PROGRESS OF PUBLICATION.

THOMAS WALLACE, Eq., LL.D., and King's counsel in Ireland, is convinced by Christianity of the immortality of the soul ; but knows not whether it be material or immaterial, and believes that the question cannot be settled. It was therefore with great grief that he perceived Lord BROUGHAM, in his work on Natural Theology, had not only revived the question as to the nature of the soul, but was so injudicious as to rest the possibility of its existence in a future state—and, by implication, the truth of the Christian religion—upon its immateriality. From this regret of Mr. WALLACE arose his Observations on she Discourse of Natural Theology, by Henry Lord Brougham ; in which he minutely examines his Lordship's doctrine of the immateriality of' the human mind as proved by psychob gical phoenomena, and the applicability of the inductive method of proof to Natural Theology so far as relates hi psychological facts. Upon the first point, Mr. WALLACE shows that Lord BROUGHAM has begged the; question he undertook to prove ; and indicates pretty clearly, that he knows little or nothing abnut the subject; whilst he very cleverly doubles up my Lour upon the matter of dreaming. On the second point, he virtually charges him with the fault which we mentioned as pervading the Discourse—that of confounding truths with the evidence of truths; it being, in our author's opinion, a legitimate mode of argument, to endeavour to demonstrate the attributes of God from ascertained psychological facts, but a dubious, if not a mischievous method of proceeding, to introduce into a work on Natural Theology, "a disputed and most disputable question, and which, because it is disputed, and while it shall continue so, can furnish no inductive matter either for proof or illustration."

As regards the matter of the Observations, Mr. WALLACE is well acquainted with the various arguments touching the materiality or immateriality of the soul; and he is a logician after the straightest sect of the Schoolmen. His manner, even allowing for his plea of haste, is not good. The lawyer is visible throughout; appearing not only in a verboseness of style and in wire-drawn reasonings, but in a disposition to bring in non-essential arguments, rather for the sake of discomforting his adversary than to advance truth, as well as in an exaggerated strain of compliment to the merits of" his learned friend," apart from the points at issue. The Observations, therefore, are not to be regarded as a philosophic treatise, so much as a long-winded but shrewd and learned speech for the plaintiff hi the great cause of TRUTH versus BROUGHAM.

Greece and the Levant, by the Reverend RICHARD BURGESS, B.D., the author of "Tire Topography and Antiquities of Rome," is the narrative of a four mouths' tour made in those countries during the summer of last year. The intention of the author is to show to those who may wish to follow his track, what can be done in a brief time, with little risk to health and safety, as well as to point out and describe the antiquarian objects which he considers

most worthy of attention. As a guide-book, these two volumes will be found highly useful ; for they occupy but a small space in

the pocket, and contain many practical instructions; whilst the author has mingled historical with antiquarian lore, so that the wanderer may call up associations of the past, as well as examine its existing remains. They will also afford amusement to the home reader; for Mr. BURGESS possesses the acquirements of a scholar and a gentleman ; and though not either striking or graphic in description, he writes with a polished force of style, which sometimes reminds us of GIBBON. Further, his pages embody a good many remarks on the present state of society, and its feelings, in our colony of the Ionian Isles, and in Greece and Turkey.

Reports of the Portuguese Commission, and of the Financial Agent, are a collection of popular state papers, or rather an historical narrative, in a hich arma cedunt auto, The subject of the book is " raising the wind ;" its burden, the difficulties attending the exploit, and the honesty with which the supplies were applied. The intereR:. felt in a vulgar history on the loss or gain of a battle, is here *aanSferred to the raising of a loan, or the payment or protest of a bill; the march of an army or the sailing of a fleet, gives place to the means by which both one and the other are called into Ibeing. The result of the report of the Financial Agent ZABAL) is flattering to his 'skill ; for he negotiated a loan of two. rate by 13/. 14v. 7d. per cent. than his millions at a • --,as and saved upwards of Government would have been satistieu 30,000/. in the interest. This is good; but struggles and misfortunes excite greater sympathy than prosperity — not having to pay the money, we prefer the account of the difficulties which beset the Commissioners when the cause of Donna MARIA was looking as blank as the money-lenders. Their exertions also appear to have been great; their zeal unquestionably was boundless, for they are in aavaa-..." and responsible to the tune of some 195,000/.

Colonel GEORGE ARTHUR'S DP/enCc: .1f Reply to the Remarks of the Archbishop of DdtVid in Sect Letter to Earl Grey, is not equal to his pamphlet upon the ski– subject, which we noticed about this time last year. There are few facts, and few arguments; and the arguments are of the controversial kind. The controversy, too, is not very well conducted, either as regards arrangement or style; for the former is ex aellingly. .antl_ _the writiug di:La:sent ui vigour unit

closeness.

The Parliamentary Guide, by Mr. R. B. Mesa, a Parliamentary agent, purports to contain a conci,e account of the lives, connexions, and pursuits of Members of both Houses of Parliament. This last part of course resolves, in the majority of cases, into a few meagre notices of biographical facts ; and it is upon the whole lucky that it is so, for if the pursuits of many of them were written at large, the volume would not be quite so edifying as the Whole Duty of Man. The Guide, however, contains a good deal more than this; embracing the Parliemintary, constituential, and official statistics both of the present asd former days, with practical information as to the business and regulations of the Houses. The merit of such works depends upon their fulness, arrangement, and accuracy. In the tee former points, this little book is good ; in the latter, so far as we have looked with the power of test, occasionally very indifferent. Thus, Mr. MOSSE states that Mr. WARD'S motion of 2d June 1834, upon the Irish Church, " was carried by 396 to 120, and subsequently occasioned the dissolution of Earl Grey's Ministry, by the secession of its principal strenwh, the Duke of Richmond, Earl of Ripon, Lord Stanley, and Sir James Graham :" whereas the STANLEY and his three joints withdrew befbre the vote came en, in consequence of the Commission of Inquiry which the Cabinet determined to propose; and Mr. WARDS MAIM was rejected.

