Our worthy publisher has just issued a volume which will be welcome, for
the excellence of its matter and the beauty of its various illustrations,
to all archæologists. These _Memoirs illustrative of the History and
Antiquities of Bristol and the Western Counties of Great Britain, and other
Communications made to the Annual Meeting of the Archæological Institute
held at Bristol in 1851_, certainly equal in interest and variety any of
their predecessors, and whether as a memorial of their visit to Bristol to
those who attended the meeting, or as a pleasant substitute to those who
did not, will doubtless find a resting-place on the shelf of every member
of the Society whose proceedings they record.
We cannot better recommend to our readers Dr. Madden's newly published
_Life and Martyrdom of Savonarola, illustrative of the History of Church
and State Connexion_, than by stating that this remarkable man, whom some
Protestants have claimed as of their own creed, while as many Romanists
have rejected him as a heretic, is viewed by Dr. Madden as a monk of
Florence at the close of the fifteenth century, who was of opinion that the
mortal enemy of Christ's gospel in all ages of the world had been mammon;
that simony was the sin against the Holy Ghost; that the interests of
religion were naturally allied with those of liberty; that the Arts were
the handmaids of both, of a Divine origin, and were given to earth for
purposes that tended to spiritualise humanity; and who directed all his
teachings, preachings, and writings to one great object, namely, _the
separation of religion from all worldly influences_. On this theme Dr.
Madden discourses with great learning, and, some few passages excepted,
with great moderation; and the result is a Life of Savonarola, which gives
a far more complete view of his character and his writings than has
heretofore been attempted.
BOOKS RECEIVED.--_History of England from the Peace of Utrecht to the Peace
of Versailles_, by Lord Mahon, Vol. V. This volume embraces the period
between the early years of George III. and 1774, when Franklin was
dismissed from his office of Deputy Postmaster-General; and, as it includes
the Junius period, gives occasion to Lord Mahon to avow his adherence to
"the Franciscan theory;" while the Appendix contains two letters in support
of the same view,--one from Sir James Macintosh, and one from Mr.
Macaulay.--_Confessions of a Working Man, from the French of Emile
Souvestre_. This interesting narrative, well deserving the attention both
of masters and working men, forms Part XLVIII. of Longman's _Traveller's
Library._--_Remains of Pagan Saxondom, principally from Tumuli in England,
drawn from the Originals:_ described and illustrated by J. Y. Akerman, Part
VI. containing coloured engravings of the size of the originals of Fibulæ
and Bullæ, from cemeteries in Kent; and Fibulæ, Beads, &c. from a grave
near Stamford.
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