Octavias Perinchief. By Charles Lammas. (Washington : Anglini.)—We have in
this volume an autobiography, very interesting at times, though written in a didactic tone (it was intended for the author's children), which does not attract. Mr. Perinchief struggled to his goal, which was a good education and the ministry, in a quite heroic way. His faith that help would come somehow was absolute. And it did come, though sometimes not till he had very nearly reached the starving point. Sometimes we are a little staggered, as when he went to board with a widow (unwillingly, it should be said) not hav- ing a cent in his pocket. But he ended by paying everything, even the money that kind friends lent him. The letters show a vigorous mind, quite able to express itself in appropriate words. The most uncongenial employment Mr. Perinchief ever had seems to have been the post of Secretary to the Evangelical Education Society in Philadelphia. The Society gives help to young men of Evangelical persuasions, as a step towards their education for the ministry. The secretary was not favourably impressed, at least with some of them. He says, among other things, "My impression is, these young men have an impression that we are a bank for supporting their follies. It is high time that idea be removed ; though in some instances, from all appearances, it takes away the only idea that some of them have." There is some good reading in this book.
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