26 JANUARY 1850, Page 18

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

The War with Mexico. By R. S. Ripley, Brevet Major in the United States Army, &c. In two volumes. The Other Side; or Notes, for the History of the, War between Mexico and the United States. Written in Mexico. Translated from the Spanish, mid edited, with Notes, by Albert C. Ramsey, Colonel of the Eleventh United States Infantry during the War with Mexico. With Portraits, Plans of Battles, ate. Memoir of David Scott, R.S.A. Containing his Journal in Italy, Notes - on Art, and other Papers. With Seven illustrations. By William B Scott. White Jacket; or the World in a Man-of-War. By Herman Melville, Author of " Typee," &c. In two volumes.

Christian .Doctrme and Practise in the Twelfth Century.

Letters to a Niece.

[A series of letters of advice on reading, manners, the formationof the mind, and kindred topics; supposed to be written by a middle-aged uncle to his girlish niece. They are plain and peculiar, rather than juvenile in style ; though frequently separated from the usual didactic manner by a slight boundary. Sound common sense is the characteristic of their matter and views. If not a man of the world, the writer, like Ingo, has "looked upon the world." These letters contain many useful hints of a sensible, worldly, but anti-conventional kind.]

Educational Outliner, and other Letters on Practical Duties. To which is added, a Journal of a Summer's Excursion made by the Author and her Pupils. By a Lady. [A letter of general remark, rather than particular information, on the edu- cation of young ladies ; some letters of advice to the writer's son on going abroad, and to a former pupil on her marriage ; with a rapid journal of a rapid tour made by way of .Dieppe and Rouen to Paris, and thence through Belgium to the Rhine. The style and tone are simple and amiable.] The Tragedy of Galileo Galan. By Samuel Brown. [The story of Galileo is not at all adhered Loin this tragedy ; the persecution of the great philosopher being exaggerated, and several fictitious persons and incidents introduced. To give anything like dramatic interest, this was necessary ; but such changes of a well-known subject are almost as bad to the mind as physical transformations—"incredulus odi." This original de- ficiency is not overcome by any great poetical power in Mr. Brown, though there is a Lind of dramatic knack in the manner.] Vert-Vert. From the French of Gresset, by Robert Snow, Esq. [One of the few things which preserve the memory of Gresset is the tale of the parrot educated in a nunnery, and celebrated or its docility and pious discourse, till in evil hour he was sent on a visit to another religious house, and picked up another language from the voyageurs of the Loire passage- boat. A happy trifle like this, in a language so generally understood as French, was searcelY w-ortlr translating, since those who want it can read it in the original. lifr. Snow's version has a sort of dead-lively air; but it wants the ease and felicity that characterize the original.]

• Thoughts from tile Inner Circle.

r:Kcolleetaon of verses by a "few friends," who met once a month at their respective homes with a view to discussion and "mutual improvement" Themes were set to be written upon ; and the result is the publication of this little 000k, containing a variety of poems on the-age, evil, the railway, society, and similar topics.]

Port Phillip in 1849. By James Bennett Clutterbuek, M.D. ; nine years - resident in the Colony.

[Dr. Clutterbuck occupied the time of his passage from Australia in writing of an account of the colony he had quitted ; arranging the informa- tion under the usual heads of geographical divisions, climate, animals, society, and, so forth. The mode of composition has given a fresher air to his-book than is possessed by many compilations on the same subject ; but little of the information, is new. The remarks on the colony are not very favourable to it.1

The Story c/a Dream ; or a Mother's Version of an Olden Tale. By . the Author of "Hymns and Scenes of Childhood."

Gregor y- Kraft; or the Window-Shutter. Translated from the-German • of Dr. Barth. By the Reverend Robert Menzies, Hoddam. With Wood-cut Illustrations.

[Two children's books.]

More Verse and Prose ly the arn-kw Rhymer. In two volumes.

The books' in the following list belong to a claw which it is exceedingly difficult fir a journal like the Spectator to deal with satisfactorily. They- are in the first place special, if not technical. The educational-mathematical if noticed at length have little or no interest for general readers. "The Method of 'the Divine Government," and "The Examination of the Claims of the Free Church," are difficult to handle, from the metaphysical and re- ligious character of the one, while the other would lead into a theological and religious discussion on a question which is practically decided already. Lastly, these kind of books impose a labour out of all proportion to the re- suit To seize the scope and determine the object and character of works on abstruse subjects, not always pellucidly written occupies a greater time than mod readers. would have any conception of. When they, possess considerable literary merit, or when they come singly, they may challenge attention ; but in dusters they must be rated as unsuitable for our journal. "The City of God sort of visionary or allegorical review of church history—may pos- sibly' be worth recurring to ; as may Mr. Farrees "Life-Contmgency Ta- bles," for a point or two they suggest n connexion with life assurance.

