turies
English critics have not only entered the literary arena, in which the
great historic and ecclesiastical questions connected with his subject
have been discussed, but they have contributed largely to the materials,
offensive and defensive, which the combatants have employed. Ussher,
Pearson, Churton, and Cureton, have been English champions whose merits
all have acknowledged. The Bishop of Durham has now entered the lists to
support what has been proved sound in their conclusions, to remove what
was weak, and do battle for the truth. An impartial English public will
appreciate the gravity of this challenge, and may be trusted to grant or
withhold the victory he puts forth his best powers to win.

The volumes lend themselves by their construction to an easy statement
of their contents, if those contents by their fulness must be of
necessity the despair of critic and reviewer. First there is the life of
the Saint, then the discussion of the manuscripts and versions which
delineate the Saint and his literary remains. These are followed by
exhaustive discussions upon all that tells for or against their
genuineness, the whole being treated both historically and critically.
Such will be found, briefly stated, the mode of discussing the life and
works both of St. Ignatius of Antioch and of St. Polycarp of Smyrna; and
two results will reward a patient persual of these volumes. The Bishop
has indeed limited these results to the study of the Ignatian Epistles,
but--under his guidance--the reader will find what is affirmed of one to
be true of both:--

'The Ignatian Epistles are an exceptionally good
training-ground for the student of early Christian
literature and history. They present in typical and
instructive forms the most varied problems, textual,
exegetical, doctrinal, and historical. One who has
thoroughly grasped these problems will be placed in
possession of a master key which will open to him vast
storehouses of knowledge.

'But' (continues the Bishop) 'I need not say that their
educational value was not the motive which led me to spend
so much time over them. The destructive criticism of the
last half century is, I think, fast spending its force. In
its excessive ambition it has "o'erleapt itself." It has not
indeed been without its use. It has led to a thorough
examination and sifting of ancient documents. It has
exploded not a