The Christian Keepsake, 1838. Edited by the Rev. W. Ellis. Fisher and Co. WHILE the Christian Keepsake continues to be the means of presenting the public with distinguished portraits of equal merit with those inserted in the former and present volume, it will always be eagerly sought for by purchasers. The embellishments for the last two years have equalled those of its most superb competitors in beauty, and far surpassed them in true interest. Of this nature are the fine portraits of Miss Jewsbury, Mrs. Stewart, the Rev. Mr. Harris, which last will be welcomed by thousands who have read his celebrated prize-work of Mammon. All the scenic plates are excellent: the interior of Bottesford Church, by Allom and Starling, is not surpassed by the best of Roberts' or Prout's. The vignette of the Church built by Felix Neff, in the Val Fressiniere, is a beautiful work of art, from Bartlett, delightfully handled by Adlard. The Witness Scene before the House of Commons is also admirable. This historical grouping of portraits is in a style peculiar to this work. The Christian's Death-bed is equal in excellence and strength of graving; it is altogether appropriate, good, and useful. The figure of the mourner, whose affectation and false sentiment should banish her from these pages, is indeed the only exception we would wish to make to our general meed of praise; and we cannot speak too highly of the embellishments. But on the literature, alas! we cannot bestow much praise; yet there are some exceptions. "The Martyrdom of John Huss," illustrating as it does the fine plate of the scene where he was doomed to destruction, is a sound genuine composition, full of facts and information. The memoirs are from the pen of Mrs. Ellis, late Miss Sarah Stickney; they are as well written as memoirs can be which are wholly without incident, but they are rather critical notices than biographies. The largest portion of the volume is in

verse; but, with few exceptions, we find little of poetry among this profusion of rhyme. The Pra del Tor," from the pen of the Rev. Baptist Noel, is, however, an admirable exception. Its subject is one of the successful struggles made by the persecuted Vaudois against their cruel invaders.

"They are coming o'er the cliffs, by the path along the glen

By the road of La Vachère. Oh quit you then like men!

Like the furious summer torrent, in its desolating way,

Like the eagle from the clouds, they are lighting on their prey.

By your

children's pale cheeks, from which fear the blood has driven,

By the terror of your wives who lift their arms to heaven,

By the aspect of the living, by the memory of the dead,

Who here for the Gospel have often fought and bled,

Let your slings do their duty, and forth your weapons draw,

And let liberty or death be the word for each Vaudois.

Four days have they struggled to gain that rocky hold,

But the mountain path is rude, and the mountaineer is bold;

And the torrent has been dyed with the

richest blood in France,

And vain has been the battle-axe, and broken is the lance.

Fierce Maugiron has fought in many a bloody fray,

And met with gallant foes, but ne'er with such as they.

Seven thousand men-at-arms, though practised well in war,

Are baffled by the band that guard the Pra del Tor.

Oh shame upon their manhood! they could massacre the weak,

Lay desolate the fields, leave the villages a wreck.

But that handful of the brave shall beat

Fsher's Drawing-room Scrap Book, 1838. By L. E. L. Fisher, Son, and Co.

THIS elegant favourite of the public is more than usually rich in embellishments. The Vallette view by Prout and Challis is as magnificent a frontispiece as we ever opened upon. There are many valuable portraits to be found among the pages of this beautiful quarto; and portraits, when finely engraved, always stamp an intrinsic and abiding value upon every publication.

The

Drawing-room Scrap Book for 1838 presents us with Mrs. Hemans, Lord Egremont, Lord Lansdowne, Lord Eldon, Admiral Benbow, Captain Cook, and above all, with the finely-wrought historical group of the lamented Robert Morrison and his Chinese assistants. These are as remarkable for their artistical excellence of design and graving as they are for national interest. The scenic plates are equal in worth and utility; The View on the Wear, by Nesfield and Pulford, is a gem of beauty. The Ganges at Hurdwar; Mussaree; both Views of Gibraltar, by sea and by land; Corfu, by Bentley and Sands, are all of distinguished excellence. The letter-press is by Miss Landon. Her verses on the trait of Mrs. Hemans are composed with the tender and reflective beauty which seems the blending of the poetic genius of both these distinguished ladies. Miss Landon never appears to greater advantage than when pouring forth her soul of pathos and melody in strains to the memory of her departed friend.

por

From among many beautiful lyrics, we select the following, as a specimen of the ability with which Miss Landon has performed her part in the pages of the Drawing-room Scrap Book. It is scarcely needful to point out the exquisite thought contained in the fourth stanza. "Do you remember, Love, the lake We used to meet beside? The only sound upon the air, The ripples on the tide.

