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mer evening; and with these credentials to back our opinion, we again vouch for the fidelity of Prolix his dissertation on the climates of that meridian :

'The climate of Philadelphia is variable, and exhibits (in the shade,) all the degrees of temperature that are contained between the tenth below, and the ninetieth above zero, on the scale of Fahrenheit. In general, winter does not begin seriously until after Christmas, but he sometimes lingers too long in the lap of spring, and leaves a bridge of ice on the noble river Delaware until the tenth of March.

'There are generally three or four weeks of severe cold, during which the thermometer sometimes at night sinks below zero, and sometimes during the day does not rise to the point of thaw. This period is generally enlivened by two or three snow storms, which set in motion the rapid sleighs, the jingle of whose lively bells is heard through day and night. The Delaware is not frozen over every winter, but there is always made an ample supply of fine crystalline ice to last the citizens until the next winter. The annual average duration of interrupted navigation may be four or five weeks. In March there is sometimes a little Scotch weather, in which Sawney would rub his hands and tell you, here is a fine cauld blawey snawey rainy day. There is however not much such weather, though the March winds have been known to blow (as Paddy would say,) even in the first week in April; after which spring begins with tears and smiles to coax the tardy vegetation into life.

Spring is short and vegetation rapid. Summer sprinkles a day here and there in May, and sets in seriously to toast people in June; during which month there are generally six or eight days whose average temperature reaches the altissimum of summer heat. In July the days are hot, but there is some relief at night; whilst in August the fiery day is but a prelude to a baking night; and the whole city has the air of an enormous oven.* The extremely hot weather does not continue more than six weeks, and so far from being a misfortune, it is a great advantage to the inhabitants; for it makes every body that can spare twenty dollars, take a pleasant journey every year, whereby their minds are expanded, their manners improved, and they return with a double zest to the enjoyments of Philadelphia, having learned, quantum est in rebus inane, that is, in the rebuses of other places.

'The autumn, or as the Philadelphians call it, the fall, is the most delightful part of the year, and is sometimes eked out by the Indian summer as far as Christmas. The fall begins in the first half of September and generally lasts until the middle of November, when it is succeeded by the Indian summer; a pleasant period of two or three weeks, in which the mornings, evenings and nights are frosty, and the days comfortably warm and a little hazy. The Indians are supposed to have employed this period in hunting and laying in game for winter's use, before the long-knives made game of them.'

We have scarcely got into this volume yet; and we promise ourselves much pleasure in its complete perusal. It will be found a useful book; for, if we mistake not, aside from its classical allusions and literary merit, it will be one of the best guides to the traveler in Pennsylvania, ever produced in so unpretending a way.

AMERICAN LITERATURE-INTERNATIONAL COPY-RIGHT LAW BETWEEN AMERICA AND ENGLAND. Congress has done nothing on this subject, thus far, during the present session. The great number and high importance of the matters urged upon their attention have as yet prevented any action on a measure which we deem as important to the stability and success of our free institutions as any that can be named. It were an easy task to show how much of anti-American and anti-republican text and doctrine is circulated through our confederacy in the shape of floating literature. It were easy to show, how the sober virtues and the honest aims of the People are made to be viewed with derision, by the re-produced feeling of European forms and customs, awakened by the cheap works that reach us from abroad. Give us the copy-right law required, and the gifted alone would receive their reward. We shall resume this subject, and discuss it more fully, anon.

'The season of the dog days. A witty Philadelphia lady being once asked, how many dog days there are, answered that there must be a great many, for every dog has his day. At that time the city abounded in dogs, but the corporation has since made fierce war upon them, with a view perhaps of lessening the number of dog days, and improving the climate, by curtailing those innocent beasts.'

THE DRAMA.

