On the Religion of Boys:

I remember how I once rebuked a companion of mine for fidgetting and yawning in church, which I never did-at least not so much; and I remember how when I wished this same boy to join me in a piece of deception, he at once refused, without any violent display of moral indignation, but with a very decided 'I won't tell a lie.'

In conclusion, this book is heartily commended to all schoolmasters.. Whatever may be the social class to which their pupils belong, they will be sure to find in it much food for thought, and it may be that in some points they will see grounds for doubting whether they may not advantageously modify their practice. At least the writer of this notice has gathered fresh ideas from it, and from the other book by the same author, 'About Dominies,' for which he tenders his best thanks to Mr. Hope.

REVIEWS OF READING BOOKS.-CONSTABLE'S SERIES.

Hitherto we have examined Reading Books intended specially for National Schools. The series published by Mr. Laurie, of Edinburgh, entitled, Constable's Educational Series,' although excellently adapted for use in National Schools, is yet too expensive to be adopted in many of them. We do not know, however, a series which has been edited in such an admirable manner. It comes nearer to our ideas of perfection than any that we have yet examined. Still its very excellence detracts from its value for use in small village schools, or large schools with an insufficient supply of teaching power. The same lessons that with the explanation of the teacher would be the most valuable to a scholar; deprived of that aid, or having it but scantily, are but as hieroglyphic inscriptions, or sealed books. Consequently our view is this, that in large national schools, where assistant masters are employed, a better series than this of Mr. Constable could not be selected. In middle-class schools, or grammar schools, for the same reason we would strongly recommend it. But in small schools, where there is an insufficiency of teaching power, Murby's, or Chambers', or Laurie's would be more useful. Speaking generally of the series, the books are beautifully printed, strongly bound, but without illustrations.

The First Reading Book.-This is published in three parts. Part I. 2d., Part II. 4d., Part III. limp, 6d. It is not equal to the first book of

Murby's, Laurie's, or Chambers' series. The third part is better than the other two; but the absence of pictures makes it unattractive. The type, though large, is condensed, and the lines are too close to each other. We have not seen a better first reader than that lately issued by Mr. Laurie. The type, the paper, the matter, the arrangement is all that could be desired.

Second Reading Book, 9d.-This contains 144 pp., and is very strongly bound in cloth. This is an excellent book for teaching reading. The lessons are short, carefully graduated, and happily blend interest with instruction. We are glad to see here lives of Joseph, David, and Moses. The poetical selections are very good. The type might have been a little larger, but it is printed in a very clear manner. Most of the pieces have a decided religious tendency.

Third Reading Book, 1s. 3d.-This book contains a life of Christ in short, easy lessons, a series of lessons on common things, as milk, butter, cheese, tea, coffee, sugar, &c., a selection of simple passages of poetry, and a number of interesting narrative sketches. If anything this book is rather too erudite, and hardly sufficiently interesting. We strongly object to those conversational lessons where a teacher and scholar are supposed to be holding a conversation on a scientific subject. There is one in this book on a cotton frock. We object to them because they are entirely fictitious in character, no such conversation in point of fact ever taking place. They are disliked by scholars and invariably fail to elucidate the subjects they deal with. They are catechisms to be read; and catechisms, which are read merely, have no effect. As we have said this book is a little too argumentative and analytic. It seeks to pull a child's mind to pieces before it is fairly formed. It might suit some prodigies who, as Sterne humourously tells us, 'went through their classics at seven, wrote tragedies at eight, were masters of fourteen languages at ten, finished the course of their rhetoric, poetry, logic and ethics at eleven, put forth their commentaries upon Servius and Martianus Capella at twelve, and at thirteen received their degrees in philosophy, laws, and divinity.' It is but fair, however, to observe, that besides the utilitarian lessons of which the book is mainly composed, there are interspersed sketches of a lighter and more amusing nature.

Fourth English Reading Book, 18. 8d.-We are much pleased with this fourth reader. It is not so exclusively taken up with scientific, or analytic lessons, as the third reader. The 'Transmigrations of Indur'. will be intensely interesting to every scholar. 'Whang the Miller,' 'The three Giants,' and the Inundations in Holstein,' are also very good. The poetical selections have been made with judgment. There are the 'Children in the Wood,' the Battle of Blenheim,'We are Seven,'

'Llewellyn and his Dog,' 'Father William,' &c. We cannot, however,

assent to the opinion of Mrs. Howitt, that God might have made the earth bring forth enough for great and small, without a flower at all,' and that our outward life requires them not,' but that they are a kind of dessert after dinner, an unexpected luxury not required by man's nature. We think rather with Keats that a thing of beauty is a joy for ever'; that such a joy for ever 'are daffodils with the green world they live in'; and that these things of beauty whether there be shine or gloom o'ercast, always must be with us or we die.' It is a feature curiously expressive of the hard, materialistic philosophy of the last century, that the element of beauty as regards this universe, is like a bit of gingerbread given to a naughty child, who doesn't deserve it, and who can do very well without it, and who therefore ought to be profoundly thankful that it has been allowed to have it.

At the close of this book there is a very good account of animal and vegetable products, some lessons on money matters, and descriptions of

several trades.

Fifth Reading Book, 28. 6d. The more instructive part of this reading book consists of description of plants, insects, the sky, and metals. These lessons are written in a very clear and interesting manner, and are far superior to those in the ordinary reading books, which are crude and indifferently composed. The selections from English Literature are good. We are very pleased to see here the old ballad of 'Chevy Chase,' which is certain to be a favourite with every boy who reads it. Tennyson's 'Brook' and New Year's Eve,' are also very appropriate. The miscellaneous exercises in spelling at the end of this book are very useful.

