PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Booxs.

The great book of thq,week, if its merits turn out in proportion to its bulk, is the three volumes of the American Mr. Motley's " Rise of the Dutch Republic." The subject, however, has been partly forestalled by Mr. Prescott in his " Philip the Second," and will, when he com- pletes his history, be carried somewhat further. Mr. Motley termi- nates the present pprtion of his task with the death of William the Silent, Prince of Orange ; of whose life and times, indeed, the work mainly consists ; some hundred introductory pages only, tracing the his- tory of the Low Countries to the time of Philip.

The second volume of Mr. Macleod's "Theory and Practice of Bank- ing" contains some economical disquisition, but is chiefly occupied with the history of banking in England and a view of the law on the subject : for which things the author is much better fitted, we think, than for the exposition of very abstruse and difficult questions of political economy.

"The Diary of Travels" promises some novelty of sentiment at least; many Europeans have published their travels in Australia, but here we have an Australian putting forth his observations on Europe and the East. " The Food of London " appears to be a mixture of statistics, po- litical economy applied, and anecdote or economic gossip. Of the ihree fictions, it will go hard if there is not something in more than one. The Rice of the Dutch Republic : a History. By John Lothrop Motley. In three volumes.

The Theory and Practice of Banking ; with the Elementary Principles of Currency, Prices, Credit, and Exchanges. By Henry Dunning Macleod., Esq., of the Inner Temple Barrister-at-law; Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 'Volume H.

Diary of Travels in Three. Quarters of the Globe. By an Australian Settler. In two volumes.

The Food of London : a Sketch of the chief Varieties, Sources of Sup- ply, probable Quantifies, Modes of Arrival, Processes of Manufac- ture, suspected Adulteration, and Machinery of Distribution of the Food for a Community of two millions and a half. By George Dodd, Author of " British Manufactures," &c.

After Dark. By Wilkie Collins, Author of " Basil," &e. In two volumes.

Our Own Story; or the History of Magdalene and Basil St. Pierre. By Selina Bunbury, Author of " Life in Sweden," &c. In three volumes.

Life's Chances : a Novel. In three volumes.

The Danes and the Swedes : being an Account of a Visit to Denmark, and a Journey across the Peninsula of Sweden. By Charles Henry

Scott, Author of " The Baltic, the Black Sea, and the Crimea."

Sermons in Stones. By Dominick M'Causland.—The object of this work is to reconcile the discoveries in geology with the Mosaic account of the Creation ; which, says Mr. M'Causland, has confessedly not yet been done, at least to silence the sceptic, however well satisfied the author of a particular theory and his followers may be. Any mythical interpretation will not do : "if Scripture gives an uncertain sound in its first page, where are we to look for a sure word in any part of it ?" The idea of Dr. Chalmers and others, that the Mosaic account refers to a limited creation, which took place during six natural days, and does not attempt to narrate the successive events of the geological periods, " merely rescued- the Scripture narrative from the imputation of false- hood, but supplied nothing in the way of confirmation of its truth," &c. The use of the word " day " in the sense of an indefinite period of time, Mr. M'Causland allows : but then, the order of creation on the succes- sive days does not agree with the facts of geology—at least did not till our author took the matter in hand. His argument may be stated thus.

The " day " assigned to the successive orders of creation was a very long period of time—long enough, in fact, for anything. It is, however, highly probable that the inspiration was conveyed to Moses in vision ; and each epoch as presented to him in this way formed in his estimation a day, which accounts for the introduction of " evening" and " morn- ing." In the " beginning," the earth was without form and void,—pro-

perly invisible and unfurnished; that is, waters covered the granitic crust of the earth, and there was no life of any kind in it whether animal or vegetable. This exactly tallies with speculation as to the first formation of the globe and the evidence of the azoic strata, which have no organic remains. The author then proceeds through the remaining texts of Genesis ; and, comparing them with the condition of the succeeding strata, the fossil depositions found in them, and the cosmical inferences to be drawn from the facts, he arrives at the conclusion that they are in the exactest harmony with the Mosaic narrative. The statement of the case is clearly made ; the sketch of the leading facts of geology slightly rhetorical, but not without interest; the argument cleverly managed. The strict logic sometimes halts. In Genesis, the creation of animals takes place on the fifth day ; in geology, fossil remains of the lowest orders of submarine animals, zoophytes, &c., are found in the strata of the first day, and go on increasing with each successive day. Mr. M'Causland conquers this difficulty by remarking, that Moses, beholding the whole in vision, could only see what would have been palpable to sight or hearing if he had been actually present ; and therefore he omits what took place below the sea. Moses, however, indicates the fact of a creation by the words " the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," though he might not know what was created.

