Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles, delivered in the Parish Church of Stockton upon Tees, during Lent, in the Years 1803, 1804, 1805 and 1806. By John Brewster, M. A. 2 Vols. 8vo. pp. 830. Price 14s. Rivingtons, London.

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Mr. R. infers that the whole superficies should be well aware of the extent of of any piece of wood, being oxydated country eastward, to which the Jewish whether by burning or by acids,- no dispersion had reached, and the "utterplant of any kind will grow on it: conse- most limits of the west," to which the quently, it may bid defiance to the dry-gospel was carried, during the interval inrot fungus, as to all other. The practical cluded in this narration. In short, as of late remarks of practical men are always well the spirit of investigation has taken a entitled to attention; and we greatly pre- decided turn for examination since the fer the experimental researches of this scenes described by Virgil have been vigentleman, to his theoretical reasonings. sited repeatedly, and we are familiar with the Lake of Avernus, and the grottoof the Sybil; since the scene of Homer's immortal poem has lately been explored with more than military exactness, why should not a similar spirit be exercised in tracing the places where the apostles taught, were imprisoned, were punished, or were martyred: yet, we have not so much as one good plan of Jerusalem; wherein the parts of the antient city which can be ascertained are correctly distinguished. The travels of St. Paul, for instance, are not laid down with correctness on any map whatever, completely, and even the maps in the volumes before us, are but an apology for ignorance, rather than an introduction to knowledge; the Master who does not want them is the only one capable of using them; the student for whom they should be constructed, will think them and find them but meagre. In maps intended to teach geography the intersections of Latitude and Longitude are marked, why not in these, since then the places and cities would be more easily found and more strongly remembered.

OUR opinion of the value of the Acts of the Apostles as exhibiting a picture of the lives, manners and opinions of the primitive Christians, is known from a former article in which we had occasion to consider the subject. We then stated our wishes to meet with a free and familiar explanation of this sacred book. Many have attempted it; but some have been misled by having brought to it theoretic notions of their own, and finding these in all places likely or unlikely others have been deficient in the learning necessary to explain that variety of incidents which it contains. Very few, indeed, if any, have been so familiar with the characters of the persons, so conversant with the places and events described or alluded to, as to be at home when treating on the subjects under elucidation. A complete explanation of this historical volume requires a competent knowledge of many things which at first sight seem trivial. Geography is absolutely indispensable so is an acquaintance not only with the sects among the Jews, but with those among the Greeks; the discordances in the opinions of the Philosophers at assistance; but when he prepared his Athens, the voluptuousness as well as sermons for the press, he might have traffic of Corinth, the peculiarity of the Di-thought on what would have been felt as a vinities at Lystra; the History of the Gauls, service by the public. We are, however, known to us under the name of Galatians; to take these discourses as the author inthe arts prevalent in Ephesus, are all tended them; for to blame him for not absolutely necessary to be well under-executing what did not come within his stood. Nor is less important the character of the Romans as a people, and of their govenors as chiefs: the state of the Jews, in the empire, generally, at this period, as well as the events of which Judea was the scene. A writer on the Acts

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In fact Mr. B. would have greatly augmented the value of his volumes had he consulted some eminent geographer, on the subject of this geography, and had given one good map correspondent to modern observations. It is true, that Mr. B. composed sermons for the edification of his auditory, and in delivering these himself of such he could not avail

We

plan is absurd; his object was edification:
and he has attained his object to a very
respectable degree. They must,
think have benefited their auditors, and
that is the honour and reward of their
author.

After this general commendation we shall considet some of the subjects treated, and Mr. B.'s manner of treating them, more particularly.

We shall not take upon ourselves to censure every instance of the application of scripture phrases in what is termed a spiritual sense; but we wish that the true and primary import of a passage, or of a phrase, were first given, and afterwards that which is spiritual; for we are persuaded that many errors rather in fancy, than in judgment, have arisen from applying scripture in a manner not intended by the original writer, and the Holy Spirit who spake by him. We exhort Mr. B. to caution on this head. For instance, it was wise in the apostle Peter to address his hearers "Save yourselves from the fate which awaits this untoward generation, which will speedily be destroyed by the Roman arms." And we think that this original import of the exhortation should precede that which urges the hearers to " escape by faithto work out their own salvation-to put away the evil of their doings," &c.

In treating the subject of the community of goods among the first Christians we wonder how any writer, competently informed, could overlook the character and conduct of the Essenes; a sect which had all things in common, neither said any individual that any thing which he possessed was his own; all his earnings went into the common stock of the so

minds, on hearing of such incidents, though they do not always disclose them.

The beautiful, but unfinished, speech of Stephen, is scarcely touched on by Mr. B., who seems totally to have misconceived its intention. We have always thought that the protomartyr intended to caution the Sanhedrim against rejecting Jesus, by shewing that it had been the custom of the Jewish nation, to reject those whom Providence designed should be its deliverers from calamity and distress. "The Patriarchs rejected Joseph, yet Joseph was their saviour; the Hebrews rejected Moses, yet Moses was the liberator of that people from slavery:the Israelitish nation rejected the prophets, yet had they obeyed the prophets they had been safe:-Take care, then, that you also do not in this instance reject the very person whom Providence intends should be your security."

