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oover ig in the hands of the engraver, and we shall
are no pains to make the work unequalled of its
kind*
Once more we say to our friends—especially to
j arents and teachers —send in subscriptions as early
iiji possible. t (
2Tf)c 3Lttcrar P£?oritr.
Recent Publications.—The Messrs. Harper
have ready a very elegant edition of the PoemS of
t’owper, illustrated most beautifully. It will be an
appropriate gift-book for tho approaching holidays.
Carey & Hart have issued a superbly illustrated
edition of Mrs. Sigourney’s Poems ; also, an elegant
volume of the British Female Poets, by Frederick
Rowton.
Putnam’s Illustrated Edition of the Sketch Book
of Irving is among the most attractive books of the
season.
Books in Press. —Carey & Hart announce The
Female Poets of America, by Dr. Griswold, and to
he issued uniformly with his Poets and Poetry of
America. This will be the third handsome volume
devoted to the lady-poets of our country, published
this season —a fact which speaks well for the genius
of our women!
Tho Harpers will publish two new novels by the
indefatigable James. Well, let the critics carp—
ve doubt if they can make more attractive books.—
They will also issue “ The Caxtons” a Family Pic
ture, by Bulwer. Macauley’s History of England is
announced for tlic Ist proximo.
Putnam will soon publish “Bracebridge Hall”—
Yol. 4 of Irving’s uniform works.
A Splendid Book.—Air. Putnam lias printed
250 copies, only, of a most recherche and superb
volume, which he calls “ Lays of the Western
World.” It is a small folio, each page exhibiting
borders and vignettes, printed in gold, silver, and
colors—the finest specimens of illumination yet pro
duced in this country. It contains poems by Bry
ant, Hoffman, Mrs. Osgood, and other distinguished
American writers. To the other vives of the day,
we must add the cry, Vive la luxe !
©ur CSosstj) Column.
We thought our correspondent “ Bayard” was
venturing upon dangerous ground when he made
that allusion to Miss Mclntosh’s “Charms and
Counter-Charms,” in his third letter, and impugned
the judgment of woman in matters of science. And,
sure enough, a fair correspondent lias taken him in
hand, as our readers will see by a letter in the pres
ent number. “ A Learner” certainly makes a strong
argument in favor of woman’s judgment, by instanc
ing the case of Lady Alary Wortley Montagu; and
“Bayard” will have to acknowledge, we fancy, that
ho had better not have said anything at all about the
ladies, than to disparage their judgment. In a pri
vate note from our esteemed lady correspondent, we
find the following query touching “ Bayard.” “Is
lie a ‘ single gentleman,’ or one whose understand
ing, though sufficient for an ‘ advocate of science,’is
not comprehensive enough to enable him to choose
aright from womankind'?” We are happy to an
nounce, in behalf of our friend, that little regard as
he seems to have for woman’s judgment in matters
of science, he nevertheless prizes her affection so
highly as to have chosen one “bright particular
star” as the centre of his hopes and desires for life.
We have no doubt, moreover, that he has unwitting
ly committed himself to an opinion of the sex, that
he does not in reality cherish ; and if he is disposed
to vindicate himself, he shall have “ ample space
and verge enough” in our columns We
wish all our readers could share the treat we have
been enjoying for some evenings past, in turning
over the pages of truly superb volumes —both Amer
ican and English. AVe have exulted over the man
ifest progress of the art of book-making this side of
the Atlantic, and think it will not long be an easy
matter to distinguish an English book by its mere
appearance. With such specimens of American
skill as are afforded in the Illustrated Sketch Book
°f Irving, from the elegant press of Putnam —“ The
Women of the Bible,” a magnificently illustrated
quarto, from the Appletons, of New York —“The
Female Poets of America,” illustrated by the poet
Head, and the “ Leaflets of Memory” Annual, both
from E. 11. Butler & Cos , of Philadelphia—the
“ Com of the Season,” from Leavitt, Trow & Cos.,
°f New York—and others from different sources —
with such specimens of book-making as these, we
may safely challenge English Publishers to a com-
J&rison. The rapid progress of the Fine Arts in this
country is certainly cause for congratulation . . .
• • Let us say to our readers in this vicinity, that
Mr. Thomas A Burke is prepared, as the lion. Sec
letary of the American Art Union for Athens, to re
ceive and transmit subscriptions for the present year.
