Reviews Of Uew Books.

peachable character , great mental acquirement , and considerable zeal and energy , and we can only hope that a Divine irradiation may lead him to see the errors of a Church which sacrifices truth and justice , the attributes of G-od Himself , to priestly arrogance and unchristian like persecution . He will then , in abjuring the errors of Kome , prove himself far greater than his besotted antagonist ; who considered it below (!) his dignity to make reparation for a wrong , and had not magnanimity enough to own himself wiser to-day than he was yesterday . The

pamphlet will excite the sympathy with Mr . Boyle , of every honourable and well-regulated mind , and the calm , clear common-sense of Baron Piatt , so completely subversive of all the " refuges of lies , " common to Romish reasoning , will elevate the reader ' s estimation of that eminent judge . — " Plain Instructions for the Management of the Aquarium . " London : Dean and Son . We strongly , recommend this manual to all those zoologists who wish to combine with their favourite study of the habits of animals a taste for ornamental addition to their domiciles . The whole treatment of gold and silver fish , water-plants , and insects is clearly stated , together with the best plans for manufacturing abodes for them . Exquisitely beautiful are some of the veronica plants , and when visiting the Zoological Gardens recently , we confess to having received as much , and even more pleasure , from the contemplation of the aquatic than from that of the superaqueous world . — - — " Characters and Incidents ; or , Journeyings through England and Wales / ' by J . W . King , Author of The Patriot" a Poem , "Life of Gavazzi" & c . London : J . W . King , 172 , Fleet-street . The portentousness of

a title is seldom any indication of the power or utility of a book . The plain , unvarnished text includes generally the richest discourse . The volume now open before us illustrates this ; it assumes to be only mere jottings of the author as he passes up and down the country—a hastily-penned genuine log-book . Were it no more than this , it would be as interesting as a description of the familiar , as well as the less known , places and institutes of our country could be . For in the easy and graphic manner in which every scene is depicted , we recognise the hand , not of the pupil , but the master-artist . Scarce a

page but affords a picture in word-painting , perfect as Nature herself . But the book ' s merit does not end here ; at least its utility-lies deeper . In the form of familiar letters to a friend , we have some passages of powerful writing upon subjects of deep and universal interest . The soul of this volume stands forth in a man of intense though of sternest truth , and of the most determined courage . His individuality is distinct ; and his mental self is shown forth in strong relief , with his impressions of things , his knowledge , and his prejudices . Universal and devoted in most of his sympathies , still he is less the citizen of the world

than of England , while to her honour and safety as a Protestant nation he is keenly alive , warning her of the evil of Popery , and against its insidious approaches , with an earnestness and eloquence almost fierce . The journeys to Oxford and Cambridge are pregnant with interest . Sensible discoveries are made in them of things which exist , but are overlooked for lack of courage , or from an undue reverence for worldly position and wealth , or else from that laxity of religious principle , which readily yields up even conscience to the rulership of any spiritual priest , good or bad , sacred or profane . Most crushing , most authoritative are the

writer ' s remarks on both Universities , startling every true Protestant from his apathy , hy their stern , uncompromising truth . Leaving the Tractarian warfare , one walks cheerily enough with the writer through the time-honoured halls , listening to his often beautifully-expressed sentiments , and picking up choice crumbs of information with pleased avidity . Indeed , we are truly glad to quit this passionate spiritual arid party conflict , and to find the author ' s essentiality omnipresent in the poet and the man . To find noble thoughts , nobly spoken forth ,

fine sentiments well expressed , and sympathies pure , glowing , and wide ; these make the poet , and these we find strewn thickly through the whole work . After this comes the individual , a combination of vivid originality , of rich quaint humour , of pungent satire , and of rugged , forceful language . Yet over all is a mantle of philanthropy , from the depths of a liberal and poetic heart . Kead the book , and it will be enjoyed for its naturalness and its beauty ; for its wit and . for its wisdom ; for its strange characters and for its numberless amusing VOL . II . 4 K