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sanri©lE 9 3 . ATHENS, SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1848. The Editor’s Lot. Fortunate indeed is that Editor who is the bona fide possessor of a lot—especially if it have excellent improvements upon it in the shape of a comfortable house and fruitful garden. Os such a lot we fancy few Editors would complain—hut alas ! how differ” ent, generally, to this is the real lot of the Editor. Let us examine it with some care, of which commod ity we shall find plenty on the premises. As we ap proach, observe the railing which surrounds it. This is certainly of a hard and enduring nature—and not ’ dear to him, si nee it is supp’.ied by the thoughtful bounty of his five hundred friends, who never fail to keep it up. So fearful are these kind friends lest his enemies should give him offence, that they never suf fer him to know the want of fences around his be longings. As we enter the garden of the Editor’s lot, we ob serve that there are a great many more beautiful trees and plants in flower than are really needed, which accounts probably, for the fact that there is usually very much less flour in the house than what might be needed to supply the in-bred necessities of his na ture. Observe that in one part of his garden, there is planted thyme,—not a very large amount it is true —but perhaps an average supply. Avery few minutes will suffice to shew you, however, that his dear friends will not allow him to cultivate his thyme. They will take care of that, and frr the attention each one bestows, he feels that he is entitled to a con siderable portion of the same, until there is really such a poor fragment of it left, that it becomes a matter of the last moment to him to see that his thyme upon earth is not prematurely cut off! One of the most abundant plants which this garden ex hibits, is rue, and this is the only one which multi plies too fast for bis gratification. The penny royal does not thrive at all, and the few sickly plants which occur here and there, would scarcely yield a scent, however-much pressed by his hand. That lofty and magnificent laurel is esteemed by his kind friends, the crowning glory of his lot—but he has long since learned that a very large lot of glory will bring noth ing in the market. We cannot overlook the fact that amongst all the variety of roses which he has with great pains secured, there is not a single speci men of the thornless rose. There is a row of poplar trees—which he has cultivated with great assiduity, and has found them of so little real value, that he cannot help counting himself a great ass for doing it! lie has cherished with the fondest care that plum tree, but, though it bears every year a profusion of blossoms, there is very little prospect he will ever re alize a “plum!” He made several attempts to introduce the mari gold into his parterre, but has so often failed that he has come to the disheartening conclusion that it is not the editor’s lot to marry gold. We have lounged too long outside of the Editor’s domicile. Let us enter and pursue our ?-vestiga tions. He is a benedict , but not the subject of many benedictions. We will not trespass into the family circle, lest his amiable partner should scold us at a round rate. Let us go into his sanctum—though he is not there ; for he has a note to pay in bank this morning, and no bank not'es to pay it in ; so he is gone to some of his kind friends, who are in the habit ot borrowing his paper, to see if he can make the rule work both ways by borrowing theirs. We will give odds that he fails ! 1 here is his table, covered with books, papers, wri ting materials, a paste-pot and a pair of scissors ! T his is his stock in trade—his capital, and is it not a capital-joke! Look at that open book—“ The Philosophy of Wealth.” Doubtless he can feel the loss of it as well as any man living ! There is a little lox labelled—“ Consolation.” It is not locked, and so we will look within. Here is a letter which reads 2s follows: Sir: \ our paper, addressed to F. M. G., is not a ‘ en ou E and he says he’ll be d —d if he pays the postage, let alone the subscription. Yours truly, P. M. The Editor has made the following query: “ Will he not bed if he refuses to pay the subscription 1 And if so, his is “ Love’s labor lost! ” Certainly this is a curious case of “ Consolation.” But here is another, which is a bill of One Hundred a© ® lIE El 2a aTFIS IE & U ©ASSTFIFB, and Twenty Dollars, for thirty reams of paper, marked —“ Note past due .” He gave his paper for that, it would seem, and while the latter has become to him waste-paper, the former has daily increased. Envy not, then, the Editor’s lot. He is the victim of a profession which presses heavily upon him. His faults are perpetually thrown in his