7 DECEMBER 1850, Page 18

YUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Among the publications before ns, two are of a class that is rarely adapted for a popular journal. Controversial speculations into the origin of the globe, and an attempt to unite the discrepancies that are supposed to exist between the discoverie.a of geologists and the Mosaic account, may be pro- duced by men who combine extensive and original knowledge, sound coin- mon sense, and a popular style. But we have observed that such men do not often employ themselves on these subjects. They are more frequently taken up by persons- of second-hand and crotchetty learning, with a cast of mind that disposes them to adopt theories, and then to handle everything as much with a view to uphold the theories as to elicit truth. Sometimes the persons who attempt these abstruse and difficult questions are still more un- fi to resolve them.

We apprehend that both "The Chronology of Creation " and " The Dy- namical Theory of the Formation of the Earth" will come under the head of unfitness. Captain Thomas Hutton, in. his " Chronology," seems to us to incline towards the fallacy of the circle ;. to fashion a theory that shall agree with the account of creation in the Hebrew Bible, and then prove the truth at his theory because it is in harmony with that account. Mr. Ritchie's views, so far as we have examined them are hardly capable of being reduced to such a brief summary : he starts from, the proposition that "the earth did ant always rotate round its axis."

The Chronology of Creation ; or Geology and Scripture Reconciled. By Thomas Hutton, F.G.S., Captain Bengal Army. The' enticed Theory of the Formation of the Earth. By Archibald er Ritchie. In two volumes.

,Conversations of Goethe with F,ckermann and Soret. Translated from the German fry John Oxenford. In two volumes. The Church- a Family ; Twelve Sermons on the Occasional Services of the Pre er-Book, preached in the Chapel of Lincoln's Inn. By Fre- derick Denison Maurice, M.A.

The Duchess, or Woman's Love and Woman's Hate ; a Romance. In three volumes.

Gleanings, Pictorial and Antiquarian, on the Overland Route. By the Author of "Forty Days in the Desert."

Xemoirs of the Queens of Spain, from the Conquest of the Gotha to the Accession of her present Majesty Isabella IL, &c. By Anita George. Edited, with anIntroduction and Notes, by Miss Julia Pardoe, Author of "-Memoirs of Francis the First," &c. Volume II. Lord and Lady Harcourt ; or Country Hospitalities. By Catherine Sinclair, Author of "Sir Edward Graham," (to.

' N'hadows and Sunshine ; a Tale. By the Author of "Viola, or I:is an • Old Tale and often told." ti tale written with a good deal of feeling andelegance of style, bat with no att. The subject is the characters of Gertrude Villiers, Gerald Courtenay, and biaeousin Leda, and the cross attachments between them. Lady Eleanor, Gerald's mother, has from early childhood designed Leila for her son ; but he, unconscious of the plan, falls in love with Gertrude. The self-will of his betrothed causes a breach ; and sifter awhile, Lady Eleanor brings about

an engagement between {Gerald and Leila, which'the last resigns

when she accidentally discovers: the real state of the hearts of her cousin and. her friend. Thiskind of subject, where the principal persons am placed and - kept in false positions, is not attractive in itself, and is not skilfully managed in Shadows and Sunshine; the, great drawback, honn_mist Gertrude, who is offensive in her causeless tyranny and unfeminine in her repentance.] - Elements of .Physiced Geography ; with Outlines of ;lepton', )4fatk- inatical Geography, and Astronomy, and Question.sctr,Exa4Matemr, /11 By Hugo Reid, Author of "Elements of Alitronons x ,, , i. ,, 11..,,, !.,_, [One of the compendiums on physical geography to w of f the :Tidal:, Humboldt and the atlas of Bergbaus have given rise. ' lit' ray Ith ,, compilation, arranging well what is taken from the .public one l'OU.k,odo and Peterinana, and adding a good deal more elementary' tns.tter.w'nil little book is designed to exhibit a condensed view of thtsderclifirfactiskep physical geography—" of the arrangement. of the land and' watsP lot itleil globe, of the structure of the land and the changes it .iniderg,oes,- of tills-A mate, of aerial and oceaniemovements of the distribution.over the earth:4re surface of heat, moisture, magnetism, and the natural families of pleatey! animals, ,and men," It contains a map. with alew diagrams, and is sold fon„ a shilling.]

