16 APRIL 1864, Page 21

A Handbook of Rhetoric. By the Rev. Professor Barry. (W.

B. Kelly.)—This little book is founded on the works of Stirling and

Holmes, once popular class-books. Mr. Barry has made out of them a capital treatise, rich in examples, the only way of teaching boys rhetoric ; but we cannot think he will ever revive it as part of an edu- cational course. The list of the figures of speech is perfectly appalling, and the couplet of Hudibras ridiculed well nigh to death this laborious naming of our tools of speech long ago.