cases out of ten they are a cheat as to the amount of work and material given for the prices demanded. Thick, cheap paper, coarse type, immense spacing, and broad fragments of blank pages, are made to swell the bulk of what could easily be put into half the size. For this the purchaser pays so as to yield enormous profits to somebody. If the substance of what is thus paid for were of a high literary order, it would be better. But the actual fact is much like sticking a lighted candle into a hot candlestick—a ruinous consumption at both ends.

13.-Companion Poets for the People: ROBERT BROWNING, O. W. HOLMES, W. C. BRYANT. Vols. IV., V., VI. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1865.

THE publishers have found enough that is intelligible and, in a sense, popular in Browning's works, to make up this addition to their nice little series of poets, for universal circulation. This son of the Muses is eccentric, brilliant, orphic, metaphysical, rich in a weird sort of cutting, Mephistophelian irony. He carries it to the very verge of the impious sometimes, in expression, as in the

"There's a great text in Galatians."

Yet he does not seem to mean to be wicked in this daring; rather you detect some sharp hit which he would give to something which to him, at least, appears worthy of death-whether it is, however, may admit of a doubt. Then there is another side to him— an almost womanly tenderness which gushes up, here and there, with indescribable beauty. This little volume will endear Mr. Browning to many who have not ventured before to form the acquaintance of so wizard-like a genius.

Dr. Holmes laughs and jests and fidgets through these "Humorous Poems" of his contribution. He is funny, yet if he should venture to be even as funny as he could, we don't think the stars would be shaken down by the laughter. He has at least the trick of the poetical game, and at long intervals shows symptoms of a true poet's heart. But he is not much to our taste in prose or poetry. Smartness commands a quick market, but there is not much immortality in it.

The clear, breezy, stalwart spirit of Bryant is in striking contrast with each of the former poets. He breathes the bracing air, and sings his song with a ringing note, as free from morbid humors as the lark which carols at heaven's gate. He is so true to nature and the human heart in its healthy moods, that his most familiar poems never can tire. Here are the best of his shorter pieces. We look into their faces as of old friends, and welcome them in this neat at

tire. Bryant's reputation is a growing one. He has struck the chords which, once vibrating, will vibrate forever.

The illustrations in this series are not of a very satisfying order. In these volumes, these given to Bryant's verses are the best. The pictorial inspirations of Dr. Holmes' muse are mostly such extravaganzas as make hideous the pages of our comic newspapers. There is a prodigious wood-cut revival just now going on in Boston. We hope some genuine artistic improvement will come out of it. But honestly, we think this series of poets would be worth more without than with the whole of the pictures. Some of them are pleasing; but less considerably than one half. We think it was the "Autocrat" who once, in a prospectus for some magazine or serial tale, protested loudly against being "illustrated." Pity that he, at least, had not renewed his protest and held to it, in this instance.

14.-Personal Reminiscences of the Life and Times of Gardiner Spring. 2 vols. New York: Charles Scribner & Co. 1866. [Boston: Lee & Shepard.]

FEW authors succeed in biography: fewer still in autobiographyso the critics have adjudged. It does not help the latter kind of authorship that it is ordinarily deferred to old age. Fourscore years do not leave the retentiveness of memory, or the mental vivacity needed to give such memoirs the requisite degree of variety, versatility, delicacy of drawing and toning. They are apt to be meagre, dry, stiff. As a specimen of writing one's own life, we think this attempt no exception to the general rule of failures. But these volumes are to only a small extent autobiographical. They are mostly occupied with discussions of ecclesiastical and social questions to which the last half century has given rise, and with which Dr. Spring has been more or less connected. This gives much historical interest and value to the work. The writer thus passes under review the theological controversy between the Taste and Exercise men; the revival era in the American churches; Missions domestic and foreign; the Andover Seminary, in which episode the original compromise of its founders undergoes an elucidation that clearly shows where and for what ends this institution was started, and by obvious inference, throws light on the present relation of its influence to those primeval objects of its creation, in which Dr. Spring's father was active and prominent. Other topics are, the Hopkinsian and New Haven theologies; the rupture in the Presbyterian church; the Southern Rebellion, in the General Assembly, and out of it; and a variety of other topics of a general nature. Dr. Spring handles all these matters in the direct and positive style of one who has been accustomed to be deferred to as a

"Master in Israel." He tells us early in the narrative that the eldest son of such a woman as his mother ought not to lack for courage, and his long and able career as a public man is certainly free from all deficiency on that score. He obviously considers himself to have come off "first best" in all his passages at arms; and we are not sure but he did.

The work, being taken up so largely with subjects which, at one time or another, have been battle grounds of sharp conflicts, has much more of a polemical than an experimentally devout air; yet there are parts of it which breathe a very tender spirit of Christian sympathy and devotion. In one respect, Dr. Spring has had a truly remarkable life. It is, that being settled in early years over his first parish in New York city, he should have retained it, with growing power, for more than half a century, amid that restless population. Judging from the many volumes which his pulpit has given to the press, we think that he offers an unusual example of what, with the Divine blessing, can be done, by diligence and good abilities, in holding an intelligent people under one's influence, through the medium of a strong, clear, bold manner of preaching, without any help from a high literary culture, or those more striking and winning qualities of mind which go toward making up what is called a genius.

