PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Two volumes published simultaneously by the Hakluyt Society are valuable contributions to the history of geographical discovery. The text of EARLY VOYAGES TO AUSTRALIA comprises fifteen documents, most of which have been translated by the editor from Spanish, French, and Dutch originals, five of the latter being manuscripts preserved at the Hague. These documents are illustrated by facsimiles of five early maps and charts, and by a modern outline chart of Australia. An explanatory introduction by the editor, written with care and judgment, greatly en- hances the value of the work.

Mr. Markham has translated from Grarcilasso Inca de is Vega's "Royal Commentaries of Peru," and from Herrera's "General History of the Western Indies," narratives of those early ExrEnrrrosa INTO THE OF THE AMAZONS, which as he says in his pleasant and instructive in- troduction, are perhaps the most romantic episodes in the history of Spanish discovery. To these he has added a complete translation of an exceedingly scarce book by an intelligent traveller, Father Cristoval de Acwia, who in 1639 accompanied Texeira in his expedition from Quito, down the Napo and the Amazons to Pare on the mouth of the latter river. Acuria's work was published at Madrid in 1641; "but before it had issued from the press the Portuguese had shaken off the yoke of Spain, and again become an independent state. The wretched govern- ment of Philip IV., terrified lest the Portuguese should take advantage of any information contained in Acufia's book, and forgetting that Texeira and all his officers knew quite as much about the Amazons as the Spanish priest, ordered every copy of the work to be immediately and effectually destroyed." So well was this stupid order obeyed, that only four copies of this earliest published account of the river of the Amazons are known to exist, one of which is in the King's Library in the British Museum.

The author of Taimi FROM MOLIERE says, in his brief and modest pre- face, that be has attempted to do for Moliere what Charles Lamb has done for Shakespeare. He has transmuted each play from the dramatic to the narrative form, adhering rigidly to the plot, and to a great extent preserving the dialogue but excluding from it all phrases at variance with modern notions of propriety.

Wisest THE SNOW FALLS is a collection of twenty-three tales by Mr. Moy Thomas, all of which except one have appeared in Household Words. We are glad to learn from the trade department of the Critic that three- fourths of the edition have been sold within the first week of publication. Whatever success the book obtains will hardly be more than it deserves.

THE MANCHESTER FLORA is an excellent guide to field botany, and though written expressly for the explorers of one district of eighteen miles radius, will be very acceptable to all students of our indigenous vegetation wherever they reside. The distinctive quality of the book is its fitness for general use. The author's great aim has been "to make everything plain," and he has succeeded so well that he is fairly entitled to call his book 'a complete and intelligible guide," which may be con- fidently taken in hand by students the least conversant with the technical language of botany. Other books professing the same object are happily described by Mr. Grindon as being "like ladders defieient in the lower steps." His ladder is complete in all its rungs from the ground upwards.

We have before us three of Dr. Lee's little treatises on continental localities to which English invalids may resort in quest of health. One of them, THE SOUTH OF FRANCE, is a new book presenting a compact résumé of the climatic and other remedial resources of that region. The other two are reprints.

PAPERS ON TEACHING AND ON KINDRED SUBJECTS, by the Reverend William Ross, B.A., have nearly all appeared in the Church of England Sunday School Quarterly Magazine. Some are original; some translated from the French ; and others from the German. The topics treated are various. Among them are Physical and Intellectual Education ; the Cateehetical method ; Class Instruction and Examination; School Sick- ness; the Training System, and a Sketch of the History of Public Scheele in France. Mr. Ross writes cleverly and sensibly.

THE CHURCH DISTINGUISHED, by Caleb Webb, discusses the relations of the Christian Community to the World. "The World from -which the Church is to be distinguished is not merely positive wickedness, but the general system of natural humanity as existing on this earth." This little volume contains thirty-six chapters on Christian Intercourse and Associate Action ; Christian Assemblies ; the Sacrifice of Christ; Sepa- ration; Sacred Times and Places ; Community of Celibates ; Traditionary Religiousness; Family Combination ; Church Recognition, and Similar Subjects. The book is adapted to the spiritual needs of the Low Church- man or Dissenter.

DISCOURSES, by William Anderson, LL.D., has reached a second edi- tion. Among the twelve subjects selected for exposition are the Divine Family ; the Theory of Affliction and Death ; the Perpetuity of the Church ; Charitable Judgments, and the Authority of Christ. In the second discourse, which contains the fundamental principles of the au- thor's theology, the relation of God to Man is described as that of "our Ring-father, the idea of the Divine Paternity being the principal one, and that of the Royalty the subordinate and qualifying one." In re- spect of our corporeal frames, we are, says Dr. Anderson, in the pre- dicament of the lower animals, whose existence and properties have been transmitted, and not directly created; but "each of us received his soul immediately from God." This is a bold assertion. How does Dr. Anderson know ? Without pausing for a reply we shall characterize his volume of Discourses in nearly his own language. They represent the old commonplace theology simplified, with but slight regard to those conventional forms by which Sermons have been so injuriously affected.

