The Marriage Gift Book and Bridal Token. By JABEZ BURNS, D.D., Author of the "Pulpit Cyclopædia." London: Houlston and Wright. This book needs no commendation. It is a treasury of literature for the newly married. Poets, Moralists, Biographers, Philosophers, and Divines have been laid under contribution. In addition to numerous papers on the reciprocal duties and enjoyments of married life, Dr. Burns has gathered a mass of information respecting the marriage rites and customs of different ages and people. He also gives us a portrait gallery of justly celebrated wives; and he adds, in conclusion, a selection of the "Table Talk" of great and illustrious men on the subject of woman. We can only say it is just the book for the "occasion."

Dick Ennis, the Village Schoolboy. Edinburgh. William Oliphant and Co.

A well-drawn-out lesson on the sin of steal

Far superior in tone and character to most books of this class. It is especially suited for young people who are disposed to be "indolent." The Lycee Boys; or, School Life in France. By ROBERT HOpe Moncrieff. Edinburgh: William Oliphant and Co.

We fear some true pictures of school life are delineated in this book, but we are not sure that it is wise to give them publicity.

Infant Amusements; or, How to make a Nursery Happy. With practical Hints to Parents and Nurses on the Moral and Physical Training of Children. By WILLIAM H. G. KINGSTON. London: Griffith and Farran.

We wish to call particular attention to this book. The reform of the nursery is as important as the reform of the nation-in a higher sense than the political; and the counsels and suggestions offered by Mr. Kingston, if adopted and put into action, would speedily bring about, in many instances, a most desirable change. We urge parents most strongly to obtain this work forthwith. We know of no book of the kind that can compare with it in practical value. It is a multum in parvo. “How to keep a Nursery Happy;" "The Nursery Gymnasium;" Games to afford Exercise;" "Amusements requiring Materials or Toys;" "Out-of-door Games;" "Tales;" "Songs with Music;" "How to make the Sunday happy;" "Prayers and Hymns for very little Children" -these are some of the heads of chapters, and each chapter is worth the price of the book. Sketches of the Poor. By a Retired Guardian. London: William Hunt and Co.

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The best little Sunday reading book for a New Year's gift to the young that we have seen this season.

Rosa Lindesay, the Light of Kilmain. By M. H. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter, and Co. By the same author, and equally deserving of commendation. It is suited for elder daughters.

Little Pansy: a Story of the School Life of a Minister's Orphan Daughter. Edinburgh: W. Oliphant and Co.

A good story for school girls.

Newlyn House, the Home of the Davenports. By A. E. W. Edinburgh: Johnstone, Hunter, and Co.

This also will make an attractive present. Many important home lessons are admirably enforced. We can thoroughly recommend "Newlyn House" for the Home Library. The Book of Birthdays; or, Anniversary Poetry of Human Life. London: Darton and Co. As a collection of anniversary poetry never before brought together in a volume, "The Book of Birthdays" is at once curious and of permanent value. In addition to poetry, a considerable amount of "Table Talk" is introduced, and some very interesting reminiscences are given. We should like to find space for a few extracts this month, but must content ourselves with the following :

"Mrs. Hannah More died at eighty-nine-decaying almost imperceptibly amidst works of usefulnesswriting, at the age of eighty, her Spirit of Prayerthe happiest of happy voices from the dark valleyand calmly dying of old age, eighty-three or eightyfour years after that birthday when she was enraptured to receive for a present, a whole quire of paper, on which to pen her childish compositions in prose and

verse.'

The Playfellow, and other Stories. By Mrs. S. C. HALL. London: T. Nelson and Sons. The Way of the World, and other Stories. By Mrs. S. C. HALL. London: T. Nelson and Sons.

These tales are thoroughly practical, and evince the closest observation of the fireside circle on the part of their gifted author. Parents may read them with as much profit as our sons and daughters. "Little Ears," which we have extracted from "The Way of the World," will furnish a fair specimen.

Merry and Wise. Edited by OLD MERRY. 1866. London: Jackson, Walford, and Hodder. For a Christmas or New Year's Gift to "the young people who are home for the holidays," it would be difficult to find any more attractive than "Merry and Wise." The Annual deserves its title, and we must add its cover, which is saying a great deal in its favour.

Papers for the Times. London: W. Hunt
and Co.

Five telling addresses given by the Rev. J. Bardsley, the Rev, J. Richardson, the Rev. W. Cadman, the Rev. J. Venn, and the Rev. J. C. Ryle. Dealing with questions of peculiar interest at the present time, the widest circulation is desirable for these Protestant papers. "The Lord's Day-its Divine Authority and Perpetual Obligation," by the Rev. W. Cadman, is a powerful summary of Scriptural testimony; and in "Foreign Missions-the Measure of their Claim on the Church's attention," the Rev. John Venn has presented facts aad considerations which, if they are duly pondered, must quicken the zeal of all who are engaged in mission work.

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An Antidote to the Teaching of certain AngloCatholics concerning Worshipping Eastward, Altar" Adoration, Clerical Sacerdotalism, Baptism and the "Real Presence,” with an Exposure of the Assumption that their Religion is "The Bible interpreted by the Church." By the Rev. JOHN HARRISON, Pitsmoor, Sheffield. London: Longman, Green, and Co.

