PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED, From December irtd to December 29th.

BOOKS.

A Tour in Switzerland, in 1841. By WILLIAM CHAMBERS. One of the Editors of " Chambers's Edinburgh Journal," &c. (Original Work published in connexion with the series entitled People's Edition.) Scenes and Adventures in Afghanistan. By WILLIAM TAYLOR, late Troop-Sergeant-Major of the Fourth Light Dragoons. Journal and Letters of the late Samuel Curwen, Judge of Admiralty, &c.,

' an American Refugee in England from 1755 to 1784: comprising re- markt on the prominent men and m .asures of that period. To which are added, Biographical Notices of many American Loyalists and other eminent persons. By GEORGE ATKINSON WARD, Member of the New York Historical Society, &c.

Rambles in Yucatan; or Notes of Travel through the Peninsula, including a visit to the remarkable ruins of Chi-Chen, Kebab, Zayi, and Urinal. With numerous illustrations. By B. M. NORMAN.

Diodori Skull Bibliothecce Historice gum supersunt. Ex nova reccnsione Ludovico Dindorfii. Greece et Latino. Perditorum librorum excerpts et fragments ad integri operis seriem accommodare studuit, verum indicem locupletissimum adjecit CanoLus MilLLERUS. Volumcn primum.

[This is another author added to the series of Greek writers, which the enter- Prising Parisian printer, M. FIRSIIN DIDOT, has undertaken to give to the learned world, with an exceptionable type and paper, its the handsome yet not inconvenient form of a long quarto; the text and Latin ttanslations being taken from the beat editions, and each author superintended by an eminent scholar. Looking at this or any other series of classical writers, one is forcibly reminded of the hacknied saying, " They manage these things better in France," or rather upon the Continent generally. Whilst foreigners can point to their Delphin, Variorum, and Bipout editions of former times, besides numerous collections of a less complete character, or of less classical but useful authors, and to many munificent series of the present century, Great Britain has nothing deserving the name of a complete collection. Our only series—if an almost miscellaneous collection of writers, uniformly printed, can

be called a series—have emanated from the speculations of Satent.er and FouLls, and the learned zeal of Mart-rains in the last century, and, during contemporary periods, we have a still more bookselling publication, called the Regent's Classics, with Mr. VALPY'S reprint of the Delphin and Variorum editions combined. The charge of GIBBON against the richest-endowed esta- blishments in the world for the promotion of learning, is substantially as true as it was nearly a century ago. " Our colleges," says the historian, "are sup- posed to be schools of science as well as of education ; nor is it unreasonable to expect that a body of literary men, devoted to a life of celibacy, exempt from the care of their own subsistence, and amply provided with books, should de- vote their leisure to the prosecution of study, and that some effects of their studies should be manifested to the world. The shelves of their libraries groan under the weight of the Benedictine folios, of the editions of the Fathers, and the collections of the middle ages, which have issued from the single Abbey. of St. Germain de Prez at Paris. A composition of genius must be the offspring done mind ; but such works of industry as may be divided among many hands, and must be continued through many years, arc the peculiar province of a la- borious community. If I inquire into the manufactures of the monks of Mag- dalen, if I extend the inquiry to the other colleges of Oxford and Cambridge, a silent blush or a scornful frown will be the only reply." Since the days of GIBBON'S residence at Oxford, vast improvements have taken place in the dis- cipline, the tuition, and the character of the members of both Universities, and individual collegians may have distinguished themselves by learned publications ; but we fear that, as a body, the English Universities will neither labour them- selves for the encouragement of learning in the mode we are speaking of, nor apply any part of their wealth to secure those who do labour from positive loss.]

A Comparative View of the Constitutions of Great Britain and the United

States of America. In six Lectures. By P. F. AIKEN, Advocate. [These lectures were originally delivered at a Bristol literary institution, sub- sequently repeated at Newport, and they are now printed with same additions and illustrations from late events. Their plan is to exhibit the leading institu- tional features of both nations ; which is calmly and quietly enough done in the account of their respective municipal and provincial institutions: but the other sections chiefly consist in a flattering display of all that is good is the British and all that is ill in the American. The manner has a sort of clap- trap breadth and popularity, adapted to a Conservative provincial audience, but looks somewhat coarse and meeting-like in type. The most useful parts of the book arc the expositional facts—the specific nature and authority of the different institutions. This part might have been extended with advantage ; but even then, it could have been embraced in two lectures, instead atria.] Gilbert's Outlines of Geography; with ten Maps, by J. ARCHER. [This little publication consists of two sections; the first containing a brief sketch of the leading principles and history of geography, or rather of the gradual discovery. of the world ; the second consisting of an account of particular countries. Both sections arc well done ; but perhaps the first is pitched in too high a tone far young children, and the second etrikes us as too general to teach what is properly geography. The accouut of the different countries, excepting the United Kingdom, is rather ;genetical than geo- graphical ; dealing a great deal more with the climate, productions, government, and so forth, than the natural features of the country and the names and posi- tions of places. These last are, no doubt, dry and difficult of attainment; and they are perhaps better learned after general ideas of the subject are =paired: but learned they must be by anybody who wishes to have a knowledge of geo- graphy. This omission might easily be remedied in a new edition, and without much extensiou of the work.

