And again, in a play called the four P's, by the same author, one of the characters is directed to 'hop upon one foot;' and another says

Here were a hopper to hop for the ring."

Mention is also made of the Ladder-Dance" so called because the performer stands upon a ladder, which he shifts from place to place, and ascends or descends, without losing the equilibrium, or permitting it to fall."

In regard to those mere feats of agility and dexterity, for which our tumblers, rope-dancers, and circus-riders are now famous, we meet with enough to prove that they have been at all times practised in England, and indeed throughout Europe, and many other portions, both of the civilized and uncivilized world; but the practice of gymnastic exercises, as a system, for the useful purposes of invigorating the body and imparting elasticity to the mind, has been only lately revived from antiquity. To Professors Gutsmuths and Jahn, the merit of the discovery and revival of this long lost art," this relic of an age gone by,”—is more particularly due. After a careful examination of the structure of the human body, they devised numerous exercises, arranged them in a well adapted series, and again restored Gymnastics to something like their former rank and importance.

It was in Denmark that these exercises were first considered in a national point of view; and in 1803 the number of gymnastic establishments in that country had amounted to fourteen, in which three thousand young men were educated. Indeed, on the continent generally, the system spread. In many towns of Germany and Switzerland, Gymnasia were established. The youth, and even grown men, soon derived more pleasure from exercises which fortified, than from pleasures which paralized, the powers of their bodies. By the consciousness of increased vigor, the mind, too, became powerfully excited, and strove for equal perfection; and the constant ambition of every pupil was to verify in his own instance, the truth of the adage, "Mens sana in corpore sana—A sound mind in a healthy body." Even the naturally indolent were irresistibly carried away by the zeal of their comrades; persons, diseased and weakly, recovered their health, for the restoration of which these exercises were possibly the only effectual remedy. The certificates of physicians wherever Gymnastics were introduced, concurred as to their healthful tendency, nor were the highest testimonials from parents and teachers found wanting. Indeed, all young men who cultivated them, were acknowledged to have improved in health and morals, and to have acquired an open, free, and graceful deportment. For many years past, Gymnastics have been introduced into England, and have met with decided success. They have been patronized by the government-have been adopted in the army; in the Royal Military, and Naval Schools; besides the Charter-house, and many private establishments. Private Gymnasia, too, have also appeared in various parts of the metropolis, and received considerable encouragement. But in order to render Gymnastics generally beneficial, and to secure to them a permanent and a national basis, a Public Gymnasium was at length established in several parts of Londen and the environs, for the admission of all persons of character and respectability, and on terms as nearly as possible proportioned to their pecuniary abilities. Its conduct and regulation were placed under the management of a society, formed by their own body.

That such institutions are desirable in large cities, will be obvious to all who reflect on the impossibility of persons whose employments are sedentary, attaining, after the confinement and anxiety of the day, a requisite portion of healthful exercise and excitement to recruit and exhilarate the spirit, and restore the tone of languid nature. This object, it will be admitted, is not accomplished by the dull, monotonous, and even the pernicious practice of listlessly strolling about the streets without a definite or a useful motive; still less, by dissipating the remnant of their already abused faculties in the unhallowed atmosphere of the tavern or the club. To the clerk, this course will but accelerate the mischief arising from eight or ten hours' "dry drudgery at the desk's dead wood;" to the artizan it is not calculated to ensure peaceful slumbers, and to enable him to meet the duties of the morrow "with nerves new-braced and spirits cheered."

In hypochondriacal, and all other melancholy disorders, people are too apt to acquire the notion, that mind alone is concerned; whereas, the body will usually be found to own at least an equal share, if not indeed the original, of the evil. There is a mutual re-action between them, and by lessening it on one side, you diminish the pain on both. Hypochondria is the name of one of the regions of the stomach-a very instructive etymology. The blood of a melancholy man is thick and slow; that of a lively man, clear and quick. A natural conclusion therefore, is, that the remedy would be found in putting the blood into action. By ceaseless action all that is, subsists." Exercise is the best means of effecting it, as the impulse given by artificial stimuli is too sudden, the effect too transitory, and the cost to nature too great. Plato had so high an opinion of the medicinal powers of exercise for disorders of the mind, that he said it was even a cure for a wounded conscience.

