PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

Psychological Inquiries : in a Series of Essays, intended to illustrate the mutual relations of the physical organization on the mental faculties. Claude the Colporteur. By the Author of "Mary Powell."

The Last Daysof Alexander, and the First Days of Nicholas (Emperors

of .Russia). By Robert Lee, F.R.S., Fellow of the Royal Col- lege of Physicians.

The Voice of our Exiles ; or Stray Leaves from a Convict Ship. Edited by Daniel Ritchie Esq., Surgeon, R.N. [Mr. Ritchie was appointed Surgeon Superintendent of a convict ship, which was to convey to Van Diemen's Land 291 prisoners who had earned tickets- of-leave by good conduct under probationary discipline. Amongst the me- thods he adopted to stimulate and employ the minds of the people during the voyage, was a literary periodical, called, from the name of the ship, "The Pestonjee Bomanjee Journal." The suggestion took amongst those parties who could write, though one or two continued "to labour in their vocation," and had articles suspended or rejected for wholesale plagiarism. The volume before us consists of a selection from the papers, a good deal of Mr. Ritchie's own composition, and brief notes respecting the " antecedents" and character of the writers.

It is a curious and really a creditable book. The subjects are not very recondite, the thoughts not very original; but, so far as the expression of ideas is concerned, the writing of the ticket-of-leave gentlemen is as good as that of some of the annuals or second-rate journals. Description and re- flection are the main topics. There is a paper on suicide and a burial at sea, by a London friseur, which actually indicates talents for reporting. A quon- dam tailor records his own autobiography, better because with more brevity than if he had been a professional contributor. In matters beyond experience or eyesight, the poetry seems better than the prose, even if we include religious reflections—for some of the people " professed religion." We have read a worse succession of lines in volumes of higher pretension. The convict poetry does not always scan, but it has less triteness than verses from bards of superior station. Its defect is want of logical coherence ; the images, and whole lines, are sometimes independent of each other, and of the main sub- ject. It is, we say again, a curious volume.] The Divine Drama of History and Civilization. By the Reverend James Smith, M.A. [Mr. Smith attaches a mystical value to number five. Horace fixes the acts of a drama at five, neither more nor less. Agassiz remarks that the higher order of vertebrated animals " never have more than four organs of pro- gression," and a head, which makes five. Thus "the number five [is] a natural fixed representative of progressive action." There are five senses, five fingers, five toes. What more like, or indeed more certain, than five acts in the progress of the world ; and in fact our author finds it so. First the Hebrews, second the Greeks, third the Romans, with a treble action, Pagan, Christian, and the dark ages. A fourth act is mediaeval and modern down to the revolutionists of the eighteenth century. Act the fifth is our contemporary age, or thereabouts. It is needless to observe the omission of Egypt in this scheme, if we do not admit that the combination into one act of the Roman and dark ages of the mediceval and the modern is subversive of dramatic unity. The book is a series of disquisitions on the literature, arts, society, and governments, of various peoples at various times; marking the respective indications of progress each nation or age exhibits. The work displays reading rather than research, peculiarity of view rather than originality of thought ; though the peculiarity will to many have an air of novelty. It is a book worth reading by those who take an interest in tracing historical progress, though it is published at a wrong time for disquisition on remote themes.] Sermons on National Saldects. By Charles Kingsley, Rector of Evers- ley. Second series. [This second series is less on themes concerning national questions of a temporary kind, than on matters which go to form the national character of the people,—as in the two capital sermons on Law ; the respect for which, Mr. Kingsley shows both from Scripture authority and from historical example, is nationally as well as individually beneficial. The style is plain, homely, and earnest; the doctrines are broad, free from theological pe- dantry, and addressing the reason as well as the religious feelings. Such is the sermon on the Unpardonable Sin, characterized by the preacher in one word as Bigotry. Another sermon, exemplifying the preacher's large-heart- edness, is the character of Nebuchadnezzar; naturally noble-minded, cor- rupted by power, and brought at last to a true sense of God by suffering.] Consecrated Heights; or Scenes of Higher Manifestation. By the Re- verend Robert Ferguson, LL.D., F.S.A., Member of the Royal Irish Academy, &c. [A series of essays on religious subjects, partaking of the nature of sermons, if they have not actually been delivered either to a congregation or as lec- tures. The aim of Dr. Ferguson is to elevate the religious literature of the day; which, he truly thinks, has not kept pace with our secular literature.] "Be not High-minded." "The Lawfulness of War." "Humble Yourselves." Three Sermons, preached in the Parish Church of St. James's, Westminster. BiJohn Edward Kempe, M.A., Rector of St. James's.

