A Synoptical History of England. (Walton.)—It is scarcely praise to
say of a book that it is an excellent "cram" book, but as examinations are a necessary evil, and cramming must be done, and may even be of some real use if it is done judiciously, it is as well to have efficient instruments. The plan of this book is to put in three columns "principal events ;' "observations," which we may say are exceedingly good, both tersely written and judicious ; and "contemporary events." Thus a glance will give the reader an excellent idea of any period, England being taken for the time being, as the centre. A teacher or lecturer otherwise well informed on his subject, for the book does not attempt the foolish affectation of being universal, would find this a most convenient text-book. The volume is furnished with a convenient apparatus of genealogical tables, d;c., some of them not to be found, at least, in so convenient a shape, in the ordinary histories. We may instance "A Table illustrating the Claims of Balliol and Bruce to the Crown of Scotland," and "A Table illustrating the War of the Spanish Succession." The book is likely to be so useful that we should be glad to Bee the author extend his plan to the histories of other countries. We may notice one thing which seems somewhat of an affectation. Why do we have Octarchy instead of Heptarchy. There never were even seven kingdoms at once, and as either term must be conventional, we prefer the old one.
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