where" the lattice flapped when the wind was shrill," conveys not a more powerful picture of desolation than the unpretending poem of Thomas Hood.

The brief preface informs us that the minor pieces which compose the former part of the second volume, are now published for the first time, and of these therefore we would speak; they breathe of the poet's domestic affections, so tenderly, so sweetly, that all who read them must offer a prayer for those who were blessed by his love; God forbid, that the sorrows which are poured over the grave of the poet should be mingle with the cry of want, and the griping cares of penury.

We shall chiefly extract from the poems hitherto unpublished, as the others must be generally known to our readers. There is much of fine feeling in the two following:

THE DEATH BED.

We watch'd her breathing thro' the night,

Her breathing soft and low,

As in her breast the wave of life
Kept heaving to and fro.

So silently we seem'd to speak,

So slowly mov'd about,

As we had lent her half our powers
To eke her living out.

Our very hopes belied our fears,

Our fears our hopes belied.

We thought her dying when she slept,
And sleeping when she died.

For when the morn came dim and sad,
And chill with early showers,
Her quiet eyelids clos'd-she had
Another morn than ours.

TO MY DAUGHTER: ON HER BIRTHDAY.

Dear Fanny! nine long years ago,
While yet the morning sun was low,
And rosy with the eastern glow

The landscape smil'd;

Whilst low'd the newly-waken'd herds,

Sweet as the early song of birds,
I heard those first, delightful words,
"Thou hast a child!

Along with that uprising dew

Tears glisten'd in my eyes, though few,
To hail a dawning quite as new

To me, as Time:

It was not sorrow-not annoy

But like a happy maid, though coy,
With grief-like welcome, even Joy
Forestalls its prime.

So may'st thou live, dear! many years,

In all the bliss that life endears,

Not without smiles, nor yet from tears
Too strictly kept :

VOL. III.

When first thy infant littleness
I folded in my fond caress,
The greatest proof of happiness
Was this I wept.

But here is beauty and nature, sweet sentiment, and a fine moral—

To conclude, we have no hesitation in pronouncing Hood one of the first poets of modern days, whose merits demand for him a niche in the temple of

Fame, and for his works a shelf in every library. In this very practical age it has become an almost hopeless task to advocate the cause of the Muse, but we cherish the hope that there are yet some that will pause amid the "hurry skurry" of real and railroad life, to refresh their spirits at the fountain of the pure and beautiful, reviving the imagination, and elevating the feelings by listening to such a poet as Thomas Hood; well is he calculated to open our hearts, for the exit of every sordid thought, illuminating each dark recess with the light of Christian charity, and drawing from us the milk of human kindness.

Esther a Sacred Drama. By the Rev. John Sansom, B.A. London: Hatchard and Son.

It has ever been allowed by the purest and most critical judges that the poetry contained in the Holy Scriptures is not only the most ancient, but in refinement and brilliancy it far surpasses every other species of poetical composition with which we are acquainted; it is, however, neither in the meteor blaze of the Homeric images, nor in the subdued but "fervent heat" of the early tragedies of Greece, that we find many gleams of poetical richness, or perhaps any perceptive thoughts of high moral worth, to which we might not find some parallel in the sacred writings, frequently more happily conceived, more elegantly fashioned, more gorgeous, and certainly more instructive. The purely dramatic beauty, also, of many of the narratives which are discovered in the Bible, if they do not surpass, yet they certainly rival, that of its poetry. For, if scenic representations are to be considered more properly as originating from the religious ceremonies of the heathen mythologist in many benighted parts of the world; yet, for the origin of dramatic incidents, patient struggles, heroic conflicts, to "burning words" of profound moral truths, holy and sacred reflections, and deep-toned piety -in short, for all that gives to the drama its soul-like energy of purpose, we may safely refer to the sublimer and holier source of the truthful relations of sacred history.

