Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

fliall reappear with, we hope, increased energy, and with a determination to deserve the good will and support of the people of the South. ©ur Column. A merry Christmas” to you all, dear readers ; ;ind, as a tit pendant to our cordial greeting, let us chat awhile of the occasion which calls for our greet jn,r? a nd which has ever appeared to us the most de lightful of all the holiday-times embraced in the year. It is true Christmas is not kept by us as it is by the <rood people of England, nor do they now observe it wiih half the zest of the olden time. Then, it w T us a much gayer and more universal festival —and a modern reader would scarcely credit the many Arange records we find of Christmas observances. — It, was a season of mirth and revelry, sometimes, it is Uue, degenerating into dissipation and riot. We Pave often admired the picture of Christmas drawn by the old poet, George Wither, which commences as follows: “ So now is come our joyful’st feast, Let every man be jolly; Each room with ivy leaves is drest, And every post with holly. Though some churls at our mirth repine, Round your foreheads garlands twine — Drown sorrow in a cup of wine, And let us all be merry.” As the old poet had no opportunity of becoming a “ Son of Temperance,” we suppose he must be ex cused for his wine-bibbing propensities. Hear him further: “ The client now his suit forbears, The prisoner’s heart is eased; The debtor drinks away his cares, And for the time is pleased. Though others’ purses be more fat, Why should we yune, or grieve at that 1 Hang sorrow’! care will kill a cat — And, therefore, let's be merry! Doubtless many of our readers are familiar with the graphic description of this festival time, by Sir Walter Scott: “ On Christmas Eve the bells were rung, On Christmas Eve the mass was sung ; That only night, in all the year, t'aw the stoled priest the chalice-rear. The damsel donned her kirtle sheen, The hall was dressed with holly green— Forth to the wood did merry men go To gather in the mistletoe. *'** * * * * Then enme the merry maskers in, And carols roared with blithesome din ; If unmelodious was the song, It was a hearty note and strong; Who lists may in their mummery see Traces of ancient mystery. White shirts supply the masquerade, And smutted cheeks the visor made ; But oh, what masquers richly (light, Can boast of bosoms half so light. England was merry England when Old Christmas brought his sports again: ’Twas Christmas broach’d the mightiest ale— ’Twas Christmas told the merriest tale— A Christmas gambol oft would cheer A poor man’s heart through half the year. There is a wholesome and freshening influence ex erted upon the popular mind by the observance of such festival occasions as the present, and for this reason we are always happy to see it kept with a joyous zest. If it be ever so doubtful that this was the season of the nativity of our Saviour, there is, nevertheless, reason enough why it should be kept as a glad festival by the people. It is the close of the year —an appropriate time for thanksgiving — and, moreover, there cannot well be too many op portunities for all classes to unite in those social pleasures which characterize the Christmas holi days. May our readers live to see many happy re turns of the day ! .... We are sure our readers will thank us for introducing to them the beautiful story, by Mrs. Childs, entitled “ r ihe Neighbor-in- Law.” We find it in the People’s Journal, one of the numerous cheap but beautiful Magazines for the million, which distinguish the present periodical Literature of England The “ \ ellowFe ver” is carrying off hundreds —perhaps, we might say, thousands—in all our large cities, and we hear of its appearance in smaller places throughout the country. Its chief symptom is an “itching palm, ’ and its victims rave about “ uncounted gold” and bushels of glittering dust! Our readers will doubt less understand that we allude to the Gold Mania, which prevails to such an alarming extent in many sections, that we half fear they will be depopulated! By late accounts from New \ork, we leai'n that there are forty vessels up for the gold region—and everywhere men are crazy to goto the “ El Dorado” so recently discovered. We earnestly deprecate this eager thirst for gold, which can thus suddenly in -1! une the imagination, and run riot with the reason of men—inducing them to throw aside their busi ness, and embark in an enterprize of doubtful issue. Even allowing that gold exists in California in im mense quantities—few of the thousands who seek it w ill realize it without a sacrifice of an alarming char acter—to some it may be of health —to others of life and to still others of—virtue! The inordinate love of gold is a terrible evil, and a few months hence the gold region of California will be little better aftMEIiSIBEI DL.mriSlEiitE'tr ®&BB'i?TFB. than a