PARK THEATRE. 'THE JEWESS.' - This is a translation, or rather an alteration by Planché, from Scribe's 'La Juive.' It was performed in London with uncommon splendor, at the principal theatres, to the manifest advantage, it is said, of the treasuries thereof, and has been brought forward at the Park Theatre during the past month with equal magnificence of scenery, dress, and decoration. 'The Jewess' was originally intended to be produced in London as an opera, the part of Rachel written and arranged for Mrs. Wood; but the music not being of a character likely to please that lady, the design was altered, and the part given we believe, simply as it now stands, to Miss Ellen Tree. The principal characters of this drama are effective, and the language decidedly superior to the common rant and fustian of melo-dramatic compositions. Mr. HARRISON makes much of the character of the Jew Eleazer, particularly in the last act. His scene with Cardinal de Brogny, previous to the application of the torture, is a noble specimen of melo-dramatic acting-possessing, as delineated by Mr. Harrison, all the effective excellence of that department of the drama, with much of the loftier and more delicate attributes of tragedy. Mrs. HILSON succeeded with the part of Rachel better than could be hoped, considering her very delicate person, and the great physical effort necessary to the part. Some of the more quiet scenes with her father, were given with truth and feeling. Mrs. GURNER was every inch a princess, and seemed as if she had worn the rank and the robes all her days. Mr. MASON gave to his part all that it required, and that indeed is praiseworthy in Mr. Mason. We only wish the part required more. The procession in the second act is the most magnificent affair that we have ever witnessed, on the Park stage, in that line, and Mr. Blakeley's horse is conspicuous therein. The scenery, dresses, and embellishments of this piece are superb, and far beyond precedent. The scenery is altogether very imposing, and will add much to the well-earned reputation of Mr. Evers. The ballet in the second act is arranged with much skill, and the dancing of the Misses PARKERS meets with general approbation a feeling which we wish could be experienced for the efforts of the rest

of the Corps du Ballet - but really, some of the ladies do fling about their pedal extremities in such shocking bad taste, and with such an apparent recklessness of tenure, that we have absolutely trembled, lest some pairs of these useful members should become disjointed, and thus clandestinely sent flying into the pit.

OPERA, AND THE WOODS. Again, after filling the Bostonians with delight, and rousing into ecstacies the quiet sensibilities of the good and grave citizens of Philadelphia, the Woods and BROUGH have returned to us, and La Somnambula is again queen of the ascendant at the Park Theatre. Rapture is the order of the day, when speaking of this opera and its performers; and the whole vocabulary of praise has been exhausted in encomiums upon Mrs. Wood for her exquisite acting of the part of Amina, as well as for her wonderful musical powers, displayed in the execution of its soul-thrilling melodies. Mr. Wood has met with the like encomiums. The irresistible 'False one, I love thee still!' has won all hearts, and all hands; whilst the Count Rhodolpho has found in Mr. Brough a representative which has left nothing to be desired in the three great characters of this charming opera. But if we were in rhapsodies at its first representation, at the Park, what should be our state now, when witnessing its performance, improved, in every particular belonging to these characters, by almost three months of constant practice? It was hard to believe that there could be improvement where every thing seemed already and at once to have reached the climax of perfection. It has happened, nevertheless. Mrs. Wood has improved. There are passages of the music which she now renders with a more thrilling effect-points which she makes decidedly more emphatic, and there is an added charm of ease over all, which enriches and mellows the beauties of the character. Mr. Wood has improved, in like manner. The minutia of the stage business has become more familiar to him. The gem of the

music now shines brighter than ever, and there appears to be no situation in which he is placed, or point in the character which he has not studied and compassed to perfection. Mr. Brough has improved, and not slightly, either. He sings with more ease; his acting is more natural, and consequently less stiff and restrained, and there is now a certain repose and quiet in his manner 'which were not there before.' Altogether, this opera has become an immense favorite greater now than ever- and all the fault we have to find with the good people of Boston and Philadelphia is, that they have absolutely forestalled all the epithets of encomium and admiration which we would otherwise bestow upon it. What have we left to say, after all their expletives of ecstatic admiration? Not content, either, with exhausting the language in its praise, they have by every other means possible to the occasion evidenced their worship. But we are not to be outdone, and we venture to predict - albeit not a Jeremiah- that the opera 'La Somnambula' has yet to receive a triumph in New-York that will eclipse all its previous glories.

C.

