PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Brass.

The Crisis of Popular Education: its Historical, Internal, Statistical,Fi-

nancial, aud.Political Relations; including a Consideration of the "Minutes of the.Committee of Council on Education," and of the Educational Con. troversy MgeneraL By John Hoppus, LLD., RES., Professor of Philo- sophy and Logic in University College, London.

[So much has been written on education of late years, that it is not easy to be ori- ginal on the subject, unless in the case of fresh facts that may have fallen under the writer's own knowledge. Except the last chapter, (in which the propriety of State interference is ,discussed both generally and with special reference to the disputes about thelate Minutes of the Council,) Professor Hoppus's book is a pr&is of statistics. and opinions upon popular education, well arranged, well presented, and,hatermingled with judicums and appropriate comments. The Professor, draws together an account of the extent and kind of education. oa„the Continent and in the United States, with the pros and cons of the educational results where they have been much disputed, as in Prus- sia. These subjects are more elaborately handled as respects this country; a chap- tes being devoted to a history of popular education in the Three Kingdoms, and a fail exposition given of its past and present state, both in respect to the numbers taught and the kind of education they receive. The question of finance is also discussed, together with several other topics. The conclusion that Dr. Hoppus arrives at upon the general discussion is, that it is the duty of the State to edu- cate the people; and he is against the Dissenters in their late opposition to the Government measure. The Crisis of Popular Education is not a very striking work; butit will.be found a painstaking and careful resume of existing facts and views, accompanied by a moderate and sensible commentary.] The Antidote for the Causes that Abridge the Natural Term of Human Existence; and an Outline of the Organs and Functions subservient to Life. By John Pinney, Esq., Author of "The Alternative: Disease and Premature Death, or Health and Long Life," &c. [There are occasional shrewd remarks in The Antidote on "the causes that abridge the natural term of human existence," mixed up with a great deal of verbiage: but the shrewd observations are not original, or as man is constituted very practical; and the verbiage is not 80 striking as the verbiage of irregular dis- coverers sometimes is. The antidote to premature death, which Mr. Pinney has topropose, is, "that every person should make himself acquainted with the struc- ture of his body; its organs and functions, so far as they relate to the means of preserving him in health "; throw physic to the dogs, and the doctors along with it; and carefully observe the dietetic axiom which Milton pats into the mouth of Raphael, "the rule of not too much." After attacking the inconsistencies and want of knowledge of the medecins, Mr. Pinney promulgates his own opinion of the origin of disease: with those physicians who are "disposed to take a correct View of this important matter," he ascribes it to "excitement,"—though it would be safer, and quite as clear, to say "derangement?] Notes upon Dancing, Historical and Practical. By C. Blasis, Ballet-mas- ter to the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden, &c. Ent:. Barton, the translator and in part compiler of this publication, states that the object of C. Blasis is to expound the principles of dancing and pantomime:: dancing, in his view, being limited to quick and joyous movements—irresistible outbreaks of animal gayety, it would appear; while pantomime conveys by ges- ture, expression, and music, a continuous story-, in which every kind of feeling or passion may be represented. If such were really the objects of the author, we are tumble to trace thtm in this volume. The first part is a sort of historical account of dancing, sometimes encyclopedic, as in the references to classical and Jewish dancing; at other times more fresh and original, as in the description of existing national dances. The second part of the book contains an account of the system introduced by the author into the Imperial and Royal Academy of Dancing at Plan, when be was appointed President; with panegyrics from the Continental Journals upon himself and pupils. The third part is a notice of the various mo- dern members of the family of Blasis, or De Blasis, or De Blasiis as it was writ- ten at Rome in the days of Augustus and Tiberius, when it was of patrician rank. The publication is a singular example of vanity and elevated self-opinion, min- gled with some clever remarks upon dancing.] The Shadow of the Pyramid; a series of Sonnets. By Robert Ferguson. [This little volume contains a series of sonnets, suggested by the author's visit to Egypt and intended to be descriptive of her past and present state, with here and there some dim indications of what may be her future. The sonnet is per- haps properly limited to some expression of personal feeling; but it is not ill adapted to the expression of a sentiment upon some general theme. Unless, how- ever, there be judgment in the choice of topics and comprehension in their treat- ment, no single subject will be completely presented; while the artificial limitation to fourteen lines tends to force upon the writer curtness in the matter and an abrupt stiffness in the execution: anything like the coherence of a continuous view is of course out of the question. These almost necessary defects of the sonnet Mr. Fer- guson has not been able to overcome: but he manages it as well as most writers, if we except the few great poets who have not failed in it. His style is sounding, and not original: but the sonnets have often this character of originality—they have obviously been suggested by the genius loci; they would hardly have been written by one who had not been in Egypt.] Elodie, anti other Poems By Hester Annie Lawton. [Miss Lawton states, that with the exception of Elodie, the pieces in this vo-: lame were, written for amusement alone, and are published " just as they were written on the impulse of the moment, uncorrected and unaltered, not from igno- rance of the rights of the reader, nor yet from indolence in complying with them; but from absolute inability to read, critically what were written without consider- ation or reflection." The fair author is only twenty years of age, and some of the pieces were written two or three years ago. When the reader puts all these facts together, he may draw a conclusion which will spare us the necessity of passing a judgment upon Elodie and other Poems.] Highland Sports and Highland Quarters. By Herbert Byng Hall, Esq., Author of "Spain and the. Seat of War in Spain," " Scenes at Home and Abroad," &c. With Illustrations. In two volumes.

