CURRENT LITERATURE.

Songs and Rhymes for the Little Ones. Compiled by Mary T. Morrison. (G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and Loadon.)—This is a capital collection. There are didactic pieces, and pieces purely entertaining ; there is good sense, and, what is perhaps more difficult to produce, good nonsense; in fact, there is just what the "little ones" want. Here is one of the more serious kind, for it is always a risky experiment to try a piece of nonsense, the taste for which is a very subtle matter indeed : •• WHAT THE Cuont SANG ABOUT THE New BONNET.

A. foolish little maiden bought a foolish little bonnet, With a ribbon, and a feather, and a bit of lace upon it ; And that the other maidens of the little town might know it, She thought she'd go to meeting the next Sunday, just to show it.

Bat though the little bonnet was scarce larger than a dime, The getting of it settled proved to be a work of time So when 'twas fairly tied, all the bells had stopped their ringing, And when she came to meeting, sure enough the folks were singing.

So this foolish little maiden stood and waited at the door ; And she shook her ruffles out behind, and smoothed them down before.

' Hallelujah hallelujah !' sang the choir above her head. ' Hardly knew yen! timidly knew you' were the words she thought they said.

This made the little maiden feel so very, very cross. That she gave her little mouth a twist, her hale head a toss ; For she thought the very hymn they sang was all about her bonnet, With the ribbon, and the feather, and the bit of lace upon it.

And she would not wait to listen to the sermon, or the pra3or, Bat pattered down the silent street, and hurried up the stair, Till she reached her little bureau, and in a bandbox on it, Had hidden, safe from critic's eye, her f000 ish little bonnet.

Which prove. my litt'e maidens, that each of you will find, In every Sabbath service but an echo of your mind ; And the silly little head, that's filled with silly little airs, Will never get a blessing from sermon or from prayers."

A Tangled Skein. By Cecil Craven. 1 vol. (London Literary Society.)—This is an almost faultless little village idyll. The scene is laid in German Switzerland. The brothers—both very nice fellows —fall in love with the same girl; but, as all three are good and anselfish, everything comes right in the end, and perfectly naturally too. Faithful dogs, lovely mountain, scenery,. a quaint old cathedral town, and art—both in music and carving—all lend their aid to this attractive little story. If there is a weak point, it is that just when a young man wants a little sympathetic advice, a wild legend, not pleasant, but wonderfully appropriate to his own case, is related to him. The English is not absolutely perfect, but not far off. We hope Miss Craven will give us some more of each pleasant stories. Higher Education in Germany and England. By Charles Bird, B.A. (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.)—Mr. Bird has much to tell us about scitools (the Gymnasium, the Real-Gymnasium, and the Realschule) in Germany, and wo are very much interested in reading it. But when be comes to England, and "descends on particulars," we find ourselves differing from him. He complains that education is too expensive. Many persons will be inclined to agree. But let us look at his figures. He imagines a school, a first-grade school, let it be noted, of 500 boys. There is to be a lower school of 400 boys, taught by ten masters. This gives forty for each, about twice too many. Four of these ten are to receive £130 per annum, and six £150. Is this pay for which first-rate men will be content to work ? Will it be worth while to prolong the education, say, to twenty-two years of age, to get £150 at the end ? The upper school is to contain 100 boys, with three masters at £200 a year each, and the head-master is to receive the enormous sum of £500. This is to be the great prize ! Teaching now attracts some of the ablest men. Cat down its pay like this, and it will get but a very inferior class. Of course, if this is no objection, the fees can be reduced to the £6 and £9 of which Mr. Bird speaks. We will give by contrast the nnmbera of the staff of a London day--school, the numbers of which may be taken at GOO. There are, besides a head-master, twenty-fire masters in classics, mathematics, and subjects classed as " English" (including history, dc.), one for chemistry and physics, ten for other languages, and sixteen for drawing, singing, dm. Here is a total of more than forty, or, reckoning that all are not engaged all day, not less than forty. Bat here the fees have to be more than three times Mr. Bird's average ; and the masters are but indifferently paid after all. Mr. Bird thinks, too, of giving board and education for £26 per annum. Why, a boy's dinners alone, if you give him good meat, bread, and vegetables, will cost nearly half that sum. We take forty weeks in the year, and allow tenpenco a day. However desirable, from an economical point of view, Mr. Williamson's reforms may be, we cannot believe that they are practicable.

