England under God. By the Yen. Archdeacon Evans, author of
-" The Rectory of Valehead." (Smith, Elder, and Co.)—This volume may be defined as an attempt at a brief survey of the history of Eng- land from a providential point of view. Its author starts with the axiom that it is the practice of the Almighty to select some particular nation as the instrument of His service, and not unnaturally proceeds to inquire which nation it is that has been honoured by the divine choice. The Archdeacon being an Englishman, we need scarcely add that Eng- land is, in his opinion, the favoured country. He decides that there are four conditions which are indispensable to adapt a country to God's service. These are-1. A territory of proper magnitude and fertility, with a sufficient border on the Atlantic Ocean ; 2. A certain quantity and peculiar quality of the population ; 3. Sufficient exclusion from interruption caused by neighbours ; 4. An order of historical events -which shall at once train the people, and bring it into communication with the uttermost parts of the earth. There is only one country in which all these conditions are combined ; and that country is Great Britain. The proofs of its possession of the three first conditions are speedily disposed of ; and it is, as the reader will perceive, in the establishment of the fourth that an opportunity is given for the intro- duction of the historico-providential survey which constitutes the mass of the Archdeacon's volume. Our author's speculations, though they are, perhaps, sometimes pushed a little too far, are not without interest ; and as a proof that he may at least lay claim to the merit of ingenuity, we may mention that he gives us three or four reasons why the prox- imity of Ireland has been a help rather than a hindrance to Groat Britain in her national career.
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