AMERICAN THEatre, Bowery. - 'The Jewess,' as produced at the Victoria Theatre London, in connexion with the still attractive Norman Leslie, has during the month crowded this establishment nightly with eager and admiring audiences. The scenery, dresses, and decorations of the former play by far exceed in splendor those of any other piece ever presented on the Bowery boards, and have elicited great and deserved praise. The principal characters were confided to actors fully able to render good justice to their personation. 'Rienzi,' from Bulwer's popular novel of that name, is in progress of preparation by Miss MEDINA. It affords a fine field for her acknowledged dramatic powers.

FRANKLIN THEATRE. Perhaps theatricals were never more popular in New-York than at the present moment. The Franklin Theatre has been crowded, as we learn, nearly every night, for the last four weeks. Among other attractions, Mr. J. R. SCOTT has been conspicuous. He has been through with his usual routine of characters, in Richard III., Venice Preserved, Damon and Pythias, etc. The improvement of this gentleman, arising from enlarged experience and close study, is not less honorable to himself than gratifying to his friends.

'AMERICAN CRITICISM ON AMERICAN LITERATURE,' is the title of a Lecture delivered before the New-York Mercantile Library Association in December last, by EDWARD S. GOULD, ESQ. It deprecates the frequent lavish praise bestowed upon native authors by the daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly publications of America. Many of Mr. Gould's assumptions are vigorously supported, and by sound argument. We believe that the delinquency of which he complains has its origin, mainly, in an honorable motive - a disposition to encourage and foster American literature. It cannot be denied, however, that national partialities, or other less creditable causes, have misled many in this matter. The real genius of our country will be best sustained by just criticism, and not by excessive indulgence. While we reprobate the sometime unfairness and injustice of foreigners toward American authors, we should avoid the opposite extreme of too highly extolling those indigenous efforts which are unworthy of commendation — a course which can only serve to fill our country with crude productions. Fair, gentle and enlightened criticism will always in the end afford the most effectual encouragement to genuine merit. Praise of the indifferent in matters of literature is not, however, so very peculiar to, or remarkably preeminent in America, as Mr. Gould would seem to suppose. 'It hath been already of old time, which was before us.' Great VOL. VII.

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Britain is not a particularly fortunate comparison. Goldsmith somewhere tells us, that even in his day he reckoned up, in less than the compass of half a year, (on the authority of contemporary periodicals,) twenty-five great men, twenty very great men, and seventeen very extraordinary men: and he complains that a poet stringing up trite or weak sentiments in rhyme, and a pedant digesting his common-place book into a folio, were sharers in this critical glory. We fear that in this matter 'the thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done' hereafter.

After all, undue adulation is an evil whch eventually works its own cure. One of the best of English prose writers has well and truly said, that in relation to the merits of candidates for literary favor, the public, collectively considered, is sometimes mistaken, but to make amends, it is never mistaken long. 'A performance, indeed, may be forced for a time into reputation, but, destitute of real merit, it soon sinks. Time, the touchstone of what is truly valuable, will soon discover the fraud.' This is solemn verity. Where lives the critic who could write down Washington Irving? — and what concentrated or reverberated puffing could elevate the novels (heaven save the mark!) or verses of the author of 'The Wilderness' and 'The Antediluvians' to a respectable or continuous notoriety? Let then the American author who it may chance shall hereafter (for such things have been, and if we read aright the literary signs of the times, are likely to be again,) grow lofty and dictatorial, from forced and temporary success, weigh well the penalty which attends the occupancy-however gained of an undeserved and consequently 'bad eminence.'

LITERARY RECORD.

DICK'S 'MENTAL ILLUMINATION.' - A valuable donation to the American public will be found in a volume recently issued by MESSRS. KEY AND BIDDLE, Philadelphia, on the mental illumination and moral improvement of mankind; or, an inquiry into the means by which a general diffusion of knowledge and moral principle may be promoted. The work is by THOMAS DICK, L L. D., author of several volumes which have acquired much celebrity. In the present work, the writer has exhibited a brief outline of the whole series of instruction requisite for man-'considered as an intelligent moral agent destined to immortality' from the earliest dawn of reason to the period of manhood. From the expansive nature of the project, the work is necessarily but an outline; yet the following imperfect synopsis of the contents will afford some idea of the extent of topic embraced: Present state of education in different countries; strictures on the mode in which education has generally been conducted; hints in reference to a comprehensive and improved system of education; on infant schools; on schools for young persons, from five or six, to fourteen years of age; method of teaching, and the departments of knowledge which should be taught in every seminary; moral and religious instruction; sabbath schools; schools for young persons, from fourteen to twenty, and upward; of the qualification of teachers; of the practicability and utility of establishing seminaries for intellectual and universal education; principles of a national system of education; its maxims, or first principles; mechanics' institution; and miscellaneous hints in reference to the diffusion of knowledge, and the improvement of society. Entirely destitute of that dry and frigid style which sometimes characterizes books of a similar description, this work will commend itself to general regard not more from its excellent matter than its attractive manner. It is illustrated with several wood cuts.