Five Dollars will secure to the subscriber a port-folio
es Illustrations of Kip Van Winkle, by that eminent
artist, Harley—also, a fine steel-plate of Queen Ma
ry signing the Death Warrant of Lady Jane Grey;
an d it will also afford him an equal chance with any
subscriber, to draw one of the fine bronze medals, or
“* the snlendid oil paintings purchased by the Union
3©® If !21 IE SSI ILiJ'tf [£[&&&¥ ®A g g IB ♦
for distribution in December. No one designing to
become a subscriber should delay a single day to
have his name entered on the books The
great political battle is over, and now that the din
has ceased and the smoke is rapidly clearing away,
we are able to look abroad and witness the results
of the contest. First of these, in point of conse
quence, is the election of Zachary Taylor to be
the next President of this wide-spreading Union—a
result which affords as much chagrin to one party as
it does gratification to another. We trust, howev
er, that since the die is cast, all true patriots will
unite in endeavoring to promote the honor and glory
and prosperity of the Republic, while under the
gnidance of a leader, whom all men honored and ap
plauded on tho battle-fields of Alexico, and against
whose integrity even party rancor has not lifted its
voice. If all cannot rejoice that the gallant soldier
has been elected to the highest place in our great Na
tional Council, at least we caa resolve to do nothing
and to neglect nothing—the doing or neglecting of
which will, in the minutest degree, affect the honor
of the country under his administration. Now that
the contest is ended, let us all be brethren—vieing
with each other to increase the glory of our coun
try, and to diffuse over all the land the blessings of
education and piety. Let party distinctions cease,
and the names which have hitherto arrayed the
people into opposite ranks, be merged into the more
sacred name of patriots. It is, certainly, a wonder
ful trait of the American character, that, while up
on tho eve of a popular election the masses are di
vided into apparently irreconcilable factions, no
sooner is the question, which arrays them against
each other, settled, than the whole body is imme
diately possessed, as if by magic, of that grand
principle which France so idly boasts in her nation
ality—‘Fraternite.’ Our’s is, indeed, a fraternity,
a blessed heaven-born union of heart and hand,
which clouds may obscure, but which storms cannot
destroy. We are not sufficiently imbued with the
spirit of party, to make a success or a defeat a mat
ter of such interest as to lead us to overlook the fact
that, while true patriotism sways the hearts of our
leaders, they cannot go far astray, and that where a
great people is so closely divided as in the late con
test, the triumphant party should never fail in re
spect for the opinions and preferences of the other.
Again, therefore, do we say —let us be henceforth
neither AVhigs nor Democrats, but brethren and
patriots. So shall our country continue to afford to
the throne-burdened nations of Europe the subli
mest spectacle of modern times —a nation of twenty
millions of people successfully self-governed!
©uc 3300fc 2Tahlc.
Publishers and Authors who desire to have their
Books noticed in this Gazette are requested to send cop.
ies to Editor through Stringer k Townsend, New r -York,
or Carey &, Hart, Philadelphia.
The Gambler; or, The Policeman’s Story. By
Charles Burdett. One vol. 18mo. pp. 179. New
York : Baker & Scribner.
Ilow fearful are the records of the misery, degra
dation and death, which have resulted from the
dreadful vice of Gaming—a vice as cruel and insa
tiate as the Grave. In the little volume before us,
we have a beautiful and feeling narrative of the ca
reer of a man who was dragged by this demon-vice
from a high position to the Lunatic Asylum, on
Blackwell’s Island—involving his once happy family
in misery and wo —causing shame to his daughter—
death to his wife, and ruin to his sons, The story
is a true one in its principal facts, and illustrates the
terrible fascinations of the gaming-table, and the
power of the fatal passion when it has once been
cherished. The story of the Andrews has many sad
parallels in every-day life, and it is well to sound it
aloud as a warning to youth not to venture —once
even—the unhallowed portals of the gambler’s den,
and to avoid every species of a vice so fearful in its
results to body and soul.
Tiie Juvenile Scrap-Book, for 1849. A Christ
mas and New Year’s Present for Young People.
Edited by Grandfather Merryman. New York:
D. Appleton & Cos.
This is one of those charming little volumes,
which are prepared for good boys and girls, “ all in
the merrie Christmas times,” and, our word on it,
is a very pretty hook. It contains no fewer than
twenty-eight beautiful steel engravings, with an
equal number of delightful stories, which good old
Grandfather Merryman told to his little grand
daughter during the holidays. AVe hope many of
our little readers will find it on their tables next
Christmas or New Year’s morning.
Duff’s North American Accountant: Embra
cing Single and Double Entry Book Keeping,
Practically adapted to the Inland and Mara time
Commerce of the United States. By P. Duff.
New York: Harper & Brothers.
This is an eminently practical work, by a Mer
chant, and is highly commended by a Special Com
mittee of Merchants and Accountants, appointed by
the Board of Managers of tho American Institute,
and by several eminent Accountants in New York.
\Vc have slightly examined the work, and it appears
to us to bv a complete system of Book-keeping.
The Women of the American Revolution.
