372

Brief Notices.

Notices of Windsor in the Olden Time. By John Stoughton. Bogue, London. Pp. 236.

THE author spent eleven happy years in the town of Windsor. It was natural that he should feel interested in the history and antiquities of so remarkable a place; and therefore he devoted as much time to their investigation as he could spare from more important engagements. On different occasions he laid before the Literary Institution in the town the results of his inquiries; and the papers which he read, excited so much interest as to lead to a request that he would prepare for the press a work upon the antiquities of Windsor. Having collected sufficient materials for the purpose, he felt disposed to comply with the wishes of his friends and the little book now presented to the public is the fruit of his labours.'-Preface.

:

We are not surprised that when Mr. Stoughton had industriously collected so much interesting information concerning their famous Windsor, the inhabitants of the royal town should have solicited him to make their gratification permanent, by committing his Notices' to the press. He has presented us with a volume exceeding beautiful in its appearance; while the research which has been necessary, the judgment with which his materials are selected, the skill with which they are arranged, and the true taste and correctness of sentiment which characterise the whole, entitle the volume to our praise, and we cheerfully bestow it.

The object of the author has been to present the History of Windsor in such a form as to interest the general reader, and to meet that taste for antiquarian research and historical associations in connexion with remarkable places, so characteristic of the age. He has endeavoured to give some glimpses of the state of society during the successive periods through which his history extends: and if in doing this he may sometimes have a little stepped out of the way, yet he trusts he has succeeded in giving an aspect of more general interest to the local scenes and circumstances he has described. Through the whole work he has also attempted to breathe that moral and religious spirit which should pervade not only the graver studies, but even the literary recreations of intellectual and spiritual beings.'-Preface, p. vii.

Mr. Stoughton has succeeded in his object; and his elegant volume will doubtless be received with the favour it deserves.

Outlines of Congregationalism. With a Historical Sketch of its Rise and Progress in the Town of Andover. By the Rev. J. S. Pearsall. London; Snow. Pp. 159.

MR. PEARSALL has exhibited the principles of congregationalism in a clear and able manner and in the spirit of christianity, and we wish his book may have an extensive circulation. It is one which may be unhe

sitatingly put into the hands of any, whether the uninformed of our friends or such as are strangers to our real sentiments. Should a second edition be called for, we hope to see some grammatical errors (which in the present volume we charge upon the printer) corrected. We refer to such sentences as the following: Whilst the noiseless current of ordinary affairs too often flow past;-As Henry, . . . James, or Charles sway the sceptre ;-Have the church a right, &c.;—The greatest solemnity and kindness of feeling was to accompany, &c.;— Neither Peter nor Paul speak of, &c.'

The Convict Ship. A narrative of the results of Scriptural Instruction and Moral Discipline, as these appeared on board the Earl Grey' during the voyage to Tasmania, &c. By C. A. Browning, M.D., &c. London: Smith, Elder, and Co. 1844. Pp. 324.

THE title will convey a correct idea of this very interesting narrative of efforts, judiciously made, for reclaiming to God and happiness a class of men of whose conversion too many christians would, we fear, be ready to despond. Strong faith, however, in the adaptation of the gospel to its intended end, with great confidence in the efficacy of prayer, when combined with zealous and persevering endeavours made in a right spirit, enabled the pious and devoted author to triumph over difficulties of no ordinary kind. His holy labours seem to have been abundantly blessed of God; and we cannot restrain the utterance of a fervent wish that just such right-minded christians were found pursuing the work of faith in every receptacle of human guilt and misery. The true philanthropist will derive both instruction and encouragement from Dr. Browning's interesting publication.

Discourses by William Anderson. Glasgow: Jackson. 1844. pp. 346. ANOTHER Volume of sermons! Well, if preachers will publish, reviewers, we suppose, must read, however much they may envy those who are privileged to hold themselves excused. We say privileged,—for it is often a dull and weary task, that is assigned to us, and we are sometimes reminded of a story current in our school-boy days, for the truth of which we will not, indeed, vouch, but it is a good story enough, for all that. It seems that a certain peer, whose economical organ (if such there beand if not, we very humbly crave pardon of the phrenologist for making one for the occasion) was largely developed, not to say enormously, contrived, since his estate abounded with rabbits, to regale himself and his chaplain day after day right frugally; till at length, on the accustomed dish being once more placed upon the board, the aforesaid chaplain intimated his sense of satiety by giving in a metrical grace of some half dozen lines a very pleasant paraphrase of Horace's Jam Satis est.

