CURRENT LITERATURE.

At Home in Paris. By Blanchard Jerrold. Second Series. 2 vols. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—There are good things of various kinds in the papers which have been collected and republished in these volumes; but we are inclined to think that it would have been wise had the sons of the late Mr. Jerrold -made a selection from them instead of issuing them as they are. This is especially true of the social sketches in the first volume, consisting mainly of literary estimates after the fall of the Second Empire, under the title of " The Gavroche Party." They are essentially stale satire at the best ; written, too, as if by a good-natured man doing his best to play the cynic. In any case, why should there have been republished forty'pages or so of violent attack on the late M. Ronher by the living M. Zola ? as is acknowledged by Mr. Blanchard Jerrold himself, when he says, " This is an outline of contemporary history lately written by M. Emile Zola in the form of a romance. That a man of M. Zola's literary power should descend to such work is to be regretted ; --but that his countrymen should accept it is to be deeply deplored." That being so, we had rather be excused a rehash of M. Zola, of whom, indeed, we have in almost every respect too much. Of the second• volume; which has for its subject "The Art of Alms in France," we think a good deal more. It consists of manifestly reliable statistics, and other facts pleasantly pat, and may be consulted as a popular referencebook. Obviously we have something to learn from our Gallic neighbours in the matter of charity administration. Take, by way of evidence, this from Mr. Jerrold's chapter on "Out-Door Sick Relief ":—" The bureau machinery is cumbersome ; but it is valuable for this, that every sick or invalid 'person relieved comes directly under the eye of the bureau. The relief is carried to the pauper's home. A commissioner or lady of charity goes into the garrets, sees the sick wife or husband, and famished children, delivers the food or clothingwarrant,nnd examines all the just requirements of the case. Even loans-are made to siek-nursing mothers, and to parents whose children are rill, and to convalescents in distress. The poor children who attend the free schools receive reward and encouragement in the sensible shape of serviceable blouses and frocks, and payments for their -apprenticeship."

A New Book of Sports. (Richard Bentley and Son.)—This volume, "reprinted from the Saturday Review," as is very properly stated in the title-page, is not a book of rules of various games. It is 'something far more readable ; it is a series of pleasant essays, always exhibiting practical knowledge, about all kinds of amusements. 'Some of them are only touched, so to speak, upon the fringe. -Thus we hear little of football, except as it is played at Eton " In the-Field," and in "The Wall Game ;" and cricket appears only as "Cricket in America." Some, too, are left out altogether. There is nothing about lawn-tennis, which, indeed, is treated with a barely disguised contempt ; while there is an enthusiastic article about the -real tennis. But then, who can play at tennis but men of leisure and wealth ? Euchre and poker are described, but not whist ; and more And lotto, but not chess or draughts ; and sea-fishing, but not trout...Wring. We do not complain. A book that aimed at everything would certainly be dull, and possibly incorrect. This volume is, on the contrary,-always 'interesting, and, as far as we know, correct.

Major Frank. By A. L. G. Bosboom-Toussaint. Translated from the•-Dutch by James Akeroyd. (T. Fisher Unwin.)—Major Frank is the-nickname ef a young lady who, having had in her own family Affairs a disappointing experience of life, and wearied of the conventionalities of society, assumes a masculine demeanour, and becomes, not quite consistently, perhaps, a " Miss Misanthrope." The hero of the story-is a young Dutch nobleman, who has-a great fortune left to him not exactly-on the nondition, -but with the strongly-expressed hope, that he will marry this same eccentric young woman. Both he and she are related to the testator, who thus hopes to benefit the young lady without benefiting the young lady's father. It will thus be seen that the love-affair which forms the staple subject of the tale is not of the ordinary kind. It is managed with some skill, the characters are naturally drawn, and there are some interesting glimpses into Dutch life.

The Empire of the Hittites. By William Wright, B.A., D.D. (Nisbet and Co.)—Dr. Wright begins his book with a very interesting account of how the Hittite Inscriptions were secured. They had been discovered early in the century by Burckhardt, but had never been accurately copied, owing to the jealousy of the people of Hamar, where they were situated. Attempts, however, had been made to get transcripts, and there were rumours that the stones would be destroyed. Dr. Wright took the opportunity of the appoint ment of a liberal Pasha, and secured perfect copies, not without some diplomacy. We then have an account of what is known of the Hittites, first from Egyptian, and then from Assyrian sources. From both we get much information. One of the most interesting remains of Egyptian literature, "The Epic of Pentaur," refers to the campaign of Rameses II. against the Hittites. The Empire was then in its most flourishing condition. Egypt, indeed, was ultimately glad to -make a treaty of peace and alliance with it. It was in its decay when it came into contact with the Assyrian power. A third branch of the subject is the "Hittite from the stand-point of the Bible."