pandemonium ! llow truthfully says the poet: “Gold, gold, in all ages the curse of mankind ; Thy fetters are forged for the soul and the mind : The limbs may be free as the wings of a bird, And the mind be the slave of a look and a word: To gain thee, men barter Eternity’s crown — Yield honor, affection, and lasting renown !” We have but a word to add, and it is one of advice. Do not, dear reader, relinquish an honorable em ployment, which is yielding you a reasonable sup port, for the delusive hope of finding the philoso pher's stone in California. Believe us, the true phi losopher’s stone is patient, persevering industry in a lawful calling! Cfje Slmcrtcau s)crtoMcnl s3ress. Godey’s Lady’s Book, for January, 1849. Mr. Godey certainly seems determined to defy competition, in the elegance and variety of his ad mirable periodical, and if we did not know that its price was only Three Dollars per annum, we should certainly suppose it would be at least twice that sum. In the number before us there are 72 closely printed pages of matter, and more engravings than we have time to count! Among them are two very fine steel-plates—two colored steel-plates, one a flow er puice, and the other an equestrian fashion plate —besides numerous excellent wood-cuts, of which the best is a choice illustration of a very clever story by Arthur, entitled “ Butter is Riz.” All of these at tractions are comprehended in one number of Godey, and the public have reason to believe that each suc ceeding issue will be, at least, equal to this. Any person remitting Three Dollars to the publisher, re ceives not only the “ Book,” but a capital semi monthly Journal, entitled the “ Lady’s Dollar News paper,” both for one year. Now is the time to sub scribe, reader. Holden’s Dollar Magazine, December, 1848. This is an excellent number of an excellent Mag azine. Wo consider it “ cheap exceedingly” at the price, and if it were twice as much, ’twould still be cheap. The “ Pulpit Sketches” are alone worth the subscription. That of Rev. Charles G. Somers in the present issue, is full of interest. Commend us to works of merit and cheapness combined, like Holden. Western Literary Emporium, for November, — Stowell & Langley, St. Louis, Mo. The first number we have received of a Western Magazine, freighted with genuine literature, ar ranged with excellent taste. It is now nigh the com pletion of its second volume, and in January will commence its third with increased interest. It is a handsome octavo of 64 pages, with a fine steel plate —cheap enough in all conscience ; and we hope it will prosper abundantly. (tCU The Southern Literary Messenger, The Odd- Fellows’ Literary Magazine, the Union Magazine, and the Western Literary Messenger, all for the present month, are on our table, and we are pleased to see that all of them will commence the New Year with increased attractions. We shall give them all a special New Year’s greeting. ©uc 3300 ft (Table. Publishers and Authors who desire to have their Books noticed in this Gazette are requested to send cop ies to Editor through Stringer it Townsend, New-York, or Carey & Hart, Philadelphia. Select Poems by Mrs. L. 11. Sigourney. Sixth edition—with illustrations. Revised and correct ed. One vol. 12m0., pp. 338. Philadelphia: Ca rey & Hart. The rank which Mrs. Sigourney holds among the female poets of the country, is an elevated one ; and it is alike creditable to the popular taste and popu lar feeling, that her productions are held in high es teem. Her poetry is characterized by great ear nestness of feeling, generally combined with simpli city and grace of diction. Her versification is al ways melodious, and the flowing numbers commend more effectually to our hearts the lofty and noble sentiments they embody. It is a distinguishing trait of Mrs. Sigourney’s genius, that it is always digni fied. It does not expend itself in erratic and nonde script efforts ; nor does it pander to a sickly, mawk ish taste. The themes of her pen are exceedingly varied, but around them all she throws the witchery of a pure inspiration. The devotional poetry of Mrs. Sigourney is ex ceedingly chaste and tender —possessing more of the truly spiritual element than that of Mrs. Ilemans — England’s sweetest poetess —to whom our gifted countrywoman has been frequently compared. Our limits forbid an attempt to draw a parallel or mark the contrast between these two distinguished ladies, one of whom, being dead, yet speaketh to ten thou sand hearts, while the other still lives to throw the charm of her imagination around the scenes and ob jects of every-day life—the lofry and the humble alike —and both are beloved for what they have written. 