But though these are certainly the feelings with which we take up ninety-nine out of every hundred volumes of modern sermons, Mr. Anderson's book forms a pleasant exception, and we are glad he has published it: we have derived both pleasure and profit from the perusal, and heartily commend it to our readers. The author is evidently one of

those men (and we wish the number were greater) who preach becaus they feel they have something of importance to communicate. There is the true prophetic spirit in him-' We believed, and therefore speak ;' and his sentiments, for the most part, are healthful as the breezes of his native hills. He does not, perhaps, care to ask of the dry and shrivelled spirit of orthodoxy what he shall say, or how he shall express himself, but manifestly seeks the inspiration of the Spirit of truth. Is this a fault? His discourses, however, are thoroughly evangelical: else they would have had but little welcome from us. We can easily imagine, indeed, that his hearers are not seldom conscious of a wish to pause and think over, before they receive, some sentiment which he suggests; but they must postpone the examination, for the preacher is on his

way.

Of course we do not intimate a perfect concurrence with our author in all that he advances. We think he fails to establish some points on which he is disposed to lay stress. Among these we include the notion that the infant children of unbelievers, dying in infancy, will not be saved with a salvation so glorious as that of the offspring of the saints;' and that the departed infant of pious parents will have a more glorious position than the child, only one of whose parents had been renewed.

We fancy, too, that Mr. Anderson's hearers (who are nevertheless privileged beyond most congregations) must be occasionally conscious of a feeling akin to regret that some more felicitous expression had not been substituted. We cannot think, for instance, that a desirable effect is produced when the preacher addresses some one whom he supposes present, as a miserable fool!' or asks, can any saint be so befooled as he.' Nor does the expression-' a nuisance to the Lord,' exactly fall in with our ideas of propriety; neither do we admire the attributing to Satan any particular perversion of a text, and speaking of it as 'Satan's commentary.' We should not be disposed to say, 'As soon as there was a God;' nor does the English language easily admit of a sentence so elliptical as-But what although ?'-and we think that the rather frequent exclamation of Oh me!' and 'Ah me!' is very far from adding strength to a sentence, or giving effect to a sentiment. Mr. Anderson will excuse the expression of a wish that in preparing for the press a volume so truly excellent-a somewhat stricter revision had been exercised. It is our satisfaction with the work as a whole which occasions the regret that some few minor faults, which could have been so easily obviated, had not attracted the notice of the respected author. We observe on p. 4 several notes of interrogation improperly introduced, the effect of which is to put the mind upon a course of curious calculation, instead of filling it with a sentiment which is intended to excite emotion. And we should have been glad if the book, which is beautifully printed, had not in many of its pages been disfigured by the introduction of several unnecessary capitals. Still, the blemishes are few, and the excellence of the work is great: we give it our cordial recommendation, and shall be happy to receive the other volume, which the author intimates he is preparing for the press.

Animal Physiology, pp. 579. By W. B. Carpenter, M.D., Author of 'Principles of General and Comparative Physiology,' and Principles of Human Physiology.' (Popular Cyclopædia of Natural Science.) London: Orr and Co.

1843.

ONE of the disadvantages of that eager, though beneficial, attempt to popularize literature and science, and to provide books for the million,' which characterizes the publishing world in the present day, is the tendency, for the sake of cheapness and facility of production, to entrust important subjects to writers but ill prepared to treat them; who either content themselves with a superficial outline without going thoroughly into details, or if they attempt anything more, blunder into grievous inaccuracies, and exchange a superficiality, which is merely useless, for a quality, which is positively pernicious. This cannot be said of the admirable publications of this judiciously planned and admirably executed series, and least of all, of the work now under consideration. If the kingdom had been searched through, probably a man better qualified to furnish a treatise on such a subject, and in such a form could not have been found than Dr. Carpenter. His previous works show him to have been thoroughly master of his subject, and well prepared, to digest his knowledge into a manual like the present. They have attained the highest commendations of journals, which, as being professional, necessarily carry greater weight with them on such topics than our own. Of Dr. Carpenter's work on the Principles of General and Comparative Physiology,' no less an authority than the British and Foreign Medical Review,' said so long ago as 1839, (vol. vii. art. 9,) The work before us has equalled our most sanguine expectations. This would be recognized as high praise, were we to relate all that our knowledge of the mental qualities of the author, and of the attainments which have fitted him for his undertaking, had led us to look for.' And at the close of the article, the writer remarks:-' Had we seen the book in manuscript, our imprimatur would have been inscribed, not in its usually permissive, but in its absolutely imperative form.'

