."

At the dissolution of the monasteries, Leland made application to
Secretary Cromwell, to entreat his assistance in getting the MSS. they
contained sent to the king's library. In 1542 Henry presented him with
the valuable rectory of Hasely, in Oxfordshire; the year following he
preferred him to a canonry of King's college, now Christchurch,
Oxford, and about the same time collated him to a prebend in the
church of Sarum. As his duties in the church did not require much
active service, he retired with his collections to his house in
London, where he sat about digesting them, and preparing the
publication he had promised to the world; but either his intense
application, or some other cause, brought upon him a total derangement
of mind, and after lingering two years in this state, he died on the
18th of April, 1552.

The writings of Leland are numerous; in his lifetime he published
several Latin and Greek poems, and some tracts on antiquarian
subjects. His valuable and voluminous MSS., after passing through many
hands, came into the Bodleian library, furnishing very valuable
materials to Stow, Lambard, Camden, Burton, Dugdale, and many other
antiquaries and historians. Polydore Virgil, who had stolen from them
pretty freely, had the insolence to abuse Leland's memory--calling him
"a vain glorious man." From these collections Hall published, in 1709,
"Commentarii de Scriptoribus Brittanicis." "The Itinerary of John
Leland, Antiquary," was published by the celebrated Hearne, at Oxford,
in nine volumes, 8vo., 1710, of which a second edition was printed in
1745, with considerable improvements and additions. The same editor
published "Joannis Lelandi Antiquarii de Rebus Brittanicis
Collectanea." in six volumes, Oxon. 1716, 8vo.

BIOS.

[Footnote 4: This was published by Bale in 1549, 8vo.]

* * * * *

THE SELECTOR AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_.

* * * * *

CORAL ISLANDS.

[In a recent Number of the MIRROR we quoted from Mr. Montgomery's
_Pelican Island_ a beautiful description of the formation of coral
reefs or rocks; and we are now induced to resume our extracts from
this soul stirring poem, with the following description of the process
by which these reefs or rocks become beautiful and picturesque
islands. Mr. Montgomery's poetical talent is altogether of the highest
order, or, to use a familiar phrase, his _Pelican Island_ is "a gem of