PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

Poems of Wit and Humour. By Thomas Hood. Iiirkholme Priory, or Modern Heroism; a Tale. By the Author of " The Ransom." In three volumes.

Irish Popular Songs; with English Metrical Translations, and Introductory Remarks and Notes. By Edward Walsh.

A Treatise on the Law of Contracts and Rights and Liabilities ex contrac- tu. By C. G. Addison, Esq., of the Inner Temple, Barrister-at-law. The object or this volume is to furnish judges and practitioners in the new County Courts with a full exposition of the law upon the subjects which are likely to come before them, as well as to enable men of business to understand the legal view of engagements into which they enter. The volume is bulky, but the sub- ject is extensive; for " contract," in a legal sense, has a very wide signification.

Baying and selling, hiring and letting, borrowing and lending, agencies, partner- ships, master and man, joint stock companies, innkeepers and carriers, promises to marry, nay marriage itself, all come under the head of " contracts," besides " many other particulars too numerous to mention." The subject looks dry, but is not really so. from its constant recurrence to the business of life. As far as

we have examined, the Treatise on the Law of Contracts is a work of con-

siderable merit; well arranged, full without tediousness, and plain in its style and treatment, without subsiding into mere popularity. The principles of the sub- ject are illustrated by references to Civil and Continental jurisprudence; perhaps the mere technical reader will think that Mr. Addison sometimes passes from what the law strictly is, to what in his opinion it ought to be.]

Christian Examples; in Sermons (each about six minutes long) founded on the leading events in the Lives of Apostles and Saints. Designed for the

use of families at morning and evening devotion. By the Reverend Alfred Williams, M. A., alternate Morning Preacher at Berkeley and Quebec Chapels, and Lecturer of St. Pancras Church.

[A species of continuation or sequel to the author's Home Sermons, " each six minutes long"; a point which has been found so attractive in family use as to

have carried that book to a second edition with the assistance of its own merits.

The present volume derives a character from taking the lives of the Apostles and a few of their contemporaries—as John the Baptist—for the subjects of discourse; Peter and Paul being continued through many sermons, on account of the ampli-

tude of the materials. The plan is to state the striking facts in the life of each subject, and elicit from them moral lessons or doctrinal views. The author is

opposed to Papacy, but in favour of the Apostolical succession, and a consequent upholder of the power of the clergy to remit sins, &c., in sonic way not very in- telligibly made out.]

Geological Excursions round the Isle of Wight, and along the atacent Coast of .Dorsetshire; illustrative of the most interesting geological plass. nomena and organic remains. By Gideon Algernon Mental, Esq., LL.D., F.R.S.; Author of "The Medals of Creation," &c. [This volume is designed for the intelligent tourist who may visit the Isle of Wight, with a disposition to observe if he knew but how. Dr. Mantell lays down

the best routes to be taken from particular spots, to see the geological features of the different vicinities; and, besides the general strata and their characteristics, points out what fossils have been found, and are likely to be again by the active

explorer. He also furnishes brief hints to the tourists as to hotels and means of locomotion. The book is rather fully illustrated by. wood-cuts of fossil remains and diagrams, and by a small geological map of the island.] A Handbook of Angling; tesehing fly-fishing, trolling, bottom-fishing, and salmon-fishing; with the Natural History of River Fish, and the beat

modes of catching them. By Ephemera, of" Bell's Life in London." [A volume of fall and practical directions touching the different kinds of angling, written in an agreeable style, as if the author were talking to his reader. In ad- dition to his own opinions, the writer quotes those of other anglers, either to en- force his views or to put the reader in possession of those which are opposed to him; so that the book is a species of digest as well as an original treatise. That

nothing may be wanting to completeness, the author has procured a paper on the senses of fish, from the well-known physiologist Mr. Erasmus Wilson; and has himself compiled a sort of natural history of river fish, from some popular writers.] The Fortunes of Colonel Torlogh 0:Brien•' a Tale of the Wars of rmg

James. With Illustrations by Hablot K. Browne. ,

[This tale of the Irish wars during the reign of William the Third originally appeared in parts, and now forms a goodly volume. Colonel Torlegh is an officer in the army of James, whose ancestors were dispossessed by an adventurer under Cromwell: but the families are united at last by the marriage of the Colonel to the heroine. There is nothing new in the sub- stance or execution of the volume. The characters and incidents are such as belong to the historico-military school of fiction, of which so many publications have already appeared: the composition is of the "forcibly powerful" style, of which we think Ainsworth set the example in Rookwood, but which is now common enough.] France, her Government, Administration, and Social Organization, Exposed and Considered, in its principles, in its workings, and in its results. Second edition.

[Little change has been made in this second edition of a book that made a sensation when it first appeared some three years ago, from the harsh views it took of the character of Louis Philippe and his government Late events have more inclined the British public to fall into the author's general opinions; and he quietly takes credit for his early sagacity. He also alludes to s. contemplated work on Political Parties and Political Men in France; which would be more ge- nerally popular than an exposition of corruption by statistical accounts. He him- self doubts whether the time has yet come: he fears the truth would Seem slanderous.] Migratory Birds; a Guide to their favonmte places of resort, with their natural history, songs, and the benefits which their migrations confer on mankind. (New Library of Useful Knowledge.)

