The Athenæum notices, at length, the correspondence between Lord Mahon and Jared Sparks, respecting the alleged editorial liberties taken with the writings of Washington. After carefully analyzing the history of the matter, the Critic sums up the duties of an editor thus: "The truth is, we repeat, that there is but one safe rule for an editor to adopt. If he is editing original papers and publishing them as originals -he must re-produce them textually and literally. A A low word often involves a trait of character. A third (and cheap) edition of Mr. Kingsley's remarkable and powerful novel, Alton Locke, has been published. The Messrs. CLARK, of Edinburgh, have published the second volume of Hengstenberg's Commentary on the Revelation, being Vol XXVI. of "The Foreign Theological Library." This admirable series has long commanded the attention of Biblical and Theological students, and richly deserves all the favor that has been shown to it, comprising, as it does, the works of the most eminent orthodox German Divines, in Biblical Criticism and Hermeneutics, and Biblical and Ecclesiastical History." Memoirs of the Baroness d'Oberkirch, Countess de Montbrison. Edited by her Grandson, the Count de Montbrison. 66 If these volumes have no other valuable quality to recommend them to public attention, they have at least this-they give one of the most perfect insights, within the scope of general reading, into the system of the old régime, and the less familiar, but not less interesting, etiquette practised at the petty courts of the German Principalities." Of forthcoming works, we have heard that it is likely the University of Oxford will undertake the publication of the new edition of Bingham's "Antiquities of the Christian Church," which we announced some time since as being in preparation by the author's great-great-grandson. The present Mr. Bingham is an able scholar, and having spent many years in revising this new edition of his incestor's famous work, the University will do well to bring his labors before the public in the most creditable and complete manner possible. AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS. Messrs. ROBERT CARTER & BROTHERS have published, during the month, a fine edition of the "Memoirs of Robert and James A. Haldane, of which the Eclectic Review speaks so highly in our present number. We copied also the notice of the Athenæum in our last, highly eulogizing the work. The British Banner pronounces it a work without a parallel in the language. It has so many points of interest, both personal and historical, that this emphatic praise will be likely to be re-copied by the American reader. Earlswood, or Lights and Shadows of the Anglican Church, a tale for the times, by Charlotte Auley, author of Miriam, Influence, &c. Miss Auley ranks as one of the best and most felicitous of the popular school of religious novelists. Her "Miriam was a work of genius and power. The present, more decidedly evangelical, is not without the same traits of descriptive and logical power. As a story, it has great attractiveness and merit. from a venerable and popular Scottish work, givThe Scots Worthies: a handsome 8vo. reprinted ing a brief historical account of the most eminent Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers, and others who testified or suffered for the cause of the Reformation in Scotland from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the year 1688, by John Howie of Lochgoin. It is a kind of counterpart of Fox's Book of Martyrs, and has enjoyed an unparalleled popularity in Scotland. It is replete with interest, and its tragic incidents are all the more affecting for narrated. It is plentifully illustrated, and holding the sincere and quaint manner in which they are an important place in the annals of the Reformation in Scotland, will have value to the scholar and the religious reader alike. Gray's Elegy in a Country Church Yard, with stanza of the Elegy there is a characteristic illustraother Poems, beautifully illustrated. To every tion, finely engraved, and in the best keeping with the calm and meditative spirit of this incomparable poem. It is a work which no eulogy can exalt; its place as the gem of the language, has long been fixed. A new volume of that admirable expository work, Hilton's Daily Bible Readings, embracing the prophetic portion of the Bible, and completing the Old Testament. The favor with which this work has been received is an indication which an examination fully justifies of its great ability and its general spirit. J. S. REDFIELD, Nos. 110 and 112 Nassau, has issued a most valuable historical work-Ancient Egypt Under the Pharaohs, by John Kendrick, A.M., in 2 vols. 12mo. It essays to methodize and condense ito a continuous narrative, all the results of Egyptian explorations up to the present time, and to reproduce, in the light of modern investigations, ancient Egypt as it really was. When the amount and elaborate and recondite nature of these explorations is considered, the stretch of time revelations which they have been made to yield, it through which they extend, and the extraordinary will be readily seen that the task of reducing them to order, and constructing from them a complet tory, must be one demanding great scholarship and system of Egyptian life, manners, religion, and hisskill. It has here been done thoroughly and satisfactorily. Conflicting testimonies have been candidly weighed, and where but little was known, it is frankly acknowledged. The good judgment, sincere and scholarly love of truth and compreheneiveness with which the work has been accomplished, reflect great credit upon the author, and supply a long-felt and important want. ceive that the same office is to be performed for the undigested explorations and results of research in Syria. This too will be an invaluable