We are introduced to the childhood of the autobiographer, passed under the influence of a system of theology well calculated to make either a bigot or a hypocrite; but with all these disadvantages the writer says: "My religious education did confer upon me some positive advantages. The first was a rigid regard for truthfulness. My parents never would endure a lie or the least equivocation. The second was purity of life, and I look upon this as a simply incalculable gain." The practical training of his parents was certainly superior to the system of theology as such which formed "the faith" in which he was instructed. His Sundays, especially, must have been very dreary.

He says: "Nothing particular happened to me till I was about fourteen, when I was told it was time I became converted. I knew that I had to be a child of God,' and after a time professed myself to be one; but I cannot call to mind that I was anything else than I always had been, save that I was perhaps a little more hypocritical; not in the sense that I professed to others what I did not believe, but in the sense that I professed it to myself."

In due time it was settled that he should "go into the ministry," and so he was sent to a dissenting college. "Behold me, then," he says, "beginning a course of training which was to prepare me to meet the doubts of the nineteenth century; to be the guide of men; to advise them in their perplexities; to suppress their tempestuous lusts; to lift them above their petty cares, and to lead them heavenward." The training-as too often,-proved inefficient, at any rate for "the doubts of the nineteenth century;" and the student finally went forth, as so many go forth from "theological seminaries," not very thoroughly equipped for the real battle with sin and Satan.

The result was, naturally, that, when he got to thinking, and found himself face to face with the practical evils of the world and the earnest questionings of his own mind, as to" who will shew us any good," he was upset himself and kept on getting more upset.

Of course, he fell in love. He was engaged to “ Ellen," but found after a while that somehow he might not be happy with her, and then loved "Mary," who was really a noble girl, and so devoted to her widowed father that she felt it a duty not to permit anything to turn her from her devotion to him. After a while, under other circumstances, he says: "I worshipped Theresa, and was entirely overcome with unhesitating, absorbing love for her.

After a time, the thought of Mary returned to me. I was distressed to find that, in the very height of my love for Theresa, my love for Mary continued unabated." Soh!

44

Fortunately, the autobiography is incomplete, and becomes so abruptly. The editor's" opinion of his friend was on this wise : "He was emphatically the child of his time. He was perpetually

tormented by the presentation of difficulties which he could not resolve, and he could not put them on one side."

Requiescat in pace. He was not strong-neither is his autobiography. His was a weak nature, marred by a miserable system of miscalled "religious" faith which strong men, when they exercise thought, find out is neither "religion" nor "faith" in the true sense of those terms, but which undoubtedly results in shipwreck of all faith in too many who are too weak to distinguish between pinchbeck and gold. In the book are some good portraitures of disagreeable or hypocritical people, who sometimes pose as pillars of the church," and who do more to disgust other people with religion than any other allies of the devil.

A SHORT HISTORY OF ART. By Julia B. DeForest.
New York Dodd, Mead & Company.

Illustrated.

About twenty years ago, Dr. William Lübke, Professor at the Polytechnic Institute and the Art School in Stuttgart, gave to the world his very important book, which he called "Outlines of the History of Art." It was found that he had produced a work of incalculable value and usefulness to the student of art, by gathering up and presenting in chronological order, and in a way to make it available for study and ready reference, the best of that large mass of material forming the wealth of learning of writers in the domain of art in many countries and at various epochs. What had been avaiable only to the scholar was thus brought within reach of the student of art, and so great was the value and utility of Dr. Lübke's book, that he was called upon to edit six successive editions after the first. An admirable American edition of the work from the seventh German edition was published about two years ago by Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co., under the excellent editorship of Mr. Clarence Cook, and it has already gone far towards doing in this country for the cause of art what was done in Germany by the original work.

Miss DeForest seems to have taken Dr. Lübke's book as the groundwork of her own, following his method and order in the treatment of the subjects, and availing herself of the very excellent illustrations contained in the American edition of his work. Her aim has been to present, within the limits of a single volume of moderate size, an outline of the origin and development of art such as may be available to almost every student of art, and which may be used to great advantage as an introductory book by those who have at command the larger and more comprehensive works. These large and comprehensive books on art subjects are necessarily very expensive, far too expensive to be within the reach of the mass of art students, and Miss DeForest, who, from her position of Superintendent of the Department of the Society for the Encouragement

of Home Study clearly understands the requirements of the case, has done good service to the cause of art education in preparing a book which will be really very useful to every art student, and of great value and interest also to every household in which there is any love of art.

While Miss DeForest has followed the plan of Dr. Lübke's work, she has not devoted proportionably so large a share of space to the consideration of German art,—a subject which Dr. Lübke's treats so very exhaustively, and has given much more full consideration to the modern painters of England. On this last point her list of English artists is full and accurate, and, while there is but a brief mention of each, in each case it is made with great care, and generally supported by the opinions of critics of recognized ability. While admitting the truth of the criticism that the modern English school of painting is wanting in technical excellence, she presents ample evidence of the untruthfulness of Winklemann's harsh opinion that "the English could not attain any great proficiency in art, owing to their natural deficiency of genius and the unfavorable temperature of their climate."

The book is made much more valuable by an excellent index, giving the pronunciation of the names; a concise glossary of terms; and a very useful chart, showing in a concise form the chronological position of the principal artists of the Renaissance period, and of the time immediately preceding and following it.

THE STORY OF A SCANDINAVIAN SUMMER. By Katherine E. Tyler. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1881.

