1848.] Luther's Prayer. 271 fer our readers to the specimens which it presents of Luther, Sancta Clara, Wieland, and Fichte, as examples of successful translation. While the differences of style in each are marked, the language in all flows on with perfect smoothness. The structure of the sentences is always English. In his translations from the first two writers just mentioned, Mr. Hedge has been particularly happy in the antique character of the style, which is simple, but not affected. We quote Luther's prayer at the Diet of Worms, for its own sake. It breathes throughout the tenderness and strength of that great heart. 66 Almighty, eternal God! What a strange thing is this world! How doth it open wide the mouths of the people! How small and poor is the confidence of men toward God! How is the flesh so tender and weak, and the Devil so mighty and so busy through his apostles and the wise of this world! How soon do they withdraw the hand, and whirl away and run the common path and the broad way to hell, where the godless belong! They look only upon that which is splendid and powerful, great and mighty, and which hath consideration. If I turn my eyes thither also, it is all over with me; the bell is cast and the judgment is pronounced. Ah God! Ah God! O Thou my God! Thou my God, stand Thou by me against the reason and wisdom of all the world! Do thou so! Thou must do it, Thou alone. Behold, it is not my cause, but Thine. For my own person, I have nothing to do here with these great lords of the world. Gladly would I, too, have good quiet days and live unperplexed. But Thine is the cause, Lord; it is just and eternal. Stand Thou by me, Thou true, eternal God! I confide in no man. It is to no purpose and in vain. Every thing halteth that is fleshly, or that savoreth of flesh. O God! O God! Hearest Thou not, my God? Art Thou dead? No! Thou canst not die. Thou only hidest thyself. Hast Thou chosen me for this end? I ask Thee. But I know for a surety that Thou hast chosen me. Ha! then may God direct it! For never did I think, in all my life, to be opposed to such great lords; neither have I intended it. Ha! God, then stand by me in the name of Jesus Christ, who shall be my shelter and my shield, yea! my firm tower, through the might and strengthening of thy Holy Spirit. Lord! where stayest Thou? Thou my God! where art Thou? Come, come! I am ready even to lay down my life for this cause, patient as a little lamb. For just is the cause, and Thine. So will I not separate myself from Thee for ever. Be it determined in Thy name! The world shall not be able to force me against my conscience, though it were full of devils. And though my body, originally the work and creature of Thy hands, go to destruction in this cause, yea, though it be shattered in pieces, Thy word and Thy Spirit, they are good to me still! It concerneth only the body. The soul is Thine and belongeth to Thee, and shall also remain with Thee, for ever. Amen. God help me! Amen." - p. 20. We have no inclination, even if we had the ability, to make a collection, in this notice, of the fine passages in the volume before us. How often have we been disappointed, on impatiently opening a volume, some acquaintance with which had been previously obtained from a review, to find that we had already been made familiar with the best things in it, and that the reviewer had culled all its beauties! The writers from whom selections have been made, in this work, are of unequal interest. The extracts from Jacob Boehme will baffle the intelligent reader." The sketch of Hamann creates an expectation which the specimen given of his writings entirely disappoints, and we do not understand why the editor gave us an extract ("The Merchant"), which the author was "hardly willing to publish with the rest of his works." We were anxious for something better from a writer to whom Richter confesses such great obligations. The extracts from Goethe are unnecessarily copious. We do not know but that there is a little too much of German philosophy in this selection; and yet we admit the impossibility of giving the English reader any idea of that airy fabric by the exhibition of a few bricks from the edifice. Of the depth and acuteness of German criticism the extracts from Mendelssohn and Lessing and Schiller are striking specimens. A brief essay by Hegel, entitled, "Who thinks abstractly?" is worthy of attention for its discrimination and truth. An Independently of the translations, which make up the greater part of the book, the biographical notices would form a valuable volume by themselves. They are evidently prepared with great care, and marked with the clearness and calmness which characterize Mr. Hedge as a writer. ardent admirer of German literature, he never appears as the heated partisan or advocate, but as a just judge. He loves the Germans. He agrees with them in his philosophy, but he has not gone over to them. He always stands on English ground. We refer our readers particularly to the account given in this volume of Goethe. It is worthy the 1848.] Prison Discipline. 273 careful attention of all who are desirous of arriving at a just appreciation of that extraordinary man. We conclude this inadequate notice with an extract from the sketch of Goethe, which, while it illustrates Mr. Hedge's style of thought and expression, will serve as an admonitory hint to those who may be deterred by unreasonable expectations from giving to his work the welcome which it deserves. "We are apt to deceive ourselves as to the moral value of certain impressions derived from books. We mistake the transient excitation of the nobler sentiments produced by eloquent declamation, or by the exhibition of romantic excellence in works of fiction, by such characters, for instance, as the Marquis of Posa in Don Carlos, — for a genuine renewal of the moral man. We think we are burnt clean by the temporary glow into which we are thrown. The nature of such excitement differs but little from that produced by alcoholic stimulants, amid animated discussion and congenial friends. It is stimulus without nourish. ment, ebullition without growth. It has something maudlin. It acts chiefly on the nerves. Its final effect is rather to enervate than to educate the soul. He only instructs who gives me light, who effects a permanent lodgment, in the mind, of some essential truth. The effective moralist is not the enthusiast, but the impartial and clear-seeing witness; not he who declaims most eloquently about truth, but he who makes me see it, who gives me a clear intuition of a moral fact.” p. 267. W. H F. seen. ART. VIII. PRISON DISCIPLINE.