CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 429 



fashion, at one time of day, to season even sermons with a spice of pun, of which 

 the following anecdotes afford an example : — 



" Wilkins, in his Characteristic Anecdotes, tells us, that Daniel Burgess, the 

 celebrated Nonconformist preacher, in the beginning of the last century, once 

 inveighing in the pulpit against drunkenness, having preached the hour out, pro- 

 ceeded thus : — ' Brethren, I have somewhat more to say on the nature and con- 

 sequences of drunkenness, so let us have the other glass and then' (turning the 

 hour sand glass, which was sometimes used as an appendage to the pulpit desk,) 



" Kelt, in his Flowers of Wit, gives a most outrageous specimen of pulpit 

 punning, published in a sermon, written and preached in the reign of James I. 

 ' The dial (says the preacher) shows that we must die all ; yet, notwithstanding, 

 all houses are turned into ale houses ; Paradise is a pair of dice ; our marriages 

 are merry ages ; matrimony is a matter of money ; our divines are dry vines :— 

 was it so in the days of Noahf — Ah no /' 



" These are sufficient to illustrate our notions of inadmissible puns. They are 

 alike unsuitable to the place in which they are uttered and the grave subject which 

 they are thus permitted to interrupt, with ludicrous images ; but there is a season 

 for all things — we are, therefore, justified in maintaining that there is a season for 

 puns, conundrums, and similar bagatelles, and that season is, when we have 

 nothing better to do, which is a matter of pretty frequent occurrence. At such 

 times, let us bear in mind that man is the only animal gifted with the power of 

 laughing, a privilege which was not bestowed upon him for nothing. Let us, 

 then, laugh while we may, no matter how broad the laugh may be, short of a lock- 

 jaw, and despite of what the poet says about the 'loud laugh that speaks the vacant 

 mind.' The mind should occasionally be vacant, as the land should sometimes 

 lie fallow; and for precisely the same reason." 



Our readers must not infer from this extract that the entire volume ia 

 composed of witticisms and drollery — it is, on the contrary, what its 

 title professes, a medley of instruction and amusement. There is a part 

 given to gymnastics, swimming, and other corporeal recreations, a part 

 to science and to general knowledge — ^but above all, the humane author 

 has directed his attention, and applied his resources, to benefit the poor 

 and miserable in the populous town of his residence. He has instituted, 

 or been the means of instituting, charitable asylums for the destitute- 

 has pleaded successfully for the more merciful treatment of the brute 

 creation — and held up to the scorn it merits the ferociousness of many 

 of those hardened culprits to whom the charge of the useful quadrupeds, 

 so important to the comfort and benefit of man, are by necessity con- 

 signed. Authors like Mr. Egerton Smith confer an honour on the human 

 race. 



The Botanic Garden, or Magazine of Hardy Flowering Plants cultivated in 

 Great Britain, by B. Maund, F. L. S. London : Simpkin and 

 Marshall, &c. (Bordered edition.) 

 The last number of this unrivalled production contains exquisitely 

 coloured engravings of the Nierembergia Intermedia — the white flower- 

 ing Menziesia Polifolia — the delicate canary- coloured Meconopsis Cam- 

 brica — and the Chymocarpus Pentaphyllus, with its splendid red petals, 

 which may be considered the geni of this series. The Auctarium, amongst 

 ohter useful information, points out a method for the culture of geraniums, 

 and instructions for laying Chinese roses, which we recommend to the 

 especial notice of all who take a delight in floriculture. 



THE ANNUALS. 



The Forget-Me-Not j a Christmas, New-year's, and Birth-day present 

 for MDCCCXXXV. London : Ackermann and Co. 

 The Forget-Me-Not, the precursor of the whole race of annuals, appears 

 before us in a new, and we may unhesitatingly aver, an improved garb ; 



NO. VI. 3 L 



