The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-15 00:00:00

LITERATURE

The Chronicles of Carlingford. The Rector and

the Doctor'sFamtly. 1 vol. Blackwood.
The readers of Blackwood's Magazine will
be
rejoiced at this reprint of that very charming
series, the " Chronicles of Carlingford." It 15 a
work that all who know it will be glad to place on
their book-shelves, to turn to again and again, like a
familiar friend rather;than a pleasant acquaintance,
which is the only light in which we can esteem the
majority of the works of fiction introduced to us.
They entertain us for the moment, but when we
part with them we care little if we never meet
with them again. A select few only can we admit
to closer companionship, and among those are assu-
redly the works of the accompllshed Mrs. Oliphant.
In the " Chronicles of Carlingford" she has sur-
passed her previous reputation, and has surprised
many of her former admirers. So vivid are her de-
scriptions, and so true to nature are her characters,
that we fully realise the scenes into which she con-
ducts us, and we feel quite at home at Carlingford
even as we do in " OurVillage"—and Miss Mitford's.
The two tales contained in this volume concern the
Rector and the Doctor's family. The Rector, it
will be remembered, is a scholar and fellow of
All Soul's, Oxford, who has been appointed in ma-
ture life to his first living, and who, as he stands
bewildered by the dying-bed of a parishioner, pain-
fully recognised that his antecedents have unfitted
him for the duties of parish priest. " His treatise
on the Greek verb and his new edition of Sophocles
were highly creditable to the Fellow of All Souls,
but how about the Rector of Carlingford What
was he doing here among that little world of human
creatures who were dying, being born, perishing,
suffering, falling into misfortune and anguish, and
all manner of human vicissitudes every day ?" Poor
honest Morley Proctor is fairly puzzled by the
anomaly of his position. Th© " Doctor's Family"
possesses greater interest as a story. We gladly
renew our acquaintance with the matter-of-fact Dr.
Rider and the way ward and wilful, but charming
and high-spirited, Nettie. Other volumes of the
" Chronicles" will, of course, appear in due time.

Narrative of the Late War zn New Zealand. By
Lieutenant-Colonel Carey, C-8., Deputy Adju-
tant-General. One vol. Pp. 199. Bentley.

Colonel Carey has given a, very complete and
comprehensive narrative of the war in New Zealand
in 1860.61. The military operations under Major-
General Pratt are mere particularly described.
This book is one of the best we have met with on
the subject, and is likely to be regarded as an autho-
rity by all who may in future treat upon the war.

Fish Hatching. By Frank T. Buck and. 1 vol.
Pp. 221. Tinsley.

All persons concerned in the care and develop-
ment of the finny tribes will do well to consult this
tittle book. Mr. Buckland is evidently a master of
his subject, and it will not be his fault if his readers
are not the same. Hots to prepare eggs of fish, the
development and difficulties of young fishes, the pe-
culiarities of salmon and their spawn, and a multi-
tude of other matters of a similar character. are
detailed in a vigorous, elaborate, and interesting
manner.

Mrs. .Halliburton's Troubles. By Mrs. Henry Wood.

1 vol. Bentley.
" Mrs. Halliburton's Troubles," one of the most
charming and domestic of Mrs. Wood's popular.
tales, is now republished in one volume. It will be
right welcome to the novel reader, as are all the
productions of that facile pen. The tone of the
whole composition is of a more wholesome character
than is that of "East Lynne," and as a story it i$
not inferior in interest.

The Indoor Gardener. By Miss Maling, author oil

" Indoor Plants." Longman.
A delightful little volume that will prove highly'
acceptable to all ladies who, like Miss Tox, take I
pleasure in superintending their floral treasures..
Flowers are indeed among those " things of beauty°
which are " joys for ever," and no house should be
without them. By Miss Maling's judicious advice
we learn how to cultivate hyacinths and camelias,
and roses and ferns, and fuschias and geraniums,
and many others; how to make cuttings, how to
winter plants, how to arrange the flower casemertat
and the indoor plant cases and window boxes, and
how to superintend greenhouses and conservatories,
together with a multitude of other equally pleasant
instruction and advice.