accession to our best style of literature. Mr. Redfield deserves credit for the beautiful manner in which so valuable a work has been given to the American public. We per Comparative Physiognomy, or Resemblance Between Men and Animals, by James W. Redfield, M.D., is the title of another of Mr. REDFIELD's pub and with an air of candor which leaves the reader but little room to doubt their accuracy. ter. lications. It is a remarkably curious and enter- Mr. PUTNAM has added to his admirable "Lewis' Monthly Library," a second series of Home and Social Philosophy, extracted from Dickens's Household Words; Sicily, a Pilgrimage, by Henry T. Tuckerman, a very tasteful and pleasing piece of descriptive writing; Whims and Oddities, by "Aunt Phillis's Cabin, or Southern Life as It Is," by Mrs. Eastman. Mrs. E is a very sprightly wriHer descriptions are lively and picturesque, and her management of dialogue artistic. The scope of her work will be understood when it is stated that it is a professed replication to the popu "The Dew Drop," a tribute of affection, a neatly illustrated annual for 1353, well adapted, both by its elegant appearance and genial contents, for its pleasant office. lished by the HARPERS, is styled a sensible and reMr. Stiles'" Austria in 1848-9," originally publiable work, by the Literary Gazette. Thomas Hood; The Eagle Pass, or Life on the Border, by Cora Montgomery; Further Walks and The poems of James Russell Lowell are patroTalks of an American Farmer in England, by Fred-nizingly commended by the Literary Gazette, which erick Olmsted; A Book for a Corner, by Leigh Hunt: all readable books, of more than a passing value, and sold for 25 cents each. Messrs. LIPPINCOTT, GRAMBO & Co., Philadelphia, whose list comprises some of the most valuable standard works in literature, medical science, and general reading, have lately issued a very neat edition of Lord Cockburn's "Life of Lord Jeffrey," a work whose praise has been repeatedly echoed in the articles which we have republished in the Eclectic. There is scarcely any recent biographical work which has been so genially welcomed by the press and the public as this. Jeffrey's history is, in an eminent degree, the history of British literature for the last half century. The originator, and, during its most influential era, the editor of the Edinburgh Review, he was virtually the father of that extraordinary development of literature of which the Edinburgh was the forerunner and highest exemplar-journalism. His critical labors had exerted also an immeasurable influence upon the literary character of his age, and were uniformly and powerfully put forth on the side of some good taste, purity of morals, simplicity of style, and elevated, manly views. His character was peculiarly upright, sincere, and genial, exemplifying in his life the principles to which he endeavored to conform the literature of the age. A long, eminent career, a noble and ingenuous character, singularly amia ble personal traits, and the mark of great achievements, give to his biography an interest and value which can hardly be over-estimated. The manner in which the picture is drawn is exceedingly attractive, affectionate, discriminative, and complete. It is a work from whose circulation in this country we may expect much good. "Autobiography of a New Churchman, or Incidents and Observations Connected with the Life of John A. Little," is a very ingenuous, frank, and life-like picture of an humble, sincere man, who, born a Quaker, became a Swedenborgian. It sets forth the peculiarities of that faith in a simple, practical light. closes its notice with these condescending words :— "Admiring the high moral tone pervading Mr. Lowell's writings, and perceiving that he has true poetic spirit, we have refrained from dwelling on the many faults which he displays in common with most young authors. With less inflated thought, simpler language, and more condensed utterance, Mr. Lowell might take a high place among American poets." Jones's "Historical Sketch of the Electric Tele graph," originally published by PUTNAM, is warmly commended by the Literary Gazette." With great minuteness every step of the wonderful invention is traced, and the successive improvements described. The chief value of the work in this country will be found in its copious statistical information, few facts relating to the progress or present state of telegraphic communication escaping full treatment by the painstaking compiler." A collected edition of Elihu Burritt's works has been issued. Mr. Headley's "Old Guard of Napoleon" has been published in the series entitled "Readable Books." It is spoken of by the Critic thus:-"Its avowed purpose is to give a history of the Imperial Guard of Napoleon-to detail its heroism and valor, its sufferings and hardships, and to plead its claims to a good name in the world's history. The battles of Napoleon are traced with a real Napoleonic partiality, and, by watching the narrative, we find how the glory of l'Empire and the perfidy of England facts of the truth of which he would convince the and the goodness of Napoleon are, with the author, English public." Lord John Russell's promised Life of Moore, in ten volumes, excels great expectations. Apropos of this costly and elaborate work, the Critic makes this statement:-"Messrs. D. Appleton and Co., of New York, have offered 3001. for the early copy of Tom Moore's Letters and Journals, now in course of editing by our Lord John Russell, and to be published by our Messrs. Longman. The latter are reported to have given three thousand pounds to Moore's widow for her husband's papers, without speaking of his Lordship's remuneration, which probably will not be much less than a year's salary as Prime Minister. Messrs. D. Appleton and Co. expect the whole for three hundred. “Lucky American publishers!" |