He seems to have been always actively employed, and to have felt uneasy because he could not be at once king and minister, commander and subaltern. He created a new order of knighthood; changed, with much bustle and procession, his residence, first, to Utrecht, and then to Amsterdam; founded a royal Institution of Arts and Sciences, and recommended the adoption of a new system of weights and measures. In the beginning of 1809, the dykes of a large district gave way, and Louis, as usual, hastened to the spot, and urged in person the necessary exertions. The narration of this event, contains some of the best description in the whole work. The finances still remained in the same shattered and nearly hopeless condition; and scheme after scheme was tried and failed. A large portion of the volumes is filled with the statements and calculations which were made and published from time to time. But matters at length approached their crisis. Various circumstances had successively transpired, all tending to convince Louis that his brother had no intention of suffering him to remain in his present situation; and the disastrous affair of Walcheren, afforded an opportunity for accumulating a large French force within the frontier of Holland. In this part of his history, Louis does not shew himself to advantage: he talks largely and absurdly of his disposition to resist, intimates that he was inclined to call in the aid of England, and even goes so far as to describe arrangements for defending the lines of Amsterdam. In the beginning of 1810, he was in Paris, where he had suffered himself to be enticed, as he says, against his own judgement, and in submission to the opinion of his council. Here he was detained as a kind of prisoner at large, and was treated with studied harshness by Napoleon in order to induce bis abdication; but at length, in April, he was permitted to depart, on his signing the wellknown treaty which made important cessions of Dutch territory, and left the rest of Holland under the control, and entirely at the mercy, of France. Only a few weeks after his return, however, Louis received a letter from his brother, the length of which prevents our inserting it, containing a strange mixture of stern and contemptuous reproof with affected moderation. Whatever may be the view which it gives of the policy of Napoleon, it clearly shews the weak and temporizing character of Louis: it points out to him the inconsistency of his conduct with the system which had been dictated to him, and with the purposes for which he had been placed on the throne of Holland; and it proves that he had entirely overrated his own resources, when he imagined himself equal to the complicated task of evading the stern and unrelaxing scrutiny of his brother, and of fixing himself permanently in his kingdom, by complying as far as possible with the wisdom and feelings of the nation. He

was compelled to resign his crown, after a little empty vapouring about resistance; and the instrument by which he endeavoured to convey it to his son, was treated with contempt. In the fallen fortunes of Napoleon, Louis made some demonstrations toward the resumption of his rank; but his efforts met with no encouragement in any quarter. The remainder of his story is principally occupied with his changes of residence; and it concludes with an eulogistic summary of his general views and feelings.

On the whole, it is a pity that Louis Bonaparte should have felt ambitious to distinguish himself as a writer. His character previously stood fair in the general sentiment, and though it will not be lessened, we are not aware that it will be much elevated by the publication of these volumes. As a king, he bore his faculties so meekly,' and stood 'so clear in his 'great office,' that he deserves the highest praise. On more than one occasion, he was reproached for his humanity; and when he suppressed a riot by a simple explanation, it was made matter of accusation against him, that he did not hang up fifty of the rioters. As a political character, we have every reason to believe him to be without reproach; but as an author, we have no urgent wish to cultivate any more intimate acquaintance with him.

Art. VI. Hora Homiletice; or Discourses (in the form of Skeletons) upon the Whole Scriptures. By the Rev. C. Simeon, M.A. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. Eleven Volumes, 8vo. London, 1819 and 1820.

T

HE name of the Author of this voluminous production, has long been, with us, a pledge of that which is sound in doctrine, respectable in talent, and useful in tendency. To the influence of his high character and unremitted exertions in the peculiarly important sphere allotted him, we ascribe, in a higher degree than to any other individual, the progress of evangelical sentiments among the clergy of the Established Church. Although not a Professor of Divinity in the University of which he is so bright an ornament, yet, to his instructions and advice, as well as to his writings, many hundreds of the younger clergy are ready, we doubt not, to acknowledge themselves indebted for the most valuable assistance they ever received in preparing for the duties of the sacred office. For the purpose of directing and facilitating their discharge of the arduous engagements of the pulpit, in the early stage of their ministry, the work before us is particularly designed. It is intended to supply a ' regular series of Discourses on the most important parts of 'the whole Volume of Scripture; and to adapt those Discourses,

by their general construction, their simplicity, and their brevity, to the especial service of the Younger Örders of the Clergy.'

Before we proceed to an examination of the structure and character of these Discourses, it is desirable to ascertain, whether there exist a necessity for the aid which they offer, and' if there be an exigency to justify the attempt, whether the assistance provided be adequate and efficient.

