22 JANUARY 1881, Page 22

CURRENT LITERATURE.

Britis4, Quarterly Review, for January. (Hodder and Stough ton.)— There is little or nothing in this number which calls for special notice in these columns. No literary subject is treated in its articles, unless we may except Ugo Bassi, who was a poet, as well as a patriot. Theology is discussed in a vigorous article on "The Lord's Supper Historically Considered," which follows up one that appeared under the same title in the October number. The writer sets out a strong argument for Calvin's teaching. Two essays are devoted to ecclesi- astical polity, one on "Congregationalism," by Mr. R. W. Dale, the other on "Some Natural Aspects of Established Churches." The internal dangers of the Church of England are so tremendous, that one is inclined to pay little heed to the battering from without. There is an interesting account of Dr. Julius Heller, the theologian of Halle. In ethics, we have "The Christian Church and War ;" and in metaphysics, what is perhaps the ablest article of the number, "Materialism, Pessimism, and Pantheism—Final Causes," from the pen of Mr. Roden Noel. The sketch of the constitutional history of Belgium is chiefly interesting as it helps us to understand the dead- lock that now exists between the Holy See and the Belgian Govern- ment. We are glad to see that the writer believes in the existence of a strong national spirit, which may be trusted to make men of all parties Belgians first, and Catholics or Liberals afterwards.