Those who judge of a book's importance by its size will be most
egregiously taken in by _Regal Rome: an Introduction to Roman History by
Francis W. Newman, Professor of Latin in University College, London_. In
this small volume of less than two hundred pages the learned
professor--who holds that _wisely to disbelieve_ is our first grand
requisite in dealing with materials of mixed worth--has followed, but
not slavishly, the direction which Niebuhr's erudition and untiring
energy have so appropriated, that by many it has been supposed to be
exclusively Niebuhr's own; and the result is, that he has reconstructed
a picture of ancient Rome, to which we refer our classical readers, in
the full confidence that they will thank us for doing so; and that, if
they do not, on perusal, agree with all Mr. Newman's views, they will at
least concede to him the credit due to great learning and perspicuity.
When we consider the great influence which the Crusades exercised on the
civilisation of Europe--how prominent is the position they occupy in the
social and political history of their era--and how fertile a source of
wealth they have proved to the poets and novelists of all succeeding
ages, and of all countries--it is certainly a matter of surprise that
amid the rage for translation which has of late years manifested itself
among us, no one should have undertaken to lay before the English reader
a translation of Michaud's able and interesting narrative of this great
chapter in the history of the Middle Ages. Michaud's work acquired for
its author, and very deservedly, an European reputation; and in issuing
a well-executed version of it at a moderate price, the publisher of
_Michaud's History of the Crusades, Translated from the French_ by W.
Robson, is rendering good service, not only to those who cannot peruse
the work in the original, but to all classes of historical readers. This
(the first volume) has prefixed to it a very interesting memoir of
Michaud.
BOOKS RECEIVED.--Mr. Bohn's contributions to the cheap publications of
the month are--in his _Scientific Library_, the fourth volume of
_Humboldt's Cosmos_, translated by Otté and Paul; in his _Standard
Library, The Principal Works and Remains of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, with
a new Memoir of his Life, by his Son the Rev. A. G. Fuller_, which
contains his _Gospel its own Witness, or the Holy Nature and Divine
Harmony of the Christian Religion contrasted with the Immorality and
Absurdity of Deism_; and his _Calvinistic and Socinian Systems examined
and compared as to their moral tendency_--two works by which this
excellent Nonconformist divine did much to stem the torrent of
immorality and infidelity which the deistical and democratical writers
of his time were infusing into the minds of the people. _Cicero's
Orations_, Vol. ii., literally translated by C. D. Yonge, is the new
volume of the _Classical Library_; that of the _Illustrated Library_
being the second and concluding volume of Allan's _Battles of the
British Navy_, illustrated with eighteen portraits of our most eminent
naval worthies. The proprietors of the _National Illustrated Library_
have completed their edition of Huc's most interesting _Travels in
Tartary_ by the publication of the second volume, and have issued a new
edition in two volumes of Dr. Mackay's _Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular
Delusions_. The favour with which the original edition of this work,
written in a pleasant gossiping style, was so generally received, will
probably be increased towards the present one, as it has the advantage
of numerous woodcut illustrations, many of them highly interesting, and
all adding to the amusing character of the book.