sumption, but from the nature of food it will not keep good for a length of time. Hence the whole human race is, as it were, dependent each year for its existence upon the fruitfulness of the earth; and notwithstanding that occasionally whole nations suffer severely through deficient harvests, short sighted governments and quack legislatures are continually seeking to promote the production of all other articles rather than food. England, for 150 years, to be sure, directed the whole powers of her government to the encouragement of farming, in order to avoid a dependerce on foreign nations. Look at the result! The existence of millions of her people depends upon the products of American industry. Notwithstanding the necessity of farming occupations, it seems ever to have been the case, that when it becomes matter of choice, other employments, manufactures and trades, are preferred by the people of all countries, probably as being less laborious, and affording more of the luxuries of life. They concentrate in cities, and apply their industry to the production of other articles than food. Seeing that is the natural tendency of human industry, it would seem to be indicative of wisdom on the part of governments, not to seek to lessen the production of food by encouraging other pursuits, but rather by facilitating commerce, to promote not only an enhanced market for produce, but the means of transporting it. We have shown in former numbers, that the tendency of affairs in Europe and England has been, for the last 20 years, to diminish the production and increase the consumption of food, and consequently to accelerate that state of affairs which now presents itself, viz., a general dependence upon the United States both for a supply of food to make good deficient harvests, and of shipping, to transport it in sufficient abundance. It was the great mission of the United States, not only to set the people of Europe an example of popular government, but of freedom of politics, conscience and commerce, and to relieve, through the agency of free institutions, the evils that might overtake them through the workings of bad government there. The United States have, however, been false to this duty. Instead of adhering to their principles,

and allowing commerce to thrive under the genius of liberty, they have sought to trammel and oppress it, by following the absurd maxims of European politics. They have, by protecting manufactures," and "encouraging home industry," discouraged the production of that food which, sooner or later, was certain to be demanded of them by the people of Europe. The same false system has discouraged the building of ships necessary to transport large quantities of food to Europe, and bring back the ample returns in the products of European industry. We consequently now find that the high prices at which American food is laid down to the people of England, is composed by nearly one third the enormous charges for transportation. The vast produce of the west, under the influence of foreign demand, has been pouring through the Erie canal to market in great abundance, and freights had risen to a rate ruinous to the farmers and shippers. At the same time a line of railroads, running along the banks of the canal, have been prohibited from carrying freight. This senseless and outrageous prohibition has cost producers of grain $1,000,000, during the present season, more than it otherwise would have done, had the competition of the railroad brought down freights on the canal.

We have, in former numbers, when treating of the corn trade, shown that England can in no wise derive supplies from the continent to make good a large deficit. During the year which has just elapsed, ending Sept. 5, 1846, England has been dependent upon foreign countries for large supplies of grain and food. The harvest which is just ended, is represented on all sides as deficient in all coarse grains. Potatoes are but half a crop, and peas, beans, oats, barley, &c., are by no means so full as last year. In estimating, therefore, what the actual wants of England will be in the course of the year, we must take into consideration what they were last year. These are indicated in the actual quantities imported for consumption, in addition to her own production. As wheat and flour are represented to be the least deficient, we will take the trade in those articles, as represented in the following table, compiled from official sources:

In bond May 5,

Wheat.

11,993. ...1,840,765...

..446,688

65,008 ..2,744,194

.2,596,864.........3,255,890

the new year, considerable quantities having been exported from English warehouses to meet the greater wants of France. The largest portion of the produce was taken out of bond after May, and the quantities have been as follows:

dats. Beans. Peas.

qrs.

qrs.

qrs.

cwt.

qrs.

Supply....

We have now to observe the effect upon prices of these large quantities turned into the English markets, and to that end we will bring forward the table, published partially in a former number, as follows:

AVERAGE PRICE OF GRAIN THAT REGULATED THE DUTY IN ENGLAND.