Do you remember, Love, the hour
When first the moonbeam shone,
Rising above the distant hills,

We used to meet alone?
You knew not then my rank and state,
You only knew my love,
Whose gentle witness was the moon,
That watched us from above.
3 D-VOL. XI,-NOVEMBER,

The valley, silvered with her light, Was holy as a shrine;

The truth within that young fresh heart
Felt there was truth in mine.
You are a Countess now, sweet Love,
And dwell in stately halls,
The red gold shines upon the board,
The silk upon the walls.

A thousand watch my Lady's eye,

The minstrel sings her name;
None were so fair at Henry's court,
Where all the fairest came.
For the soft moonshine's rising light,
The pearls are on your brow;
Now were you, lovely Lady, mine,
The happiest then or now?
'Nor lake nor castle,' soft she said,
Have any choice of mine;
I know in life one only lot,

So long as I am thine!''

The garb of the Drawing-room Scrap Book this year is green and gold, in which the volume is very gorgeously arrayed. The getting up is in the usually superior style in which this Annual is presented to its numerous admirers.

Fine Arts: Fisher's Views-Syria, the Holy Land, &c., by John Carne, Esq. Illustrated by Bartlett, Purser, &c. Fisher and Co.

It is by no means a common occurrence for reviewers to find a work of

great pictorial beauty accompanied by literature full of freshness and utility, and we cannot but commend the judgment of publishers attentive to a point so needful for the complete success of a volume. Fisher was the first of our publishers who had the wisdom to place the whole of a pictorial work in the hands of one author of eminence, who having an undivided responsibility, was more likely to be successful.

In whose hands could eastern scenery be placed better than in those of John Carne, who not only bears a high reputation among authors of reality, but has visited and explored every district in Asia, Syria Minor, and Palestine? Mr. Carne has just imaginativeness sufficient to cast a vivid brilliancy on his descriptions, without in the least depreciating his faithful perceptions of the truth. This sentence, when examined, strikes us with the graceful brevity and force with which he embodies the narration of facts

in few words. A page by Mr. Carne, when read, adds no little to our stock of information; we fancy that we are only amused, but better fruits are gathered from the delightful works of the author of "Letters from the East." Perhaps the engraving which will be looked at with the most eager interest in this charming volume, is the representation of Djouni, the residence of Lady Hester Stanhope; it is, indeed, a work as perfect as ever was produced by Bartlett and Cousen; but the reader will find additional interest conveyed to the mind by the description of the present state of its singular owner.

"In winter, in the rainy season, let not the resident of Djouni be envied by the humbler dwellers in the land, or by the recluses of the convents which cover the declivities of Lebanon. If a quiet mind and a consoling faith-be the chief ingredients of happiness in this world, they mingle but slightly in her ladyship's cup; the dreams and revelations of astrology have for many years past been the favourite excitement; without them the evening of her life would now be wretched, and she would feel like Norna of the Fitful Head, when conscious at last that her power over the elements was a delusion. Her views on the Christian revelation are as wild and unorthodox as some of her divinations; one of them is, that the Messiah is to come again, and shortly. The beautiful Arab steed, white as the driven snow, attended and served in the stables of Djouni with a care and luxury surpassed only by that of Commodus for his horse, is reserved for his especial use when he shall enter Jerusalem in triumph; her ladyship is to follow in his train, on a brown mare of great beauty."

