610 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



work is illustrated with engravings of rare or fine specimens of trees. The 

 three numbers before us contain five-and-twenty beautifully executed plates. 

 We regret that want of space prevents us from saying more of this work, 

 but we shall return to it with pleasure at a future period. 



EDUCATION. 



Dictionnaire Universe! de la Langue Franchise. Par P. C. V. 

 BOISTE. Revue par Ch. Nodier. 8lh edition, 1 vol. 4to. Firmin 

 Didot Freres. Paris. 



THIS is decidedly the best, if not the newest, dictionary we are acquainted 

 with sufficiently large to contain all that can be required in a work of re- 

 ference for ordinary readers, but not too cumbrous for use, and too expen- 

 sive for men of moderate income. Of course our readers will understand 

 that it is a French French dictionary, that is to say, the explanations of 

 the words and their etymologies are given in the language itself. But 

 this can be no objection to those who are tolerably well acquainted with 

 French, and for others it is neither meant nor adapted. We shall best explain 

 its merits by enumerating the more important sections of its contents. 



1. The Dictionary itself, the corresponding Latin word being always given 

 in those cases where it exists. 



2. A Dictionary of synonymes, one of the most valuable and best executed 

 divisions of the work. All men who have studied a foreign language, not 

 like parrots, by ear and memory only, but have investigated its principles, are 

 capable of appreciating the value of a table which explains the exact equiva- 

 lents of words too often confounded in their meanings, even by uneducated 

 natives. 



3. A Dictionary of the difficulties of the language, equally useful with the 

 last section. 



4. A treatise on French versification, a subject little understood by English- 

 men, and with which they ought to be acquainted if they wish to enjoy to 

 the fullest extent the chef d'ceuvres of the poets of France. We are informed, 

 by most competent judges, that this is the most comprehensive and excellent 

 essay on this subject in their language. 



5. A Dictionary of rhymes, which should be appended to every lexicon of 

 every language, not for the sake of furnishing poetasters with endings for 

 their verses, but on account of the terminations which form the most important 

 part of the etymology of every tongue, and which are thus arranged, and only 

 want a little further classification to be available for the purposes of the phi- 

 lologist. 



These are the principal divisions, though there are many other departments, 

 each in its way eminently useful, as, for example, a Vocabulaire Geographique, 

 giving the names of places, and the kingdom or section of a kingdom, in 

 which they are to be found. Taken all in all, Boiste's Dictionary is not only 

 the best French dictionary, but the best of any kind, both as regards arrange- 

 ment and execution, that we have ever seen. We recommend all those of our 

 readers to whom their inclination or pursuits render a critical acquaintance 

 with the niceties of the language desirable, to provide themselves with this 

 volume ; and, in cases of doubt and difficulty, they may be sure of finding in 

 it an unerring guide, or at least one in which they may safely confide. 



Chambers's Educational Course. History of English Literature 



History and Resources of the British Empire Introduction to the 



Sciences Rudiments of Chemistry Elements of Geometry. Five 



small volumes. Edinburgh : T. and R. Chambers. Orr. 



THE various endeavours that have been made by Messrs. Chambers to diffuse 



and popularize information are highly laudable, and it would have been well 



if all their praiseworthy intentions had been substantially carried out. In his 



