destinies. There is an occasional exhibition of what we should call flippancy about the work which seems to us a defect; but it possesses many attractions, and contains no inconsiderable degree of valuable information. Its author must have some standing in the political world, as he has once been chosen United States Senator.

HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE INVASION OF JULIUS CESAR TO THE Reign

OF VICTORIA. By Mrs. Markham. A new edition, revised and enlarged, with questions adapted to schools in the United States, by Eliza Robbins, author of "American Popular Lessons, &c." New York: D. Appleton

& Co.

This work, we are informed, was originally written by a mother for the benefit of her own children. It has had a vast circulation in Great Britain; and it needs no higher recommendation than that it was adopted as a text book by that prince of teachers, the late Dr. Arnold. As it is only a single duodecimo volume of less than four hundred pages, of course it does not aspire to any thing above the character of a compend; and that is all that is needed as an ordinary school book. But there is so much condensation of matter and so much lucid arrangement, that one can really get a very considerable knowledge of English history by going carefully through it. We believe it is used extensively as a school book in this country, and we can see no reason why it should not be used more and more. The American lady whose name appears on the title page, has increased the value of the work by giving the appropriate questions at the bottom of each page.

ANALYTIC HISTORY FOR SCHOOLS; founded upon the equisses historiques of M. D. Levi (Alvarez): adapted to the state of instruction in the United States, and brought down to the year 1848. By John H. Hunter. New York: D. Fanshaw.

From a rapid examination of this work, we cannot but think that it is constructed with remarkable skill, and we should not marvel if it should be instrumental of working an important change in the study of history. The great advantage of it is that it almost compels the student to understand as he advances; and delivers him from those parrot like tendencies which look not beyond temporary display. It is an exceedingly ingenious work, and can hardly fail to draw towards it the attention of those who are interested in the science of education.

THE POWER OF THE PULPIT; OR THOUGHTS ADDRESSED TO CHRISTIAN MINISTERS AND THOSE WHO HEAR THEM. By Gardiner Spring, D. D. New York: Baker & Scribner.

This is Dr. Spring's latest, and we think we hazard little in saying his most interesting work. It presents its noble theme in a great variety of aspects, and

is alike instructive, encouraging and monitory, especially to all who hold the sacred office. There is pervading the whole work a richness and power of thought and an admirable ease and grace of style, that are rarely found in conjunction. The wonderful power of the pulpit is made manifest by a reference to the history of the past, and the source, the secret, the rationale, of this power is brought out in a most felicitous way and with great effect. Several incidental questions are discussed also, such as the pecuniary support of clergymen, &c., &c., in a manner well fitted to secure to them the attention which they so justly claim. Though many of the topics have been presented in other publications, the work, as a whole, occupies new ground, and will be welcomed as well for the freshness and originality of the general conception as for the fitting and beautiful manner in which it is carried out.

LECTURES ON SHAKESPEARE. By H. N. Hudson. In 2 vols. New York: Baker & Scribner.

These Lectures have been delivered in several of our larger cities, and a portion of them, we believe, in many of the smaller ones, and have won for their author a most enviable literary reputation. He is regarded, by the most competent judges, as having penetrated farther into the soul of his illustrious subject than almost any who have preceded him; while he has freely and confessedly availed himself of the labors of others wherever he could appropriate them to the advantage of his work. His preface, in which he dedicates the work to one of our most gifted poets, is written with great modesty and yet with great skill; and is well fitted to lead every one who reads it to keep on reading till he reaches the end of the second volume. The author's disclaimer of originality, will not, we suspect, put him beyond the reach of suspicion, even with those who are most familiar with the commentaries upon the immortal dramatist.

THE LIFE OF REV. ROWLAND HILL, A. M. By the Rev. Edwin Sydney, A. M. New York: Robert Carter.

Though this is not a new book, it having been published shortly after the death of the venerable person whom it commemorates, yet it has been for some time out of print in this country, and will be quite new to a large portion of readers now upon the stage. We read it at the time of its first appearance, and remember to have found some fault with it: but the things we objected to were so few and unimportant compared with those which we approved and admired, that they have now actually passed from our recollection altogether. The work undoubtedly contains in general a very faithful delineation of Rowland Hill's remarkable character; and every one knows that his character was so entirely unique that the history of the race may almost be challenged for the like of it. He was an eminently gifted, devout, benevolent, eccentric, and in his way, eloquent man. He has an enduring record of his ministry in the reno. vated hearts of many on earth and in the glorified spirits of more in Heaven.

HUMAN NATURE IN ITS FOURFOLD STATE. By Rev. Thomas Boston. R. Carter.

This well known and widely circulated work is the production of one of Scotland's most eminent divines; and though a century or more has passed since it was sent forth upon its mission of good, we predict that when another century shall be added to it, that mission will still have been but partly performed. We know not where to look for more of the good old fashioned Scotch divinity within the same compass than we find in this ancient and venerable production.

THE LIFE, LETTERS, AND REMAINS OF THE REV. ROBERT POLLOK, Author of the "Course of Time," &c. By James Scott, D. D., of Newark, New Jersey. Robert Carter.

