childhood to maturity. It is
detailed, moral, conscientious, and interesting.

BABBLE BROOK SONGS. By J. H. MCNAUGHTON. Boston: Oliver Ditson &
Co.

A volume of original songs and poems. That it comes from the University
Press is sufficient guarantee of its superb typography. Of these lyrics
we prefer 'Without the Children.'

RUBINA. New York: James G. Gregory, 46 Walker street.

A close and detailed picture of New England life and character. The poor
young orphans have a dismal time of it among their hard and coarse
relatives. The sterner forms of Puritanism are well depicted. The scene
at the funeral of poor Demis, with its harrowing and denunciatory sermon
over the corpse of the innocent girl, is powerful and true. The
character of the 'help,' Debby, is drawn from life, and is admirably
conceived and sustained. The book is, however, melancholy and
monotonous. So many young and generous hearts beating themselves forever
against the sharp stones of the baldest utilitarianism; so many bright
minds drifting into despair in the surrounding chaos of obstinate,
stolid, and perverse ignorance! It is a sadder book than 'The Mill on
the Floss,' of which it reminds us. How the aspiring and imaginative
must suffer in an atmosphere so cold and blighting!

COUNSEL AND COMFORT: Spoken from a City Pulpit. By the Author of
'The Recreations of a Country Parson.' Boston: Ticknor & Fields.
1864.

A book truly of good counsel and cheerful comfort. The strong
personality of the writer sometimes interferes with the expansiveness of
his views, as for instance in the discussion on pulpits; but it may
perhaps be to that very strength of personality that we owe the force
and directness of the lessons he so encouragingly inculcates.

A WOMAN'S RANSOM. by FREDERICK WILLIAM ROBINSON, Author of
'Grandmother's Money,' 'Under the Spell,' 'Wild Flower,' 'Slaves of
the Ring,' 'The House of Life,' etc. Boston: Published by T. O. H.
P. Burnham. New York: H. Dexter Hamilton & Co., Oliver S. Felt.

This work is published from advance sheets purchased from the English
publisher. It is an excellent novel, full of incident and interest. The
plot is artistic, and fascinates the reader to the end. The element of
mystery is skilfully managed, increasing until the final _denoument_,
which is original and unexpected. We commend it to the attention of the
lovers of fascinating fiction.

I