27 APRIL 1872, Page 21

The New Timothy. By W. M. Baker. (New York :

Harper.)—An American variety of the species "Religious Novel," and a very bright and lively creature too. Mr. C. Wall, trained for the " ministry " at a seminary, goes out to do his work as a pastor. How he preaches, and after a while finds that the polished exercises which had pleased in the College chapel fall very dead on the ears of his hearers ; how, having been made sufficiently learned in books, he comes to know something about men and women ; how he falls in love with and narrowly escapes marrying a young lady, with most beautiful lips and teeth, who is not capable of any greater intellectual effort than crying, "Oh !away, the idea!" and does actually marry a paragon with the rather odd name of "John," is told with great spirit. There is a perfect gallery of characters drawn with much liveliness and force, though there is a want of repose and a straining after effect which diminishes the effect. General Likens, with his shrewd kindliness, and the melan- choly Mr. Meekes are perhaps the best of them, the converted hunter being a little too melodramatic for our taste. But this book is cer- tainly a good one of its kind.