it to Montgomery, as an evidence of his " presumption and despair." The editor does not benefit his father's reputation by republishing all his youthful and imperfect attempts. Even his best works are more powerful than pleasing, more ambitious in aim than perfect in execution. A Visit to German Schools. Notes of a professional tour, with discussions of the general principles and practice of Kindergarten and other schemes of Elementary Education. By Joseph Payne. London: Henry S. King and Co.-There are not many people so well versed or so deeply interested in education as the late Mr. Payne was. It was at once the business and the delight of his life. For many years he laboured as a faithful, able, and successful teacher. His whole heart and soul were in his work, which so completely absorbed all his attention that he cared little for what was not in some way connected with it. While actively engaged in the practice of teaching, he was continually studying the theory, and endeavouring, with the help of experience and observation, to ascertain the proper subjects and right methods of education. He was strongly of opinion that the art of teaching is imperfectly understood for want of special study and training. To supply this deficiency he was appointed Professor of Education by the College of Preceptors, and delivered lectures on the subject with illustrations. In the autumn of 1874 he made a personal inspection of the chief Kindergarten and other elementary schools in Germany, and took notes, which are here published, with various remarks on the general subject of elementary education. Those who are interested in this subject, and desirous of becoming acquainted with the actual working of the Kindergarten system, may find the present volume no bad substitute for a personal visit of their own. Mr. Payne went with a practical eye and ear, and a mind well skilled in all the essentials of teaching and school management. He knew exactly what to look for, and how to observe. His simple, straightforward accounts of what he saw and heard are all that could be desired, as far as they go. It must be borne in mind, however, that he does not profess to furnish a complete report of any establishment, much less of German elementary education in general. He simply gives a transcript of the impression produced on his mind by a single unexpected visit to some of the principal schools. Had he gone at a different time, he might have witnessed different proceedings, and received a different impression. He is careful to mention that deficiencies which he occasionally noticed may be supplied in other parts of the educational course. No one could have taken more pains to get at the truth, or shown more impartiality and care in stating it. We do not set so high a value upon the critical discussions scattered here and there throughout the volume. Mr. Payne takes superfluous trouble to insist with repeated urgency on general principles which are admitted and practised by every good teacher. It was surely not necessary for him to tell us that "whatever may be the matter in hand, whatever the method employed, the interest of the children in it is the essential condition of success. This interest fixes and concentrates their attention, calls out their active powers, and ensures their co-operation with the work of the teacher, and therefore cducates them." No one, again, will dispute that the teacher should avoid telling a child what he can find out for himself, but rather endeavour to call his faculties into active exercise. The practice of "telling," which Mr. Payne so justly condemns, is owing not to ignorance of the true principles of education so much as to mere laziness. It is easier at the moment, though not, perhaps, in the long run, for the teacher to do the pupil's work for him than put him in the way of doing it for himself. Hence, the majority of teachers adopt this course, regardless of the injury they do the pupil. The art of teaching is no recondite mystery which requires elaborate lectures and long training. The one great essential is self-denying, patient fidelity, which shirks no amount of trouble in the performance of duty. This, combined with adequate knowledge and average intelligence, will ensure good teaching, while the best system of training will be of no avail without these requisites. Mr. Payne himself notices the different degrees of success attained by different teachers trained on the same system. The result must in every case depend far more upon the personal qualifications of the teacher than the system upon which he has been trained. The sum and substance of Mr. Payne's educational creed may be found in this passage:— "Singing is an important feature of Fröbel's system, and I do not think it is executed nearly as well as it might be by the little birds of the Kindergartens. Here, as is so generally the case in education, it is the teacher who is at fault; the materials are all there, but the teacher fails to make the best use of them. The germs of art, however feeble, are in the native constitution of every little child, and though not always able to struggle of themselves into the light, they can be nursed and developed into power that is, some measure of power-by the teacher on the outside, if he is himself an artist in education. But