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The want of exercise, says Dr. Blackmore, is a preparatory cause of the gout, and this is warranted by long experience; for instance, the sedentary lawyer, and the unwearied student who continually converse with their books, and seldom employ themselves in exercise, thereby often con

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tract the gout. The sauntering, supine, and oscitant gentleman, by his birth and great possessions, exempt from labor and exercise, therefore is entitled to diseases."

"If much study," says Dr. Cheyne, " be joined to the want of exercise, it becomes then doubly prejudicial, and will, if long pursued, ruin the strongest constitutions.

"Hard study never fails to destroy the appetite, and produce all the symptoms already enumerated, with headaches, vertigoes, costiveness, wind, crudities, apoplexies, and palsy.

"If inactivity and want of exercise are joined with luxury, the solids become relaxed and weakened, and the acrimony of the salts and humors gradually increase, then chronical disorders are produced, such as gout, erysipelas, rheumatisms, with all the pains, miseries, and torments arising in this low sunk state of the constitution."

It is difficult to convince sedentary people, but it is a duty to attempt persuading them, that their usual habits waste the spirits, destroy health, and shorten life. Hundreds in each of our large cities die every year for want of exercise.

It is by no means necessary that we should cultivate Gymnastics "after the manner of the ancients," but only so far as may be requisite to maintain the even tenor of existence. The state of society in towns continually imposes obstructions to health, and offers inducements to the slothful, in the shape of palliatives, which ultimately increase the "miseries of human life." Exercise is both a prevention and a remedy; but we must not mistake-diligence is not necessarily exercise.

Our ordinary pastimes are now almost all within doors; those of our progenitors in England were more in the open air. They danced on the green in the day-time; we, if we dance at all, move about in warm rooms at night; and then there are the "late hours," the "making a toil of pleasure," the lying in bed late the next morning, the incapacity to perform duties in consequence of "recreation!" The difference to health is immense-the difference to morals is not less. If reflection be troublesome, read the proceedings in courts of justice and then reflect. We have much to unlearn.

WALNUT STREET,

An institution which has met with decided encouragement, and which, we are happy to add, deserves it. Mr. B. has introduced many improvements upon former plans, in regard to his machinery, regulations, and exercises. Some general idea of these latter may be gained from an inspection of the engraving. In our next number, we will enter into minute details respecting this and similar institutions-giving an entire code of "Instructions for Gymnasts." It would be a source of great pleasure to us if we could be the means, in any degree, of exciting interest upon a subject which, however frivolous it may appear, is yet one of so much real importance.

REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.

The Waverly Novels, with the Author's last Corrections and Additions; complete in Five Volumes. Carey and Hart, Philadelphia.

We had occasion to notice the enterprise of the above booksellers in our remarks upon the splendid volume of Scott's works, devoted to his poetry, which issued from their press a few months past; in one book, scarcely more ponderous than the original edition of the Lay of the Last Minstrel, the whole of Sir Walter's poetry is gathered together, including various minor pieces never before published. We have now a continuation of the same glorious edition-the entire " Waverly Novels" are presented in Five Octavo Volumes; the author's last corrections and additions are included; and his valuable notes grace the text matter in appropriate relation. The type is clear and sufficiently bold to render its perusal an easy task; the paper is of the same consistency and whiteness that won our admiration in the volume of poetry; and a well-engraved Steel Likeness, from the original picture by Newton, in the possession of Murray the bookseller, gives additional value to the work. We have no hesitation in saying that Carey and Hart's edition of Sir Walter Scott's works is the best library and family edition ever printed, either in England or America.

Fanny, and other Poems. One Volumc. Harper and Brothers, New York.