It is somewhat singular that a work of this kind should have had its origin on this side the water; but the author seems to be a countryman of the illustrious person concerning whom he writes, and has enjoyed the best opportunities for gathering the materials for an authentic history of him. And the materials which he has collected he has used with great skill and to excellent purpose. As he had the advantage of the Life published several years since by the poet's brother, and has incorporated with the results of his own independent inquiry, all the important facts which that work contains, he has doubtless produced the best thing that has been, or probably will be, written on the subject. He manifests much taste and discrimination in his estimate both of the character and the works of the poet. The history is one of great interest, and the work altogether is one that is happily adapted to answer the double purpose of entertainment and of improvement.

THE LISTENER. By Caroline Fry. From the seventeenth London edition. Robert Carter.

That this work has enjoyed not only a great but protracted popularity, is manifest from the great number of editions through which it has passed in its native country. It indicates in its authoress the union of rare gifts and rare graces. It speaks alike to the intellect, the imagination, the conscience, and the heart. Its teachings are all the teachings of wisdom and truth. Let the young ponder it particularly, if they would be respected and happy in this world and wise unto eternal life.

ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO THE REVIEWS : By William F. Poole. New Haven, Con.

We have just received from Mr. Wm. F. Poole, librarian of the Society of "Brothers in Unity," Yale College, a CIRCULAR of a work, about to be published, which will be invaluable both to the student and general reader. We copy below a portion of the Circular, showing its object:

"BROTHERS' LIBRARY, YALE COLLEGE, March 20, 1848. "The Society of "Brothers in Unity," is preparing for its Library An Alphabetical Index to Subjects treated of in the Reviews and other Periodicals to which no Indexes have been published.' The Periodicals that have been carefully examined, in the Work, are, in part, the following:

and many other Foreign and American Periodicals, amounting in all to five hundred and thirty-five volumes. To all the above works that are still pub. lished, the INDEX is brought down to January, 1848; and it is needless to add, that to those volumes of the North American, Edinburgh and Quarterly, omitted in the above list, Indexes have been issued by their publishers."

This will be to the scholar, the "Golden Key," to reveal to him, at once, the garnered riches of 500 volumes. Without it, or its like-which there is none-you might search hours for treasures, which this will disclose in a moment. We have examined some of the proof-sheets and are happy to testify to its paramount excellence. The enterprize reflects honor both upon the head and heart of the author, and he should be rewarded with a patronage corresponding to the labor he has bestowed on it, and the advantages to be derived from it. The edition is limited, and copies can only be secured by addressing W. F. Poole, Librarian of the Society of" Brothers in Unity," Yale College. The price is one dollar.

A GOSSIPING LETTER.

It is as you say, Timotheus; "thou_reasonest well." In writing letters like these, currente calamo, (with galloping goose-quill,) there is an air of reality thrown about your correspondent, his sentiments and his declarations. What would pass off, if printed in the front part of the Magazine, in large type, and under a sounding title, as mere fiction, will here appear to be sober fact. I am not sorry for this, and will try not to abuse the confidence of those who have the fortitude to read my humble gossip.

But really, Timotheus, are you not "invading the sanctity of private life" —that is the newspaper phraseology—when you go so far as to ask me to drag my own personal adventures before the public eye. What next? Will you ask me to exhibit myself, in proper person, squint, broken nose, hollow cheeks, and all,-to your readers? If not, then stop where you are. My life has been checkered with black and white; I know many secrets of others, besides a long catalogue of my own; but what is the use of making a public spectacle of my humble history.

However, there is one incident, which a much-beloved friend of mine has often requested me to publish in some form, out of regard to the principal actor in it. As for myself, I have rather felt disposed, in the depth of my reverence for her memory, to cherish it within my own breast, as one of those "pleasant, but mournful" subjects of thought, "with which the stranger intermeddleth not." However, I am wont to defer to his judgment, or at least to consider his wishes. So you may expect, not a history, but a sketch of "Our Rebecca." I forewarn you that it is no story; that there is no plot or argument in it, but that it is a bald, homely picture of real life.

During one year of my residence in, I occupied, with my room. mate W- -, apartments in the vicinity of the cemetery: one of the most beautiful, I may say in passing, in the whole country. To it my morning and sunset walks were nearly always directed; and when May began to hang a complete suit of verdue upon the vegetable world, and the sun to beat down upon the fields with generous but not unpleasant warmth, it seemed to me as if I should never be weary of rambling among the trees and shubbery of that delightful spot. Sometimes some errant boarding school girls sought the same retreat. With them I passed hours of golden romance; and our interviews were ten-fold more sweet, inasmuch as they were against the whole decalogue of the institution, then familiarly termed "The Nunnery." Morn. ing often found me seated either at the foot of a grave stone or willow, or on some marble entablature, reading Herrick, or Fletcher, or Herbert, or Spen. ser-those genial and summery old English lyric bards-or perhaps Tenny. son, or Sterling, or Motherwell, of a more modern date. Very often, however, my reading consisted only of inscriptions, which I turned to my account both for gravity and amusement.