Sixth English Reading Book, 38.-This is a noble book. It contains 356 pages, closely and beautifully printed, replete with information, interest, and amusement. There are lessons on the characteristics of the Continents, written by Mr. Clyde; a series of interesting sketches of animals; lessons on Geology by Mr. Geikie, and lessons on some of the more interesting suojects of National Philosophy. At the end of the book there is a series of lessons on health, of which we cannot speak too highly. The subject of wages and strikes is illustrated by means of a tale, which renders it both interesting and intelligible. These lessons on strikes hardly, perhaps, do sufficient justice to the workman's side of the question, which is now beginning to receive consideration from the legislature. The selections from English literature we are pleased with, and we do not think we could have culled a number of pieces that would have pleased us better. It is a difficult thing to select a number of pieces to please a variety of readers. Readers of all tastes, however, will be delighted with Mr. Constable's collection.

Advanced Reading Book, 4s.-This book is unique in its way. No other book approaches it in what it does. It is divided into sections, and gives a clear and succinct account of Natural History, Natural Philosophy, the Human Body, Vegetable Products, Social Economy, Law, and Botany. Each of these subjects is explained by a writer who has attained a reputation in writing upon it. This may be described as the scientific half of the book. The other half is taken up with selections from English Literature in prose and poetry. The nice taste and exquisite judgment of the Editor in his selections we have before noticed.

Lecture-Boom Notes.

NOTES ON HEBER'S PALESTINE.'

References to Scripture.

Warrior Sons of Heaven.]-Josh. v. 13. 2 Kings vi. 2. 2 Macc. v. 3., xi.
Thy house is left unto thee desolate.]—Matt. xxiii. 38.

Refluent Jordan sought his trembling source.]—Psalm cxiv.

Thy long-neglected vine.]-Psalm lxxx. 8-14.

Harnessed Amorite.]-Joshua x.

Unhallowed fire.]—Lev. x. 1.

Tadmor (Palmyra).]—1 Kings ix. 2 Chron. viii.

How lovely were thy tents.]—Numbers xxiv. 5.

The Temple rear'd its everlasting gate.]-Psalm xxiv. 7.

No workman steel.]-1 Kings vi. 7.

View'd the descending flame.]—2 Chron. vii. 3.

Beat o'er her soul the billows of the proud.]-Psalm cxxiv. 4.

Weep for your country.]—Luke xxiii. 27, 28.

Burst his brazen bonds.]-Psalms ii. 3, cvii. 16.

Then on your tops shall deathless verdure spring.]-Ezek. xxxvi.
Courts the bright vision.] -Rev. xxi. 10.

Tells every gate.1-Ezek. xl.

The vast the awful form.]—Rev. x.

Lo, thrones arise, and every saint is there.]-Rev. xx.

God is their temple, and the Lamb their light.]—Rev. xxi. 22.
And the dry bones be warm with life again.]-Ezek. xxxvii.

Notes Historical.

58. The Druses of Mount Lebanon are distinguished for their untameable spirit, feudal customs, and affection for Europeans. They boast themselves to be a remnant of the Crusaders. Their religion is but little to this day understood. They believe in the divinity of Hakem, the third of the Fatimite Caliphs, who succeeded to the throne of Egypt, A.D. 1008. The worship of a mad tyrant is, however, said to be the basis of a subtle metaphysical creed, and of a severe, even ascetic, morality.

72. Heber believed that the gold of the Tyrians chiefly came from Portugal (Lusitania), and that this was probably their Tarshish. It is now generally held that Tarshish was Tartessus, a Phœnician city and emporium in the south of Spain.

74. Ophir has been variously placed, in Africa, in India, and in Arabia. Those who believe that it was in Africa identify it with 'far Sofali,' which they place on the western coast of Africa, near Mozambique. Milton Par. Lost, xi. 400, has And Sofala, thought Ophir.'

100. Nebaioth was the 'first-born of Ishmael' (Gen. xxv. 13 and 1

Chron. i. 29) and father of a pastoral tribe named after him. Keder was the second of the sons of Ishmael, and the name of a great tribe of the Arabs, settled on the north-west of the peninsula and the confines of Palestine. See Is. lx. 7. Jer. xlix. 28,

and Cant. i. 5.

121. Sirion was another name of Hermon. The position of these places should be observed, as they occur in the poem-Siloa, Tabor, Kedron, Pisgah, Carmel, Almotana (the Dead Sea), Ardeni (Jordan), Lebanon, Thrace, Tyre, Sidon, Sparta, Kishon, Euphrates, Sinai, Tadmor (Palmyra), Balbec, Estakhar (Persepolis), Paros, Shinar (Babylonia, or Lower Mesopotamia), Scythia, Phrygia, Byzantium (Canstantinople), Bactria, Tabaria (Sea of Tiberius), Malta, Acre.

131. Esau had the name Edom given to him, and the country he inherited was thence called the Land of Edom. Other names by which it was known were Idumea, and Mount Seir. It embraced the narrow mountainous tract (about 100 miles long by 20 broad), extending from the northern end of the gulf of Elath to near the southern end of the Dead Sea. Amaziah conquered Seir (2 Chron. xxv., 11, 12.) David captured its two sea-ports Elath and Ezion-geber, and here Solomon equipped his merchant fleet. (2 Sam. viii., 14. 1 Kings ix., 26.)