PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Boons.

Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa : being a Journal of an Expedition undertaken under the Auspices of H.B.M.'s Government in the years 1849-'55. By Henry Barth, Ph.D., D.C.L., Fellow of the Royal Geographical and Asiatic Societies, 8tc. Svc. In five volumes. Volumes 1., II., and III.

Narrative of the Defence of Kars, Historical and Military. By Colonel Atwell Lake, C.B., Unattached, one of her Majesty's Aides-de-camp, and late of the Madras Engineers ; from Authentic Documents, and from Notes taken by the several Officers serving on the Staff of her Majesty's Commissioner wills the Ottoman Army in Asia Minor. Illustrated by Lieut.-Colonel C. Teesdale, C.B., and William Simpson, Esq.

Suggestions for the Repression of Crime, contained in Charges delivered to Grand Juries of Birmingham ; supported by additional Facts and Arguments. Together with Articles from Reviews and Newspapers, controverting or advocating the conclusions of the Author. By Matthew Davenport Hill.

The Wreckers. By the Author of " Smugglers and Foresters," Ste. In three volumes.

The Pedlar : a Tale of Emigration. In three volumes. By Charles Delorme. The Sister of Chanty; or from Bermondsey to Belgravia. By Mrs. Chalice. In two volumes.

The Public Economy of the Athenians. By Augustus Boeckh. Translated from the Second German Edition, by Anthony Lamb.—We are not very favourable in general to alterations in an original text; but the immense amount of facts and information respecting the value of money, prices, interest, rent, and the public finances at Athens, and incidentally in other places, brought together by Boeckh, seems an exceptional case. There is no denying that he is somewhat given to German diffuseness ; and though he may not be charged with credulity or want of critical faculty, he occasionally accumulates figures which, though resting upon classical authority, seem very unlikely. Hence a somewhat cob-doused translation, so as in certain parts to present the pith, might be an improvement upon this great work.

The Public Economy of the Athenians has been published forty years, and early attracted attention in this country. It was translated a long time since, by the present Chancellor of the Exchequer, and his version reached a second edition in 1842. It does not appear from his own showing that the scholarship of the American translator can at all vie with that of Sir George Cornewall Lewis ; and he seems to have set about his task in the rough and ready way of his countrymen, which, though capitally adapted for colonizing labour, is not quite so fitted for scholastic work. The advantage of Mr. Lamb's book lies in its being translated from the second edition of Boeckh, and that what he calls the "many gross errors" of Lewis have been, he seems to intimate, corrected. The Book of Pass/ms; with short Headings and Beplanatory Hetes. By the Rev. Ernest Hawkins, B.D., Prebendary of St. Paul's.—An unpretending little book, designed as a help to youthful and family readers in perusing the Psalms, by enabling them to comprehend the occasion or theme of the production, the drift or meaning of the writer, and obsolete English words. The' supposed allusions to the Christian dispensation are also noticed. Everybody can make objections to a comment ; there is always too much or too little for a particular taste. The notes sometimes appear unnecessary ; but they are intended for readers slightly informed, and fulness of explanation is always on the safe side. 'The book is handy and neat in its getting-up.

A Manual of the Practice of Eke/ions in the United Kingdom. By Henry Jeffreys Bushby, Esq., Barrister-at-law.—This little book should have come earlier : it is a day after the fair, and who knows when the next election may take place?' However, it is a plain, usefid, and practical explanation of the law relating to elections ; exhibiting the various processes in natural order, from the issue of the writ to that matter which comes last in action if not in importance, "the expenses." The only deviation from the consecutive is in the "bribery," which follows the " return " in the book, whereas we imagine it generally precedes in fact.

Gwendoline and Winfred.—The idea of this poetical tale is better than its execution. The purpose of the author is to show in the career of Winfred the misery of an ambitious match, which a feeling of pride as much as of love has induced, contrasted with the more equal marriage of her sister Gwendoline. This conception is not wrought out with skill or freshness, but after the merest conventions of commonplace romance. The verse is facile but imitative ; recalling Byron's tales, and the mannar of Byron's (in part) prototype, Coleridge.

Under the Lime-Trees. By Caroline Ricketts, Author of "Trials, or Life's Lessons."—A collection of tales originally told under some limetrees. With the exception of a French story, they relate to English genteel life, and are pleasant reading, with an endeavour to inculcate moral ends.

Except Dr. Barth's Travels in Africa, and Colonel Lake's military story of the Siege of Kars, the new editions may rank as the most valuable books of the week.

Foremost among them is the ffth edition of Mr. Phillips's "Life of Curran," and "something more"; ; for it contains in reality a notice of most of the eminent Irishmen and of the questions that stirred Ireland during the career of her great advocate. Faults and errors the Life has ; but it is one of the raciest, richest, and most varied works of the generation, with a reality in its men and its matter which books of "humour" do not always possess.