We have received the first volume of Cassell's Popular Gardening, edited by D. T. Fish (Cassell and Co.)—Mr. Fish, who has been assisted by numerous contributors, both scientific and practical, has produced here a useful book. He deals with both the flower-garden and the kitchen-garden, with the greenhouse and the open-air bed, with roses and cabbages, with vines, and other things without number. Suburban-gardening and window-gardening are specially treated.

Our Noble and Gentle Families of Royal Descent. Compiled by Joseph Forster. (Hatchards.)—Here is a quarto of imposing appear. ance, and, as may be judged from the reputation of its compiler, of solid value. The number of names included in the general index as those of persons who can claim royal descent is nothing less than amazing. There are thirty-two pages of them. We do not pretend to have counted them; but we may say that the last page alone contains one hundred and ninety-one. Taking this as an average, we should gat a total of more than six thousand. And this number does not at all represent the real extent of the diffusion of blood-royal. Mr. Gladstone, for instance, appears in the list, standing alone, whereas all the numerous Gladstone kindred share the honour of the same descent. We notice in the list the names of Fowell Buxton, Tennyson, FitzGerald (Knight of Kerry), Fox (the Quaker family), Law (Lord Ellenborough), Lushington, Charles Stewart Parnell, Wolseley, Wordsworth, cum multis aliis.

Essays of Elia. Illustrated. (W. Paterson, Edinburgh.)—This is a handsome edition of the famous essays, adorned with etchings and other illustrations, which do not appear to us to be of more than moderate merit. The general aspect of the volume, which is a small quarto, the paper, and the print, are all that could be desired. Personally, we should prefer a volume that could be held in the hand ; but for an edition of the statelier kind, to adorn the shelves, this is worthy of praise.

Free England. By "H. E. B." (Jerrold and Sons.)—These "Old Stories of the English Parliament, dedicated to English Boys," deserve a word of praise. One is rather accustomed in these days, and not without some reason, to speak slightingly of the great English Assembly. It cannot but profit to be reminded of what it has done for liberty in the past. Simon de Montfort and Edward I., Sir John Eliot and John Hampden, are among the great personages connected with the history. The Revolution of 1688, the career of " The Great Commoner," " The Abolition of the Slave Trade," "Catholic Emancipation," and the "Reform Bills" (of 1882) are later subjects.

Only an Incident. By Grace Denis Litchfield. (D. Douglas.)— A saiirical reviewer might say that the title is an exaggerated account of the contents of this novel, that it does not really contain even one incident. Joppa is an old-world town—for there seems to be in "old world " even in the States—strongly reminding us of Mrs. fieskell's "Crawford." Here we are introduced to an active-minded young clergyman, and to Phebe Lane, who loves Lim. On Joppa descends an overpowering young woman, the idol of Phebe's heart ; and the clergyman, who was inclining before to poor little Miss Lane, falls in love with her. She flirts with him, so far as so magnificent a creature can, then goes away and forgets him. It is "only an incident" in her life ; but Phebe dies. There is much excellent description in the tale, the best, perhaps, being Mrs. Upjohn's sewing-party. Some of our readers will have already seen it in the Century.

Johnny Ludlow. Third Series. By Mrs. Henry Wood. 3 vole. (Bentley and Son.)—We have been glad to bestow no stinted praise on previous series of Johnny Ludlow ; but we cannot honestly say that this third series is as good as its predecessors. It is always readable,—that is a quality in which Mrs. Wood, with her easy, natural style, never is wanting,—and there are some good sketches in it. " Pack," for instanee, is a powerfully-written little story. We do not know whether the "tally-man" has ever appeared in fiction before. (We may explain that ho is a very dangerous trader, who lets his customers—who, it may be said, are always women—have goods, unknown to their husbaeds, to be paid for by weekly instalments.) Anyhow, his iniquities and the miseries which ho causes are well portrayed in this sketch. Johnny, too, for once abandons his r&le of chorus, and produces a five-pound note with which he helps one of Mr. Jellico's victims out of the toils. In "Caromel'e Farm" we cannot see anything better than a sufficiently commonplace tale of bigamy ; and in "Lady Jenkins " one equally commonplace of poisoniug. The least ingenious reader will guess the end at once, when a rich old lady, attended by a companion of unknown antecedents, shows symptoms which the doctors cannot understand. But surely the doctors ought to have understood when the agent was nothing more subtle than a continuous administration of brandy-and-water. On the other hand, " Janet Carey," with its sequel, " Dr. Knox," is a good love-story. The mystery of the ransacked " secretary " is well-managed. Mrs. Wood is so consistent and generally so exact in her realism, that wo cannot help asking how it was that " a tall young fellow of twenty " could have found time to become a solicitor? (p. 103.) He must have been caught very young.