A Visit to Sebastopol a Week after its Fall.—This account of a few days' visit to the camp and city of Sebastopol, by "an Officer of the Anglo-Turkish Contingent," contains little that is new, and throws no fresh light on what was already known. The captured city has been de- scribed more fully by men who were there on the very morning of its evacuation ; the camp delineated under circumstances more favourable to observation than the hasty inspection narrated in this little volume. The condition of the wounded in the camp-hospitals is perhaps an ex- ception ; the Officer of the Turkish Contingent visited and describes them. This little bit from the Redan conveys a more definite idea of its "difficulty " than any other we have met. "This Redan is really an awful place—a fearful hole to force an entrance into ; it is a hundred per cent more difficult of assault than the Malakhoff. Within it is quite a labyrinth ; masked batteries on every side, and loop- holed places where thousands could screen themselves and thence mow down the 9,.9ilsnts. We actually lost ourselves in wandering through this maze. And our men had ground for their apprehensions : right before them—on the spot where their gallant Colonel stood—a tremendous mine had explo- ded. In fact, the entire surface of the place was mined. A mine commu- nicated from the North side to these ; and it was evidently the intention of the enemy to fire all when they could get a good number of their assailants to blow up together."

In addition to " Sebastopol," there is the voyage to and from Con- stantinople, with some sketches of the city, and some suggestions as to Turkey : but these last partake of the principle of "belling the cat "- how is it to be done ?

The Principles of Ethics according to the New Testament.—This little treatise is of about the length and scope of an average University sermon, and is therefore rather a dear two-shillings' worth. Its object is clearly enough expressed in the following words : " The chief aim of specula- tion has always been to supply a comprehensive first principle sanctioned by a bond of obligation. Yet to a simple Christian both of these are clear. The fact that he is redeemed is a bond of obligation which is binding on his very soul : his body and his spirit are God's." And again : "We believe that the origin of moral obligation is no other than the death of Christ." In other words, the two common theories of morality, best represented perhaps by the names of Paley and Butler, are each defective, the former in ignoring the sentiment of virtue, the latter that of happiness; the former in appealing to a selfish principle, the latter to a vague monitor. The revelation of a personal God, the " father of spirits," the author of our being, and the judge of our actions, reconciles the two theories, and contains the whole truth of which they are partial representations. This is not very new, however true ; and we have seen it urged with far greater force of argument and felicity of illustration than in this essay, which should have been a sermon, not from its subject, but from its incomplete and somewhat feeble handling.

The. Book of Solomon called Ecclesiastes or the Preacher. By the Re- verend Aaron Augustus Morgan, M.A., St. John's College, Cambridge ; Tyrrwhitt's Hebrew University Scholar, &c.—This handsome volume contains a metrical version of Ecclesiastes, introduced by an elaborate prose analysis of the entire argument of the book. We prefer the prose as succinctly and more correctly presenting the philosophy of Solomon than the verse. The paraphrase is somewhat prosaic ; and if it were more poetical than it is, it would not successfully compete with the established version : that has taken possession of the minds of readers, and posses- sion is nine points of literature as well as of law.

Poland and Other Poems. By John Clark Ferguson.—Poland is a sum- mary of the salient points of the country's modern history ; the " Other Poems" are miscellaneous. As in his former publication the "Pleasures of Music," the author exhibits a pleasing imitation of the style of Camp- bell and Rogers • but he imports too many of the images of British life into the representation of Polish sufferings.

Allhallows at Avillion. By Compton Bassett. —The framework of this " literary and political satire," consisting of a supposed visit to the en- chanted court of King Arthur, is purposeless and clumsy. The so-called satire is generally coarse and prosaic, with a smart stanza here and there.

