each their world, great or small, to dress for, learn, dance, play, or sing for; and mothers, whether homely or fashionable, equally bestow their first care on their daughters' appearance. The exceptions are so few that they only prove the rule."―pp. 166, 167. This is followed by a short chapter on the love of moral excellence as a means of self-culture, and a longer chapter on benevolence, with a digression on love and friendship, containing much wholesome advice. This portion of the work, which is more especially devoted to moral culture, is completed by a survey of the instruments of moral discipline. These are treated under the heads of self-knowledge, self-control, and decision of character. Their importance is strongly insisted upon; and all misapprehension as to their true nature is carefully guarded against, while the practical virtues which spring from them are shown to be those most important to woman amidst the trials and sorrows that may befall her. Passing from this part of their subject, the writers now enter upon mental training, and in the ninth chapter proceed to speak of observation, attention, the association of ideas, and the cultivation of reason, with some remarks on the imperfection of language. The value of a general method of study is then considered; and the understanding of an author's meaning, the manner of forming opinions concerning what is read, and the retention of the arguments adduced by any author, are set forth as the three points chiefly to be regarded. The value of works of reference, the advantage to be derived from a practice of writing observations on the various works read, and the choice of books, form the remaining topics treated in this connection. In regard to a choice of subjects for study, our authors naturally make a division into essentials and non-essentials. In the first class the Scriptures of necessity hold the first place. Next in importance are mathematics; and the beneficial effect of a study of them in disciplining the mind is very well exhibited. The objections to the study of moral and intellectual philosophy are then answered; and the importance of these branches to all engaged in education is enforced. After these, a decided preference is expressed for a critical study of the language and literature of one's own country, and for a thorough acquaintance with its history. Some knowledge of politics and political economy is also deemed necessary; and the value of an acquaintance with general history and foreign languages is advocated. In conclusion, the difference between slight and superficial knowledge is stated, to obviate any objection that might be raised against the studies recommended. The twelfth chapter treats of the love of knowledge as a natural impulse which requires cultivation. In the present age, knowledge is regarded less for its own sake than for the advantages that it will bring. Hence, the higher branches are less cultivated by women than the more showy accomplishments; and the effects of this are seen in the frivolous characters which too many display. The beneficial influences which a love of knowledge for its own sake would exert on them in the various trials incident to their position are then portrayed at length. In the following chapter the limited importance attached to the culture of the imagination in English society, resulting from the commercial and practical character of the people, is considered; and the advantages arising from its proper cultivation, and the disadvantages of its unchecked growth, are skilfully traced. Enthu siasm, regarded as the product of an unsound mind, is condemned, whilst a love of the beautiful in nature, art, and poetry is highly recommended. The value of a cultivated imagination to all women, but more especially to persons of advanced years, is eloquently pointed out. The concluding chapter is devoted to religion, which is treated more in connection with the essential principles of Christianity found in all sects and denominations, than with reference to points of dogmatic theology. The peculiarity of Christianity is defined as lying in its motives rather than in its doctrines. It has no creed; but it contains great principles applicable to all the circumstances of life. Hence the possibility of error should be regarded in all investigations into the doctrines of religion. Intolerance is shown, however, to be consistent in the Romish Church, but to be inconsistent with Protestantism. And to sum up all in a single line, our authors declare religion to be the crowning aim of self-education. Here their labors are fitly closed. The strain of the following paragraphs, near the end of the volume, will indicate the tone of the whole treatment of the subject of religion. "Would that we had the tongue of men and of angels to impress these things on the hearts of women, to waken them from their long dream of vain or solemn frivolity to a sense of the full power and importance of their influence on social improvement or decay! Would that we could convince them that Providence, by excluding them from the strife and struggle of public life, from the active competition for earthly rewards, has appointed them a nobler office, the guardianship of every purer feeling which tends to a goal beyond this earth, the training of that in the human soul which is immortal! "But ere we can train this spiritual life in another, we must have trained it in ourselves. We must have made the principle of obedience to the whole of God's will, through love to him, as the source of goodness, wisdom, and truth, the governing idea of our system of life, the crowning aim of our self-education. We need not enter into any detail of the means which Christianity supplies for the training and fostering of this principle of spiritual life. The Gospel, with its high and unchanging standard, is in every hand, and the conscience which is deaf to its clear and simple precepts, the heart that wants any impulse stronger