Without accepting all Dr. Wright's conclusions, we cannot but think that he is in the main correct as-against those who have criticised in a hostile manner the Bible narrative. Professor Sayco has contributed a chapter on the methods of deciphering the inscriptions. The volume is supplemented by a number of illustration?, very well executed, of the inscriptions, coins, seals, &c.

An Introduction to the Rtudy of Justinian's Digest, by Mr. H. J. Roby (Cambridge University Press), could not fail to be a work of much importance. The subject has beeil irefore the author's mind for many years, and we are inolined to believe that tho present book represents but a mere fraction of his original purpose. Mr. Roby devotes the first half of his space to a very full account of the corn

-position of the Digest, and to concise bat detailed notices of all the jurists, both these cited from and those,merely referred to. After

examining the order of the titles, be di cusses (after BInhtne) the order of the extracts, illustrating, by juxtaposition of some of the extracts with the originals, the true character of Tribonian's revision.

The chapter on lawyer's Latinsinight have been• usefully extended.

In the-second half Mr. Roby prints one title, de tau frewtu, and comments upon it at length, the notes being legal, philological, and antiquarian. Perhaps they might have been -pruned a little without loss. His explanation of the troublesome text about the funotions of the jurisconsalts seems to us certainly right. Mr. Roby professes to "furnish help of the same kind as that which is expected and given in many editions of classical authors." Such help is good, especially at Mr. Roby's hands, as far as it goes ; it is indeed essential. But the Digest is a book of law as well as a book of Latin ; and in addi tion to this we should have liked some similar treatment of the matter, which, however, Mr. Roby probably considers a proper sub ject only of particular explanation, text by text. The references to helpful books are much too limited. The work is -indispensable to the serious student.

Politics, by W. W. Crane and B. Moses, Professor of History and Political Economy in the University of California (G. P. Putnam's

Sons), is treated as an introduction to the study of comparative con stitutional law. "Analytical politics "alone is regarded, "practical politics" being deliberately excluded from consideration. "Analyti cal politics, or politics as a science, concerns itself with the con struction of Governments, with their instrumentalities for carrying out the will and using the force of communities or nations ; and, with reference to a particular Government at a particular period, it

may point out in what person or department the preponderance of power lies, or bow-power is distributed. In short, it treats of the

mechanism of government, illustrated by its development." The illustrations drawn from American experience are by no means too numerous, and can never be objected to as irrelevant or superfluous.

This is quite in keeping with the singularly fair and dispassionate tone of the whole book. The odium politicum is rigidly excluded, in spirit no less than in form. The facts are stated with accuracy, and the inferences drawn from them, if not always commanding our assent, are advanced with conciliatory temperateness. Numerous important distinctions, that are too often overlooked in the rush of practical politics, -are usefully set forth. Politics is an excellent little book, scholarly without pretension, simple in style, earnest in tone, and of solid workmanship from the first page to the last.

When AU was Young. By Cecil Clarke. (Elliot Stock.)—The characters in this " love-story," as the title-page describes it, are two Germans of the peasant class. Bat there is another couple of lovers, if they may be so-called, an English lady and gentleman, who busy themselves in the affairs of their German neighbours, and meet with

a reward of their own. The tale is readable enough ; but the style is cumbrous, especially when anything like humour is attempted.

POETRT.—Songs and P081114. By A. S. Wilson. (David Douglas, Edinbargh.)—Mr. Wilson sings of many heroines, some of them with very carious names (Clara Kildelo, Lalah Rae, are instances), and of various other subjects, and so fills a goodly volume which must contain, we calculate, between six and seven thousand verses. Very few of these are even tolerable. Sometimes a very simple, natural object is a theme for a few lines which have the merit of simplicity and genuine feeling ; but even in these the form is never what it should be. One fatal defect in Mr. Wilson is the want of any sense of humour. A glimmering of this would have prevented him from writing such a dialogue as that of " The Farmer and the Dying Partridge." Scotch farmers, by the way, probably are too wellinformed to suppose that partridges do them any harm. Mr. Wilson's championship is not, indeed, always wise. He gives us some hundred and twenty verses, "The Dying Curse of the White Mole." Wrath gainst cruelty is just enough, but it is not judiciously expressed in such lines as,

" Many studious friends in search of facts In bell-fire recompense their acts."