• The City of God; a Vision of the Past, the Present, and the Futme. - 'Being a Symbolical History of the Church of all ages, and especially as depicted in some of the scenes of the Apocalypse. The Method of Divine Government, Ilaysical and Moral. By Reverend , James M'Cosli, A.M.

An Examination of the Claims of the Free Church as advanced by the Reverend R. Buchanan D.D., in his "Ten Years' conflict."Ry John Wien, D.D., Minister of Stirling: Life-Contingency Tables. By Edwin James Farren, Member of the Council of -the Institute of Actuaries, &c. . A Practical Treatise on the Nature and Use of ..Logarithms, and on Plain Trigonometry. With Logarithmic and Trigonometaical Tables. By James Elliot, Author of 'A Complete Treatise on Practical Geometry and Mensuration."

The Elements of Statics' Dynamics ,

, and Hydrostatics with an Ap- pendix on the Laws of Light, the Formation of Images by Senses, and the Nature of Sound. By Samuel Newth, M.A., Fellow of University College, London.

Although the books of the nature of reprints are less numerous than in the last three weeks, the following may fall under that category. "The Land we Live in," and "The National -Cyclopzedia," are a species of serial; the firsta volume of collected parts, the second a recast and compressed edition of the Penny Cyclopredia. The fifteenth edition of "The Cabinet Lawyer" endeavours to bring .up to last Michaelmas all the changes in the law. The new edition of" Household Surgery" has been enlarged in size end reduced in price. Mr. Lawry's "Visits to the Friendly and Feejee Mande" is re- printed from some Missionary publication, and is too peculiar in its topics and style for fuller notice 111 our pages.

27te /and We Live In; a Pictorial and Literary Sketch-book of the Bri- tish Empire. Volume LEL The National C yelopesdia. Volume ix. North-western Territory- .• Quotient.

The Cabinet Lawyer; a popular Digest of the Laws of England, Bre. Also a Dictionary of Law Terms, &e. Fifteenth edition. Household Surgery; or Hints on Emergencies. By John F. South, one of the Surgeons to St. Thomas's Hospital. Second edition, with many additional Hints.

• Friendly and Fujee Islands : a Missionary Visit to various Stations in the South Seas, in the year 1847. By the Reverend Walter Lawry, General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Missions in New Zealand, &e. With Appendix, containing Notices of the Political Constitution, &c. Edited by the Reverend Elijah Hoole.

ILLUSTRATED Worm.

The Decorative Arts of the Middle Ages, Ecclesiastical and Civil. By Henry Shaw, F.S.A. No.

[One of the works beginning to multiply, which present reminiscences of the middle ages for the practical use of the ornamental workman now. The-present number contains—a drinking-cup, from a working drawing by Hans Holbeini a specimen of stained glass (coloured) from a window in the Cathedral of Chartres; specimen of embroidery from the dress in a picture of Queen Mary' iron-work, from the tomb of Eleanor of Castile in Westmin- sterAbboy. It would be happy if the workman, in lieu of simply: copying such ancient specimens, could learn to extract from them the principles that give them so-nmeh freedom, richness,- and fancy, and apply those principles in reproducing original designs.]

NEW PERIODICAL.

The TVorking Man's Friend, and Family Instructor. Part L January. [The four parts of a weekly penny periodical, which aims at a due mixture of the useful, the informing, and the amusing.] Pa_wentrrs.

Female Emigration as it Is—as it May Be. A Letter to the Right Honourable Sidney Herbert, M.P. By Samuel Sidney, Author of "The Australian Handbook."

Nova Scotia, its Condition and Resources. In a Series of Six Letters. By Joseph Outram, Esq., Glasgow. Peter Plough's Letters to the .Right Honourable Lord Sinmiird, on ' High Farming and Free Trade. Appeal to the Common Sense of the Country regarding the Present Con- dition of the Industrious Classes, &e. By David Low, Ea' q., F.R.S.E., &c.

A Few Words addressed to the Agriculturists of England. Two Letters. 1. Capital Punishment. 2. The Conduct of the Per... late at Executions, &e. By a Priest of the Catholic Church establi&ed in England.

The Brazilian Slave-trade, and its Remedy, &c. Ikce:dilL H. Thom-

son, M.D., Surgeon Royal Nifty, late of the Niger lion.. The Creed of the Scottish Nationalists. By the Author of "The Scottish New Generation."

The Relations of Faith and Philosophy. An Address before the Porter Rhetorical Society of Andover Theological Seminary, at its Anniver- sary, September 4, 1849. By Professor Henry B. Smith. Six Letters on the Position and Prospeets of the Established Church tfi Scotland, especially in the Northern Counties. By Sir Cr. Sinclair, .of. Illbster, Bart

Is Trial by Jury Worth ICeeping? By Graham Willmore, Esq., M.A., Itarister-at-law.

"Inquisition for Blood"; 'or the Infliction of the Penalty of Death for' Wilful Murder. By a Witness for "Judgment, Mercy, and Faith." Borneo. Remarks on a recent "Naval Execution." By W. N.