Bannerman, Henry, Essays on Chris- 32 31 160 One Thousand Gems. Edited and LITERATURE. Eva Bertie. A Tale for Little Chil- 380 Italy, Sketches and Stories of Life. 379 Jones, Rev. Thomas, The Work of a Christian Preacher (Hodder & Family Prayers for One Month. 128 96 96 380 192 128 224 Gillespie, Wm. Honyman. The Ar- 128 31 God's Message in Low London. By 128 95 Kinloch, Lord, Readings in Holy 192 160 Max Krömer: a Story of the Siege Moister, Rev. William, A History 31 159 31 of Wesleyan Missions to all parts 96 64 61 Hope, George H.,M.D., Till the Doctor 192 Clarie's Little Charge. By M. L. C. comes and how to help him (Reli- 160 Colborne, Philip, The Measure of Faith, and other Sermons (Hod- 64 Cooper, Thomas, The Bridze of History over the Gulf of Time 320 Cottager and Artizan, The (Reli- gious Tract Society) 63 Cottage on the Shore, The; or, Little Gwen's Story (Religious Tract Society). 63 Dale, R. N., M.A., The Ten Com- Hutchinson, J. P., Footmarks of How Little Bessie kept the Wolf THE year 1870 opened upon us without any excitement. The current of events was flowing on calmly and peaceably, and little danger of tumult or war was apprehended from any quarter. The Emperor Napoleon sat apparently firmly on his throne, attempting to secure the future of his dynasty by making popular concessions. The people of Germany were plodding on in their usual routine, busy with their agriculture and their trade. The Pope seemed secure in his sovereignty, and he had assembled around him the bishops from all parts of the world to vote his infallibility. We ourselves were at peace with all, as we happily still are, and commercial prosperity continued to revive. For the first six months of the year there was nothing to disturb the calm-nothing to indicate that one of the most terrific storms that has ever been witnessed was about to sweep over the regions of Central Europe. It was in the first days of July that the alarm was suddenly given. A ridiculous cause for so great a catastrophe as a European war was presented in the proposed establishment on the throne of Spain of a distant connection of the King of Prussia. France had been preparing for war, and this was the accident which enabled her to give expression to her wish. The challenge was uttered in the House of Representatives by the conceited Duc de Grammont; Prussia was insulted; and speedily the whole French nation became enthusiastic for war. The name of the candidate for the throne was withdrawn, but nothing would ILIX.-I. suffice; war was determined on, and terms were insisted on which the King of Prussia could not accept. Though, however, all had been previously calm on the surface, this war did not begin so unexpectedly to statesmen as many supposed. Ever since 1866, the jealousy of France had been aroused. The rapid victories of Prussia in that year-the predominance she acquired by these victories in Germany-the gradual extension of her power in Central Europe-awakened the bad feeling and stirred up the indignation of France, accustomed to regard herself as the first military Power in the world. The Emperor had expected to obtain compensation for the increase of Prussian power by the surrender of certain portions of German territory, possibly even by obtaining peaceably the long-coveted boundary of the Rhine. Prussia, encouraged by her great military successes, and confident in the superiority of her weapons, was unwilling to concede anything, and prepared for war. The last few years had consequently been years of an armed peace, during which the soldiers on either side had longed to make trial of their strength on the field of battle. France has been for years as on the surface of a volcano. The reverence for the Powers that be has been very small since the great revolution. In Napoleon Buonaparte the French people respected for a time the god of forces; but even for him they showed little respect when his star began to wane. He would have probably sought repose long before the end of his career, but he was impelled onward to war, because he felt that |