face, while his excellencies are effaced from man’s recollection. He is the slave of the pen —but a stranger to the penny. He spends his life, which is pretty much all he has to spend, in toil for the improvement of the lot of oth ers, while his own lot is sadly neglected. The Fourth of July. The Seventy-second Anniversary of American In dependence dawned brightly and passed off with the customary eclat in our town. The young gentlemen of Franklin College celebrated the occasion by ser vices at the College Chapel, in the forenoon, when an Oration was delivered by Mr. B. N. Thornton of Alabama, a member of the Senior class, and of the Phi Kappa Society. We had the pleasure of listen ing to the address, and can bear testimony to its gen erous and enthusiastic sentiments, and to its chaste and agreeable style. The Speaker’s subject was the events of the past year —a fruitful and momentous theme. An address was delivered at night, by Joel A. Billups, Esq., before the Athens Independent Ly ceum, which we regret not to have heard—being ab sent from the town. £fje <Dltb.<WorttL Affairs on the Continent. France. —Our London Correspondent has given us a birds-eye view of the French Affairs, and we shall therefore confine ourself to those items of intel ligence not included in his letter. M. Thiers, Victor Hugo, and Louis Bonaparte were among the Assemblymen returned in the last partial elections in Paris. It appears that the Prince de Joinville was arrested on his arrival at Paris, in stead of being welcomed as the Telegraph informed us last week. The former is certainly the most prob able event of the two. The monster-breakfast was postponed according to the latest accounts. Austria. —There has been another Revolution in Vienna, and barricades were raised all over the city. Letters from the capital state that strong hopes are cherished of the return of the emperor. Germany. —Affairs continue in a very perplexed and discouraging condition, but there are no promi nent events to be recorded. Denmark. —The Government has voted $260,000 for the defence of Norway by its own troops and a large fleet. Spain. —Reports were current in Madrid, on the 4th ult., that the Carlists would seek to renew civil war in this country. our (Gosstj) Column* Those of our readers who were subscribers to “Ori on,” will doubtless recollect that we had a fair cor respondent under the signature of Inez, who flatter ■ ed us both in prose and verse, and breathed the kind est wishes for the success of our Magazine. Shortly after the discontinuance of the work, we received from her a note expressive of her regret at the sad necessity which controlled us, and a brief “ valedic , tion,” in verse, to what she was pleased to call “ My favorite Magazine.” We have preserved both the note and poem as cherished mementoes. But we have alluded to the past only to introduce to our pres ent readers the self-same correspondent. With what pleasure we welcomed once more the familiar hand writing of our young friend our readers may imag i ine. We verily believe that a long list of subscribers, ! with their current testimonials to the merits of the Gazette, would have wakened less pleasurable emo tion. But, gentle reader, hear what Inez saith: — “ Dear Mr. Editor —I rejoiced and trembled when I received the first number of your paper. I was de lighted with its appearance and contents, and my heart throbbed with the hope of its success; but im mediately I thought of the past, and I feared then for the future. But I believe your own irrepressible buoyancy and hopefulness es spirit has inspired me with coufidence in the Gazette. Oh ! how earnestly Ido hope it will prosper. Asa daughter of the South I pray that no cloud may overshadow its destiny.— Would that 1 could ensure it a long and brilliant ca reer ; for then would its triumph be inevitable ! I like the form and frequency of your present issue, and Saturday will be a festival day in my calendar; for I shall literally feast upon the good things you will send me. Last night while reading to papa the Gossip Column in the last number, I felt that I too must add my word of encouragement and congratu lation. I said to myself, ‘ Shall others breathe their kind wishes for its prosperity, and I offer no word of welcome to the adventurer V So I went to my room | and wrote the following verses, which I send to you on the breath of as true and fervent wishes for the success of your undertaking as your most devoted friends can express. I shall be so out of patience with our people if they let the Gazette go down, that 1 shall cry with vexation. Papa says he may possi bly attend Commencement, and if so I shall certain ly came with him.” Here is the poem alluded to, and we thank Inez most fervently for her praise and good wishes. STANZAS TO THE EDITOR OF THE