through the changes and chances of a life of self-renunciation, with a cheerful camness, of which the sanctifying influence falls like a blessing upon all who come within its sphere. Yet is she neither idealized into an impalpable abstraction, which we admire, but feel to be impossible, nor made to appear a parson in petticoats, whose sermonizing strikes us as equally wholesome and unpalatable; but with all her excellence and superiority, she still remains "a very woman," a being loving, and to be loved. The main fault of the book is a want of self-consistency in the character of the hero, who, described as a moral Hercules, and placed in an equally original and striking position, conducts himself with a very "lady-like" degree of unreasoning vacillation, which in real life would have lost him the respect, though it might not have deprived him of the love of his inamorata. Of the other characters our limits merely enable us to point out the grand old artist, Michael Vanbrugh, in himself a picture well conceived and ably executed; his good little sister, in whom affection supplies the want of a mind; "Harold's mother," a haughty matron, whose clear head and cool heart render the deep love which she really feels for her son, a most uncomfortable blessing; to whom no greater contrast can be imagined than that which we find in Olive's silly, fascinating, child-like mamma, who, beginning her career by a dislike scarcely natural | to Ler slightly deformed, plain little girl, lives to acknowledge in that daughter's tenderness her only consolation. For the rest (with the exception of an episode regarding a certain Christal Manners, with which we could willingly have dispensed,) we give "Olive" our warm approval, and cordially recommend it to our readers.

"Imagination: an Original Poem," by Spero. This production (which is dedicated by permission to Mr. Charles Dickens) is evidently the work of an unpractised writer, who is, however, endowed with a considerable share of the divine faculty which forms his theme. Many sweet descriptions and passages of great poetical excellence might be selected from the poem which he has presented to the public, whilst the frequent occurrence of harsh and rugged lines seems to prove that it has been written in haste, in the midst of uncongenial pursuits, and that little time or care can have been bestowed in polishing or correcting it. The poet tells us in his preface that his life has been passed "in the cold city's crowd;" that his view of nature's works has been contracted

To the same dull walk at morn, at eve-
Then morn and eve again;

that lakes, mountains, and forests are strange to him, and that the "grasp of active, busy life" has held him back "from the bright longings of his aspiring soul." These circumstances are calculated to bespeak the indulgence, and excite the interest of the reader; but the work itself is one of considerable merit, and indicates a power of fancy and faculty of observation which may, in the course of time, achieve still better things.

CHRISTMAS BOOKS AND NEW YEAR'S PRESENTS.

OUR readers will be glad, perhaps, to have a few words recommendatory of such annuals as we have already seen; and we shall, accordingly, give our modicum of advice, beginning with the more costly, and ending with the more economical, so that every one may choose what likes him best. For handsome engravings on a large scale, and a world of miscellaneous matter connected with the fine arts in general, the volumes of the Art Journal are, after all, by far the fullest and cheapest that are published; and to those who have not the work already in numbers, they constitute as handsome a present as can be made. For novelty and peculiarity of design, two publications by Mr. Bogue, of Fleet Street, are also well worthy of remark:-they are, "Sketches after English Landscape Painters," by Louis Marvy, with short notices by W. M. Thackeray; and another entitled "Christmas with the Poets." The first is an elegant volume of coloured engravings from the works of our best landscapepainters, many of which are exceedingly beautiful. They are accompanied by short notices by the accomplished author of "Vanity Fair," who has most admirably discriminated the styles of the respective painters. The second is a volume still more to our taste,—novel in design, and happy in execution, consisting of a series of engravings on wood in the very highest style of the art, to illustrate poems, both ancient and modern, on the subject of Christmas. The typography and binding are really gorgeous, and the originality of the design must secure to these books a large share of the patronage bestowed on works of their class.

Much lower in price, and less expensive in getting up, but full of sterling and valuable matter, is "Mrs. Hall's Pilgrimages to English Shrines," written with great ease and felicity, and accompanied by a host of woodcuts, from the clever pencil of Fairholt. The design of this work, reprinted from the Art Journal, and published at a surprisingly cheap rate, is to collect the scattered remnants connected with the memories of great and good men, and its execution is every way successful.

Those who delight in foreign, rather than domestic subjects, may turn to "Gleanings in the Overland Route," by the author of "Forty Days in the Desert," for a correct picture of our possessions of Malta and Gibraltar, and other matter connected with the interesting and popular subject of which it treats. This book also abounds in illustration, and is very handsomely got up.

Still cheaper than this is the " Year-Book of Remarkmade in this number is the best culogy we can proable Occurrences," of which the liberal use we have

nounce.

For an elegant present to children we may recommend Miss Meteyard's work, "The Doctor's Little Daughter." This unpretending story abounds in exquisite little episodes and passages of description, its fault being, perhaps, the redundancy of matter; which, duly diluted by the regular bookmaker, is equal

TRIUMPHS OF STEAM.1

PART IV.

