These are simple verses, appealing only to familiar sentiments, and seeking for them no ambitious ornaments. They commend themselves purely by their simplicity. The subjects chosen by our young poet are always of a class with which the social and human sentiment is familiar; and, to lift this simple and ordinary sentiment, by the wings of a pleasant fancy, so as to wing its moral, is all that he seems to design or to desire. These specimens will suffice, though not entirely, to show the characteristics of the poet. He has a quiet vein of humour in his composition, which sometimes prompts him to mask his fancy, and relieve his sad with sportive humours.

Congressional Publications.--We owe to our attentive friends and correspondents in Washington, Messrs. Orr and Keitt, of our congressional delegation, copies of sundry government publications of singular value and interest. Among these, the copious volume from the Census department-the Statistics of the United States-(Census of 1850) a stupendous effort of human industry and accumulation-has already received due acknowledgment in our pages. To this we must add the following, of which our limits permit the mention only of their several titles, viz:

I. Report of Israel O. Andrews, Consul of the United States for Canada and New-Brunswick, on the trade and commerce of the British North American Colonies, and upon the trade of the great lakes and rivers; also, notices of the Internal Improvements in each state of the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida, and a paper on the cotton crop of the United States.

II. Maps illustrating Andrews's Report-a supplementary volume, the maps on a large scale and well engraved.

III. Exploration and Survey of the great Salt Lake of Utah, including a reconnoisance of a new route through the Rocky Mountains. By HOWARD STANBURY, Capt. Corps Top. Eng. U. S. Army.-This is a singularly interesting narrative; illustrated throughout with correct drawings of scenery and people, costume and modes of habitation— giving detailed aspects of the country everywhere, at every point in the

progress. To this volume is also appended another, solely accorded to maps and charts, by which the reader is enabled to follow step by step the course of the survey.

IV. The Report of the Secretary of the Treasury, on the state of the Public Finances, affords matter for a thick volume, and is much more satisfactory than any we can make on the subject of our own. The contents of this volume are not wholly financial or statistical. The incidental historical matter is very valuable and interesting, particularly that which relates to the discovery, colonization and colonial progress, and our relations with Europe during these several periods. This matter is accumulated in consequence of researches into the Fishery Question. While we indicate this historical survey, as affording materials of great interest and value, we are far from preparing to endorse it as quite correct in fact and conclusion, in advance of very searching examination. It issues from the pen of Mr. Lorenzo Sabine, who has, on previous occasions, shown himself superficial in his judgments of our history, and an exceedingly bigoted and prejudiced Yankee, of the worst complexion, i. e., when he turns his face southwards. His opinions are to be received cum grano, and his statistics must be weighed equally with regard to his omissions and his utterances. Not that we are prepared to cast discredit on his present report, for we have not examined it, except passingly. Our doubts are rather of himself—of what seems to us his ingrained defects of judgment, and of a narrow sectional temper. We regret to find a number of pages wanting, in our copy of this report; a deficiency, however, from which its substance shows the public treasury to be free.

V. VI. Annual Reports of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, showing the progress of that work during the year ending November, 1851 and 1852. Two volumes.

VII. To these is added a supplementary quarto, embodying all the pages illustrative of the several surveys made up to 1852. No work which the Government of the United States has ever undertaken, was more necessary, or more important, than that of a general Coast Survey of our extended empire. We may add that no superintendent could have been found, quite so capable as Professor Bache, for taking charge of this interesting [duty. We believe that up to the present date, we have been compelled to rely for our coast charts entirely upon the meagre outlines given us by the early Spanish voyagers, imperfectly improved by subsequent British navigators, and none of them being the result of any strict, scientific, or even searching examination. The present survey, when completed, will leave us nothing to desire. It is

in the best of hands. Our young naval officers, under their accomplished chief, in this department, are destined to render incalculable service to the maritime securities and the commercial enterprise of the country.

VIII. In this connection, we may accord a single sentence to the quarto pamphlet, issued from the French press, entitled "Maritime Conference held at Brussels," for devising an uniform system of meteorological observations at sea. August and September. 1853.-The contents of this publication are given in French and English. The commission, solicited by our Government, was honourably entertained by the several maritime powers of Europe, all of whom sent delegates. Our country was amply represented by Lieut. Maury, with whom the conference originated. The result will, no doubt, be productive of very general benefit to the progress of society. It is pleasant to perceive that Lieut. Maury's claims as a man of science, and a discoverer, are duly appreciated by his associates. We take pride in the career of this gentleman, and congratulate our people on the possession of a character of so much private worth and public usefulness, and upon the official position which he enjoys, and in which he is calculated to effect such large and valuable results for humanity and science.