[Not remarkably beyond the average as compositions. The best sermon is on the lawfulness of war ; which certainly shows by the induction of texts that Christianity does not forbid the profession of the soldier, and by consequence its exercise, however much the spirit of Christianity may be opposed to war.] The Laws of the Customs, consolidated by direction of the Lords Com- missioners of her Majesty's Treasury ; (16 and 17 Vic. c. 106 and 107.) With a Commentary, containing practical Forms, Notes of Decisions in leading Customs Cases, Appendix of the Acts, and a copious In- dex. By Felix John Hamel, Esq., Solicitor for her Majesty's Customs. [In 1853, the laws of the Customs, which notwithstanding various improve- ments still remained (and chiefly from additional Acts) an overwhelming mass of digests, statutes, and cases, were consolidated into one Act so far as re- garded the collection of the duties or the management of the business of the department. The text of this consolidated Act, and its popular exposition, form the principal part of the volume before us. Notes upon information,

de- cisions not rendered obsolete, forms, fees, and other subordinate nformation, accompany the ruling text and its commentary. The whole is preceded by a very able introduction, taking a survey of custom-duties in general, tracing the gradual growth of our laws upon the subject, and the successive attempts at simplification and improvement, until the last statute ; touching upon the financial policy of Sir Robert Peel and its remarkable effects upon com- merce, and giving a brief account of the business which it is the duty of the Customs department to carry out, as it is the object of the Act to regulate. Mr. Hamel 's volume will be found a very superior work ; clear in expo- sition, enlarged in view, and yet of so practical a character as to furnish a safe guide to the merchant or the professional man.] The Law of Turnpike Bowls : comprising the whole of the General Acts now in force ; the recent Acts as to the Union of Trusts, for fa- cilitating arrangements with their Creditors, as to the interference by Railways with Roads, and their Non-Repair, and enforcing Contribu- tions from Parishes, &c.; practically, arranged, with Cases, copious Notes, all the necessary Forms, and an elaborate Index, &c. By George C. Oke, Author of "The Magisterial Synopsis," &c.

[As eighteen years have elapsed without any book having been published on the law of Turnpike Roads, notwithstanding the changes that the rail has directly or indirectly operated upon them, and various statutes that have effected legal alterations, we may judge that the ",King's highway" is not of so much importance as of yore. However, the Trustees are important enough to owe a good deal of money ; questions are continually arising ; the new statutes, and still more the great changes in locomotion, render a handy and practical digest of the law necessary. This is the character of Mr. Okes volume.] Nicholas I., Emperor and Autocrat of All the Bassists : a brief Me- moir of his Life and Reign, with Notices of the Country, its Army, Navy, and Present Prospects. By the Reverend Henry Christmas, M.A., F.R.S., &c. [A compilation giving a brief sketch of Russian history from the time of Peter the First; a full account of Nicholas and the wars of his reign, with notices of his ministers and confidants. These chapters are accompanied by others on the institutions, population, &c. of Russia. It is impartially done ; the reports of the friends and enemies of Nicholas being both presented, though when brought together the censure predominates. It is a'shilliug volume of "Shaw's Family Library."] Hospitals and Sisterhoods. Cl'hq object of this publication is to improve the nurses of our public institu- tions by substituting the spirit of Christian love in hospital and other insti- tutions for the colder sense of duty. It contains a bad enough account of hospital nurses, and a description of foreign sisterhoods both Protestant and Romanist ; the object being to establish something of the kind in Eng- land as regards Protestants, for Romish associations exist already.] Hannah and her Chickens. From the German of Eberhard. By James Cochrane, Author of "Sonnets and Miscellaneous Poems," &c. [Mr. Cochrane has found sufficient encouragement for his two previous translations of German poems into hexameter verses to warrant another ex- periment. So be it. "De gustibus non est disputandum." But we cannot think the common domestic incidents of everyday life adapted to a long poem, any more than the hexameter verse is fitted to the English language.] A* Treatise on the Cure of Stammering, &c. With Memoirs of the late Thomas Hunt. By James Hunt, M.R.S.L., &e. [This volume is as much an advertisement as anything else. Its principal contents are testimonials as to the success of the late Mr. Hunt's method of curing stammering, partly spontaneous, partly in reply to certain attacks upon him by medical journals. There is a very brief sketch of the late Mr. Hunt's life, and a notification that his son has succeeded to the business.] By far the most prominent book in the following list is the fifth volume of the eighth edition of the " Encyclopmdia Britannica." In addition to bio- graphical and other notices of a short kind, the volume abounds in con- siderable subjects. "Botany," "Brazil," "Bridges," "Brickmaking," "Building," and " Burman," have a place between "Bo " and "Bu,' as well as a most elaborate treatise on "Britain."

