Literary Notices

THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW,¹ for July. American edition. New York: Leonard Scott & Co.,² 79 Fulton street.

The Westminster for July will be read with great interest, on account of the article which it contains on the “Manifest Destiny of the American Union.” The writer thinks that, without being aware of it, the people of the Union stand now in a position analogous to that of the colonists just previous to the commencement of the Revolution. He even takes the pains to draw a parallel between the events of that time and this, in order to substantiate his view. The mistake which this reviewer falls into, in common with nine-tenths of the European writers on American affairs, is that of overlooking the quiet conservative classes, and beholding no one but those who utter a great deal of noisy vaporing to conceal their insignificance. Thus he mistakes for the South the comparatively small body of ultrasecessionists who are ever ready to dissolve the Union for the sake of extending slavery, and for the North the equally insignificant body who clamor for the overthrow of the Constitution, because they think it favors slavery. Regarding these as the two great antagonistic parties of the country, the reviewer arrives at the conclusion that ere long the Union must be revolutionised, the ultimate result being the extinction of the system of slavery. His data being incorrect, the consequences predicted by the writer are not likely to occur.

Another interesting article in the same number of the Westminster, is a notice of the late Hugh Miller’s “Testimony of the Rocks,” in which, in brief but acute criticism, a finger is laid on the weak points of the great work of the Scottish geologist and divine. The reviewer charges Mr. Miller with “positive misrepresentation,” garbling the text of Scripture, denying in one place what he affirms in another; and after giving instances in support of these charges, asks, “was there ever at the bar, or even in the annual accounts of a railway company, a more monstrous instance of the cooking of a case?” Finally, the reviewer enters a solemn protest against all such works as that of Mr. Miller, as tending to destroy honesty of interpretation and sap public morality, by twisting the words of the Bible into a sense which they do not fairly bear, in order to support some preconceived theory of the interpreter. The only value which he concedes to Mr. Miller’s work, is that contained in its strong rebuke to those who would sooner deny the proved facts of science than relinquish an erroneous theological belief.

ARTHUR’S HOME MAGAZINE.—

This magazine for July, is up to the mark in all respects. Prompt in time, beautiful in execution and filled with all manner of good things. Arthur has made himself a name, and means to keep its lustre undimmed. The tales are good, and the whole book, from the engraving of Hospitality in the Olden Time to the Ladies’ fashion plates, is capital. T.S. Arthur³ & Co., 103 Walnut street, Philadelphia.