obliged to receive the solution of the problem merely as an ingenious paradox. Incidentally, however, this work contains a great deal of truthful description. The mysteries of speculation, the fluctuations of stock-jobbing, the disclosures of secret manœuvres of brokers, are all plausible, and would apply on a reduced scale to the New-York market as well as any other. The details of the Poyis colonization scheme will surely be well appreciated and relished by readers who are actually living in the midst of a feverish vortex, the California mania, which has never been surpassed, save, perhaps, by the excitement of the Mississippi, South Sea and Poyis emigrations. One of the prominent actors in this work is the famous Gregor MacGregor, We regret to see that worthy figure in a manner so disreputable. If he really did perform in Europe the strange antics ascribed to him by the author, it only proves that men are strange compounds of contradictions. The history of MacGregor would be in itself a most interesting novel. He was one of the earliest, the boldest, and most adventurous of the champions of South American independence. His exploits in the Mexican war would fill a volume with improbable but authentic romance. 5.-FOOTPRINTS. By R. H. Stoddard. New-York: Spalding & Shepard, 187 Broad way. We hail the appearance of this little volume with a pleasure not unmingled with melancholy. It would be ungracious to say that Mr. Stoddard has stamped his "footprints" upon the beaten sands; we would better express our meaning by warning him that the path he has entered is a granite path, and that if he would leave as lasting an impression, he must cut and carve it with patient toil. From the perusal of the work before us, we feel persuaded that, to quote his own expressions "He can do better soon, and will-" That he will redeem this promise, we sincerely trust and believe. Young poets in general—and this may apply to our author-have no worse enemy than facility in composition. In niue cases ont of ten it is a safe rule to discard a line merely because it comes without effort. It often happens that the teasing obstacle of a difficult rhyme, or of an intractable thought, that refuses to be compressed within a given number of lines, suggests a fine expression, a happy digression, nay, perhaps, a whole poem. We take pleasure in quoting the following sonnet (to use that word in a popular, but illegitimate sense) which seems well adapted to give a specimen of the author's manner. The opening is very fine: "THE PAST. "I saw the Past in Heaven, a mighty train, And Judgment, with his garments sprinkled o'er And sword unsheathed, expectant of His nod, In supplication sweet, and earnest prayer, Fell at his feet, and clung around his robe of light." Here we have grand, solemn thoughts; highly colored, yet natural expressions; musical lines, and evidences enough of the all-important faculty of conception, and of the ready command of effect. But, nevertheless, we can see how a little of that tedious, but indispensable toil of polishing, might have improved even the sonnet which we have just placed before our readers. 6. THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT. THE HISTORY OF CHARLES THE FIRST. THE HISTORY OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. By Jacob Abbott. New-York: Harper & Brothers. These volumes are the first of a series of biographies, written especially for the use of the young. Each volume forms a separate work, but the twelve of the contemplated publication, being bound alike, beautifully printed, adorned with engravings, maps and titlepages of gold, crimson and azure, will form a miniature historical library, well deserving of a place among the showy trifles of a lady's centre table. The idea of preparing a useful series of entertaining and instructive historical works, in a style suited to the intelligence of even very young children, is an admirable one, and is highly creditable to the author. We would have only praise to bestow upon this occasion, were it not that we consider that Mr. Abbott has not kept always in view that most solemn duty of the historian-strict impartiality. It is certainly of little consequence, whether, in writing the history of Alexander, he used sufficient discrimination, whether Árrian or Plutarch, Diodorus or Justin, furnished him with his materials. We care little whether our children learn by heart improbable or rational accounts of the force of Darius at the Granicus, nor whether they are trained to credit the stereotyped anecdotes which amused our younger days, and which the supercilious comments of modern criticism have taught us to disbelieve. But with the names of Mary Queen of Scots, and of Charles I, are connected the rise and growth of elements that became active agents in the history of the world. The Puritans of that day are no more, but their spirit is living still; we see it every day, in our own country: our manners are infected, our press is offensively impreg nated with that spirit. It behooves somewhat, therefore, that the rising generation be not unwarily led to giv implicit belief to Puritanic accounts of the Puritans. It is our candid opinion that Mr. Abbott's history of Charles I. is seriously affected with the Round-Head taint. But we forbear to insist upon this point. Our remarks would never reach the class no whom he has devoted his labors. Our antidote would go to one place, while the poison is quietly doing its work in another. 7.-A HOME FOR ALL; or A New, Cheap, Convenient and Superior Mode of Building. By O. S. Fowler. New-York: Fowlers & Wells, 131 Nassau-street. The author claims the merit of bringing forward a plan for building houses, which bet ter answers every requirement of a home, and costs less than hitherto adopted. The prin cipal feature of this plan consists in dispensing altogether with "frames." The walls are composed of boards laid one over the other, and pinned or nailed together. By taking care to place them so that the respective edges shall not meet, but alternately recede and protrude about half an inch, you obtain a rugged surface on both sides, which receives and retains the plaster as well as lathing; so that the entire operation of raising a wall, according to this plan, consists merely of laying boards or plank, and plastering. A wall of this description offers, we are informed, many advantages. It is cheap, air-tight, mouse-tight, durable, and requires no mechanical ingenuity in its construction. Some of Mr. Fowler's statistics are quite startling. Hear what he says: Believe me, when I say, that timber, pins, labor and nails to put up the outside and iuside walls-both of which must go up together- of a house thirty-two feet square, or of this dimension, whatever be its shape, will not cost you eighty dollars! Now, ask any carpenter