PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Booits.

Sarawak, its Inhabitants and Productions; being Notes during a Residence in that country with II. H. the Rajah Brooke. By Hugh Low, Colonial Secretary at Labuh-an. The History of Auricular Confession, Religiously, Morally,and Practically

C among Ancient and Modern Nations. By Count C. P. De Lasteyrie. Translated, under the Author's especial sanction' by Charles Cocks, B.L., Professor Brevete of the University of France, Ike. In two volumes.

The Night Side of Nature; or Ghosts and Ghost-seers. By Catherine Crowe, Authoress of "Susan Hopley," &c. In two volumes. Mr. Warrenea, the Medical Practitioner; a Novel. By the Author of "Constance D'Oyley," &c. In three volumes.

-kest in the Church. By the Author of "From Oxford to Rome."

The Last of the Fairies. By G. P. R. James, Esq., Author of "Margaret Graham," Sic. With Illustrations from Designs by John Gilbert; engraved by Henry Vizetelly.

[In the crimson and gold of its cover, its pretty landscape wood-cuts, its striking beads and figures, the ornamented framework of varied design and colours to each page, as well as in the subject of the tale, this publication is fitted for a New Year's gift-book. The treatment is not so well adapted for Christmas literature. Mr. James is rather too solid both in subject and in style to deal with fairies; and his literature has too much of composition about it for juvenile minds, which like to go direct to their subject, and not to linger over details. The tale is a story of the Commonwealth, beginning with the battle of Worcester and ending With the Restoration. The subject is the adventures of Denzil Norman, Lord sillount, in his attempts to restore Charles the Second, and his final marriage with Abe daughter of Lord Eustace, whom he had known a little girl before the field Of Worcester, and subsequently woos when she is disguised as a peasant to save her father and serve the King. Except that the writing is too predominant--a sena book does not bear so much composition as three volumes—the story ea interesting. The substance, however, is not that of the tale or sketch, but of the circulating library romance. This is especially the case with the supernatural parts. The fairy is as large as life; and she carries the hero into churches and vaults with ghostly lights, and toads, and bats, and owls, while a death-cold hand leads him along dark and dismal passages, fearful to think about, albeit smacking of the playhouse. The Last of the Fairies is the section of an historical romance, condensed into a small volume, and garnished with some supernatural touches from the Radcliffe school; except that they are not " explained" properly. Mr. James breaks off abruptly, implying that the heroine was the fairy; but there are some things that are only resolvable on ghostly supposition.]

The Sketches; three Tales by the Authors of "Amy Herbert," "The Old Man's Home," and " Hawkstone."

[" This little volume had its origin in the following circumstance. It was sng- .gested, as a Christmas amusement, that one of a party should draw a series of sketches, which the rest should :severally interweave into some short story." The pictorial sketches were six in number; the three authors named in the title- page undertook to write stories to them, "the engravings not being illustrations of the letterpress, but the letterpress of the engravings." Subsequently it was determined to publish a book, with a view to increase the funds for the erection al a church and school at Boneharch.

Two of the "Sketches" are actual tales, though told in a fragmentary manner. "Walter Lorimer" is designed to illustrate the evils of infirmity of will; "The Lost Inheritance" a hankering after wealth for worldly purposes; the" Emblems of 'Life " has a sort of story also, but less connected in narrative and definite in ',ur- ines The composition is of course somewhat disjointed, and the incidents a Attie forced, from the necessity of constructing a tale to six plates: the interest .41ses not so much lie in the stories as in the respective modes of treatment. It is curious to trace the different ideas which the same pictures have suggested to different minds. Two are induced to recast the order of the plates more or leas. The author of the "Emblems of Life " proceeds orderly, and follows the sketch -literally, as if every object had to be accounted for; will'e his two fellow labour-

ers think it sufficient irthere is some reference to the scene, or resemblance to the leading action. As a tale, " Walter Lorimer " is the best; though the ohs_ meter of Walter and the incidents to point the moral are too forced. The Lost Inheritance " is the most compact and effectively written; the author paying the least attention to the plates.] A Christmas Greeting to my English Friends. By Hans Christian Andersen. [Seven little stories or sketches, displaying Andersen's usual traits of happy though minute delineation both of things and character, but with more than his usual mannerism: or else it becomes more perceptible from repetition. He is the Cockney of Denmark.] The London and Provincial Medical Directory, 1848.