By Elizabeth F. Ellet. In 2 vols. I2mo. pp. 348,
312. New York: Baker & Scribner.
Airs. Ellet has certainly rendered an acceptable
service to American History, by affording us this
very interesting and extensive view of tho domestic
character of the Revolutionary strugglo. It was not
to bo doubted that the mothers, wives and daugh
ters, of the noble-hearted men, who battled so
bravely and so sacrificingly for their country’s hon
or, and for their own freedom, were heroic women.
The evidence of the fact, as exhibited in Mrs. El
let’s volumes, is both abundant and gratifying.
Such women as Mary and Alartha Washington,
Catharine Greene, Alary AVarren, and a host of
other equally illustrious names, could not fail to in
fluence tho character of that protracted struggle,
which, through their exalted devotion, and the over
ruling Hand of Providence, their sons and husbands
achieved. All honor, then, and gratitude be paid
by the millions of Columbia’s sons and daughters to
the memory of those illustrious women whose memo
ries are contained in the work under notice.
Os the manner in which Mrs. Ellet has performed
her task, we will merely remark that it appears to
be judicious and satisfactory. That her volumes
contain the memoirs of all the brave and noble wo
men who gave tone to the American Revolution is
not to be supposed. They certainly do, however,
embody much information that is not only of great
interest to the which for this timely com
pilation might have been lost for ever. Airs. Ellet
has had able and varied assistance in preparing her
volumes —and all the sketches bear the impress of
care and taste in their’ manner as well as matter.
The book will be read with interest by thousands,
and will increase the reputation of its fair author —
herself a descendant o f one of the bravo officers of
the Revolution.
Primary Physiology, i> t Schools. By Edward
J avvis, AI. D. Philadelphia : Thomas, Cowperth
waite & Cos.
Some time since, we commended Dr. Jarvis’ Phy
siology, a work adapted for Academies
and High Schools. AVe have now, from the same
source, a little volume preliminary to that, suited to
the beginner in the important study of Physiology.
AVe are entirely pleased with the manner in which
the science is explained to the juvenile mind, and we
believe the work to be just the thing that is needed.
It is neat and cheap.
History’ of Alary, Queen of Scots. By Jacob
Abbott. Cne vol. 18mo. pp. 286. New York:
Harper & Brothers.
This is a most acceptable offering to young read
ers, by a writer wlio enjoys no small share of well
earned popularity. He tells us that he has written
this narrative of tho eventful history of Queen Ma
ry —one of a series of historical books he is prepar
ing—to meet the demand of the American youth for
such narrations adapted to their peculiar position
and views. That he will succeed in his purpose,
cannot be doubted.
The publishers have put forth this volume in a
charming dress. Its fine paper, beautiful engra
vings, and richly illuminated title page, combined
with its handsome exterior, make it quite suitable
for a gift-book.
Stray Subjects, Arrested and Bound Over. Be
ing the Fugitive Offspring of the “ Old ’ln” and
the “ Young ’Un.” Philadelphia: Carey & Hart
This is No. XVII of “ Carey & Hart’s Humorous
Library,” and is a regular mirth-provoking book. —
The sketches have been widely read in the newspa
pers, hut there they lacked the charm of Darley’s in
imitable pictures—which alone are worth the prico
of the volume.
Mirabeau, a Life History, in Four Books. In one
vol., I2mo. pp. 347. Philadelphia: Lea &
Blanchard.
Gabriel Ilonore de Riquette, Count of Mirabeau,
was the most extraordinary man of his times in
France, and his memoirs, written either in indis
criminate censure, or blinded praise, abound with
episodes of intense interest and proofs of his wonder
ful genius.
\Vc have read this “ Life History” with no com
mon attention —excited not only by the subject, but
also by the style of the book. Tho author is an En
glishman —writing under the impulse of a lofty and
enthusiastic admiration of Alirabeau —whose strange
career of mingled shame and glory, degradation and
exaltation, debasing passions and overwhelming in
tellect, he sketches with a hold and somewhat eccen
tric hand. The style of the book is eminently Car-
I lylean —abounding in imitations of that great wri
ter —imitations, however, which are most palpable
in the use of compound words, suoh as —life-lot, un
workers, Fame-temple, &e. These are affectations
which may be overlooked in a work that bears the
impress of Alind, and the author of this Life Histo
ry thinks and speaks for himself. AVith a pen that
moves in obedience to his will, he traces the won
derful career of Mirabeau—his early life under the
cloud of his father’s dislike—hi3 imprisonment—his
connection with the beautiful Sophie de Ruffey—
their farcical separation —his amour with another
frail beauty, Henrietta Amelia Van llaren—his
flight to England—his return to Paris—and his sub
sequent brilliant career as a Alember of the Third
Estate in the States General, or National Assembly
as it was afterwards called —his grand oratorical
triumphs on tho tribune, and his abandonment, in
the last few months of his life, to the most unbridled
licentiousness —which, together with his gigantic
labors in endeavoring to control the tempest of Rev
olution which lie had greatly contributed to raise,
wasted his giant physical and intellectual system.