The particulars of the differences between Lady Hester and Wolff, the apostle of the modern Jews, have been often reported abroad. Mr. Carne gives the right version of the dispute, not with Wolff, but with a missionary of great wealth and enthusiasm of spirit, whom Mr. Carne designates as the Rev. L. W

He passed three days at Djouni, to which he was invited, in order that his physician might attend a favourite domestic of its mistress. Thus, under the same roof, were two of the wildest

enthusiasts of the age, sternly opposed to each other in sentiment and purpose; the one devoting his wealth and time and talent with undying zeal and sincerity to the conversion of the Jewstraversing every land and city, entering the palaces of kings, that he might reclaim the lost race of Israel. A thousand pounds was not too much to expend on the conversion of a single Jew, nor a thousand miles too far to traverse to receive a single Hebrew family into the fold. On all such doings Lady Hester looked with unutterable scorn and contempt. Unaware, however, of the career of her guest, she treated him with much civility. The dénouement took place towards the close of his visit; it was highly characteristic. The guest had desired to find a suitable moment to lead her thoughts to religion; such moments were rare at Djouni; however, as the hour of departure drew near, they were conversing, and she was indulging in some wild sallies, when he assumed a serious tone; he was listened to calmly; then there was a pause of a few moments. Was that proud heart touched? Only with surprise and indignation; there was a derisive smile that was bitter to be borne. 'I thought,' she said, 'I was entertaining a gentleman under my roof; but I see that I have harboured a fanatic missionary!""

Mr. Carne justly declares," that no woman could descend into the 'sere and yellow leaf,' and meet firmly the king of terrors in the halls of Djouni friendless, faithless, desolate, save Lady Hester Stanhope." She had an interview with Bartlett when he drew the design of Djouni, which enriches the present publication. This artist is an American, and as her ladyship professes to eschew every thing English, he was received with more favour on account of his country. He bears testimony to her beauty, which, says Mr. Carne, no other traveller has done; these are his words.

"I, who had expected to see a crabbed imperious old woman, was most agreeably surprised by the noble but gentle aspect of our strange hostess. In youth she must have been most beautiful; her features are remarkably fine, blending dignity and sweetness in a fascinating degree. Her dress was fantastic, but impressive; her turban of pale

muslin shadowing her pale forehead. There is certainly a slight vein of fitful insanity in her expression."

The descriptions of the Turkish household at Salahyeh, of Beirout, and Alaya, are extremely entertaining; but we must not forget the pictorial claims of this quarto, they are of a high standard of excellence. In proof of which assertion we point out the two beautiful plates of Seleucia; the Ruins of Soli, most splendid in effect; the Church at Tortosa, the Ferry over the Orontes, and the Sepulchre at Seleucia. We never saw more beautiful works of art than these; and out of the great number which we are obliged to leave without comment, there is not one undeserving of praise. When we consider that these magnificent pictures cost the purchaser little more than sixpence each, we think every one must be astonished who sees the work, where added to such pictorial excellence, are the writings of one of the first authors of our times, the whole put forth in splendid type and binding. This work, therefore, although an annual, deserves to have, as it undoubtedly will, a permanent place in the libraries of the opulent.

The Earldom Restored: an Event in High Life. By Edward Lakeby, Esq. In 2 vols. Smith, Elder, & Co.

THE Commencement of this story, and the early scenes of the domestic life of the hero, pleased us much, and gave us higher expectations than were realized. In truth, our complaint is, rather want of taste and judgment than lack of ability. Among these faults may be classed the attempt to delineate the manners and habits of high life, without a common share of knowledge regarding the decorums of even the middle classes. For instance, who can be interested in a hero who smokes not only cigars, but uses pipes of tobacco ? A cigar is at least a picturesque abomination; but think of a tobacco-pipe as an appendage to the paraphernalia of a hero, with all its concomitants of ridiculous outline, odious smells, necessity for drinking, and low company! Most of the objectionable passages are positive excrescences on a

story which, of itself, is pleasing, and in part well told. We read with great disgust the loathsome and horrible recital of the scene at Holbeach church, and whether true or false, it has not the slightest connexion with the story in the book, and is an ugly excrescence.

The writer fails altogether in his attempts at humour. The delineations of the feelings of home life is his forte: the better portions are the hero's boyhood and his conduct towards his mother and his father-in-law.

Educational Literature. Questions on the History of Europe. By Julia Korner. Longman & Co.