Illustrated Medical In-door Gymnastics. By Moritz Schreber, M.D. Translated from the third German edition, by Henry Skelton.—The ob- ject of this work is to supply a series of gymnastic exercises of a simple that can for the most part be practised in-doors in a small space. They are intended to preserve the sedentary in health, as well as to cure or prevent certain specified diseases. The motions appear easy, though monotonous; and the verbal directions are rendered plainer by cats. The advantage of a competent teacher in these cases is obvious, not only for instruction, but for the mental stimulus which a class affords. Every- body knows about sponging-baths, exercises, and other means of pre- serving health ; but few persevere in the practice after the novelty is over. They get tired, and require some motive of action. We are not sure hat that this book has been already translated or practically repro- duced.

Words far the Heart and Life. By the Reverend A. J. Morris.—A se- ries of sermons on broad and practical subjects of moral and religious duty. They are plainly and powerfully written, with something of

the platform style modified by the pulpit. They exhibit a consideration for human nature and the practice of life, but without compromise of re- ligious principle, which is not always found in Nonconformist divine's.

Breviarii Sarisburiensis.—A curious book, though of a limited interest, is the Sarum Breviary, or principal Prayer-book in use in the Province of Canterbury before the reign of Edward the Sixth. It is of comse Romanist. The editor is Mr. Charles Seeger, author of The Female Jesuit Abroad.

The Churchman's Fear-Book, for 1856.—This clerical annual contains a variety of matter useful to the English clergyman, and forming indeed the original materials of Church history for the past year. The debates in Parliament on Church questions—acts of Parliament and Parlia- mentary papers relating to the Church—proceedings in courts of law re- specting the discipline of the clergy or their rights and liabilities—are among the contents of the book. There is also a quantity of information respecting religious societies, Colonial churches, and miscellaneous matters.

The interest of the subject and the animation of the writer have

brought the Reverend Mr. Hughes's "Two Summer Cruises with th*ethilladZ Fleet" to a second edition. The only noticeable feature is the new pre- face, in which the author replies at length to the charge of "inhuman- ity," brought against him for urging a vigorous prosecution of the war by the destruction of commercial depflts and of materials that may be worked up into ships or munitions of war. The tone is aggressive rather than defensive. The argument is an assault upon the commercial spirit of the age, which has no objection to the terrible destruction of life or the infliction of horrible sufferings in battle, but shrinks from the losses of the mercantile community. " With those writers whose sympathies are all for pounds, shillings, and pence--for corn, groceries, timber, and tar—I have no sentiment in common. My feelings, I confess, are all for the sufferings of flesh and blood, for the team of bereaved kindred, for the pangs of mutilated men. I may be wrong, but I would rather hear that a merchant was bankrupt at Odessa, than that a soldier was killed in action ; I would rather learn that Helsingfors and Revel were in flames, than I would read the details of another 18th of June, or the assault of another Malakhoff or Redan."

The third edition of Mr. Carr's excellent single-volume History. of Greece is entitled to a word of welcome. The strange tale of feminine art and imposture exhibited in " The Female Jesuit Abroad " has brought it to a new edition, Mr. Binney's Sermons on the Practical Power of Faith have arrived at a third edition, after the lapse of a quarter of a century.

Two Summer Cruises with the Baltic Fleet, in 1854-'5. Being the Log of the "Pet" Yacht, 8 tons, R. T. Y. C. By the Reverend Robert Edgar Hughes, M.A., Fellow of Magdalen College, Cam- bridge. Second edition, revised.

A History of Greece ; including its Geography, Literature, and Politi- cal Institutions. By Thomas Swinburn Carr, M.A., Author of the

"Manual of Classical Mythology," &c. Third edition. •

The Female Jesuit Abroad : a True and Romantic Narrative of Real Life ; including some Account, with Historical Reminiscences, of Bolan and the Middle Rhine. By Charles Seeger, M.A. Second thousand. The Practical Power of Faith : Illustrated in a Series of Popular Dis- courses on part of the Eleventh Chapter of theEpistle to the Hebrews. By T. Binney. Third edition.

NEW MAGAZINE.

Iratakairon. No. I. January 1856.—This new periodical seems rather a vehicle for individual effusions than a magazine directed to sup- ply a want, or even planned with any definite purpose. The scale is too curt for a monthly publication, whose primary. object should be greater elaboration and fulness than can be attained in weekly journals. The number consists of six articles in twenty-two pages, and each article is characterized by an amateur tone.