PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Booxs.

THE autumnal slackness of the publishing world still continues. Be- yond Captain Osborn's narrative of M'Clure's Discovery of the North- west Passage, Dr. Robinson's trepplementary volume of his Re- searches in Palestine, together with a few books of "light literature," we have nothing new to reserve for perusal. However, there is pro- mise for the future, though probably far off. Mr. Murray's "'list of forthcoming Works " consists of ten pages ; among which we see a concluding volume of Peel's Memoirs, to contain the "Forma- tion of the Government in 1834-'5," and the Repeal of the Corn- laws. "Letters from Head-quarters" during the Crimean War, by a Staff-Officer, will be interesting if the writer has anything new— that is secret—to tell us ; of mere outside descriptions the world has had enough. We are also to have the public and private Correspondence of the Marquis Cornwallis during his Indian Administrations, the Irish Union, and the American War and Peace ; the last more especially a subject on which new informatiion is desirable, for we suspect that be- fore long the story will be regarded in a different point of view from what it has hitherto been. Sir William Napier is about to send forth the Life and Opinions of his brother Charles, drawn chiefly from his correspond- ence and his journals, and embracing observations on some of the great- est events of the century ; for the veteran's labours and "opinions" begin with the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Besides these, various works are announced on scholastic, artistic, theological, or legal subjects, to- gether with some new editions, including Swift's Works, and a new Biographia Britannica.

Messrs. Longman's list of "Works preparing for publication" is of twelve pages. Among the most remarkable subjects is "A Year of Re- volution "—Lord Normanby's " Journal kept in Paris in the year 1848"; a strange book without doubt, if he poured out his whole mind in his diary. The African Travels of Dr. Barth to Timbuctoo, and other equally wild and wondrous places, are to appear in three volumes; while Mr. Hallo- ran, Master R.N., is to narrate an eight-months visit to Japan and Loo- ehoo, and Mr. Forester his Travels in Corsica and Sardinia. Colonel MacDougal of Sandhurst will give the world the Theory of War; Dr. J. H. Newman is to handle the Office and Work of Universities ; Mr. Scharf junior, the Chronology of Art. Dr. Harford is to produce the Life and Times of Michael Angelo. Baden Powell, Admiral Smyth, and Robert Grant, are to translate Arago's Lives of Distinguished Men. Among a variety of works on medical, mathematical, and miscel- laneous subjects, a new edition of Bacon's Works may be mentioned, en- larged by the "addition of many pieces not printed before." Last, but to many readers not least, will be the completion of Raikes's Journal, which is announced for next month.

The Discovery of the North-West Passage by H. At S. Investigator, Capt. R. Clure, 1850,1851, 1852, 1853, 1854. Edited by Commander Sherard Osborn, Author of "Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal," from the Logs and Jour- nals of Capt. Hobert Le M. ISPClure. Illustrated by Commander S. Gurney Cromwell, R.N.

Later Researches in Palestine and the adjacent Regions : a Journal of Travels ía the year 1852. By Edward Robinson, Eli Smith, and Others. Drawn up from the Original Diaries, by Edward Robinson, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature in the Union Theological Seminary, New York. With Maps and Plans.

Edgar Barden: an Autobiographical Novel. By William Knighton, M.A.,

Author of "Forest Life in Ceylon." In three volumes.

Stories by an Archceologist and his Friends. In two volumes.

Self and Self-Sacrifice; or Nelly's Story. By Anna Lisle.

Craigcrook Castle, By Gerald Massey.

Handbook of Zoology. By J. Van der Hoeven. In two volumes. Vol. I. (Invertebrate Animals ) Translated from the second Dutch edition by the Rev. William Clark, M.D., F.R.S., &c., late Fellow of Trinity College and Professor of Anatomy in the University of Cambridge.— This stupendous monument of scientific erudition is more fitted for a text- book to the student whose motto is thorough than for a popular reader of zoology. Everything that the celebrated Dutch Professor touches is thoroughly handled, without being overlaid, though unless for the de- termined student there will seem to be a great amount of detail as well as much minuteness. Like all great teachers, Van der Hoeve-n may occasionally appear to be common, owing to those whom he has taught having diffused his information in many forms through many channels. The first edition of his Zohlogy was commenced in 1827, and completed in 1835. Much less time than twenty-one years suffices to popularize the most taking and telling parts of a scientific book.