than its words of divine love and mercy, the soul that cannot be stirred by its glorious hopes, can gain nothing from human aid. We would rather dwell upon the influence of such a principle upon our daily life and character. "That it is the fountain-head of every virtue is too obvious to need mentioning; but there are some virtues which are its more immediate and especial results, and by our progress in which we may best test the strength of religious principle in our own hearts. The deep humility which is the natural attitude of the mind habitually looking up to the type of Divine perfection; the wide and tender charity which reflects in human character and actions the benevolence of the Deity; the resignation which accepts every event as the result of His laws whose will is perfect goodness and perfect wisdom; the serene cheerfulness which springs from the peace of a heart whose treasure is garnered up there, 'where moth and rust doth not corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal'; - these are the attributes by which the Christian should be known, but if we apply the test, how many shall dare to call themselves Christians? We might almost say, that these are the features most generally absent from the character of those who claim for themselves, in our day, the exclusive right to be deemed religious; or, at least, that the opposite defects of presumption, intolerance, irritability, and moroseness, too often give the tone to writing and speaking on religious sub --- jects. It has been truly said, that 'to be good and disagreeable is high treason against virtue,' and the saying applies with double force to religion. Judged by this standard, how many of us are traitors to their own faith! Some people seem to think, that, when they have obeyed the positive moral precepts of the Gospel, they have done all it was their duty to do. They care not how many hearts they repel, how many minds they disgust, by the unattractiveness of their piety, and seem to think that they best obey the precept of loving not the world, by giving the world every cause to hate them. Unfortunately, the dislike they so justly inspire is transferred from them to the faith they profess, and the noblest, the most benign, and the most comprehensive of religions is contemned as harsh, and low, and narrow, because harsh, and low, and narrow minds have adopted it for their own.* The verdict is a natural one; men judge of the tree by its fruits, and conclude that to be a bramble on which they find thorns instead of figs. If, then, we really love our religion, and wish to see its influence extended, we shall strive to make it beautiful and winning, no less than estimable. Had this been ever the aim of Christians, had religion been ever inseparably connected, by the lives of its professors, with every thing that is noble in human aspirations, every thing tender and holy in human affections, every thing beautiful and refined which appeals to the taste and imagination of man,- we might still, indeed, hear the doubt of the sceptic, but it would be that scepticism only which doubts of virtue because incapable of believing in any thing but vice. We should be spared the deep pain of seeing good and high-minded men turning away from a religion dishonored and desecrated in their eyes by the character of its professors."- pp. 455-457. We have left ourselves no space in which to add any thing to this analysis. We can only repeat, that though we are compelled to differ in some points with our authors, yet in the main we cordially agree with them, and gladly commend their volume to our readers. C. C. S. * "See Foster's Essays. Essay on the Aversion of Men of Taste to Evangelical Religion." ART. III.-CITIZENSHIP. Ir is said that no age can understand itself. If it be so, we are certainly in a very bad case; for no age was ever so anxious to understand itself as this. Were it not for our intense interest in the subject, the incessant discussion of it would have become utterly wearisome. No literature ever bore such marks of self-reference and selfinspection. The old Indian lore, with its perpetual dream of absorption into the Divinity; the philosophy and poetry of Greece, as unconscious of all inward questioning as childhood; the stately verse, forensic debate, or academic disquisition of the Roman time; the scholastic learning and wild romance of the feudal age, these fail to exhibit any thing like the self-consciousness and self-questioning of the present day. It is, perhaps, a diseased sensitiveness to one another's opinion, springing from the freely developed activity and influence of so many minds. It is, we doubt not, a kind of democratic subserviency,-an extension of the individual self-consciousness, a sort of collective "What will they think of it?" Nevertheless, we must fall a little into this way of the age, for it concerns the purpose we have in hand. - all Now the age has doubtless many characteristics, but that which most impresses our minds, in our present view, is the revolt against authority; - not alone or chiefly against political authority, but against the authority of opinion, of all before-settled principles, whether political, religious, scientific, or social. Nothing stands fast. Every thing is disputed. Every thing has to be examined and settled over again. But more especially to the purpose of the present essay is it to observe, that from this revolt naturally springs a feeling of personal individuality before unknown in the world, or unknown as prevailing to the same extent. The revolt consists, in fact, in setting up individual opinion against all before-established opinion. Inquire into the inmost feelings of multitudes. around you, and you will find it to be this: "I will think and do what I have a mind to." Conceive how few persons said that in the old Roman time, in the feudal time, or in any time before the present. Men adopted the opinions, with the vocation and social position, of their |