one work is known to me, that
published in Munich, in 1847, under the title of 'Gutzlaffs History of
the Chinese Empire from the earnest times to the Peace of Nankin'. In our
imperfect acquaintance with Chinese history this compendium is not
without value, but it displays no critical power, and is a mere external
compilation and poorly written. From it we learn as good as nothing of
the peculiar customs and state of mental culture of the country. The
whole resembles a Christian History of the World written in the
eighteenth century, Beginning with Adam and Eve, and leaving the Greeks
and Romans out altogether because they were without a divine revelation."

Mr. Gutzlaff's family were recently for several months in the United
States, and the proceedings of the great missionary--second in eminence
only to our own Judson--have always been regarded with much interest by
the American churches.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS

The Asiatic Society at Paris has just held its twenty-eighth yearly
session. According to the report of its Secretary and Financial
Committee, this society has suffered little from the disastrous times
which have fallen on literature generally. In 1848, being uncertain as to
the future, it stopped receiving subscriptions to works with a view to
their publication, and arrested the printing of those which were already
commenced, with the single exception of the Asiatic Journal, which the
members determined not to alter in any case. The series of this journal
is of great value, containing already fifty-five volumes, to which two
new ones are added every year. For many years it has contained only
original articles, though formerly it admitted translations from other
European languages. Of course, in so voluminous a periodical work, the
contents vary in character, but the whole is of the greatest importance
to History, Belles Lettres, and Philology, and should not be wanting in
any public library. The society has now resumed the suspended
publications, beginning with the "Chronicles of Cashmir", by the Austrian
Orientalist Captain Troyer, two volumes of which were issued some time
since. Troyer is a remarkable man. As an Austrian artillery and staff
officer he served in all the wars, from the breaking out of the French
Revolution to the Peace of Paris. While in Italy, he passed some time at
the head-quarters of Lord William Bentinck, as an Austrian Commissioner,
and so gained his esteem and confidence that he was in