Peplographia Dublinensis. (Macmillan and Co. 8s. 6d. net.)— The volume
which bears this curious title—surely requiring some other explanation, at least for the English reader, than that it is borrowed from Varro—contains eight "Memorial Discourses," preached in the chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, on the evening of the Gaudy. These discourses are devoted to appreciations of the lives and work of eminent alumni of the College. Usher, Wilson (of Sodor and Man), Berkeley, Burke, Grattan, and Falk- land are eminent names. Archbishop King is known to all Dublin men, and to all students of Irish history elsewhere. Bishop John Stearne was a great benefactor of his Alma Mater, and of other good causes. He was the Chancellor's deputy, and joint Visitor with the Archbishop of Dublin. And in a modest way he was a reformer. Swift abused him because he wished to sub- divide large benefices, and to insist on the residence of the bene- ficed. His name, therefore, is rightly included in this list. As for the other discourses, we have not space to deal with them. We cannot agree with Dr. Dowden in what he says about Lord Strafford. In one sense his execution was a "judicial murder,"— all executions authorised by Bills of Attainder were that. But that he deserved his punishment as much, to say the least, as the majority of the victims of political strife in that century can hardly be denied. With Archbishop Usher himself Dr. Dowden deals well enough. Dr. Bernard, we may say, writes about Bishop Berkeley, and the Rev. W. Sherlock about Grattan.
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