PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

The Natural History of the Human Species, its Typical Forms, Primaeval Distribution, Filiation, and Migrations. Illustrated by thirty-four co- loured Plates, with Portrait and Vignette. By Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Hamilton Smith, K.H. and K.W., l .R. and L.S., &c.

Al Englishwomanas America. By Sarah Mytton Maury, Authoress of the " Statesmen of -America in 1846." An Appendix contains the History of the Emigrant Surgeons Bill.

Threatened Social .Disorganization of France. Louis Blanc on'the Working Classes; with corrected Notes, and a Refutation of his Destructive Plan. By James Ward. [To refute the economical errors of Louis Blanc is not a very difficult task. His project of joint-stock companies started and supplied with capital by the state,

till their success shall tempt individual capitalists to join them, wants the com- pleteness, precision, and system, that distinguish the various cooperative schemes, whose principle was first promulgated during the heat of the French Revolution, though Owen of Lanark gave cooperation its popular form. In a scientific or even

in a literary point of view, Mr. Ward's refutation of Louis Blanc is not a very thorough or masterly affair; and Mr. Ward sometimes attributes to his opponent

views which, though possibly deducible from his plan, are by no means part of it, especially in the author's own estimate. The long extract from Baron Charles Dupin, to show how equality of wages would operate in France, does not directly apply to Louis Blanc's "Organization of Labour"; because Louis Blanc does not contemplate equality of wages, except as some remote and possible Utopian result. Mr. Ward's objection, that the plan would destroy capital, is open to an analogous objection. The projector does not intend the destruction of capital;

he would allow interest on capital subscribed to his public ateliers, but not profit. The strong point of Louis Blanc, however, is not suggestion, but delineation. The attention his book has excited does not originate in his remedy for the evils

of society, but from the force and feeling with which he depicts those evils. To

refute the errors of the projector, will not satisfy those who Buffer from the mise- ries he describes, especially when the root of the error is left untouched, no remedy even hinted at, and sometimes the arguments urged to refute the projects of Louis Blanc establish the actuality of something wrong. If 80 centimes per head a day would be the result of equally dividing the incomes of France, as Dupin asserts, it follows that numbers can scarcely have any income at all—must in fact be starving.] French Revolution in 1848. The Three Days of February 1848. By Percy B. St. John, an Eye-Witness of the whole Revolution.

[Mr. Percy B. St. John appears to have been stationed in Paris as a correspond

out of the press; at least he has been mixing in French society, and observing French opinion, especially among the Republicans. As he seems to have been

behind the scenes in the Republican intrigues, has observed passing politics

in France during, the time of the Reform banquets, and was present re- joicingly during "the days of February," Mr. St. John has recorded his knowledge in a book, pretty much in the order of its acquisition. He first

reviews the character of the late King's Government ever since 1830; then describes how the Republicans and the "dynastic Opposition" palled together; though with very different objects, till the Parisian Reform banquet was forbidden;

and afterwards gives an account of the insurrection which upset the dynasty. Part of this narrative consists of gleanings from the journals, and part from pri- vate anecdotes, with Mr. St. Johns own observations, eked out by the principal public documents published during the first days of the Republic. The account is readable, and brings the narrative of the Revolution conveniently together.

But there is nothing new in it to those who have perused the accounts in the daily

papers, beyond Mr. St. John's sketches of what fell under his own observation; and that is merely personal, throwing no fresh light upon anything. The account, too, is somewhat partial in its popular colouring, and does not explain matters so well as they have since been explained in the Times. The introductory chapters are the best and freshest: as regards the narrative, a person with the daily papers before him could make out a more striking story and better connected by selec- tions from the "foreign correspondence."] Some Account of the Foundation of Eton College' and of the Past and Pre- sent Condition of the School. By E. S. Creasy,M.A., Professor of History at University College, London, &c.

[A notice of the foundation and subsequent history of Eton College, with a pretty full account of the present system of education pursued, some practical hints to parents who contemplate sending boys there, and an old Etonian 's defence of fag- from a practical knowledge of the subject, against the attacks of "fussy philanthropists." A few original documents are printed in the appendix, relating to the early condition of the school, and a great many recent examination-papers for the use of educators who are preparing lads for Eton. The volume contains a good outline of the past history and present state of the school; but its attrac- tion is limited to those who have some feeling upon the subject, either from memory or hope.]

