CURRENT LITERATURE.
Abyssinia : its Past, Present, and Probable Future. By Rev. Dr.
Maryoliouth. (Macintosh.)—The story here summarized and originally delivered as a lecture is but too well known. The past and future of Abyssinia are very cursorily treated, indeed what is said about the latter is principally in connection with the relation between the well known African fly and certain passages in Isaiah, from which it is argued that Abyssinia has yet to play a very important part in the drama of the world's history. Tho main portion of the pamphlet relates to the mis- fortunes of Messrs. Stern and Cameron, and dwells very much on the iniquity of poor Lord Russell in not replying to the extraordinary mix- ture of theology, politics, and compliments which the Emperor Theodore addressed to the Queen, in the shape of a letter that must have cost the sable potentate a groat deal of trouble to compose. The Foreign Secretary little guessed the misery he was destined to bring upon the unfortunate missionaries and the English Consul (who, how- ever, had certainly been meddling too much in State matters), or no doubt he would have treated the African monarch to the best specimen of his well known epistolary powers. The worthy doctor tells the story with frankness and vivacity, but he does not increase our estimate of the capacity of the missionary mind for dealing with international or ecclesiastical questions.
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