A prettily humorous examination story is that of the little Scotch boy at the Presbytery examination. He was asked: “What is the meaning of regeneration?” “To be born again,” he answered. “Quite right! Would you not like to be born again?” He hesitated, but being pressed, said that he would not, and asked why not, replied: “For fear I might be born a lassie.” Alike astonishing and amusing was an answer given by an adult examinee, who was “sitting” for a certificate as acting teacher. In the examination to test general knowledge, he was asked, “What is the age of reason?” and answered: “As many years as have elapsed since the birth of the person so named.” It was also a certificate candidate, who, in reading, rendered two lines from Goldsmith’s “Edwin and Angelina” thus:— The wicket opening with a latch Received the armless pair. —_All the Year Round._ TALK ABOUT BOOKS. The “Critical and Exegetical Hand-book to the Gospel of Matthew,”[C] now given to American readers with an admirable preface by Dr. Crooks, is just what the title asserts, a critical exegesis of the text. The author was a thorough linguist, and especially familiar with the language in which Matthew wrote. His expositions, which are accurately grammatical, give evidence of much philological research, and a strict, attention to the _usus loquendi_ of both classic and New Testament Greek. As an exegete he ranks with the best; albeit, the exegesis itself is, at times, clearer than the English used to state it. Some sentences are burdened with adjuncts, and there is not always the most felicitous arrangement of the explanatory clauses. One familiar with good writing will occasionally feel an impulse to recast and improve what does not quite suit him. For professional men, and especially young ministers, the Hand-book has great value, and is worthy of their careful study.