what he will do the same job for in the old way, and he will tell you some $200! My carpenter said he would not have put up the bare frame of my house for less than $120; whereas mine cost me only about $80, notwithstanding all my disadvantages. And, mark, it was all ready for receiving the plaster." All these calculations, and many more, Mr. Fowler states that he has verified by actual experiment. He does not claim that this plan originated entirely with himself; for he states that "while looking about for some pattern of a house after which to build," he saw something of the kind in central New York-probably in the Mohawk valley, among the folk who build with the gable end to the street. But while modestly disdaining the merit of invention, he claims and deserves due praise for his philanthropy, in disseminating useful information in a clear, lucid manner, and in enabling men to gratify their "instinct of constructiveness," at a trifling cost. After enumerating all the advantages of a board wall, Mr. Fowler lays particular stress upon this, that it is remarkably adapted to building in the octagon form. The author is in raptures with the octahedron. He furnishes us with many diagrams to show how admirably his favorite shape admits the best possible combination of bedrooms and kitchens and parlors. And he crowns the whole with a dome-shaped roof, constructed with simple boards. Such is the author's perfect fai h in the ultimate popularity of his plan for building-such is his delight at the idea of having demolished the "old-style, wind-riven, out-of-doors, stomach-in-the-foot shanties," that he bursts into a strain which throws into the shade the famous "perennius eregi monumentum." He deems it even necessary to warn the reader against the cavillings of bigotry; and he tells us in a note: Those who preach that we should hate this life and its blessings in order to prepare for another, would, of course, object to so enchanting a mansion, as making us love the world so well as to be loath to leave it." 8.-RAPHAEL, This admirable prose poem of the great French poet has met with a favor in every way commensurate with his great reputation. 1 9.-OREGON AND CALIFORNIA IN 1848. By J. Quinn Thornton, late Judge of the Supreme Court of Oregon, and Corresponding Minister of the American Institute; with an Appendix, including recent and authentic information upon the subject of the Gold mines of California, with illustrations and a map. Two vols. Harper Brothers. The best and most authentic account of that wonderful country, which from being held in supreme contempt twelve months ago, has become the common object of enterprise to people in all parts of the world, is certainly that which is presented in this admirable sovenir of Judge Thornton, whose clear judgment and great experience eminently enable him to fulfil the task of enlightening the public mind upon that interesting subject. The map and illustrations add greatly to the value of the work. 10. A CATECHISM OF THE STEAM ENGINE: illustrative of the scientific principles upon which its operation depends, and the practical details of its structure, in its application to mines, mills, steam navigation and railways, with various suggestions of improvement. By John Bourne, C. E., Editor of "A Treatise upon the Steam Engine." D. Appleton & Co., 200 Broadway. This admirable little work contains, in a pocket form, more practical information in an available form, on the nature and uses of that wonderful machinery which has wrought such changes in the face of civilization than perhaps any other work of its size. 11.-EL INGENIOSO HIDALGO DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA. Por Miguel de Cervantes, &c. 2 vols. Little & Brown, Boston. A Spanish standard edition of this renowned work is a most desirable acquisition to all those whose interests or inclination lead to the study of the Spanish. The work is edited by Francisco Sales, A. M., Professor of Spanish at Harvard University, and will therefore command confidence as to the purity of the language. 12.-MACAULAY'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Vol. 2. Harper Brothers. The second volume of this magnificent work has made its appearance, having been delayed by the necessity of re-printing the edition of the 1st vol., from the rapidity of its sale. In the first pages of this number wo give an extended notice of the work. 13. BLACKWOOD FOR FEBRUARY, The republication, by Scott & Co., was delivered promptly, and is of interest. It contains, however, a mark of the growing importance of American opinions in European matters, in the shape of an article headed “American Thoughts on European Revolutions,” being a sophistical argument in favor of restoring legitimacy to France in the person of Henry the 5th. This is one of those tricks of royalty seeking to create the opinion that an American' republican thinks more favorably of scions of the corrupt Bourbons than of popular right. The trick is as contemptible as stale. 14-AN ELEMENTARY TREATISE ON MECHANICS; embracing the theory of Statics and Dy. namics, and its application to Solids and Fluids. Prepared for the under graduate course of the Wesleyan University. By Augustus W. Smith, LL. D. Harper Bro thers. This is an excellent and carefully prepared volume, so constructed as to adapt it admirably to the recitation room, each proposition being stated clearly and individually, and each prominently developed. 15.-SKETCHES OF LIFE AND LANDSCAPE. By Ralph Hoyt. Geo. P. Putnam. This is a beautiful collection of meritorious poems, elegantly illustrated, and dedicated to Evert Duyckink, well known to the readers of this review, as well as to the literary world generally. His endowment of the work would make it pass for matter of far less real merit than the lines in question. 16.-CHEEVER'S LECTURES ON THE PILGRIMS' PROGRESS. Mr. Wiley has issued a cheap edition of these eloquent and lucid expositions of Bun yan's great work, in one volume of 514 pages. Its large, clear type and white paper admirably adapt it to the convenience of aged persons, while its outward appearance is exceedingly neat. 17.-LIFE OF FRANKLIN. Harper Brothers. The fourth number of this admirably illustrated edition has made its appearance. II. TRANSLATIONS FROM HORACE.-ODE XX.-To MECENAS........ 300 VII. MINNA VON BARNHELM.-A COMEDY, IN FIVE ACTS..... 345 VIII. NINEVEH... Nineveh and its Remains: with an Account of a Visit to the Chaldæan IX. POLITICAL PORTRAITS WITH PEN AND PENCIL.-JOHN WENT- X. FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW. ... Prosperity of the Country-Treasury Operations-Benefits of the Indepen- XI. NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS............. Irving's works, by Putnam-On California, by C. S. Francis, and Putnam and Appleton-Harpers, &c. 355 363 374 380 |