General Gordon's Letters from the Crimea, the Danube, and Armenia. Edited by Demetrius C. Boulger. (Chapman and Hall.) —These letters cover a period of a little more than four years. General, then Lieutenant Gordon, R.E., went out to the Crimea early in 1855. His descriptions of the siege are admirably plain and straightforward. He magnifies nothing; tells of our reverses, asp e.g., our unsuccessful attacks on the Redan, with perfect candour, but is not without enthusiasm. Of the second attack, he says significantly, " We should have carried everything before us, if the men had only advanced." After the Paris Congress of 1856, Lieutenant Gordon was attached to the Boundary Commission which investigated the Danube frontier. From that work he wont on to take part in another of the same kind for Asia. The second portion of this volume contains, therefore, "Letters from the Danube," and the third "Letters from Armenia." They will be found interesting, for their own sake, and as illustrating the character of a groat soldier.

Wo have yet another "Birthday-Book," Chaucer's Beads, by Mrs. Haweis (W. H. Allen and Co.), which consists of proverbs taken from the poet's various works, the " Bement of the Rose " being included among these, but marked by the editor as of doubtful authenticity.

The University of Cambridge, 1535-1625. By J. B. Mellinger. (Cambridge University Press.)—The ninety years between the firat and the second of these dates are full of incident in the inner history of the University of Cambridge, and in its relations with the world without. Mr. Mellinger has well employed his historical ability in bringing-out from a number of details a general picture of the University and of the Colleges as they were during this important period. Shortly after it began it seemed at least possible that they might share the fate of the Monasteries ; at its close, their existence, even their prosperity, was assured ; and they were not altogether barren of good results. Amidst the vast collection of facts which the industry of Mr. Mellinger has hero marshalled, it is difficult to choose. We may direct the attention of our readers to an instructive and even humorous picture of an Undergraduate, as the statutes supposed and required him to be, and as contem. porary observers, and, indeed, the indirect evidence of the statutes themselves, showed him to be. (p. 390, seq.) The sizars, it seems, often performed menial offices. "The chapel clerk, the porter at the gate, the college cook, and the steward were recruited from the subsizars." Others "acted as valeta to fellow-commonere and pensioners." The account of the studies of the University at this time is extremely interesting. Another noticeable passage is the history of Ruffle's play of Ignoramus, which was in every way a great dramatic success. We notice that the death of Dee is assigned to the year 1610 in the text, and 1008 in the margin. According to Chalmers, the earlier date is correct. This is an admirable volume, to which, did circumstances permit, we would gladlg have given a longer notice.

The Armourer's 'Prentices. By Charlotte M. Yonge. 2 vols. (Macmillan and Co.)—It is almost unnecessary to say anything about the books of so well-known an authoress as Miss Yonge. This is one of her admirable historical tales for young or old people, but especially interesting to boys. The time is chiefly the earlier and pleasanter years of Henry VI11.'s reign ; but by judicious skips, here and there, of half-a-dozen years, we are present at the disgrace and death of Wolsey and the execution of Sir Thomas More. The customs and manners of London citizens generally in those days, and the treatment and sports of 'prentices in particular, are presented in a lively manner in the movement of the story, and are not merely drily described. The story opens in the New Forest, carries us quickly to London, Windsor, Chelsea, &c., and, later, to the field of the cloth of gold. The excellent young men are slightly priggish, as is not unfrequently the case with Miss Yonge's heroes ; but they are delightfully supplied with opportunities for doing great deeds, and being of eminent service to people in high places, so that the story lacks nothing of exciting adventure and final success, to accompany the notable triumph of a high standard of morality and religious principle. It ends where it began, in the New Forest, and is a truly ideal ending.

