PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Boons.

Of the various books in the following list, Mr. Marsden's "History of Christian Churches and Sects" promises well from its subject and the writer's ability, as &own in his former work. The subject of "The Eng- lishwoman in America," is getting somewhat hacknied, but its interest is not exhausted. The two volumes of natural science embraced in " Orr's Circle of the Sciences" are more popular in their subjects than the pre-

ceding and with equally eminent names as a guarantee for accuracy. Lord ere's handsome volume of his collected Poems, and the three

other, poetical books, also seem to challenge a further recurrence. The other two volumes are not so promising. The ample Treatise on Electricity is only part of the whole ; one volume has already appeared,

another is to come. The Nature of the Atonement" is a very difficult subject to handle in a lay journal. Religion as respects the illustration and enforcement of duties is merely a graver species of literature; but the discussion of dogmas, or doctrines, and still more of mysteries, is out of place in the Spectator. A long account of views and arguments on such topics is apt to become dry; and theological controversy is not our vocation.

History of Christian Churches and Sects, from the Earliest Ages of Christianity. By. the Reverend J. B. M.arsden, M.A., Incumbent of „St. Peter's Birmingham ; Author of "The History of the Early and ' Later Indians." In two volumes. .

The Englishwoman in America.

Geology, Mineralogy, and Crystallography; being a Theoretical, Prac- tical, and Descriptive View of Inorganic Nature, the Form and Classi-

fication of Crystals and a Chemical Arrangement of Minerals. By•Professor D. T. Crystals, M.A.' F.G.S., Ace. ; Professor Tennant, F' .G.S., &c. and the Reverend Walter Mitchell, M.A., &e. (Orr's i

Ccle of the Sciences.) A System of Natural Ifistom : being a Structural and Classified Ar- rangement of Plants and Animals, forming a basis for the Study of Botany and Zoology. With numerous Microscopic and other Rlus- trations. In two volumes. Volume 11.—Vertebrated Animals. Bo- tany by Edward Smith, M.D., LL.B. ; Zoology by W. S. Dallas, F.L.S. (Orr's Circle of the Sciences, Volume III.)

A Treatise on Electricity, in Theory and Practice. By Aug. Be La !live, ex-Professor in the Academy of Geneva, &c. &e. Translated for the Author by Charles V. Walker, F.R.S. In three volumes. Volume U.

The Nature of the Atonement, and its _Relation to Remission of Sins and Eternal Life. By John M‘Leod Campbell.

The Pilgrimage, and other Poona. By the Earl of Ellesmere. With Illustrations.

Man in Paradise ; a Poem, in Six Books : with Lyrical Poems. By John Edmund Reade.

Poems. By Walter R. Cassels.

Torquato Tasso ; a Drama, from the German of Goethe : and other Poems, Translated and Original. By M. A. II.

Letters from the United States, Cuba, and Canada. By the Honourable Amelia M. Murray. In two volumes.

A Child's History of the United States. By John Bonner.—The idea of this American history of the United States was suggested by Dickens's "Child's History of England." In a literary point of view it is cleverly done. The facts are well selected and plainly told; the manner is lively and attractive, though partaking too much of the "free and easy." The spirit in which it is written is of the worst kind; narrow, false in effect if not in fact, and designed to encourage national enmity among the rising generation, as well as to pervert the truth of history. What is worse, the prejudices seem more simulated than real. Mr. Bonner cannot but know that England was not ruled merely by "old lords and nobles" in the reign of George the Second. Whatever judgment may be passed on the Peerage and political Prelates, he ought to know that neither "Lords" nor "Lord Bishops" cost a country anything, except by the same corrupt abuse of power as Democracy can display, upon Mr. Banner's own showing. Yet he writes touching the origin of the Ameri- can war—" Kings, and Lords, and Lord Bishops, and armies, and navies, may be very fine things to keep up in a country; but they cost an im- mense deal bf money," &e. Bunker's Hill; of course, furnishes some Bunk-inn; one of the most remarkable facts being that the Americans "had spent nearly all their powder and ball" in two discharges. We have Burgoynes surrender ; but not the terms, and how they were kept.

The oft-confuted libel is repeated, that the countersign. at New Orleans in 1815 was "booty and beauty,"—and so on. To do him justioe, how- ever, Mr. Bonner makes equally free with his own people, when he takes it in his head. This is his account of President Tyler, who, it may be remembered, succeeded on the death of General Harrison.

