Voices from the Rocks; or, Proofs of the existence of Man during the Paleozoic, or most ancient Period of the Earth. A Reply to the late Hugh Miller's "Testimony of the Rocks." London: Judd and Glass. 12mo. THIS work is not properly a reply to Hugh Miller's book, to which indeed but few references are made, for the very obvious reason, that it was written before the other was published. The writer is an earnest and intelligent man, who has done his utmost to overthrow the received opinions of modern geologists respecting the antiquity of the earth. He believes that the present stratification of the earth was caused by the Noachic deluge, and adduces a variety of arguments in support of that opinion, one of the principal being the alleged discovery of human remains in a fossilized state. We have carefully read the work, and highly commend the spirit and manner of the author, who says all that can well be said for his theory. At the same time we think it would not be difficult to shew the utter untenableness of his position, and that modern geology, in its leading principles, is founded on a scientific basis so broad and firm that a few isolated and questionable facts cannot overthrow it. We are not sorry to see the gauntlet thus thrown down, it may do good in more ways than one. Noto Crita in Versionem Septuagintaviralem, Liber Numerorum. 1857. The Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, according to the Version of the LXX. Translated into English, with Notices of its Omissions and Insertions, and with Notes on the Passages in which it differs from our Authorized Translation. By the Hon. and very Rev. HENRY E. J. HOWARD, D.D., Dean of Lichfield. Cambridge: Macmillans. 1857. 8vo. pp. 430. WE have before introduced to our readers the former parts of both these contributions to the literature of the Septuagint, and have much pleasure in recording the progress of labours which cannot fail to promote sound Biblical learning. We reiterate what we have said on other occasions, that a wide field for Biblical exegesis yet remains untilled in reference to the Septuagint and its relations to the Hebrew Text, and the attention which is now being given to this department of study by the Universities, cannot fail of proving advantageous in many respects. Professor Selwyn gives another collection of Testimonia Patrum in Veteres Interpretes, which will be found highly interesting, and wil prove, if any proof is needed, the high estimation in which the Greek Version was held in the early ages of the Church. The Septuagint was then considered quite sufficient to decide "controversies in matters of faith;" and the ancient fathers would be introduced to a field of controversy altogether unknown to them in their day, if they could see how authority is now almost confined to the Hebrew. Dean Howard refers in his preface to the work of Dr. Wall, which was slightly noticed in the last number of this Journal. He seems to attach some importance to Dr. Wall's theory of the corruption of the Hebrew Text by the later Jews; but we must say again that we think it is far too late in the day to ventilate this subject with any hope of separating any wheat from the chaff. The Israel of the Alps; a complete history of the Vaudois of Piedmont and their Colonies; prepared in great part from unpublished documents. By ALEXIS MUSTON, D.D., Pastor of the Protestant Church of Bordeaux, Drôme, France. Translated by the Rev. JOHN MONTGOMERY, A.M. With numerous Illustrations. In 2 volumes. London and Glasgow: Blackie. 1857. 8vo. pp. 508, 556. THE zeal and industry of Dr. Muston have well nigh exhausted the subject of his researches; certainly they have produced a history of a highly attractive character, notwithstanding the wickedness and sorrow it unfolds. The author writes very graphically; producing pictures often highly coloured; yet we cannot say that by this process the truth is distorted. He has indeed his subjectivities, and who has not?—and some controversies might doubtless be raised on some of his statements. The work is well translated, and the illustrations of Vaudois scenery are very charming. Altogether Messrs. Blackie have done good service by bringing this work before the English public at so low a price. Bible Studies, conducted on the principle of a progressive development in Divine Teaching. By J. H. TITCOMB, M.A., of St. Peter's College, Cambridge. London: Parker and Son. 1857. 12mo. pp. 502. MR. TITCOMB rightly observes that his work meets " a great want in our Bible Literature." He is aware that the subject he discusses has been recognized often enough, and he mentions Sherlock and Warburton, and Seiler, as alluding to, and illustrating, the doctrine of the progressive and successive nature of divine Revelation, "But notwithstanding these admissions and complaints," he says, "the press does not appear to have produced any work in which the Bible has been systematically analyzed on such a principle. Particular branches of the subject have been, no doubt, treated in this way, as, for example, the Christology of the Old Testament. But I am not aware that any author has yet undertaken a review of the sacred books with the simple object of tracing a gradual and chronological development of divine teaching throughout them." Now this principle must be admitted to be a correct one, as regards God's dealings from age to age, but it requires great discrimination not to run into errors and fancies, if it is applied to the successive books of Holy Scripture in the order in which we now have them. We may presume that both in the Old and New Testaments, the same divine care which caused the books to be written, also superintended their allocation; yet the fact that the ordo has not always been the same, especially in the MSS. of the New Testament, would prevent a discreet interpreter from laying too much stress upon it. We do not think that Mr. Titcomb has done this: he has rather arranged the great periods, than founded anything on the place of individual books. Thus, he divides the Old Testament period into eight epochs, as follow:-I. From the Fall to the call of Abraham. II. To the bondage in Egypt. III. To the entrance into Canaan. IV. To the establishment of the Monarchy. V. To the revolt of the ten tribes. VI. To the Assyrian captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem. VII. The period of the captivity. VIII. From the restoration out of Babylon to the close of the Old Testament Canon. Under these heads the author institutes a very careful examination of