21 AUGUST 1869, Page 24

Occupations of a Retired LA by Edward Garrett (Strahan), has

reached a second edition. It is a pleasant story, which would be better perhaps without its controversial tinge, of a City merchant, who retires to his native place, and helped by a shrewd, practical sister— the best-drawn character in the book—occupies his retired life with the functions of a local providence, restoring churches, building parson- ages and village hospitals, and generally setting men and things to rights.