We have to acknowledge the receipt of another volume (IV., Part 2) of The Encyclopedic Dictionary (Cassell and Co.), a valuable book of reference, to the excellent execution of which we have already borne testimony. This volume contains from "glotterie" (an obsolete word for "gluttony "), to " interlink," marked as obsolete, though it is a word which might be used without any suspicion of pedantry. One would hardly venture, indeed, to say that it has not been used since Dryden, whose authority is here quoted for it. Any one who desires to estimate the thoroughness with which this work is executed should take, on the one hand, such an article as that on the verb "go," the various uses of which are traced through more than five columns, and, on the other hand, the item "glycerine," with its compact scientific and medical account of that substance, and "gnosticism," with its terse summary of a somewhat obscure theological controversy.

Spanish and French Painters. By Gerard W. Smith (Sampson Low and Co.) —This volume completes the series of the history of painting in "The Illustrated Handbooks of Art Education." Spanish painting began somewhat late, and at first was greatly under Italian influence. Its great period belongs to the seventeenth century. It died out almost entirely at the close of the next. Its recent revival shows, it may perhaps be said, more promise than performance. A brief chapter is given to Portuguese painting, and is followed by some very interesting chapters on the more fertile subject of painting in France. The volume is copiously illustrated.

Babylonian Life and History, by E. A. Wallace Budge, B.A. (Religious Tract Society), is the fifth volume of a series, " By-paths of Bible Knowledge," of which we have had occasion to speak with deserved praise before. The student of the Bible will find this volume, with its careful résumé of the latest results of research and discovery, very interesting and instructive.

The Clergy Directory and Parish G aide for 1885. (T. G. Johnson, 121 Fleet Street.)—This useful Directory is enlarged in the present volume with a list of Chaplains in her Majesty's Forces, whether in the Army and Navy or in the Citizen's Army. It is a Clerical Directory which we have now used for some years, and found full and accurate, and we can recommend it cordially to our readers.

Haro the D'eamer. By William Sime. 2 vols. (Remington and Co.)—Haro, son of Sir Thomas Spens, a retired surgeon of great eminence in his days, and Sandy Baxter, son of Sir Thomas's bailiff, enter at the same time on their career as medical students at Edinburgh, Sandy being the pupil—indeed, the only pupil—of a new "extra. mural " school. This gives an excellent opportunity for Mr. Sims to describe student-life in a Scotch university, and he avails himself of it with very considerable success. Sandy is a hard-worker, Hare is what the title of the book describes ; these are two good types to begin with. Then there is the disreputable sort in the person of Ralph Morton, LL.D. and M.D., these being degrees which be has purchased at a moderate outlay in ready cash. Lady Mary is a really charming specimen of the lady who has a medical vocation. Let us hope that Vienna gave her the degree which Edinburgh refused her. Tibbie Baxter, sister to Sandy, is another important character in this little drama, for Haro is not so much of a dreamer that he cannot fall in love. Nor must the humorous painter, Mr. Tree, be forgotten ; and last to be mentioned, but certainly not least, Professor Stewart, in whom the reader will scarcely fail to recognise the portrait, drawn from life with a kindly and appreciative hand, of a certain professor, now emeritus as regards his university, but still actively employed in lecturing mankind.

The Lady of the Lake. By Sir Walter Scott. Edited by Edwin Ginn. (Ginn and Heath, Boston, U.S.)—This is one of the excellent series of "Classics for Children" which Messrs. Ginn and Heath are publishing. The editor gives an abridgment from Scott's "Auto

biography," and some extracts from Lockhart's " Life ;" and he annotates the poem with carefully-chosen foot-notes. The text, whichneeded restoration from the errors of careless reprints, has been taken from Mr. Rolfe's edition,—a trustworthy guide, as we know from persdnal experience. As it is unreasonable to complain of the Americanised spelling in a book intended for American readers, we have nothing but praise for this excellent volume, which, we may remark, is as cheap as it is good.

Although he was a Lord, and other Tales. By Mrs. Forrester. a vols. (Hurst and Blackett.)—Mrs. Forrester has collected here twenty stories, or thereabouts, putting in the front one that is decidedly attractive. On the whole, we like them better than we do some of her longer efforts. Their tone is generally more pleasant, and, to our taste, more wholesome. Whether they are intrinsically worthy of the dignity of a three-volume work is more than we can say ; but they are certainly much better, in point both of construction and style, than much to which the vanity of authors and the self-interest of publishers gives that form.