Wh't. Bar. Oats. Rye. B'ns. Peas. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. May 2.56 5..29 8..23 7..32 5..34 11..33 10

64 9...56 8..29 7..23 9..33 5..35 8..34 7 64 16.57 0..29 4..24 1..33 5..35 11..34 11 23.55 5..28 10..23 8..34 6..36 0..34 6 " 30..53 4..29 4..23 9..32 4..35 10..34 2 June 6...52 10..27 8..23 4..32 10..35 10..34 10

44 13..52 0..27 1..23 8..32 4..35 8..34 9 44 20...51 5..27 3..23 3..33 4..36 4..32 6 " 27...52 2..27 4..23 6..32 7..37 6..35 0 July 4....52 10..27 6..23 8..33 11..38 5..35 5

11...52 3..27 7..24 3..33 3..37 11..35 3 64 18...50 10..27 10..23 0..36 5..38 4..36 4 25...49 11..27 2..23 5..29 9..38 9..36 10 Aug. 1....47 5..26 11..23 5..28 2..39 3..35 11 8....45 2 26 9.24 0..29 8..39 8..35 3

75,087 102,921 25,050

15th of August, three months later, on which day prices of all grains were very low, as compared with the May prices. That great and rapid fall was the natural consequence of the quantities released from bond. As those supplies were consumed, prices again began to rise, until in the middle of October they had reached points higher than ever. The advance from August 15, to October 24, was as follows:

Wheat. Barley. Oats. Rye. Beans. Peas. 8. d. 8. d. Rise....15 9....12 8....30....83....5 8...12 10

s. d. s. d. s. d. 8. d.

So great an advance could not but draw out supplies of the new crops in a manner to check the buoyancy of the markets, and stop the advance. This was the case last year, and but little foreign food was admitted to consumption, while the weight of the English crops pressed upon the market. European wheat and flour continued to accumulate in bond until the large quantities, expressed in the above table, were on hand in May; and but for those large quantities, the distress would have been great before the new crops were harvested, even although they were realised a month earlier than

78,732,000 bushels per annum. It is now proposed to permit the use of sugar in its stead. The effect of this would be to release about 2,000,000 bushels of barley from distillers for food, enough for the maintenance of 1,500,000 farms for a year. From this source, no doubt, a large portion of the coarse food will be supplied; but it will not lessen the deficit of wheat, more particularly that the high price of Indian corn, purchased by government for Irish use, already causes a substitution of the poorer qualities of wheat for uses to which corn was applied last year.

A great difficulty in the supply of English markets with food, is the want of freight. The comparatively small quantities sent forward this year, have advanced freights to rates that check transactions; and even if the produce existed here to the extent which England requires, it is doubtful if high charges for transportation would not become as prohibitory as high duties. This is a difficulty naturally resulting from the long anti-commercial policy

of the government, which has sought to discourage the export of produce, in order to prevent payment in goods, which it was supposed might rival those of domestic manufacture. This policy has served to prevent that growth of shipping which would otherwise have been equal to any emergency. In the first week in Nov., a reaction and decline in prices took place in London, by reason of misapprehensions from this side of the water in relation to the supply of food that might be expected from New-York. The London Times, deceived by false data, gravely announced that from 3 to 5,000,000 quarters might be expected from NewYork before January, seemingly not reflecting that such a transportation would require 1,000,000 tons of shipping, which is already so scarce as to make freights prohibitory. In consequence of some such information, the cabinet council of Oct. 28 refused to throw open the ports to the free importation of corn, or to admit sugar to the use of distillers.

A First Book in Latin. By JOHN MCCLINTOCK, A. M., Professor of Languages, and GEORGE R. CROOKS, A. M.. Adjunct Professor of Languages in Dickinson College. Harper & Brothers, New-York.

There is a visible improvement in the elementary books issued within the last few years from the press. They are much simpler, more perspicuous, comprehensive, and practically useful, than those formerly published. This work is got up in the same style as Kugner's Greek Grammar, which we had the pleasure of noticing in a recent number of the "Review," and possesses in an eminent degree the various requisites of a successful class-book. It contains within itself a Grammar Exercises, Reading-Book, and Dictionary. It presupposes no knowledge of the language on the part of the scholar, and is calculated to lead him gradually from the very first step to a considerable degree of knowledge. It seems to anticipate every difficulty, and exercises the mind as if by oral instruction. We

feel assured that this is one of the best elementary books that can be placed in the hands of the student.

Chambers' Information for the People.

G. B. Zieber & Co., Philadelphia.

The second number of this useful and able work has been laid on our table. It fully sustains the high character acquired by the republication of the first.