[Mr. Hall appears to have served in the Peninsular war; and he is still an en, thusiastic sportsman, hardened by the fatigues of a campaign into daring or en- during anything in the way of field-sports or excursionizing. His experience, too, is great: but, whatever his judgment may be in the field, it is rather un- disciplined in the closet. He allows both his memory and his pen to run away with him. The true themes .of his book are a few sporting excursions in the Highlands, and visits to the Isle of Skye, Orkney, and Shetland: but the forms: is so overlaid with, collateral reminiseencea-of various kinds, and writing of a very indifferent kind, that the sporting matterit does contain is buried. The deacrtp- • tions of Orkney and Shetland are better, because briefer: they give a rather . roughly-finished but clear and not uninteresting account of those remote places, and their seas. Had the Highland Sports been done upon the same scale, with, the omission of "the all and sundry, we should have had one readable little, book, instead of two wordy volumes.] The Parliamentary Companion. Fifteenth Year. New Parliament. By Charles R. Dodd, Esq., Author of the "Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage," &e.

[Mr. Dodd has continued to.improve his Parliamentary Companion, until it has beaten all competitors out of the field. It is industriously. compiled, impartial; ' and we believe uncommonly accurate; though we observe still it fewflaws, such- as‘ the misspelling of names: for instance, Mr: Rutherfurd's name Mr. Dahl- chooses to spell Rutherford; he is atodds with the Gazette in the spelling of Sie John Tyrell s name, which he makes Tyrrell; See. A printed note which =ern- panics the Comparisoe enumerates the following among thereimu-kable features, of the new edition- " I. Two hundred and twenty-threes persons who had no seats In the House of Coma • mono at the period of its dissolution have been returned to the New Parliament. or: course a corresponding number have been ejected, or have retired from. public life. "So large an amount of change has, not taken place since•the election of the nest Re--

formed Parliament; the numberahaving• been, • On that occasion, 280 persons, In 1834-5, at the general election, 184 persons, In 1837, at the general eleet5on,‘121 persona, In 1841, at the general election. 153 penons, On the present occasion, 223 persons..

"11. The composition of 'the House of•Commons has also undergone the following changes: there haveheen returned,

A greater number of Railway ])iteetors, Engineers, and Contractors, A greater number of Barristers, A greater number of Merchants, A greater number of Retail Tradesmen, A greater number of Political Writers and Lecturers, A smaller number of Naval and Military Officers, A smaller number of persons connected with Noble.Fandiles,

A smaller number of Country Gentlemen,

than on any other occasion since this Annual was commenced."]