Were the first of these inquiries to be stated in the most comprehensive terms, so as to include the younger orders of Ministers among the Dissenters, as well as among the Clergy of the Establishment, we should be compelled to enter on a discrimination and comparison which might appear invidious. Nor can we refrain from expressing the opinion, that the proffered aid is not requisite for the younger orders of the Dissenting Ministry, after passing through the usual course of academic discipline and instruction. We learn from good authority and extensive information, that the candidates for admission into Dissenting Seminaries, are required to produce satisfactory attestations to their religious character, and the accuracy of their sentiments on the grand doctrines of the word of God; and that, during the greater part of their academic career, they are accustomed to present for the inspection of their tutors, both skeletons of sermons and discourses at greater length. By the habits thus acquired during a course of four or five years or more, it is to be presumed that, in ordinary cases, they are rendered independent of the aid which such a work as that before us is intended to render. In expressing this opinion, however, we do not intend to intimate, that we think these volumes would prove of little value, either to the theological student or to the ordained minister among the Dissenters. Although the primary design of the work may not be applicable to them, yet, in several points of view it may be regarded as valuable. It suggests to the mind a rich variety of well selected texts and topics for pulpit discussion, to which, in hours of perplexity and difficulty as to subjects for discourse, the minister may resort with great advantage. Nor is this all the benefit to be attained. The plan and the amplification exhibited may not only supply, but suggest valuable materials for thought; may excite activity of mind, and may conduct to a train of reflection, which, while it owes its origin to a page of the Hora Homileticæ, may take a different direction, and pursue a course, if not more judicious, at least more consentaneous with the mental habits of the individual, and therefore adopted with greater facility, and conveyed to the hearer with greater effect. There is yet another, and perhaps a greater, advantage to be derived by the young minister, from the perusal of the discourses before us. They present many admirable specimens of that mode of treating

subjects, whether doctrinal or practical, which comes home to every man's business and bosom. The great end of preaching is constantly kept in view by Mr. Simeon, and his object is, not to entertain, nor merely to inform his hearers, but to impress, to convince, to persuade. There is a tone of feeling and a spirit of animation pervading the whole series of discourses, which we cannot but highly appreciate. His appeals to the conscience are pointed and fervid, and well deserve the imitation of all who would make real usefulness to the souls of men the grand object of their ministry.

If the advantages now specified may accrue to all classes of those who preach the gospel of Christ, from the use of the volumes under consideration, they have undoubtedly the strongest claim on the attention of the younger order of the Clergy; and as for their benefit they were especially designed, it is by their adaptation to this end that the merit of the work should be estimated. Tried by this test, we are prepared to appreciate very highly its value, and we doubt not that the wish of the excellent and revered Author will be fully gratified that this labour of love will be regarded by his brethren in the ministry, not as an act of presumption, but as an humble and affectionate attempt to render their entrance on their holy and honourable calling more easy, and their prosecution of it more useful.'

We think it would have been still more useful, had there been afforded greater assistance in ascertaining the precise meaning of difficult texts, by the aids of legitimate and judicious criticism. The biblical student who is anxious to determine the true and literal import of passages on which criticism has been often expended, and obscurities still remain, will not receive all that assistance in the elucidation of Scripture, which in such a work, and from such an author, he might perhaps expect. It is true that the discourses are Homiletical and therefore not Critical; still, as they are intended for the edification of ordinary assemblies, not in the first instance, but as modified and amplified by the preacher who avails himself of their aid, that aid would have been additionally valuable, had it more frequently presented to him the result of critical researches, and in some instances detailed at greater length the process of inquiry and examination by which the mind of the Author had arrived at the specified result. Such remarks, if not incorporated with the discourse, might have been, with rich advantage, introduced in the form of notes, either at the foot of the page, or at the conclusion of the discourse.

The principles of interpretation on which Mr. Simeon proceeds, in explaining the Sacred Scriptures, are, in general, such as we cordially approve. We concur with him most unreservedly in the views expressed in his Preface, when he states, that he

is no friend to systematizers in theology.' He has endea'voured to derive from the Scriptures alone his views of religion; and to them it is his wish to adhere, with scrupulous fidelity; 'never wresting any portion of the word of God to favour a particular opinion, but giving to every part of it that sense which 'it seems to him to have been designed by its Great Author to con'vey.' He feels it impossible to repeat too often, or avow too distinctly, that it is an invariable rule with him to endeavour to give to every portion of the word of God its full and proper 'force, without considering one moment what scheme it favours, or whose system it is likely to advance.' To endeavour carefully to ascertain, and boldly and honestly to avow, unfettered by system, that which appears to be the true meaning of the word of God, is unquestionably the duty of every minister of Christ at the same time, if that which appears to be the true meaning of a passage of Scripture, seems to be at variance with the system of doctrine which we firmly believe, after due investigation, to be the system of the inspired writers, it is highly important and requisite to explain the principles on which, while there seems to be a discordance, there is really a consistency and a harmony. We admit that the writers of Scripture have not taken pains to exhibit that consistency which really exists in all the parts of the system of Divine truth; and Mr. Simeon seems to infer from the absence of such attempts on the part of the inspired writers, that the preacher of the gospel may be excused from undertaking the task of reconciling apparently opposite statements. In many of his discourses, therefore, he discovers less solicitude on this head than we could have wished he should discover. The conciseness of expression requisite for the Book of Inspiration, will itself account for the absence of those explanatory and cautionary statements which, in a discourse whose express object is to elucidate Scripture, should not be altogether omitted.

The theological sentiments conveyed throughout the whole of these volumes, we need scarcely say, are decidedly Evangelical. The doctrines of the gospel are exhibited in their practical bearing, and the duties of Christianity are enforced from Evangelical principles. It has been the object of the Author to guard against what he designates, not unaptly, an Ultra-Evangelical taste, which overlooks in many passages the practical lessons they 'were intended to convey, and detects in them only the leading 'doctrines of the gospel;' which perverts the Scripture so as 'to make it refer to Christ and his salvation, when no such object ' appears to have been in the contemplation of the inspired 6 writer.'

For a distinct view of the Author's sentiments on the leading points of Evangelical religion, we are referred, in the Preface, to four discourses, entitled, "An Appeal to men of Wisdom and