NEW BOOKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5264, 6 February 1878, Page 2

NEW BOOKS.

It is with much pleasure we call the attention of our readers to a few notices of the works oi a talented an hore-s, Mrs. Clere, who recently arrived in Wellington from England. This lady has made her mark in the w udd of letters in. the old country, aud her various works have met with a favorable reception from- high-class English journals. “The Apostles of Jesus,” her first published work, had a large sale, and has reached a fourth edition. “ Bethlehem's Three Mothers,” and “The Latter Days of Judah,” are in our opinion fully equal to their predecessor, and afford the Biblical student faithful expositions of many passages of s-cred history which have to general readers hitherto heeu obscure. “ Katherine Gordon” is a simple storv of village life, and “ Rhoda and Adel's, the Colonel’s Daughters,” isa domesticstory designed for girls just entering upon life. As to the merits of the books we have only to glance at the op-nions of the chief London critics, to. feel, satisfied in recommending the works we have named as interesting, instructive, and sound. The printing and binding, of the, bonks are beautifully executed, which, combined with their intrinsic worth, render them very suitable for gift books and nriz -s.

Of “The Apostles of Jesus,” the Morning Advertiser says :—“ A book of beauty in sentiment, style, evangelical purity and simplicity, fervent piety, and. lucid Christian exp i.-.ition. Facts of Scripture, careful study, and a deep impression of the solemn importance of the task the authoress has imposed upon herself, are evident through the narrative po’tion of Mrs. Clere’s volume. While the iuci Luts ia the lives of the Apostles, which have been handed down" to us through uninspired''writers, are of course given merely upon the authority of their • authors,, the Scriptural events are treated as imbued with plenary inspiration. . . , We know, indeed, of few religions works more suited for a present from one Christian friend to another.”—The Standard says “In plain words, marked by simplicity, devoutness, and good sense,, tire author lias compiled short biographies of the Apostles, as left' recorded in .the Scriptures,, and other later authentic sources, The little book deserves, aud will find, a yet wider circulation.”—The following is from the Christian Observer : “ A simple hook, yet ,beautiful the story of each of the Apostles is-'thrown into a narrative, and the, idea thus conceived,is well executed.”—The Rack says “It is impossible to read these impressive pages without having excited in us a deeper feeling of true love towards Him who went forth His holy Apostles to evangelise the world,” '

“ Bethlehem's Three Mothers” is thus favorably reviewed by Public Opinion :—-“ The authoress of 'this exquisitely simple.and pious book has been favorably known as the writer of a work somewhat similar in tone, entitled ‘ The Apostles of Jesus.’ Mrs. Clere takes great delight in supplementing the biographical facts found in the Scripture narrative with information which an extensive reading of the works of the best commentators and others has given her. The remit is a very enjoyable narrative based upo > ’ Scripture, and embellished, as it were, with illustrations, geographical and historical. There is an earnest Christian tone in the writing, which will doubtless commend itself to many readers.” The Christian Observer comments as follows on the same work:—“ Upon a fo-mer occasion we noticed favorably a book written by Mrs. Clere, and are happy to be able to speak well of her present production. Mrs. Clere writes in a very tender and devout spirit. Her theme might in one instance have tempted to what is aptly termed Mariolalry, but her remarks are temperate and becoming. There is no obscuration of the majesty of the Divine Son, while a touching portrait is presented of the excellence of the human mother. She has handled what is in these perilous, times a difficult subject in a manner not likely to mislead unstable minds, and that we deem to be no small praise)” Of “The Latter Days of Judah and Her Fall” the Morning Post says :—“ Perhaps no subject occupies more attention in the religious cu'riculum of our English schools than Old Testament history; and yet our acquaintance (as a nation) with Greek and Roman times is often more thoroughly intelligent than our knowledge of the ancient Jews. One of the principal causes of this state of things is the lack: of trustworthy popular works on the history of God’s ancient people. The book we are reviewing is eminently fitted to remove this defect in our religious teaching in the case of a very important epoch in Jewish history. The peri id it embraces—that which synchronises with the lives of the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah- —is one of those periods least known amongst us, and yet most deeply interesting. This thoroughly excellent little sketch of the latter days-of Judah is no mere commonplace manual, hastily put together, hut a book which exhibits much laborious and conscientious study of the Holy Scriptures, and embodies the latest results of modern research. It is written in a most reverent spirit, though at the same time with an enlightened appreciation of true historical criticism. Mrs. Clere has paid most careful attention to details, and incidentally offers full explanations, acconbng to the best authorities, of numerous Jewish customs. Various difficult allusions in the text of the prophetical writings are satisfactorily cleared, up. The striking passu ge in which the wonderful vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel viii. 7-18) is depicted, and that wherein Jeremiah xxxiv. 18, 19, is made plain, are good instances of this. The writer's style is generally, elegant, a,nd ;her diction poetical, thus making, the book exceedingly pleasant reading for young people. One admirable feature is the frequent use of worthy and intelligible renderings of some. of the finest passages in the Prophets. Much of tha obscurity of our authorised version is thus removed by these very judicious translations and paraphrases, which are borrowed from various sources., So far as we know, hardly auy existing work is so well adapted for assisting an ordinary person to read with intelligent interest the glorious prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah.” • ’ , Of another work by Mrs. Clere Public Opinion says “Katherine Gordon” is an exceedingly graceful and thoughtful story, full of pious thoughts and moral teaching. ‘ Mrs. Clere is no novice at literary work, and the subject of her books, generally drawn from Biblical sources, are always well chosen. ' Her characters in the present, little volume are described with great fidelity to life, arid most of her incidents are pleasing, and cleverly introduced. . . The language is charmingly simple, and the interest of the tale will be felt by young persons, but the teaching aims at

elderly scholars—adulU,—rather than school children. It is essentially a religious story, and compared with similar productions, is meritorious.” “ Rhoda and A dela.the Colonel s Daughters, also met with a favorable reception from the Home Press. We take the following from a full critique in the Somerset County Gazette « So the volume grows, each chapter deepening emotions of absorbed curiosity as to the hnal act, producing also this impression—that the gifted authoress is equally powerful, whether her theme be the ancient one of ‘ Bethlehem s Three Mother*’ or of those moderns who but a completed century ago underwent the anxieties inseparable from au ago of revolutionary excesses, restrained only by the iron hand that belonged to the ambitious Corsican. Plot and »tyle °aro alike commendable, sufficient vigor being infused into each to permeate them with that'piquancy which will enchain the reader’s attention. Healthy, pure and well told, this domestic tale deserves to find a place in every mother’s library.”