[Another of those little books on natural history which have now become so com- mon and low-priced. The preseut compilation, by connecting the seasons with

the birds, gives a somewhat broader interest to its subject. Migratory Birds is of a very general character in its descriptions; not scientific, scarcely specific, but readable.] Marci Tullil Ciceronis de Officiis Li/in i Tres. From the Text of Zumpt, carefully revised. Excerptct ex Arriano. Extracts from Arrian's Anabasis. From the Text of R. W. Kruger. [Two of Mr. Parker's neat and convenient editions of the text of classical authors. The selections from Arrian contain the leading exploits of Alexander's life; the capture of Thebes and Tyre, the journey to the Temple of Ammon, and the prin- cipal battles of the hero.]

ILLUSTRATED WORKS AND PRINTS.

Scotland Delineated. Part II.

[The second part of this handsome work contains six prints: "The back of Old Leith Pier"—a capital portrait of the scene, by Stanfield; "St. Mango's Cathe- dral, Glasgow," D. Roberts; "National Monument, Calton Hill," Edinburgh, J. D. Harding; "Head of the West Bow," W. L. Leitch, "Old Grey Friars Church- yard, Edinburgh," G. Cattermole; "Linlithgow Palace' " D. Roberts. It would be a great improvement if the engravings in each part were accompanied by a short catalogue raisonnee, indicating the scenes. In the present set, two of the views are enlivened by representations of historical events, which to the general reader, especially in England, will need explanation. St. Mango's is surrounded by a crowd of the fanatic iconoclasts of the time, who are actively engaged at their work, as that was described by Andrew Fairserrice in Scott's Rob Roy—" And sae the bits o' stone idols were broken in pieces by Scripture warrant, and flung into the Molendinar burn, and the old kirk stood as =use as a cat when the fleas are kaimed off her, and a' body was alike pleased." The artist, however, is more theatrical than historically true in some of his costumes: there were no Highland regiments, or Highland uniforms of the stage pattern, in those days. In the "Old Grey Friars Churchyard," a crowd of people, strongly excited, are signing

the Solemn League and Covenant, using a grave-stone for a writing-table, after the nobles had signed the Covenant in the church.]

Jephtha's Daughter. From the Original Picture iu the possession of Cyrus Legg, [This is one o the Art-Union prints. Mr. O'Neil's design has been rendered familiar to the public by copies exhibited in the print-shops; though a specimen has only now reached us: we presume that the delay has been occasioned by some deficiency in the supply of copies as compared with the demand. We cannot speak in commendation of the work. It is saying as much as can be said to call it pretty. A party of girls in low spirits is grouped together with contrivance as manifest as that for displaying the goods in a shop-window; the attitudes are all studied; the expression of grief falls short of the occasion—there is no tragedy, DO appalling sense of impending fate, no clinging to retain the doomed victim. The engraver has endeavoured to obtain an effect of sunny brightness; but in the at- tempt he has sacrificed substance. Feebleness is the characteristic both of the design and of the engraving.] The illustrated Shakspere; with a Memoir, by Barry Cornwall. Also, new Illustrations, Etchings on steel, and one thousand Engravings on wood, designed by Kenny Meadows. Part L The New Testament, according to the Authorized Version. With upwards of sixty Illustrations by Kenny Meadows, assisted by other eminent artists; and Notes, Historical and Descriptive. [Mr. Meadows is a designer popular with wood-engravers, because his lines are simple, decided, and easy to cut; they are indeed almost geometrical: his figures are diagrams; and the design is as mechanical as the composition. Most of the "illustrations" in the two works above are original designs by Mr. Meadows. The New Testament contains some views, but they are too few and imperfect to serve as real " illustrations " of the text. At the beginning of this work is a compressed representation of the Holy Land, a compromise between a map and a bird v,-eye view, after an old fashion which is revived. Such views, of course, are not accurate in their proportions; but they give a more distinct and vivid idea of the relations of different places than any regular picture or a mere map.] Greece, Pictorial, Descriptive, and Historical. By Christopher Wordsworth,

D.D., &c. Part I.

[A reissue, in separate parts, of a standard work of great merit, which we re- viewed several years ago.] A Popular Atlas of the World; consisting of detailed Maps of the different parts of the Globe; illustrated by Geographical and Statistical Descriptions. Edited by James Wyld, Geographer to the Queen and Prince Albert, &c. No. I.

[The design of this speculation is to exhibit the world in forty-eight maps, with letterpress "geographical and statistical descriptions," of the kind met with in elementary geographies. The size is a large square folio. The price is moderate.]

Nsw PERIODICALS.

The Monthly Railway Record. Edited by Mr. John Robertson and Mr. J. W. Brooke. No. L [This periodical emanates from the office of the weekly newspaper called the Railway Record, and Is conducted by the same parties. Its object is to discuss the "various points of railway policy and railway practice, more fully than can conveniently be done in a newspaper devoted principally to the passing events of the day." There is no lack of number in the railway topics; but they want variety both in treatment and subject-matter, unless for persons very deeply in the "interest." There is a strong leaning, as might be expected, towards the iron community, and perhaps to particular persous. Mr. Hudson's management of the Eastern Counties is strenuously defended; Lord George Bentinck as strenuously puffed for his Irish Railway scheme, and Lord John Russell attacked for re- sisting it.] The Traveller's Miscellany, and Magazine of Entertainment. No. I. [A cheap magazine, whose best feature is its statistics connected with trips that can be made from London and sights that can be seen there.]