The Greatest of the Prophets. By the Author of "
Essays on the Church." (Seeleys.)—Much pains have been spent on this book, which is not unworthy of the author's reputation. For our taste, it is too con- troversial. That the author's views on the character and degree of the inspiration of Scripture do not coincide with ours we should not con- sider• an objection. It is not a literary fault, though it may be a critical error, to accept as accurate all the numbers of Exodus ; but it is, in our judgment, a serious literary fault to obtrude on readers the controversy about these numbers. If the author had simply said, for instance, "the children of Israel went down into Egypt numbering three-score and ten, or four hundred and fifty," or whatever other number he thought right, "and marched out six hundred thousand that were mon, besides women and children," we should not have cavilled at tho statement. But when wo find him quoting Malthus to prove how rapidly a family can increase, wo rebel. If wo are to have controversy, let us have it by itself; but we should much prefer a simple, unquestioning statement in continuous order of the facts of Moses's life, drawn from Scripture, and put as much as possible in Scripture language, while enriched and ex- plained from all other available sources. It is really a pity that the industry and ability of the author do not produce a more satisfactory result. The book contains, however, pretty well all that can be learnt about its subject, and it has a value of which any fault in its method cannot deprive it.
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