PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

From January 17th to January 23d.

BOOKS.

The Curiosities of Heraldry. With Illustrations from Old English Writers. By Mark Antony Lower, Author of " English Surnames," &c. With mi- merons wood-engravings, from designs by the Author. Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition, during the years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842. By Charles Wilkes, U.S.N., Commander of the Expedition, &c. In five volumes, and an Atlas. Volume IL Hawkstone; a Tale of and for England in 184—. In two volumes. Zoe, the History of Two Lives. By Geraldine Endsor Jewsbury. In three volumes.

The Fortunes of the Scattergood Family. By Albert Smith, Author of " The Adventures of Mr. Ledbury," Sec. In three volumes. [A reprint of Mr. Albert Smith's amusing novel, which has appeared month b month in the pages of Bentley's Miscellany. We may endeavour to return to it.] Practical Geology and Ancient Architecture of Ireland. By George Wil- kinson, Architect, Member of the Royal Irish Academy, of the Council of the Dublin Geological Society, &c. Illustrated with seventeen plates and seventy-two wood-cuts.

[The value of scientific knowledge when applied to practical purposes is strikingly Shown in this curious and useful volume. Mr. Wilkinson, impressed with the importance of geological science to the architect, has investigated the strata of Ireland with a view to ascertain the qualities of the different rocks and earths, with reference to their uses as building-materials; illustrating their durability by an examination of the oldest edifices of the country, and also by experimental tests of the strength and density of the stones. He first gives a general summary of the wealth of the soil, in granites, slates, sandstones, limestones, and marbles; and then exemplifies the uses made of these materials by the earliest builders. In the course of this elaborate review of the ancient architecture of Ireland, he in- stances ninny peculiarities of construction, in which the edifices differ from Eng- lish structures of corresponding date; and upon this he founds a new theory of the origin of the Round Towers. Mr. Wilkinson ascribes them to the Christian missionaries from Rome hi the ninth and tenth centuries ; and proves them to be in the style of Norman architecture, by numerous examples. That he has settled this vexed question we will not pretend to say; but he has made out a much bet- ter case in support of his opinion than in endeavouring to show that pointed ar- chitecture originated in Ireland prior to its introduction into England from the Continent.

The rest of the volume—and the most valuable half of it—consists of a detailed account of the quality, distribution, use, and cost of the various materials for building found in every county in Ireland; taking each separately. This is fol- lowed by a series of tables showing the results of experiments to ascertain the power of resistance to pressure and moisture in the principal building-stones. We should be glad to see a similar work setting forth the geological wealth of Great Britain.] On the History and Art of Warming and Ventilating Rooms and Buildings. With notices of the progress of personal and fireside comfort, and of the management of fuel. Illustrated by two hundred and forty figures of ap paratus. By Walter Bernan, Civil Engineer. In two volumes.

[A popular account of the various methods employed by...people of all ages and countries for regulating temperature by artificial means; giving scientific descrip- tions illustrated by diagrams, of mechanical contrivances for generating heat, fronAhe Roman hypocaust to Dr. Arnott's stove; and including a mention of dif- ferent plans of ventilation.

A quantity of information on a subject that comes home to everybody is given in a readable form in these volumes; and the matter is often amusing as well as carious: yet the result is disappointing. Among the number of ingenious con- trivances, one is puzzledwhich to choose; for all seem more or less imperfect, and some are expensive. Directions are given how to keep up an even temperature in an invalid's room by artificial means; but the best mode of warming and venti- lating houses, and the principles that should be observed in adopting any plan for the purpose, have still to be settled.]

The Little French Instructor • or French Taught by Conversation and fami- liar Correspondence. By Mademoiselle Tiesset, Institutrice Brevetee, Au- thor of a "Table for the Conjugation of French Verbs," &c. [The object of this little book is to supply the place of oral conversation and ac- tual correspondence; and its plan is not dissimilar to that adopted by some able teachers with a dramatic turn of mind, who use conversation-books only for their subjects, changing the form of the printed speech, and enforcing their pupils to extemporize French. The exercises of The Little French Instructor are of va- rious kinds and degrees of difficulty; but one principle pervades them all,—to ex- hibit iu the first lesson of every class the pure English in one column, and En- glish with a French order, or the French itself, in another. The leading theme is then pursued in several exercises, where the English only is given, with the French idioms in foot-notes, leaving words and sentences of analogous construc- tion to be done by the pupils without assistance. Well applied, it will be found a very useful book.]

