23 MAY 1868, Page 23

I Vhat Stops the Way. By William Ellis. (Smith and

Elder.)—What stops the way, that is, the way to the social and political well-being that

education might give us, is, Mr. Ellis says, firstly, "Verbal Illusions,"

i.e., the habit of using words without comprehending what they mean ; and, secondly, "Religious Illusions," by which we are to understand the difficulties which beset the question of religions instruction. Society will be thankful for any help in clearing away these obstacles, but will hardly got much from Mr. Ellis, who is a very confused and un- methodical thinker, and who, of course, loses his temper on the religious question.