236 Monthly Review of Literature. [FEB. 



find the opinions of Fathers and Martyrs, of Confessors and Reformers, of Catho- 

 lics and Protestants, of Churchmen and Dissenters, of British and Foreign 

 divines, classed under distinct sections with much perspicuity, and will find 

 throughout the book many eloquent appeals and accurate definitions. 



POETICAL EPHEMERAS. BY JAMES P. BROWN. 



WE have perused this unpretending little volume of poems with feelings of 

 real surprise and delight. We had no idea, on opening its pages, that so much 

 genuine poetry lay concealed under the humble guise, and yet more modest 

 announcement, with which it has been ushered into this ungenial world. There 

 is a chasteness as well as power and beauty in many of the little pieces with 

 which it is enriched, that forcibly call to mind some of those sweet original pas- 

 sages scattered over the works of many of our minor elder poets, and in the 

 smaller poems of our great dramatic bard himself. This is both rare and pleasing 

 in times of poetic dearth like these ; and we can convey no happier idea of the 

 feeling excited by Mr. B.'s poetry, than by contrasting it with the common- 

 place productions of the annuals of the age. 



LARDNER'S CABINET CYCLOPAEDIA. EMINENT BRITISH MILITARY COM- 

 MANDERS. VOL. I. 



THE name of the Rev. Mr. Gleig, the author of the present work, is already, 

 we believe, sufficiently familiar to the public. His literary efforts, if we rightly 

 remember, commenced with a military novel, if we may use the term, which 

 discovered marks of considerable talent and became popular. Indeed, we much 

 prefer the Rev. Gentleman's style and character of composition, when employed 

 in stirring warlike incidents and details, than in giving a history of the Bible ; 

 and with all his readiness and versatility, he will always be found to appear to 

 greater advantage in works like his first, and now his last, than in any other of 

 his multiplied productions we can call to mind. In the present instance, he 

 seems to have entered on his task with peculiar zeal and vigour, like a man who 

 finds himself suddenly restored to a more natural and congenial element. He 

 has consequently, we think, acquitted himself with due skill and ability, in 

 compressing, and throwing interest into the narrative of men's lives, within the 

 compass of a 12mo. volume, which might easily be made, each of them, to fill a 

 4to. In this there consists no slight difficulty ; and it has been met by the hand 

 of a practised master, in this department. There is much curious and entertain- 

 ing matter in the introduction, describing the military systems which have been 

 practised in England, to the present time. Sir Walter Manny as a specimen of 

 chivalry, is made peculiarly interesting ; and his name is followed by those of 

 Sir Francis de Vere, who shed lustre on the Elizabethan age ; by Oliver Crom- 

 well ; and John, Duke of Marlborough : the last two, perhaps, too little in 

 unison with the previous spirit of the book. We cannot, however, praise the 

 style adopted by the writer, as we can the arrangement and materials of his 

 work. 



PROBATION, AND OTHER TALES. BY THE AUTHORS OF " SELWYN IN 

 SEARCH OF A DAUGHTER ;" " TALES OF THE MOORS," &c. 



IN a pithy introduction to this bulky volume, rivalling two or three of the 

 modern slim race of novels (pressing hard on 500 closely printed pages), there 

 is some mention of the motives which led to publication, and which, if not 

 directed as a dead hit at the critics, ought to boast the effect of disarming us in 

 some degree of the sword and scales of just criticism. The plea of amiable and 

 charitable feeling, engaged in alleviating suffering humanity or sorrow in any 

 shape, is of a nature not to be heard by Justice herself without some twinge or 

 relenting tear which falls like the blessed dew of heaven the tear of the accus- 

 ing angel which would blot out as it records the offence. There is so much kind 

 and warmly sentiment, so much excellent principle, and unpretending, frank 



