Moore has been most eminently successful, and for this reason. his work is truly valuable. The important office which he holds in the scholastic world, entitles his production to great respect; and if it were necessary to require further proofs of its authenticity, he has abundantly given them, by quoting his authority upon all occasions; thus stamping his book with the seal of truth and research, and causing it to become a valuable accessary in the study of ancient history and philosophy.

The work commends itself no less to the general scholar than to the chemist or the mineralogist. The style is perspicuous and pure; and its general effect will probably be to raise the ancients considerably in our estimation,-particularly when we consider how defective were their modes of prosecuting an analysis, and still more, how confined were their means of communicating and comparing with each other.

MEN AND MANNERS IN BRITAIN; or, a bone to gnaw for the TROLLOPES', FIDLERS', etc. Being Notes from a Journal on Sea and Land, in 1833-4. By GRANT THORBURN, . Seedsman. One vol. pp. 187. New-York: WILEY AND LONG.

LAURIE TODD is certainly an independent thinker and writer. Sometimes, indeed, he is independent of common grammatical rules; but with him, that's not much,'-and the reader is never at a loss in coming at his meaning. The egotism which now and then peeps broadly out, does not detract from the merits of the work. It is harmless and pardonable. The author observes in his preface, that there is so many kinds of pride, that a body can hardly tell which to choose.' There is no evidence of the existence of this dilemma, in his own case. The reader of his volume will soon perceive that he considers that a proud day, which placed him before the world as Laurie Todd. Galt has bestowed upon him a celebrity which has often stood him in wondrous stead. Hence we find him, in a visit to the Tower of London, surrounded by the Duke of Wellington and numbers of fair ladies. He had written his name in the Guard-house,' as he entered! It was to Laurie Todd that his female companion gave her hand, in a public stage-coach, with the assurance, that she would have traveled a hundred miles out of her way, to look upon him!' It was Galt's hero who gained admission to the presence of the celebrated Mrs. Grant, of Lag gan, Scotland, at an unusual and early period of the morning. He had sent up his name, and that was a passport at any hour! But the Seedsman has higher claims to general regard, although they are less often thrust forward. He has been a hard-working citizen, has often been plunged into the depths of misfortune, but never was in despair; ever relying upon the justice and goodness of an over-ruling Provi dence, and maintaining a firm belief in the truth of the trite sentence, Whatever is, is right.'

We are pleased with the little volume before us, despite its reckless

negligence of style, and the occasional introduction of topics of equivocal and minor significance. What Laurie sees he sees clearly, and what he feels, he feels honestly; and this is more than can be said of the larger portion of travelers who cross the Atlantic, and publish their tours. His pictures are often times laughably graphic. Take the British House of Commons, for example. He tells us that it is just such a looking room, gallery and all, as the Scotch Presbyterian Church, in Cedar-street. In place of the pulpit, there is a throne, gilded and grand enough, in front of which sits the speaker, with a great wig on his head, having two tails, as large as the tail of a merino sheep, hanging over each shoulder, and resting upon his breast. Two clerks, stationed at the table before the speaker, have similar wigs and tails, though plainer and shorter. Our author thought the House of Commons common enough.' The members were standing about in little bevys, jabbering and talking, during debate, with their hats on. Speaking of the monument erected in Hyde-Park, in honour of the Duke of Wellington, Mr. Todd remarks: They say it represents Achilles, but it looked to me like a great big black man, with the lid of a soup-pot in his hand! Doubtless this eloquent criticism will be quoted with due terms of horror, by the London press, as a specimen of American taste for the arts!

There are many racy passages, and much entertainment, in Laurie's 'Men and Manners,' which will repay perusal. Now and then, too,— as in the account of the burial at sea,-the visit to, and reflections at, the grave of the author's mother, and in the meeting and parting with his aged father, there are really charming touches of natural pathos. He has drawn, we remark, somewhat largely upon his contributions to this Magazine, in making up his volume. We commend his labors to the attention of such of our readers as are not particular in regard to the manner in which their mental dishes are served up, provided the matériel be good, wholesome, and palatable.

