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17. Experimental Investigation of Spirit Manifestations: demonstrating the existence of Spirits and their communion with Mortals: Doctrine of the SpiritWorld respecting Heaven, Hell, Mortality, and God. By ROBERT HARE, M. D. Fourth Edition. pp. 460. New York: Partridge & Brittan.

A work on any subject from the pen of Professor Hare must always command respectful attention. In this large volume we are furnished with an elaborate account of the author's researches into modern spiritualism, and many of the details are extraordinary in the extreme. Of course, it would be impossible within our prescribed limits to give anything like an analysis of the varied contents of this remarkable book, which to be properly understood should be read in its entirety. From the very high literary and scientific reputation of the author, it will doubtless be taken as a sort of text-book of spiritualism. The volume is illustrated with diagrams of Dr. Hare's apparatuses for detecting the presence of spirits, and the mysteries of table tipping, rapping, and the like.

18.-Life of Napoleon III, Emperor of the French. By EDWARD ROтH. pp. 546. Boston: Patrick Donahoe.

The remarkable vicissitudes in the life of the present emperor of the French are in this volume fully and faithfully detailed. In its pages are given extensive extracts from the works of Louis Napoleon, and all his letters of any importance, his proclamations, decrees, messages, &c., to which access could be obtained, are presented with but little curtailment. From these statements and extracts a very fair idea of Louis Napoleon may be drawn. This personage at present occupies, perhaps, the most prominent position in Europe, and certainly every scrap of information respecting his character and career cannot fail to be read with more than common interest.

19.-Charlemont; or the Pride of the Village. A Tale of Kentucky. By W. GILMORE SIMMS. pp. 447. New York: Redfield.

Mr. Simms is, unquestionably, the most popular of living American novelists. His works have all a broad basis on historical fact, and therein consists, to a great extent, their value. But independent of this, there is a charm in the style, and a felicity of handling, that compels the reader to read on. Charlemont is, to our mind, one of Mr. Simms' best fictions. The various characters are evidently drawn from the life." In serious description, in humorous delineations, or in pathetic passages, Mr. Simms is equally at home. His style, too, is as exclusively his own as that of Fennimore Cooper or Washington Irving.

20.-Parisian Sights and French Principles, seen through American Spectacles. By JAMES JACKSON JARVES. Second Series. pp. 277. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Books about Paris are "thick as leaves in Vallambrosa," but there are very few good ones. This volume of Mr. Jarves may be classed among the best of its kind. It is sparklingly written, and well illustrated. One can get almost as good an idea of Parisian people and manners from its pages as from actual life in the gay capital itself. In fact it may be termed a mirror of men and manners in the metropolis of France.

21.-The Onyx Ring. By JOHN STERLING. With a Biographical Preface by Charles Hall. pp. 263. Boston: Whittlemore, Niles & Hall.

This story was published in Blackwood some twenty years ago. It is a confused conglomeration of Carlyle and Coleridge. Sterling himself would, had he walked into the publisher's office, have put a veto on its republication. Mr. Hall's preface is a very creditable performance.

22.-Sargent's Standard Second Reader. pp. 216. Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co. New York: J. C. Derby.

Mr. Sargent has the happy and very rare quality of talking to children on paper. Every child in America ought to bless the day when Epes Sargent left the editorial chair of the Boston Transcript, and devoted his energies to children. Can there be higher praise for any author?

23.-The Cymri of '76: or Welshmen and their Descendants of the American Revolution. An Address, with an Appendix, containing Notes, Sketches, and Nomenclature of the Cymbri. By ALEXANDER JONES, M. D. To which is added, A Letter on Eminent Welshmen, by SAMUEL JENKINS, Esq., and A Brief Sketch of St. David's Benevolent Society. Second edition, pp. 132. New York: Sheldon, Lamport & Co.

The part taken by Welshmen and their descendants in the American Revolution, cannot fail to interest the people of this country, especially those of Cambrian origin. In Dr. Jones's Address special references have been made to those Welshmen who either directly or indirectly took part in the War of Independence, Although the work will be read chiefly by Cambrians or their descendants, much will be found in it novel or interesting to the general reader; and especially so far as the facts and views it contains go to elucidate the ethnology of the Cymbrian tribes in Europe. It appears that among the noble band who signed the Declaration of Independence, seventeen were men of Cambrian birth or origin. On this fact Dr. Jones dwells with much and reasonable exultation.

24.-The Wonders of Science; or Young Humphrey Davy, the Cornish Apothe cary's Boy, who taught himself Natural History, and eventually became President of the Royal Society. The Life of a Wonderful Boy, written for Boys By HENRY MAYHEW. pp. 450. New York: Harper & Brothers.

We are always glad to hail the appearance of such a book as this. It tells in an easy, familiar manner, the history of one of the greatest of modern natural philosophers, and holds out a fine example for youth to follow. Here are no records of narrow escapes or thrilling incidents, but the narrative of a life commenced under singular disadvantages, yet surmounting every obstacle in the pursuit of chemical science, and eventually reaching an elevation which commanded the wonder and admiration of the learned world. For young people apart from the interest attaching to Davy's history-the book will form an excellent text-book of the first principles of natural science. The work is profusely and beauti.ully illustrated.

25.-Geoffrey Moncion; or the Faithless Guardian. By SUSANNA MOODIE. pp. 362. New York: De Witt & Davenport.

Any work from the talented authoress of "Roughing it in the Bush," will always be welcomed by the reading world. In this story of Geoffrey Moneton Mrs. Moodie has shown what terrible results arise from placing an orphan child under the guardianship of one who can, under any circumstance, be induced to betray the sacred trust. The tale also forciby exemplifies that for every such betrayal of confidence, there is certain to be in the long run a swift and terrible retribution. Mrs. Moodie's style is very lively and graphic, and her knowledge of human nature profound. In dialogue she greatly excels, and this faculty of making different characters speak naturally in conversation, is perhaps the most difficult part of novel writing. It is comparatively easy to describe scenery or persons, but to make people talk as they do in every-day life, requires no slight perception of individual character. Mrs. Moodie, in our judgment, stands second to no living female novelist.

26.-The War in Kansas. A Rough Trip to the Border, among New Homes and a Strange People. By G. DOUGLAS BREWERTON. pp. 400. New York: Derby & Jackson.

Tragedy and comedy form the staple of this volume.

Most people have read A Ride with Kit Carson," "Camp Fire Yarns," and other works by the same author, therefore they may with reason look for a mingled yarn in the book before us. Taking the Kansas War as his thread of narration, Mr. Brewerton strings on it some capital stories of border life, while his narratives of the real incidents of the present Western "trouble" are evidently carefully prepared. There is, too, valuable statistical information in the book, which, we may add, is well illustrated -a portrait of the author, "a la Kansas," being the frontispiece. Those who require reliable information respecting this Territory trouble could not do better

than read Mr. Brewerton's volume.

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