read for profit.'-Memoirs of Walter Venning, by RICHARD KNILL. Mr. Venning was a Christian philanthropist; like Howard he died of disease contracted from visiting a prison, and in the same country. A simple monument, at the suggestion of Prince Galatzin, is erected over his remains, presenting on the principal side a bas-relief, in which Mr. Venning is represented entering a prison with a Bible in his hand; under in Russ and English, are the following passages from scripture: "I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me."-" And I heard a voice from Heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead," &c. On the reverse side in Russ only, is the following inscription:

The Society of St. Petersburg for the Improvement of Prisons, have raised this monument to the memory of their beloved co-labourer, Walter Venning, co-patriot of Howard, and founder of the prison institutions of this country. He was born in November, 1781, and died in the Lord Jesus Christ, on the 10th of January, 1821.'-MORISON's Sermon on the best means of promoting an effective union among congregational churches. Of this it is said it is an able discourse. The spirit which it breathes, is so truly Catholic, so completely the opposite of a sectarian party-spirit, and its strain is so thoroughly practical, that it can scarcely fail to do much good, even should it fail to give rise to any immediate attempt to follow out the author's suggestions.'-MILMAN's Belshazzar is said to be 'by far the least happily conceived, and the least vigorously executed of his poems.' The characters are without an exception insipid and feeble.'-If our readers will peruse the work, we think that they will be of opinion that in pronouncing this sweeping censure, The Eclectic Reviewers have committed themselves. Both MILMAN and his Belshazzar deserve better treatment. Happily for our understandings, as well as that of the author, all the Reviewers are not of the same opinion as those of The Monthly Review and The Eclectic. The former, hoy

ever, does Mr. MILMAN much more justice than the latter and we recollect that The British Critic said 'While Mr. Milman continues to write thus we shall not be forward to accuse him of superfoetation.'HERNE'S Supplementary pa‹es to the Second Edition of an Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of The Holy Scriptures, 8vo. This work is approved, except The Concise Dictionary of the prophetic or symbolic language of the Scripture'-some explanations in which are said to be fanciful,' and others far from correct.'-HUGHES and DEALTRY'S Funeral Sermons for OwEN. Of the first it is justly said, 'It is altogether a very fine discourse.'-Mr. DEALTRY'S exposition of his text is said to be excellent. Several articles in this number commend the sound sense of the writers.

THE MONTHLY CENSOR seldom affords us any interest. It aims at too much to be good, and its articles want spirit. The books reviewed under the article of THEOLOGY are, 1. WHATELY'S Bampton Lectures. 2. ANDREW's Key to Scripture Chronology. 3. MANT's Charge to his Clergy. 4. WRANGHAM's Charge to his Clergy of Cleveland. 5. CHAPMAN's Sermon at Visitation. 6. PELLEW's Sermon on Christian Priesthood. 7. BREWSTER's Contemplations on our Saviour's last Discourses. 8. BASSETT's Sermons on Genesis. 9. Eighteen Sermons on the Doctrines and Practice of Christianity. 10. RADCLIFFE on the Collects. 11. WILKS's Prize Essay of St. David. 12. RUNDALL'S Symbolical Illustrations, and Gender POLITY. 16. is, Remarkable Conversion from Popery, and 17. Life of the Rev. Thomas Scott. Forty articles are noticed in the number! What voracious Reviewers! All the works under Theology are approved, but the Review of the REV. S. C. WILKS's Essay, seems to aim a blow at him as if he either did not sufficiently oppose or encouraged enthusiasm. Perhaps the sage Reviewer will favour us with a definition of this term, that we may know what he means. We do not think that the excellent

Bishop Burgess would reward any writer that was a mere visionary, and we imagine that he cannot do wrong to reward one that is an enthusiast in the cause of religion and virtue. The Reviewer had better analyze this banded term, often used without knowledge. The remarks on the Remarkable Conversion are just. The Reviewers seem surprized to find in SCOTT's Life so much good among the Clergy called Calvinistic. What would Bishop HORSELEY have said to such a reflection? It would seem that they belong to the renowned family of the Narrow Souls. This memoir has however stretched their capacities, and we hope that henceforth they may be somewhat larger. There is' say they, much valuable matter throughout the whole work; much well calculated to improve the heart, inform the understanding, and direct the conduct.'