The demand for books upon Turkey and the war has brought forth a new edition of Colonel Smith's translation of such part of Marshal Mar- mont's Travels as relate to Turkey and Southern Russia.* The Colonel has written an additional introduction to this new edition, in which he points to the truth of his predictions in 1839 as to the designs of Russia, in opposition to the opinion of Marmont. He also takes a review of the diplomatic con- duct of the Western Powers; highly approving of their slowness to embark in war, which has morally inlisted Europe on their side, and enabled them to prepare fully for defence and attack : but he urges hard blows, with ade- quate force, now that war is begun. In his preface to the new edition of "Oakfield," Lieutenant Arnold defends himself from the charge of having attacked the Company's Army iu his pic- tures of officers sayings and doings : he only directed his assaults at the class of officers described. The new edition of Lord Robert Grosvenor's plea- sant account of his German tour, entitled "Leaves from My Journal," is cheap and neat.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, or Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General Literature. Eighth edition. With extensive improvements and additions, and numerous Engravings. Volume V.

The Present State of the Turkish Empire. By Marshal Marmont, Due de Raguse. Translated, with Notes and Observations on the Relations

of England with Turkey and Russia, and brought down to the Present Time, by Colonel Sir Frederic Smith, K.H., F.R.S., of the Corps of Royal Engineers. Second edition, revised.

Oakfield; or Fellowship in the East. By W. D. Arnold, Lieut. 58th Regiment B.N.I. In two volumes. Second edition.

Leaves from My Journal during the Summer of 1851. By Lord Robert Grosvenor. Second edition.

Fiends, Ghosts, and Sprites. Including an Account of the Origin and Nature of Belief in the Supernatural. By John Netten Radcliffe.

The History of England, from the Invasion of Julius Cmsar to the end of the Reign of George II. By Hume and Sroollett. With Continua-

tion from the Accession of George III. to the Accession of Queen Victoria, by the Reverend T. S. Hughes, B.D., late Canon of Peter- borough. Also, copious Notes, the Author's last corrections, im- provements, and enlargement. With Historical Illustrations, Auto- graphs, and Portraits. A new edition. Volume II.

_Marriage in May Fair; a Comedy, in five Acts. Second edition.

PAMPHLETS.

Cobbett's Reasons for War against Russia in Defence of Turkey. With a Reprint of the Emperor Nicholas's Catechism of Loyalty, as taught in the Russian Schools. Extracted from Cobbett's Weekly Register.

Why are We at War with Russia or Englishmen Sacrificed to Mahomet. Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Aberdeen, first Lord of the Trea- sury. By an East Anglian.

The Betrayal of England.

Foolish War from False Peace. Neglect- ed International Responsibilities, &c. By Raven's Bane.

Sermon preached at the Cathedral, Bris- tol, on Wednesday, April 28, 1354, " the Day of Humiliation." By the Very Reverend Gilbert Elliot, D.D., Dean.

A Correspondence between the Reverend E. B. Posey, D.D., Regius Professor of Hebrew, and Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and the Reverend R. H. For- tescue, N.A., late Carats of Bigbury, Devon, on the practice of Auricular Confession, as evinced by the Inquiries at Leeds and Plymouth. Edited, with

a Preface and Notes, by the latter of the correspondents.

Remarks on the Principles of Criminal le- gislation, and the Practice of Prison By George Combs, Author of "The Constitution of Man considered in relation to External Objects," Re.

Oaths of Allegiance a Security for Na- tional Independence. By Pierce Con- nelly, 31.A.

Grand Juries. A Charge delivered to the Grand Jury of Middlesex at the April Quarter-Sessions of the Peace for the County, held at the Sessions-house, Clerkenwell, on 24th April 1854. By John Adams, Sergeant-at-law, Assist- ant-Judge of the Court.

Paradox of Popular Rights. Conserva- tive Arguments in favour of Universal Suffrage ; with an Extenuation of Strikes and Trades Combinations in reference to Whig Reform, as embody- ing the Working Man's Proscription and the Employer's Franchise. By Raven's Bane.

The People's Budget, Re. By One of the People.

• Noticed in the Spectator for 1839, p. 757.