23 JANUARY 1864, Page 22

The British Empire. By Caroline Bray. (Longman and Co.)—A geographical

description of the British Isles and of all its various pos- sessions in Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. Intending, as we imagine, to supply the older pupils in schools with something fuller than the ordinary school geographies, and yet less cumbrous than Knight's "Cyclopedia of Geography" or Bell's work in six portly octavos, we think Miss Bray has fairly succeeded in her task. It would be easy, of course, to pick small holes. We do not know why the Channel Islands, which neither geographically nor constitutionally are part of England, are so treated, while Heligoland is regarded as a possession. But this is not a fair way of dealing with a book which has to deal with so wide a range of subjects within so narrow a compass. One novel feature deserves especial notice, viz., the chapter on the ecclesiastical divisions of England. By the way, is there such a thing as a cheap map of England, giving the division into dioceses, archdeaconries, and parishes ?