The work may be considered under two heads. The one gives a broad view of the general subject—a class, an order, &o.; including the history of its discovery, as well as the amount of its nature. This is followed by a detailed exposition of the different species, with the particulars ne- cessary for the student to learn, but dry because unintelligible to the general reader. An introduction contains a survey of nature in its great divisions of inorganic bodies and vegetable and animal life. The volume begins with the lowest class, the Inhaoria, and closes with the Molluscs.

Advanced Text-book of Geology, Descriptive and Industrial. By David Page, F.G.S., Author of "Introductory Text-book of Geology," &c.—A person wishing to have a general view of the principles of geology, the general evidence on which the science rests, the most remarkable facts its pursuit has discovered, the laws under which the facts are arranged, and the uses to which geological knowledge may be turned, cannot do better than procure Mr. Page's Tmt-book. To original opinions or new facts the author makes no claim; his object is to present the reader with the present condition of the science. By a judicious arrangement of his matter, by a well-chosen selection of facts, and by a clear close style, Mr. Page imparts a new interest, and, it strikes us, a new colouring, to his topics, not infrequently rendering the proofs more cogent by his mode of statement or illustration. The book is alike useful to those who only aim at a general knowledge or those who wish an introduc- tion to geology in order to further study.

A Manual of the &a-Anemones commonly found on the English Coast. By the Reverend George Tugwell, Oriel CollPge, Oxford.—An animated, agreeable, and rather vigorously-written book, on an interesting sub- ject for the resident or visitant by the sea-side. After explaining in a clear and popular manner, but with somewhat too much of dramatic form, the nature and scientific status of the sea-anemones, Mr. Tug- well carries his reader to the sea-aide, shows him how and where to col- lect his specimens and get them home. He then instructs how to pre- serve them, either in an extemporized aquarium of pans or glasses, or a more regularly-constructed vessel ; intermingling his practical directions with scientific instruction. One feature in the Manual is, that the reader may make a beginning in the simplest way; another, that there is no attempt at natural history made lazy. If you want to acquire knowledge, or to keep a collection, you must take trouble in proportion to the advance you aim at. The weather seems to hint that the book is a month or so too late, except perhaps in the region where the author resides, Ilfra- combe; but it will keep.

A Simple Catechism of the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Ningdoms. By Charlotte O'Brien.—Natural history in the largest extent of the tern; including the atmosphere, put into a very little book. Of course there is nothing but very leading facts.

The Genesis : a Poem. By Edward Howard, M.D. With an Intro- duction by George Gilfillan.—The Genesis is a strange mistake. Books of poetry fail in general through an error which only time and ex- perience, assisted by booksellers' bills, discover. Their writers are not poets; if they were, their subjects would be proper enough. But who could succeed with the six days of the Mosaic account of the creation in as many books, the last closing with the creation of Eve ; while, as if to make up for the want of human interest the subject must display, the story of the Fall, the death of Abel, the corruption of the Antediluvians, and in fact the whole account of the Christian dispensation till the final triumph of Christ, is interwoven with the Genesis. A portion of this narrative is introduced into the day's creation ; and, by a strange hallu- cination, it is told before the creation itself. Another Milton could not have succeeded with Dr. Howard's subject planned in Dr. Howard's way. There is nothing even partially redeem- ing in the execution. The Doctor has caught a distant reflection of the manner of Paradise Lost, but that is the nearest approach to poetry. He has, however, clearness and fluency, which place him pretty near the late Robert Montgomery.

History of the Consulate and the Empire of France under Napoleon. By M. A. Thiers. Translated by John Stabbing. Vol. XIII.—The con- tinuation of an undertaking planned and commenced by the late Mr. Colburn the publisher in conjunction with the historian. The subjects of the present volume are the preparations for the Russian war, carried on under cover of glaring falsehood, not to say perfidy, which M. Thiers describes but scarcely censures ; the campaigns in the Peninsula, of which the principal events were the capture of Badajoz and Ciudad Rodrigo, and Suchet's successes in Catalonia and Valencia ; Napoleon's growing differences with the Pope and clergy.