ever the name of Christianity is respected, or the best interests of society are understood and valued.

The problem discussed by the author is, Why do so many more women than men become Christians? This is the one point from which all his reflections depart, and to which they return. It is not my purpose to anticipate him, by giving anything like an abstract of his work, or by putting his very suggestive thoughts in any words but his own. I merely intend, by way of introduction, to offer a few additional reflections, which have been suggested by "the infidel solution of the problem", as set forth in the second chapter of the volume. This solution is, in substance, that woman is the weaker vessel, and is therefore more easily deceived by the shams and sophistries enlisted in the cause of Christianity. The spirit of this solution, even when not expressed in words, often lurks in the heart of man, and, with many other things of the same kind, serves to harden it against the influence of the truth. He feels as if religion is an affair for women and children, but not for the higher order of intellectual beings, like himself. He may admit, perhaps, that it is a good thing for "the vulgar herd", as he is pleased to call the uneducated multitude; but he very surely imagines that one who has reached the sublime heights of reason should lay aside "the prejudices of his infancy." This spirit, which lies concealed and unsuspected in the hearts of so many, sometimes speaks out in right plain and intelligible words. Thus, Laplace, in his great work, La Systéme du Monde, turns aside to deplore the fact that even some of the greatest minds, such as Leibnitz and Newton, have not been able to overcome "the prejudices of infancy", as he expresses himself, and rise above the vulgar multitude into the region of pure reason, where neither a film of prejudice nor a shadow of superstition ever intercepts the view of men or of angels. He seems to stand on some one of the stars in the Mécanique Céleste, and look down, with an eye of pride and pity, on the greatest minds of earth, such as Descartes and Pascal and Leibnitz and Newton, because in the fetters of an infantile faith they are still associated with the weaker vessels of humanity.'

We hope, for the sake of our friend, Mr. Slaughter, that the reader is very anxious to see our reply to Laplace, Gibbon, &c., as well as the little book itself; and that he will gratify his curiosity, as soon as possible, by the purchase of the work. He will do a good thing; and he will get a good book.

1868.

2.- A NEW PRACTICAL HEBREW GRAMMAR, with Hebrew-English and EnglishHebrew Exercises, and a Hebrew Chrestomathy. By Solomon Deutsch, A. M., Ph. D. New York: Leypoldt & Holt. WHOEVER Will master this volume of 268 pages, 8vo., about half of it grammar, and the other half exercises, chrestomathy, and vocabulary,- and two hours a day for six months, will secure the mastery of it,- will find himself able to read the Hebrew Bible by himself, with only an occasional consultation of the Lexicon. cal students, far superior, as such, to the grammar of Gesenius; and Dr. Deutsch deserves, and we trust will receive, from them a substantial acknowledgment of their indebtedness to him for his labor in their behalf. The getting up of the book is by a Baltimore printer, C. W. Schneidereith, and is, we confess, an agreeable surprise to us; for excellence of typography, both Hebrew and English, it may challenge comparison with the best work of the Riverside press.

It is indeed an admirable manual for theologi

3.- A HISTORY OF MARYLAND Upon the Basis of MCSHERRY, for the use of Schools. By Henry Onderdonk, A. M., late President of the Maryland Agricultural College. Baltimore: John Murphy & Co. 1868.

WE have here, what our teachers have long felt the want of, a school history of Maryland, in moderate compass, written in a manner to attract and interest the youthful student. We are glad to learn that it is rapidly winning its way to public favor, and hope it will, ere long, come into general use in our schools and academies. We have noticed an occasional discrepancy in the dates of the text and of the chronological tables, which should be corrected in another edition.

4.- RICHMOND DURING THE WAR; Four Years of Personal Observations. By a Richmond Lady. New York: G. W. Carleton & Co. 1867. Pp. 38.

IN the above volume, an intelligent and cultivated lady gives, from her point of view in Richmond, her observations during the four years of the war. They are exceedingly interesting, and recall many recollections of alarms, panics, battles, heroic deeds, and sufferings by fire, and sword, and famine, and disease. We shall never forget 'Pawnee Sunday.' We were not in Richmond on that memorable day, but we arrived there on the following Monday or Tuesday, and found the city filled with mer riment at its recent alarm, and a thousand amusing stories were afloat with respect to the incidents of 'Pawnee Sunday.' It was understood that, in case of danger, 'the bell on the Square'