[This indispensable volume to the practitioner, and such part of the public as would know the qualifications and status of the medical man to call in, has increased in size and usefulness since last year, although that edition had out- grown its predecessors. Among the additional subjects is a list of all the medical men employed under the Poor-law, classed in the order of the counties and unions; a list of an analogous character exhibits all the country practitioners by the arrangement of place, so that, the name or residence being known, the indi- vidual can at once be found; and a diary is prefixed to the Directory, containing daily information useful to the medical man. The obituary seems a more con. SpiCUOUS feature than before; and an improvement has been made by curtailing the lists of contributions to medical periodicals affixed to each name.]

Popular Field Botany; containing a Familiar and Technical Description of the Plants most common to the various localities of the British Isles; adapted to the study of either the artificial or natural systems. By Agnes Catlow, Author of "Popular Conehology." [This book is not intended to teach botany—for, as the writer remarks, botany requires a good deal of study—but to assist in teaching it. It is written for the young, and is designed to accompany them in their walks. It consists of some introdactory chapters, giving a sufficient outline of botany to enable the pupil to distinguish the parts of plants, and thus to class them; with practical directions for the formation of a hortas siccus. The peculiar feature of Popular Field Botany is a monthly arrangement of the plants in flower, with coloured sketches, accompanied by their order and their characteristics; so that the pupil can recog- nize the plant by the plate, and dissect it by the letterpress.] Herodotus. A new and literal Version from the Text of Baehr. With a Geographical and General Index. By Henry Cary, M.A., Worcester Col- lege, Oxford. (Bohn's Classical Library.) [This is the commencement of another aeries by Mr. Bohn,—a new translation of the Father of History, more accurate than any of the preceding versions, yet read- ing easily, as if there were no attempt at literal exactness. When it is considered that three if not four translations were available, the liberality which has induced the publisher to incur the expense of an entire new version, is not merely worthy of praise, but is a type of the spirit which he throws into his speculations.] The Dramatic Works of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan. With a Memoir of his Life, by G. G. S. (Bohn's Standard Library.) [The feature of this volume is the Life; which is done well and vigorously, with a knowledge of the subject, and a leaning to Sheridan on all points except his first marriage and his duel with Matthews.] History of Europe, from the commencement of the French Revolution in 1789 to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815. By Archibald Alison, F.RS.E., Advocate. Volume the thirteenth. Seventh edition. [A volume frill of events of stirring interest. The campaign of Wagram, the early campaigns of Wellington in the Peninsula, and the unsupported obstinacy of the Spaniards, are mill a portion of the subjects.] The Rise and Progress of Literature. By'Sir Daniel K. Sandford, D.O.L., M.P., Professor of Greek lathe University of Glasgow. [A reprint of the essay furnished by the late Sir D. K. Sandford for the Popular Entyclopa3dia or Conversations Lexicon. It is a rapid and informing survey of -literature, from the days of Homer to our own; necessary to many for its history, and not without use for its criticism.] The Chronicles of England, France, Spain,4c. By Sir John Froissart. A new edition, condensed, with Notes and Illustrations. In two volumes. [This condensed edition of Froissares Chronicles forms two neatly handsome vo- lumes, illustrated by occasional notes, and prefaced by a sketch of the origin and characteristics of chivalry.] A Friend in Disguise, and the Fate of a Favourite. Simple Tales for •tite Young.

[Two publications of little stories for juvenile readers, bound up in one pfetty little volume. Of the two books we prefer the first. The Friend in Disguise is ingenious for the veil of allegory kept up to the last: it is not till we approach the close that even the critic could penetrate the real condition; and—bat we will not tell.]

Chamber Birds; their natural history, management, habits, food, diseases, treatment, breeding, and the methods of catching them. By J. M. Becsh- stein, M.D. Translated from the last German edition, by W. E. Shuokard, M.E.S., &c. To which are added, Observations compiled from works of British Naturalists.

