Detained in France; A Tale of the First French
Empire. By AGNES GIBERNE, author of the
"Curate's Home," etc. London: Seeley,
Jackson & Halliday.

This well-written tale embodies a vast amount of historical information, carefully gleaned and faithfully tested. The deep and painful interest now attaching to unhappy France, will doubtless secure for this volume a large circulation; but apart from this interest the vivid pictures of social and political life in England and France during the First French Empire are equally attractive and instructive. Heartily will every reader re-echo the longing desire with which the tale closes, for "the glorious time shining in the distance, when

"No longer shall the fiery scream of war,

The furious charge, the shouts that pierce the sky, Wake, like dim echoes, o'er the surges far,

The widow's sob, the orphan's wailing cry!"

Scotland's Welcome: Song and Chorus. Words and Music by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL, author of "The Ministry of Song." Paisley: J. & R. Parlane.

The words of this song have already appeared in Our Own Fireside. The music is admirably in keeping with the words; and both will be exceedingly popular during the coming month. There should have been a London publisher's name. The Princess Louise has

honoured the author by accepting a copy. Familiar Talks on Themes of General Christian Experience. By HENRY WARD BEECHER. London: T. Nelson & Son.

These colloquial comments on topics of personal Christian experience are likely to be very useful. There is a capital paper on "Making Religion attractive to Children." Perhaps we shall best recommend the book by quoting a paragraph or two:—

"RELIGION-NOT A COLLECTION OF NOTS.'-I do not think any of us know how much our religion stands on negatives. It is with many a collection of nots. It is avoiding this, that, and the other thing. It is thought to consist in what in the New Testament is denominated repentance. But religion comes after that. When you have had your nots, your negatives, which are necessary, then come the positives, the affirmatives. Real love of truth, real meekness and gentleness, real generosity, real high-mindedness, real love to God and genuine love to man, these are religion. When a man repents and reforms, he is doing John-Baptist work preparatory to religion. Then he begins to be Christ's man. Then the development becomes positive, affirmative. We largely bring up our children under the impression that religion consists in restraints, that it consists in a round of evils

that we must avoid. If we could manage to teach our children more things to be and do, I think the love of religion would be earlier developed in them.

"TEACHING.-It seems to me that we should attempt to teach our children as much as possible, as the Scripture teaches us, by narrative. You never had to persuade a child to listen while you related a parable. You never had to persuade a child to listen while you read a thrilling history. The Bible is written largely in the narrative style. A vast proportion of the instructive part bears that form. I do not object to a child's being drilled, little by little, in higher forms, in intellectual presentations of truth. I approve of it. But, after all, most of the truth that we teach children ought to be, it seems to me, in a parabolic or narrative form. It ought to be more nearly objective, and less abstract, and purely intellectual. The fancy wakes early. In the early youth of the race, when the minds of men are uncultivated, or among children, the imagination is extremely active; and no book ever was written so full of appeals to the imagination as the Bible. There is the clearest indication of the Divine intention that we should draw the child's understanding through the power of the imagination.

While

"THE DIVINE SPIRIT.-One thing more. we are attempting to teach our children by example, by precept, by reading, by conversation, by using on them and round about them all the things that Christian society has furnished us, there is, after all, one thing without which our work will come short. You might as well undertake to raise flowers without sunshine as to undertake to raise Christian affections in children's hearts without the Divine Spirit. In some way their souls must be open to that influence which is the father of all that is good in every experience.

"ENCOURAGEMENT.-And when you have secured this condition, and done such other things as your circumstances dictate, remember that, in the providence of God, you are working in the family, which is His ordinance. And when you are tempted to be discouraged about your children because they do not show the fruit of your teaching in one year, or five years, or ten years, or fifteen years, remember that God has waited for you many more years than you have for your children. And God, who is waiting for you, and is patient with you, will help you to rear your children. For you are under a dispensation of infinite Divine sympathy and mercy; and more often than otherwise the very signs and tokens that fill the souls of parents with discouragement turn out to be premonitions of the greatest Divine mercies.

Three Little Sisters. By EMMA MARSHALL, Author of "Grace Buxton," etc. London : James Nisbet & Co.

Like all Mrs. Marshall's books for the young, this charming story will reach both head and heart. It enforces the lesson that "love makes all things easy, rough places smooth, and stormy waters calm, the love which shall never die, but will be our joy and our crown of rejoicing in the paradise of God."

Footsteps of the Flock. By ANNA SHIPTON. London: Morgan, Chase, & Scott.

Very striking and impressive narratives of spiritual usefulness. A sentence here and there we might wish to qualify; but we gladly commend the book as adapted to stimulate Christian zeal and devotedness.

Truth and Trust: Lessons on the War. Four Advent Sermons. By HENRY ALFORD, D.D., Dean of Canterbury, London: Hodder & Stoughton.

66

This is a "last" volume, from the pen of one whose name will long be a cherished memory in the Christian Church. The Sermons are entitled, "Cease ye from Man," 'WonderFaith," "The Promise of Peace," and "Why are ye Fearful?" As a fitting memorial of departed worth, we hope these "Lessons of Truth and Trust" will have a very wide circulation. The Sermons are masterpieces of pulpit eloquence.

One Thousand Gems from the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. Edited and compiled by the Rev. G. D. Evans. London: Hodder & Stoughton. If we say the title of this book is justified by its contents, we need add no more. If we can find space next month we may present our readers with a few of these "Gems."

Violet's Idol. By JOANNA H. MATTHEWS. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

Good as far it goes; but this tale is lacking in distinctive Christian teaching, where we should most expect to find it.

