PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

BOOKS.

TNE publishers are beginning the year oddly enough. Except Dr. Doran's account of the Monarchs who have, willingly or unwillingly, retired into private life,—and a goodly if not an interesting number of them there are !—the books are of a kind which seldom furnish much for newspaper critics, however important their religious nature and objects may render them in themselves. Mr. Maurice publishes a volume of Sermons on St. John. Having vainly tried to write a commentary, these discourses are„its substitute ; commentary being, we think, understood in the sense of a broad application of St. John's character and doctrines to Christian life. The volume of selected Sermons, to which Mr. Kingsley has contributed a preface, where its author points out the manner in which genuine Christianity works into and subdues the additions of Rome, is a translation from the works of John Tauler of Strasburg. He was a famous preacher of the fourteenth century, whose works have come down to us in scattered manuscripts from the notes of his admirers. The volume externally exhibits the conventional characteristics of Tauter's age. Mr. Ilardwick's "Christ and other Masters" is the continuation of a comparison of Christianity with other religions : in the present part lie travels to a country that is now exciting the attention of religious archmologists—India.

Monarchs Retired from Business. By Dr. Doran, Author of "Knights and their Days," 8re. In two volumes.

The Gospel of St. John : a Series of Discourses, by Frederick Denison Maurice, M.A., Chaplain of Lincoln's Inn.

The History and Life of the Reverend Doctor John Tauter, of Strasbourg ; with twenty-five of his Sermons (temp. 1340)., Translated from the German, with additional Notices of Tauler's Life and Times, by Susanna Winkworth, Translator of " Theologia Germanica " ; and a Preface by the Reverend Charles Kingsley, Rector of Eversley and Canon of Middleham.

Christ and other Masters : an Historical Inquiry into some of the chief Parallelisms and Contrasts between Christianity anal the Religious Systems of the Ancient World ; with special reference to prevailing Difficulties and Objections. By Charles Hardwick, MA., Christian Advocate in the University of Cambridge. Part II. Religions of India.

The following books are of a kind which not only their writers but some of their readers might think of greater importance than they are. The truth is, value depends on rarity : if gold were as plentiful as copper it would be worth no more than copper. A form of composition, a style, a manner of thinking, and even thoughts themselves, if all of a sort to be imitated, soon become sickening ; nor does the original regain his true place till the echoes are dead and forgotten. Such was the case with Pope ; such is perhaps to some degree the case with Byron. Not that we mean these writers have any sort of relation to gold, to Pope, or to Byron, even in the lowest degree.

"Autumnal Leaves," by L. Maria Child, is an American importation of tales, sketches, and poetry, the like of which has been done hundreds or thousands of times already on similar themes ; for it is only "The Kansas Emigrants" that have even geographical novelty. " Sketches" by Curio is another book of the same stamp, with even less pretension. It is a series of essays and characters, written in the style which Theophrastus made famous two thousand years ago, and which has since been so hacknied that even Butler and La Bruyere seem stale. Had Mr. Timbs's " Curiosities of History" been compiled in the sixteenth century, when books were scarce and literature of any sort confined to the learned, it would have become a famous work : it is now a curious collection of historical facts and anecdotes—useful, or at all events curious, to a large class of humble readers. "Ocean Gardens" derives its character from its getting-up, and its pretty though somewhat staring coloured plates. The information relating to the aquarium is for the most part well known.

Autumnal Leaves : Tales and Sketches in Prose and Rhyme. By L. Maria Child.

Sketches. By Curio.

Curiosities of History ; with New Lights : a Book for Old and Young. By John Timbs, F.S.A., Author of" Things not generally Known," 8sc.

Ocean Gardens: the History of the Marine Aquarium, and the best methods now adopted for its establislunent and preservation. By H. Noel Humphreys, Author of "British Butterflies and their Transformations."

Drawingroom Charades, for Acting. By C. Warren Adams, Esq., Author of "Randall Vaughan," 8re.

Reading without Tears : or a Pleasant Mode of Learning to Read. By the Author of "Peep of Day," &c.

Episodes in the War-Life of a Soldier. By Calder Campbell, Author of "The Three Trials of Loide."—The subject matter of this volume chiefly consists of stirring incidents in connexion with Indian service or field-sports, and poetry (or at least verses) on a variety of themes. The tales and adventures are full of movement and the interest which attaches to action ; but the whole is of a melodramatic kind—Indian landscapes, buildings, men, costumes ; while the modes of thought and style of expression are essentially European. This disposition to rely upon the gaud and exaggeration of the theatre seems to us carried into the domains of natural history. There are several snake stories, where the poisonous snake is represented as coiling round its victim.

