2 FEBRUARY 1878, Page 22

Oriental Records ; Historical; Confirmatory of the Old and New

Testament Scriptures. By William Harris Rule, D.D. (Bagstor and Sons.)—Dr. Rule has collected in this volume a mass of curious infer- mation illustrative of customs, beliefs, and events mentioned in the Scriptures. The institution of the Sabbath is paralleled by an extract from a Babylonian calendar, in which the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th days of the month are marked as fasts. Illustrations are given of the belief in witchcraft, in demoniacal possession, and a variety of other matters. All this is very curious and interesting, though we certainly have been led to think more of Dr. Rule's research than of his critical powers, and do not think his commentEr remarkably intelligent.