HAMLET: A DRAMATIC PRELUDE: In five acts. By JAMES RUSH, M. D., author of 'The Philosophy of the Human Voice.' One vol. pp. 122. Philadelphia: KEY AND BIDdle. THOSE of our readers who have done us the honor to peruse the number of this Magazine for November, have been acquainted with what we conceive to be the very great merits of Dr. Rush's work on the Philosophy of the Voice. The little volume before us is by the same hand; but really, if it were not for the annunciation to that effect in the title page, we should be dubious as to the fact. No two things can be more dissimilar, to our apprehension, than these two books. The first work, for example, shows the author to have the finest and most delicate perception of harmony; in the second, we find a dramatic Prelude, mainly in the form of blank verse, with an acknowledged neglect of all measure and cadence. We are at a loss to conceive how our learned friend reconciles in his own mind, this

departure in practice, from a book of precept which is not more beautiful than true. To us it is incomprehensible. We suspect, however, that this little tome was not writ for the million.' It is a covert satire, of a professional drift, and has doubtless hit where it was intended, for we learn that the edition has decreased with no common rapidity. But beyond the pale in which it is designed to tell, it will be like Byron's Heaven and Earth,- A Mystery. We ought to add, however, that there is no limited degree of ingenuity in the arrangement and conduct of this Prelude.' The language, in several instances, is, for quaintness and sententious pith, exceedingly unique. These are qualities which even the uninitiated can discern and commend.

LETTERS TO A GENTLEMAN IN GERMANY. Written after a trip from Philadelphia to NiOne vol. pp. 356. Edited by FRANCIS LEIBER. Philadelphia: CAREY, LEA

agara.

AND BLANCHARD.

THE editor of this volume is generally recognized as the author; and in our humble view, it is no great distinction. The matter is a curious olla podridra, relating principally to this country, but containing scraps connected with almost every thing else. We look upon it as a literary job, conceived in some luminous moment of enterprize, and executed at a John Gilpin pace. The author has sketched some scenes and some features in our institutions with a master-hand; but he often borders on the broad empire of Twaddle, and sometimes he falsifies, unwittingly, no doubt. On the whole, the volume is no very astounding affair. It has quite the due proportion of common place, and displays, in more than one instance, a want of knowledge of the subject in hand.

But the work is well executed ;-and we of the United States occupy a position so commanding, just now, that we verily believe, if a statistical exposé of the poultry markets in our Atlantic cities, or the porkbazaars of the West were imprinted in a book, it would have a rapid sale.

RECOLLECTIONS OF A HOUSEKEEPER. BY MRS. CLARISSA PACKARD. One vol. pp. 156. New-York: HARPER AND BROTHERS.

A DUCAT on the wide popularity of this little volume, in the brief space of two or three months. Would the reader learn all the perplexities, mishaps, and accidents, incident to a house-keeper, the trouble of obtaining and retaining helps,'-the vexations attendant upon a lack of education in the useful matters of household management and economy,-this is the book, for the purpose. Easy in its style, as a conversation with a familiar friend, it gains at once upon our attention and regard.

There are dashes, too, of pure sentiment, and touches of pathos, -as in the affecting story of Lucy Cooledge, and a general felicity of description, about the work, that have rarely been surpassed. The writer has that peculiar and most essential requisite of a popular author: she makes the reader see what she beholds, and feel all that she herself enjoys or suffers. Sadness and humor,—tears and broad grins,—are sprinkled, in ludicrous juxtaposition, throughout the whole volume. We would commend it to public acceptance, but it requires no such superfluous kindness at our hands. The writer, we are enabled to state, is not Mrs. Packard.' The real author is a gifted lady of South Carolina, who has won many laurels in the Rose-Bud,' and who is now endeavouring to acquire them, 'under the rose.'

