25 JANUARY 1840, Page 18

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

Fitz viggins ; a Novel. By the Author of " Sydenham," &c. In three vols.

Spain under Charles the Second; or Extracts from the Correspondence of the Hon. Alexander Stanhope, British :Minister at Madrid. 1690- 1699. From the originals at Chevening.

The Czar; a Romance of History. By the Author of " Manuella, the Executioner's Daughter, a Story of Madrid," &c. In three vols.

A Sister's Lore; • a Poem. By GUIDO Sonraxr, of Florence; Member of the Colonial Society ; Author of " My Confessions," &c. This is a poem remarkable for its subject, its author, and the circumstances under which it is produced. The heroine is the sister of SILVIO PELLICO, who takes the veil on her brother's condemnation to imprisonment ; the author is an Italian exile, who not only writes in English and Italian with equal free- dom, but his English poetry is very much better than that of a great num- ber of native poetasters whose productions come before us. The poem opens with the death-procession of Silvio and his comrade, commuted on the scaffold to imprisonment in Spielberg's dungeons; it then paints the agony of the patriot's family; and after describing the determination of Marlette, the heroine, to take the veil, and the ceremony which consummates it, follows her through the active duties of a life analogous to the Sisters of Mercy, till she finally sinks under her troubles.

As an additional recommendation to the volume, it should lie observed, that the Italian version is printed as well as the English; so that if the book should fail in imparting pleasure, it will yield instruction, and that of a kind not al- ways easy to procure—modern Italian by a travelled and enlightened master of his tongue.]

The Drama of a Life. By JOHN EDMUND -READS; Esq., Author of "Italy," &c. This is an imitation of "Manfred," as the author's Italy was of the " Childe." The scene is the same; the characters and sentiments are pretty much the same. In his preface Mr. READS observes, that in drawing the character of Malefort, his aim huts been " to show that all passions, but chiefly those arising from the imagination, when fed to excess and to the exclusion of others, not only exhaust their energies, but the mind and body nourishing them : an endeavour has been made to trace distinctly the many shades of the fine but sickly cast of thought of such a character, and to show to what an unnatural pitch it may attain, when, with every availment of happiness within reach, all are rejected, from having been rendered tasteless." As the writer's worthy hero, Mr. Male- fort, appears in earlier life to have murdered his brother, and destroys by his neglect the woman he seems to have seduced, (for Mr. READS delights is mystery, and cannot make any thing plain,) we scarcely deem him to possess " every availment of happiness," or to have no other source of misery than "a fine but sickly cast of thought."3 The Recantation, and Occasional Verses. [Very juvenile in subject and in handling, but with liveliness and gayety in many of the pieces : if the author can get matter for his verse, he will do better thugs. The present publication, however, is not to be recommended for family reading : the subjects of several of the pieces are ladies, who, if they received his poetical addresses, had not the most scrupulous tastes.] The Poetical Works of Ebenezer Elliott, the Corn-law Rhymer. [A People's edition of this Poet of the People, printed in the double-column style which Mr. MURRAY'S single-volume Byron's Poems has rendered so fashionable. A. portrait of the burl is prefixed to this complete edition of hit works : it looks solid, sturdy, and penetrating, with an expression more re- sembling au old Covenanter than a modern operative.] Hours of Thought ; or Poetic 'Musings. By J. S. Ileum% [A little volume of average verse.] A History of British Ferns. By EDWARD NEWMAN, F.L.S. [This is a very elegant and pleasing work, which may be a means of inducing many to ornament our drawing-rooms, windows, and London back-yards, with the beautiful specimens of vegetation it classifies and describes. However, it is not so much a history as a descriptive dictionary of Ferns. The introduction is a very pleasant piece of writing, imparting a good deal of practical informa- tion with a touch of autobiographical character.] The WOMB of William E. Channing, D.D. In four vols. Third edition. [A very neatly-got-up and well-printed edition of the works of this celebrated. American rhetorician. The first volume contains Reviews, the second Essays and miscellaneous papers, the third and fourth Sermons, or, as the author pre- fers calling them, " discourses." In a preface to this third Glasgow edition, Dr. CRANNING says, " This is the only complete and correct edition of what he has hitherto published: it contains all such of his writings, up to this time, as lie wishes to appear under his name." A portrait of the author looks firm and massy, but younger and less venerable than one would have fancied. There is no pretence about the head, and no intellectual scholarship.] The Real and the Ideal; or Illustrations of Travel. In two vols. [An indifferent affair—the rhapsodies of a rhetorician run mad, on places he visited in his travels, at least which might have been visited in a tour through Italy. It is a pity the author Las allowed himself to become a victim to words and reveries ; for he has sense and knowledge, if he would have contented him- self with facts either present or past.] The Unions' and Parish Officers' Year-Book, for 1840: containing valu- able information on the subject of Guardians, relief, removals and set-