'CORRECTED PROOFS.'-RUSSELL, SHATTUCK AND WILLIAMS, Boston, have published a work under this title, by H. HASTINGS WELD, Esq. It is composed of articles which have been well received in a separate form, and which will doubtless meet with equal if not greater favor, now that they are gathered together.

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THE NAVAL MAGAZINE. We take pleasure in announcing the first number of a Magazine thus entitled, which is to appear once in two months, under the editorial supervision of Rev. C. S. STEWART, M. A., whose 'Voyages and Travels' have made favorably known to the reading public of England and America. Mr. Stewart is to be aided in his labors by an able advisory committee, among whom we remark the names of Coм. RIDGLEY and Lieutenant SLIDELL. The work will be issued under the auspices of the Naval Lyceum, a flourishing institution established at Brooklyn in 1833. The aid of literary gentlemen, in the service and elsewhere, is solicited, in furnishing original papers on 'subjects directly or collaterally connected with the elucidation and diffusion of nautical and general science, and professional knowledge, whether in reference to astronomy and navigation, the construction, stowage, and equipment of ships, either for the naval or merchant service, or to their police and discipline;' articles in polite literature, and essays upon the moral, physical and exact sciences, in their various relations, will also be acceptable, and will form a portion of the contents of the work. The Naval Magazine is executed in a superior manner, upon a large clear type, and fine white paper. There is no lack of talent in the American navy, and that of the right description for such a journal. We confidently anticipate, therefore, its complete success.

BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS. Messrs. KEY AND BIDDLE, Philadelphia, have issued four or five works, of great utility to schools and families, which we shall briefly designate: HISTORY OF GREECE. - Pinnock's improved edition of Goldsmith's History of Greece, abridged for the use of schools, deserves the same praise which we recently awarded to the History of Rome, by the same author. The work has been revised, corrected, and much enlarged by the addition of many new chapters and useful notes, together with questions for examination at the end of each section. The concluding chapters contain some account of Grecian literature and philosophy, calculated to excite in the youthful student a desire for a more intimate acquaintance with those works. The volume is illustrated with thirty-two tolerable (and barely) engravings on wood.

SACRED HISTORY. - 'Outlines of Sacred History; from the creation of the world to the destruction of Jerusalem. With questions for examination. Intended for the use of schools and families.' Some two hundred and sixty well-printed pages are here devoted to a valuable summary of Sacred History, intended to suit the wants and wishes of youth, without being unworthy the notice of persons of a maturer age. The author has, we think, judiciously 'confined himself simply to the narration of the facts in that great scheme of Providence which unites the history of man's creation with that of his redemption,' leaving to others the task of stating the doctrines of which these facts form the foundation. The present edition, which is enlarged and improved, contains wood-cuts illustrative of the text.

HISTORY OF the Deluge. The nature of this little hook is sufficiently expressed in its title: 'Sacred History of the Deluge illustrated; and corroborated by tradition, mythology, and geology. Adapted to courses of Scripture study in colleges and higher seminaries, and to general use.' The author is FRANCIS FELLOWES, A. M. Of the introductory essay on the study of the Scriptures, as a part of liberal education, by the Rev. CHAUNCEY COLTON, we have heretofore spoken in these pages.

THE ZODIAC, a monthly periodical published at Albany, to which we have heretofore favorably referred, seems to be steadily gaining in general esteem. Its publishers are enabled, from its increased success, to offer liberal premiums for articles in prose and verse. The work is conducted with ability, and has earned its popularity.