The Evidences of Christianity in the Nineteenth Century. By ALBERT BARNES. London: Blackie & Son.

A very valuable series of lectures in defence of the great doctrines of Christianity, embracing a candid investigation of "Objections raised in the nineteenth century." To students in our colleges this book will be most serviceable. While recognising the admirable and forceful treatment of the various branches of the Christian Evidences, we think the ninth lecture especially, on the adaptation of Christianity to the wants of man, is very powerfully written. Its argument, briefly stated, is this: "A religion that will prepare a sinful man to die, and that will give peace on a dying bed, must be from God."

A Missionary of the Apostolic School: being The Life of Dr. A. Judson, of Burmah. Revised and Edited by HORATIUS BONAR, D.D. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

This revised and condensed biography of Dr. Judson, prepared, under Dr. Bonar's superintendence, by his daughter, will be greatly valued. Dr. Bonar well says: "The apostle of Burmah was no common man, and wrought no common work." He deserves to be had in remembrance, as one of the most noble, self-denying and successful of modern missionaries.

Beacons and Patterns; or, Lessons for Young Men. By the Rev. W. LANDELS, D.D. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Religious books, really adapted for young men, are not numerous. The more gladly do we welcome this volume of Bible studies. The heads of large establishments, anxious to exert a Christian influence, could not do better than to present a copy of the volume to the young men in their employ.

A Practical Commentary on The Gospel of St. John; in Simple and Familiar Language. By G. B. London: James Nisbet & Co.

Originality in sermons and in commentaries is too often gained by the introduction of much that is not in the text. The expositions of Scripture in this volume happily lack this kind of originality; and we cordially recommend them as truly simple, earnest, and faithful comments, applying and commending to the heart and conscience of the reader the written Word itself.

Moses the Man of God: A course of Lectures. By the late JAMES HAMILTON, D.D., F.L.S. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

A new work from the pen of the author of "The Mount of Olives,"-four-and-twenty lec tures on the life and times of Moses,-is a boon indeed. It is no slight cause of thankfulness that the manuscripts, although not prepared for the press by the author, bore suffi cient indications of his ultimate intention to justify their publication. They abound with great and noble thoughts, and will furnish very rich enjoyment both for mind and heart. But it is really needless to say this of anything written by Dr. Hamilton.

Not Your Own; or, Counsels to young Christians. By the Rev. GEORGE EVERARD, M.A. Fourth Edition. London: W. Hunt & Co. We are not surprised to see a fourth edition of " Not Your Own;" rather we hope soon to see a fortieth edition. It is the very book so often looked for in vain when parents are anxious to deepen Confirmation impressions in the young. It is interesting to hear that it has been translated into the Tamil language by a native teacher, and printed by the Christian Knowledge Society in Madras. It ought to have at home a circulation equal to the "Pathway of Safety."

The Rock. London: 117, Aldersgate Street.

We do not review newspapers; but we gladly call attention to the greatly improved and enlarged form in which The Rock now appears. It claims the support of all Evangelical Churchmen more than ever, since this spirited expansion. Might not the clergy do themselves and their people a service by introducing it wher ever it is still unknown? It is now a capital family paper, sustained by first-class writers.

CHAPTER XVII.

AN EVENTFUL EVENING AT HOLLY LODGE.

M

ARCH had come in bright and boisterous as usual. The trees in the garden at Holly Lodge had begun to put forth tender buds. Every sheltered nook was fragrant with the odour of violets; and the pale primrose had unfolded her petals on the bank outside the gate. The great heart of nature, dormant and chilled so long, began to stir and move, in all the hope and joyousness of spring.

The last two months had passed quietly at Holly Lodge, yet an ominous kind of importance had attached itself to them. Isabel had sat working, day by day, with antiring industry. Mrs. Longhurst knew full well that she was preparing for her wedding. Isabel's visits to Willoughby House had ceased, now her engagement to Hugh was openly talked about. But this act of selfdenial was compensated by the presence of her friend Gertrude at all times and seasons. That young lady was continually at the house, and professed the most lively interest in Isabel's plans and arrangements.

In spite of this ardent zeal, Isabel could not feel altogether content. The time had come when the contrast between the sweetness and purity of Margaret's character, and the flippancy of Gertrude, made itself apparent. Isabel was unable, with all her sophistry, to ignore certain plain facts that jutted up, bare and rugged in her path.

Added to which, on many points, Isabel looked to her friend in vain for sympathy.

THE WORLD

As the time for separation approached, she could not but be conscious of her mother's increasing feebleness Now that her end was gained, and all opposition withdrawn, she could afford to muse on this, with pain and regret. She could afford also to listen to the voice of affection which had seemed of late silenced. Her self-reproach became, at times, so keen that she could not forbear speaking of it to Gertrude.

"Gertrude!" she said, one morning, in a tone of unusual gravity, "don't you think that mamma is getting much more feeble?"

"What! Mrs. Longhurst? O! she is just as she always was! I see no difference," replied Gertrude carelessly.

"I am afraid mamma will miss me when I am gone," resumed Isabel, as if her thoughts could not be turned from the subject; "I think she never required more care and nursing than she does now."

"I should not get that idea into your head, my dear; you have not been much of a companion to Mrs. Longhurst, so she is not likely to miss you. She will do just as she was obliged to do, all the days you spent with us. And as to her being worse—a creaking wheel goes a very long time."

Every word of this unfeeling speech smote Isabel to the heart. It was true, as far as she was concerned, to the letter. But the self-reproach wakened by it, stung her so sharply that she tried, vainly, alas! to find some solace in the sympathy of her lover.

"Hugh, I am so unhappy!" she said, a few hours after, when she was walking with him in the garden.