Mr. Halleck's muse but seldom condescends to flap her wings in the Parnassian atmosphere; the publishers, therefore, with due consideration of the wants of the devotees of Apollo, kindly furnish us with a repetition of the former flutterings of her graceful pinions. We should rejoice to welcome a novelty from the pen of Halleck; there are so few real poets now extant, that we cannot allow one of the highest of the craft to waste his days "in case inglorious," without a word of reproach-and this new edition of our favorite "Fanny" is a mouthful of sweets that makes us wish for a larger feast.

A Reply to the Critics. By Samuel F. Glenn. Washington, 1839.

This boy will be the death of us! Here is another "little pamphlet," printed at the sole expense of the "littery" Sammy, and devoted to our positive extermination from the list of periodicals. Why, dear Sammy, will you persist in spending your hard earnings to prove yourself an ass? Be assured that you are already sufficiently ridiculous in the eyes of those to whom you gratuitously forward your productions; and if your respectable maternal parent neglected sending you to a Sunday School in your days of bibs and bread and butter, it is not incumbent upon you to exhibit the depth of your ignorance to "the world at large!"

Our readers may not recollect Sammy. We had occasion lately to notice his arrogance in presuming to address a literary society and publish Essays on Criticism, when he is not only unacquainted with the syntactical construction of sentences, but literally unable to spell correctly the words which he presses into his service. Our critical remarks have engendered Sammy's ire—and, lo! the result-an octave of mendacious ignorance and vituperation, levelled at all critics who have had the honesty to ridicule the pretensions of this particular gander of the capitol, this Virgil of Goose Creek-and at ourselves primarily and most particularly.

We are not angry with Sammy, although he lets drive at us "with savage earnestness and vengeful play." Sammy insists upon it that he is a great wiiter-that the bad grammar and mis-spelling evident in all his productions, are the faults of the various printers employed-nay he even confesses that such errors will be found in his forthcoming work. Sammy once inflicted an hour's talk upon our suffering nature, when he uttered more bad language than a mad cockney in a farce. Was the printer to blame, then? We have a letter written by Sammy's own hand, wherein Priscian's head is broken with painful frequency; and we also possess the manuscript of a poem, by Sammy, wherein he pathetically asks a weeping willow why it hangs its head so sorry fully. This is no typographical error, for the printer has never yet seen this poem, and we are doubtful if he ever will.

Sammy F. Glenn reminds us of a certain little Scotch manager whilom of our acquaintance, who bores every editor within blarneying distance till he obtains the insertion of a self-written commendation either of his most unpopular management or of his execrable stage assumptions-performances which the good sense of the American public has nearly driven from the stage. This besotted man parades the false notice as a specimen of public opinion; but if an honest critic ventures to give a

line of reproof or even to hint a wish of arvendment in the parsimonious system of management, the conceited bigot raises the cry of persecution, and denounces the editor as a personal foe, or a tool in the hands of a clique of enemies. Just so it is with his brother humbug, Sammy Glenn, who practises villanous means of puffing hitherto unknown in the annals of Grub street-but vituperates, in bad grammar, the critic who ridicules the Essays and Lectures of a litteraire who is unable to spell correctly a word of three syllables.

Sammy sends copies of his productions to every editor within reach; if the "notices" are honorable he greedily publishes them as puffs, but if unfavorable, he declares that the work was printed for private circulation, and ought not to have been criticised-or that "his poems from the nature of their emission were SACRED TO CRITICISM." Any one who understands the English language would imagine that "sacred to criticism" meant consecrated or devoted to that purpose-but poor ignorant Sammy intended to mean just the reverse! However, the printers can bear the blame. Sammy has not attempted to answer any one of our objections to the consummate nonsense fabricated by him both in his Essay and his Lecture-a lecture which he says was printed at the request of the literary society before which it was delivered. Is it possible that there exists a literary society so common-place in its material as to allow our stultified Sammy to insult them in a lecture? did they not observe the longitude of the ears beneath his lion's skin? were they not awakened to a sense of sight by the sound of his asinine bray? We say again that Sammy has not attempted to answer our objections, but contents himself with accusing us of distorting our quotations, and of criticising an extract from Campbell as the writing of Sammy himself. Not so, Sammy; we took your position and its predication, divested of the parenthetical absurdities which confused your mean. ing-there was no necessity to give the whole of your rigmarole paragraphs; and as to the quotation, we did not affirm that you wrote it, but said that you had introduced a very tender and beautiful sentence in support of your doctrine. This language is very different to accusing you of writing any thing emanating from the pen of Campbell. Oh, Sammy, Sammy, where do you expect to go when you die?

