East and West London. By the Rev. Harry Jones. (Smith
and Elder.)—This is a book to be read by parsons and laymen. Mr. Jones was an energetic parish priest in the West of London. He is now an energetic parish priest in the East. And he has carried his sound sense with him from the one qearter to the other. He has many things to tell us. One, concerning the clergy in the first instance, but the laity in equal degree, has to do with ecclesiastical districts. He de- plores the endless cutting-off of portions from the mother-parish. They are independent, but they are miserably poor, often having a population entirely poor (we remember hearing the incumbent of one such district say that he had but two persons in his parish who paid Income-tax, and they were both publicans), and they have no parochial traditions. With a church-going suburban population the case is different. There the people will have a minister of their own, and will do far more for him than they would for the central parish, serving dependent districts by the varied ministrations of a staff of curates. Then there is the point of Board-schools, for which our author pronounces very emphatically. The poor of the East and of the West are compared, not at all, to any the least, to the disadvantage of the former. There is a very interesting account of the industries which they pursue, and a general sketch, not at all unpleasing, of their habits and ways of thinking. The Times newspaper should be gratified to hear that it is much valued by a limited class, because its paper is tough enough to be used for parcels of meat, Am., without breaking. Mr. Jones intersperses some pleasant notes about his dogs, which at once secure our warmest regard and sympathy. Altogether, we should say, read this book ; nor will any one who once opens it find any difficulty in following our advice.
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