• In our lists we make only 210 new Members : the data of Mr. Dodd's estimate are - not given.

The Human Brain: its Structure, Physiology, and Diseases. With a De- scription of the Typical Forma of Brain in theoAnimal Kingdom. By' Samuel Solly, EB.S., Ecc: Second edition. With. numerous. Wood. engravings.

[The first edition of this work was.published in 1836; and one main object of Mr. Sony was to direct the attention of the student to a better manner of dissecting the brain, as well as of studying its physiology. The importance of the subject. and the author's elaborate treatment have brought it to a second edition; which contains various additions the result of Mr. Solly's experience or observation dm, ring the intervening period.]

Sermons. By Alfred Getty, MA., Vicar of Ecclesfield. Second edition. [When the first edition of these Sermons appeared, we noticed them as a series of.' plain and practical but close and scholarly discourses. The appearance of a see cond edition irr a short time justifies our recommendation, as well as that of the parishioners of Ecclesfield, at whose request they were originally published. The new edition has been carefully revised; and a Visitation Sermon added, at the.da. sire of the Archdeacon of York, before whom it was preached.] The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical,Historrof England, Also, The An.glo Saxon Ecclesiastical Chronicle. With Illustrative Notes, a Map of Anglo- Saxon Englandy and a General Index. Edited by J. A. Giles, D.C.L., See (Bohn's Antiquarian Library.)

[This volume is the first number of a new speculation, in which, under the title of the Antiquarian Library, Mr. Bohn seems about to publish a series of the most interesting and important works connected with British history.and archsrology. The opening publication is well chosen; for thereader who wishes to go to the origin of English history hashere in a single volume, the .two great fountains whence historians draw—the History of Bede and theSaxon Chronicle.]

The Philosophy of Life, and Philoeophy of Language; in a Course of Lec- tures, by Frederick Von Schlegel. translated from the German by the Reverend A. J. W. Morrison, ILA. (Bohn's Standard Library.) The Natural History qi"Stssek.up" People. By Albert Smith.

ILLUSTRATED WORKS.

Chart of Ancient AMMO!r -from the Eleventh to the Seventeenth Century. By L Hewitt.

[An engraving which contains eighteen figures of armed men, exhibiting the changes in the metal, clothing worn by those of gentle blood. Three figures are allotted to each century, representing the beginning, middle, and end ; except that the eleventh and twelfth centuries, of which the monuments are scanty, are treated as one period. The print gives a very good general idea of the changes which armour-underwent from the time of the Normans to that of Cromwell. A small explanatory pamphlet accompanies the chart4 Picturesque Illu.strations of Ancient Architecture in Hindostan. By James

Fergusson. Part IL [The prints improve in artistical qualities. The first view represents, close to the spectator, the magnificent "Temp e of Chandravati,"of which little more that the pillars remains; next there is the "Temple of Barolli,"—massive and light, grand and fanciful; then "the Jairia Tower at Cheetore,"—a toylike structure, but re- deemed from pettiness by beautiful liglitness and symmetry; "the Temple of Vi- mans flab, Abu," "the Temple of Sadri,"—each more beautiful than the other.]

Scotland Delineated. Part IV.

[Five more plates of this fine series: "Ben More., from the Strathfellan "; "Holy- rood Palace, from the Calton Hill "; " Glenna Castle' "—associated with the apocryphal traditions of Macbeth; "Melrose Abbey, from the South,"—.a building celebrated for its beauty, and most beautifully delineated by Mr. Roberts; "In- terior of Glasgow Cathedral," by Joseph Nash, with the men of Glasgow rescuing it from destruction by the Iconoclasts; "Edinburgh, from Mound,"—a spacious and animated scene by W. L Leitch.]

Ground Plan of the Actual State of the Temple of Minerva at Athens. By George Knowles.

[A ground plan, shaded and figured, with explanatory text, showing the position of the ruins, the condition of each part, and the positions of the parts which have been destroyed.]

MAPS.

771e District of the Lakes. By James Wyld, Charing Cross.