"The Holy Grail, and other Poems." His wish by hers was echo'd; and her knights 175 But it is truly a sad story in its ending; and when Pelleas rushes into the hall crying, 'I have no sword,' the word of doom has been spoken over the Round Table. 66 The only other Idyll is the "Passing of Arthur," which is in fact nothing more or less than a reprint of the early poem, The Morte d' Arthur," without alteration or addition beyond some little setting of incident for framework. This circumstance is not without a significance of its own, which might be dwelt on had we more space at our command, or had we had more time allowed us for the task. The only other poems the volume contains are "The Golden Supper," "The Higher Pantheism" (which we really cannot regard as being very successful), and "The Northern Farmer, New Style." "The Golden Supper "is founded on a story in Boccaccio, and exhibits Mr Tennyson's peculiar power of subtle dramatic suggestion, combined with minute elaboration of detail. Of "The Northern Farmer, New Style," it is enough to say, that it is worthy to set beside the other one; and that is saying much. "Proputty, Proputty, Proputty," is the idol of the New Northern Farmer's worship, and in choosing the mere abstract idea of wealth in opposition to the concrete attraction which the land had for the former Farmer, Mr Tennyson has, in our idea, acutely hit off a real and vital distinction; and in linking the idea with the trotting of the horse, has found a fine symbol for the idea. This is one of those poems which has on it the stamp of genius-the best voucher for veracity and reality. We therefore cordially recommend our readers not to miss the treat of a careful perusal of it; we ourselves have read and re-read it with a peculiar and increasing pleasure. We hope now Mr Tennyson will find himself free to work in this line of subject. XI.--GERMAN LITERATURE. Theologische Studien und Kritiken. Jahrgang 1870. Erstes Heft. Gotha, Perthes. This number opens with the first of a series of articles from the pen of Beyschlag, on the subject of the "Resurrection of Christ from the Dead," which has again become more than ever in Germany the great question between rationalists and believers in the supernatural origin of Christianity. A few years ago, Dr Holsten had an article in the "Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Theologie" (Journal for Scientific Theology) on this subject, in which he propounded the mythic theory, that the appearance of Christ to Paul at his conversion was not an objective appearance at all, but only an internal influence on his mind which took the oriental form of a Theophany. This article was answered by Beyschlag in the Studien, in an able paper on the "Conversion of the Apostle Paul." Last year Dr Holsten again returned to the controversy by publishing a work entitled, "Zum Evangelium des Paulus und des Petrus" (on the Gospel of Paul and Peter), in which are condensed his three previous publications bearing more or less directly on the subject, in the preface to which he challenged Beyschlag to a renewal of the controversy. The article before us is the first part of Beyschlag's answer. It is to be followed by other two. When completed, it will, we have no doubt, be one of the fullest and ablest discussions of the mythic interpretation of the vision of Christ accessible to the student. The second article is by Dr Koestlin on "Religion and Morality in their relation to each other." In his lengthened and elaborate discussion, the writer follows somewhat in the track of Schleiermacher and Rothe. His aim is mainly practical. He takes his start from the fact, that in the present day religion is endangered, not so much from the side of direct infidel attack, as from the prevalence of other and important interests which threaten to absorb the whole of man's thoughts and activities. Dr Koestlin is a well-known contributor to the Studien, of which he is one of the editors, and his articles uniformly breathe a fine spirit, and display great power of analysis. This Number contains also (1.) Harmony and an Exposition of the Gospel Narrative of the Woman of Canaan (Matt. xv. 21-28); and (2.) a Consideration of the Results of Tischendorf's Transcript of the Alexandrine MS. of Clement of Rome. Clement was a presbyter of the church at Rome, who died, according to Irenæus, about the year 100 A.D. The only work of Clement, whose genuineness can be established, is his Epistle to the Corinthians, sometimes called the Second Epistle. The only known MS. of this Epistle is appended to the Alexandrian Codex of the Scriptures now in the British Museum. Among his other critical labours, Tischendorf has investigated this MS., and published a correct transcript of it, which Dr Laurent the writer of this article gives here an account of. German Literature. 