all teachers are not artists in education; and this, again, not because they are naturally incapable, but because they are not naturally informed' and inspired with the pregnant conception that the teacher's function is generative and even creative, and they therefore believe themselves incapable without actually being so. They are unconscious of the powers they really possess, and they are unconscious of their own powers because they do not appreciate those of the children they teach; and lastly, they do not appreciate the children's powers, because they do not study carefully the nature of children. They should go to Fröbel, and learn from him what children are, and what they can do important consideration that the prowhen artistically handled. It is a very duct of education, after all, depends mainly on the teacher. The number of stupid children is really very small, but the number of children who are left stupid-that is, of those whose powers are undeveloped - is very great; and this number is mainly dependent on the teacher, with whom it rests very much to decide whether these powers shall be ignored, developed, or stifled. The bad teacher is a menticide, who deserves punishment quite as much as the unskilful medical practitioner who is called into court to answer for his delinquencies. Hence it happens that young minds that might have been quickened into life, remain dead, buried, and forgotten." It is rather surprising that one who professes to have a delicate ear for music should apparently imply that every child may be taught to sing in tune. It is still more astonishing for so practised a teacher to say, "The number of stupid children is really very small," and attribute the existence of stupidity among children simply to the want of good teaching. Surely, as in the case of the teacher, so in that of the pupil, natural endowment is far more influential than artificial training. It is to that rather than to education -valuable as it is that all the achievements of literature, philosophy, science, and art are attributable. Mr. Payne it very severe on the revised code, which he describes as pursuing" its disastrous course, ignoring or repudiating every principle of true education." He also strongly condemns the pupil-teacher system, which is not allowed in Germany, and it is certainly open to objection. Roman Catholicism, Old and New, from the standpoint of the Infallibility Doctrine. By J. Schulte, D.D., Ph.D. Belford Bros., Toronto; Trübner and Co.-In these days, when Romanism seems to be gaining ground among us, and boasts that its converts are not the ignorant and thoughtless, but persons of rank, education, and intelligence, it is desirable that its principles should be carefully examined and rightly estimated. Those who wish to study the arguments for and against them will do well to consult Dr. Schulte's pages. Having been till fifteen years ago a Roman Catholic, and for thirteen years a clergyman of the Church of England, he has a special claim to be heard with attention. Brought up in the Romish faith, trained in the Propaganda College at Rome, and in constant intercourse with Roman Catholics, he cannot but be correctly informed as to their views, and familiar with the arguments by which they are accustomed to support them. He says-no doubt truly enough-that Protestants are often betrayed into error with regard to the Church of Rome through imperfect knowledge of its principles. From this danger he is exempt, which gives him an advantage over other Protestant controversialists. He is also well informed as to the other side of the question. It was not without careful study and protracted thought, "which lasted for some years, "that he was in duced to abandon the faith of his childhood, which had been the guide and stay of his life, and with it the friends to whom he was strongly attached, and for whom he still feels a grateful regard. The fairness with which he conducts the argument is no less conspicuous than his knowledge. He does not suppress or misrepresent the views of his opponents, but gives full force to their objections and replies. His own views are set forth clearly and advocated forcibly, but without disingenuous sophistry. Nothing can be better than the tone and temper in which he writes. There is not a trace of bitterness or violence throughout the volume. Dr. Schulte uses no harsh words, indulges in no fierce invectives, pronounces no intolerant judgments. If his reasoning is not always conclusive, and some of his assertions are without needful proof, his charity never fails. Such moderation and liberality as he displays are exceptional in controversy of any sort, and especially in religious controversy, which is usually anything but religious in spirit. Yet they cannot be ascribed to any want of zeal for truth on his part. He is thoroughly in earnest, firmly persuaded that Romanism is a pernicious error, and very anxious to impress this conviction on the minds of others. In his opinion," the very foundations of social and religious order are at stake," and this is the reason why he has felt compelled to write his present work. It was expected at the time of his secession from the Church of Rome, that he would at once publish his reasons for the important step he had taken; but well knowing the intemperate