SERMONS AND ESSA VS.—Sermons Preached at Westminster _4bbey. By Alfred Barry, D.D. (Cassell and Co.)—Bishop Barry's sermons are worthy of his reputation as a thinker and a man of sound practical judgment. Such a discourse, for instance, as the sixth in this volume, "Christianity and Art," deals very ably with one of the complex problems presented by modern life in a way of which few preachers would have been capable. It indicates a large culture and a many-sided mind, gifts which great theologians and rhetoricians do not always possess. The subject of "Christianity and Politics " is, perhaps, not less difficult, and is ably treated. We may mention, too, as excellent in its method and carrying out, " What is Conversion ? " — A Year's Ministry. By Alexander Maclaren, D.D. (Office of " The Christian Commonwealth.") — These twenty • six discourses, being the "first series " of the proposed year's discourses, show the great qualities which have given Dr. Maclaren so high a place among English preachers. We cannot, indeed, profess to agree with all the preacher's theology, with the pure Zuinglianism, for instance, of the discourse (" In Remembrance of Me") on the Communion, or with such a statement, as we find in it, as " the death of Christ is the kernel of objective Christianity,"—a statement which surely requires much modification. The Apostles seem to have found the "kernel" in the Resurrection, if we may judge from what is recorded of their preaching. We may direct our readers' attention to "The Present and Future Inheritance," "The Son of Man," "The Lesson of Memory," and, as a specimen of a more directly practical kind, "How to Sweeten the Life of Great Cities." When Dr. Maclaren says, in the first of these, that " a man on the other side of the grave will be the same as he was on this side," is ho not contradicting the popular theology which makes out that he becomes at once an angel or a devil ? —Sermons. By the late John Service, D.D. (nacmillan.)—These sermons, the latest works of a man too soon lost to the Church of Christ, were preached in Hyndland Church, Glasgow. There is• sometimes an air of paradox in them ; but they soon reconcile the reader to what at first may disturb or even shock him. We may take as an instance the second sermon, " Divine Discontent." It is a little startling to read,—" Contentment is what is praised in the New Testament Scriptures ; but what they teach and preach is a Divine discontent." But when we peruse the argument, we find in how masterly a way the truth is brought out. Contentment is a great gain ; but not if, as Dr. Service says, it is what often is, "a substitute for godliness." The next sermon in order, "The Carcase and the Eagle," will probably upset some preconceived notions about history and its teaching ; but truth and suggestiveness will soon be recognised. The fifth, again, "Trying to Do One's Beat," with its admirable directness of speech, is fall of most useful teaching. We may quote one passage from it :—

"In trying to do the best we can, in never losing heart in the business, we are partners with the Eternal in accelerating that process, however it may seem that our effort and endeavour is for the time unavailing and abortive. However it may seem to be fighting against nature and the course of things, it is in reality, and in a wider view, working out the Eternal order, to keep on trying to do our best in the face of all difficulties and reverses. That is a view of things to.

the truth of which history is a witness. There is progress, though it is slow. To take that view, and to give it the place which it ought to hold in all our thoughts, is the best provision that can be made by as against the great calamity of losing heart in well-doing. God said to man when he made him, at any rate, the moment he sprang into conscious existence,—Do thy best, winter and summer, in plenty, in poverty, with circumstances to favour or to withstand, and thou shalt live. Though it is not recorded in the Bible, I know that it is so, be cause it is so written in the very nature of man. Do thy best, never lose heart in doing that, and thou shalt live. Other life worth the name than trying to do the best he can, there is not for man upon the earth or anywhere else."

—To the Light through the Cross, by Clement Clemance, B.A. D.D. (R. D. Dickinson), is an able exposition, in a series of discourses, of the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, free, it would seem, from

misrepresentations of the expiatory theory. Here is a passage, and it might be matched with others, which seems to put the matter well and forcibly :— " The maintenance of law was the glory of the Father's righteousness. The out-gashing of grace would be the delight of His love. Whereas evil had entered the world, and the race was in revolt from God, sin bad to be so treated as to make it possible for both love and righteousness to work without putting either into the shade. Grace had so to act as to honour law. Law had so to be honoured as to leave full scope for grace. And in order to this, there needed an adequate vindication of the majesty of law, so that forgiveness of sin might never be confounded with connivance at it. A public condemnation of sin was demanded. And there was needed a power that, working side by side with a grace that could cancel guilt, should so insert itself into the race and the individual as to tear up sin by the roots and utterly destroy it."