[A handsome edition both in typography and illustration of a well-known wdrle. The literary advantages of this edition are mentioned in the titlepage.] Ambition; a Poem, in four parts; and other Poems. By Henry R. Pattenson. Laneton Parsonage; a Tale for Children, on the practical use of a portion of the Church Catechism. Second part. By the Author of" Amy Herbert,- &c. Edited by the Reverend W. Sewell, B.D., Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. Second edition.

Domestic Tales for Youth.

Questions and Answers suggested by a Consideration of some of the Ar- rangements and Relations of Social Lift; being a Sequel to the "Outlines of Social &enemy." By the same Author.

NEW MAGAZINES.

The New Year produces a fall slumber of new periodicals, but either refigtotts or special. The Journal of Sacred Literature. No. L [The object of this quarterly is to supply a public want. There is no lack of re- ligious periodicals; but tenets or doctrines, and often of a very sectarian kind, form their staple matter, and their circulation is consequently limited to their own sect. Sacred or religious literature is the subject of Dr. leitto's work,—taking literature in a large sense: and, though the principles of the work are Pro- testant, and the contributors will apparentIT be Protestant too, yet the dogmas of particular churches, or, as we infer, Scriptural doctrines in a religious as opposed to a critical or literary point of view, will rather be avoided. A libe- ral freedom of opinion will be allowed to contributors; each of whom will, on this account, affix his name. The intended topics of the work are various,— essays on Biblical history, geography, natural history, antiquities, &c.; theologi- cal biography; exposition of passages in Scripture; Biblical bibliography; eccle- siastical history; translations, and reprints of tracts hidden in scarce and expen- sive works; together with a variety of miscellaneous questions. Foreign theo- logians, especially the German, will receive much attention. The first number of The Journal of Sacred Literature is a favourable exhibi- tion of the editor's plan, bating some general sameness of topics; which admits of easy remedy in future numbers. The Reverend Mr. Powell, the Oxford Savilian Professor, contributes an able paper on Free Inquiry in Theology; in which the

necessity of perfect freedom is well enforced. The Reverend Mr. Denham fur- nishes an interesting exposition of the Philosophy of Anthropomorphism; al- though his argument, that abstract views of the Deity tend in practice to dimi ash faith, scarcely meets the principle of the sceptical arguments he has been explaining. Dr. O. T. Dobbin s paper on Gentian Rationalism is a compendious historical review of German theology and theologians up to the last century. The editor, Dr. Kitto, throws a curious light upon Hebrew and Arabian customs by referring to the Mahometan traditions regarding clean and unclean meats. There is also a translation of an essay by the celebrated Catmet on a curious subject- the Resurrection of the Saints who arose with Jesus; besides two translations from modern German writers, and several other articles.] The Christian Enquirer; a Monthly Magazine and Review. No. I.

[This is a smaller, less ambitious, and cheap publication, with variety enough in its papers, but without much distinctiveness of purpose. The principles of the Christian Enquirer are those of very liberal Anglican Churchmen, strongly op- posed to Tractarianism.]

The Journal of Psychological Medicine and Mental Pathology. Edited by Forbes Winslow, MD. No. L

[This work is designed as a review of the literature and a receptacle of actual facts connected with diseased mind. The conductors do not seem to go upon the extreme views of phrenologists and others, who would abrogate personal responsi- bility altogether, but have a leaning, as we infer, to that class of" mad doctors" who would establish a scholastic or critical rather than a practical view of insanity in connexion with criminal jurisprudence. Reviews, abstracts of the reports of lunatic asylums, criminal trials where the plea of insanity is set up, commissions de lunatic° inqrdrendo, and original papers on all subjects connected with practi- cal psychology, will form the substance of the journal. The number before us =tains many articles, of sufficient variety, and abounding in facts: we incline to rate the information higher than the reasonings.]

The Quarterly Educational Magazine, and Record of the Home and Colonial School Society. No. L

[This is a species of organ of the "Home and Colonial School Society "; and the number before us has something of the sameness of a society's " journal " or "transactions." If the magazine is to have much circulation, or operation beyond the persons who take an immediate interest in the society, and the rather tech- thud parts of popular education, more of real variety and popular spirit should be infused into it.]