Little Charlie's Life. By Himself. (Hotten.)—This is one of the
curiosities of literature, a facsimile in lithograph of a journal written by a boy of seven. The language is wonderfully fine; but a respectable clergyman vouches for its being a genuine production, and we are not prepared to say that anything is impossible after having read of the wonderful Dutch child who knew Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and we know not what languages besides, at four, and, happily for himself, died at five years of age.
We are glad to see a third edition of the Rivulet, a Contribution to Sacred Song, by Thomas T. Lynch (Longmans). Mr. Lynch would take a very high place among the writers of sacred poetry if his powers of expression were always equal to his thought. His language is some- times feeble, his versification sometimes rude. Yet these defects are not by any means frequent, while whatever beauty comes from broad and liberal views of truth and from a most genuine tenderness of feel- ing is never wanting. This volume contains about sixty pieces which will be new to those acquainted with the former editions. We give an extract from one of these :—
" If love in any heart arise.
And stir the tongue, and light the eyes, And speed the foot, and D11 the hand ; Then, Christian, thou must understand That, though uuthought of, God is there; So of Him, denying Him, beware.
"If Littlemore makes haste to bless His troubled neighbour Littleless, And poor men to the poorer give, Weak ones the weaker help to live, The sad those sadder still console ; 'Then God is working in the soul.
"If the grown man foregoes his bread That little mouths may first be fed ; And patient women serve the men Who care for them but now and then, And love keeps warm without a fire; Oh, then, the grace of God admire "Two strangers ocean may divide Who yet shall bridegroom be and bride, And God unknown to souls may be Who love Him will eternally; But all true hearts our Father knows, And will to them His truth disclose."
How much this is spoilt by some weak lines, each as that which we have marked in italics.
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