zeal into which new converts are apt to be betrayed, still suffering from the painful crisis through which he had passed, and having not yet got beyond the negative conclusion that Romanism is erroneous, he stained from rushing into print. very wisely abHe has since had ample time to mature his convictions and recover from his wounded feelings, and now discusses the subject calmly, with all the additional authority of thirteen years' active experience as a Protestant clergyman. Dr. Schulte's work is in the shape of lectures, forming three divisions, entitled "The Theory of Infallibility in regard to the Church of Christ,' ""The Practical Working of the Infallibility Doctrine in the Church of Rome," and "The Papacy and Infallibility." He is perfectly right in regarding the doctrine of infallibility, whether of Pope, councils, bishops, or Church, as the point on which everything else turns, and which consequently deserves chief consideration. There is force, if not novelty, in his demonstration that this doctrine, with all its apparent certainty as a ground of belief, is after all built on the insecure foun dation of fallible private judgment: "At the very outset of our discus sion we ask our Roman Catholic brethren whether the doctrine of Church-infallibility meets the object for which they so ardently contend, namely, the attainment of an infallible faith based altogether on divine authority. Surely, they will agree with us that it is not self-evident; they will certainly not pretend that the mark of infallibility is so clearly stamped on the episcopate as to elicit at once the faith of man, however ready he may be to grasp at any evidence that promises to lead him to the attainment of truth. This doctrine, then, requires to be demonstrated by such proofs and [Jan. arguments as will convince the mind beyond the possibility of doubt. But these arguments are only the work of the human mind, which is liable to error and mistake, and. whilst they may convince some, will be rejected by others. Roman Catholics profess to believe in the revealed truths of God, on the infallible authority of the Church; and they believe in the latter because they are convinced of it by the arguments of fallible human reason. Who does not see that such a method of procedure cannot imbue the mind with infallible divine faith? Whilst they profess a belief in the infallible Church, they really believe in the correctness of the arguments by which they establish that infallibility, and nothing more. "It appears to me that the rule of faith should suppose nothing prior on which it depends for its certainty; and if that something prior is human reason, what else can I call it but rationalism? And however strongly Roman Catholics may repudiate this imputation, however vehemently they may clamour that their Church is the bulwark of faith against rationalism; still if we consider the basis of their rule of faith and the vast amount of philosophy that enters into the defence of their distinctive dogmas, we cannot conceal from ourselves the fact that the whole Roman system is tainted with rationalism." Both Romanist and Protestant exercise their own fallible judgThe only difference between them ment in matters of faith and duty. is, that the former does it once for all, and binds himself never to do it again; while the latter repeats the act all through life, whenever any religious doctrine is presented to him. Of course the Romanist saves himself much trouble and anxiety by having only one decision to make instead of many, and derives much comfort from the idea that he has an infallible guide, never troubling himself to think how he became possessed of this idea, or on what grounds the all-important assump Boudoir Ballads. By J. AshbySterry. Chatto and Windus.Though the present volume is better fitted for a lady's boudoir than a gentleman's library, its contents cannot be properly called ballads. They are rather vers de société on young ladies, their whims and their ways, their charms and their dress. The writer, who is quite a lady's man, lightly touches on these topics in a tone of playful banter, which may win a gentle smile from the feminine fashionables of youthful years. Fullgrown men, and women who are no longer young, will hardly be able to enter into the rather mild jokes with the same zest. To them these" ballads" will seem, if not "silly nothings," use the writer's phrase-at best but dainty trifles, and perhaps that is all the author would pretend them to be. As such, they are not without merit. If not remarkable for brilliancy of wit, or raciness of humour, they are amusing in their way, and free from gross faults. There are not wanting happy bits here and there, with occasional touches of tender emotion and serious thought. As a favourable specimen of the work, we may quote the following sprightly sketch -to When finished the muscular fight, Will pluck and Oxonian science Be conquered by sweetness and light? Though Fortune you fancy capricious, "Twill scarcely be cause for surprise, If violet's perfume delicious Be vanquished by bright watchet eyes!" Mr. Ashby-Sterry's versification is varied, free, and polished. He calls himself "Laureate of Frills," and says he raves about a damsel's dress. He not only talks with all the confident ease of an expert about such |