should sound the alarm; and some one, foolishly enough, rang the people to arms, while most of them were engaged in Divine service on the Sabbath. No one knew what it portended; and, indeed, if the whole Northern army had been in the act of entering the city, the excitement could hardly have been greater than it was. In an instant,' says our author, 'all was confusion. The men, in the excitement, rushed pell-mell from the churches; and the women, pale and trembling with affright, clung to their sons and husbands, wherever they could- but getting no response to their tearful question-" What is the matter? What is the matter?" Hasty embraces, sudden wrenchings of the hand, tearful glances of affection, and our men rushed to their armories, to prepare they knew not for what. On every female face was the pale hue of dismay; but mingled with it, the stern, unmistakable impress of heroic resolution to yield up their hearts' "“most cherished idols upon the altar of their country, if need be." Now, all this excitement, and wild confusion, arose from the idle rumor that the Pawnee, a Federal iron-clad, was ascending James river to shell Richmond; or rather from the silly act of ringing the Square Bell' in consequence of that rumor. The people of Richmond, however, soon got accustomed to such rumors, and minded them no more than the idle wind. Nay, they soon got accustomed to the stern realities of war; and often have we thought of 'Pawnee Sunday', as we have seen the men, women, and children, of Richmond, calmly engaged in conversation respecting the fortunes of the day, even while the tremendous roar of the enemy's cannon was sounding in their ears. In the work before us, we are, indeed, presented with a lively picture of Richmond during the War.' But who can describe Richmond as it was before, and as it is since, the war? How strange the contrast! How wonderful the change! We seldom permit ourselves, indeed, to think of that beautiful and beloved city, otherwise than as she was before the war,- before 'stern ruin's ploughshare drove clate full on her bloom.' No city in the world, unless we are greatly deceived, could boast a more delightful society than existed in Richmond before the war. For real hospitality, for genuine refinement of sentiment and manners, and, in short, for all the amenities of social life, we have certainly never known, nor do we desire to know, its superior. Much of that scciety remains, we are aware, and it will not undergo any material change during the present generation. But what the

society of Richmond, as a whole, now is, or is likely to become, is a question which we shall never have the time or the heart to investigate. The emancipation of its slaves, and the frightful influx of Northern coarseness, will, no doubt, do the work of social deterioration and debasement in Richmond, as well as in all other parts of the South, as surely as night follows the day.

In conclusion, we cordially recommend the little work entitled, 'Richmond During the War', as a readable and interesting production.

6.-DAVIES' ARITHMETICAL SERIES. New York: A. S. Barnes & Burr.

Davies' Primary Arithmetic.

Practical Arithmetic.

University Arithmetic.

RAY'S ARITHMETICAL SERIES. Cincinnati: Sargent, Wilson & Hinkle.

Practical Arithmetic.

Elements of Written Arithmetic.
Intellectual Arithmetic.

Primary Arithmetic.

Rudiments of Arithmetic.

Intellectual Arithmetic.

Test Examples in Arithmetic.
Hi, her Arithmetic.

First Lessons in Numbers.

VENABLE'S ARITHMETICAL SERIES. New York: Richardson & Co. 1868.

Pure and Commercial Arithmetic.

WE came home, the other day, with a basket full of arithmetics. Arithmetics in a basket? Yes, a market basket filled with arithmetics evidently made for the market-why not? It is certainly a good thing to have a good market supplied with good articles; and what harm if, on occasion, they be carried in a market basket?

But all these books-almost too much of a good thing!were sent to us for notice in the SOUTHERN REVIEW. What reviewer, however, can do a hundred and one things, and, at the same time, read and examine a hundred and one books? Now, to be honest with our readers, we have not read one of them. As we could not read all, so we resolved to read none; being determined to preserve a strict impartiality as to these candidates for public favor. Still, we intend to make this battalion of books, considered from a military point of view, the subject of a few reflections.

The first reflection which occurs to us is, that we live in 'a progressive age'; and hence the almost innumerable progressive series' of school books in different departments of science and letters. Progressive readers; progressive copy-books; progressive arithmetics; progressive all things! Every thing, indeed, seems to be progressive now-a-days, except students. The spirit of progress has, we fear, got out of the minds of our children, and taken up its residence in their school books.

Why, when we were boys—say some forty-five years ago only one arithmetic was put into our hands. If, in the wide world, there was any other arithmetic but one, we were permitted to live and grow in blessed ignorance of the fact. Pike constituted the whole of our progressive series'; which was a series of propositions or principles, and not of books. And this we here solemnly record the fact was all that we ever needed for our own progress; and this progress has been through algebra, geometry, trigonometry, analytical geometry, the differential and integral calculus, the Principia of Newton, &c., &c. That is to say, we have progressed from the first to the last round of the ladder of mathematics, without aid from any elementary arithmetic besides our old precious Pike. Why, then, are we, in this progressive age, afflicted with so many progressive series of arithmetics?

This is a very serious question. It seems to admit of several solutions, more or less probable, if not altogether satisfactory and complete. One is, perhaps, that in this progressive age, there must be progress in every thing. Hence, as there is no great room for progress on the first round of the ladder, so this must be split into three, or four, or five, or six, or seven pieces; and so arranged that the student may progress from one part to another of the same round. Or, in other words, one round is split up, and made into a nice little ladder, along which the feet of the delighted little climber may gradually ascend, from his Primary to his Elements of Arithmetic; from his Elements to his Intellectual Arithmetic; from his Intellectual to his Practical Arithmetic; and from his Practical to his University Arithmetic. Nor is this all; for we sometimes find in the same series a Speller and a Grammar of Arithmetic. Thus does it require four, and sometimes as many as eight, different volumes, in order to complete one of our modern progressive series' of arithmetics. Cui bono?