Mr. Curtis, Vice-Principal and Lecturer on History at the Training College, Borough Road, has written a SCHOOL AND COLLEGE HISTORY OF ENGLAND, which we have not had time to examine in detail. We can speak, however, with some confidence in commendation of its plan, which, the author says, has been in part suggested by Dr. Henry's History. Among its distinctive features are these : unusual prominence given to the constitutional history of the country; supplementary information as to religion, trade, commerce' agriculture, manners and customs, appended to the ordinary political history, and distinguished from it by a different type ; full genealogical tables of each dynasty ; and dates assigned to almost all the events that are mentioned in the work.

BOOKS.

Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons, 1539, 1540, 1639. Translated and Edited, with Notes, by Clements R. Markham, F.R.G.S.

Early Voyages to Terra Australia, now called Australia : a Collection of Do- cuments, and Extracts from Early Manuscript Maps, illustrative of the His- tory and Discovery on the Coasts of that vast Island, from the beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the Time of Captain Cook. Edited, with an In- troduction, by B. H. Major, Esq., F.S.A.

When the Snow Palls. By W. May Thomas. Two volumes.

The Manchester Flora : a descriptive List of the Plants growing wild within eighteen miles of Manchester, with Notices of the Plants commonly cul- tivated in Gardens ; precede& by an Introduction to Botany. By Leo Hartley Grindon. With numerous Wood-cut Illustrations.

The South of Prance. Notices General and Medical of Ify&es, Cannes, Pau, and the Pyrenean Baths. By Edwin Lee, M.D.

Papers on Teaching and on Kindred Subjects. By the Reverend William Ross, B.A., Re.

Church Distinguished ; or, the Christian Community in its relations to the World. By Caleb Webb, Author of "The Sensibility of Separate Souls Con- sidered." Discourses. By William Anderson, LL.D. Second Series.

Misrepresentation. A Novel. By Anna H. Drury. In two volumes.

Undercurrents; a Novel of Our Day. By Vane Ireton St. John. In three volumes.

Note or Never. A Novel. By M. Betham-Edwards.

The Lily of Devon. A Novel. By C. F. Armstrong, Esq., Author of "The

Two Midshipmen."" The Warhawk," Re. In three volumes.

An Autumn in Silesia, Austria-Proper, and the Ober Enna. By the Author of "Travels in Bohemia."

Self-Help, with Illustrations of Character and Conduct. By Samuel Smiles, Author of the "Life of Robert Stevenson."

Deborah ; or, Christian Principles for Domestic Servants. With Extract Read- ings for the Fireside. By Rev. Norman Macleod, D.D.

Punch's Pocket Book for 1860. Illustrated by John Leech and John Tenuiel.

Charlie and Ernest, or Play and Work. A Story of Hazlehtust School. By M. Betham-Edwards. With four Illustrations by J. D.

Tragic Dramas from Scottish History. Heselrie. Wallace (second edition).

James the First of Scotland.

East and West, and other Poems. By L. I. T.

Matilda of Normandy. A Poetical Tribute to the Imperial Academy of Caen.

By H. M. Carey.

Metrical Tales and other Poems. By Samuel Lover. Illustrated by W. Harvey. Hablot K. Browne, Kenny Meadows, F. Skill, and P. Skelton. Tales from Moliere's Plays. By Deere Barrett Lennard.

Cottoniron : a Poem. By L. B. E.

Kingston's Annual for Boys, 1860. A School and College History of England. By J. C. Curtis. A New Latin Grammar. By H. D. Kavanagh.

A New English Grammar. by M.D. Kavanagh.

Glad Tidings. NEW EDITIONS.

A Second Series of Hand Shadows to be thrown upon the Wall : consisting of Novel and Amusing Figures formed by the Hand. From original Designs by Henry Bursa'. Second edition. Evelyn Marston. By the Author of "Emilia Wyndham," "Two Old Men's Tales," Re. Spain and its Climates, with a Special Account of Malaga. By Edwin Lee, M.D.

Nice and its Climate, with Notices of the Coast from Marseilles to Genoa ; and Observations on the Remedial Influence of Climate. By Edwin Lee, M.D. Capital, Currency, and Banking ; being a collection of a series of articles

published in the Economist in 1845, on the principles of the Bank Act of • 1844, and in 1847, on the recent monetarial and commercial crisis ; conclud- ing with a Plan for a Secure and Economical Currency. With an Appendix. By the Right Hon. James Wilson. Second edition.

SERIAL.

Ad rentures and Histories of Remarkable Men. By H. S. Cockayne. illustrated with Engravings.

ALMANACS.

Dictrichsen and Hannay's Royal Alinanack : and Nautical and Astronomical Ephemeris, for the Year 1860.