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material in relation to the Valley of the Amazon, and are destined to contain so much more from the hands of the most able contributors, that we need not touch the subject with our Editorial fingers. Enough to say that this volume does credit to the exploring officers, and is full of interest and information to the general reader. It is filled with lithographic sketches, which appeal to the eye in illustration of the text; and the maps accompanying enable us to read understandingly, and to trace out our progress at every step.

The Public and Domestic Life of the Rt. Hon. Edmund Burke. By PETER BURKE, Esq., of the Inner Temple. London: Ingrams, Cooke & Co. 1853.-We had occasion, recently, to commend the Life of Burke, by Prior, to the favour of our readers. The volume before us supplies the substance of the same material, but in different costume. This is designed for more popular use. It does not cover so much ground, nor compass so many details; in short, is far less elaborate; but is not less readable, and the narrative, interspersed as it is with wood cuts, will be found quite pleasant, and sufficiently full for all necessary purposes.

Cicero's Writings.-The Bohn Library has received some recent additions of great interest and value, none of which are more meritorious than the very neat and well translated treatises of the great master of Roman oratory. Cicero's essays on the nature of the gods; on divination; on fate; on the republic; on the laws; and on standing for the consulship; constitute a body of literature which will always be found precious to the philosophical student, to the metaphysician, to the public man, and to the professional. In these, also, do you find the moral ideal to which the Roman intellect had reached at the culminating period in the history of that mighty empire. And, in this ideal, you find the data for a just estimate of the acquisitions of that race, and its claims to authority over the studies of all preceding races. Perhaps, in no similar body of literature can you find so much material for a just examination and knowledge of these acquisitions of the Romans. Regarded in this point of view, and without any reference to the intrinsic merits of these treatises as philosophical and literary essays, the value of this collection is sufficiently shown. But, in addition, no one need be told of the merits of Cicero as a philosopher, a statesman, and an essayist. The translation before us is a new and literal one, mostly from the pen of C. D. Yonge, B. A.

Poems and Parodies. By PHOEBE CAREY. Boston: Ticknor, Reed & Fields. 1854.-We had the pleasure, some months ago, of meeting, in society at the North, with the two poetic sisters, Alice and Phoebe Carey-one, sad apparently, and in somewhat delicate health-Alice, we believe the other buoyant, and looking as buxom as if she had never suffered once from the blasts of Apollo. Certainly, she did not wear that sad, sighing, sentimental expression which the vulgar world is very apt to anticipate always in the aspect of the damsel who lisps in song. These young ladies have acquired much American celebrity in a very short time. The value of this sudden American celebrity we are not called upon to decide; but, valueless or not, the very possession of it by our fair sisters imposes upon them the necessity of elaborating well before they publish. Poetry is an art which, beyond all others, perhaps, demands the labor lima; unless, indeed, the genius be of a character so audacious and grand as to legitimate its own outlawries. This is not the case with either of our sisters, who must establish their claims by assiduous art, and dutiful study, and the exercise of a fancy carefully regulated and counselled to wing the thought-not fly away with it. Whatever the merits of Miss Phoebe Carey, as shown by the verses in this volume, we must, in limine, take occasion to say that she has not been sufficiently heedful of the pruning of her rose-tree. She has not done quite enough of clipping and filing, polishing and perfecting. Here, for example, in the very opening verse of the volume, there is a grammatical error:

"Softly part away the tresses

From her forehead of white clay,

And across her quiet bosom

Let her pale hands lightly lay," etc.

Now we are prepared to subscribe fully to the opinion which insists upon the imperative character of rhyme; but, unless the necessity is shown to be absolute, we cannot, for the life of us, consent to the sacrifice of the grammar to it. We are really of the notion that our author has no just right, and quite as little reason, to use her stylus with such mangling ferocity upon the mazard of poor old Lindley Murray. Had she simply taken his proboscis between her taper fingers, and wrung it gently by way of giving emphasis to a sense of dove-coloured agony, we might have suffered the case to go by default. But the proceeding here is quite too public, too audacious, too extreme-on the very first page-at the porch of the volume! Really, our poet betrays a shade too much of poetic outlawry; and we dread lest she brings upon her