We shall not again notice our friend Sammy's attacks; we cannot spare room for the paltry subject, nor find time for the unprofitable task. If his "little pamphlets," are sent to us, we shall notice them as they deserve; as we do every other publication placed in our hands. We thank him cordially for the trouble he has taken in proving the correctness of our criticisms, and in circulating the proofs at his own expense. His "Reply to the Critics" is the best puff of our magazine that we could possibly issue, and establishes the honest correctness of our literary opinions beyond the power of denial. Sammy's "Introduction"alone proves all that we have asserted of his ignorance; it consists of three lines and a half, yet contains four flagrant violations of propriety. Here it is.

"I am urged to the following very brief reply by the consideration that the critics in question have gained a literary standing of some degree in this country, and have disseminated statements which, as I hope to prove herein, are alike obnoxious to liberality and to truth."

"The critics in question." What critics? who are they? No persons have as yet been named, nor has the gravamen of the matter been stated; the question is not yet before the reader.

"A literary standing of some degree in this country." A phrase most Glennish and obscure. Of what degree? as big as all out doors, or as small as a lump of chalk ?

"As I hope to prove herein." In where? in the introduction consisting of three lines and a half, or in "the following brief reply?"

"Obnoxious to liberality and truth." Sammy, we confess the soft impeachment-we are obnoxious to liberality and truth. Borrow a dictionary, man, and find the meaning of the word. Why do you venture upon a four-syllabler without a previous investigation? Obnoxious means liable, or subject, or exposed to anything—not opposed or inimical, as we imagine you intended to say. Sammy, you must save up half a dollar, and purchase a dictionary.

Gentle reader, if three lines and a half contain four distinct misusages of the English language, how many are likely to be contained in a “little pamphlet" of Sammy Glenn's slip-slop?

Sammy talks rabidly about the malignancy of our depraved heart! poor, dear, Sammy! we bear you no ill will. If you dislike our critiques why do you send us your "little pamphlet ?" why do you concoct falsities, and publish puffs, of your own fabrication, and write impudent letters? Reflect and refrain, or your name will become a bye-word for ignorance and pretension! If you have any relatives of respectability, issue another printed circular, and swear that you are not the author of the little pamphlet written by one Sammy F. Glenn. For the sake of your future prosperity, we advise you in the parental language of the elder Weller-" Samivel, Samivel, you had better prove a hallibi!”

A Voice to Youth, Addressed to young Men and
young Ladies.
By Rev. J. M. Austin. Second
Edition. Grosh and Hutchinson, Utica.

This is a truly valuable and well written work. The chapters which compose it were originally published in the " Evangelical Magazine and Gospel Advocate," during the years 1837 and 1838,

and met with general approbation from a very large circle of readers. Messieurs Grosh and Hutchinson, for whom it was originally written, were induced by its popularity to re-publish it. The first edition (in book form) of 1500 copies, was exhausted in a few months-the present has an appendix, together with additions and amendments by the author.

The whole is divided into three parts-A Voice to youth, a Voice to young Men, and a Voice to young Ladies. We like every portion of the work, but would especially recommend the two Chapters on "Habits"'-as well as those on "Reading" and "Self-Cultivation."