Comte's Philosophy of the Sciences: being an exposition of the "Cours de Philosophie Positive" of Auguste Comte. By G. H. LEWES, author of "The Biographical History of Philosophy," &c. London: Henry G. Bohn. 1853.--Mr. Lewes is quite a suitable person to give us, in English, a popular version of one whom he considers "the greatest thinker of modern times." We are not prepared to concur with him in this estimate, which appears to us rather superlative; but no one will deny to Comte the merits of searching thought, and a very high rank as a philosopher of modern times. He should be read and studied by all who desire a just knowledge of the preliminary sciences, of social science and the philosophy of history. Even where we do not concur--and we confess frankly that in many things we are not satisfied with M. Comte's conclusions--yet he will provoke the thought which he does not satisfy, and stimulate that inquiry which he does not meet. This volume is well designed for popular use.

The Three Presidencies of India: a History of the Rise and Progress of the British India Possessions, from the earliest records to the present time, with an account of their government, religion, manners, customs, education, &c. By JOHN By JOHN CAPPER, F.R.A.S., &c.

London Ingrams, Cooke & Co. 1853.-There is a native interest in the subject of India, and of the British progress in that country, which is of considerable attraction to all the civilized world, and of rather more interest to us, as Americans, than we at present suspect. As a mere subject of curiosity, and for the general cravings of the historical reader, the theme is sufficiently attractive. The very handsome octavo before us, with its numerous and spirited illustrations, written in good style and with warmth, by one who has resided in India, and is well versed equally in the histories, the politics and the traditions of the country, will beguile the reader willingly along, and satisfy his curiosity, and awaken his interest, in topics which he has hitherto dismissed from his thought with little consideration. The work opens with a sketch of the natural history of British India; its resources, its characteristics, its statistics, and the degree in which these may be brought to profitable results. This is followed by an historical survey-first, of the Hindoos, and next, of the Mohammedan period, down to the fall of the Tartar dynasty. To these succeeds the European period, covering the progress of the British arms, down to the second Burmese war, and the annexation of Pegu, in 1852. The history of events is thus complete, almost to the present moment. The narrative seems ample, and the details are at once succinct and comprehensive. A second part of the work is devoted to a political review of the local governments of India, from the Hindoo to the present period, and of the fiscal systems of the same country, ancient and modern, with a consideration of their effects on the industry of the people. In respect to the evil influence of these systems upon the moral and physical powers of the country, our author insists that the British has been far more ruinous than any of the preceding native powers, contrasting very unfavourably with that of the ancient Hindoo. Nor does he indicate any hope that experience has taught the ruling power any useful lessons. A third part of his work is devoted to the physical aspects of India; under which head he classes Hindoo art and science, manufactures, agriculture, "cotton industry," roads, rivers, rail-roads, and the commercial history of the three presidencies. The portion of this section which will most interest us in the South, is that which relates to the cotton culture of India. The author shows that the exports of India cotton have been decreasing, and that the quality of the article has undergone no improvement for fifty years. He ridicales the experiments and efforts which have been made by the British Government to vary these results, and indicates as preferable the purifying the courts of law and opening railways. We need not discuss the problem, and prefer

that something shall be left to excite the anxieties of posterity. The fourth and closing section of this interesting volume, under the head of "moral," gives us a survey of the language of literature, religion and caste, manners and customs, education, Christianity, justice, and the morality of the people. The work is unique; full of interest, abounding in information, well written and beautifully illustrated.

Notes on the State of Virginia, by THOMAS JEFFERSON; illustrated with a map, including the States of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. A new edition, prepared by the author, containing notes and plates never before published. Richmond: J. W. Randolph. 1853.A new edition of Jefferson's Notes was very much wanted. The original work, as first published, has been long since out of print. The public owes its acknowledgments to Mr. Randolph, for supplying a general need. These Notes will never suffer loss of value. Their facts may be incomplete, may be enlarged still very profitably by subsequent editorship,-as, indeed, they have been enlarged by the author himself in this volume;-but the value of the work does not depend simply upon its facts. Jefferson was a good writer, and a very excursive and subtle thinker. His mind has here concentrated itself upon his materials con amore, as it were, and though he may occasionally err in conclusion and conjecture, yet it is surprising to note how correctly, in general, he grasps the result, and opens the way to future discovery and speculation. This edition comes to us particularly commended, as it possesses the last revisions made by his own hands, down nearly to the close of his life. These he left in manuscript. They are all embodied here. His corrections of original errors, his amplifications and explanations, his appendices, correctional and dilative, render the volume now complete as it concerns himself, and of greatly increased value to the reader. The publisher has done his work in good style and taste, giving us a neat octavo for the library.

Haps and Mishaps of a Tour in Europe. By GRACE Greenwood. Boston: Ticknor, Reed & Fields. 1854.-The mishaps of Miss Greenwood, née Sarah Clark, now Madame Lippincott, while in Europe, seem to have been few, amounting to no more, we believe, than the rumpling of kerchief, and the rending of skirt. She seems to have been well treated, and has sketched her progresses in good temper, having seen all things abroad pretty much through a rose-coloured medium. Her book is slight and full of superlatives. In this respect she is thoroughly American. Her raptures are sometimes ludicrous enough. Looking at