PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

From May 30th to Jane 5th.

BOOKS.

Spain, Tangier, 4.e., visited in 1840 and 1841. By X. Y. Z. The Fall of Napoleon; an Historical Memoir. By Lieutenant-Colonel J. Mitchell, H.P., Author of " The Life of Wallenstein," &c. In three volumes. Military History of the Irish Nation; comprising a Memoir of the Irish Brigade in the service of France-' with an Appendix of Official Papas relative to the Brigade, from the Archives at Pans. By the late Matthew O'Conor, Esq., Barrister-at-law.

""`Contributions to Vital Statistics:: being a Development of the Rate of Mor- .1 talky and the Laws of Sickness; from original and extensive data procured from Friendly Societies, showing the instability. of Friendly Societies, "Odd Fellows," " Rechabites," Ste. With an Inquiry into the Influence of Lo- cality on Health. By F. G. P. Nelson, F.L.S., &c., Actuary to the Medici Invalid, and General Life Office. Sixth Annual Report of the Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, in England. [The strong tendency at present towards publications of a solid character may prevent our recurring to these volumes, especially as we noticed at some length the last Report of Registrar-General, and Mr. Neison's Contributions to Vital Statistics are of rather an abstruse character, though valuable so far as the imperfection of data permits him to go in his estimate of the expectation of life.

Mr. Nelson seems to doubt the conclusion that has been widely disseminated through the Sanatary Reports as respects the enormous mortality of certain towns. The fact of the deaths may be tree enough, but he conceives that the causes may be wrongly assigned, all the elements of the comparison not being taken into ac-

count. Dr. Twiss appears to entertain a similar opinion in his Tests of a Thriving Population, when he remarks that the immigrations into certain towns, with their character, condition, and state of health, should be considered. The receptacle for the wretched, vicious, and criminal of large districts, will show a high rate of mon talky, locate it where you will.] Lift in Dalecarlia: The Parsonage of Mora. By Fredrika Bremer. Translated by William Howitt. [The object of this little tale is to exhibit the scenery and customs of the Swedish province of Dalecarlia; the means are a pastor's family, with a son returned from

college, and some visiters. To this a romantic interest is sought to be attached of a not very agreeable kind. The clergyman's second wife had formerly con- tracted a private and illegal marriage, which she concealed not only from him but

from the world; her daughter being brought up as her niece. This deception casts an occasionalmysterions gloom over the pattern Ingeborg, which grows into real horror when the first husband starts up alive, to throw himself down a mine- shaft, after a melodramatic scene and a speech. Ingeborg dies too, without any particular necessity; and thus ends this strange if not very eventful history. In point of execution, Life in Dalecarlia is inferior to Fredrika Bremer's other works. The customs and scenery are either flat and poor in themselves, or they are insufficiently selected and described; whilst the manner of the writer has grown rather lifeless and mechanical. It would seem as if she were writing for writing's sake, rather than from impulse. The translation is by Mr. Howitt;

Mrs. Howitt's engagements not permitting her to undertake the task in time to allow the original and the translation to appear simultaneously in Sweden and Britain. The work is prettily "got up."]

The History of Ceylon, from the earliest period to the present time; with an Appendix, containing an Account of its Present Condition. By William Knighton, Esq., Colombo.

[The history of remote and barbarous peoples has little attraction in itself, more especially if the country is of subordinate consequence and is rather an eddy than

a.part of the great stream of human advancement. A condensed and general

view of such a people is all that the mass of readers care for; and particular in- quirers are only attracted by great original research, combined with superior abi- lity, as in the case of Raffles and Crawford. Ceylon also has met with original investigators in Tumour, Upham, and others; from whose works Mr. Knighton has compiled this compendious narrative of the history of Ceylon, and his exhi-

bition of its religion, laws' and so forth. He commences his account with the earliest period, and fully narrates the colonial history of the European nations, Portuguese, Dutch, and British, in connexion with the island.] Handbook for European Tourists, through Belgium, Holland, the Rhine Germany, Switzerland, Italy. and France. By Francis Coghlan, Author of Guides to London, Paris, &c.

[This appears to be a new edition of a previous compilation by the ceaseless Mr. Coghlan; the new matter consisting of Italy. In the preface and other places the writer shows himself rather jealous of Mr. Murray's Handbooks; whose nus- takes—especially relating to inns—he says are nwnerous. He has nevertheless imitated the plan and title of those popular companions; though of course rather Iueag y, as he puts all Central Europe and Italy into one volume. The work is Mr. Cog 's usual knack as a traveller's companion; but all beyond the account of inns, sights, passports, conveyances, and so forth, is poor and jejune in manner. The tourist will do well to allow himself somewhat more both of time and money than the compiler pronounces possible.] Translations from French Poets; to which is appended, Extracts from a Tourist's Journal, &c. By the Author of " Critical Essays," &c.

[This volume appears to be the production of a literary amateur, who amuses pelf by composition, and by printing what in an age of less mechanical facili- ties would scarcely see the light. His present appearance consists of select trans- lations from Victor Hugo, Lamartine, and Madame Tastu; several short essays tat common subjects of the day; "Extracts from a Tourist's Journal," being brief notim of places or the sketch of an incident of travel, and a few miscellaneous thoughts. The translations are not very poetical, and the metre appears. to us Ill-chosen; but something of the character and sentiments of the original is con- veyed: the prose papers show a habit of thought and observation, but are too slight to challenge remark.]

Poems, and Snatches of Prose. By T. Denham.

This little volume consists of a miscellaneous collection of poems mostly in the fish dialect, and a story of a gentleman's proboscis, entitled " The Nose," not positively after the fashion of Rabelais or Sterne, but somewhat in that humorous style, with a dash of the "Noctes." It appears from a preface that Mr. Denham IS in difficulties, and this volume has been published at the recommendation of Professor Wilson, with a view of relieving him from his debts.]

