the greater part of it is occupied with descriptions of unpleasing and subordinate characters; and it is disfigured by numerous Scoticisms, and incorrect or inelegant phrases: such as, vol. i. p. 17.,streight up and downism; p. 93., the maid lay squelch upon the floor, blubbering and bawling hideously;' p. 97., Flora praised in concento, and sometimes threw in a little solo. Vol. ii. p.95., the word compass is used for compress; and in vol.iii. p.222., the witticism of an old Grecian is introduced without any acknowlegement.

Art. 23. The Mystery; or Forty Years Ago.
Boards. Longman and Co. 1820.

12mo. 3 Vols. il. IS. This book is advertized as containing matters of fact in the particulars relative to Africa and to Major Houghton: but we should have imagined that 'forty years ago' would not have accorded with the adventures of that unfortunate traveller. We do not however speak positively. Other anachronisms might be mentioned; and the Mystery, on which the dénouement is made to depend, is a revolting story, no sooner related than contradicted. However, the London riots in 1780 are here well described, and a few other passages in the work may be said to evince some talent.

Art. 24. Domestic Scenes. By Lady Humdrum, Author of more Works than bear her Name. 12mo. 3 Vols. Il. Is. Boards. Longman and Co. 1820. Though this novel is not devoid of interest, it is disfigured by some obvious improbabilities, and errors or oversights of the writer. Among the former, we must rank the stories of two ladies who conceal their marriages, and consequently involve themselves and their children in disgrace; the one adopting this step as a penance for her faults, the other in compliment to her husband's views.

In vol. i. p. 68., it appears that Hurstbourne is in Hampshire: yet we have been previously told that Mrs. Delmere, in travelling thither from a ship which had arrived in the Downs, was met by her friends at Exeter:-a notable specimen of geographical confusion! The details of Mrs. Valacort's fashionable engagements are also tediously prolix, notwithstanding the assurance in vol. ii., p. 9., that her elegant taste gave a peculiar charm to all her to do's, her parties,' &c.; and the author's taste might have been usefully employed in amending such expressions as the following vol. i. p. 363., Lady Belmont and Laura were to stop in town.' Vol. ii. p. 159., a little rosy-cheeked cherub slammed the door to again; p. 179., if you neglect Lady Sabina there will be plenty come forward to make her amends;' p. 194., several, in squeezing past Mrs. Valacort and her niece, nudged each other; p.241., that is more than you are up to;' p. 252., 'enquiring whether he were any ways connected with her.' Vol. iii. p. 59., a meeting had not taken place of some years; p. 225., Emily only stopped long enough' in the same volume, p. 67., a Duchess is made to exclaim, "Dull work, I trow! make the best on't;' and in p. 65.,

Dr. Baillie

Dr. Baillie exchanges names with "the unfortunate Miss Bailey."

It is really astonishing to see what vulgar illiterate stuff is issued from the press in the shape of novels; and puzzling to comprehend how persons so little qualified to wield the pen contrive to form any thing like a plot, and to make it hang together in any shape through two or three volumes.

EDUCATION.

Art. 25. The Juvenile Miscellany: containing Geography, Astronomy, Chronology, Botany, Heraldry, Trade and Commerce, &c. &c. &c.: adapted for the Use of Schools and private TuiBy R. Humber. 12mo. 38. half-bound. Whittakers.

tion. 1819.

This is one of that numerous class of books which skim over the several sciences, and which are rather calculated to excite curiosity than to satisfy it. Indeed, such is generally the intention of the authors; and, if they succeed in this effort, they have done all that can be reasonably expected from them. Mr. Humber's performance is as well arranged, and as accurate in its explanations, as any that we have seen of the same kind; though we have noticed a few instances of hurry or of inadvertency. For example, to the question, By whom was the earth first peopled?' the answer is, By the children of Noah.' In another place it is said that, during seven weeks in the year in Lapland, the moon shines without intermission; and, in a third, the zenith and nadir are classed among the circles of the globe.