tlements, and rating under the Parochial Assessments Act ; together

with an Appendix, containing analyses of Acts, and copies of important Instructional Letters issued by the Poor-law Commissioners. [A digest of cases submitted to the " dominations " of Somerset House, together with the rescripts of their mightinesses, and an appendix of their edicts in the shape of letters of instruction. if they .go on its they seem to be going, the Commissioner-made law, before ninny years, will be as voluminous as any part of the Statute law, and it' less infected with jargon, a good deal more tainted with a parade of logic and refined distinctions. Some of the reasons for decisions almost suggest the celebrated case of the black, white, and pie- bald horses.] 77e Theory and Practice of Book-Keeping, Illustrated and Simplified. ' By B. F. FosTER, Author of "Tae Merchant's Manual," &c. [A much less complex and a more intelligible volume than many upon this inexhaustible subject : but the author has hardly fulfilled his own purpose, which was to render forms subservient to principles. We suspect that many after reading his Theory of Double Entry would not be perfectly master of his principles.] The Closet Compassion : containing a portion of Parallel Scripture, selected from the Old and New Testament, for every day in the year ; with short heads for Meditation and Prayer. By the Rev. JOHN BOULBY, Incumbent of Aislahy near Whithy. [" The passages from the New Testament," says the compiler, "are printed in red characters, not merely for a distinction, but rather as an emblem of the if blood o Christ ! " The " hints " for meditation and prayer have very little in them.

iography for Young LadkR. By M. A. K. [Memoirs of the Princess CHARLOE, Lady JANE GREY, Lady RUSSELL,

Ic TT

irs. HANNAH Mona, (misspelt MOORE,) Mrs. ROWE, Mrs. FORDYCE, Mrs. ELIZABETH CARTER, and Miss ELIZABETH SMITH ; written in the style of the Lady's Magazine biographies of the last century. The volume is smartly bound, and a portrait of Lady JANE GREY adorns the titlepage.] Account of the Edinburgh Sessional School, and the other Parochial In- stitutions for education established in that city in the year 1812. With Strictures on Education in general. To which is now added an Ap- pendix, containing Observations on Normal Schools, Bible Education, &c. By JOHN WOOD, Esq. Fifth edition. Dr. Goldsmith's Abridgment of the History of England, from the Inva- sion of Julius Clesar to the Death of George IL With a Continuation to the accession of Queen Victoria; to which is added, an Outline of the British Constitution. With Questions for exiunination at the end of each section ; for the use of schools and of private students. By ROBERT SIMPSON. Thirteenth edition, greatly improved and en- larged. The History of Scotland, from the earliest period to the accession of Queen Victoria. To which is added, au Outline of the British Consti- tution. With Questions for examination at the end of each section ; for the use of schools and of private students. By Rominm SIMPSON, Author of " An Introduction to Collections for Schools," &e. Twenty- third edition. [The words fifth, thirteenth, and twenty-third edition on these titlepages respectively, render further comment superfluous.]

SERIALS.

Lift of Sir William Wallace, of Elderslie. By JOHN D. CARRICK. Popular Library of Modern Authors. Copyright editions.)

[A subject of less large and general interest than the two previous numbers of

this serial, and hardly sufficient to fill the space to which Mr. CARRICK has extended it.] Rudiments of Animal Physiology. For use in schools, and for private in- struction. By Dr. G. HAMILTON, Falkirk. (Chambers's Educational Course.)

PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND PRINTS.

The Beauty of the Heavens. A Pictorial Display of the Astronomical

Plimnomena of the Universe, exhibited in one hundred and four co- loured Scenes, accompanying and illustrating a familiar Lecture on

Astronomy. By CHARLES F. BLUNT, Lecturer on Astronomy and Na- tural Philosophy, Author of " The Wonders of the Telescope," &c. [A set of coloured pictures, on card-board, and enclosed in a book-shaped box, representing the telescopic appearances of the sun, moon, and planets, and va- rious atmospheric phenomena, and maps of the constellations of both hemi- spheres; the series forming a complete pictorial exemplification of astronomical science, and explained by the printed lecture that accompanies them. The utility of this ingenious work in schools and families is obvious : it would have been greater, however, had the explanation been more adapted to the capacity of children ; as it is, the parent or teacher, who plays the part of lecturer, will have to interpret the author's information.] The Nose Out of Joint. Dedicated to all Families, by ALFRED CROW- QUILL.

The New Sepia Landscape Drawing-Book, for practising with the hair pencil. By WILLIAM WALTON. LithOgralthed in Mainlanders new Stump style.

from a Sketch taken at Windsor.

PAMPHLETS.

Annals of the London Honireoputhic Dispensary, No. 31, Ely Place, Holborn. Physician—Dr Curie. January 1840. [The Homeopathic Dispensary was only opened on the 1st October last to the public, though it had been in existence for two years ; during which time, it is stated in the Report, more than two thousand patients were cured in it. The summary of -eases from 1st October to 30th November enumerates nearly a hundred : the proportion of " cured" is small, but time number where " im- provement" is marked is considerable. A Clinical Lecture on Homumpathy, by Dr. CURIE, precedes the Report.] Divorce Considered. By WILLIAM MUSIIET, Esq, Barrister-at. Law, of Gray's Inn.

Reasons why the Clergy should adopt the Government Plan of Education. By a Presbyter of the Church of England.

A Second Letter to the Mast Nade the Marquis t).f' Lansdowne, on the System cf Inspection hest adapted fin. .National Education. By ROBERT ISAAC WILBERFORCE, M.A., Vicar of East Farleigh, and late Fellow of Oriel College.

The Indian Revenue System As it Is : a Letter addressed to the President, Vice-President, and members of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures. By HARVEY TUCKETT, Gent.