PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
Homo.
Ruins of Many Lands; a Descriptive Poem. By Nicholas Michell, Author of "The Traduced," &c. Part L [Everything in connexion with Ruins of Many Lands is a remarkable specimen of clever commonplace. The idea of a poem on the ruins of cities and temples— primeval, classical, and Scriptural—seems to fill the mind: but in reality it is no- thing more than bringing together the subjects of many prize poems. The execu- tion only requires a more sustained pinion, or, since soaring has not much to do with the matter; a more untiring patience, to connect the themes of rain with one another, and write the verses on each. The Ruins of Many Lands embraces Babylon, Nineveh, Thebes with other cities of Egypt, the remains in Mexico, and some of the antiquities of India: it is in fact a species of extended prize poem. The ideas appertaining to the respective themes are not vulgar, not perhaps altogether trite, but such as would naturally arise on the topic tieing proposed to a dozen gentlemen of average acquirements and a poetical turn. The versi- fication is equally remote from the vulgar and the rare. It is fluent, smooth, well-sounding, with a certain degree of rhetorical vigour, which if not poetry would with many "serve the turn as well." What we desiderate is, the dis- tinctness and appropriateness of imagery which result from imagination com- bined with knowledge,—even actual observation not sufficing of itself; and that terseness, force, vivacity, and spirit, which constitute the poet. Yet there are clever passages in the Ruins. Thisbit on the present appearance of the site of Babylon is capital conventional verse; some of the lines are even poetical.
• The Pilgrim stands on famed Chaidea's plain, Tie immortal fields of Glory's ancient reign: Billah's small town is humming far away, And o'er the desert dies the golden day.
What meets the eye ? no stately-waving trees No sweet-lipped flowers that scent the passing breeze ; Stern Desolation here hath reared her throne, And darkly calls this fated land her own.
Vast mounds sweep 'round us, clothed with stunted grass, Or strewn with shattered urns and rings of brass ; And on and on they wind, and cross, and meet, Wrecks of fall'n towers, and many a gorgeous street.
But who shall say, where dwelt, in former age, The high or low, the warrior, prince, or sage ?
Wild asses browse where stood the /*Tinian gate ; The lizard crawls where monarchs moved in state ; In Beauty's rosy garden wormwood springs ; Where cooed Love's ring-doves, vultures flap their wings.
To trace the walls' vast round, skill vainly tries ; And o'er each shapeless ruin History sighs ; Idan's last poor pride, the very tombs are gone ;— And this was famed earth-conquering Babylon PI
Principles of the Law of Nations; with Practical Notes, and Supplementary Essays on the Law of Blockade and on Contraband of War. By Archer Poison, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. To which is added, Diplomacy. By Thomas Hartwell Horne, B.D., of St. John's College Cambridge. A recast and revised edition of the article on International Law, in the Ency cIopzdia Afetropolitana, by Mr. Poison; who has added two new papers on Block- ade and Contraband. Diplomacy is a reprint of Mr. Hartwell Home's paper in the same work. It would appear as if this volume were part of a series of re- issues of the more valuable papers from an encyclopmdia, which, planned by Coleridge, was supported by some of the ablest and soundest scholars of the day. At all events, the present publication will be useful to those who seek only a gene- ral knowledge of the law of nations, or who wish a plain succinct introduction to more elaborate works.] The History of the Jews of Spain and Portugal, from the Earliest Times to their final Expulsion from those kingdoms, and their subsequent Disper- sions; with complete Translations of all the Laws made respecting them during their long establishment in the Iberian Peninsula. By E. H. Lindo, Author of "The Jewish Calendar," &c. [The most valuable parts of this volume are the extracts from the various laws and canons made in the Peninsula respecting the Jews, and the biographical no- tices of the most eminent Hebrews; though these last are rather encyclopedic. The subject, too, has a value from the chronicle of Jewish history in Spam and Portugal being brought under view in a single volume. The Peninsular history of the Jews was rather intellectual and commercial than narrative; which Mr. Lindo has not distinctly perceived; and he wants the acumen, grasp, and compre- hension of the historian. The book, though useful on the grounds mentioned, is rather bald and lifeless.] Every Child's History of England. From the Earliest Period to the Pre- sent Time. By Miss Corner, Author of "The Historical Library," &c. [A compendious story of the principal events in English history, from the times of the ancient Britons to the present day, mixed with sketches of manners and the progress of arts. The