SECOND PART.-Book First.-Institutions for the education of the poor, aiding mothers, placing them at nurse, schools and asylums for infants, their management and economy; orphans, institutions for their care, ancient and modern, in Europe; orphans in England and the United States, France and Belgium, regulations; foundlings, their treatment anciently and now; foundling hospitals, their history in every country of Europe, questions, doubts, and discussions as to foundlings, abandonment of children.

The subject of foundlings is treated at great length in every aspect of the subject, but with a constant inclination to the propriety and necessity of providing fully for the support and education of all foundlings as well as orphans. There is clearly no infusion of Malthus in the twelve chapters of Degerando's work devoted to the interests of little children. The 11th and 12th of these chapters relate specially to schools for foundlings and orphans, to train their minds in knowledge and their hands to useful employment.

Second Book.-Institutions for loans to the poor throughout Europe, their history and utility; of societies for mutual assistance, their origin in Greece and Rome, history; life insurance; savings' banks, their character and history in Europe.

Third Book. Of the means of preventing indigence by changes in social economy, of measures touching the apportionment of property, of co-operative societies, of the organization of labour, the necessity of it at present, the conditions to be fulfilled, country labour, city labour, the various kinds of trades, large manufactories, public service, special institutions to provide labour, domestic economy of the labourer, public health, instruction of the working classes, prizes for special acts of virtue, the family, contentment of the labouring classes, popular amusements, morals, police, labour as a means of education, houses of refuge for females, temperance societies, morals of criminals in confinement, penitentiary systems, and aid for those who are set at liberty; of religion, as a part of popular education, as the protectress of the suffering, the special power of Christianity for the amelioration of popular morals, the ills of false religious instruction, exterior worship; of the means of strengthening religious influences upon popular manners.

THIRD PART.-Book First.-Of the means of procuring useful occupation for the poor, employment with individuals and for the public, labour at the domicil, Hamburg Institute, shops for sale of products of labour of the poor; workhouses throughout Europe, reform of English poor-laws; discussions which have arisen as to workhouses, of their organization, economy, discipline; of workhouses where the labour is forced, their history; of receptacles for mendicants, and their history in Europe, of their utility, objections and replies; of the labour most suitable for the poor, in respect to their capacity, to their management, or to their working by the piece or job, the effect of their labour on the general interests of industry, of the public works, charity-shops, farm-labour, distribution of lands to the poor; colonization of the poor, their fitness for colo

nists, colonies interior, foreign, various experiments, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, agricultural colonies as a means of beneficence for the poor, objections and replies; of emigration, researches on the subject, various emigrations of Europe, interior and foreign.

Book Second.-Assistance at the domicil, origin and first forms of, and specially in Great Britain, organization, succour to the able-bodied, to the weak, results of such assistance, charitable associations affording the mode of relief in England, assistance at domicil in various countries of Europe, and in the United States, of the best methods of giving this succour, visiting the poor, of giving money; of distributions at reduced prices of food, clothing, fuel, to the aged and incurable, to women and children, casualties, burial, succour extraordinary in great public calamities, as famine, fire, and flood, of aid to those who are so timid as not to make known their wants.

Third Book. Of houses of entertainment for the poor among the ancients, in the middle ages, and at the present day, establishments in France since 1750; of hospitals, their utility, objections answered, their constitution, conditions of admission, a great variety of particulars in relation to administration; hospitals for children, for chronic affections, and lying-in hospitals; of houses for the old and the infirm; of houses for the insane, their constitution, history, and condition in Europe, in the United States, and in the East.

FOURTH PART.-First Book.-Of poor-laws, of the origin of legislation for the poor, legislation of the Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, Romans-republican and imperial, legislation of Modern Europe for the poor, requisites in legislation for the poor.

Book Second.-Of the administration of poor-laws, unity of system, centralization, union of public and religious charity, officers, associations, and of females in the work of charity; ameliorations desirable in the administration of relief.

If Degerando could, with his wide survey of the subject, with his unprejudiced and frank statement of the truth, have carried with him the Christian fervour, experience, and knowledge of Dr. Chalmers, the work we have just noticed would have been one of the most effective and useful which ever came from the press. The student of humanity should therefore carry to the study of Degerando the Christianity and zeal of Chalmers. Whoever reads the "Visiteur du Pauvre" and "De la Bienfaisance Publique," in the strong Christian aspect of the subjects, will find a range of topics open to his vision which will make him lament that at least two-thirds of the volumes which now crowd the shelves of theological libraries had not been devoted to the interests of men, temporal and eternal, instead of being of so little practical value that they might be all destroyed any day without detriment to human welfare. The "Word was made flesh" and dwelt with us in a blended divinity and humanity: let the word of our religious instruction be

ever so continued to us, that while God is always held up to our view, man is never hidden from our sight.

The History of Charity during the First Four Centuries of the Christian Era, by MARTIN DOISY, which appeared immediately after the Revolution of 1848, is well-conceived, exhibits much research, and, although the whole work is from an earnest Catholic, abounds in considerations of great and instructive interest. The subject is regarded as one clearly belonging to Christianity, and the devotion of the Romish Church to its duties is treated as one of her highest titles to favour. But while it is thus viewed, it is apparent that the chief design of the author is to promote the well-being of the suffering classes.

"No one can accuse us of having erred as to the time of bringing forward a work, of which the suffering classes are the subject and charity the foundation. Politics, social economy, the legislative hall, and the periodical press, history and romance, present us, at every turn, with the subject of the masses. At this moment, history is being recast and rewritten for the benefit of the people." "The object of France is the people-it is the progressive amelioration of the lot of the suffering multitudes; that is, the present ameliorated by the education of men; the future assured by the education of the children."