The Breeding and Economy of Live Stock; being the results of forty years' practical experience in the management and disposal of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, and Pigs. By James Dickson, Cattle-dealer. [A practical book by a practical man. It contains an account of all the lead- ing breeds of cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs, of England, Scotland, and Ire- land ; with opinions both on their ' value in use" and " value in exchange," together with suggestions on breeding, crossing, and various other matters. There are also some hints on special farms to.be devoted to breeding one particular kind of stock, that will be found worthy of attention in this period of agricultural transition.]

Domestic Pets, their Habits and Management ; with illustrative Knee= dotes. By Mrs. Loudon, Author of " Facts from the- World of Ns- •

tore," &c. [A very charming little book on dogs, cats, squirrels, monkeys, talking birds, singing birds, doves, and gold and silver fish, with some other creatures that are kept as amusements rather than pets. Hints ou the food and manage- ment of each class, with information in ease of disease, form a portion of each section. The most interesting part to the general reader is the anec- dotes of the more noble animals ; among which the dog conspicuously fi.- gures.] The Gunpowder Treason ; an Authentic Reprint of the Trials of the Conspirators, with the Confessions of Guy Fawkes and Winter ; tos gether with King James's Speech to both Houses of Parliament. [A seasonable reprint of a curious book.] SERIALS.

Lewis Arundel; or the Railroad of Life. By Frank Fairlegh. Part I. [It is difficult from the first number of a periodical novel to form any judgs meat of what it is likely to be ; for beyond a rough sketch of the story, to be changed very possibly in the course of publication, the author may hardly know himself. The dramatis personae of the present tale, thus far, are Lewis Arundel, his sister Rose, and their still youthful-looking mother, who are left in narrow circumstances by the sudden death of Mr. Arundel. Each is anxious to do something; Rose as a governess, Mrs. Arundel as a teacher of music, and Lewis in anything he can get,—which promises to be a sort of tutorship at 300/. a year. A groundwork is laid for the natural exhibition of various classes of life, and Frank Fairlegh writes cleverly and readably enough ; but he does not possess any peculiarity of style like Thaekeray, or. seem like Dickens to be master of any particular kind of life.] The Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary. Edited by George W. Johnson, Esq.' Editor of " The Cottage Gardener," &c. Part I. [The foremost objects of this work are "to explain in alphabetical order the terms used by gardeners ; to describe practically their operations ; to gather together under their common names all the usual tenants of the. garden ; and to give a condensed history of all usefill trees, shrubs; flowers, culinary vegetables, and fruits, with their history andculture." Generally the notices are brief and close, packing up the matter in the smallest compass ; ocein• clonally they extend to a short essay—as Acclimatization. The publication is cheap, but is intended for other persons than. we generally understand by "cottage gardeners."]

Knight's Cyclopeedia of the Industry of All Nations. _PRA. I.

PAXPELETS.

Old England's Letter on our State Church Provocation- Address:II to Young England at Oxford.

Protestant Toleration. A Letter to Lord John Russell, M.P. First Lord of the Treasury, &e. By John William Donaldson, D.D., Head Master of Bury School. University Reform &c. By Alexander Kilgonr, M.D.

Why must we Educate the TV7toM Peoplet and What Prevents our Doing it? By the Reverend Foster Barham• Zineke.

A Letter to the Home Secretary, in Answer to the-Question, What Should be Done with our Convicts? By Rigby Waaon, Eaq. Labour and the Poor. Report of the Speech of Henry Mayhew, Esq., &c.

Second Letter to the Bight Honourable Sir Charles Wood, Bart., M.P., upon certain Laws affecting Agriculture. By Frederic Calvert, Esq., Q.C.

Suggestions for Improving the Taw of Railway Property, and for the eventual Liquidation of the National Debt. By William Kingdonr, Esq.