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LITERATUKE, ENGLISH. 



fied, and her numerous readers have been de- 

 lighted with. 



THEOLOGY AND RELIGION. This has hereto- 

 fore been the most numerous class of publica- 

 tions. It now yields the precedence to fiction. 

 Though a less numerous, it may be a larger 

 class ; but out of the mass of didactic and con- 

 troversial books, only a few claim more than 

 a passing recognition from the literary critic. 

 The "Essays, Historical and Theological," of 

 the late Canon Mozley, in respect to power of 

 thought and solid energy of style, are among 

 the most important works of their class. They 

 nre historical in more than one sense; com- 

 posed at intervals during the author's career, 

 from his university graduation to the close of 

 life, they indicate the progress of his mind a 

 mind of more compass and force than was fully 

 recognized before his work here was done. 

 We read him always with admiration, scarcely 

 less when compelled to differ from him than 

 when we feel ourselves borne along with him. 

 " History of the Christian Church during the 

 First Ten Centuries," by Philip Smith, is a good 

 manual for the general student ; u History of 

 the English Church," by G. G. Perry, is a work 

 of particular interest to Anglican churchmen ; 

 and " Religion in England under Queen Anne 

 and the Georges," by John Stoughton, is a 

 work that will commend itself to readers of 

 different shades of belief by the evidence it 

 gives of a broad charity that consists with in- 

 telligent discrimination. Two or three impor- 

 tant Biblical works have appeared. A " New 

 Testament Commentary for English Readers," 

 edited by Bishop Ellicott, more full in exposi- 

 tion than " The Speaker's Commentary," and 

 exacting less from the reader than the commen- 

 taries for professional use, fills an unappropriated 

 place in our libraries. Professor E. H. Plump- 

 tre, one of the writers in Bishop Ellicott's se- 

 ries of volumes, has put forth an " Exposition of 

 the Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia." 

 A posthumously published "Commentary on 

 the Greek Text of the Epistles to the Thessa- 

 lonians," by John Eadie, D. D., will take a 

 place beside the respected author's works be- 

 fore published, as favorable examples of the 

 more conservative method of interpretation. 

 Out of numerous volumes of sermons, mention 

 should be made of " Some Difficulties of Be- 

 lief," by the Rev. T. Teignmouth Shore ; " Hu- 

 man Life and its Conditions," by R. W. Church, 

 D. C. L., Dean of St. Paul's; "Eternal Hope, 

 and other Sermons," by Canon Farrar ; and the 

 Rev. Charles Kingsley's posthumous volume, 

 "All Saints' Day, and other Sermons." Mr. 

 Thomas Hughes asks and seeks to answer the 

 question, " The Old Church : What shall we Do 

 with it ? "pleasant reading, like everything 

 that comes from his pen, but of not much 

 weight as argument. " Philochristus " is an 

 ingenious attempt to construct a new gospel. 

 It assumes to be a view of the life of Jesus by 

 a disciple; the materials are the first three 

 gospels, the miracles excepted. It is sugges- 



tive, reverent, and thoughtful, though unsatis- 

 factory to any but those who with the author 

 credit less than half the record. 



SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY. The contribu- 

 tions to these departments of investigation are 

 not numerous nor very weighty. Professor 

 Huxley has given us " Physiography : Intro- 

 duction to the Study of Nature." He is sure 

 of his audience whenever he speaks. Mr. Nor- 

 man Lockyer expounds for the general reader 

 "Star-gazing, Past and Present." In "The 

 Voyage of the Challenger," by Sir C. Wyville 

 Thomson, some of the results of successful sub- 

 marine exploration are exhibited in an interest- 

 ing way. 



In political and economical science several 

 productions deserve mention. " Social Poli- 

 tics," by Arthur Arnold, discusses important 

 problems in a fearless, intelligent way, from a 

 liberal standpoint. "The Political Writings 

 of Richard Cobden " have been collected, and 

 make a fresh impression of his power. " Free 

 Trade and Protection," by Henry Fawcett, 

 M. P., ably maintains the accepted doctrine of 

 economists against a growing tendency to fall 

 back into the protective policy. Another work 

 in the same field of thought is " Chapters 

 in Political Economy," by Professor Bonamy 

 Price. 



Turning to matters less connected with ma- 

 terial interests, " The Natural History of Athe- 

 ism," by Professor J. S. Blackie, in a literary 

 point of view has much to commend it. The 

 author's strong individuality stamps every page. 

 The style is vivid and racy. But of how much 

 value it is as a specimen of philosophizing is 

 another question, as to which it might be ven- 

 turesome to speak confidently. Yet it is a 

 book that will be read, and by those who read 

 it enjoyed. We note also "Discoveries of 

 Sinai in Arabia and of Midian," by Charles 

 Beke, and " Lectures on Assyrian Philology," 

 by the Rev. A. H. Sayce. 



TRAVEL. The English never tire of travel 

 and adventure, and this national trait shows 

 itself in the current literature. But out of the 

 numerous printed memorials of the passion 

 for roving, few call for reference here. " On 

 Horseback through Asia Minor," by F. Burna- 

 by, is an entertaining narrative of personal ad- 

 venture. In regard to the opinions and senti- 

 ments of the writer, one feels that it is neces- 

 sary to make allowance for an anti-Russian 

 feeling so strong as to give him the air of an 

 apologist for the Turk. There is, of course, 

 no conscious misinterpretation of facts, but the 

 reader soon learns to suspect the author's lean- 

 ings and to make allowance for them. Two 

 striking contrasts are presented in " The Thirst- 

 Land," by Parker Gilmore, and "The Great 

 Frozen Sea : Personal Narrative of the Voyage 

 of the Alert." Another Arctic experience is 

 related in " The Shores of the Polar Sea : Nar- 

 rative of Arctic Expeditions in 1875-'76," by 

 E. L. Morse. "Art and Art Industries in Ja- 

 pan," by Sir Rutherford Alcock, will excite a 



