own from
the zenith where once it shone; but we need neither regret that it
should pass away, nor dread lest we be left in gloom. _Let it pass
away_--that grand and wonderful faith! Let it go down, calmly and
slowly, like an orb which has brightened half our heaven through the
night of the ages, and sets at last in glory, leaving its train of light
long gleaming in the sky, and mingling with the dawn. Already up the
East there climbs another Sun.' Again: 'The faith, then, for which we
must contend--the faith which we believe shall be the religion of future
ages--must be one founded on the Original Revelation of Consciousness,
not on the Traditional Revelation of Church or Book--a faith, not
resting for its sole support on the peculiar History of one nation, but
rated by the whole history of humanity.' ... 'The view which seems to be
the sole fitting one for our estimate of the character of Christ, is
that which regards him as the great REGENERATOR of Humanity. _His coming
was to the life of humanity what Regeneration is to the life of the
individual._ He has transformed the Law into the Gospel. He has changed
the bondage of the alien for the liberty of the sons of God. He has
glorified Virtue into Holiness, Religion into Piety, and Duty into
Love.'

What a perpetual stumbling block in the way of all unbelief is the
marvellous character of Christ! We may strive to throw away the record,
but He remains a living force within the soul forever. The Theist would
miss Him even in his certain heaven!

We think we have given, in the few short extracts above, enough to
enable our readers to perceive the standpoint from which this work is
written. It is a clear statement of the dogmas held, the reasons for
their adoption, and the hopes of what is styled the Church of the
Future. Of the ability of many of its adherents there can be no doubt.
The contest is upon the children of Faith. Let them meet it with candor,
fairness, prayer, love, profound biblical and scientific erudition, and
may God comfort us with His eternal truth!

DRAMATIS PERSONAE. By ROBERT BROWNING. Boston: Ticknor & Field. New
York: for sale by D. Appleton & Co.

This book has been already reviewed by the English critics, who are
always appreciative of Browning's merits, and tender to his faults. It
is as wilful as its predecessors, as unintelligible, as fragmentary, its
rhythm as distorted and broken, its diction as peculiar, its sequences
as disc