The author states, that the aim he had in writing the poem of Esther was to illustrate the dramatic as well as the poetical character of the Holy Scriptures, and that, therefore, he confined his images, and even his sentiments and expressions, as much as possible to the sacred model and tone. The work originated in a conversation, in which the author had declared his opinion that The Tempest, and, in fact, all Shakspere's, as

well as Milton's, poetry and machinery depended very much more than is commonly granted upon Scripture; and that especially in the works of the Bard of Avon, many of the purest thoughts and phrases were drawn from the first translations of the Bible, and the several parts of it. Indeed, it is not easy to review Prospero's character without tracing features of the magician-like Moses, together with several striking evidences of Shakspere's being deeply impressed at the time he depicted that character, with the sublimest passages of our blessed Saviour's life; as also there are some indications, very remarkable ones, of a familiarity with St. Paul's shipwreck at Melita. To illustrate this view the author of Esther proposed to take his story, -so beautifully dramatic in itself, and fill up the different parts of it by embodying, as well as imitating, some of the figurative rhapsodies and eastern images which the translators of the Bible have rendered so familiar to its readers, so that it appears that his only claim to originality rests upon the new feature in which he has placed these pictures of poetical splendour, or upon the new modulations which he has given, in the drama of Esther, to the harmonies of sacred writ, of which he appears to have very freely availed himself, and, in our opinion, with success.

Throughout the whole drama the author appears to have had Shakspere in his mind; we regret, however, that he should have deemed it necessary to have given the Babylonish names to his characters, as they are not known to the majority of our Bible readers; the notes he has appended are highly valuable to the student. As a literary production it reflects great credit on the researches and talents of the author.

The Student's Help, for the Attainment of the English, French, and Italian Languages. By Guido Sorelli, of Florence. Hatchard and Son.

It is scarcely possible for a refined and piously disposed mind to contemplate this work and its design without feeling both greatly interested and sincerely pleased. As a "Student's Help" to the cultivation of the Italian and French languages it is entitled to no slight meed of praise, for the translations are remarkably faithful, and the diction pure and elegant. The poetry annexed displays equal genius, refinement of thought, and deliof feeling. To instance only two of the pieces, the "Adieu to Florence," and the sonnet on prayer, struck us as being exquisitely beautiful, both in sentiment and composition. And the book is not only full of the glowing genius of Italy, but it also breathes the purest fervour of genuine scriptural Christianity. The author, as we learn from himself, is a convert from Romanism; and that he is not merely a nominal Protestant is evident

cacy

from his anxiety to be instrumental in introducing some portion of the word of God into his "beloved Italy." This, indeed, he tells us, is his chief object; and what enlightened Christian can refuse to sympathise with him in this truly noble and philanthropic effort? Italy! beautiful, interesting, classical, and most unhappy Italy! What heart, endued with taste or feeling, does not thrill at the recollection of her former glories, and mourn over her present degradation? Who would not rejoice to see her wrested from the tyrant-grasp of political and religious despotism, which has so long paralysed her energies, both physical and moral? We most sincerely wish the talented and pious author abundant success, and are happy to recommend his work as one which can scarcely be perused without equal pleasure and benefit. We hope the sale of the first part will be such as to encourage him to complete it.

School Education for the Nineteenth Century. By Samuel Preston. London: Simpkin and Marshall.

Long as the press has teemed with works on education, the world is very far from being in a state to need no more advice on the subject; indeed, we might almost pronounce it to be more in need of such a vade mecum than at any former period, since the evils of the present system of tuition-we cannot dignify it by the name of education-are universally acknowledged and deplored, without, however, being remedied. We live in an age of tinsel-when the solid is sacrificed to the showy, and the good to the cheap; a practice destructive of all that is truly valuable wherever it exists, but most fatally so where the welfare of the rising generation is concerned. To know our error, however, is not sufficient; we must learn how to remedy it; and a careful perusal of the brochure before us will give us clearer ideas of the aim of education as it ought to be, and the means of attaining that end, than any work of its dimensions we have yet seen. It has the recommendation, also, of being the result of an experience of 28 years; indeed, every page abounds in that strong good sense which the mere theorist can never exhibit.

Opening with a modest apology for adding to the mass of works on education, the author makes a few remarks on the nature of his subject-drawing the lines (so generally forgotten) between instruction and education. He says,

"It is well known that Dr. Johnson defines education to be the instruction of children;' also the formation of manners in youth.' Now, if this was the acceptation of the word in his time, it is quite clear that its signification must have materially altered. The word now appears to include all those circumstances or inflnences that form or modify the human being and make him what he is. Hence we hear of the education of circumstances; and scholastic educa cation; and, according to the period during which the educative means are employed, we have infant education, and the education of childhood, youth,