177 These articles are followed by two lengthened reviews of important works, (1.) Mueke's "Die Dogmatik des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts, u. s. w." (The Dogmatics of the 19th century); and (2.) "Untersuchungen zur alttestamentlichen Theologie," by Dr Klosterman, Professor of Theology at the University of Kiel. This appears from the review to be a work of no great merit, being simply an Exposition of Psalms cxxxix., lxxiii., and xlix., in which the writer finds the expression of the hopes of the ancient church regarding the coming of a Saviour. Zeitschrift für die gesammte lutherische Theologie und Kirche. Jahrgang 1870. Erstes Quartalheft, Leipzig. This ably-conducted Lutheran quarterly, contains (1.) an article by Dr Mühlau of Leipzig, on " Albert Schultens of Leyden, and his Labours in the department of Hebrew Philology." This distinguished oriental scholar was born at Groningen in 1686. While yet a youth, he devoted himself with great zeal to the study of the Greek and Hebrew languages, and afterwards of the Chaldee and Syriac and Arabic, at the university of his native town. He was deeply interested in comparative philology, and especially in the importance of the Arabic as throwing light on the interpretation of the Hebrew. The library of Leyden, which was rich in its treasures of oriental literature, was thrown open to him. He studied with great intensity the Arabic, Persian, and Turkish MSS. which he found there. He was soon recognised as the foremost scholar of his time in orientalibus. In 1713 he was promoted to the chair of Hebrew Literature at Franecker. Here for sixteen years he laboured, having as his associates Campegius, the Vetringas, father and son, and Venema the fruitful Old Testament exegete. In 1729, Schultens was called to fill the situation of rector of the Theological College of Leyden. For one-and-twenty years he was the ornament of the university of Leyden, to which students of oriental literature resorted from all lands. As a theologian and a preacher, he merited the appellation given to him by ʊʊ of his colleagues, Vriemoet, geodoğuraros. He died in 1750, in the 64th year of his age. The writer of this article enters into an interesting account of the life and labours of this distinguished Hebraist. His different works, which were no fewer than thirty-five in number, are described. The article is a valuable monograph, well worthy of the perusal of all who are interested in the history of oriental literature. (2.) The second article is from the facile pen of Delitzsch, one of the editors. It is on the "Ancient Historical Literature of the Israelitish Nation," viewed simply as a study in history. We know of none, even in Germany, more competent to do justice to such a subject than Delitzsch. He has done much by his commentaries and other critical works to farther the study of the Hebrew Scriptures, and the article before us is a valuable contribution to a knowledge of the varied changes the language and literature of the Hebrews underwent during its progress from the time of Moses to that of Daniel. (3) The third article is on "The Church and Materialism," with VOL. XIX.-NO. LXXI. M some reference to the doctrine of miracles. It is in the form of an address delivered at a pastoral conference in Lüneberg by R. Rocholl. (4.) "Meister Eckhart the Mystic," founded on the able and interesting history of Eckhart, by Adolf Lasson, to which we have already called the attention of our readers. (5.) "On the Authenticity of the Words ascribed to Luther at Worms." "Hier sthe ich, ich kann nicht anders, Gott helfe mir. Amen." (Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me. Amen!) (6.) A well written paper on the present so-called "Ecumenical Council at Rome." It is a controversial response to the Pope's invitation to Protestants, one of many such answers, more or less elaborate, from the Greek Patriarch at Constantinople, Luthardt of Leipzig, &c., which have recently been published. The convening of this council has, we think, been very wisely taken advantage of, and might even be to a greater extent yet taken advantage of for the purpose of awakening a more energetic and intelligent Protestant spirit in our own country. This Number of the Zeitschrift contains also the usual amount of critical notices of current German theological literature. They are written by the recognised contributors to the journal, and are all animated, as might be expected, by a strongly denominational Lutheran spirit. Zeitschrift für die Historische Theologie. Jahrgang. 