Art. 26. D. Junii Juvenalis Satire, cum Notis Anglicis, Expurgate: Studio Gul. Wilson, M. A. Coll. Reg. Oxon. Soc. In usum Scholarum, præcipuè Begensis in Comitatu Cumbria, Grindallo Archiep. Cantuar. Fundatæ. 12mo. Boards. Richardson. We are glad to see a classical publication issuing from St. Bees' school; and this proof of the present claims of so respectable a foundation to public patronage will, we trust, facilitate the cleansing of that Augean stable into which the school, and all connected with it, have been metamorphosed, by the foul interference of interested motives in the appropriation of its endowments; or, at all events, by gross mismanagement of the whole concern.

An expurgate edition of the classics, sufficiently pure to prevent moral mischief, and sufficiently learned to improve youthful taste, has been always a desideratum in literature; and we greatly fear that it will ever continue to be so: at least, we cannot hope to see a writer, whose weeds and flowers are so intimately intertwined as those of Juvenal, redeemed from the opprobrium of encouraging the pollution which he condemns, by any selection, however careful, from his masculine but dangerous satires. Yet this danger must not be exaggerated; and we must not forget the fact that the very circumstance, the very character, of an expurgate edition, is in truth calculated to excite the curiosity which it professedly aims to limit, and to secure from mischief. It would

Occupy

occupy much more space than we can bestow on the present little school-book, to develope and to do justice to our ideas (such as they are) on this interesting question: but, on the whole, we decidedly think, that it had better be left to the master to make selections for the pupil out of entire works, than to put mutilated editions (called expurgate) into his hands.

Nothing can more clearly shew the fallaciousness of any expectations of complete purity in an edition of an antient satirist, than the lines which are left in this volume. We shall, of course, no farther designate them than by referring the editor to pages 37. 75.96.; and to several others, which, as his second thoughts will probably have suggested to him, had better have been farther expurgated. "Yet here's a spot!" must, indeed, constantly occur to such an editor.

The note at page 195. is, perhaps, the most glaring instance of violating his own design, of which the present editor has been guilty, for here he has assisted Juvenal with the gratuitous improprieties of Martial: but, no doubt, this was an oversight; or an unconscious ebullition of the rage of commentating. The notes, which are (judiciously) given in English, contain much useful elementary matter. Mr. Wilson freely lays his predecessors under contribution, but honourably assigns his property to each annotator whom he has enlisted in the service of his edition. We repeat our satisfaction, although with no high degree of panegyric, that St. Bees' school can enumerate among its sources of honour so creditable an auxiliary to the studies of youth, as the present edition of Juvenal.

Art. 27. A short Introduction to the Greek Language; containing Greek Precepts; a Speech of Clearchus, from Xenophon's Anabasis; and the Shield of Achilles, from Homer's Iliad. Translated into English. 8vo. 8s. Boards. Murray.

The contents of this little book are easily described. The introduction to Greek is a version from the Eton Grammar; the Greek prose is correctly translated; and the author subjoins the translation of Cowper to the Shield of Achilles. We presume that he prefers it to that of Pope, as better adapted to a school-exercise, and more likely to expedite the drudgery of literal interpretation. We have nothing more to say of this slight effort than that it accords with our own notions of the best mode of teaching Greek, which is to make English, instead of Latin, the interpreting language: but it is obvious, if this be the case, that double care will be wanting in the Latin branch of education, in order to make up for the loss sustained by the pupil, from whom Latin has been withdrawn as a medium for teaching Greek. This, also, we think, would have good results: but we have neither time nor room, in this brief article, to detail our notions on a subject, in which we have the concurrent opinions of many distinguished scholars to support our own.

Art. 28. A complete Treatise on the Present and Past Participles of the French Language: in which every Rule is explained, and

followed

By

followed by Examples, and an Analysis of each; &c. &c. M. Maillard, Professor of the Latin and French Languages. 12mo. 3s. 6d. bound. Boosey and Sons. 1820.

To attain a correct and idiomatic use of the participles may be said to form one of the greatest difficulties in studying the French language; and, as M. Maillard has here explained their application with much industry and precision, his book will be an useful sequel to the ordinary French grammars.

Art. 29. An Introduction to the Study of Arithmetic; in which the Principles of the Science are fully developed and illustrated by practical Examples. By George Hutton. 12mo. pp. 164. Clement.