THE RETICULE AND POCKET COMPANION: or, Miniature Lexicon of the English Language. By LYMAN COBB. pp. 818. New-York: HARPER ANd Brothers.

TRULY a pocket edition,-since it can well nigh be clasped and covered by an ordinary sized hand, and yet it contains upwards of eight hundred pages! It is as valuable as it is portable. Although we cannot always coincide in the author's system of orthography, we can bear cordial testimony to the convenience and excellence of his verbal distinctions, which are divided into six classes, namely: Words differenlty spelled, and defined, but pronounced exactly alike,-words dif ferently spelled and defined, but pronounced nearly alike,-words spelled alike, but differently pronounced and defined,-words spelled and pronounced exactly alike, but differing widely in signification,words of similar orthography, but of which the part of speech is changed by the change of accent, and lastly, words accented on the same syllable, but whose orthography and pronounciation are changed by a change of the part of speech. The reader will perceive the great value of this classification. All the words, likewise, are systematically divided, accented, and defined. Each page containing the verbal distinctions has two examples of false grammar in the margin, with the corrected sentences added. On every side, also, of each page in the book, are maxims, all of a correct moral or religious tendency. The work is beautifully printed, in a style which will remind the reader of some of Didot's choice Parisian editions.

THE AMERICAN POPULAR LIBRARY. Conducted by an Association of Gentlemen. Boston: JOHN ALLEN AND COMPANY. New-York: WILEY AND LONG.

WE think we are enabled to see, in the few works which have been issued under this title, the commencement of one of the most popular and valuable series of publications, ever attempted in

this country. They are to be so varied, as to interest and instruct every class of the community. Foreign and domestic works of permanent value, are to be sedulously sought. The design of the Editors to promote the union of polite literature, sound learning, and Christian morals,' is truly a noble one,-and we have every reason to believe that it will be carried into full effect. The first number of the series is entitled Leisure Hours,-a collection of essays and tales of interest, from English publications, which have not obtained general publicity in this country. They form a volume calculated to enliven the family circle, or to fill up the vacant hours of the student or man of business, with profitable entertainment. In addition to this, we have, already, in the juvenile department, The Sabbath Day Book for Boys and Girls,' intended and adapted to furnish interesting and useful reading for children on the Sabbath day, comprising illustrations of the moral and religious duties of children, etc.,-and Adam the Gardener,' a little book suited to the inculcation of useful knowledge upon agricultural topics, of common interest. The volumes are neatly executed, and illustrated with cuts and engravings. Care should be taken, however, that these be creditable,—a term that would scarcely apply to the frontispiece of 'The Gardener.' But this is an exception.

WALDIMAR. A Tragedy, in five acts. By JOHN J. BAILEY. 8vo. pp. 124. New-York: Published for the Author,

THE late hour at which this production reached us, must constitute our apology for the brevity of a notice, that can scarcely be expected to do it justice. We well remember visiting the younger KEAN, in his dressing-room at the theatre, soon after the close of this Tragedy, on the evening of its first representation. The enthusiastic spirit of the young actor was alive with the excellencies of the play, in which he had borne so conspicuous a part, and which had been received with unwonted approbation by a crowded audience. He pronounced encomiums upon its merits fully equal to those which had been manifested by the assembly before whom he had moved in triumph, while embodying the conceptions of the author. The value of such criticism is undeniable. An actor cannot bring himself to applaud with enthusiasm a play into which he is unable to enter with spirit, and a feeling of nature. There must be nature and spirit in the production itself.

A perusal of Waldimar,-which was subsequently much amended and improved,-will confirm and fortify the favorable impressions that were elicited by its representation. The character and the plot are fictitious, but the massacre, a prominent feature, is a historical fact. The scene is laid principally at Thessalonica, at the close of the fourth century, during the reign of Theodosius the Great. The unities are carefully preserved, and the individuality of the several characters is maintained with good judgment and success. The lan