The German First Book ; or Conversations and Dialogues for the use of Schools. By Morris Miehnaur, Professor of the German Language, Svc. [The object of this publication is to present to the pupil only so much as may enable sum to read and converse. Of grammar there is little more than a partial conjugation of verbs; the rest of the book consisting of vocabularies of words in general use, and various conversations. It looks easy and effective; but the proof of the pudding is not in its appearance.] Facts upon Facts, chiefly Historical, against the League. By Albert Williams, Esq. [This is a very silly book, about which the League need give themselves no con- cern, unless they are at a loss for something to laugh at. Albert Williams, Esq., goes over the ancient and modem world in defence of protection and our Corn- laws. Egypt, Syria, Edom, Chaldma, China, Persia, Greece and Rome, with some more places, are handled in succession: but when we had ?ravelled with him to Rome, Part Second, we got tired of his company. What he is at we can- not make out, or at least his logical means of attaining his end. He certainly shows that countries once flourishing and cultivated are now depopulated or de Pert, and that in China agriculture is encouraged; but what bearing all this has upon League or Anti-League we cannot divine. Dees he fancy that the prophe- cies, which he quotes so glibly, were a type of the necessity of a sliding-scale ; or that the states enumerated could have , flourished in immortal youth" by corn-law ?] The Moral Phtenomena of Germany. By Thomas Carlyle, Esq., of the Scottish Bar.

[A series of short essays on the government, nobility, society, learned men, and church of Germany; in which information as to the characteristics and present con- dition of those things is mingled with quaint remark. The most attractive papers are those on nobility and society ; because they contain some living pictures, and furnish points of comparison between Germany and England.]

The Apostleship, and Apostolical Succession. By the Reverend John Craig. [This is an attempt to refute the doctrine of the Apostolical Succession by an appeal to Scripture only; and as Mr. Craig requires the successors of the Apostles to possess all their powers and qualifications, he has little difficulty in settling the case. The book is moderately written. Mr. Craig, in fact, does not appear to object to a modified sort of succession, by which all duly-appointed officers of a regularly-organized church should be received as a kiiid of successors to the Apostles: nay, he maintains that they must be so.]

Can Woman Regenerate Society I [The writer thinks woman can—but she must first (hard task !) regenerate her- self. The little publication consists of a number of papers on social intercourse, love and friendship, old-maidism, matrimony, and analogous topics. They are written in a plain and sincere style; and inculcate a more robust and self-depend- ent feeling in woman than is common to the sex, with more consistency between profession and practice.] The Templar; a Novel By the Author of " livmenmus."

[The Templar is not a Knight-Templar but a student-at-law—or rather stu- dents-at-law, for the title should have been plural. Love, rivalry, a duel, a death, a trial for murder with several counts, besides a marriage, and other matters, arc all, luckily for the reader, crowded into a single volume of half the usual size.]

The Enchanted Knights; or the Chronicle of the Three Sisters. Translated from the German of Musmus.

[Another translation of a tale of Musmus, which was published the other day in conjunction with some more stories—for it does not strike us as a separate re- issue.] Aunt Mary's New Year's Gift, for Little Boys and Girls who are Learn- ing to Read. By the Author of "Aunt Mary's Tales," &c.:! A new edition,

Learn-

re [A collection of little tales for little readers; interesting and easy. This new edi- tion is prettily embellished, and will form an attractive gift book.]

The Last Rose of Summer, preserved for my friends ; or a Collection of Small Poems. By Rose Ellen H—

[An elegant-looking little volume of miscellaneous poems, by a young lady ; whose verses occasionally halt.] Sonnets, chiefly Sacred. By James Edmeston, Author of " Sacred Lyrics," &c. [Forty sonnets in as many pages, with a rich-looking paper-binding of colours and gold.] The Juvenile Miscellany of Facts and Fiction. With Stray Leaves from Fairy Land. Volume I.

[A collection of original and selected juvenile stories and fairy tales, together with historical scenes, told in a style suited to the youthful capacity, intermingled with poetry, and facts in natural history. The work seems to be published periodi- cally; but if so, the numbers are here collected into a VoL L]