, are strongly corroborative of this
evidence, and would of themselves lead to the deduction of such
identity. Upon the whole, we consider the merits of the work before us
to consist, not in the demonstration of a theorem, but in presenting to
the reader a compendious record of physical, historical, and
psychological facts and relations. Viewed in this light, it is an
interesting contribution to ethnology; while the size of the book, the
pictorial illustrations, and the absence of unnecessary technicality,
make it a convenient manual for the general reader.

FOOTNOTES:

{A} _The Natural History of Man._ By J. C. PRICHARD, M.D.

{B} The term _Hamitish_ is not used by Dr Prichard; but as he gives no
distinctive appellation to his third division, we adopt that which has
been used by Beke and others.

{C} The term _Arian_, used by Dr Prichard, is objectionable as having
received a very different application.

POEMS BY COVENTRY PATMORE.{A}

This is certainly an age of very merciful tendencies. The severity of
the criminal laws has been greatly abated; and, in conformity with the
views of the legislature, we have, of late years, been gradually
relaxing the stringency of our critical code. Yet we question whether
the change has been productive of good, and whether the result can be
said to have answered the expectations either of government or of
ourselves. We doubt whether crime has diminished in consequence of the
legislative clemency; and, in our own humble department, we are now
convinced that the mild method is not the best way of bringing singers
to repentance. The experiment has been fairly tried, and the numerous
trashy publications put forth by the young writers of the day,
particularly in the poetical line, convince us that our mercy has been
misplaced; and that a little well-timed severity, and a few examples
held up _in terrorem_, might have greatly benefited the literary
wellbeing of England. The "spirit of the age" might have been different
from what it is, if the just sentence of the law had been more
frequently carried into effect. Our timely strictures might not have
kindled into song any masculine intellect, but they might have prevented
the temple of the Muses from being desecrated. They might have prevented
the appearance of such a publication as this. In the days of the knout,
we believe that no such volume as Mr Coventry Patmore's could have
ventured to crawl out of manuscript into print.