Independently of its own military and historical value, the second volume of the new and popular edition of Kayo's "War in Affghanistan" has an interest from its bearing upon the yet unsettled-questions nominally with Persia but in reality touching the North-west frontier of our Indian empire, and the intrigues which Russia is supposed to be perpetually carrying on in those regions. The second volume of Lord Brougham's "Speeches" is chiefly devoted to his orations on the Orders in Council, and on subjects connected with the Slave-trade.

Messrs. Black have sent forth another new edition of Scott's Poetical Works, including his lyrical pieces and ballads, in a handsome volume, illustrated by many plates and wood-cuts, and a capital frontispiece from Raeburn's portrait of 1808. ' The miscellaneous prose writings of the author of " Truckleborough Hall" were collected years ago by his widow, and the edition apparently soon exhausted, as was likely from their quiet satire and easy humour. They now appear in a cheaper and more " fashionable " form—for cheap

i

ness s a fashion. Mrs. Scargill has been stimulated to this course by a pirated edition of a similar kind, the whole of which was sold before she knew of its existence.

The " Hallelujah " of George Wither forms a part of Mr. Russell's "Library of Old Authors." Some ten months ago,* we gave a brief account of the life and poetical character of Wither, with a few samples of his sacred verses. The notice supersedes the necessity of any remarks on this volume, except that the "Hallelujah" consists of a series of serious poems on the different positions of men, on the actions of life—as a Hymn whilst we are washing "—and on many of the appearances of nature. It was so rare a work, that very few copies are in existence. Punctual as Parliament itself comes Mr. Dod with his new "Companion." Besides the representation of the politics of Members, "in all possible eases in the exact words of the Member himself," many improvements have been made in this Parliamentary multum in parvo. There is a good deal of antiquarian literary curiosity about the Oldenburg reprint of a prose novel "Pericles, Prince of Tyre." There is only one entire copy known in England, (which is minus the dedication,) and that its bibliographical possessor would not allow Mr. Collier to reprint. As luck would have it, a more complete copy turned up in Switzerland, under curious circumstances, and has been edited with a preface by Professor Tycho Mommsen followed by an introduction by Mr. Collier. The novel is avowedly taken from the play by "the King's Majesties Players excellently presented," in the year (of the titlepage) 1608. It is the only known instance of the kind, at least as regards

Shak.spere ; the process being usually reversed, and the plays made

from the prose novels. Mr. Collier thinks Wilkins often used the language of the drama : which is probable, but his suggestion that what he may think lost phrases or passages should be used to " restore " the text of Shakspere'a Pericles, is to be adopted with caution. In cases where the text seems to require it, an emendation may be made as conjectural ; but to insert passages on the plea of their merit would be rash m the extreme. Wilkins himself was a dramatist of some merit.

The "Bacon and Shalispere by Mr. William Henry Smith, is an extension of his tract on his idea that Bacon wrote Shakspere. James's "Woodman" is a cheap reprint. The new edition of le Chevalier do Chatelain's translation into French of Chaueees Flower and Leaf explains itself.

Curran and his Contemporaries. By Charles Phillips, Esq., A.D., one of her Majesty's Commissioners of the Court for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors. Fifth edition, History of the War in Afghanistan. By John William Kaye. A new edition, revised and corrected. in three volumes.

Speeches on Social and Political Subjects, with Historical Introductions. By Henry Lord Brougham, F.R.S., Member of the National Institute of France, and of the Royal Academy of Naples. Volume II. [Lord Brougham's Works. Volume Hi The Poetical Works of Sir Walter Scott, Bart.' including his great Metrical Romances, Copyright Lyrical Pieces, Miscellaneous Poems, and Ballads. With a Memoir of the Author. Illustrated by many Engravings on steel and wood.

Essays and Sketches. By the late William Pitt Scargill, Author of "Truckleborough Hall," 8se.

Hallelujah, or Britain's Second Remembrance?. ; bringing to remembrance, (in praiseful and penitential Hymns, Spiritual Songs, and Moral Odes,) Meditations, advancing the glory of God, in the practice of piety and virtue. Composed in a threefold Poem, by George Wither. With an Introduction by Edward Farr. (Library of Old Authors.) The Parliamentary Companion. Twenty-nfth year. Second edition—New Parliament. By Robert P. Dod, Esq.

Pericles, Prince of Tyre: a Novel by George Wilkins, printed in 1608, and founded upon Shakespeare's Play. Edited by Professor Tycho Mommsen. With a Preface by the Editor ; and an introduction by J. Payne Collier, Esq. Bacon and Shakespeare : an Inquiry touching Players, Playhouses, and Playwriters in the days of Elizabeth. By William Henry Smith, Esq. To which is appended an Abstract of a MS. respecting Table Matthew.

The Woodman : an Historical Romance. By G. P. R. James.

La Fleur silo Peuille : Poeme ; avec Is texts Anglais en regard, traduit en vers Franeais de G. Chaucer. Par Is Chevalier De Chatelaba, Traducteur des "Fables he Gay." Deuxi6me tdition.