S. L. G. Undaunted by misfortunes pust— Thy strong heart trusting still No fearful look behind thee cast, Nor dream of future ill! Press boldly on thy chosen path, Though it be rough and steep ; For many a wayside flower it hath, And many a fountain deep, Which blooms and wells to cheer thy hear| Aweary with its care, And nerve thy spirit, for its part To bravely do and dare ! Press on ! for many hearts are fraught With wishes for thy weal ; Success is sweet when dearly bought, As thou shalt surely feel! Inez. . . . . The press of original matter in our paper this week has great ly abridged our Eclectic Departments, and left us no room for the Bowl of Punch. In our copy of Punch for the 10th ultimo we have marked some capital articles which will appear in our ne”xt. For tho present let our readers imbibe the following drops. Speaking of the crops, Punch says:—“ The London Ilay Season is prospering favorably. We have looked through the railings into the interior of Leicester Square, and can assure the cab-horses of the metropolis that there will be this year a good av eraged crop. Wo have also seen two blades of grass, of the very greenest description, sprouting up vigor ously in the Exeter Change Arcade. The beadle waters them regularly twice a day with his tears, as the scene,he says, reminds him of the joyful hay-day of his youth. An opulent farmer from Exeter is in treaty with him for the crop.” The witty gentle man tells us that he has long complained of the ex pense and delay of the passport system on the Conti nent, and congratulates himself on the recent chang es which have taken place in that respect. As in stances of the facilities of the system, he mentions that two Sardinian ministers have been provided with passports and even assisted in their departure. The most striking case, however, is that of Sir Hen ry Bulwer, to whom, it appears, every facility to leave Madrid, with all possible speed, was granted. Punch thinks that the journey from England to Spain was never accomplished in less time, though it is certain that the distance between the two countries was never greater than at the present moment. It seems that Mr. Feargus O’Conner made a solemn threat that if Mitchel was couvicted by the Govern ment,/<?s (O’Conner’s) head should feel no pillow un til his manacles were struck off. Punch desires to know how he sleeps since the verdict, whether he has not been to bed at all, or got over his terrible vow by dispensing with a pillow ! He thinks it will now be a question of great moment, “ VVliat has O’Conner done with his pillow 1” and suggests that a collection of his rash “vows” would probably be an excellent substitute, as they are certainly soft enough! . . . . Our clever cotemporary, The Madison Family Vis itor, says that lie “prefers Donkey kicks to Louden Punch,” and rather censures our predilections for the latter. We are sorry that our tastes differ; but “’tis as ’tis and can’t be no’tiser.” We must be allowed, however, to express our surprise that the Visitor should prefer the John Donkey to the inimi table Punch. It is true that the former keeps clev” erly after the latter, as the Spirit of the Times just ly remarked, sed longo interim 110. If, however, the “ head and front of our offending” be that we do not quote John Donkey, we shall probably be excused when we say that the stuped animal has not been anigh us for several weeks, and we fear it is no long er true that “ the ass knoweth its master’s crib.”— We hope the Visitor will reform his tastes, or we shall conclude that he “ don’t know beans. ” Notices to Correspondents. “Charles.” We must respectfully decline your verses addressed “To a young lady whom I saw washing her lily-white hands on the back piazza at sunrise in the morning.” The inscription reminds us forcibly of some stanzas once published in the Au gusta Mirror, (if we mistake not,) addressed “ To a child reposing in its nurse’s arms under a rose-bush in Jasper county.” “ Effio Effingham.” We will publish your very pretty verses but let us recommend you not to adopt the foregoing nomme dc plume. If you knew how ridiculous these alliterative names have been render ed by the Home Journal and other papers, you would certainly discard all connection with the passing fol ly. We have had somewhat too much of this thing. We await your permission to print you under some other signature. “ Lanneau.” We shall publish your favor with pleasure. Y. Y. Y. Why did you provoke us to say that you are not so wise as you appear to be at the first glance. At all events we cannot discover the wis dom of your essay—The Philosophy of the Age. <Dur Book liable. | Lectures on Shakspeare, by 11. N. Hudson.