This treatise has a long title, but the title really tells us what the treatise proposes to do, and what it really does. We wish we could influence some layman who loves the Scriptural Church of England, to order a still cheaper edition of this "Antidote," and send it to all the clergy in the land. The author, we see, is preparing a most important work, to be entitled "Whose are the Fathers?" The purpose is to show that the teaching of the Ritualists and Semi-Romanists on the Church and its Ministry, is contrary alike to the Holy Scriptures, to the fathers of the first six centuries, and to those of the Reformed Church of England. We hope to introduce this volume to our readers shortly.

Words of Pardon and Hope. By the Author of Consolation. London: W. Macintosh.

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Beechenhurst. By A. G., Author of "Among the Mountains," "Mabel and Cora," &c. London: James Nisbet and Co.

SIDE.

The author of " Heera and Motee" needs no introduction to the readers of OUR OWN FIREIt would be out of place for us to dwell upon her special qualifications as a writer of tales, thoroughly interesting without being sensational. We will only say that "Beechenhurst" evinces the author's high sense of the important religious and moral influence which healthy toned fiction unquestionably exerts; and we do not think a more attractive "fireside" story for the home circle could be found for Christmas reading.

My Father's Hand; and other Stories and Allegories for the Young. By Mrs. CAREY BROCK. London: Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday.

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The name of the author is the best passport for this book. It is all we could wish a book for the young to be. Charity Helstone," Mrs. Brock's last tale, has, we observe, reached a fourth thousand. This should be increased tenfold.

The Knights of the Frozen Sea: A Narrative of Arctic Discovery and Adventure. By the Author of "Harry Lawton's Adventures." London: Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday.

A capital book, giving a very full and interesting account of all the expeditions to the Arctic Regions. Those who are interested in the sketch given in OUR OWN FIRESIDE, this month, of Sir John Franklin's heroic efforts to discover the North-West Passage, will do well to order "The Knights of the Frozen Sea." Washed Ashore; or, The Tower of Stormount Bay. By WM. H. G. KINGSTON. London: Jackson, Walford, and Hodder.

Sea stories will never lose their charm with British lads; and Mr. Kingston is the prince of sea-story-tellers. "Washed Ashore is full of interesting and exciting narrative, and the moral which adorns the tale points to the Bible as the sailor's best chart for time and for eternity. The illustrations and getting-up of this book are A 1.

Picture Teaching for Children: particularly designed for the use of the Deaf and Dumb. By J. B. Edited by the Rev. SAMUEL SMITH, Chaplain of the Association in Aid of the Deaf and Dumb, London. London: James Nisbet and Co.

This little book carries out the compiler's intentions, expressed in the paper on "The Cry of the Dumb" in vol. ii. of OUR OWN FIRESIDE, page 398. We are very glad the plan is so extended as to include children generally. It is a most attractive book of picture teaching, and it is evidently the result of the experimental knowledge of a practical worker.

It is simply necessary to call attention to these new and copyright editions of old-established favourites. The publishers state that upwards of 250,000 copies of the copyright edition of "Little Henry" have been sold, besides large numbers of pirated and imperfect copies. Mrs. Cameron's tales have also reached a circulation of 70,000 copies. We can only say, if the books have not been read by our young friends, they ought to be. The new editions are well illustrated.

Christianity among the New Zealanders. By the Right Rev. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, D.C.L., Bishop of Waiapu. With Six Illustrations. London Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday.

A most satisfactory answer to the cavils of those who do nothing but cavil-who would have us believe that it has been a mistake to think of civilizing and bringing over to Christianity a race of savages, doomed by the Almighty (if their practice interprets the Divine purpose) to be shut up in utter ignorance. The Bishop of Waiapu publishes the work to "show that those who embarked in missionary labours in New Zealand have not failed in that which they undertook, and are ready to challenge a fair and calm investigation into the history of their proceedings." The book is deeply interesting from beginning to end.

Words Old and New: or, Gems from the Christian Authorship of all Ages. Selected by HORATIUS BONAR, D.D. London: James Nisbet and Co.

Little Susy's Little Servants. By her Aunt Susan. London: T. Nelson and Sons.

An admirable idea, admirably worked out. Aunts who want to win little hearts cannot do better than give this book. The type will tempt children to try to read it for themselves; and the illustrations are exceedingly good.

The Ear and the Eye; or, A New Way to Try. A Picture Primer in Rhyme. London: T. Nelson and Sons.

Childish rather than childlike.

Words to Spell and Read as Well. London: T. Nelson and Sons.

We can strongly recommend this primer. Picture Books of Natural History painted in Oil Colours. Packets A and B. London: T. Nelson and Sons.

Picture Books beautifully executed. For New Year's gifts, these should be greatly in request.

Power in Weakness: Memorials of the Rev. William Rhodes. By CHARLES STANFORD, Author of " Central Truths," &c. London: Jackson, Walford, and Hodder.

A gem of Christian biography. Illustrates "How sublime a thing it is

To suffer and be strong."

We

It is long since we have met with "memorials" more deeply interesting or instructive. counsel our readers to order it at once. Sketches in Town, Country, and Home. By H. D. London: James Nisbet and Co.

Pious in tone, and likely to promote the growth of home affections.

Tales of my Sunday Scholars. By Mrs. SCOTT. Edinburgh: W. Oliphant and Co.

A good book for Sunday-school prizes. Short Lessons on the Parables of our Lord. London: W. Macintosh.

Reprinted, with additions, from the "Sunday Teachers' Treasury." Well adapted for Bible classes, in the school or in the home.

The Tribute of Science to Revealed History. By J. W. HARRIS, F. R. A. S. London: W. Macintosh.

A very thoughtful treatise. The diffident spirit in which the writer urges his conclusions will give them additional weight with candid minds.