—Sermons. By the late Rev. J. J. Stephenson. (W. Isbister.)We do not wonder at the language of praise with which the Bishop of Rochester introduces these discourses to the public. Without possessing any very remarkable literary qualities, they are instinct with an earnestness which makes itself felt, even in the coldness of print. "The Things which are Not Seen" shows this merit remarkably. These sermons, brief, practical, and thoroughly genuine, should be very useful.—Sermons for the Church's Year. Vol. II., Trinity to Advent. Edited by the Rev. W. Benham, B.D. (Griffith, Farren, and Co.) —This volume contains two sermons for each Sunday,—i.e., as the twentyseven Sundays after Trinity are provided for, fifty-four in all. Many divines have been laid under contribution, most of them either now living or but recently passed away, though we find the names of Hooker, Jeremy Taylor, and Bishop Mont among them. " Every sermon in the volume," we read in the preface, " is taken from the works of Church of England divines," with the exception, which amply justifies itself, of one for the Seventeenth (misprinted in the preface " Fourteenth") Sunday after Trinity, which is taken from Boardaloue, and deals with the subject of "Ambition." But who is -"J. H. Evans," who contributes the sermon " The Believer Conscious of God's Displeasure" ? Can it be James Harrington Evans, a famous preacher in his day, ordained in the Church of England, but for many years before his death ministering among the Baptists ? —The Sunday Home Service, by the Rev. Donald Macleod, D.D. (W. Isbister), contains a short service for every Sunday in the year, each consisting of two portions of Scripture suggested for reading —a short sermon occupying, we should suppose, less than ten minutes—and prayers. We should say that it is likely to be a most useful volume.—We have also to notice and to recommend to our readers the second volume, containing the issue for July-December, 1884, of The Contemporary Pulpit, an excellently conducted periodical, which deserves a hearty support. —We have also received Expository Sermons and Outlines on the Old Testament, contributed by fifteen of the most eminent preachers of the day (Hodder and Stoughton), second edition.—The Divine Gentleness, and other Sermons, by T. Campbell Finlayson (Brook and Chrystal, Manchester) ; and from the same publishers, Christ's Healing Touch, and other Sermons, by Alexander Mackennal, B.A.Rest from Care and Sorrow, by Alexander Raleigh (A. and C. Black, Edinburgh), a work of a devotional kind.—Worship in Heaven and Earth, by the Rev. J. G. Norton, M.A. (Wells Gardner, Darton, and Co.)—The Problems of Life Considered : a Series of Essay•Discourses, by Samuel Edgar, B.A. (W. Isbister).—Sermons, by David Seving (Richard D. Dickinson).—Christ as Found in the Evangelists, by C. Collingwood, M.A. (Elliot Stock.).—Auxilium, Praedicatorum. Vol. 3, St. John, Gospel and Epistles, by the Rev. Pais Devine (M. H. Gill and Son, Dublin).—Love Revealed, by George Bowen (David Douglas). —The Sceptic's Creed, •by Nevison Loraine (Hodder and Stoughton).— Inspiration : a Clerical Symposium (Nisbet and Co.), a series of papers reprinted from the Homiletic Magazine.—Atheism and the Value of Life, by W. H. Mallock (Bentley and Son), five essays which will probably be more or less within the recollection of our readers as having already appeared in the Edinburgh Review and the Nineteenth Century. The subjects are " Clifford's Essays," which appears with the title, "The Professor in the Pulpit," " Tennyson's Ballads and Poems," or "Tennyson under the Shadow," "George Eliot on Human Character," "Natural Religion," and "Atheistic Methodism," Mr. Mallock's "Reply to his Critics."—Scientific Theology, by T. W. Barber (Elliot Stock).—The Apocalyptic Jesus, by James Cumming (Edinburgh, Macniven and Wallace).—The Question of Questions : Is Christ Indeed the Saviour of the World by the Rev. Thomas Allin (T. Fisher Unwin), a contribution to the literature of "the larger hope."—The Unique Grandeur of the Bible, by the Rev. William Anderson, M.A. (Hatchards).—"Every Eye :" Practical Addresses for Advent and the New Year, by the Rev. George Everard, M.A. (Nisbet).