1 he volume before us contains many of Mrs. Sig ourney's best poems, among which wo particularly admire “ The Martyr of Scio,” the exquisite verses entitled “ Poetry”—“ Alpine Flowers”—“ Radiant Clouds at Sunset,” and the oft-quoted, but not too much admired little poem, on the death of an Infant, which we quote entire—simply observing, that in one or more editions of Mrs. Ileman’s works, this little gem is improperly included : “ Death found strange beauty on that polish'd brow, And dash’d it out. There was a tint of rose On cheek and lip. He touch’d the veins with ice, And the rose faded. Forth from those blue eyes There spake a wishful tenderness, a doubt Whether to grieve or sleep), which innocence Alone may wear. With ruthless haste he bound The silken fringes of those curtaining lids Forever. There had been a murmuring sound With which the babe would claim its mother's ear, Charming her even to tears. The spoiler set The seal of silence. But there beam’d a smile, So fix’d, so holy, from that cherub brow, Death gazed, and left it there. lie dared not steal The signet-ring of heaven.” Mrs. Sigourney is not wanting in a delicate and sparkling wit, which is occasionally exhibited in her verse. A good specimen of this kind is afforded in her address “To a Shred of Linen,” and “The Thrush,” who said, “ I’ll p>ay my rent in music.” It is no small tribute to the merit of Mrs. Sigour ney’s poetry, that her publishers have been induced to publish an edition in a very handsome style, with numerous superb illustrations, of which we may have occasion to say more hereafter. A Universal Pronouncing Gazetteer. By Thos. Baldwin. Seventh Edition—with a copious Ap pendix and a Map One vol. 12m0., pp. 648. — Philadelphia: Lindsay & Blakiston. The value of a good Gazetteer is not easily over estimated, and we have found early editions of the work under notice exceedingly useful. The present edition is so much enlarged and amended, that anew .value has been given to the work ; and we know of none equally comprehensive and accurate in its geo graphical details. The peculiar feature of the vol ume is, however, the system of pronunciation, which is defined by an orthography precisely indicating the sound of the word in its vernacular. Take, for in stance, a river in Italy, with the following name— Bacchiglione. The pronunciation is rendered appa rent at once, as follows—Bak-keel-yo-na ; and again, the name of a town in Mexico, written Chihuahua, but pronounced Chc-wa-wa. The Appendix con tains the names of towns and rivers in Mexico, and California —an important addition in the present state of our relations to those countries. Essays and Reviews. By Edwin P. Whipple.— In 2 vols. 12m0., pp. 360, 370. Now York : D. Appleton & Cos. These very readable volumes are made up of the author’s contributions to the Reviews and Maga zines, and are chiefly discriminating and spirited critiques, and Essays upon the great authors of England and America. It is no small praise, we consider, to say that these papers were worthy to be collected into permanent form —for such is the mul tiplicity of books at this day, that the appearance of anew one should be regarded with distrust, un til its actual merit, beyond the common run, is de termined. Mr. Whipple is one of the most vigorous Essay writers of this country, and no one who reads his capital articles on Macauley, Sydney Smith, The Old English Dramatists, and Wordsworth, will hes itate to pronounce him an adept in the difficult art of criticism. We admire the energy of his stylo—the nice dis crimination of his judgment—the genuineness of his admiration for the splendid writers of our age, and the honesty with which he unveils their faults, as they appear to his well-informed mind. W:th all of his estimates of character we cannot agree.— We might even censure where he praises, and where he censures, praise—but this does not diminish aught the relish with whioh we read his Essays. He is a writer not only of great promise, but of highly re spectable performances, and we can conscientiously recommend his volumes to our readers. The Female Poets of Great Britain—Chrono logically arranged, ivith copious Selections and Critical Remarks. By Frederick Rowton. One vol. Bvo., pp. 533. Philadelphia: Carey & Hart. This is a superb volume, issued in a style corres ponding to the illustrated editions of Willis, Bryant, Mrs. Sigourney, and other volumes by thesaiue pub lishers, whose taste and liberality in getting up edi tions de luxe, are not surpassed in the country. Mr. Rowton’s collection is the most admirable one we have ever met with, of the female poets of Great Britain ; indeed, it is the only one deserving of the name, and we hail it as a valuable addition to the popular literature of the day. We have thought it strange that the deficiency has so long existed, espe cially as the British male poets are accessible in nu merous compendiums. Some of the sweetest, and some of the most enduring of English verse, is the product of female genius, and we should consider any library greatly deficient that did not contain the complete works—or liberal selections —of “such writers as Mrs. Homans, Mary