--The Daisy Chain : Poems and Translations. By Baroness Swift. The most interesting of these poems is, we think, "The Roman Campagna," which gives us a landscape fall of detail carefully worked in. "From the Memoirs of a Butterfly" is a sprightly jeu d'esprit, but, like the rest of these poems, somewhat wanting in form. In finish, indeed, "The Omen" is superior to its fellows. Here are the first two stanzas, which are really as good as anything that we can find in the volume : " On Ganges' banks, with wistful glance Bent o'er the waters broad expanse, Nerbudda, smiling, sees the gleam Her fiow'r.wreath'd lamp casts on the stream.

With bs'ed‘breath she marks it glide Rapidly o'er the moon-lit tide, Beneath the banyan's cloister'd *hale, Sacred to India's woodland glade."

But, surely, the last line has no meaning ? How can a " cloistered shade " be " sacred to a woodland glade " ?Apollo and Marsyas, and other Poems. By Eugene Lee-Hamilton. (Elliot Stock.)—There is some power in the first poem, in which the weird and gloomy utterances of Mamas are contrasted with the brighter speech of the sun-god ; but the form is often defective. There is some spirit, too, in " Hunting the King," a description of the flight and capture of Louis XVI., but here, again, as, indeed, everywhere throughout the volume, the same fault shows itself. Mr. Lae-Hamilton has something to say, but has a good deal yet to learn about the manner of saying it. A poet, for instance, must not talk of a thing that"' turns my vitals limp with fear." Still, there is promise in the volume, witness the following :— "Messsf s Loris n'On.

Asleep, a little fisher-girl one day Lay on the sands, within as old boat's shade ;

Her skirt was tattered, and the sea-breeze played

With her brown looftned hair a ceaseless play. A poet chanced to p .ss es there she lay ; Her sun-burnt face, her tatters be surveyed ; A golden coin between her lips he laid, And, letting her sleep on, he went his way.

What came of that gold windfall ? Did it breed Those long-loved coins which patient thrift can show With proud pure smile to meet the household need ?

Or stolen gold ? or those curet coins which grow Each year more sought, more loathed, and are the meed • Of women's loveless kisses ? Who can know ?"

—In The Log o' the Norseman' (Began Paul, Trench, and Co.), Mr. J. W. Gilbert Smith seeks to give some impressions of travel, so, at least, the title of his book and the table of contents would lead us to expect; but what are we to say of the following 2— "Like secret lovers who avoid the day,

The wistful sea rewards the kiss of night ; Nor is there aurbt their raptures to betray Save waves that meant and watchfully alight, The moment's courage soon submerged in fright : Nor is there sound, .ave somewhen suddenly The treacherous wind fierhears a whisper slight, The which forbiddenly It bears to me, With many a secret coyly stolen from the sea."

Such fancies do not come from any inspiration of Nature.—Camilla and Gertrude, and other Poems. By Florence H. Hayllar. (F. V. White and Co.)—Miss Hayllar has a creditable mastery over metre, shown, however, more in the rhymed verse, which is certainly fluent and easy, than in the blank, which wants force and dignity. The' thought has little or nothing original or vigorous ; and the volume on the whole is just of that neutral character which does not deserve censure, but is not good enough for hearty praise,—of all kinds of literary work the most hateful to the critic.—Glimpses " Beyond the Veil." By Laura A. Whitworth. (W. H. Beer and Co.)—These poems, especially those of the lyrical kind, have some spirit in them. The worst fault in them is their commonplace, their want of character. "Out with the Tide : a Fisherman's Story," for instance, has merit; but why make an old tar talk of the sea " Washing the shores of Eternity with a sound of Time's despair "?

it be our old friend "Omnia fate in peius ruere"P—Taras (Began Paul, Trench, and Co) is a volume of very modest size and pre. tensions, but with more in it than most of these books of occasional verse. Here are some of the verses ; there is nothing particular in them ; they would be the better for polishing ; the metre we object to, on account of the rarity of the rhymes (the verses being too long to admit of single rhyme); still there is something of the genuine gift in them :—

" Where is the sound of the songs you sang then

(You on the terrace, and I within)?