"I had no great reason to be alarmed, for I saw not a man, but a monkey —one of those long-legged, brown monkeys, with white-streaked faces, that abound amongst these heights, and which, probably little less startled than myself, receded as I advanced, jabbering its dissatisfaction at my intrusion. At the foot of the peepul tree, throwing up its rich white petals, that shed around a sweet but sickening odour, grew a magnificent plant of the datura : and as I stooped to pluck it, a rustle in the underwood beyond, followed by an acute, sharp scream, which I ascribed to my friend the monkey, arrested my band. I had judged correctly ; but I had underrated the number of my early companions. With a spring that brought it almost to my feet, making me m my turn retreat, the monkey lay moaning, and, as I thought, violently convulsed among the grass; nor did I at the moment perceive, what indeed I discovered with a degree of horror, that round its body was twisted a gorgeously-spotted snake—the cobra di capello ! I wish I could describe the maddened contortions of the monkey, as, writhing beneath the straining coils of the reptile, it rolled on the grass in vain efforts to rid itself of its deadly assailant. The piteous gaze of its eyes, as they wistfully looked up into my face, was eloquent with a summons for help which I was by no means inclined to resist. Whether the snake had bitten it or not, I could not guess, for it seemed to me as if it were merely playing with the animal —that fatal game which the cat plays with the mouse." Surely serpents that kill by poison dart, bite, and withdraw : if corn

polled to repeat their attacks, they are gam helpless, for their poison is quickly exhausted and slowly reproduced. Even reptiles that kill by compression only crush by " twisting " after death. The boa constrictor kills by a single fold. Mr. Campbell's notions of natural history seem drawn from the print-shops, and the ateliers of men who never saw a snake—even in a menagerie, discerningly.

A Practical Dictionary of the French and English Languages. By Leon Contanseau, !Professor of the French Language at Addiscombe Military College.—This appears upon the first glance over it to be a model for a portable dictionary. It is in small octavo; contains rather more than 500 pages, on good paper, but not too thick ; sr; that the volume is compact in every sense. Although the words are very closely packed—for there is an immense number in a small space—the choice of type is excellently adapted to setting forth the original word, its several relations and explanations, with perfect distinctness ; and reference is peculiarly easy — the eye glances over the page without hinderance, and fastens upon the word at once. The volume, however, contains improvements. It comprises all the new words introduced into both languages, such as "photograph," "stereoscope," " potichoinanie." A part of the packing is effected by an ingenious use of figures and other signs to indicate the peculiar acceptation of words. Specimens of the most prominent idioms and familiar phrases are thrown in ; and irregular verbs are worked out, so as to save trouble and mistake. We have glanced over the dictionary to test some of the more ordinary defects, especially erroneous spelling ; and we find, that it stands this test well. The oldfashioned spelling seems to be corrected : we do not, for example, find " bonhommie " but "bonhomie," in the modern fashion.

Fairy Gold for Young and Old. From the French of Savinier Lapointe. Edited by Henry F. Chorley.—Eighteen tales; French in their incidents and spirit, light and lively in their treatment. They were in part undertaken by their workman-author at the request of Beranger, and Mr. Chorley indorses the great poet's praise. They form a nice little volume.

A Geometrical Treatise on Conic Sections. By the Rev. T. Waddingham, M.A.—An elementary treatise intended as a separate school or college book on Conic Sections, "at once sufficiently simple to be placed in the hands of the student immediately after Euclid, and sufficiently complete to give him a knowledge of their principal properties before taking up the subject in an analytical form."

Messrs. Chapman and Hall open the new year with a capital volume for the season—the whole of the Christmas books of our friend Tittuarsh comprised in a handy volume, and yet of a size that looks well upon the table. The same publishers begin a new popular and cheap edition of Carlyle's works of which the first volume, neat and full, with a rather too small typo but a great quantity of matter, commences with that magnum opus the French Revolution. Mr. Jardine has recast and rewritten for Mr. Murray, with considerable additions, his well-known and popular account of the Gunpowder Plot. "The Rifle, Axe and Saddlebags," is an American reprint. It is a series of lectures on American settlement, by an all but blind minister, who has struggled from four years old through the difficulties incident to such a position. The man is more remarkable than his book. "The Descriptive Essays" of Sir Francis B. Head are a reprint, in two handsome volumes, of the articles he has contributed to the Quarterly Review.

Descriptive Essays contributed to the Quarterly Review. By Sir Francis B. Head, Bart. In two volumes.

Christmas Books—Mrs. Perkins's Ball. Our Street. Dr. Birch. By W. H. Thackeray. With Illustrations by the Author. New edition, in one volume. The French Revolution: a History, in three parts—I. The Bastile ; II. The Constitution; III. The Guillotine. By Thoinas Carlyle. In two volumes. Volume I.

A Narrative of the Gunpowder Plot. By David Jardine, Esq., of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-law.

The Rifle, Axe, and Saddlebags, and other Lectures. By William Henry Milburn. With a Preface, including a Life of the Author, by the Reverend 1'. Binney.

The Home School ; or Hints on Home Education. By Norman Macleod, Minister of Barony Parish, Glasgow. Cheap edition.

Christian. Consolation ; or Discourses on the Reliefs afforded by the Gospel, under different States and Trials of the Christian Life. By Daniel Moore, MA., Perpetual Curate of Camden District, Camberwell, and Tuesday Morning Lecturer at St. Margaret's, Lothbury. Second edition.

Harry Lorreguer. By Charles Lever. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne. Rifie Practice. By Lieut.-Col. John Jacob, C.B., of the Bombay Artillery, Commandant of the Scinde Irregular Horse, 8sc. Fse. Third edition.

The London and Provincial Medical Directory. 1857.

Who's Who in 1857. Edited by C. H. Oakes, M.A. Dedicated by permission to her Grace the Duchess of Sutherland. Ninth year.