingen. pp. 830. Stuttgard, 1847.

The most recent Commentaries on the First Epistle to the Corinthians are those of De Wette and Meyer, in their Manuals, Heydenreich, Flatt, Olshausen, Billroth, and Rückert. Special topics have been discussed by Baur, Schenkel, Dähne, Goldhorn, Becker, and others. Osiander has been well known, for some years, as an acute and learned theologian, partly by his Apology for the Life of Jesus, in opposition to Strauss. The Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians is said to be the fruit of many years' study. "We here meet," says Kling, "with a beautiful and rare combination of the theological and philological element, a copiousness of learning, a solid and fine grammatical culture on the principles of Buttmann, Kühner, Lobeck, Hermann, Winer, etc., a true use of the materials which the ancient, the modern, and the most recent interpreters have furnished," etc. His position is that of a decided believer in inspiration.

Wilhelm Gesenius' Hebräische Grammatik. Neu bearbeitet und herausgegeben von E. Rödiger. Funfzehnte Auflage, Leipzig, 1848. pp. 316.

We give the editor's Preface to this Fifteenth edition: "In the midst of the pressure of great political events, in which, unquestionably, the day of freedom for our German father-land dawns, I do not find an inclination to multiply words, in order to introduce a scientific work, completed under the roof of a dull, peaceful repose, to a Public absorbed with higher struggles and cares. I content myself with saying that, in this new revision of a book, whose usefulness has been sufficiently proved by the rapid exhaustion of an extraordinarily large edition in the form which I gave it, I have been at the pains to make it more worthy of the favorable reception which it has found. Throughout the book, individual improvements and additions will be found; so that, with all the saving of type, the number of pages in this edition has been somewhat enlarged. More important alterations have been made, e. g. in §§ 21, 40, 41, 44, 49, 52, 68, 86, 117, 145." The 14th edition contained 303 pages. In the paper and printing the last edition shows decided improvement.

Biblical Hebraica, nunc denuo recognita et emendata ab Isaaco Leeser, V. D. M. synagogae Mickve Israel, Phila. et Josepho Jaquett V. D. M. Presbyter Prot. Epis. Eccl. U. S. Novi Eboraci. Sumptibus Joannis Wiley, 1849, 8vo. pp. 1416.

This Bible is designed to be an exact reprint of Hahn's edition. Much