There is, no doubt, a strong temptation, when describing travels through a country so little known as Norway is to the great mass of .American tourists, to turn the story into a sort of guide-book; and this is the fault of the book now before us. Some of the chapters are very interesting, and the descriptions both of the people and scenery are entertaining and instructive, so that we feel we know considerably more about the country than before reading the book. The Day with Thorwaldsen," and the account, on page 284, of the descent of a mountain pass, are both excellent in their way, as is also the whole of Chapter X., beginning with the description of the steamboat on which the journey was made “up to the midnight sun," and ending with an account of the great object of the journey,-the sight of the sun approaching the horizon at midnight, and then suddenly rising again just as one expects it to disappear entirely from view.

There are other passages we might name equally good, but they are interspersed with long histories of the old kings and heroes, of the battles they fought by land, and of their free-booting expeditions to other countries, some of which, it is true, are à propos to

out, while

the matter in hand, but nearly all are too much spun most of them might have been omitted altogether with advantage. Again, the descriptions of the "stations" or inns at which the travellers rested, together with the bills-of-fare at these out-of-theway hostelries, are repeated so often as to become very tiresome. "Murray" is frequently quoted from, and, indeed, in many places the style resembles so much that of the great guide-books as to suggest too constant study of the one on Norway.

The style of the authoress is generally very good,-light and easily read; we have noticed, however, several strange mistakes For instance, throughout Chapter II. we find the spelling bassrelief, on page 161 the well-known English city is written Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and on page 180 Labrador is said to be at 41 degrees of north latitude.

If the book had been of about two hundred instead of nearly four hundred pages, it would have been greatly improved. As it is, we can only recommend it to a reader well versed in the art of judicious skipping.

OUR LITTLE ONES AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL. By William T. Adams (Oliver Optic). Boston: Lee & Shepard. New York: Charles T. Dillingham.

This highly attractive magazine has uncommon merit; its illustrations are of a most artistic character and finished in a masterly manner, well calculated to be a pleasure to the little ones, not only in their childhood's hours, but when they have "put away childish things." The illustrative department is under the direction of George T. Andrew. The illuminated cover by Miss C. A. Northam deserves special mention, rendering the book most attractive, with its row of bright chubby faces indicative of the pleasure that awaits the reader, and gives an eagerness to a perusal of the wellchosen stories and rhymes. With its clear type and varied illustrations, it bids fair to become a most popular magazine, and will be gladly received in all households where the entertainment of of the little ones occupies so large a portion of time.

BOOKS RECEIVED.

The Ancient Bronze Implements, Weapons and Ornaments of Great Britain and Ireland. By John Evans, D. C. L., LL.D., etc. Cloth. 8vo. Pp. 509. New York: D. Appleton & Co. (J. B. Lippincott & Co.)

A Short History of Art. By Julia B. DeForest. Cloth. 12mo. Pp. 365. Price, $2.00. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co. (J. B. Lippincott & Co.)

Garfield's Words: Suggestive Passages from the Public and Private Writings of James Abram Garfield. Compiled by William Ralston Balch. Cloth. 16mo. Pp. 184. $1.00. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co. (Claxton & Co.) The Publisher's Trade List Annual, 1881. Ninth year. (J. B. Lippincott & Co.)

New York: F. Leypoldt.

Thorncliffe Hall. By Daniel Wise, D. D. 16mo. Cloth. Pp. 260. $1.00. Boston: Lee & Shepard.

William T.

Our Little Ones; Illustrated Stories and Poems for Little People. Adams, (Oliver Optic,) Editor. With 350 original illustrations. Boards. Svo. Pp. 384. $1.50. Boston: Lee & Shepard.

Young Americans in Japan; or, the Adventures of the Jewett Family and Their Friend, Otto Nambo. Boards. 8vo. Pp. 372. $1.50. Boston: Lee & Shepard. (Claxton & Co.)

He Giveth His Beloved Sleep. $1.50. Boston: Lee & Shepard.

Hannah Jane. By David Ross

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Cloth. 12mo. (Claxton & Co.)

Locke. (Petroleum V. Nasby.) Cloth. 12mo. $1.50. Boston: Lee & Shepard. (Claxton & Co.)

Cambridge Trifles; or, Splutterings from an Undergraduate Pen. Cloth. 16:0. Pp. 249. $1.00. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. (Porter & Coates.) Martin Luther and His Work. By John H. Treadwell. Cloth. $1.00. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. (Porter & Coates.)

Before and After the President's Death. Sewed. 12mo. Pp. 52. $0.25. New York:

16mo. Pp. 243.

Two Sermons. By Henry W. Bellows. G. P. Putnam's Sons. (Porter & Coates.) Pictures and Legends from Normandy and Brittany. By Thomas and Katherine Macquoid. Cloth. I 2mo. Pp. 320. $2.50. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. (Porter & Coates.)

The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford, Dissenting Minister. Edited by his Friend, Reuben Shapcott. 16mo. Cloth. Pp. 218. $1.00. New York: G. P. Put

nam's Sons.

The Story of a Scandinavian Summer. By Katherine E. Tyler. I2mo. Cloth. Pp. 398. $1.75. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Newfoundland to Manitoba: Through Canada's Maritime, Mining and Prairie Provinces. By W. Fraser Rae. Cloth. I 2mo. Pp. 294. $1.25. Putnam's Sons.

Bacon. By Thomas Fowler, M. A., F. S. A. Cloth. 12mo. New York. G. P. Putnam's Sons.

New York: G. P.

Pp. 202.

$1.25.

An Artistic Treatise on the Human Figure, containing Hints on Proportion, Color and Composition. By Henry Warren, K. L. (Edited by Susan N. Carter.) 16mo. Boards. Pp. 82. $0.50. New York:

G. P. Putnam's Sons.

By Miss Julia A. Shedd.

Famous Sculptors and Sculptures.
Osgood & Co. 12mo. Pp. vi, 319. Illustrated. $3.00.

Boston: James R