"John Tyler was an old politician, and had been a very long time in public life. }Lis election as Vice-President by the Whigs was altogether a queer business; for he had been a friend of the Democrats, and a firm foe to the Whig. principles. Somehow—it is hardly worth while inquiring how—he had gone to the Whig Convention, and there being a great friend of Mr. Clay's, and a leading man in Virginia, the 'Whigs had picked hini out as a very proper man to run with Harrison. Between you and me, 1 think it was rather a mistake on their part ; and as for Captain Tyler, I mu afraid he was not particularly straightforward Or honest in the matter. "Being President, however, he set to work to turn out the Democrats, Jackson had set him the example,) and made plenty of room for the Whigs. This was very gratifying to the hungry fellows, who, having tried to bc lawyers and tailors and shoe-blacks, and haring failed, desired to quarter themselves upon their country for a living."

This may be all well enough in publications like the Charivari, but it is not the way to write history for children, even as a matter of taste.

Memoirs of Celebrated Characters. By Alphonse De Lamertine.— This third volume of "characters," or rather of articles, completes the work. The subjects are five in number. 1. William Tell, a sketch of the physical features of Switzerland, of the tyranny of Austria, and the libera- tion of the country. 2. Antal.; the Arabian poet; which .serves as a vehicle for a sketch of Arabia before Mahomet, and for some glowing descriptions from the author's own travels. 3. Milton abounds in gross errors of fact, and exhibits a harsh and unjust criticism 'both on the man and his writ- ings. 4. 5. Madame De Sevigne and Bossuet arc the two French cha- racters: they are the best, from the author's-being more at home in his judgments and speculations. The whole five, however, are of a laboured

kind, and want attraction for the reader. .

The British Year-Book for the Country, for 1856. Edited by C. M'Intosh, Esq., and T. Lindley Kemp, M.D.—This speculation aims at being an annual for the country-house; and, we should imagine, the farm-house, for its extensive and various information seems more adapt- ed to the practical than the amateur cultivator. The book contains a calendar, with full directions for garden and farm operations ; a number of original papers on scientific or practical subjects connected with agri- culture; reviews of books with a like bearing; and a great variety of miscellaneous topics. The editors hint that it is intended to occupy the same place in the country-house OA the old Annuals did in the London drawingrooms. We should rather have compared The British Year- Book for the Country with that best of all annuals The British Alma-

nack and Companion." .

The Preaching of Christ. By James Augustus St. John.—This little book is a species of commentary on the life and teaching of Christ, with references to the condition of the ancient world et the period of the Ad- vent. The execution exhibits Mr. St. John's eargy smoothness of style, and is enriched by his Oriental experience. The book is quite away from the usual tone of theological writing; and, though not at ail irre- verent, the manner is a shade too easy. .

The Chess-Player's Annual, for the Year 1856. Edited by Charles "Tomlinson.—Orken, the best annuals e,onneeted with a aeienoe or pur- suit that we havemet with. A good deal is done, and nothing overdone. There are games and diagrams, with notes, often relieved or pointed by maxims. 'f here are essays, tales, verse with a touch of " Ingoldsby in it, reminiscences of chess-players, and ipssip about Vari011s chess topics, contributed by Mr. Tomlinson. and friends. But these varieties are not, as is often the ease, mere light literature ; they are closely con- nected with chess.

Brads/4(1We Itinerary of Great Britain' for _Railway and Telegraphic Cenceyance.—An alphabetical list of every place in Great Britain with a population of five hundred souls, its dirdance from the nearest railway- station and telegraph-office and a referenee to the railways by which it may be reached. The information is very clearly and neatly displayed, and is accompanied by a good map. The times of departure, &c., are not given ; nor would it be possible in the space.

A Treatise on the Law of Wills, embodying the Latest Decisions inEe- ktion thereto. By Arthur Parsons, one of the Attorneys of her Ma- jesty's Court of Queen's Bench.—A clearly-arranged treatise of a rather technical character. An appendix contains the Succession-Duty Act, with some notes.

Three of Mr. Lovell Reeve's publications are before us, distinguished for scientific accuracy, popular attraction and striking illustrations. Neither of the three however, make any claim to originality of matter. "The Popular Geography of Plants" aims at broadly exhibiting the leading vegetable features of the world, arranged in eight leading divi- sions or zones. The work is heralded by a preface from the pen of Dr. Daubeny ; who, in addition to a guarantee for the general truth of the descriptions, briefly discusses the anomalies connected with the localities of plants and the progression or "development " of species. The dis- tinguishing characteristics of the vegetation of each zone are well de- scribed by the author of the book, and its less important tribes are enumerated. Animation is given to the descriptions by pictures of the animal life which is found in each region, even to the Polar zone. The illustrations are not only striking but instructive.

