We must be content with a very brief notice of
Mr. R. M. Benson's very elaborate work, The War Songs of the Prince of Peace, 2 vols. (John Murray, 10s. net). It is "a devotional com- mentary on the Psalms," and books of devotion it is commonly wise to leave alone. We cannot but think that Mr. Benson waa born too late. This spiritnalising interpretation of the Psalms, making the whole collection Messianic, would have met with a better welcome in the Alexandria of Clement and Origen than it is likely to meet now. We see that the imprecatory Psalms give their interpreter no trouble. Wrath is the complement of love. Doubtless that is:so, but it is impossible to see in the denunciationa of some of the Psalms the pure flame of the fire that is to burn out the dross and leave the pure gold.—We may mention at the same time The Heart's Desire, by the Rev. G. S. Barrett and others, edited by the Rev. R. Lovett (R.T.S., Is.)
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