Reviews.

Instances to which these remarks are severally applicable are at once apparent when we open the little book that we are now pleased to notice . Bro . George Hurst is a man of great reading ancl wide sympathies , as is evidenced by his membership of the two learned societies , the initials of which he is entitled to append to his name ; but Bro . Hurst is more than this , lie is a man whose interests are centred in the town ancl nei g hbourhood in which he fives , ancl by the

inhabitants of which town he is greatly ancl deservedly respected , as is shown by the fact of his having three times ( as we believe ) , at different periods , filled the civic chair of the Borough of Bedford . Bro . Hurst ' s life having been spent in this rural and romantic neighbourhood , he is , of course , well versed in its Legends aud Folk-Lore . Portions of this store of knowledge he has now committed to the reading world , ancl that portion is rendered the more valuable ancl readable in that he has clad the greater part of it in the garb of a quaint versification .

Amongst the superstitions rife among the peasantry of Bedford thus treated , we notice , "The Witch , " "The Ghost Exorcised , " " The Devil at Marston Morteyne , " ancl "The Two Fieuds ; " whilst " The Lady Buried Alive" is , at least , founded upon a true history * of an incident which occurred to a member of one of the noble county families . " The Witch , " seemingly , was a very nice young lady who , to always have her own way , sold herself to the Devil ; he fulfilled bis part of the contract honestly and honourably as any devil could or should ; but , when the lady came to pay the price of the privileges she ¦ had enjoyed , we find that she cried off , and , seemingly , at her death , for the first time in her life , used the church in order to cheat the Devil of his due .

This was the compact : — " The deed was drawn up with great circumspection , The parts formed a whole , with perfect connection , Ancl a clause was inserted which seemed to imply , Escape from the compact 'twas useless to try ; For it was provided That after she die did ,

No place , though sacred , should serve to protect her , Nor , on a summons , refuse to eject lior . " When her grave should be made Ancl her body there laid , No matter within the church walls or without , Without let or hindrance , question or doubt , She should be devoted to Satan for aye , Soul and body—in ceterna sceenla . "

This is bow she escaped the consequences : —¦ " From the deed's condition her spirit to save , In the wall's foundation they made her a grave , Where her body was laid , there could be no doubt , Buried neither within tho church nor without . Thus the fiend was beguiled , In his object was foiled , And hovering above , soon perceived his disgrace , With horrible howling flew far from the place . "

And this is the indubitable proof of the genuineness of the transaction , ancl the veracit y of its history : — " Here ends the tale ; should its truth bo disputed , There ' s in the church proof that can't be refuted , In a canopied niche O'er the grave of the witch , Within the south wall still her fi is shown

gure , At full length , recumbent , and sculptured in stone . " . One item in the collection we must confess rather puzzles us—we mean as to its fitness for the company in which we find it , "The Prosperous Man ' s Apotheosis . "