The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-02-18 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICES.

CHANBRRII'S JOURNAL —This is one of the oldest, as
it is without controversy one of the very beat of our
' cheap aerials and parenta would do well to introduce
it to their families in preference to much of the
" light" reading that is published now-a-days. The
aim of its conciliators is "to give it • character for
moral purity, soundress of instruction, and innooent
entertainment, at the same time avoiding all points
calculated to provoke controversial feelings." In the
January part there is on improvement in the quality
of the paper, and the character of its literary contents
may well be compared with that of the high-prioed
publications. It contains something to suit every taste
of either sex, and no one can rise from its perusal with-
out receising both instruction and amusement. The
part contains some four or five-and-twenty articles,
besides poetry, among which we may name am being par-
ticularly interesting—" Morganio Marriages :" "A
Strange Way to a Legacy f"" Tae Proudest Moment of
my Life -" "An Account of the Eallibition Building of
1862;" Tel y'a Ad ventures in the Atlantic ;" " Soldier's
Businees " Robin Redbreast ;" "The London Under-
ground Railway ;" "The City of the Saints—a Tale of
the Mormans ;" "We Girls in the Omnibus:" " Earth.
Oil in America ." "An Interesting Life of Cruden,"
author of the Concordance, and who may well be
reckoned among the curiosities of literature, as he was
more or less mad throughout a long life; " Sight-
seeing ; and Cririoxities of Charity." To those of our
readers who do not read "Chambeca's Journal," we
would say, just purchase a number and try it.
ECCLWASTICAL COURTS, LAWS, AND COMMISSION.
James Ridgway : London. This is a letter by Henry
Seymour, Esq., M.P. for Poole. which appeared in the
Times a fortnight or three weeks since; together with
• copy of the opinion of Counsel upon the Reform of
the Ecclesiastical Courts, the Consolidation of the
Ecclesiastical Statutes, and the state of the Feclenastical
Commission. Mr. Seymour truly remarks in his letter
that the ecclesiastical °carte have been condemned by
almost every competent authority—the Upper 11011141
of Convocation of Canterbury—the Irish Bishops in
their memorial to Lord Palmerston° the Bishop of
London in the Rouse of Lords, Lord Cranworth, the
present Lord Chancellor, and the unanimous voice of
the public prem. The publication of the pamphlet «m-
-not fail to do good by bringing the subject more
prominently before the public than it has heretofore
been. Mr. Seymour has done good service towards
bringing about the deserved reformation, both by
bis pen and in his place in the Rouse of Commons.
The oonseeration of churches-cone of the subjects re-
ferred to in the pamphlet—was strongly condemned in
the Lower Roue* of Convocation on Thursday last.

Ms BOOK Or DAYS.—W. & R. Chambers : London
and Edinburgh.—This new candidate for public favour;
will be welcomed by all who are fond of amusing and
instructive anecdotes; facts connected with the church
kalendar and illietrations of Christian antiquities ;
phenomena connected with the Beason/it changes;
popular notions and observances connected with the
times and seasons; notable events; popular archaeology
tending to illustrate the progress of civilization, manners,
literature, and ideas of the three kingdoms; oddities of
human life and character; and, in short, everything
that is curious in connection with the past. The first
part contains a large amount of interesting matter,
printed on good paper, and the illustration& are in keep-
ing with the subjects they profess to pourtray. The
work will become a favourite fireside companion in
many a household, and we predict for it a very exten-
sive circulation. It is last such a work as we have long
desired to see.

MODEM! METRE, a Medium for the Poets of the Day.
rollout & Co. : London.—This is • new monthly six-
penny magazine, wholly devoted to poetic contributions,
ninny of which, in the number before no, mamas more
than overage merit. We are not aware of any similar
publication in existence, and therefore the editor is not
intruding upon ground already appropriated. We can-
not but wish the work ouctem for numerous masons—
inure especially that it will introduce us to many poets
of fame who have hitherto been unknown, and who
would perhaps remain unknown but for this medium of
giving to the world specimens of their poetic genius.
Few of our serials devote much space ta poetry. and we
have no doubt that it will become • great favourite
among the lovers of the poetic muse.