Excerpt from The Port Folio, Vol. 17: From January to June, 1824

We must commence this class of our remarks at the very title page of Mr. Irving's book. When we read the advertisement in the public pa pers, announcing Foa run Onscuzs or Goo, Form orations. Fan. Judgment 70 come, AN argument m nine parts, we could not forbear a smile at the pedantic absurdity of such a title. But when we opened the book, and found that these Four Orations, and this Ar gumant in Nine Parts, were neither more nor less than so many ordi nary ermons, we felt real concern, because we were satisfied that if it had been the author's object to cover himself and his work with ridicule, he could scarcely have devised a more apt expedient for the purpose. What might be Mr. Irving's motives for choosing such a title, or what end he expected to answer by it, we are at a loss to conjecture. If, indeed, he designed that his book, on its annunciation should be re garded as one of large pretensions, and that it should excite a corres ponding lofty expectation, his title is not an unsuitable one for such a purpose. But, putu'ng every thing like modesty out of the question, what, on this supposition, we may ask, had become of the gentleman's. Ju ment and common sense? We had always understood that to be mo crate in pretemion and promise, even where we hope to be ample in performance, is not only the dictates of modesty but of discretion. But here, in a title of such magnificient promise, as scarcely an performance could justify, this wise principle is reversed. Perhaps, owever, Mr. Irvingonly meant by the adoption of the high-sounding epithets, Ora tions and argument, to procure more readers for his sermons, than they would be likely to have, if sent forth under their proper name. This may be considered by some as a justifiable Ruse de Gure. But, while we are hold to say, no such end has been answered by it, we must, for our own part, protest against every thi like pufi' or trick in what is con nected with the Christian ministry. He ofiice is degraded by it, and the mighty theme to be held forth disdains such aid.

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