404 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



may safely take up the pen to make some strictures on the book. We do not 

 go the length of saying, with one of our great men, that he who would make 

 a pun would pick a pocket ; but we detest puns, except after dinner when a 

 few glasses of wine have made us very amiable and easy to please. Written 

 puns are absolutely intolerable: need it be said, that such wretched traps for 

 horse-laughers are quite unworthy of the acknowledged talents of Captain 

 Marryat ? But a much graver charge is that of representing the Roman reli- 

 gion and its priesthood in an odious light. Such bigotry is now quite passe, 

 and can only serve to disgust the intelligent reader and injure the Captain's 

 credit. The most rabid Orangemen could not paint more revolting scenes 

 than are here given of the foul conduct of the Romish priesthood. The author 

 may have his own opinions on these matters, and we will not 'argue the point ;' 

 but we question the good taste of dragging them before the public in a work 

 of fiction. 

 Those of our readers who enjoy hearty merriment, mwsfread these volumes. 



Abbott's Works, Abridged, 5 pocket volumes. Allan Bell. 



WE have heard some people talk against abridgments ; but we never heard 

 any better arguments brought by these fastidious gentry than by the acknow- 

 ledged haters of improvement who talk against^cheap literature good and bad 

 indiscriminately. Jacob Abbott, the Pestalozzi of America, has done much 

 good to the world ; and it is delightful to see a disposition on this side the 

 channel to profit by his philanthropic labours. "The Young Christian" 

 cut shorter though not so nice a boy as his longer brother is good for his 

 size ; and the miniature " Mother " and " Child" are large enough for those 

 who do not need glasses to see them. We do not know prettier or cheaper 

 (we do not mean lower-priced, but better for the price) books than four of 

 the volumes here noticed. We recommend in particular " The Mother at 

 Home." Every mother might profit by reading it. Why has not " Abbott's 

 Teacher" been included ? It is quite as worthy of notice as the above, and 

 would sell equally well, if skilfully abridged. 



Bellchambers's Biographical Dictionary. 4 vols. 32mo. 

 320 portraits. A. Bell. 



IT is hardly necessary for us to inform our readers that the same degree of 

 knowledge cannot be obtained from these as from the more bulky tomes of 

 the " Biographia Britannica," Chalmers and Gorton ; but at any rate [we 

 can recommend these portable little books as well calculated to supply their 

 place, if not at hand ; and so far as we have read, the particulars are stated 

 with sufficient accuracy. It would have been well, if the compiler in his 

 well-written preface had informed us of his authorities. This is due to the 

 readers. 



A few Remarks on our Foreign Policy. 8vo. pp. 59. RIDGWAY. 



IP the reader will carry his memory twenty years back, and compare the 

 interest excited by foreign news at different times during the intervening pe- 

 riod, he cannot fail to remark that continental politics have occupied much 

 less attention and excited less interest in the latter than the former half of the 

 time mentioned. The reason is simply, that in the earlier period the attention 

 of the nation was first necessarily and afterwards by policy drawn to the con- 