* MR. GRAY'S pamphlet is by far the most able argument against the Separate System of imprisonment that we have We have no doubt that it is also the most valuable work on Prison Discipline that has yet appeared in this country. At first, we were inclined to consider it a very strong and skilful argument, rather than a comprehensive judicial summary. But a minute examination of its most important statements, together with a pretty careful survey. of the whole field from which its selections have been made, Prison Discipline in America. By FRANCIS C. GRAY. Boston: Charles C. Little & James Brown. 1847. pp. 203. has convinced us, not only of the remarkable accuracy of its statements, but of the general fairness which has been used in selecting the particular facts that are brought to bear upon the subject. In some respects, we think it gives too little credit to the Separate System for what are unquestionable advantages in its discipline, and sometimes, though very seldom, facts going to show such superiority are left out, which might be introduced. There are, also, if we mistake not, a few sharp thrusts at persons engaged in a recent controversy here, which, however suitable in a public debate, might, perhaps, be advantageously omitted in a grave treatise like this. With these slight exceptions, and they are very slight, we think the pamphlet remarkable for the fidelity and singleness of purpose with which it follows out its subject, for the wisdom and pertinency of its general remarks, and the force of its particular facts. It is clear, and yet compact, with no unnecessary amplification of words or emotions. If any of our readers, who have not time to look through the original documents, would understand the merits of the controversy, they will find pretty much all that is essential to the argument in this pamphlet, and in another of about half its size, by Dr. S. G. Howe, entitled "An Essay on Separate and Congregate Systems of Prison Discipline," which was published by William D. Ticknor & Co., in 1846. The question at issue is simply this, Whether it is better that convicts, during the whole term of their imprisonment, should be entirely separated from one another, or that they should work together under the close and constant supervision of the officers of the prison, and at all times, except while at work, or at school, or at public worship, be confined, each one in his separate cell. These two systems, particularly as applied, the one in the Eastern Penitentiary at Philadelphia, and the other in our own State prison at Charlestown, are subjected by Mr. Gray to a severe comparison, in respect to their influence on the character, the bodily health, and the mental sanity of the convict. In this article, we shall follow him, step by step, under these different heads. *In speaking of the Charlestown prison, Mr. Gray says:—“ Besides kindness, good order, and moral and religious instruction, which belong equally to every humane system, there is nothing essential to this, excepting social labor, with the injunction of silence, under strict supervision during the day, and solitary confinement in the intervals of instruction and labor." P. 59. -- 1848.] Congregate and Separate Systems. 275 Under the first head, the reformation of the offender, Mr. Gray's reasoning and our own further investigations are much less conclusive against the Separate System than on either of the other points. Mr. Gray argues, first, that no decisive inferences in this matter can be drawn from the imperfect records which we have of recommitments in different prisons, and, secondly, that industrious habits, and the ability to provide for himself by skill in some gainful calling, must be a great security to the convict on leaving the prison, and that these are most likely to be acquired under the Congregate System. In both these arguments he is undoubtedly right; and yet these imperfect records of recommitments, unsatisfactory as they are, do, we think, furnish an indication, slight, it may be, but still an indication, of the superior efficacy of the Separate System in this respect. While we attach very great importance to the forming of industrious habits as a means of security, we must not overlook the influences which, under the different systems, are made to act on the mind and character of the prisoner. The testimony on this point, particularly in England, is as decided as from its nature it well could be in favor of the Separate System, at least during the early stages of imprisonment. And this is in accordance with what we should expect, from our knowledge of human nature. It does seem to us, that, if suitable teachers could be provided, an immense influence might be exercised over the minds of young convicts, during the first three months of their imprisonment, if they should be kept entirely apart from the influence of other minds, in their separate cells, their daily tasks interrupted, and their solitary meditations directed, by occasional words of judicious admonition and kindness. If there ever be a time when they would rejoice to unburden themselves of their secret thoughts, and with sincere penitence form resolutions of future amendment, it must be then, under the influence of such a system. And when new purposes of life are thus formed, the prisoner might, by degrees, be allowed to associate at first with a few chosen companions from among the convicts, and then with others, till his resolutions have acquired something of the consistency of moral principle, and he is prepared to go out with comparative security into the world. As to the effect of imprisonment in deterring men from crime, we believe that a great deal too much has been ex |