the theology, ethics, &c. of the various periods, and proves himself to be a close and devout student of the Holy Scriptures. He is, therefore, quite justified in saying, "these pages were not put together at random. I call them Bible Studies, because they have been the result of much labour and research. They ought not, therefore, to be taken up in a hasty manner. Unless the texts are referred to as the reader goes forward, and each part of the book is properly compared by him with the Bible constantly at his side, I am sure he will not receive the profit it is calculated to give, or appreciate the object it is designed to unfold." Without pledging ourselves to all Mr. Titcomb's opinions, we are able cordially to recommend his volume, as fully adequate to the purpose for which he has designed it, as "becoming useful to the pupil teachers in our training colleges, to the conductors of Bible classes in our young men's societies, and to the advanced teachers in our Sundayschools. Indeed, I hope it may not be without its use to the more scholastic student of theology, particularly where he has access to the libraries which contain the works here quoted." Letters to the Working Classes on important subjects. By One of Themselves. Glasgow: M'Phun. 1856. 18mo. pp. 234. THE author says:- "He who reads this book will at once see that the desire and aim of the author has been to meet the objections and refute the arguments of infidels, in a calm and considerate manner, so that young men may be able to give an answer to the infidel's objections." We mention the book, because we think it may be found highly useful in large towns, where the classes spoken of are found to exist. The Gathered Lilies. The Illuminations designed by Mrs. Howard Selected from the British Poets. Illustrated. London: Seeleys. 1857. 8vo. pp. 176. We have only space just to notice these beautiful books, each excellent in its separate department. The illumination of the first constitutes its value; the poetry of the second is of the choicest kind, and it is adorned and illustrated by many fine engravings. The Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. XIV. MAG-MIH. Edinburgh: A. and C. Black. 4to. THIS valuable work is keeping on its way as rapidly as is consistent with completeness of information. All the articles on which the march of years has thrown fresh light, are either re-written or enlarged, and from the use of it ourselves, we can confidently recommend it to others, as a storehouse for reference on most subjects. INTELLIGENCE, BIBLICAL, EDUCATIONAL, LITERARY, AND MISCELLANEOUS. On the Historical Dates of Ezra and Nehemiah.-While the difficulties which surround the history and times of the Asiatic rulers under the Jewish captivity are being considered, sifted, and re-adjusted, by the united labours of the eminent and indefatigable enquirers whose researches have already been submitted to the public in the pages of your journal, I will venture to offer a few remarks connected with the subject, to fix attention upon some points of the history which have not been touched in the papers that have appeared. The evidences of the facts I contend for can only be given by references; but every reader who wishes to verify my demonstration will thereby be enabled to do it with ease, so as to satisfy his own judgment whether the historical and chronological combinations those facts entail may be made available to stamp with condemnation the popular chronological system we have been used to follow, and to test the soundness of whatever new arrangement may be proposed in its place. The leading positions assumed by the system which supplies the dates printed in the headings and margins of our Bibles, are: That the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, about which time the Jewish captivity of seventy years begins, is the year fixed by the compilers of Ptolemy's Canon as beginning January 21st, B.C. 604. That the return of the captivity is in the year they fix for the first of Cyrus, beginning January 5th, B.c. 538. That the "Artaxerxes, king of Persia" of Ezra and Nehemiah is Artaxerxes Longimanus, whose first year begins December 17th, B.C. 465. The chronological test by which I propose to try these positions resides in the fact that Ezra and Nehemiah not only were both present at the return of the captivity in the first year of Cyrus, but also bore very leading parts in the religious ceremonies of the restoration. The passages of their history affirming their presence are so obvious, that they were noticed long ago by the authors of some chronological schemes now obsolete; but being found incompatible with the dates forced upon us by the compilers of the canon, the plain sense of these passages has been evaded by the framers of our current system. The following digest of the facts will shew how far the truth of Sacred History has been thus tampered with to accommodate the theories of men : Ezra is named in a list of priests among those who came back with Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Neh. xii. 1). Nehemiah is named in Ezra's list of the chiefs of the captives "which came with Zerubbabel" under the decree of Cyrus (Ezra ii. 1, 2). And Nehemiah sanctions Ezra's statement, by repeating it in his duplicate of the document (chap. vii. 5, et seq.), with the prefatory remark that it is "the register of those who came up at the first." This document introduces an explanatory account of the same transactions as Ezra's brief narrative. We cannot set aside the significance of Ezra's statement by deferring to a later period the proceedings he relates, viz., the opening of the religious year on the first day of the seventh civil month (Nisan or Abib), with the installation of the high priest Jeshua, the restoration of the national worship, and— nota bene-the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in its season, as it is written," for all this, according to Ezra, took place when "the foundation of the temple was not yet laid." It was laid in the second year (chap. iii. to v. 8). 66 Nehemiah's parallel narrative (chap. vii. 6 to xi.), when referred to this its right order in time, becomes an invaluable illustration of the history, by its telling us what Ezra omits, the distinguished part borne by Ezra himself on that solemn occasion, as chief teacher and interpreter of the law to the people. The plea of alibi is thus barred against Ezra, as effectually as against Nehemiah; the latter even informs us in that narrative that he is the Tirshatha (appointed |