V.-1. Life of Giordano Bruno the Nolan. By J. Frith. Revised by Professor Moriz Carrière. London: 2. Vita di Giordano Bruno da Nola. Scritta da Do- 3. Documenti intorno a Giordano Bruno da Nola. 4. Giordano Bruno à Genève (1579). Documents inédits publiés par Th. Dufour. Genève : 1884. 5. Giordano Bruno's Weltanschauung und Verhängniss. Aus den Quellen dargestellt von Dr. Hermann Brunn- 6. Jordano Bruno. Par Christian Bartholmèss. Paris: 7. Jordani Bruni Nolani Opera Latine conscripta. Vol. I. Recensebat F. Fiorentino. Vol. II. Recensebant V. Imbriani et C. M. Tallarigo. Neapoli: 1879-86, 114 VI.--A Digest of the International Law of the United States, taken from Documents issued by Presidents and Secre- taries of State, and from Decisions of Federal Courts and Opinions of Attorneys-General. Edited by Francis Wharton, LL.D., Author of A Treatise on Conflict of Laws,' and of 'Commentaries on American VII.-L'Europe et la Révolution Française. I. Les Mœurs Politiques et les Traditions. II. La Chute de la Royauté. Par Albert Sorel. Paris: 1885, 1887, . 185 VIII.-The Family of Brocas of Beaurepaire and Roche Court, Hereditary Masters of the Royal Buckhounds. some Account of the English Rule in Aquitaine. By Montagu Burrows, Captain R.N., M.A., F.S.A., ART. J.-1. L'Administration de l'Agriculture, 1785-87. Par H. Pigeonneau et A. de Foville. Paris: 1882. 2. La Vie Agricole sous l'ancien Régime. Par le Baron 3. La Vie Rurale dans l'ancienne France. Par A. 4. Le Village sous l'ancien Régime. Par A. Babeau. Par A. de Foville. Paris: 1885. 7. Rapports sur l'état intellectuel, moral et matériel des populations de la Bretagne et de la Normandie. Par H. Baudrillart (Académie des Sciences Morales et II.-The Cruise of the Marchesa' to Kamschatka and New Guinea; with Notices of Formosa, Liu-kiu, and various Islands of the Malay Archipelago. By F. H. H. Guillemard, M.A., M.D. (Cantab.) In two IV.-1. Hunting. By his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, K.G., and Mowbray Morris. With Contributions by the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, Rev. E. W. L. 2. Nimrod's Remarks on the Condition of Hunters, the Choice of Horses, and their Management. By C. Tongue. Fourth Revised Edition. London: 1886. 3. Thoughts on Hunting. By Peter Beckford, Esq. 346 2. Handbook of Painting. The Italian Schools, based on the Handbook of Kugler; originally edited by Sir Charles Eastlake, P.R.A. Fifth Edition, thoroughly revised and in part re-written by Austen Henry Layard, G.C.B. Two vols. London: VI.-1. Paris Newspapers of 1789-94. 2. Anacharsis Clootz. Par G. Avenel. Paris: 1876. 3. Etat des dons patriotiques. Paris: 1790. 7. Histoire de Madame du Barry. Par Ch. Vatel. VIII.-The Arniston Memoirs: Three Centuries of a Scottish House, 1571-1838. Edited from the Family Papers by George W. T. Omond, Advocate, Author of 'The Lord Advocates of Scotland.' Edinburgh: 1887, . 491 IX.-Mémoires du Prince Adam Czartoryski et Correspon- dance avec l'Empereur Alexandre I. Avec Préface par M. Ch. de Mazade, de l'Académie Française. X.-1. The Present Position of European Politics, or Europe in 1887. By the Author of Greater Britain.' 8vo. 2. Des Causes actuelles de Guerre en Europe, et de THE EDINBURGH REVIEW, JULY, 1887. No. CCCXXXIX. ART. I.--1. The History of Selkirkshire; or, Chronicles of Ettrick Forest. By T. CRAIG-BROWN. 2 vols. quarto. Edinburgh: 1886. 2. A Short Border History. By FRANCIS HINDES GROOME, Author of 'In Gipsy Tents,' &c. Kelso: 1887. 3. Reminiscences of Yarrow. By JAMES RUSSELL, D.D., late Minister of Yarrow. With Preface by Professor CAMPBELL FRASER. Edinburgh and London: 1886. 4. The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border: their Main Features and Relations. By JOHN VEITCH, LL.D., Professor of Logic and Rhetoric in the University of Glasgow. Glasgow: 1878. SOME years ago we had occasion to review several Scottish County Histories, one of them being 'The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire,' by Alexander Jeffrey, the fourth and concluding volume of which had not at that time, however, been published. Since then, two other counties in the Scottish Border have been made the subject of historical treatment: namely, Peebles, by the late Dr. William Chambers, in one large octavo volume, published in 1864, and Selkirk, by Mr. T. Craig-Brown. Of the last-named history we shall have occasion to speak more at length; but it may here be noted that the three histories exhibit, in respect to the range and originality of their contents, a chronological order of progression as noteworthy as it is pleasing. This points to the great advances which have been made within the last quarter of a century in the unearthing of historical treasure by means of State Paper and Records publications, as well as the bringing to light of VOL. CXLVI. NO. CCCXXXIX. B valuable local muniments through the combined efforts of antiquarian and other societies, and of individual workers. Of the earliest of these three bistories, it may be said that it has suffered by coming into the world too soon. Mr. Jeffrey had an admirable literary style, and considerable powers of generalisation; but unfortunately the chief book of reference on which he had to rely was Chalmers's 'Caledonia,' a work which does not now occupy the place it once did as an historical authority. It enshrines a vast wealth of local and family lore, but is never to be consulted except under enlightened precautions. Still, even with the drawbacks alluded to, Mr. Jeffrey's book forms a work of local reference not to be rashly undervalued or set aside. The History of Peebles-shire,' by Dr. Chambers, is a plain, straightforward, unvarnished narrative, embodying an excellent arrangement of materials, and avoiding that bane of local history, repetition. In point of accuracy, method, and precision, it is perhaps the best-ordered among the few county histories which Scotland possesses. Coming to the one of these three county histories which more immediately concerns us-that of Selkirk, by Mr. CraigBrown--it may be said at once that, in respect to the extent and value of the local historical materials brought together within its pages, it excels the others. The author's industry, as displayed in these two large quarto volumes, is marvellous, and deserves the most unqualified praise. Every likely repository, public and private, has apparently been resorted to and ransacked. All the entries relating to the county in the volumes of the Privy Council Records, the Exchequer Rolls, the various monastic cartularies, the Criminal 'Trials' of Pitcairn, and other books more or less rare or inaccessible, have been diligently collected and placed in their chronological order, while many manuscripts both of earlier and later times have been equally laid under contribution. We really cannot point to any historic transaction or event of importance coming within the scope of these volumes, that has not been included. Yet the book, withal, is not what it should have been, or what, with the exercise of more care and self-restraint on the part of the author, it might have been. It errs, in the first place, on the side of excess; there is too much of it. This superfluous bulk is due to the plan the author has chosen to follow, involving a great deal of repetition. There are three divisions, embracing the general history, the history of |