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1852.] noon tho tale of his dog. Sergent turned upon her win. .. f QrQ a tiger, exclaiming, “Madam have you no hunmuv^ The Swannanoah. The road to the Black Mountain follows the course of the Swannanoah, a beautiful little stream which rises at the foot of the mountain, and emp ties into the French Broad—flowing all the way through a magnificent country. The scenery is of a character totally different from that upon the French Broad, but quite equal to it. On the latter river you are hemmed in by low ranges of mountains upon either side ; from the other the view is more extensive. The valleys are spacious, and for the most part cultivated ; and at no great distance, but far enough to give them something of the charm of remoteness, some of the loftiest mountains east of the Mississippi, lift tiiemselves haughtily towards the sky. A Curious Tree. On the Black Mountain there is a curious tree, one of those fire, the dark foliage of which gives name to the mountain. It shoots upward in three s ems—the two outer ones bending around ex actly in the form of a lyre. We never saw any thing more perfect. It is an instrument, however, which answers to the touch of no musician save that of the mountain breeze. Ot|i* Sooli Jgble. The History or Henry Esmond. By W. M. Thacke ray. From the press ol’ Harper al Brothers, New-York. Thackeray’s new fiction, though written in the third person, purports to be, like BuUver’s Deve reux, an autobiography dating about the opening of the eighteenth century. Henry Esmond is a colonel in the service of Queene Anne. But the intense modernism of the real author is visible in the very opening chapter of the hook. This be gins with an open avowal of contempt of persons, titles and distinctions ; and the work throughout is marked by a commendable absence of Snob bishness. It contains, however, many admira ble characters, and some clever caricatures —for Thackeray is a capital hand at both. Swift, Steele, Addison, Marlborough and others, enter upon the scene, and poor Swilt undergoes the same treat ment which he received at the hands of Thacke ray, in the New-York Lectures of the Satirist. The plot is complicated and interesting, and the book has reached us just in time to add to the pleasures of a winter fireside British Eloquence, embracing the test Speeches entire of the most eminent orators of Great Britain for the last two centuries; with Sketches of their Lives, an estimate of their Genius, and Notes Critical and Explanaiory. By C’ A. Goodrich, DU. From the presof Harper & Brothers, New-York. This volume is indeed a store-house of great thoughts and glowing language, and should be the vade mecum of every youth who desires to culti vate the fascinating art of oratory. The title-page well describes it, and we need only to say that the editor could not possibly have rendered a greater service to the youug men of America than by giving them this compendium of British eloquence. It is an octavo volume of nearly a thousand close ly printed pages, and is published at a price so SOUTHERN LITERARY GAZETTE. low that it is accessible to even the “poor stu dent.” A Life of Vicissitudes, s Story of Revolutionary Times, By G. P. R James, Esq. From tho press of Harper & Brothers, New-York. Mr. James, always welcome, is never more so than when he proposes to tell us a story of stirring times. Sueh an one is this, of a revolutionary period in French History. It is full of incident and graphic description—no where violating prob abilities, or shocking the pure minded reader by false rnotalities. It will afford the admirers of Mr. James a very pleasant winter day’s amuse ment aud gratification. Essays from the London Times. Appletons* Popular Library. [From John Russell. This is the second series of ‘the leaders’ of the Times newspaper, the organ whose diapason fills the civilized world with its tones. English liter ature can hardly boast of finer productions than these Essays from the ‘Times.’ Romulus. By Jacob Abbott. From the press of Harper Brothers, New-York. This is the seventeenth volume of a series al ready known wherever the Euglish language is read. In simplicity of style, felicitous selection of incidents and facts, and general historic fidelity, these hooks are not surpassed. We have read the History of Romulus wnh much interest and plea sure. The Seven Wise Men of Greece, and Seven Wonders of the World. By Rev. A. 1). Jones, A. M. From the press of U. Appleton & Cos., New-York. This attractive little volume conveys much in formation to the young reader, presenting at a glance the seven men whose wisdom was the in tellectual glory of Greece, aud the seven grand objects of reuovvn to all the ancient world. The latter are very prettily illustrated. Anthon’s Cornelius Nefos. From the press of Harper it Brothers, New-York, We have always held Nepos in high esteem as a book for tyros, and its superiority over most of the early Latiu text books is about to be acknowl edged. Dr. Authon’s neat and well annotated edition will greatly facilitate its introduction into our classical schools. The Waverly Novels. From the press of Lippincott, Grainbo & Cos., Philadelphia. This beautiful uniform edition of the Waverly Novels is beyond question the most popular of all American issues of these works. It is convenient in size, printed from readable type on fiue paper, and each novel, is complete for half a dollar. Nearly twenty of the series have now been is sued, and the rest will appear at brief intervals. Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution. By Ben son J. Lossing. From the press of Harper & Brothers, New-York. We welcome with pleasure the last part of this truly valuable and national work. It is a monu ment to the talent and industry alike, of its au thor, and also to the enterprize of the publishers. At some other time it shall receive a notice from our pen more commensurate witli its great merits than a paragraph like this. Thu Hew Drop, a Gift Book for 7853. From the pres* of Lippincott, Grambo & Cos., Philadelphia. This annual commends itself first by its sweet and simple name, and more powerfully still by the chaste and interesting materials which com pose it, to all who seek a pure gift for the holi days. ET We have received part IX. of the Bleak House. ♦ #■ Edilolriqi pebbles. We notice in the daily journals the obituary of Mr. George Oates, a well known and highly es teemed resident of this city. He died in Shef field England, on the 16th ult., only a day or two previous to the time which he had fixed upon for his return to this country. His death was occa sioned by asthma on his lungs. It is deeply and widely depleted by his family and his numerous friends on both lands. * * Our citizens have been favoured for some weeks past wnh a little drumming by an English baby, born in Georgia. * * Mrs. Gilman’s “Oracles for Youth,” is a very amusing and quite instructive book for girls and boys at the fire-side these long winter nights. * * There was frost this year in Georgia before we had any in New-York. * * Seamen’s wages at San Francisco vary from S3O to $l4O per month. * * It is said that a patient waiter never loses —he certainly lo?es time. * * W. C. Bryant, the poet, has sailed for Europe, to be absent five or six mouths. * * * The man who was carried away by his feelings, has teturned safe. * * la Canada, they are building a rail road from Quebec to Sanma, a distance of 700 nnles. They are also about to establish a line o 1 telegraph wires from Quebec to Detroit. The capital stock of $200,000 is all subscribed. * * Pure asbestos mineral, of which incombustible cloth and salamander safes are made, was recent ly dug up on the rail-road at Warreuton, Va., within a short distance of the depot. * * Mr John Greenough, the painter of Massachusetts, died iu Paiis, France, on the 16th ult. He was buried at Montmatre. Mr. Greenough was brother of Horatio Greenough, the celebrated sculptor. * * The Hon. Wm. A. Graham, of North-Caro lina, has consented to deliver a lecture before the New-York Historical Society. * * It was stated at a temperance meeting held at Liverpool, that there are now, throughout the world, about sixteen million of teetotallers. * * About $1,51)0 were contributed in Hamilton county, Ohio, to the Washington National Monument at the late elec tion. * * Daniel Webster once said—“l think the Duke of Wellington is the greatest man I have yet seen.” Sir Walter Scott made the same remark, in almost the same words. * * [t is now said Gen. Cass will accept, if tendered, a seat in Gen. Pierce’s cabinet. * * The Cher okee National Council, in addition to prohibiting gambling, has passed au act against the carrying of concealed weapons. * * Dr. Parsons, in the Nashville Christian Advocate, calls Uncle Tom’s Cabin “the best fabricated lie of tha nine - teenth century.” * * The mackerel fiehmg 285