self some harsh judgments hereafter. It is to spare her this danger that we look grave, and lift a solemn finger before her eyes. "Phoebe," we say, "take heed to thy grammar, look to thy verses, see that thy rhymes do not trespass upon thy rhetoric, to the utter confounding of thy fame!" As for devouring the damsel, after any savage critical fashion, Heaven forefend that we should be guilty of such gracelessness. Is thy servant, gentle reader, a dog that he should do this thing? No. We prefer rather to encourage where there is merit, and to show to our young beginners how to tread firmly along the unaccustomed way. And Phoebe Carey has a good deal of merit; and with hard working, and constant devotion, fasting, prayer and study, s' may take rank with the best of the sweet singers in this our Israel, and make songs which shall serve for the singing of less gifted damsels for a hundred years to come; but there must be much work done first, and the study of much better models than those to which our author seems accustomed. Fugitive verses are dangerous exercises to those who deliberately undertake them as works. It scarcely seems proper that they should be works; and yet, if they lack the finish that can be supplied by work alone, we are apt to be more severe upon the poet than if he had failed at an epic. In great works, one is often forgiven for failure. In small works seldom. He who undertakes humbly betrays a very humble sort of talents when he fails in his effort. Hence, fugitive poetry involves a superior danger. We, at least, require the fugitive to make his toilet before he takes the highway. Better that our young authors should propose to themselves works-subjects and forms of composition which demand design, and exercise all the faculties-invention, thought, grouping, as well as fancy and good taste-than content themselves with small endeavours to illustrate by new fancies and rhymes an ancient common-place. In the one case, even failure commands our respect, if we see that there has been painstaking, with a certain amount of talents and knowledge. In the other case, grant that all has been won that has been aimed at, and how small is the result? To sing, in tolerable verses, what has been sung a thousand times before, will hardly avail for amaranthine triumphs. Now, Miss Phoebe Carey is a very clever woman. This volume sufficiently proves it. But it proves more— that she has nowhere tasked her cleverness;-unless, indeed, in the parodies of popular poets, which constitute one half of her volume; and which, at best, are very clever parodies! Of the first-the original half of her volume-the first thirteen pieces relate to death, the dying and the dead! Now, if anything could disarm the hostility of criticism in respect to fugitive poetry, it must be its various and capriciou

changes the beauty of its caprices-its rapid transitions from grace to grace and the joyous impulse, and airy brightness, of that fancy, which hovers about the realms of feeling and sentiment, and crowns them with hues of the rainbow, dipt in the freshness of dew and morning. To give us thirteen fugitives, consecutively, all draped in black, and sprinkt with ashes, is a little too sombrous for the season of rabbits and pairing doves. In plain terms, Miss Carey, if she will sit down to depict fugitive emotions and sentiments, must take care to group them after such a fashion as will render the procession picturesque and attractive. To array all her folks in funereal guise, is to make us weary of the monotonous spectacle. But we must not dwell upon these dreary difficulties. Our purpose is not to censure so much as to improve, and, contenting ourselves with the objections already urged, we give a single sample from the little volume-one of the best in it-which will sufficiently prove that the mind of Miss Phoebe Carey is worth quarrelling with-and this is no small compliment from a Reviewer. The piece which follows is simple and pretty, and the rhyme is neat and elastic.

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So I wrought and shaped the vessel,
Then knelt lowly, humbly there,
And I drew up living water,

With the golden chain of prayer.

The Working Man's Way in the World; being the Autobiography of a Journeyman Printer. Redfield: New-York. 1854.-We have no doubt that this is a veracious autobiography. It possesses all the characteristics of truth. Its details are unexaggerated, and the developement of character is made to advance so simply, naturally, and with such perpetual regard to the proprieties, that we have no doubts as we read; and listen accordingly, as to the revelations of a witness at the bar; and the witness, in the present case, is one whose testimony is essential to very mighty interests. The morals of the working man, their sup port, training, just direction, encouragement and recognition with honour, constitute the one vital subject upon which the safety of modern nations must depend. In proportion as the interests of the world call for peace, so do the claims of industry, labour, and popular virtue, rise in importance. Upon their wholesome exercise, satisfactorily to the working men themselves, do nations depend for their equal prosperity and safety. In regard to this particular, the volume before us is full of information and instruction. As personal to the writer, the book supplies a very interesting narrative, showing what excellent results of happiness and fortune may be ascribed to the simple virtues of sobriety, honesty, industry, and proper aims; how admirable is the education they afford, how grateful are the peace of mind, security and honour, which accrue from their exercise. A printer's life is, indeed, one of rare facilities for education, and when he fails to gain from it in morals and intelligence, the fault is entirely his own. He reads, perforce, and on a variety of subjects-on all subjects. He cannot help but read. He may memorize as he reads. He must think. It is not surprising, therefore, that so many printers, having no advantages of fortune or education at first, have come to be learned and highly distinguished men. Could their industry be properly systematized—were it not subject to the caprices of employers and of society in singular degree, their occupation would be found one of peculiar advantages to the student. This volume will show how and why. We commend it warmly to the general reader. It is well written, and gives us, with the personal history of the author, which is sufficiently varied, a series of interesting descriptions of life in London and Paris, and of the working classes in both of these great cities.

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