THEOLOGICAL CRITIC.

SACRED PARODIES and Original Hymns, written by the Rev. W. B. COLLYER, D.D. L L.D. F.A.S. &c. adapted to popular airs, by Joseph Hart, arranged as Solos,Duetts, &c. with characteristic symphonies and accompaniments for the piano forte and flute; intended, principally, for private use. Part 1. Knight and Lacey.

A late popular divine used to say, 'why should the devil have all the pretty tunes?' in allusion to many of them being used to words not sacred. The expression may, perhaps, bear qualifying, for some words are perfectly innocent, and have a good moral, and may, perhaps, be better used, especially by thoughtless lips, than words that are sacred, when practising the enchanting and in itself harmless science of music. We conceive that the devil has the tunes only when they are devoted to the service of vice and foily. Another question has been asked:- why should the devil's tunes be devoted to the service of religion? Perhaps,

this may be proposed with some propriety, if qualified by our previous definition; but on no other ground can we consent to admit it We think it would be quite out of character to admit into the list of sacred music

'A master I have, and I am his man,

Galloping dreary dun,'

'Four and twenty fiddlers all in a row,' &c.

and a host of other ridiculous and childish tunes, which have been composed to suit childish words, and please 'children of a larger growth;' but there are grave and tender airs, which appropriated even to words merely moral, seem to be sunk below their dignity, and which ought to be adapted to words of the sacred and inspired muse. Assuredly, some judgment is requisite in this case: we have heard of a congregation in London, some years ago, singing to the Easter Hymn, a tune formerly the rage at Astley's, of which the chorus was, 'fal de ral de rido,' which was substituted by hallelujah, the notes being slurred; and though there is something truly sublime in the popular airs of Rule Britannia,' and God save the King,' yet, from their common use, we have our doubts whether the use of them in some places might not better be dispensed with. On the contrary, we have heard 'The Heaving of the Lead,' sung sweetly in a congregation, to the words of Dr. Watts, Join all the names of love and power,' L. M. and even the air of 'Drink to me only with thine eyes,' certainly a Bacchanalian song, now affords aid to many congregations, on a Sabbath day, the only alteration being that of a slower time. Mary's Dream' is published in Addington's collection, but we have never heard it used.

、

The design of the present work is, however, rather to amuse the fire side, than to lead the devotions of assembled congregations, and we have often anticipated it, by singing the hymn

'Jesus full of all compassion,'

to the tender tune of

'How imperfect is expression,'

and, Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my joy,' to the enchanting 'Cottage on the Moor,' The Welsh 'Ar hyd a nos' has often delighted us, sung to sacred words adapted to the tune. If we can enjoy the tune, and substitute more profitable words, we think we find a most innocent source of amusement, and so far from bringing even foolish words to the mind, we may, by habit, identify the tune with something better.

We suppose that Moore's Irish Melodies,' which are composed to old tunes, have in part suggested the work before us, and from what we have said, it will be seen that we cordially approve of the plan. The tunes, in the first part, are all extremely beautiful: we immediately recognized them as, 'How sweet in the Woodlands. Mary's Dream.'-The Italian air, 'Sul margine.'-The Irish air, Alien a Roon.'-And the Scotch air, Auld Lang Syne.' The piano-forte arrangement is generally good; but we think the author has not always taken every advantage to render his flute accompaniments characteristic and effective. 'Mary's Dream' is called a Scotch air, we believe it is not so. The Irish air of Alien a Roon,' has been altered to suit the words, which is certainly not an improvement.

The words by Dr. COLLYER are both appropriate, except in the instance mentioned, and beautiful. The Doctor's versatile genius can meddle with any subject, and he can at pleasure be the Divine, the Philosopher, or the POET. That the latter name is not unsuitably applied, in the present instance, the following extracts will shew:

PARODY ON HOW SWEET IN THE WOODLANDS.'

I.

How great that compassion, my Saviour, my God,

Which led thee to purchase our peace with thy blood;

When clouds and dark vengeance encompassed the throne, "Twas pity, soft pity, that brought Jesus down.

II.

More mild than the morning, the Saviour was seen,

His heart all compassion, his spirits serene;