Howitt, Miss Bar rett, Eliza Cook, Miss Landon, Mrs Southey, Mrs. Barbauld, Mrs. Norton, and many others. The Introductory Chapter, by the English Edi tor, is a fine essay on the genius of the female poets of Great Britain, in which just homage is paid to the purity and beauty and pathos of their produc tions. The volume presents a goodly array of names, and embraces a period of nearly four centuries. The only poetess of tho fifteenth century was Juliana Berners, who was a Prioress. “ Her style,” says Mr. Rowton, “was excessively coarse and unfemi nine,” for which, however, he very properly finds excuse in the barbarism of the age. The first poet ess of tho next ceutury was the beautiful and unfor tunate Queen —Anne Boleyn—whose claim to the title is regarded by some as apocryphal. Among the early female poets is the name of Queen Eliza beth who had quite a passion for verse-making, in which so? attained no remarkable success, lhirirg the seventeenth century, we notice a few names, of which the most deserving are those of Katherine Phillips and Anno Killigrew. In the eighteenth century occurs the names of Mrs. Kowc, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Charlotte Smith, Hannah More, Mrs. Barbauld, and Mrs. Tighe. The latter was author of “ Psyche’,” one of the most remarkable imaginative productions ever written, almost rival ling in artistic beauty the best works of later poets. The latter portion of the volume is filled with gems from the works of the distinguished ladies whose names we first mentioned ; and we must again ac cord to Mr. Rowton high praise for tho taste he has displayed in the selection. There are also very beau tiful poems by Mrs. (Fanny Kemble) Butler, and Mary Anne Brown. Nor are the playful and spark ling productions of Mrs. Abdy’s muse unworthy of the niche they occupy. The American Editor has, with great good taste, increased the number of se lections from Mrs. Heinuns and some few others, and introduced some names which Mr. Rowton entirely, and we think strangely, overl< oked. Among these are Mrs. Tonini, (Charlotte Elizabeth,) Miss Jews bury, Mrs. Sara Coleridge, and Mrs. Gray, (Mary Anne Brown.) In closing our hasty notice of this volume, it would be unjust not to mention the exquisite steel engravings which really adorn it. They are nume rous, and very highly finished. We know of no book which would be more acceptable as a valuable gift, than this. Cai* Sallusth Cwsri, de bello Catallnario kt Jugurthino, Schmitz & Zumpt’s Classi cal Series. 16'm0., pp. 168. Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard. P. V iRGiLii Maronis Oarmina. 16m0., pp. 438. We have here the second and third of a series, prepared for the use of Schools and Colleges, by two of the best scholars and practical teachers of the age. Their compact size, fine paper, and clear type, are primary recommendations. But the quali ty to which they owe their principal attraction, in tho eyes of judicious teachers, is that they have neither more nor fewer notes than they ought to have. Twenty-five years ago, appearances indicated that a deadly onset was about to be made upon Clas sical Literature ns a branch of a liberal education But, though some poweiful names were enlisted iu this crusade, it seemed to have called forth the lat ent energies of the friends of ancient lore, and tho multiplication of editions of the Greek and Roman writers, by the ripest scholars of the day, indicates that the tide is turning, and the cause of sound edu cation triumphant. Thucydides. By John J. Owen. One vol., 12mj , pp. 683. New York : Leuvitt, Trow &Cos A work expressly designed for College clasee; The Editor has distinguished himself for his edi tions of the Odysseus of Homer, and the Anabasis and Cyropaedia of Xenophon. Might we suggest a remark, we should say that these editions are all too much cumbered up with notes. Here are more than five hundred pages of notes to less than one hundred and eighty of text; and the notes are rendered more diffuse by the perpetual recurrence of references to authority, which, in ninety-nine cases out of an hun dred, are utterly useless, as pupils, generally, ar? but scantily provided with these learned authorities, and would not refer to them if they were $3 their el bow. We regard Prof. Owen as high authority himself, and would be perfectly willing to take hi* word for whatever he might choose to advance on any subject of criticism. His whole scries is invalu able. The text used in the present work is that of Dindorf. Angelina Luxmore, or, The Life of a Beauty. A Novel. By the Author of the Jilt New York: H. Long & Brother. There are two distinct romances in this history— the one of a spoiled mother, and the other of a spoiled child ; both of which are cleverly wrought, and contain lessons which might, if headed, be of no small benefit to fashionable ladies—especially to beautiful daughters and ambitious mothers. 263