HAVING traced the progress and successful establishment of river steamboats in a former paper, let us next glance at the early ocean voyages of these connectors of continents and contractors of seas: it would scarcely seem extravagant to add, annihilators of time and space-when comparing records of voyages made less than a century ago, with those effected by steam-ships in the present day. During Fielding's voyage to Lisbon in 1754, thirty days elapsed between embarkation at the Tower Wharf, London, and anchoring at Torbay, in Devonshire. Compare this fact with the performance of an American merchant last year, and judge if the above epithet is not almost justified. On the 4th of April, 1849, this gentleman left New York for Canton, and arrived at his destination on the 15th of June, after accomplishing a distance of nearly fifteen thousand miles. Thus, "in little more than two months, he traversed the Atlantic and Indian oceans, and the Mediterranean, Red, and China Seas. Starting from the United States of America, he called at England, Gibraltar, and Malta, in Europe; Alexandria and Suez, in Africa; and at Aden, Ceylon, Penang, Singapore, and Hong Kong, in Asia. With the exception of passing through England and Egypt, the whole of his journey was performed by water in British ships."

Long after Fielding's time such a change in the affairs of travellers was beyond mortal ken or credit. Sailors and savans alike decried the feasibility of seavoriges in steamboats. When first it was proposed to employ them on the Forth and Tay ferries, Admiral Sir Philip Durham declared, "I have viewed the matter with a seaman's eye, and am certain that a steamboat can never live on the Forth;" and Dr. Lardner, penetrating a kindred subject with a philosopher's eye, staked his "reputation and knowledge as a man of science," on the impossibility of any steamer crossing the Atlantic Ocean. In 1820, however, steamboats attempted those very ferries; yet their lives escaped the sacrifice considered due to their temerity; and, cruelly regardless of the Doctor's "reputation," steamers whistle at "men of science," and paddle across from New York to Liverpool in spite of the demonstrated impossibility of the thing. Let us seek out and proclaim the daring insolent, who first ventured to set at nought the fiat of the wise. Bring her forth trembling,-not from contrition for opposing philosophy, but from the pulsations of that iron heart within, which gave her might to brave and overcome,

the honour is due of performing the first scn-voyage with a steamboat, in transferring his vessel by sea to Philadelphia, for the navigation of the Delaware, from the River Hudson; in consequence of the exclusive privilege then enjoyed by Fulton of navigating this river.

Deep-sea communication by steam-vessels, and the establishment of Post-office steam-packets in Great Britain, originated with Mr. David Napier. The Rob Roy was built for this gentleman in 1818, by Mr. Denny of Dumbarton, a vessel of 90 tons burden, with an engine of 30-horse power, with which he established regular communication between the ports of Greenock and Belfast. Subsequently she plied between Dover and Calais. Messrs. Wood shortly afterwards built for Mr. Napier the Talbot, 120 tons, which was fitted with two of his engines, each of 30-horse power, supplied from the celebrated Vulcan Foundry, Glasgow. "This vessel," says Mr. Scott Russell, was in all respects the most perfect of her day, and was formed on a model which was long in being surpassed." The Talbot ran between Dublin and Holyhead; and steam-packets connecting Liverpool, Greenock, and Glasgow, were established by the same enterprising gentleman.

In the following year to that which witnessed the successful efforts of the Rob Roy, the Americans achieved another triumph by building and equipping the Savannah, the first steam-vessel that dared to breast the billows of the Atlantic; which, after a passage of twenty-six days from the port whose name she bore, and without stopping at any intermediate station, arrived safely at Liverpool on the 20th of June 1819. She was of 350 tons burden, and her hold between the main and fore-masts was entirely occupied by the coals and the machinery. The consumption of coals by this engine amounted to nearly ten tons daily. The construction of the paddle-wheels was such as to admit of their easy removal in adverse weather. They were fitted when in use to a cast-iron axle-tree fixed through the sides of the vessel; and it does not appear that it was ever found necessary to shelter them from the too-rough treatment of the waves. The following most amusing account of her first voyage was given in the "New York Tribune:”—

"For fourteen days the Savannah on her passage to Liverpool went without canvass, depending entirely on her steam-power for propulsion, and never using sails and steam at the same time. Her engine was a low-pressure, one of only 80 or 90-horse power, with which she could generally make eight knots in the hour. When the ship arrived off Cape Clear, she was immediately telegraphed to Liverpool as a 'ship on fire,' and the British Admiral then lying at Cork, despatched a king's cutter to her relief; but the officers and crew were struck with astonishment in being unable to overhaul a vessel under bare poles. However, after several shots had been fired from the cutter, the engine was stopped, and they were permitted to come on board, and were greatly gratified as well as astonished at the marvellous craft.

P