Dr. Seemann's "History of Palms" describes their physiology, dis- tribution, properties, and uses ; mingling descriptions of the regions where they grow with accounts of the more striking species. Dr. See- mann introduces more of anecdote and personal experience into his pages than are always found in books on natural history. This volume is also illustrated by numerous coloured engravings ; and it contains lists of the palms cultivated in our gardens.

The object of the "Popular Garden Botany" of Agnes Catlow is to give scientific and popular notices of the hest plants for gardens that will live through the winter in the open air or with the protection of a frame. From the number of plants included in the book, it is impossible to be very full in the description of any. In a new edition, it might be an advantage to give somewhat ampler directions for the cultivation. Popular Geography of Plants; or a Botanical Excursion round the World. By E. M. C. Edited by Charles Daubeny, M.D., F.R.S., Professor of Botany and Rural Economy in the University of Oxford. Popular History of the Palms and their Allies. By Berthold Seemann, h. D., M.A., F.L.S., &e. ; Author of the Botany and the Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Herald, ece.

Popular Garden Botany conteining a familiar and scientific Descrip- tion of most of the Hardy and Half-hardy Plants introduced into the Flower-Garden. By Agnes Catlow, Author of "Popular Field Botany," lee.

Foremost among the reprints is a new edition of Shakspere, from the press of Whittingham ; edited by the veteran S. W. Singer, assisted, as regards the life of the poet and the general criticism on the respective dramas, by Mr. Lloyd. The edition will be completed in ten volumes ; the first of which is handsome though rather bulky. The annotations by Mr. Singer are of comparative brevity, and will belong rather to the old school of criticism than the new. Notwithstanding the number of oommentators that have been employed upon the task, and the editor's own labours thirty years ago, emendation does not yet seem to be ex- hausted. With a touch of diseptisitional wordiness Mr. Lloyd's criticism

on the plays is in a large spirit, and goes to the wordiness, of society repre! sented in the drama, as well as the features of the play itself. The life brings well together all the known facts; but the merit of the modern investigators, who succeeded in digging up many of those facts, might have been more fully noted.

Dod's well-established Peerage comes forth with the usual additions ; on this occasion more numerous from the great changes caused by war, bringing death to some, honours or advancement to others : "thus runs the world away."

That indispensable work the London and Provincial Medical Direc- tory has added to its usual information lists of Militia Surgeons, Coro- ners' Medical Officers in the East, Provincial Medical Societies, and Acts of Parliament relating to the profession.

The Dramatic Works of William Shakepeare ; the Text carefully re- rimed, with Notes by Samuel Weller Singer, F.S.A. The Life of the Poet, and Critical }' ye on the Plays, by William Watkins Lloyd, M.R.S.1.., &e. &e. With Vignettes, engraved on wood by John Thompson, from Drawings by Stothard. In ten volumes. Volume L 17w Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland, i

for 1866 ; including all the Titled Classes. Sixteenth year. By Ro- bert P. Dod, Esq., Associate of King's College, London ; Author of "The Parliamentary Companion," Sce.

Mu London and Provincial Medical Directory. 1866.

Selections from the Writing, of Dr. Whately, Archbishop of Dublin, with his Grace's Permission.

SERIAL.

A Popular History of England. By Charles Knight. —This work is designed to supply a history of England intermediate in scale, as we understand, between Goldsmith's four volumes and Hume's more ex- 'tended narrative. It will have the further advantage of coining down to Abe present lime' and will be founded on documents neglected by Hume, or unknown to Id.; while matters will be looked at with the lights of the nineteenth century. Mr. Knight will also aim at producing a his- tory of the people, as well as of great public events and the actors in them,—a thing very frequently promised, though not,. to our knowledge, as yet performed. The first number comes down to the departure of the -Romans. It is a good account of the nearly five hundred years that elapsed between the arrival of Julius Caesar and the age of Honorius. rt however, almost as ninth disquisition as history we are not sure but that erat Mr. Knight confounds archieology with the history of the people, and gives too much rein to a supposing imagination, after the mode of " William Shakspere, a Biography.' The number abounds in wood- .ents really illustrative ; the work is to contain upwards of a thousand.