The maps inserted in the book are of course small, but very neat, and convey all that is possible, a good general idea. There are two editions before us, one nearly double the price of the otLer; but the only difference we perceive is, that the highest-priced edition is half-bound, and the maps coloured.] Our Mesa. Edited by CHARLES LEVER. (" Harry Lorrequer.") Volume I. " Jack Hinton, the Guardsman." With a portrait of the Author, and numerous illustrations on wood and steel, by Prim The Commissioner ; or De Lunatico lnquirendo. With twenty-eight illus- trations on steel, by PHIZ. [The collection into volumes of two fictions that have been published periodi- cally; " Jack Hinton, the Life Guardsman," the first volume of Oar Mess, having, we believe, appeared in the pages of the Dublin University Magazine., and " The Commissioner, de Lunatico Inquirendo," having been separately published in numbers. Each has the off-hand, slap-dash, get-along style, which is better adapted to a rough and ready exhibition of external character- istics than to any true delineation of life. Jack Hinton, however, is a superior person to the Commissioner : the retreat from Burgos, the approach to. Victoria, and the disorganized rout of the French army, arc not only powerful sketches, but well-chosen points of the Peninsular war, having more freshness than the mere victories of the English.] The Prism of Thought. By the Baroness DE Car.annezza. [An illuminated book of maxims ; the pages bordered with scrolls of various devices in gold and different colours, and each apothegm commencing with an ornamental initial letter emblazoned. The sayings of the wise of all ages,. and occasionally less profound remarks and reflections, arc here distilled by a mother for her daughter ; the essence of just observations and reflections being tinctured with modern phraseology, and adapted to the present state of society and a pretty little vinaigrette of good counsel it is.] Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume III. [The third volume of this grotesquely humorous periodical exhibits unabated spirit, and well enough varies the form of its papers to the character of the car- rent events it satirizes. But there is something of sameness in its style, at least when a whole volume of Punch is presented instead of's number. eon- sisting for the most part of parody, and of the parody of things which in their first original are of a caricatured or empty nature—as the turgid absurdities of reporters, and the doings of men and blackguards " about town "—it is rather by occasional hits, than by substantial quality of any kind, that the effects are produced. Hence Punch is better for bit-by-bit reading : it is a condiment, not a dish.] Punch a Letters to his Son. Corrected and edited, from the MSS. in the Alsatian Library, by Douctzas JERROLD. With twenty-four illustra- tions, by KENNY MEADOWS. [A reprint of a series of articles which have appeared week by week in Punch, with the humorous cuts by which they were accompanied.] The Works of William Jay, corrected and revised by himself. Volume V.—" Memoirs of the late Reverend Cornelius Winter." [Com:mars WINTER was a friend and follower of WHITFIELD ; and this biography of the amiable and excellent man, by Mr. JAY, has not only been received with public approbation, taste sale, but has been admired by eminent persons—such as SOUTHEY and BISHOP Jens. There have been no altera- tions in the present edition; but the additions are considerable, consisting of notes by the author of the Life, and original letters from its hero.] The Chronicles of lerne. By THOMAS DAY, Esq., B.A., Barrister-at-Law. [ A series of tales relating to the early history of Ireland, with one exception, the time of which is laid in the reign of ELIZABETH. They are fluently writ- ten ; but their fluency is of the kind which parodists burlesque.] The Firtt Six Books of Homer's Iliad, with an interpaged Translation line for line, and numerous Notes. By the Author of "The First Ka Books of Virgil's sEneid " on the acme plan.

[The translation is merely one of those ad captandum affairs of which teachers of the old school entertained perhaps an exaggerated dread, as calculated to encourage idle balite in their pupils. The rendering of the fifth and sixth lines of the fourth book, with the appended note, will convey a fair estimate of the style in which the commentating translator has performed his task-

" At this moment the son of Saturu was endeavouriug to irritate Juno,

Speaking in the way of comparisons with taunting words. " a Viz. comparing the conduct of Venus with that of Juuo and Minerva; or it may

mean--with indirect attacks-sideways as it were,"

It is difficult to conceive how a boy's knowledge of Greek or taste for poetry can be promoted by either translation or comment.] Waverley Novels, Vol. XXII.-" The Fair Maid of Perth."

The Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Know- ledge. New Series. 1842. SERIALS.

Chronicles of the Careworn. By EDWARD WEST. No. 1. Waverley Novels, Vol. V.-Part II.-" The Fair Maid of Perth." Gurneys Translation of Goethe's Faust, a Tragedy, Part the Second. Parts VII. and VIII.

Stephens's Book of the Farm, Part X.

PERIODICALS.