1870. Erster Heft. Gotha. This number of the Journal of Historical Theology contains two papers. The first is on "The Writings, the Philosophical Standpoint, and the Ethics of Peter Abälard," by Bittcher. Abälard, the great middle-age representative of dialectic scepticism, was born in 1079 and died in 1142. He began his career as a leading spirit of the age in Paris. Thousands of students from all quarters flocked to Melun, where be delivered his lectures. He afterwards studied theology under Anselm of Laon, surnamed Scholasticus, who had been a pupil of Anselm of Canterbury, and then returned to Paris, which was the great centre of learning, where again students crowded to hear him. While in Paris he gained the affection of Heloise, whose romantic history, in connection with that of Abälard, is well known. After an active life, during which he gave an impulse, in many diverse directions, to intellectual pursuits, and came into conflict with the prevailing church tendencies, especially as represented by St Bernard of Clarvaux, the great teacher of that period, the representative of church authority, and the main instigator of the Second Crusade. He died in 1142. The motto of his theological system was "Non credendum nisi prius intellectum." In this respect he stood in direct opposition to Augustine and Anslem, whose motto was "Credo ut intelligam." Abälard affirmed that knowledge must precede faith,-that only what was known could be believed. With him faith was merely an intellectual act. Augustine's doctrine was, on the contrary, that faith must precede knowledge. Bernard, who was Abälard's great opponent, maintained this doctrine. He represented the pectoral theology. His motto was, "Tantum Deus cognoscitur quantum diligitur orando Zinzendorf's Theologie. 179 facilius quam disputando et dignius Deus quæritur et invenitur." Abälard was the representative and the leader of the new school of free inquiry. He was the father of the scholastic theology. His philosophy was mainly a system of dialectics. The great controversy of that age was between the Nominalists and the Realists. The great question of scholasticism was about the relation between thinking and being between the idea and the essence of a thing. One school of philosophy maintained that the universalia, the general conceptions or generic ideas which constitute the common essence of a genus, are merely nomina, or intellectual abstractions, and that they have no real existence beyond the intellect which conceives them. Hence they were called nominalists. Another school maintained that these universalia had an objective existence beyond the mere human intellect. In this controversy, Abälard was opposed to both the nominalists and the realists, and held an intermediate position, which has been denoted by the term Conceptualism. The whole subject, in all its bearings, is here discussed in a lengthened and elaborate paper. The second article is a continuation of a critical review of the writings of Ambrose of Milan (died 397), the principal instructor of Augustine, as a contribution towards the settlement of the Text of Scripture. Zinzendorf's Theologie. Dargestellt von Dr HERMANN PLITT. Erster Band. Gotha, London, and Edinburgh: Williams & Norgate. 1869. Pp. 648. There is not a more interesting chapter in modern church history than that which narrates the origin and development of the Moravians as a distinct section of the church of Christ. The Protestant states and cities of Germany were soon made to feel the necessity of combination, with a view to defend their liberties against the threatened assaults of the popish party, who sought, with unwearied assiduity, by every means to regain the ascendency of which the Reformatiou had deprived them. Hence the League formed between them (1531) at Smalcald. The princes and states united in this league had soon to meet their enemies in actual war. They were, after a lengthened struggle, overpowered by the Emperor (Charles), and forced to submit. The Reformation received a check, and the Protestants were in many places, particularly in Moravia and Bohemia, oppressed and persecuted. During the Thirty Years' War, which was so disastrous for Germany, they suffered yet more severely, so that the old faith of the Hussites was wellnigh extinguished. Only here and there among the dwellings of the people did lingering traditions which had come down to them from their pious forefathers, survive. At length, in the beginning of the 18th century, Christian David, a native of Senftleben in Moravia, who had himself, during his travels, been awakened to a knowledge of the truth, appeared among his countrymen, and the dying flame of evangelical truth was rekindled by his instrumentality and the people began to feel again the power of the gospel. To escape persecution they emigrated (1722), under the direction of David, unto Upper Lusatia, and sought a refuge and a home on the |