15.- Winifred Bertram and the World She lives in. By the Author of "THE SCHONBERG COTTA FAMILY," etc. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1866. [Boston: A. Williams & Co.]

THIS popular and successful authoress shows herself in a totally new field. The parties and scenes are of our own times, and among the poor of London. The writer seems quite as much at home here as with the Great Reformer and his friends and times. The style is delightful, and the story, as it unfolds, engrossing; while lessons of practical piety are taught in a most earnest and impressive way. The doctrinal part of the Christianity of the volume is set forth by an intelligent Scotch woman, and of course it is of the most substantial kind. For the readers of romance we regard the work as an eminently useful one.

16.-The Song Without Words. Leaves from a very Old Book. Dedicated to Children. By the Author of "THE SCHONBERG COTTA FAMILY," etc. New York: M. W. Dodd. 1866. [Boston: A. Williams & Co.]

THIS is one of those dreamy, mystical, allegorical stories, that children so love to read, and, strange enough, catch the meaning of sooner than older readers. Where pebbles and shells, mosses,

grasses, flowers and sea-foam talk, in their watery nooks and caves, our little folk are all ears, and understanding. The whole is sweetly told by this charming writer.

17.—The Elements of Moral Science. By FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D., LL. D. Revised and Improved Edition. 12mo. Boston: Gould & Lincoln. 1865.

DR. WAYLAND has a well earned reputation as a successful educator, and author of text-books. Without any unusual power of independent investigation, he had a practical sense of truth, and a popular ability to give it utterance, which impart to his works a high value. He pervades his writings with the purest Christian spirit, in which some of more philosophical genius than he, might well imitate him. This book on Moral Science is too well known to need much remark. The author has enlarged and improved it, making some changes in the previous subject matter. It was about the last literary labor which he performed, and contains his ripest views on the vitally important topics which it discusses. Its position, as an ethical authority, at least on some points, was sharply enough defined by its expulsion, several years ago, from the colleges and schools of the South. Perhaps it will be popular there yet, in the good time coming.

18.-The Knightly Soldier: A Biography of Major Henry Ward Camp, Tenth Conn. Vols. By Chaplain H. CLAY TRUMBULL. Portrait and Plates. Boston: Nichols & Noyes. 1865.

THIS is one of those graphic, simple and tender memorials of the war, that a graceful writer has prepared of an intimate friend. College, camp, and prison life is sketched with vigor, and the noble qualities of the Knightly Soldier and practical Christian are well set forth for the imitation of the reader. We are constantly discovering how much real nobleness, scholarship, social grace and piety ennobled our army and sanctified the struggle. This is one of the brightest and best volumes of our already extensive library of the war. 19.-The Oil Regions of Pennsylvania: Showing where Petroleum is found; how it is obtained; and at what cost. With hints for

whom it may concern. By WILLIAM WRIGHT. 12mo. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1865. [Boston: A. Williams & Co.]

THE new editions of the history of human gullibility will have some rich chapters to add to the South Sea and Morus Multicaulis sells, out of these oil-wells which have proved so slippery a speculation to not a few recent unfortunates. An honest man seems here to have

written an honest book about this last wonder in the market. He went on foot over this modern Greece, noted its topography, asked innumerable questions of the wise and foolish, compared his notes, cast up results, weighed and measured the whole, and gives it to whom it may concern in this very intelligible and matter of fact volume. If the Atlantic Cable deserves a historian, certainly Petrolia should have its scribe. We reach the conclusion that there is a good deal in this new opening for money-getting. Of course, some thousands of over hasty adventurers had to be ruined in the process of experimenting with this business. But when the fever shall be over which has obviously passed its climax, a mine of wealth will remain to be worked which will be a permanent source of revenue and untold value, like the coal measures of our Middle States. Mr. Wright's book is full of interest, scientific, economic and personal. He describes the country, the people, the young towns, the well-sinking and working processes, the triumphs, the failures, the modus operandi of the whole matter, with spirit and good sense, lubricating his narrative and statistics with the inevitable facetiousness of such pioneering life. The work is a valuable contribution to useful and entertaining knowledge.

20.-Descriptive Catalogue of the Presbyterian Board of Publication. Philadelphia. 821 Chestnut St. 1865.

In this 16mo volume of 432 pages, we have the titles of several thousand books, which have passed the inspection and received the sanction of this well known publishing establishment. They are of all sizes, from heavy octavos like Calvin's Institutes to the small Sabbath school book. While the wants of ministers have not been forgotten, the volumes adapted to family reading fill many pages of this Catalogue. Soundness of religious sentiments and a careful attention to all matters of taste have characterized the issues of this Board, so far as we have examined them. Yet this has not been arrived at by any sacrifice of literary vivacity. A vast amount of admirable reading has been presented thus to the public in neat style. and at very reasonable prices. We think our Sabbath schools would find it to their advantage to consult this list of juvenile works in filling their shelves.

21.-MISCELLANEOUS.

Sabbath Psalter. A Selection of Psalms for Public and Family Worship. Compiled by Rev. HENRY I. Fox, A. M. New York: Carlton & Porter. 1865.

THIS work was prepared at the suggestion of ministers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, who wished to have the people partici