The present work will do no discredit to Dr. Carpenter's well-earned reputation. It is divided into fifteen chapters, and the comprehensive character, as well as judicious plan of the work, will appear from their titles. They are:-1. On the vital operations of Animals, and the instruments by which they are performed. 2. General view of the Animal Kingdom. 3. Nature and Sources of Animal Food. 4. Digestion and Absorption. 5. On the Blood, and its circulation. 6. On Respiration. 7. În Secretion. 8. General Review of the Nutritive Operations-Formation of Tissues. 9. On the Evolution of Light, Heat, and Electricity by Animals. 10. Functions of the Nervous System. 11. On Sensation and the Organs of Sense. 12. On Animal Motion. 13. On the Voice. 14. On Instinct and Intelligence. 15. On Reproduction.

The style of Dr. Carpenter is remarkably perspicuous, and not seldom characterized by that facility of apt and simple illustration which give such a charm to the pages of Paley. The whole work is profusely and admirably illustrated by wood engravings.

While it deserves a place in every library, it is particularly worthy of

the study of those who are preparing for the B.A. examination of the London University, and we can bear our testimony to its practical value as a text-book to such students. If we have been correctly informed, the author partly designed his work for their convenience.

The treatise on Mechanics and Astronomy,' in the same series, and by the same author, is also an admirable work, though scarcely equal to that on Animal Physiology-which, indeed, considering that the last has been so long, and so intently the author's favourite study, could not be fairly expected. We scarcely know, however, where, for the same moderate price, such a mass of information on these subjects-so clearly expressed, so aptly illustrated, and so profusely accompanied with diagrams and engravings, could be met with, except in this volume. To both works we cordially wish an extensive circulation.

Literary Intelligence.

Just Published.

Travels in India, including Sinde and Punjab. By Captain Leopold Von Orlich. Translated from the German by H. Evans Lloyd, Esq. 2 vols. 8vo. Look to the End; or, the Bennets Abroad. By Mrs. Ellis. 2 vols. 12mo. The entire Correspondence between the Four Congregational Churches in Glasgow and the Congregational Churches at Hamilton, Bellshill, Bridgeton, Cambuslang, and Ardrossan; on the Doctrines of Election and the Influence of the Holy Spirit in Conversion. With an Appendix.

Cobbin's Child's Commentator on the Holy Scriptures. Part III.
North British Review. No. IV.

Knight's Books of Reference: Political Dictionary. Part III.
Letters from Wanganui, New Zealand.

Memoirs of Alexander Bethune, embracing Selections from his Correspondence and Literary Remains. M'Combie.

Compiled and edited by William

The Supplement to the Penny Cyclopædia. Part I.

The Pictorial Gallery of Arts. Part I.

The Continental Echo and Protestant Witness. Parts I. and II.

The Romanism of Italy: preceded by a Correspondence with the Catholic Institute of England. By Sir Culling Eardly Smith, Bart.

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Edited by W. Smith, LL.D.

The Church and the People. A series of Tracts and Stories. No. II. : Henry Homeward.

Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature. By John Kitto, D.D. Part XVII. The History of Hydur Naik, written by Meer Hussein Ali Khan Kirmani. Translated from an Original Persian Manuscript in the library of Her Most Gracious Majesty, by Col. W. Miles, of the Hon. East India Company's Service.

The History of the reign of Tipu Sultan. Translated from an Original Persian Manuscript by Colonel W. Miles.

The Dabistan; or, School of Manners. Translated from the Original Persian, with Notes and Illustrations. 2 vols.

Practical Philosophy of the Muhamadan People; exhibited in its professed Connection with the European, so as to render either an Introduction to the other.

Lailí and Majnúm. A Poem. From the Original Persian of Nazámi. By James Atkinson, Esq.