We have received The Dickens Memento (Field and Tuer), being a catalogue with purchasers names and price realised of the articles sold after the death of Dickens.—A similar volume from the same publishers is The Bewick Memento, containing particulars of the sale of the Bewick Relies at Newcastle-on-Tyne in the August of last year.—The Abbeys of Arbroath, Balmerino, and Lindores, by G. S. Aitken (J. Long, Dundee).—The Cott rtenay Mantelpiece in the Episcopal Palace of Exeter, by Roscoe Gibbs (Office of "Torquay Directory ").—The Monuments of Athens, by P. G. Kastromenos, translated by Agnes Smith (Stanford).—An analysis of Wit and Humour, by F. R. Fleet (David Bogne).—A Guide to Redistribution, by J. B. Huntingdon (J. and R. Maxwell), an elaborate analysis of the present and proposed electoral systems of the United Kingdom, which it will be interesting to compare with the results of the legislative action of the present' Parliament.—Caralry in Modern War, by Colonel E. Cheuevix Trench (Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.)—Some Famous " Hamlets," front Burbage to Fletcher, by Austin Brereton (I). Bogue). All of these " Hamlets " have passed away, and their performances live only in tradition. Many now living saw Charles Kean the younger, Macready, and Fechter ; the last of these, if only he could have spoken English, an ideal personification of the character.—Mehomet and Islam, by Sir William Muir (Religions Tract Society), a sober and quiet estimate of Mahomet's career, which would servo as a wholesome corrective to the extravagant views of his character which have been pat forward by writers to whom he is commended by his hostility to Christianity.—Nature's Hygiene, by C. F. Kingscott (Baillibre, Tindal, and Co.), a "second edition."—Men and Women of the Far-Off Time, by S. H. Burke (Burns and Oates), a vigorous and picturesque representation of various historical characters marked, on the whole, by fairness.—The Great Bread Riots of 1890, by S. L. S. (J. Arrowsmitb, Bristol), a lively brochure, describing, by anticipation, the results of Fair-trade brought in under the rule of a certain Tory Democrat, whose proposal to raise 220,000,000 by import duties, to be divided between the landowners and the artisans, seems to be accepted by some people as serious statesmanship.—A. handy edition of Byron's Works, in twelve volumes, clearly printed and well bound, enclosed in a neat box (Suttaby and Co., London ; Scribner and Welford, New York). —The Nutshell Series (Putnam's Sons, London and New York), six clearly printed and neatly bound volumes of extracts from " Philosophy," " Epigram and Epitaph," " Wit and Humour," " Proverbs," " Wisdom," and " Sentiment."

Fisher-Folk. By J. S. Cadels. (Macniven and Wallace.)—This unpretending little book has more in it of pathos and interest than many a pretentious three-volumed novel. It is the true story of a fisher-girl, and gives a picture most effective in its simplicity of the lights and shadows of her life from her childhood till we have her a happy wife and mother.

MAGAZINES, ETC.—We have received :—The Art Journal, containing an etching by F. Slocombe of the picture "Friday," by W. D. Sadler. —The Magazine of Art, containing the first of a series of illustrated articles on "The Older London Charchos."—The English Illustrated Magazine.—The Journal of Education.—The Science Mon thly.—The Oxford Magazine.—The Homiletic Magazine.—Merry England.—The Month.—The Monthly Interpreter.—No. I. of the Scottish Geographical Magazine (T. and A. Constable).—The Antiquarian Magazine.—The Zoophilist.—Science Gossip.—The Gentleman's Magazine.—The Theatre.—Time.—Belgravia.—The Argosy.—Temple Bar.—Eastward Ho !—The Irish Monthly.—Chambers's Journal.—Good Words, in which the story by Katharine Saunders is concluded.—All the Year Round.—The Sunday at Home.—The Leisure Hour.—The Sunday Magazine.—The Ladies' Treasury.—The Season.—Harper's Monthly. —Harper's Young People.—The Melbourne Review.—The Atlantic Monthly.