How fair you looked, with the sky behind you, . Idly touching your mandolin ! Not classic, no, but your voice was tender, Tears sounded through. though the songs were gay, 'Twits as if you had stretched out your hand and touched me, It had such a passionate, pleading way. Quaint, soft Lieder, recalling the pinewoods, Snatches of tinkling serenade, But one strange, keen note from an old Stornello, All these years in my soul has stayed. And some day, I think, be it yule or summer, Rain or sunshine, by land or sea, The faint, sad perfume of those dead roses, Their soul that still lives, will steal bask to me. And one day I know, in some soft still weather, When pale light stays in an opal sky, I shall hear that note from our old Stornello, Wandering back from the days gone by."

—The Children out of Doors : a Book of Verses. By "Two in One House." (D. Douglas, Edinburgh.)—There are some verses here which express with force and pathos the impression which the world's misery makes on hearts that can feel. "The Children out of Doors" are the unhappy outcasts of the streets, and their claim to sympathy and help is strongly put. But, from the literary point of view, the best piece in the book is that which we now quote ;—

" THE THOIIGHT OF ASTYANAX RESIDE liams.

(AFTER READING VIRGIL'S STORY OF ANDROMACHE ns EXILE.)

Yes, all the doves begin to moan,— But it is not the doves alone.

Some trouble, that you never heard In any tree from breath of bird, That reaches back to Eden lies Between your wind-flower and my eyes.

I fear it was not well, indeed, Upon so sad a day to read

So sad a story. But the day Is full of blossoms, do you say,—

And how the sun does shine? I know.

These things do make it sadder, though.

You'd cry, if you were not a boy, About this mournful tale of Troy? Then do not laugh at me, if I— Who am too old, you know, to cry— Just hide my face a while from you, Down here among these drops of dew.

. . . Must I for sorrow look so far ? This baby headed like a star, Afraid of Hector's horse-hair plume (His one sweet child, whose bitter doom So piteous seems—oh, tears and tears 1—) Has he been dust three thousand years ?

Yet when I see his mother fold The pretty cloak she stitched with gold Around another boy, and say : • He would be just your age to-day,

With just your hands, your eyes, your hair '— Her grief is more than I can bear."

—Child Life. By John Alfred Langford, LL.D. (Simpkin and Marshall.)—Here we have some simple rhymes, in which the writer seeks not to say what he thinks about children, but to give "a record of their own thoughts, words, and doings." It must be judged as a whole; for an extract might make what is really childlike seem childish.

The Death of Otho. By Isaac B. Ginner. (Began Paul, Trench, and Co.)—This tragedy is not more successful than such efforts commonly are. It deals in harrowing scenes (brings villains of the deepest dye, even a "chorus of malignant spirits," upon the stage), and exhausts all the vocabulary of passion and crime without being dramatically effective. The fact is, that Mr. Ginner is not a master of the implements which he seeks to use. Neither over language nor over metre has he the necessary command.—We have also to acknowledge The Poetical Works of Frances Ridley Havergal. 2 vols. (Nisbet and Co.)—A complete edition of the various poems, hymns, and songs of one of the most accomplished writers of sacred verse that this country has ever prodnced.—Musings in Faith and other Poems. By Joseph Lloyd Brereton.—Legenda Monastria, and other Poems. (A. R. Mowbray.)—Poems. By the Rev. F. Eleon. (London Literary Society.)—Boys Together, and other Poems. By Margaret Scott Taylor. (Began Paul, Trench, and Co.)—The Peril of the Republic, and other Poems. By George Macdonald Major. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London.)—The Triumph of Time : a Mystical Poem. By Ella Dietz. (W. H. Allen.)—Dramatic and Narrative Sketches. By W. St. Clair Baddeley. (Robson and Kerslake.)— Midas. By the late William Forster. (Began Paul, Trench, and Co.) —Crumbs of Verse. By T. Uph. (Nisbet and Co.)—Poems and Tales. By George Retching. (Simpkin and Marshall ; F. Carter, Derby.)—And a new edition, revised, of Herodias : a Dramatic Poem. By T. C. Heywood. (Began Paul, Trench, and Co.)— Sagittulae : Random Verses. By E. W. Bowling. (Longmans.)— Mr. Bowling sings of the emancipation of women, of the days to be, when, as he happily puts,