The Life and Correspondence of Thomas Arnold, D.D., late Head-Master of Rugby School, and Regius Professor of Modern History in the University of Oxford. By Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, M. A., Fellow and Tutor of University College, Oxford. [pp. 283-321]

18t53 Lzfeof~rnoU 283
An~ VI.~The L~7e arid Correspondence of Thonzas ~r nold, D.1)., late Head-Illaster of Rugby Sc4oot, and
lle~jus Projessor of Moderi~ H1~tory in the Uitiversity
of Oxjord. By Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, M. A., Fellow
and Tutor of University College, Oxford. First Ameri can, from the third English Edition. The two volumes
complete in one. New York. D. Appleton and Co.
1845. pp. 616, 8vo.
ALTHoUGH three, at least, of the great British Reviews
have noticed this work at length, we are not deterred from
making it the subject of an article. From such a heap of
wealth, each critic will draw that for which he and his
brethren have an affinity; and we have nowhere seen
those things deduced, which niost nearly relate to the inte —
rests of religion and education in America. Besides, we
shall not attempt to write what may take the plac~ of the
book, but what may induce our readers to resort to it with
expectation. For the preacher, the patriot, and the instructor of youth, it has a charm not surpassed, we believe
it will be acknowledged, by any biography of our day.
Arnold was one of those fresh, original, vigorous, genial
minds, whid~ do not appear oftener than once in aii age:
a character of so many sides, that it is not to be exhausted
of its fascinations, by a variety of scrutinizing views. To
the strength and learning of the English mind, he added
much of the German enthusiasm, and all the freedom of
the American. As we go on in the development of his
opinions, we fii~d amidst much to condemn a coi~tinual
approximation towards evangelical purity. Unbounded
liberty of thought might have m~de him a rationalist, as he
certainly was a latitudinarian: but it was checked by extraordinary learning, a~id still iiiore by increasing faith and
devotion. The bent of his whole s~~nl was towards the
religious growth of his country and his race, and, in order
to this, towards such an education of yonth as was never
dreamed of before, amidst the stiff, tr~ditionary methods of
England. In the pursuit of this great end, he has thrown
a glory around the work of education, which gives a sort
of heroic grcndeur to the schoolmaster, and will we trust
stin~ilate thousands to engage in this hononrable and re
sponsible calling, with a new sense of its Christian dignity.
That we have read every page of this long memoir~