Strange and wonderful, indeed, were the events
that crowded tho lifo of Mirabeau ; and while we
cannot, with his biographer, excuse his amours, and
overlook his glaring vices, we are compelled to as
sent to the force of the following plea of our author:
“ In the name of common justice, (to say nothing
of charity,) what can you expect from such a train
ing-up in no way whatsoever ! Do goodness, virtue,
piety, spring up indigenous in the human heart, or
have they to be planted? If the world’s appointed
sower (the parent) sow tho fair seed-field with no
thing —or if with anything, with tares—how can the
world expect an unmixed corn-crop? If the world
get nothing in such a case, it is as much ns it has a
right to expect; if the world get a mingled crop of
tares and wheat, should it notrqjoice greatly in hav
ing so reaped where it did not sow, and not anathe
matize the field because it produced no more ! Mi
rabeau, rising from such a wilderness of woe into
the mighty man who out-thundered his everlasting
word-magic from the tribune of the French Assem
bly, is one of the wonders of the world. The natu
ral result of his education would have been an im
moral and bad man without mitigation; many men
have been immoral and bad with less excuse for their
immorality and badness, and been less decried than
he. How unjust, therefore, seems that decrying,
when ho became a man in whom badness was the
exception, not the preponderance ; when he became,
in fact, the the greatest of his nation ; or, rather,
(since the word great implies, as we take it, some
qualities Mirabeau lacked, or, possessing, misap
plied,) let us call him the gigantic man, not only
of his own nation, but of all the world.
Gigantic is the true term, —he was indeed gigan
tic—something like those old mythological giants
who hurled mountains at the gods. His disting
uishing feature is, that on whatever ho labored was
imprinted the broad, unmistakable stamp of mascu
linity.”
In summing up the character of Mirabeau, the bi
ographer deduces this admirable “ moral lesson.”
“ That, however rightly intent ionod and natural
ly good the heart may be, its stability cannot be do
pended upon, unless some life-principle be taken up
early in life and steadily followed. This is most
manifest in Mirabeau —that his disposition was gen
erous and right, that his heart was kind and good,
ive cannot doubt; but, owing to the absence of those,
good qualities being duly trained into the proper
channel, they were greatly nullified ; and it was
purely from the reason that we find in him no defi
nite, settled fixedness of purpose, no unwaveringly
devoted attachment to the Upper Power, that we
were constrained to withhold from him the glorious
epithet of Great; contenting ourselves with bestow
ing the bastard one of Gigantic. Had Mirabeau
been religious, one sees not what dignified pinnacle
in the fame-temple he had not occupied;—whether
Shakspeare, or Luther, ojr Homer had not paled be
fore him ?”
A wonderful, almost unparalleled, Life-history was
that we have thus briefly noticed !
“The Image of iiis Father,” or Ono Boy is more
Trouble than a dozen Girls. Philadelphia: Ca
rey & Hart.
This work must possess merit, or two editions
would hardly appear at once from tho American
press. Besides this cheap edition of Carey & Hart,
the Messrs. Harpers have published it in a hand
some volume, with illustrations. It is pronounced
to be a very entertaining work by those who have
read it.
The Person and Work of Christ. By Ernest
Sartorius, D. D. Translated by Rev. O. S.
Stearns. Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln.
The object of this little volume is to establish the
doctrine of the divinity of Jesus Christ, and to prove
that upon this fundamental truth depends the effica
cy of the Work of Redemption and Salvation. In
this ago, when men of great learning are endeavor
ing to disprove the God-head of the Messiah, and to
establish a cold rationalism in the place of a living
faith, such a masterly treatise as this should be wide
ly diffused and carefully read.
The Battle of Buena Vista, with the Operations
of the “Army of Occupation” for one Month. —
By Captain James Henry Carlton. Now York:
Harper & Brothers.
We have had books without number on the Mex
ican War —purporting to be comprehensive histo
ries of a long-protracted campaign. The volume
before us is less ambitious and proportionally more
valuable. It i3 the graphic and succinct narrative
of one who could say of the great Battle of Buena
Arista, “ magna pars fui .” No ono could have en
joyed finer opportunities for thoroughly comprehend
ing the whole action, than Captain Carlton, who
commanded a company of dragoons in the engage
ment, and who for many months subsequently, was
encamped upon tho spot. His book, therefore, is
the record of that brilliant field; and to it the future
historian will resort for facts. Tho narrative is
written in good style—without pretension, but not
without ‘grace. It has illustrative maps, and u
handsomely printed.
223