Review of Books.

SUNDAY AFTERNOONS AT HOME. By the Author of "Christ our Example," &c.-Seeleys.

To say that a great desideratum is here well supplied, would be saying far too little it is a book of extraordinary merit and beauty. The style, precisely that by which the young are most surely attracted: short, pithy sentences, full of meaning; animated though serious; and frequently deepening into a pathos really touching. The first of these essays would tempt any reader of ordinary feeling to go on; and though a very brilliant, it is still a fair sample of the whole book. We have read all that has been written by this accomplished authoress ; and much both of instruction and gratification have we found in her pages: but in our estimation this volume, both in its design and in its execution, is the flower of the whole bouquet. No family can

lack the most pleasing, most profitable employment for the "Sunday afternoon" reading hours of their young people, while they have this volume on their table.

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 : with brief notices of individual prisoners. By Colin Arnott Browning, M.D., Surgeon, R. N. Author of " England's Exiles," &c.— Smith, Elder and Co.

IT is overpowering to think on the nature, the extent, and the brilliancy of the "crown of rejoicing" that awaits the author of these books in the great day, if, by the power of the Holy Spirit, he shall enabled so to persevere as he has begun. Of all the missionary works ever undertaken by uninspired men we do regard this as the most distinguished; and the teacher is one whom God hath raised up, and set apart, and sent forth, without the intervening hand of man. He goes to a far distant land, through all the perils of the stormy deep, -and who are they whom he goes to instruct? Even his countrymen, his neighbours, those who have lived under the same government and laws, and have, nominally, enjoyed the same privileges with himself, but who, for their crimes are cast forth from society, "fast bound in misery and iron," and looked on as the rejected scum of the earth. We take up a newspaper, glance at the trial of some foul criminal, and shuddering at

the relation of his hardened deportment, perhaps, rejoice that we are not condemned to have our path crossed by one so depraved, so lost. Lost, that he may be found! This noble, this honoured, this beloved disciple of Him who came to seek and to save that which was lost, takes up the position of a medical officer on board the Convict Ship, and—but let those who love the Lord read the narrative, and pray for grace, each in his or her own little sphere, to go and do likewise. No one need fear to place the volume in the hands even of children: there is not a word in it to shock the most fastidious delicacy ; Severe indisposition has prevented our missionary brother from even re-writing his original notes; but they needed it not.

Our readers might help in this blessed work by assisting to supply books of real, serious, solid instruction, to be placed at Dr. Browning's disposal : they may help by praying for the distant, scattered flock, who are left in the midst of snares and sorrows on the penal settlements; and by asking fresh supplies of bodily strength, and of abounding grace from the Lord whom he serves.

The description of the thunder storm at sea, with its consequences, is of most thrilling interest: and the little memoirs, and letters, of awakened convicts are beautiful. All the good seed gladly received may not abide to the bringing forth of solid fruit: but let Dr. Browning bear this in mind, that, not according to the measure of perseverance in the individuals thus taught, but according as he has SOWED, even so shall HE reap when the Lord of the harvest comes to claim his own. Man may judge us by the success of our efforts; God looks at the efforts themselves.

ARITHMOLOGY; or Theory of common Arithmetic, fully proved without Algebra. By S. E. Caspersonn, M.B.-Dalton.

WE are not yet come to the end of all the ologies, it seems; and if they were all as useful as this, we should not wish to do so. Arithmetic, as taught, we believe universally, consists of a number of very dry rules, the indelible impression of which on the memory is necessary to any thing like a decent proficiency in a most necessary science; and this is a hard imposition on some memories! Many an hour is wasted, many a head-ache incurred, many a game of healthful play unfairly curtailed, and valuable opportunities for inculcating far more important truths sacrificed, to the dire necessity of cramming the young brain with what is often most uncongenial matter. To arrive at the philosophy of the thing, to obtain even a why or a wherefore for these despotic rules, the perplexing study of Algebra is needful; and though there are some minds to which it affords high enjoyment, we believe that the majority of teachers, and an overpowering show of hands among the taught, will decide in favour of a most simple, practical, comprehensible exposition of the foundation on which the science rests; enabling the learner who may have forgotten some set of rules to recal them, by a fair knowledge of the theory itself. Such a work is the present. The author is a man of solid learning, complete master of his subject, in all its heights and depths, who has drawn up this admirable little ology (it is a very small book of sixty pages) for the benefit of those who may be neither able nor willing to plunge into Algebra.

We do not praise the work because we well know and dearly love the writer; nor because he is a son of Abraham according to the flesh, and an heir by faith too; but because we see and feel its intrinsic worth, and conscientiously believe that it will, both to old and young, be a real boon, of great and permanent value.

THE SABBATH QUESTION ILLUSTRATED: By a Roadside Enquirer.-Seeleys.

WE have often wished to see this momentous subject treated in a popular style; and graphically set forth in some of its more prominent features. The volume before us does so: a worldly, thoughtless young man, being asked to sign a petition in favour of Sabbath legislation, demands a reason why he should do so; and is persuaded to devote some summer weeks to a home tour, in search of such reason. He falls in with various parties, under a variety of circumstances, all of which bear on the subject in question; and he brings back with him not only very abundant reasons for strenuously aiding in the good work, but a far deeper insight into his own heart, and a purer mainspring of motive and action than be before possessed.

We think and believe that the book will do much good: it can hardly be called a fiction, seeing that every thing represented is actually taking place throughout the country; and though an imaginary person is introduced, it is merely that the reader may see, with another pair of eyes, what must otherwise