The Comprehensive Representation Chart of England and Wales, by the author of a " Chronological Chart of Inventions . and Discoveries," is as complete a tabular summary of political statistics as need be for casual reference; and should find a place wherever such information is likely to be needed. The counties, cities, boroughs, and market-towns, are arranged alphabetically ; and against them are figured, in separate -columns, the divisions of counties, county courts, and polling-places; population, constituency registered, and polled, at the last two general elections ; the extent and superfices of counties ; amount of taxes and rates; resources and produce. The lists of' Lord Lieutenants, Sheriffs, and Members, and their residences, are arranged alphabetically, by their names; the Knights of Shires, Citizens, and Burgesses, being in separate lists, but with reference to them from the several places. A brief abstract of the important clauses of tile Reform Act is also introduced. Altogether, it is a most useful sheet.

The Merchants and Banker's Commercial Pocket Guide, is a neat little compilation, containing a good many facts, and a good deal of information on matters connected with trade. There is, for example, a short account of the East India Company ; another of the Bank of England, English Private asel Provincial Banking, and the system adopted in Scotland and Ireland. There is also a chapter on the Public Funds, and one on Insurance ; besides brief explanations, dictionary fashion, of most commercial

terms. Ler:et:ace.

Abstract (y" Rash's Essay on the Sibilants, and his mode if Transcribing Works in the Georgian and Armenian Languages by means of European Letters. By R. G. LATHAM, B. A. A Grammatical Sketch of the Greek Language. By R. G. LATHAM, B. A.

Tables rf Greek Grammar.

The Translator's Guide; or Exercises fur Latin Prose 'Composition. Second edition, enlarged.

Progressive Exercises in English Grammar. By R. G. PARKER, A. M. The French Language its own Teacher. By RENE ALIVA, Author of the" Anti-Spelling Book." Part II.

Mr. LA.THAM, of King's, is a zealot in the cause of an universal alphabet, by which every language should be written in one kind of characters ; its basis being formed upon the Roman, with additional signs from other languages, to represent such " elemen tary sounds" as the Roman letters would not express. To forward this great object, he has translated and abstracted RASH'S Essay on the Sibilants, and his mode of transcribing, or rather transliterating, the Georgian and Armenian Languages,—a work of more learning than entertainment, and rather curious than useful, unless it be useful to know what a frightful number of hissing sounds the human organs can utter. The Grammatical Sketch of the Greek Language is an original work of Mr. LA.TH AM'S, in furtherance of the same plan. He conceives that, with the exception of A, for which he substitutes the AngloSaxon p, al represented by the Swedish 2. and by an original alteration of k, the Greek elementary sounds can all he expressed by English letters, though he assigns a fiyieign sound both to j and y. There is some ingenuity in Mr. LATHAM'S scheme, or rather perhaps in the arguments by which he supports it,— essecially in his short exposition of compound aspirates: and those who carefully exassine the tract will reap the same kind of benefit as is derived from dancing in fetters. Use, we venture to think,

it has ; for living nations will not change their characters to please grammarians; and if our author could prevail upon the

learned world to write Greek in the Lathamic fashion,it would be 'Is troublesome to acquire the new as the old characters, without even the advantage of looking easy—to the uninitiated, most of his words will appear as strange as if they were real Greek. The author, it may be observed, has applied his scheme of sounds to his own language, and spelt the whole of his book in his new mode. Tates sif Greek (.iratkusur .11. 4411.41410 a -the 4414441444oe45 ; representing in a few pages Or if the tyro likes bettor, on a single sheet) the declensious of articles, nouns, adjectives, and pronoun, and the conjugations of verbs. By this means, the student mei, constantly cars), about him the pith of the grammar with leas real encumbrance than he would a cardease; or it may lie on his desk, or hang up before it, ready for immediate reference. It is superfluous to recommend the plan of such a work : the only point for consideration is the typography,—which is exceedingly neat and clear.

The Translator's Guide is intended for pupils in rather an advanced stage; and its object is to practice them in the composition of elegant Latinity. The lessons are partly selected front modern English writers, and partly translated. For the generality of youths this is a judicious method, but not so effectual, perhaps, for ardent students, as the reciprocal translation recommended by Gilmore and practised (in English) by FRANKLIN.

Progressive Exercises is an English Grammar for Children. The arrangement is clear; the expression of the lessons very simple and intelligible; and the plan of giving the chief rules of syntax under the head of the parts of speech to which they relate, and thus gradually instilling them into the mind, is a great improvement, though not an original one. In the science of the author there is room for amendment; he appears to have formed his English too much upon the rules of the Latin grammar.

The Second Part of RENE ALIVA'S French Language its Own Teacher, is a series of lessons, progressively increasing in difficulty; and is distinguished by the same manifestation of skill which we noted in the First Part.