We have frequently stated our opinion that authors, who undertake to write on arithmetic and algebra, too often defeat their own intentions, by reducing that which ought to form a mental exercise to a mere mechanical operation; in fact that, instead of endeavouring to elevate the perceptions and ideas of the pupil to comprehend the particular subject in question, the latter is reduced to a level with the former, and divested of its most striking characteristic; while the learner loses all the advantages which ought to be derived from the study of a demonstrable science.

Mr. Hutton has avoided this beaten path, and has ventured to blend the theory with the practice. He observes:

The method too generally adopted, of confining the attention of the pupil exclusively to the practical part of arithmetic, has, in the author's opinion, an evident tendency to defeat the salutary influence which the proper study of this subject would exert on the juvenile understanding, and to preclude that quickness of perception and accuracy of judgment, which it is so immediately adapted to excite.

A subsequent attainment of mathematical knowlege may perhaps be regarded as a substitute for an earlier acquaintance with the theory of arithmetic: but if this attainment be not altogether precarious, it is too often reserved till the mind has assumed a propensity to take up results on the authority of habit, and the judgment has acquired a reluctance to exert itself in the investigation

of truth.

With a view, therefore, to promote such a study of this important subject as may either qualify the pupil to enter with advantage on the study of the mathematics, or enable him to reap all the benefit which arithmetic is capable of affording him, this little work has been composed; in which it was the intention of the author to comprize, for the use of his own pupils, a summary of the arguments he had employed in a familiar illustration of its principles.'

It may be questioned whether the author's explanations are not sometimes too long: but, at all events, the errors are on the right side; and we have no doubt that many youths, who have just left school with the character of expert calculators, might benefit by an attentive perusal of this little volume.

Art.

Art. 30. Letters on History; addressed to a beloved God-Child. By the Author of "Affection's Gift." In Two Parts. Part II. Profane. 12mo. 5s. 6d. Boards. Baldwin and Co. 1820. These letters give in a short compass a judicious general view of profane history: the anecdotes are well selected; and the reflections, though mostly common-place, are favourable to religion and virtue.

A very few verbal errors may be noticed, such as, p. 67., the exhibition of vicious characters afford an important lesson;' and P. 34, neither worshipping or regarding the Divinity,' &c.

We are of opinion that the present and other elementary historical works would be made more useful to English readers, by accenting the Greek and Roman proper names.

Art. 31. English Stories; illustrating some of the most interesting Events and Characters between the Accession of Alfred and the Death of John. By Maria Hack. 12mo. 7s. Boards. Darton and Harvey. 1820.

Some ingenious remarks, in dialogues between a mother and her children, accompany and elucidate these stories, which are related in an able and pleasing manner. In p.161., however, the transition from the battle of Hastings to the reign of Henry the Second leaves too long a period unnoticed; and, in p. 350., the account of Prince Arthur's death, which Hume relates as "the most probable," might have been given on his authority. Art. 32. An Introduction to Geography; on the Easy, Natural, and Self-evident Principle of describing the Maps in Writing, by which the irksome Labour and unnecessary Waste of Time, usually employed in the Acquisition of this Science, are avoided. By F. Francis, Private Teacher. 12mo. pp. 81. Law and

Whittaker.

Were we to adopt this author's opinion of his performance, we should deem it far superior to any other work of a similar nature: but, if we rely on our own judgment, we shall say that it appears to be much of the same description with many others which it has been our business to notice. It has the merit of conciseness.

Art. 33. Domestic Scenes at Woodlands; a Tale. By a Lady. Small 12m0. 3s. Izzard. 1819.

This little book cannot boast of much novelty, but it may be recommended as a perfectly harmless performance.

MATHEMATICS, &c.

Art. 34. The Algebraist's Assistant, being a Compendium of Algebra, upon the Plan of Walkingame's Tutor's Assistant. By James Harris, Teacher of the Mathematics, Walworth. 12mo. pp. 180. Longman and Co.

It is one of the most amusing parts of our duty, as reviewers, to read over the prefaces of the various works that come before us on arithmetic, algebra, geography, the use of the globes, &c.;