world, the world of imagination created by the wild Northmen, on the stormy coasts of Scandinavia, in the solitary wildness of its fir-clad mountains, or abroad upon the tempestuous waves of the Northern seas. Mingled with impressions of these scenes were the tender emotions of faithful love triumphing over every obstacle, and unextinguished by long delay or scenes of bloody strife. The poem revealed to us the simplicity and nobleness of the hearts of the Scandinavians, who have always been too much overlooked by the more cultivated and wealthier races at the south. We rejoice that this beautiful poem is brought within the reach of the American people. We do not doubt that it will be received with favor, and that its wild melody and its tender pathos will win for it the response of many hearts.

MR. SCHUYLER'S TRANSLATION FROM THE RUSSIAN.*-A novel from the Russian is a novelty indeed. In fact this is the first instance, we believe, in which an English translation has been made from any entire work of fiction in that language. The novelty of the attempt to render Russian fiction into English would of itself excite the curiosity-even if nothing were anticipated except a certain insight into the workings of the Russian mind, and a transcript from Russian life. We opened this volume moved by this vague curiosity, and scarcely expecting to find anything in the plot or the characters which would interest, much less excite We confess to have been surprised to find ourselves at once seized upon by both characters and plot, and carried forward to the end at a single sitting. The story has all the interest of a superior modern novel, added to the peculiar zest which is imparted from its pictures of Russian domestic and social life. Some of the characters described could only have existed in Russia. Some of the scenes described could have occurred in no other conntry. In painting these characters, and describing these scenes, the writer has showed no little skill and sensibility. A special interest arises also from the circumstance that his tale represents Russia in its state of transition from the old to the new, in repect to institutions and principles. Some of the best drawn characters are the new men, the men formed by the new modes of thought and feeling that have come in from France and Germany. For all these rea

* Fathers and Sons. A Novel by Ivan Sergheievitch Turgenef. Translated from the Russian. With the approval of the Author. By EUGENE SCHUYLER, Ph. D. New York: Leypoldt & Holt. 1867.

sons the book has an uncommon interest. The translation is in general remarkably well executed. The diction is simple, flowing, and thoroughly English. We can recal no translation of a German novel which is so successfully done, and the difficulties encountered and overcome by Mr. Schuyler, we are assured, were formidable in no slight degree.

HELENA'S HOUSEHOLD.-A good historical novel is very difficult to write, but none the less desirable or valuable for that reason. To write a good historical novel of ancient life, and make the impression clear and vivid of the men and manners of other times is still more difficult. This anonymous tale gives Roman life just at the time when Christianity was introduced to the Eternal City. As a tale it is well wrought and successfully sustained, and as an instructive picture of the manners, the government, the social and domestic life, the morals, the religion, and the situation of the times, it has very great merit. We wish for it a very general circulation.

HOMESPUN.t-This is a work of real genius, a prose poem, written by a man with a clear head and a warm heart, who can both feel and describe the excellence and dignity there is in the "plain living and high thinking," that once characterized country life in New England, and that are not yet wholly outworn or outgrown. Mr. Lackland ought at once to receive a farm of the best quality in the quietest of New England villages, as the appropriate reward of his attempt to appreciate justly, and to describe worthily what has been depreciated and dishonored so often and by so many. We cannot convey to our readers any just impression of the many graphic sketches, all taken from life, of the most characteristic personages, events, and scenes with which New England formerly abounded. They are worthy of Crabbe in careful minuteness and honest truth, while for humor and pathos they surpass him. Let all our readers who have ever known New England country life buy and read this book, and they will not deem our praise

excessive.

* Helena's Household; a Tale of Rome in the First Century. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers. 1867.

Homespun; or, Five and Twenty Years Ago. BY THOMAS LACKLAND. New York: Hurd & Houghton. 1867.

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL ON THE REIGN OF LAW.*-This interesting and timely volume has already reached a fifth edition in Great Britain in the course of a few months, but is yet little known in this country. The subject of which it treats is fundamental to all philosophy both of nature and religion, and is therefore at all times of the utmost importance. In these times it is the subject of all others which deserves to be carefully considered and profoundly studied-for the questions concerning it agitate the minds of all men of scientific thought. Is law supreme in nature and over spirit, or does law itself indicate and pay homage to a lawgiver? Is law blind with an undiscerning force, or is law in all its forms of action illumined and directed by a discerning and rational mind? Is law ever suspended, or set aside, or overborne, or must we believe that its reign is universal, despotic, and uncontrolled? Does science rightly assume that law is invariable by an axiom which she intuitively discerns, and which she cannot and does not need to prove, or must science seek a reason for this assumption in those other axioms which subordinate law itself to intelligent will? Questions like these force themselves upon the attention of every scientific man who has the most superficial conception of the relations of science itself to the other forms of knowledge, or to his faith, or to his no faith. They are no longer the peculiar themes of the schools of metaphysics, but have forced the most "positive" and material of philosophies to become intensely metaphysical, even in spite of their own disclaimers, and against their most inveterate prejudices. Theology cannot avoid them, nor ignore them, nor despise them, nor contend against them. Theology must keep herself abreast with the thinking of the times. She must ask herself whether true science is Theistic or Atheistic, and if she discerns that the science of the day is Antitheistic she must show, in a scientific spirit and by scientific methods, that it is so far unscientific.

