Reviews.

Beeton ') , Booh of Garden Management and Rural Fcononomy , part 14 , is equal to any which have preceeded it , —that is praise enough . Beeton ' s Dictionary of Universal Information well sustains its title . As a specimen of the contents we extract the following on Egyptian Architecture . "The architecture of Egypt is the oldest in the worldand is

, superior to that of any other country , Assyria alone excepted , in its colossal proportions , massive structure , general magnificence , and grandeur of conception . It has the merit of being entirely original , and possesses peculiar characteristics that distinguish it in a striking manner from that of any other country . Tbe earliest specimens of Egyptian architecture that yet remain to us , and which will probably endure as long as the world lasts , are tbe pyramids , and the monumental records known as

obelisks ; but to ascertain the efficiency they had attained in this art , we must go to the temples of Karnae , Edfou , Dendereh , and that of Abou-Sambul , hewn out of the solid rock , as well as the architectural remains that still exist at Thebes and other ancient cities of Egypt . The pyramids are buildings of great solidity , but of simple form . They are built on a square base , with four triangular sides , that meet in a common apex . They are supposed to be royal mausoleumsand were built between 1500 and

, 1000 B . C . The obelisks are four-sided shafts of great size , terminating in a pryamidal top . They are hewn out of a solid block of stone : they are also elaborately carved with hieroglyphics . The temples cover a great space of ground , aud stand in a ' walled enclosure . Before the temple itself there is a large square court , surrounded on three sides by a colonnade . Access is obtained to this court through a doorway of great height , flanked on

either side by quadrilateral towers , diminishing in size as they approach the top . The doorway , and side towers are adorned with colossal sculptured figures , and in some cases an avenue of figures , generally sphinxes , was made , leading directly to the doorway we have mentioned . The temple itself was generally raised , the court between it and the grand entrance being composed of a series of broad steps rising in a gradual slope . These steps led to a magniiicent hall or portico , occupying nearly the entire width of the court , in which there are generally six rows I

of pillars which support the flat and massive roof . Prom the portico we enter a smaller hall , also divided into narrow spaces , by pillars that support the roof , and after crossing two or more chambers , each narrower than the one before it , we gain the innermost chamber or shrine , exactly fronting the entrance , in which tbe statue of the divinity was placed , to whose worship the temple was dedicated . The area occupied by the temple at Edfou is 411 ft . long b 154 ft . broadthe towers on either side of

y , the doorway being 104 ft . long by 47 ft . broad at the base , and 84 ft . iu length by about 30 ft . in width at the summit ; but these proportions , large as they may appear , are eclipsed by those of tbe temple of Karnae , the great hall or portico of this magnificent building being 338 ft . long by lVOf't . broad , and covering an an area equal to that of the entire temple of Edfou . The entire length of the temple of Karnae is about 1200 ftand the

., breadth about 3 G 0 f't . The columns , entablatures , and mouldings , are the great distinctive features of Egyptian architecture , in addition to theinarked . peculiarity that their doors and windows and even the buildings themselves , present ; namely , the convergence of the sides ; so that the breadth at the base is greatly diminished in extent at the summit . Tbe size of the column ' s is in proportion to the extent of the building in which they are

placed . At Karnae they are 9 aud lift , in diameter . First they were square in form , then polygonal , and at last circular shafts were made . All are elaborately sculptured . The shaft stands generally on a circular base , aud sometimes on a base that contracts in size as it aproacbes the floor of tbe building , instead of expanding from its junction with tbe shaft , as is usually the case . The capitals are sometimes bell-shaped and adorned

with lotus-leaves , while others are square in form , with a human face sculptured on each side . In some cases , as at Dendeerh , this capital is surmounted by another , also quadrilateral in shape and enriched with carving . The entablature was very massive and heavy , consisting of an architrave surmounted by a bold and deeply-moulded cornice , the upper part of which projected considerably beyond the face of the walls of the building .