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Mr. B. has some good observations on the piety which marked the character of Cornelius: but we conceive that he has intirely mistaken his military duty. It is not credible that a centurion, a com mander of a hundred men only, a captain should have the command of the garrison at Caesarea"-where the Roman Governor resided and kept his Court : the chief place in fact of the province. St. Luke hints at no such thing, and the addition is injudicious. We say nothing on the question whether Cornelius was of the Italian, or of the Italican, cohort: though we think the name of Italy attached to a cohort, or even to a legion, is not very likely. As a specimen of our author's manner we transcribe his reflections on the history of Cornelius.

ciety, and he received his daily support from thence. In what the Christians agreed, and in what they differed, from that sect, could not fail, if investigated, to be both instructive and amusing. On the judgement which befel Ananias and Sap1. We ought to consider it as a peculiar phira, we should have been glad, had thepreacher shewn, that St. Peter in being cated in a country where the name of God is blessing of Providence, to be born and eduthe harbinger of death to those parties, known, where his worship is truely and acdid not assume the office of the magis- ceptably performed, and where the means and trate, and inflict capital punishment opportunities of salvation are at hand. li for, when was it known that a word Cornelius had still dwelt among his counspoken deprived an individual of life? trymen, the Italians, where he was bred Had the relatives of these parties prose- and born, or in any other province of cuted the apostle for murder, he might that empire, he had in all likelihood never bave safely said, "I laid no hands on come to this saving and blessed knowledge of the true God, but died a pagan as he them, I neither inflicted wounds, nor was born. But by this occasion of living at even stripes: they died by the visitation Caesarea, within the confines of the land of of God-I was only the predictor of Israel, where the oracles and worship of the this event, I was not even the agent." Most High God were daily resounded and proThis takes off the force of those reflec-fessed, he became a blessed convert to the tions which often arise in ingenuous true God, whom he served and worshipped

lous; Diana Lucifera, not Diana of Ephesus, might be so represented.

Our readers will judge for themselves whether there is not as yet room for a judicious elucidation of the Acts of the Apostles we thank Mr. B. for what he has done towards it, but hope to stand excused for the freedom of our remarks on passages that we thought required it.

If this work should see a second edition we intreat the reverend writer to revise some of his phrases; they are much too incorrect for a man of his attainments.

The Shepherd's Guide, being a Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Sheep, their Causes, and the best Means of preventing them, &c. By James Hogg, the Ettrich Shepherd. 8vo. pp. 338, price 7s. Constable, Edinburgh; John Murray, Lou

don. 1807.

Mr. Hogg's talents as a poet, together with a sketch of his history, have been submitted by us to our readers already; [compare Panorama, Vol. II. p. 957] but the present work shews that in paying his addresses to the Muses, he did not forsake the immediate line of his duty and profession. Part of this volume is original, expressed in a simple style, and evidently the result of observation; part of it is collected from good authorities; by the addition of these Mr. H., has made a volume, whereas his own materials would barely have composed a pamphlet.

As we are favourable to original and practical remarks, we do not hesitate to wish that some of those before us were extensively known; they are indeed derived from the North, and are calculated for Scotland, but they might be of service elsewhere, and on a subject so important as the sheep, we need not fear a superfluityofknowledge--but then let that knowledge be real. We insert the following as a specimen of the author's manner. Of the Hydrocephalus; or Water in the Head; alias Sturdy.

This is the next disease which attacks them, and is commonly known by the latter denomination. A sheep affected by it be comes stupid; its eyes stare, and fix upon some different object from that which it is in fear of. It soon ceases from all intercourse with the rest of the flock, and is seen frequently turning round, or traversing a circle.

The water settles sometimes in one corner

of the skull, sometimes in another; but whenever it begins, it continues to increase and gain upon the brain, until it is either that it dies as lean as wood, at which period extracted, or the animal so much wasted, the brain is commonly half wasted away, and the skull full of those noxious fluids. Sometimes it concentrates in the very middle of the brain, when it is vety difficult to cure; and sometimes in the hinder parts, where it joins with the spinal marrow, when it is quite incurable. If this water is not extracted by some operation, the disease invariably terminates in the death of the animal.

In promoting the cure, the operator must feel for the part of the scull that is soft, and lay his thumb flat and firm upon that; then taking the wire in his right hand, push it up that nostril that points more directly for the place that is soft, where the disease is seated; and if he feel the point of the wire below his thumb, he may rest assured that the bag is perforated, and that if the brain do not inflame, the creature will grow better; but if against the soft part of the scull, on which he does not feel the point of the wire press the thumb of his left hand must be placed, it will be necessary to try the other nostril.

I have always observed, that a sheep, on being wired, is sick, in proportion to the stiffness of the gristle below the brain. If the wire is hard to go up, it is always very sick, but if it goes easily up, it puts it little off its ordinary. This I conceive to be occasioned by the wire taking a wrong vent, and perforating the most delicate and inflammable part of the brain. When one is wired, it is proper to take hold of it with both hands behind the cars, and shake its head water must find its way by the nose afterwards, loosely. This empties the bladder, and the for they will frequently grow quite better, though no water be seen to issue from the nostrils at that time this makes them sicker for the present, but they are more apt to amend afterwards. If it were really necessary to extract the sac, or small bladder, which getrepanning would be, of all others, the most nerally contains the water, the operation of feasible; but if the water can be extracted, the sac is of little consequence, else so many could never be cured by wiring.

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Another way is, to raise up, with a sharp knife, about the breadth of a sixpence, of the skin immediately over the part of the skull which is soft, then to raise about the half of that size of the soft skull, taking care not to separate them altogether, but let them keep hold of one side, folding them and keeping them back with the thumb, until the water is extracted: then fold them neatly down again, seal thein, and cover all with a wax cloth,-to defend from. the weather, &c.