— In 2 vols. 12 mo. New York: Baker & Scribner. A more acceptable offering than these elegant vol umes has not been placed upon our Book Table, and Ave have perused them with the deepest interest. We recollect well the fascination which these lectures, when delivered in the Northern cities, exerted upon the popular mind, and how they were listened to by | immense crowds of delighted auditors. We have at this time a single object in view, which is to com mend the book to the notice of our readers. We j shall neither review its style nor its sentiments, but award to both an honest and earnest meed of praise which they richly deserve. The critics have had a i great deal to say of these volumes, and have rendered ; a various verdict. But with these wc have nothing to do, and the brief space wo can devote to the work shall be employed in making our readers aware of its merits, which, whatever its demerits may be, are cer tainly neither few nor small. Mr. Hudson is an enthusiastic admirer, as he has been a devoted, indefatigable student of Shakspeare. Ilisbook, therefore, abounds with ardent praise of the “ thousand-souled” bard. But who will object to this 1 Who does not admire Shakspeare 1 Who is weary of bearing of his transcendent powers, and his nobleness of nature 1 Our author brings to his task then, a deep-seated enthusiasm for the man and for the poet; and he has pursued it with an ardor and an interest, which enkindle their like in the breast of the reader ; whose attention will be rivetted to the glowing pictures which are presented in almost every page. In his Prefatory Dedication, the author reminds as that his themes are less, the character and genius of the Poet, than Human Nature, that grand and wonderful subject of which Shakspeare was —nay is, in his works, the grand High Priest —the great Ex pounder and embodiment. The distinguishing ex cellence of his mighty works, is their adaptation to the actual condition, circumstances and wants of man, their fidelity to nature, their wonderful com prehensiveness. Their themes, then, are the texts of our author, and admirably indeed has he discoursed upon them. We know of no more excellent commen tary upon the immortal bard than these lectures of Mr. Hudson, for which he deserves the gratitude of every reader. Ecclesiastical Mnemonika, or an A id to the Mem ory in storing a correct knowledge of Ecclesiastical Dates, etc., etc. By Hev. R. M. Abercrombie. New York: Spalding & Shepard. This little volume is what it purports to be, and for those who wish to possess t hemselves of ten thous and interesting facts in Ecclesiastical History, no better aid can be procured. The Missionary Enterprize, A collection of Dis courses on Christian Missions, by American Au thors. One vol. 12mo. pp. 308. Boston: Gould, Kendall &. Lincoln. This is a worthy book on a theme of more than hu man grandeur and interest. To properly commend it we have only to say that it contains Discourses on Missionary Topics, from the Pens of such divines as Wayland, Griffin. Williams,Kirk, Anderson, Miller, Beecher, Stow, Mason and others. Either of these sermons is worth the price of the collected series, to those who love the cause of Missions—which is the cause of Love, both human and divine. Outlines of the History of France, From the Earliest Times to the Revolution of 1848. Phila delphia : Thomas, Cowperthwait & Cos. Here, now, is an illustration of the progressive spirit of our age —a History of France including the Revolution of 1848. In three months after the de thronement of Louis Phillippe, his eventful history is incorporated in the text books of our common schools! This handsome little volume is designed for the use of schools, and well adapted, we think, for the purpose. It is illustrated with neat engravings. The style is clear and simple, and the analysis of his torical events judicious. Dr. Comstock’s Works on Natural Science. 1. Natural Philosophy. 2. Chemistry. 3. Botany. 4. Mineralogy. 5. Geology. New York: Pratt, Woodford & Cos. If wide-spread popularity be any proof of the actu al merit of books, then are these works of Dr. Com stock unparalleled. We have paid no little atten tion in past days to the books in Natural Science, and one prominent feature in these under notice de mands especial remark. No sooner does a discovery or an improvement in Science or Arts take place, than it is embodied, with almost telegraphic rapidity, in anew edition of Comstock’s various books. Hi* Philosophy, for instance, has been brought down t* embrace the latest events in Science; and what is quite as remarkable concerning it, is the fact that two editions have been prepared and extensively sold in England; one of them under the auspices of Prof. Lees of the Edinburgh Naval and Military Acad emy, and the other was edited by Professor Hoblyn of Oxford, a well known Medical author. These Books are too well known to need particular recom mendation. 71