Historical Sketches of Statesmen who flourished in the Time of George III. Second Series. By Henry Lord Brougham, F. R. S., and Member of the National Institute of France. Two Volumes. Lea and Blanchard, Philadelphia.

The first series of these Sketches excited a profound attention in all the better classes of readers. The epoch depicted, in the character of its leading men, was one of pre-eminent importance, either morally or politically considered; and the man who professed to depict it, was one who had very largely influenced both its moral and political condition. All people too had faith in the ability, and nearly all in the impartiality of the artist-who did not disappoint the expectations which had been formed. Few biographies have better chance of going down to posterity, or of going down with a richer freight of authenticity and truth, than these Sketches of the Statesmen of the Time of George HI. The Second Series is, to Americans, more fraught with interest than the first. We have here mementos of Charles Carroll, of Lafayette, and of Washington-portraits by a master-hand—a hand too which would have done its subjects justice had the sky fallen. We cannot conceive, indeed, what some of our daily papers have meant, or intended to mean, by the assertion that Lord Brougham has under-rated the talents of our First President. Surely the bitterness of some of their paragraphs is an ill repayment of so noble a panegyric as this!

"How grateful the relief which the friend of mankind, the lover of virtue, experiences when, turning from the contemplation of such a character, his eye rests upon the greatest man of our own or any age; the only one upon whom an epithet so thoughtlessly lavished by men, to foster the crimes of their worst enemies, may be innocently and justly bestowed! In Washington we truly behold a marvellous contrast to almost every one of the endowments and the vices which we have been contemplating; and which are so well fitted to excite a mingled admiration, and sorrow, and abhorrence. With none of that brilliant genius which dazzles ordinary minds; with not even any remarkable quickness of apprehension; with knowledge less than almost all persons in the middle ranks, and many well educated of the humbler classes possess; this eminent person is presented to our observation clothed in attributes as modest, as unpretending, as little calculated to strike or to astonish, as if he had passed unknown through some secluded region of private life. But he had a judgment sure and sound; a steadiness of mind which never suffered any passion, or even any feeling to ruffle its calm; a strength of understanding which worked rather than forced its way through all obstacles— removing or avoiding rather than overleaping them. If profound sagacity, unshaken steadiness of purpose, the entire subjugation of all the passions which carry havoc through ordinary minds, and oftentimes lay waste the fairest prospects of greatness-nay, the discipline of those feelings which are wont to lull or to seduce genius, and to mar and to cloud over the aspect of virtue herself-joined with, or rather leading to the most absolute self-denial, the most habitual and exclusive devotion to principle-if these things can constitute a great character, without either quickness of apprehension, or resources of information, or inventive powers, or any brilliant quality that might dazzle the vulgar-then surely Washington was the greatest man that ever lived in this world uninspired by Divine wisdom, and unsustained by supernatual virtue."

The personages included in the two volumes now before us are George IV. (with Sir John Leach and others;) Lord Eldon; Sir William Scott (Lord Stowell;) Dr. Lawrence; Sir Philip Francis; Mr. Hoine Tooke; Lord Castlereagh; Lord Liverpool; Mr. Tierney; Lord St. Vincent; Lord Nelson; Mr. Horner; Lord King; Mr. Ricardo; Mr. Curian; Charles Carroll; Neckar; Madame de Staël; the Mirabeau Family; Carnot; Lafayette; Talleyrand; Napoleon; and Washington.

Not the least interesting portion of the work is a hint, in the Introduction, that the writer is occupied in histories of the reigns of Harry V., and Elizabeth. The literary world will welcome them enthusiastically.

Whatever opinion may be entertained of the political or moral honesty of Lord Brougham, few men of intellect have been found to question his extraordinary powers of mind; his wide comprehension, and strong grasp of thought; his exceeding energy; his rude but commendable directness and Demosthemic vigor of expression. If he be, indeed, the sly knave his little enemies have painted him, it must be admitted that the undeniable qualities we have specified have an odd inaccordance with his true character. He must be the most inconsistent human being upon the face of the earth.