Quoting from Lamartine, who is addressing a proprietor, he says:-"Keep thy property, for in spite of visions of community of goods, property is the sine qua non of society: without it we can have neither family, nor labour, nor civilization."

But he says also:

"Forget not, that property is not instituted for thee merely, but for all humanity: thou shalt possess it, but upon the conditions of justice, social utility, and an open hand: thou shalt furnish to thy brethren, out of thy superfluity, the means and elements of labour necessary for them, that they, in their turn, may become helpers of others: thou shalt recognise a right above the right of property-the right of humanity."

He quotes from Guizot, who speaks thus:

"It is impossible to regard without profound compassion so many human beings bearing from the cradle to the tomb so heavy a burden, and even then scarcely maintaining a miserable existence. That is a grievous thought, and yet it is a thought never to be dismissed; to forget it would be a grave and peril

ous error."

The work before us is not a mere work of theology: its object is to show how the duties of Christian charity bear upon the condition and prospects of the suffering working-classes. He shows us the advent of charity at the appearing of Christ, and sets forth at large his mission of mercy, his humble ministry of kindness, as that which it should be

the aim of his followers to imitate. He recounts the hospitality of ancient Christians and the charity of the apostolic times; he develops the doctrines of human fraternity, and, especially, the doctrine of charity as taught by Christ. Although the Catholic Church is greatly lauded by this writer, we do not hesitate to recommend his work to Protestants, as calculated to humble their spiritual pride, and possibly goad them into paths of charity hitherto little trodden by their feet.

We have A Philosophical History of Beneficence, from the pen of M. TAILHAND, in 1847. It has considerable merit, and is also written expressly with reference to the sufferings of the labouring classes. His introduction commences thus:

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"The human race is, in its earthly dwelling, afflicted with so many evils, that it might be deemed man was a mere abortion upon the earth. The thrill of joy runs rarely to his heart, and even then it is rarely unmingled with sadness. Infirmities are the portion of his physical nature, and make him a man of grief." "In the midst of this scene of suffering and disorder which is displayed around us, there is one bright object which delights us and justifies the course of Providence to our race; that is beneficence-that is the man of charity. His deeds are, in my view, rays of the Divinity piercing the night of this world,-demonstrative evidence of that Providence which never withdraws its overwatching care. I could never have believed that man was made in the image of his Creator, if I had not seen him smitten with tenderness and compassion for the suffering; and now I perceive him to be intrusted with a special mission of love and mercy to his fellow-creatures. If I inquire whence comes this charity, the ways of God are unveiled to my eyes in a manner still more striking; for I find the motives of beneficence in the heart and in the conscience." "To prove that conscience is the main, the most faithful, and the most energetic principle of charity, is the object of this work."

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Mr. Tailhand, who subscribes himself a Priest without charge, gives a solution to this inquiry which is truly Romish. He makes every act of charity expiatory, and thus shows the interest of all men to be charitable. Every act of self-sacrifice, in which men sacrifice their own interests to those of others, goes in part satisfaction of their sins. Whatever may be thought of this author's theology, he presents powerful motives to those of his faith to abound in charity. Overlooking its religious tenets, this volume contains useful details, interesting views, strong exhortations upon the whole subject of beneficence, which do credit both to his head and heart. His work, like that of Martin Doisy, is mainly historical, and brings in review beneficence under the patriarchs, among the Jews, among the pagans, during the first six centuries of Christianity, in the middle ages, and in modern times.

In 1829, M. T. DUCHATEL published at Paris, Charity in its relations with the morals and the well-being of the lower classes of society. Speaking, in his preface, of statesmen, he says they too frequently "look upon nations as collective beings, and neglect to extend their regards to the lower classes of society, who, however, include the greater part of the human family; they overlook these classes in their theories as they disregard them in their histories. It appears to us, they ought to have part in the general movement-in the march of civilization; and that progress for the better ought to be sought for them as well as for those classes who are greater favourites of fortune. Such is the spirit in which this work is conceived." After a rapid sketch of the condition of the lower classes, from their original slavery until their gradual attainment of freedom of person and freedom of industry, he proceeds:―

"Since this change has been accomplished, the destiny of the working classes has been regarded in two special aspects. Some, preoccupied with certain theories of political economy, not perceiving any other source of power and wealth for a nation than what is derived from the sale of domestic products to foreign nations, have sacrificed to that object the interests of labourers. This foreign sale proceeds more freely in proportion as merchandise is lower in price; and prices are lower in proportion as wages are lower. It follows that, for the prosperity of this foreign trade, wages should be low. . . . . It is in this point of view that men, the producers of the articles which enter into this foreign trade, are regarded as mere machines."

He remarks that such is the policy of England, and thanks God that this chimerical system, which sacrifices the well-being of the population to the interests of commerce, has few partisans left. The author, who is now a distinguished public man and friend of the Orleans family, has lived to see the friends of this system greater in number and stronger in influence than ever, under the banner of free-trade. "Others, more humane," our author proceeds, "are animated with an earnest desire for the good of the producing classes: they love their fellow-men. They do not hesitate at sacrifices for the comfort of the indigent; but their philanthropy, not sufficiently enlightened, regards the actual condition of the suffering which requires aid as inevitable and fixed. They think only of helping the poor by means derived from the rich, and by deeds of charity." "Thus, while the interests of the poor are sacrificed by some to false systems of political economy, they are sacrificed by others to a false system of charity."

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"But," referring to the system last mentioned, he asks, "Is