The "Reign of Law" is designed by the author to meet the demands which we have described, and to answer all these questions in a scientific spirit. Though the views expressed, and the arguments employed, are all in favor of faith and Christian theol

*The Reign of Law. By the DUKE OF ARGYLL. Fifth Edition. Alexander Strahan, London. 1867. George Routledge & Sons, 416 Broome Street, New York, Agents for the United States.

ogy, yet no one can complain of any unduly biassing tendency, or a sermonizing tone. The discussions are cool, rigid, and impartial. Not even the most arrogant and exclusive positivists can complain; none of them have complained of any unfairness in the representations of their views by the distinguished author. The clearness of the author is admirable. His method is lucid. His language is perfectly transparent. His illustrations are all well-chosen. We dare not say that on every point he has removed all difficulty, or answered every inquiry, but we can say that no volume has been published upon this subject in the English language, for a score of years, which can be read with more pleasure and profit than this. We trust that the fact that it has not been reprinted will not hinder its general circulation in our country.

JOUBERT'S SELECT THOUGHTS.*-This little volume is worth its weight in gold. It has astonished us not a little for the point and brilliancy, the elevation, and the piety of the brief sayings which it records. We have been, if possible, still more astonished that a man like Joubert could have lived in the stormy periods of the Revolution and the Empire, and have kept his faith and his temper, his wit and his eloquence, during those dreary and corrupting years. We have abundant reason to thank Mr. Calvert for the pains he has taken with this volume.

MISS COBBE'S WORK AND PLAY.t-Miss Cobbe always writes earnestly, even when she writes bad theology. We cannot help liking her spirit and admiring her intellect, even when we disagree with her opinions. This volume consists of miscellaneous Articles, all of which, except one, have been previously published in the English and American journals. The topics are very various, as will be inferred from the titles, viz.: Public Morality and its Teachers-The Indigent Class-The Brahmo Samaj-The Fallacies of Memory-The Fenian Idea-A Day at Adelsberg-A Lady's Adventure in the Great Pyramid-The Diablerets-The State Vault of Christ Church-The Shadow of Death-AluredThe Spectral Rout-The Humor of Various Nations-The Fenians of Ballybog-mucky.

* Joubert. Some of the "Thoughts" of Joseph Joubert. Translated by GEORGE H. CALVERT. Preceded by a notice of Joubert by the Translator. Boston: William V. Spencer. 1867.

Hours of Work and Play. By FRANCES POWER COBBE. Lippincott & Co. 1867.

Philadelphia: J. B.

ESSAYS, REPRINTED FROM "THE NATION."*-We are glad to avail ourselves of the occasion offered by these sensible and agreeable essays, which are selected from the columns of "The Nation,” to express the satisfaction which all educated men must feel in the establishment of a weekly journal so able, and, at the same time, so moderate and high-toned as "the Nation" has thus far proved itself to be. The combination of literary and political discussions of so uncommon excellence, free from vulgarity and flippancy, may almost be said to mark an epoch in American journalism. The only qualification to be made in this commendation relates to the reviews which bear on the great subjects of Natural Religion. These appear to have fallen into the hands of some disciple of Comte, who questions the validity of the argument from final causes. A journal like "the Nation" should keep clear of little philosophical coteries, especially when they dispute the verdicts of the general reason of mankind.

GOULD'S GOOD ENGLISH.-Here we have another book designed to remind us of the mistakes we are liable to fall into in using our mother-tongue. Such Mentors have been rather numerous of late, and if the present generation grows up to talk English badly, it will not be for lack of warnings to the contrary. On the whole, we can commend Mr. Gould's work. The greater part of his teachings are sound and useful. He is disposed, it is true, like all his craft, to exaggerate somewhat the importance of his office, and the heinousness of slight offenses against the rules of established usage. But there is little harm in that. Books of this class are a subordinate part of the apparatus for maintaining unity and uniformity of speech in a cultivated community, and if they did not overstate their own claims and merits, they might fail to win even as much attention as is fairly due them. The tendencies in language to change and corruption may be indefinitely checked, but cannot be wholly put down; the purists themselves, when they have done their best, must philosophically assent to what they are powerless to prevent, consoling themselves by remembering that, after all, the whole history of human speech has been a succession of inaccuracies committed, of swervings from established usage,

* Critical and Social Essays. Reprinted from the New York Nation. New York: Leypoldt & Holt. 1867.

+ Good English; or, Popular Errors in Language. By EDWARD S. GOULD. New York: W. J. Widdleton. 1867. 12mo. pp. v., 228.