The English Church in the Nineteenth Century. By John H.
Overton, D.D. (Longmans.)—Dr. Overton carries on in this volume the work on the "English Church in the Eighteenth Century," which he executed in collaboration with Mr. Abbey. This time he has allowed himself more space. It is only a third of the century (1800-1833) with which he deals. Even for this limited period, the materials that have to be treated are only too ample. The boundary which he has set excludes, it will be seen, the Oxford movement, but it includes the activity of Charles Simeon, who, born in 1769, was at the height of his influence during the first two decades of the century. Isaac Milner (1750- 1820) was another light among the Cambridge Evangelicals, while the Clapham' division of the same party—Deoltry (1775-1847), Wilberforce (1759-1833), Henry Thornton, and Zachary Macaulay —were at their best. Among the Liberals Sydney Smith, Bishop Batburet, Dr. Croly, Bishop Thirlwall, were conspicuous. On the whole, Canon Overton is able to give a more favour- able view of the condition of the Church than one would have expected. He quotes, indeed, testimony from various Bishops as to the learning and activity of the clergy whieh it is not quite easy to accept, The Bishops of that day did not know very much about the real con- dition of their dioceses, as far at least as the remote parts were concerned. It was only a very gross scandal that reached their ears when the parish was small and, out of the way. It must not be supposed that Canon Overton sees every- thing couleur de rose, The deficiencies and abuses of the times are quite adequately described. The impression left by the whole is that it is the work of a thoroughly competent and impartial observer. Among the many interesting things which the volume contains, we may quote the notice of the foundation of latropeter. Bishop Burgess, of St. David's (1803-25), set apart a portion of his own income to raise a fund for this purpose. Many of his clergy, miserably poor as they were, did the same, even to the amount of a tenth; £11,000 was thus raised, and outside help did the rest. This is one of the many things which the much- abused Church in Wales has done.
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