Those who judge of a book's importance by its size will be most egregiously taken in by Regal Rome: an Introduction to Roman History by Francis W. Newman, Professor of Latin in University College, London. In this small volume of less than two hundred pages the learned professor—who holds that wisely to disbelieve is our first grand requisite in dealing with materials of mixed worth—has followed, but not slavishly, the direction which Niebuhr's erudition and untiring energy have so appropriated, that by many it has been supposed to be exclusively Niebuhr's own; and the result is, that he has reconstructed a picture of ancient Rome, to which we refer our classical readers, in the full confidence that they will thank us for doing so; and that, if they do not, on perusal, agree with all Mr. Newman's views, they will at least concede to him the credit due to great learning and perspicuity.
When we consider the great influence which the Crusades exercised on the civilisation of Europe—how prominent is the position they occupy in the social and political history of their era—and how fertile a source of wealth they have proved to the poets and novelists of all succeeding ages, and of all countries—it is certainly a matter of surprise that amid the rage for translation which has of late years manifested itself among us, no one should have undertaken to lay before the English reader a translation of Michaud's able and interesting narrative of this great chapter in the history of the Middle Ages. Michaud's work acquired for its author, and very deservedly, an European reputation; and in issuing a well-executed version of it at a moderate price, the publisher of Michaud's History of the Crusades, Translated from the French by W. Robson, is rendering good service, not only to those who cannot peruse the work in the original, but to all classes of historical readers. This (the first volume) has prefixed to it a very interesting memoir of Michaud.
BOOKS RECEIVED.—Mr. Bohn's contributions to the cheap publications of the month are—in his Scientific Library, the fourth volume of Humboldt's Cosmos, translated by Otté and Paul; in his Standard Library, The Principal Works and Remains of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, with a new Memoir of his Life, by his Son the Rev. A. G. Fuller, which contains his Gospel its own Witness, or the Holy Nature and Divine Harmony of the Christian Religion contrasted with the Immorality and Absurdity of Deism; and his Calvinistic and Socinian Systems examined and compared as to their moral tendency—two works by which this excellent Nonconformist divine did much to stem the torrent of immorality and infidelity which the deistical and democratical writers of his time were infusing into the minds of the people. Cicero's Orations, Vol. ii., literally translated by C. D. Yonge, is the new volume of the Classical Library; that of the Illustrated Library being the second and concluding volume of Allan's Battles of the British Navy, illustrated with eighteen portraits of our most eminent naval worthies. The proprietors of the National Illustrated Library have completed their edition of Huc's most interesting Travels in Tartary by the publication of the second volume, and have issued a new edition in two volumes of Dr. Mackay's Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. The favour with which the original edition of this work, written in a pleasant gossiping style, was so generally received, will probably be increased towards the present one, as it has the advantage of numerous woodcut illustrations, many of them highly interesting, and all adding to the amusing character of the book.
BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES
WANTED TO PURCHASE.
NOTES AND QUERIES. No. 19.
EDWIN AND EMMA. Tayler, 1776.
GEMMÆ ET SCULPTURÆ ANTIQUÆ DEPICTÆ IN LATINUM VERSÆ, per Jac. Gronovium. Amstelodami, 1685.
MASSARII ANNOTATIONES IN NONUM PLINII HISTORIÆ NATURALIS LIBRUM. Basileæ, 1537.
SWALBACI DISSERTATIO DE CICONIIS, &c. Spiræ, 1630.
SYNTAGMA HERBARUM ENCOMIASTICUM, ABR. ORTELIO INSCRIPTUM. Ex officina Plantin. 1614.