The Female Disciple of the first Three Centuries of the Christian bra; her Trials and her Mission. By Mrs. Henry Smith.

EA sketch of the condition and habits of women during the first three centuries after Christ; designed, by a comparison of the Christian with the Heathen female as regards both estimation and conduct, to exhibit the superiority of the Christian religion, and the benefits it has conferred upon the weaker sex. The Female Disciple does not pretend to original research, being avowedly drawn from modern exhibitions of the Fathers and the Classics; but it is agreeably written, and con- tains a good deal of curious information touching manners and opinions in the period treated of ]

Hudilnms. By Samuel Butler. With Notes and a Literary Memoir, by the Reverend Treadway Russel Nash, D.D. A new edition, with an index. In two volumes.

[A cheap reprint, in duodecimo, of Dr. Nash's edition of Hudibras; the critical and biographical notes being illustrated by sixty portraits of the remarkable persons alluded to in the text. These prints, originally published some years ago, are slightly and unequally engraved; but for the most part they are striking if not faithful copies of the old pictures and rare prints from which they were taken. The strength and variety of character in the physiognomies makes this collection of notables interesting.] The Family Herald; or Useful Information and Amusement for the Million. Volumes I. and H.

[A cheap " literary " paper, which has been established some two years, and whose numbers are here collected into a couple of goodly volumes. A vast variety of topics are announced as forming the subjects of the publication, but the leading features appear to us to be tales, essays, and selections. Some of the tales are original, others reprinted or translated: Eugene Sue's Wandering Jew, for ex- ample, is begun in the second volume. The essays (princilly the " leader ") discuss all kinds of things—morals, manners, and occasionally health, and politics. Besides these matters, there are poetry, extracts, a few reviews, letters from Correspondents, and varieties, with a sprinkling of wood-cuts.] Outline of the Geology of the Neighbourhood of Cheltenham. By R J.

Murchison, V.P.R.S., &c. A new edition, augmented and re- vised by James Buckman, F.G.S., and H. E. Strickland, MA., F.G.S. [The original edition of this work was .a mere sketch, undertaken by Mr. Mur- ison at the request of some members of the Literary and Philosophical Institu- tion of Cheltenham, from observations instituted on occasional visits. It is now, through the exertions of some local'geologists, two of whose names stand in the titlepage, enlarged by more minute and particular facts.]

Tom Cringle's Log A new edition. Part I.

[A welcome treat for the lovers of bold and rapid nautical adventure. Half of our old friend'Torn Cringle—nearly three hundred pages—for half-a-crown.]

The Novels and Romances of Anna Eliza Bray. In ten volumes. Volume II. De Feta.

[There is nothing new in this second volume, except a dedication to the Reverend .1". W. Donaldson.]

Northern Minstrelsy; being. Select Specimens of Scottish Song, with a

• Glossary, and wood-engravings. (Burns' Fireside Library.) Wallenstein and the Swedes in Prague. By Caroline Pichler. (Burns' Fireside Library.) Popular Tales from the German of Wilhelm Haul (Burns' Fireside Library.) Quentin Matsys, or the Blacksmith. From the German of Caroline Pichler. (Burns' Fireside Library.) Prasca Loupouloff, and of Tales. Chiefly translated from the French. (Burns' Fireside Library.)

[Another batch of the .pretty and pleasing collection of Mr. Burns called the Fireside Library. The titles indicate the nature of each publication; probably the Selections from Scottish Song will be the most generally attractive of the lot.] The King's Friend; a Play, in five acts. By Robert Sulivan, Esq.

ILLUSTRATED WORKS.

The Pencil of Nature. By IL Fox Talbot, F.R.S. No. HI.

.[The sun-pictures in this number are the most complete representations of out- door scenes, drawn by the pencil of light no paper, that we have seen. There is a view of the Entrance Gateway of Queen's College, Oxford, showing the open dome above it with a statue within, and the distant front of the College, with wonderful distinctness of detail and brightness of effect; and a group of servants in a stable- yard, with a ladder, the shadow of which is thrown across a doorway, that is still more sunny: the interlacing branches of the creeping plants on the wall are delineated with minuteness that would defy the pencil of the most skilful artist But the most beautiful of all is a landscape-view of the author's cotintry.-seat, Lacock Abbey, in Wiltshire: the venerable pile, mantled with ivy, is seen in the distance, the horizon closed in by a row of trees; and the building is reflected in the river that flows across the foreground. The picturesque beauty of the scene is as remarkable as the extreme delicacy with which the architectural forms, the trees and herbage, are delineated: it is a perfect miniature landscape in chiaro- scuro.

As studies of light and shade—exemplifying the compatibility of broad general eflisct with the utmost minuteness ofd *ad—these representations of nature, pro- duced by the agency of light alone, afford invaluable lessons to the artist; and as pictures they are not only curious but exquisitely beautiful.]

Findetis Beauties of the Poets—Moore. Part IL [Contains four picturesque half-length studies of female beauty in pretty cos- tume and pleasing attitudes, by Messrs.Frith and Ward, set in frames of fanciful

device, and delicately engraved. They look so charming without reference to the poems they are intended to illustrate, that one fears to dispel the charm by coma paring the painter's work with the poet's idea.]

The Illustrated Magazine. [A little magazine, consisting for the most part of tales, varied by poetry and articles on current topics—as the League Bazaar. The chief feature, however, is the binding: each number forms a little pocket-volume, prettily dressed in red. We believe this is really the novelty, and that the number before us is merely the first of a new series.]