narrative has a superficial character, from the attempt to compress many facts into a smaller space than will well contain them; but this was almost unavoidable. The style and tone are those of a story-teller ad- dressing children; but sometimes simplicity is sought at the expense of propriety. " Clever" is neither a proper term to describe the Romans, nor were they in point of acts clever people.] The German Language in One Volume; containing, 1.A Practical Grammar, with Exercises to every Rule; 2. Undine, a Tale by De la Motto Fouque, with Explanatory Notes on all difficult words and phrases; 3. A Voca- bulary of 4,500 words synonymous in German and English. By Feick- Lebat n, Professor of the German Language at the Robertsonian Institution. Key to the Exercises contained in Fakk-Lebahn's German Grammar; and Examples on the Expletives used in German. [Falek-Lebahn's German Language in One Volume makes various claims upon the student's attention. It professes to exhibit the German grammar in a sim- pler form; to render the pronunciation easier, even to the extent of almost super- seding oral teaching; to use exercises in a more effective way; and to teach the German language by means of the English. We think the two last claims the best established, and the best in themselves: for the improvements in the gram- mar are perhaps as much changes in order and arrangement as anything else; and pronunciation is one of those things which precepts cannot truly declare in all cases, or even in any with certainty, unless to a person with a trained gift for enunciation. The exercises are very good; well graduated, and well designed to illustrate the rules; while the earlier ones are very useful as being reading lessons intended to familiarize the pupil with the German character and to exercise him in pronunciation, at the same time that they give him a vocabulary of words in common use. The "4,500 words synonymous in English and German," and de- signed to be got by heart, is a very advantageous feature; not only carryink on the earlier lessons of reading, pronunciation, and the acquisition of words, but im- pressing upon the pupil the cognate origin of the English and German languages, at the same time laying a solid foundation for the mastery of the German, by presenting him with words of that natural or necessary stamp which must forn the primitives of every language. The Key contains literal translations of some of the more difficult exercises of The German Language; and a variety of explanations upon idioms, pecu- liarities, &c., that would have encumbered the volume as foot-notes.] Popular British Entomology; containing a Familiar and Technical Descrip- tion of the Insects most common to the various localities of the British Isles. By Maria E. Catlow. [An elementary guide to the study of indigenous entomology. The principal specimens of British insects are noticed under their scientific classification, some- what in the order of their appearance during each month of the year; so that the book may be used as a manual for reference in the open air. We cannot, how- ever, think that it is satisfactory for its purpose. As an incentive to the study of natural history, it is far belund many books that popularly describe the habits and economy of insects; as a technical synopsis, its limited size necessarily renders it incomplete; and the style of the composition does not help to make the generalizations quite clear. For instance, the statement respecting the hive-bee, that "the genus apis is now restricted in England to this species," needs further explanation to the country student who is familiar with other kinds of "bee." The book is handsomely got up in small quarto, with coloured plates.] The Parsonage. By Rodolph Topffer. In two volumes. (Parlour Library.) [A translation of Rodolph Topffer's novel; which, if very German in its simplicity, is at least cheap enough—two volumes for as many shillings.] NEw SERIAL.
A Man Made of Money. By Douglas Jerrold. With Plates by John Leech. Part L [A City gentleman, bight Solomon Jericho, who married in middle age an East India widow with three children,—each " party " exaggerating the reputed wealth of the other,—with the matrimonial discords that ensue some years afterwards, on the lady's putting the momentous question, "Mr. Jericho, when can you let me have some money ? " are the elements for incident, dialogue, and satire, in this first number. The future will exhibit the adventures of the "Man made of Money "and his family; for just at the close of the part, Mr. Jericho, in compli- ance with a wish that he were made of money, is able to change his heart into bank-notes.
The fanciful parts of the work thus far seem to us rather forced and theatri- cal: the structure of the scenes and the management of the dialogue exhibit the dexterity of the practised play-writer; and the matrimonial conflicts have that peculiar character which was so much admired in "Mrs. Caudle."]
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