THIS work is avowedly an imitative continuation of Miss Mangnall's Questions, yet equal to the excellent original. It contains more facts, pleasantly communicated, than any school history of Europe lately published. Children will be delighted, as it is a contrast to the disgustingly dry catechisms of history which they are expected to learn by rote. Here will be no task-setting. We could give several instances of Miss Korner's accuracy and research, and point out where she has avoided the errors of some modern writers who have copied Rapin without the slightest examination.

A Guide to the Pronunciation of the French Language. By C. P. Buquet. Oliver & Boyd.

THIS work is unique among the numerous French elementary books which pass through our hands. It is wholly devoted to pronunciation, which is in the first instance taught pictorially, a plan peculiarly adapted to meet the difficulties of those who have not the opportunity of learning this language vernacularly. A minute's reflection will show the reader the value of this plan, as learners have to form two ideas of French words, one connected with its orthography, the other with its sound; and in a language where spelling and utterance are so much at variance, the mind is easily confused. A child at first pronounces, not from spelling, but from ear entirely, and therefore brings an undivided effort of intellect to the task. Our

author has had the good sense to adapt his mode of instruction to this law of nature. After a sufficient number of these lessons on sound, a considerable portion of the little book is devoted to alphabetical utterance, and the rest is composed of proper selections for various exercises in reading and pronunciation. It is the work of a man of sense and intelligence, and must repay his labours.

Memorietta Italiana. Da Maria Emilia Cassella di Firenze. J. Souter.

YOUNG ladies who wish to acquire ease in Italian conversation, will do well to obtain this volume. Every subject relating to the toilet, or writing desk, drawing, visiting, flowers, and most other objects of feminine employment, are discussed in a pleasing and elegant style, by an Italian lady. When we say that the phraseology is as easy as that of Goldoni's comedies, we cannot better describe how very intelligible it is to learners. We are not, however, wholly convinced of the eligibility of always making an English reader dependent on a French translation of an Italian elementary work. Our reasons are, that an English person must bring three sets of words to bear on ideas which require but two, thereby involving unnecessary confusion. When we consider the analogy between English and the Italian in the important points of the single negative and the peculiar use of the imperfect ground which belongs to both languages, but is so adverse to the French, we are far from agreeing that French harmonizes better with Italian as the vehicle for explanation.

Lord Darnley, or the Keep of Castle Hill: a Romantic Original Drama. By T. E. Wilks, Esq. Strange. MR. WILKS has chosen one of the shabbiest heroes history can furnish, in the person of Darnley: he is really the first person who ever invented any good of this poltroon and woman-persecutor, either in history or fiction. As an acting drama, the lively and spirited dialogue for which this author is remarkable, insured his Lord Darnley success

on the boards of the Surrey; but when we read an historical drama, we cannot help looking for some degree of vraisemblance and costume. Comedy claims Mr. Wilks for her own; if he were ambitious he might enter her higher walks. Comedy requires an invented. plot, and characters copied from the follies of the day; but, for the slightest attempt at historical drama, a real foundation, and characters drawn with the attributes and peculiarities of the age in which the scene is planned, are imperatively requisite. We do not like to see an author of Mr. Wilks's talents furnishing lettuces for the lips of suburbans.

The Two Brothers. Groombridge.

THE intention of this tale is to show, by the means of two contrasted characters, the evils of cultivating the destructive and combative faculties of boys, in preference to the social qualities. The work possesses few of the ornaments of fictitious composition; but it has a good end in view, which it pursues earnestly. Its readers will find that the arguments in favour of passive courage are irresistible. This is a point in education which needs to be impressed on the minds both of fathers and mothers, who, alarmed at the word coward, often contrive to make their male offspring combative little savages, who, till they have beaten each other into decent demeanour, are not fit to be admitted into the pale of civilized humanity. The military mania is one of the most active agents in this training. The death of Dick Gascoyne, a schoolfellow whom the hero has enticed into the Peninsular war from his college studies, is a good comment on this sort of glory.

Lectures on Entomology. By John Barlow Burton. Simpkin & Mar

shall.

LECTURES, when published, are usually found to be generalizing and superficial. Not so the present little book, which is replete with sound information, conveyed in attractive language. The habits of beetles, wasps, and ants, are particularly well described. The author mentions, as the result of his own