Church of England Quarterly Review, No. XXV. Foreign Quarterly Review, No. LX.

The Edinburgh Ladies' Magazine, No. L

The British Journal of Homeopathy, No. I. Magazines for January-Blackwood's, Dublin University, Tait's, Ains- worth's, Fraser's, Monthly, Churchman, Village Churchman. PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND PRINTS.

Designs for Mosaic and Tesselated Pavements. By OWEN Jones, Archi- tect. With an Essay on their Materials and Structure, by J. 0. WARD. [A set of ten designs for tesselated pavements, mostly selected from ancient examples at Pompeii and the Alhambra, but partly new ; with a brief account of the materials and construction of the Roman pavements, and modern imita- tions of them. From this account it appears that Mr. Blasurtemo-whose pattern-book this would seem to be-has succeeded in producing tesselated pavements superior to the antique in durability, finish, and brilliancy ; by the application of a patent, obtained by Mr. PROSSER of Birmingham for button- making, to the manufacture of tesserie for pavements. The material is that used in making porcelain-a mixture of flint and fine clay; which is reduced to a dry powder, saturated with colour, and compressed in steel moulds; the tes- aerie are thus even as a die, solid as flint, impervious to moisture, and suscepti- ble of polish if required: the lines of the pattern arc mathematically true, and the most intricate scrolls may be executed with precision. One of the most magnificent specimens of modern tesselated pavement is that in the ball of the Reform Club, executed from Mr. ILtaav's design, by Mr. SINGER of Vaux- hall : the tessera: are of baked clay, and the finish and effect of the pattern are perfect : the hues are of a quiet cast, and more agreeable to the eye, we should fancy, than the brighter colours of the porcelain tessera; and the pavement has every appearance of durability. The plates of this volume are executed in chrome-lithography, by Mr. OWEN JONES; and are beautiful specimens of the art, which Mr. JONES brought to such high perfection in his splendid work of the Alhambra : the colours are vivid, and the patterns register nicely.]

Roberts's Sketches in the Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, Part VII.

[The large plates in this part represent the city of Petra under distant points of view, showing the general aspect and broad features of the lofty cliffs out of whose surface the temples and dwellings are excavated, like architectural burrows: and the desolate grandeur of the scenes is most impressive. The vignettes indicate lesser points seen closer-such as the Necropolis of Petra ; and in one of them is introduced a " conference of Arabs," sketched from a group of Sheiks assembled to give judgment in a case of robbery.] ALMANACKS.

The Phrenological Almanack; or Psychological Annual. Edited by D. G. GOSDER, Member of the Phrenological Association, &c. Oliver and Boyd's New Edinburgh Almanack and National Repository, for the year 1843.

[The chief points of novelty in the elaborate and informing statistical annual, entitled Oliver and Boyd's New Edinburgh Almanack and National Repo- sitory, are the Income-tax Act, (so far as relates to Scotland,) the new Tariff, and the other changes in the laws relating to trade. The publishers seem rather to pique themselves on their exposition of the Income-tax Act ; which, no dvnlit, is a very painstaking analytical abridgement ; but, like all the other expositions we have met with, by giving the words of the statute instead of the meaning, it is of little avail for popular use, though probsbly of service to lawyers-the composition of our Acts of Parliament not being intelligible to the people at large, but only to persons trained to interpret them, whilst they often differ, not upon the applicability of particular cases to the statute, but to the meaning of the statute itself.

In the Phrenological Almanack we see no change ; and nothing beyond a common calendar at the end, to separate the publication from the monthly periodicals on a small scale which are devoted to particular subjects. From one of the articles there seems to be a grand schism in the phrenological world, or rather a violent split, in consequence of a certain Dr. ENGLEDUE, who was selected to deliver the annual discourse at the meeting of the Phreno- logical Association, having puffed his own practice in mesmerism, and avowed his belief in materialism and fatalism, deducing them as necessary consequences of phrenology.]

Punch's Pocket-Book, for 1843: containing ruled pages for cash-accounts, and memoranda for every day iu the year ; an almanack, and a variety of useful and valuable business information.

[In the first part this Pocket-book differs nothing from other business-like vade-mecums; containing ruled blank pages for diary, memorandums, and accounts, with the ordinary useful table-lists. The peculiarity of the publica- tion is in the second part, which consists of a series of humorous articles of the nature of parodies, by the writers of the well-known Punch or the London Charivari.] PAMPHLETS.

Scotch Farming in England. A second Letter addressed to the Editor of the " Manchester Guardian." By ROBERT HYDE GREG. Thought* on the Currency. Health of Towns : an Examination of the Report and Evidence of the Select Committee, of Mr. Mackinnon's Bill, and of the Acts for esta• blishing Cemeteries around the Metropolis. A Letter to the Board of Guardians of Upton-upon-Severn Union. Public Funds considered is regard to Investment of Money.

Io Triumphe I a Song of Victory on our glorious Entry into Cabal. To which is added, The Massacre of Cabal.