Besides the conclusion of an interesting article on the Whale and Whale Fisheries, we have a learned treatise on Convey. ance, both ancient and modern,-being an essay on Roads, Canals, and Railways; and a number of admirable contributions on Natural Philosophy, Mechanics, Machinery, Hydrostatics, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Optics, Light, Acoustics, and Chemistry. We regret that our space prevents our making those extracts which would enable the reader to judge of the importance and value of this work, but we feel assured that its merit will command the success to which it is so eminently entitled.

These lectures form one of the most valuable works in the "Library of Choice Reading," of which they form a part. Carlyle is justly regarded as a great writer. At a period when elegance of diction and a sort of sickly sentimentality seemed to be the chief objects of literary attainment this author made his appearance, and by his boldness, depth, and originality of thought, and Scriptural simplicity of style, infused a new and healthy vigor into the minds of men; dispelled some of the darkest clouds of prejudice, and enabled us to arrive at juster conclusions on many important subjects. In reviewing the life, character and motives of the hero-whether he regarded him as divinity, prophet, poet, priest, man of letters, or king-and in weighing the exact estimation in which he was long since and is yet held by mankind, he has had ample scope for the display of those mental requisites with which he is so peculiarly endowed. His treatment of Odin the Pagan divinity, Mahomet, Dante and Shakspeare, Luther and Knox, Johnson, Rousseau and Burns, Cromwell and Napoleon, all of whom he has placed under the above respective categories, will be perused with deep interest and most beneficial effect. He seems to be directed by an intense faith, which gives remarkable force and interest to all his views or assertions, and cannot fail to impress the reader with the fact that he is a powerful laborer in the cause of truth and the intellectual and moral progress of the world. have much pleasure in recommending any of Carlyle's works to the most profound attention of the reading community.

We

Two Lives; or, To Seem and To Be. 1 vol. By MARIA J. MCINTOSH, Author of" Conquest and Self-Conquest," Praise and Principle," "Woman an Enigma," &c. D. Appleton & Co., New-York; Geo. S. Appleton & Co., Philadelphia.

• This novel will be read with interest.

It presents many touching scenes of domestic life-displaying on the part of the fair authoress considerable knowledge of human nature. The portraits of Grace and Isabel are exceedingly well drawn, and the various conversations with which the volume is replete are of the most readable and pleasant nature.

If there be no deep-laid plot, nor scenes likely to occasion intense excitement, as in the works of the more celebrated writers of fiction, there are innumerable touches of pathos and sentiment which will not fail to sustain the interest of the reader from beginning to end.

volume serves admirably to carry out the intention of Miss McIntosh as evinced in the title, for it illustrates in the happiest manner some of the most heart-felt reali

ties, and frivolous yet mischievous deceptions of life. This work is handsomely bound, and published in a style creditable to the establishment from which it has emanated.

First Greek Lessons. By THOMAS KERCHEVER ARNOLD, M. A., Rector of Lyndon, and late Fellow of Trinity College. Re-arranged and carefully corrected, by Rev. J. A. Spencer, A. M., from the London edition. D. Appleton & Co., New-York.

This excellent work is remarkable for

the utmost perspicuity; and its treatment of all the elements of the Greek language, from Alpha to Omega, renders it worthy of a place with the Eton Latin Grammar, which is bound and published in the same style. We trust that both these books will be generally adopted in our schools.

Eton Latin Grammar. From the twentieth London edition. Revised and corrected by T. W. C. Edwards, A. M. With Additions and Improvements, selected from the celebrated work, by C. G. Zumpt, P. H. D. And the Appendix to the Latin Accidence, by James Hinton, A. M. Also the Rules of Latin Prosody. Arranged, Edited, and Adapted to the Schools of the United States. By Rev. WILLIAM MORRIS. D. Appleton & Co., New-York.

It will be seen from the title-page of this work, that the most extraordinary care has been taken to render it thoroughly efficient, as a means of acquiring an elementary knowledge of the Latin lan guage. The chief cause of the immense success of the original, upon which these improvements and additions are based, was its peculiar simplicity of arrangement, a feature without which books of this de

scription are worse than useless; for they not only perplex the mind of the student, but in many cases give him a distaste for classical literature, which it takes years to

Overcome. The chief merit of the grammar before us, is, that whilst it preserves this essential characteristic, it is far more comprehensive and more generally useful.