The English Language. By R. G. Latham, M.D., Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, &c. Second edition, revised and greatly enlarged far as we may trust to memory, the " greatly enlarged" titlepage of this new edition of Dr. Latham's profound and philosophical treatise on the Eng- lish language is not mere words. The volume seems to us to have been nearly doubled in size. It is preceded by a new preface, in which Dr. Latham throws out a variety of philological views, that, if open to question in some degree, always exhibit traits of the keen and thoughtful inquirer into language.] The Sacred History of the World, attempted to be Philosophically Con- sidered, in a Series of Letters to a Son. By Sharon Turner, F.S.A. and RA.S.L. Eighth edition. Volume L [In this eighth edition Mr. Sydney Turner has incorporated the final corrections and additions which his father had intended to make; and the whole work has been carefully revised and edited, according to his last directions. It is also pub- lished in a somewhat smaller and cheaper form," in compliance with the wish of its author, who desired that it might be made more extensively useful by being brought within more general reach.] Some Further Portions of the Diary of Lady Willoughby, which do relate

to her Domestic History, and to the Events of the Latter Years of the Reign of King Charles the First, the Protectorate, and the Restoration. [Printed in a smaller form than the quarto, but in the same old-fashioned style of typography and binding.]

Emilia Wyndham. By the Author of " Two Old Men's Tales," &c. (The Parlour Library.)

[A new copyright work for about the price paid for reading it on its publication, not very long since.]

SERIALS.

The Representative History of Great Britain and Ireland; comprising Bio- graphical and Genealogical Notices of the Members of Parliament from 1 Edward VI., 1547, to 10 Victoria, 1847. By Robert H. O'Byrne, Edi- tor of " The Parliamentary Vote-Book." Part L Bedfordshire. [This is a large undertaking by Mr. O'Byrne; but it promises to be, when ed, a very complete and useful work, terming an unequalled repository of Parliamentary biography and statistics, and county history. Mr. 0 Byrne pro- poses to combine in his work the various compilations on the Parliamentary returns, supplying their omissions, and correcting their errors; so as to exhibit, first and foremost, a complete list of the Members returned from 1547 to the present time, with foot-notes explaining any particular circumstance connected with their election; a biographical notice of each Member, with some account of his family, will follow these lists; and, last in importance though first in order, there will be &topographical sketch of the county and its boroughs returning Members.

The utility and feature of such a book depend of course upon its completeness. It is not one list, or a few lives, or the topographical summary of a single county, that possesses much value; even the execution is subordinate to the entirety, al- ways assuming accuracy in the statistics of names and dates. This completeness cannot of course exist till England at least is finished; but, so far as an opinion can be formed from a first number, the work promises well. The tables are clear, and compactly presented.; the foot-notes succinct; and the biographical notices furnish information equivalent to that in a biographical dictionary,—which the work is in fact, only limited to the race of M. P.s. As far as it has yet gone, the lives appear to be compilations, drawn from existing publications of a heraldic or antiquarian character rather than from any original sources of information, or from much exercise o1 original judgment on the materials thus gathered. Toad- dress the families of each Member, with the tolerable certainty of information being refused—or if granted, to pore over family papers to learn little or nothing available—would be so expensive and laborious a task that one cannot greatly wonder it should not be attempted: but something more of independent judgment might be exercised, especially upon well-known public characters. The facts of the glories of the house of Bedford might be taken from Mr. Wiffen, and the cha- racter of Fox's friend Fitzgerald from some obituary or similar source; but the spirit of criticism or commentary should be brought to bear on the particulars, which would give a more original air to the notices.]

A History of France and the French People, from the Establishment of the Franks in Gaul to the period of the French Revolution. By G. M. Bussey, Author of a " History ofNapoleon," &c.; and by Thomas Gaspey, Author of " Life and Times of Lord Cobham." With upwards of three hundred and sixty Vignettes on Wood, by Jules David. Part I.

[The object of this publication is to present the British public with a more ela- borate history of France than it yet possesses. As Part L is confined to the Roman period, with the exception of a portion of the reign of Clovis, no satisfactory opinion can be formed of the execution; but it appears likely to be a mere compilation.]

The Animal Kingdom, arranged according to its Organization. By Baron

Georges Clavier. A new edition, carefully revised. Part I.

[Cheapness, illustrative plates, and a translation by competent persons, with the incorporation of all the knowledge upon the subject which has been accumulated since Cuvier's time, form the features of this edition.] The Image of his Father; a Tale of a Young Monkey. By the Brothers Mayhew. No. L

Paper.

Burns in the Storm of 1793, composing "Scots who ha'e we Wallace bEeS" Painted by James Serymgeour; engraved by G. H. Every. [That Burns should have composed his celebrated battle-song 113 a storm, as Dr. Currie relates, is probable—probable that the immortal lyric was worked out of the inspired brain under the joint circumstances of elemental strife and cavalierly equitation: but the association of such ideas is purely intellectual; you cannot paint the nascent song; the homely goodhumoured face, copied from Nasmyth's portrait, speaks no rapt inspiration; there is nothing epical in the extenor of Burns; and a white pony thrown into the attitude of Napoleon's charger ascend- ing the Alps is merely burlesque. Mr. Scrymgeour therefore mistook the appro- priate, if not the possible, when he selected the sabject for his design; a consider- ation which absolves us from the necessity of more detailed criticism.]