The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-26 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 1858.

LITBRATUBB.

n. BdinburgA Review. No. 218. April, 1838.
Longman.
The present number of the Edinburgh is below the
level of its recent excellence. Art. 1., on the " An-
nals of California," presents a fair estimate of the
position and prospects of that remarkable territory.
Art 11., on the " Eastern Church," is one of those
rhetorical prelectione on ecclesiastical history with
which the readers of the Edinburgh are now en&
oiently familiarised. The criticism on the "Consu-
late and the Empire," of M. Thies (Art. III.),
evinces familiarity with history, and considerable
skill in exposing and correcting the lively
inaccuracies of the brilliant French annalist. The
paper that follows (Art. IV.), on the " Railways of
Great Britain," is a commendable remand of a
subject by no means new to the pablia.
Art. V., on the works of " Edgar Allan Pea; is
beneath the average level of cotempoesry criticism
and Art. VI., on the " Speeches of Lord Brongluizn,"
is a piece of tawdry and indiscriminate panegyric.
Those who have the highest and juatest appreciation
of Lord Brougham's eloquence will be the most
prone to regret that the attempt to point oat its lead.
mg characteristic' should, in his own Review, have
been entrusted to a hand so incompetent. Art. VII.,
en Mr. Buckles remarkable " History of Olviliendneti
in England," evinces more honesty and thought,
but is deficient in commanding ability. The
paper on the Conquest of Oude" (Art. VIII.) will
present nothißT to the readers of the daily journals
with which they are not abundantly hmiliar. The
ninth and concluding article, on the" Second Derby
Ministry," is an exposition, rather laboured than
felicitous, of those views relating to the fall of Lord
Palmerston and the formation of the Derby ministry
which are day by day put forth with incomparably
more spirit and energy in the leading oolumns of the
Times. On the whole, the present number is not up
to the mark.

The Common Oty'eets of Me Country. By the Rev.
J. 0. WOOD, M.A., F.L.S. London: Rol/fledge
and Co. 1868.

This work forms a companion to the Common Ob-
jects of the Sea Shore, by the same author, which
was so very popular last season, and had such an
extensive circulation. The secret of Mr. Wood's
great success as a popular writer is that he describes
in a plain and simple style the commonest objects of
nature. H. shows that, though common, they are
I just as marvellous in their structure and their story,
and as interesting as the rare creatures which excite
the enthusiasm of the collector because of their
scarcity. Those who delight in hard words, and con-
sider themselves naturalists because they can call
every creature and every flower they meet with b
some barbarous Greek or Latin compound, will
be exceedingly disgusted with Mr. Wood. Plain
people like ourselves, who would rather know
the things and their fairy-like history than their
learned names, will read the "Common Objects of the
Country" with great pleasure and satisfaction. The
pictorial illustrations, by Mr. Coleman, are such life-
like portraits of the objects they represent that any
scientific description for the recognition of the origi-
nals is imnentwary.
We would not for an instant wish it to be under-
stood that we deny the value of a truly
scientific acquaintance with natural history.
Nor would we assert that a profound bea-
ting on that subject could be written without the
aid of technical and scientific language. Those who
wish to master the science must learn its language.
They will find no lack of valuable aids for doing so.
These, however, can never supply the wants of the
million. The great majority cannot afford the
time, nor do they want to be profound naturalists.
There are few objects likely to excite curiosity in a
country ramble, of which Mr. Wood's little work
will not enable you to obtain an intelligent know-
ledge. If you take him for your companion in your
country walks, you will return home entertained,
am and instructed.

Oda Ay.; or,liistorioal .141, twee relating to CAurehyarda.

By Mn. BTON e. London John W. Parker.

Mrs. Stone has been some years engaged in the
preparation of this volume, which is written, she informs us,
for the special benefit of ladies. She ham collected together
and reproduced almost everything bearing on "graves, and
worms, and epitaphs," and writes agreeably, though a little
too sentimentally. However, she deserves some censure for
her sneers at the modern cemeteries " theta artificial
and comparatively unhallowed places," se she terms
them, which are a sanitary necessity, and In favour of
which public feeling cannot be too strongly determined.
We must also except to the mode of quotation employed
by Mrs. Stone. " The following pretty lines"—" A modem
post of the highest reputation" says—are the formula Mn.
Stone adopts. We own we prefer the name of the indi-
vidual thus honoured. This omission is the more re-
markable since now and then Wry Stone sins in another way,
She cannot quote Burks without calling hits the celebrated
Edmund Barks.

The Geology and Extinct Volcanoes of Central France. By
0. Pocurrr Sump', M.P. Second edition, enlarged
and irnproved. London John Murray.

This is a very hendeomely printed volume, with
illustrative maps, views, and panoramic sketches, bet more
fitted for the professional geologist than for the general
public. While resident In Italy in the winters of 1812-
18-19, Mr. Scrape was led to doubt the truth of the Wee.
sedan theory, then in the ascendant in England, as to the
aqueous origin of trap rocks. Upon his return to England
Mr. Scrope's opinion was strengthened by communica-
tions with " the late Pr:4MM D. Clarke, who was himself
well acquainted with volcanic Italy, and Professor Bede-
wt.*, at that time commencing his distinguished career as a
geologist." With a view to arrive at the truth, Mr. &rope
visited Clermont in 1821, and re-visited Italy in 1822. The
results were, the strengthening of his views, and his publica-
tion of them to the world in 1826, in a volume ea the
" Phenomena of Volcanoes," which unfortunately included
some speculations which the public mind was not at the
time prepared to entertain. Th►t edition having been e:•
haunted, Mr. &rope has been led to suppose that a new
edition td his Memoir, with such additions as time and the
further observations of himself and others might suggest,
would be aceeptable.

The Only Child. By Lady Scorr. 2 vols. Loudon : Hurst

aiid Blackett.

Lady Scott has written a good novel; a novel
none the worse for being in two volumes instead of three.
Lord Ellerley dies suddenly, leaving a motherless boy of 8
years of age to the care of Dr. Burgess, the rector of Worth-
ington, who disharges his duty conscientiously and to the
satidstfon of the child's grandfather, the Duke of Arran.
Unfortunately, the doctor has an exquisite daughter, and too
late he fears that has Brenda and the little lord will fall in
love. Acairdingly, Ellerley is hurried away to the country
seat of Lord Linton, whose lady considers he would be a
very desirable match for bee handsome daughter, Rosa.
Then Ellerley travels three years on the Continent, and re-
turns when he is of age to take possession of the family es-
tates. On the occasion, there is a grand fits, sad Brenda I.
looking more beautiful than ever. They are happy in
thvir mutual love. But the next day brings a heavy blow to
each. Dr. Burgess, in the strongest manner, refuses his
consent. Brenda obeys. Ellerley marries another woman
in desperation. Poor Dr. Burgess dies. Brenda does not
die, but marries a rising physician, after refusing her father's
favourite curate; and bar daughter mimes the mother's first
love, he being a widower, and Duke of Arran. Such is aa
outline of the story, which moves on easily to its does, end
which abounds in vivid description and dialogue.