examples of the questions proposed to the candidates are likewise given from the papers used at the various competitive examinations which have already been held. Altogether, it is an indispensable guide to those who require direction as to the best method of procedure in order to pass the ordeal of a successful examination."

"Is the test a very severe and searching one?" asked Edward.

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By no means so, in my opinion. Nothing is demanded which a well-educated youth, by ordinary diligence and determination, may not readily master. The tabulated results of the examinations disclose some curious and rather discreditable facts. Among the grounds of refusal, a large proportion are from defective spelling, from ignorance of arithmetic, and from bad writing-just those very acquirements, indeed, which are open to the attainment of boys who enjoy the advantage of any school-training at all. This quite corresponds with my own observation and experience among the young. The specimens of erroneous spelling with which the book is garnished, are enough to make one blush for the vaunted intelligence of the rising race. Such murdering of our mother tongue is a positive disgrace to the age."

"Oh!" exclaimed Ellen, "do read us a few examples of the philological accomplishments of these aspiring geniuses.' "Don't be sarcastic," replied Edward; "perhaps your turn will come next.'

"Well," acquiesced the Editor, "I will see if I can oblige you. I will write down a few mis-shapen words, and you shall guess what they were designed to represent. Here they are:-Mutial, indiviual, genious, erugularity, preasant, natuarly, heigtth, diarea, cishel, descentions, judment, impreshings, pre-emant, persutes, polacy, thoe, possed, lickley, annelical, prolax. There, that will do for a sample.'

66

Surely, sir," cried Augustus, "you are jesting; such stupidities never could be perpetrated by youths aspiring to positions of respectability in the public service of Great Britain."

"Indeed, my friend, I never was more serious. They are bona fide extracts from a list of several hundreds of similar orthographical absurdities. They serve to show the importance of the new regulations; since, but for the examination they had thus to undergo, some of these rejected incapables would, undoubtedly, through the exercise of private influence, have been saddled upon the country for life."

"If the gentlemen have done with their clever clients," said Emmeline, "I shall have pleasure in introducing to

their notice the last addition to that popular series, 'THE RUN AND READ LIBRARY."

"I hope," remarked Mrs. M., "it is of such a character as to sustain the high reputation already earned by its predecessors. No parent need fear for the morals or the taste of the young into whose hands any of these volumes may happen to fall. As tale-reading has become almost a necessity of existence with all classes, I know of no way in which the evil consequences attending this craving for intellectual and emotional excitement are more likely to be averted than by promoting the perusal of such works as those adopted by the judicious publishers of the RUN AND READ' series. The new volume to which Emmeline refers is, I presume, 'ADONIJAH; A TALE OF THE JEWISH DISPERSION:' by Miss Jane M. Strickland?"*

"Just so," replied Emmeline;" and I do not hesitate to express my conviction that it deserves to take rank side by side with NAOMI.' Both relate to the same solemn period of history; but while Mrs. Webb, by a spell of terrible interest, draws her breathless, speechless readers through all the confusions, civil discords, sanguinary struggles, mad excitements, and horrible disasters of the siege and destruction of the Holy City-in Miss Strickland's story, the principal theatre on which the drama of love, suffering, despair, bigotry, and conversion is played out is Rome. Adonijah, the hero of the story, is a captive Jew, taken by the Romans at the surrender of Jotapata, in Galilee, just before Vespasian marched upon Jerusalem. He was taken to Corinth, where, with hosts of other prisoners of war, he was employed in the wild scheme of Nero to cut a canal through the isthmus which divides the Egean from the Adriatic Sea. Refusing to labour on the Sabbath, he forfeited his life; but through the intercession of a Roman officer, who had recognised his nobility and worth, he was spared, and became freedman to Lucius Claudius, a representative of one of the highest families of Rome. His adventures and experiences in connexion with this family are of the most tragical description, giving us a gloomy insight into the vices, treacheries, and crimes that pervaded Roman society at that period. The condition, sufferings, and silent triumphs of the early Christians at the eternal city come in for a large share of notice. After a chequered career of Jewish hostility and bigotry, the hero ultimately succumbs to the long-abhorred doctrine of the cross and the sweet influences of Christian charity, and becomes allied to Lucia

*London: Simpkin & Co. Ipswich: Burton & Co.