The roof was perfectly flat . The doorways are surrounded by a flat moulding , and surmounted by a cornice and lintel of great depth . Figures attached to the walls were generally executed inlalto-relievo , like those that flank the doorways of the Assyrian

palaces ; but the hieroglyphics and representations of historical events were carved in low relief , in a style peculiar to Egyptian sculptors known as cavo-relie 'o . The walls were adorned with paintings in red , blue , green , black , and yellow , on a whitish ground ; gilding was also introduced as an embellishment , and the sculptured columns and the ceilings were also painted . The domestic dwellings of the Egytians seem to have been built of brickconsisting of rooms ranged round a central court lanted

, p with trees , and having a fountain in tbe centre . They were sometimes two and three stories high . The flat lintel is common to Egyptian , Grecian , and Assyrian architecture ; the method of forming arched doorways and vaulted passages was known to the Egyptians , but it was seldom resorted to by them , and then principally in tbe construction of tombs . In the Boy ' s own Library the Curiosities of Savage

Life , hy the author of the Wild Sports of the World , has been commenced , and from what we see by Nos . 2 and 3 ( No . 1 we have not received ) appears likely to become even more popular than the author ' s previous work . There is nothing more enchanting , to juvenile readers , than descriptions of the habits and . customs of those tribes of men , which , the advaucing heel of

civilization is rapidly trampling off the earth , and in this work they are well told and illustrated by excellent wood cuts and coloured engravings . The Boy ' s oien Magazine is a marvel of cheapness , and should be placed in the hands of every boy , the useful and the entertaining being well combined . "Manly exercises walking " well deserves perusal .

One Hundred Lectures on , the Ancient and Modern Dramatic Poets . Part 12 . B y B . O . JOXES . Simpkin , Marshall and Co . Bro . Jones is proceeding vigorously with his self imposed task , _ for which he is evidently well fitted by taste , study and judgment . . His style his easy , and as a specimen will speak more in paise of the work than words

any of ours , we shall lay before our readers Bro . Jones description of the fall of Troy : —¦ " The Greeks , about 100 , 000 strong , having joined the expedition against Troy , were conveyed by sea to within four miles of the city , which was situate near to Mount Ida . Having landed their forces , here they encamped and sent out detachments , which by degrees subdued the surrounding districts .

This state of things , according to Virgil and Homer , continued for about ten years , the Greeks all this time being kept at bay by the Trojans and their allies , amounting in all to more than twice as many as the besiegers . The Greeks tried every scheme imaginable to scale the walls of the city and undermine the fortresses , but were beaten hack each succeeding attempt with greater losses , until , being tired of their comparative inactivity , they devised a scheme by building a large wooden horse contrived so as to secrete a few of their number within the interior

of the figure ; then , as a ruse , they broke up their encampment and retired ; but previous to doing this Ulysses and Diomedes penetrated the Thracians' lines , murdered the King , Rhesus , and brought away with them his horses . Their object in undertaking this enterprise was to subvert a decree which was supposed to have been made by an oracle , that if these horses once ate grass from the Trojan plains and drank from the river Xanthusthe citshould never be takenThe meaning

, y . was simply this , that if once Rhesus succeded in gaining a passage so as to join the Trojan forces , Troy could "" never be taken . The Greeks , now having apparently retired from the city walls , driving back the Thracians , the Trojans came out to reconnoitre , when , seeing the colossal figure of the horse , they imagined it contained treasure , and ( naturally enough ) desired to possess it ; but , fearing a return of the Grecians , they did

not wait to inspect the contents of the figure , but moved it entire within the city walls . At night , when all were at rest , the soldiers who had been confined within the wooden figure descended , killed the sentinels , and opened the city gates to the Grecian forces , they having returned ( as was previously arranged ) under the shade of night , and so gained an entrance into the city . They then destroyed the greater part of the Trojan army , also the citizens , and carried the remainder prisoners away with them , after entirely demolishing the citadel