Claudia, the sister of his patrician lord. The whole tale, indeed, is the proper counterpart and companion to NAOMI' -the one exhibiting the momentous political and religious events of the time from the Jewish, and the other from the Roman, point of view."

serve.

"Here is a volume," said Mrs. M., quietly, "which, from its title, will not, I fear, secure the attention its merits deHow often, in the ordinary intercourse of society, we are brought into contact and communion with persons, who, by their plain externals and unattractive features, give no indications of the moral worth, intellectual opulence, or spiritual excellence, that are casketed within. Occasional converse with them is needed to disclose their wealth of soul and beauty of heart. It is sometimes just so with books. The most showy and pretentious are not usually the best. Experience should teach us caution and discrimination in forming a judgment, both of persons and publications. This plain-featured volume, for instance, gives no outward sign of the deeply interesting qualities of its contents. The titleTHE ARK OF THE COVENANT, ILLUSTRATIVE OF GOD'S PRESENCE WITH HIS PEOPLE,' would convey to most readers the idea of dryness and heaviness; yet a more varied, pleasant, and profitable work, has seldom fallen into my hands. It combines historic episodes of the old Hebrew times, depicted with singular accuracy, completeness, and vividness-biographic sketches of eminent Biblical characters-geographical notices elucidatory of the Scriptural narratives a clear description of the structure, purpose, movements, and vicissitudes of the ark of God-and all made subservient to the inculcation of great practical lessons, suited in turn for young and old, the healthy and the sick, the happy and the suffering. It is a book which, if once taken up and thoughtfully conned, is likely ever after to become the companion of serious hours. There is something in it suited for every changeful phase of life, and every mood of mind. Two or three examples of the headings of the twenty-five chapters will afford a clue to the mode of treatment adopted by the author. Contents of the Ark; or, God's Presence linked with Man's Duty;' The Ark in the Wilderness; or, God's Presence amid Life's Changes;' The Ark in the Battle-field; or, God's Presence Forgotten,' &c., &c. The plan is an admirable one; and, what is better, it is admirably executed. I commend its perusal to all of you, for your spiritual instruction and nourishment."

* London: J. F. Shaw.

“An almost inexhaustible mine of profitable amusement will be found by little folks in a book which has reached me," observed Augustus, "called 'FACTS ABOUT BOYS, FOR Boys.' They have been compiled and arranged by the Rev. J. Crawshaw, a gentleman already favourably known by his literary labours on behalf of the young. Having occasion sometimes to address Sabbath and Ragged-school children, I have found a storehouse of incident and anecdote like this, so easily accessible, of great advantage to me. Children, the rudest and the most refined, will always listen to addresses abounding with lively and telling facts; and, if this book were consulted by those good but prosy people, who, in talking to a group of boys, contrive to send them asleep or set them yawning, they might furnish a never-failing antidote to such juvenile improprieties. As a gift-book to boys, too, the publication is deserving of a large circulation.”

"I hope the diligent compiler will favour us,” said Ellen, "with a similar collection of facts and anecdotes for girls." "Probably," replied the Editor, "it is his intention to do so. But, at least, there can be no harm in expressing our wishes to that effect."

"It is time," remarked Emmeline, "that this charming story of BENOMI; OR, THE TRIUMPH OF CHRISTIANITY OVER JUDAISM, by the REV. DR. BARTH,'† should receive the notice to which it is entitled."

"The title," interposed Edward, "seems to me a misnomer. I took the attractive little work up one day, and read on, deeply engrossed, to the end of the first part; but was disappointed to find nothing there to justify the title prefixed. At first I thought I had hit upon a new illustration of an old evil-the wrong thing in the wrong place; I fancied the binder must have by mistake inserted the sketch of Edmé Campion in the cloth-case designed for Benomi; but on further examination, I discovered, that about the middle of the book, we were allowed to make the acquaintance of the noble young Spanish Jew. The two narratives certainly ought to have been kept apart, as the only link between Campion and Benomi occurs quite incidentally at the close of the volume. Apart from this structural objection, the work is worthy of hearty commendation, and should have a wide circulation among the young."

* London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co.
+ London: Wertheim & Macintosh.