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which it has attained. The importance of correct punctuation is illustrated in the Introductory Essay. The author then enters into a minute and systematic discussion of the proper uses of the various grammatical points, in separating the members of a paragraph according to the natural position. Another division is devoted to the consideration of the grammatical and rhetorical points. The uses of the miscellaneous marks common in writing, and of capital letters, are also set forth; and, what will be of equal value to young authors, instructions are given for the preparation of "Copy," and on " Proof-Reading." The rules are accompanied by copious exercises, oral and written, and by numerous examples. This is undoubtedly the most complete work yet

The story of Ida Norman is passably interesting,
and the lessons which it teaches are obvious,
and undoubtedly good. The experience of the
author, and her manifest desire to do good, enti-
tle the book to favor. Sheldon, Lamport &
Blakeman are the publishers.

To those who delight in the marvelous and
supernatural we commend a volume of Strange
Stories from the German of Ernest Hoffmann,
published by Burnham Brothers, Boston. They
will find in it wild extravagances of fancy,
touches of humorous irony, shadows of mysti-
cism, and ghosts of horrors, such as none but a
German mind could ever conceive. A short
sketch of the author prefaces the work.

Success in Life. The Artist. This is one of a

"First Geography for Children," by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Square 16mo. Phillips, Sampson & Co.

"Echoes: or, Leisure Hours with the German Poets." By Prof. A. C. Kendrick. Rochester, W. N. Sage; New York, Evans & Dickerson, "Ingénue: or, the First Days of Blood." By Alexandre Dumas. Translated from the original MSS. by Madame Julie de Marguerittes. Phila., Lippincott, Grambo & Co.

"Spirit Rapping Unveiled." By Rev. H. Mattison. A New Edition, with an Appendix, containing replies to some recent works on the same subject. J. C. Derby, New York.

Messrs. Jordan & Norton have sent us a catalogue of one hundred cases of English books,

published on this subject, both as regards the series of works by Mrs. Tuthill, setting forth and comprising a list of over two thousand separate

amount of instruction conveyed and the lucid arrangement adopted; and we cannot commend it too highly for general use, the more especially as the typographical execution of the work is so superior.

illustrating the principles which lie at the foundation of success in various stations. Mrs. Tuthill is one of those writers, of whom happily there are not a few, whose purpose is to benefit The Sons of the Sires is the title of a new work she has brought together a variety of anecdotes as well as please young readers. In this volume published by Lippincott, Grambo & Co. We do of eminent artists, in childhood, youth, and mannot know whether this is an authorized and au- hood, showing that even genius must be subject thentic exposition of the views and policy of the to discipline, and regulated by principle. It is "Know Nothing" party, as it is not accom-written in a pleasant and popular style, and is panied by recommendations of approval from well suited to School Libraries. It is published any official source; but it professes to give the

works, which are on sale at 356 Broadway, at
the prices affixed. It comprises many truly ex-
and at remarkably low rates.
cellent books for public and private libraries,

Protean Fountain Pen.—Mr. Prince, of No. 8 Appleton's Buildings, has furnished us with one of his new patent Pens, which we have used for liarity of this article consists in its possessing an some weeks with great satisfaction. The pecuink reservoir, which is made of incorrodible being filled with ink by exhaustion of the air, Protean, under Goodyear's patent; and which

history of the Rise, Progress, and Destiny of the by H. W. Derby, Cincinnati, and J. C. Derby, supplies the gold pen readily for a number of

American Party, and its probable influence on the next Presidential election. As the author conceals his name, we suppose that the book is a genuine fruit of the above-named secret society. The idea of the work seems to be to impress upon the minds of the public that the Sons of the Soil should govern the Soil. A review of Hon. H. A. Wise's letter is also appended.

The same publishers have sent us Miranda Elliot; or, the Voice of the Spirit. By S. H. M. This is a tale of life in the Southern States, and records the mental and spiritual growth of our heroine. It is evidently the work of a female hand, as we may infer from the entire sympathy with female character which is displayed throughout the volume.

The Initials is a reprint of an English Novel of 400 closely printed pages, by a daughter of Lord Erskine, formerly Lord High Chancellor of England. The scene of this work is laid in Germany, where the Authoress now resides, and a very excellent and faithful idea of German character and life may be gathered from these pages. The writer's comparative view of living in either country seems to be, that while a poor man really can enjoy life in Germany-it is only a rich one who could do so in England."

66

New York.

SUMMARY.

We have received the following works, but
too late for notice. We simply give their titles,
reserving particular remarks for a future occa-
sion:-

Parry & M Millan, of Philadelphia, have re-
published a work entitled, "Mornings with
Jesus," a series of Devotional Readings for the
Closet and the Family. Carefully prepared from
Notes of Sermons preached by the late Rev. Wm.
Jay, of Bath.

"Full Proof of the Ministry" is a Sequel to
the Rev. John N. Norton's late work-"The
boy who was trained up to be a Clergyman."
Redfield is the publisher.

"The Minister's Family," is by the Rev. W. M. Hetherington, LL. D., and is founded on fact. R. Carter & Bros.

"The Truth and Life" is the title of a collection of Sermons (twenty-two in number) by the Rev. C. P. McIlvaine, D. D., Episcopal Bishop of Ohio. R. Carter & Bros.

John Wiley has published a second edition of the touching memoir of "Leila Ada, the converted Jewess," with additional extracts from her writings. This edition is somewhat reduced in size and price.

"Harper's Statistical Gazetteer of the World," particularly describing the United States, Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. By J. Calvin Smith. Illustrated by seven maps. Harper & Bros.

hours, and of course saves all the time which would be spent in dipping the pen in ink. With proper care and by the use of clear writing fluid, this will prove of great assistance to those who are engaged in continuous writing.

"Harvestings: Sketches in Prose and Verse," by Sybil Hastings. Boston, W. P. Fetridge & Co. "Cosas de España," or Going to Madrid via Barcelona, a portion of which is reprinted from "Putnam's Magazine." Redfield.

"Satire and Satirists," by James Hannay, author of "Singleton Fontenoy," &c. Redfield. "The Heiress of Bellefont" and "Walde Warren," a tale of Circumstantial Evidence, in one volume, printed on large and handsome type. By Emerson Bennett, author of "Clara Moreland,” “Viola,” “Kate Clarendon,” &c. T. B. Peterson, Philadelphia.

"The Semi-Centennial Celebration of the New York Historical Society" has called forth a pamphlet, which gives a full report of the interesting Proceedings on that occasion, and the complete Address of the Hon. George Bancroft is therein furnished.

We have received Martin & Johnson's "Shakespeare," quarto edition, Nos. 11, 12 and 13; containing plates of Mrs. Mowatt, as Rosalind, of the late Edmund Kean, as Gloster, and of the late Thomas Hamblin, as Coriolanus.

Ida Norman; or, Trials and their Uses, is by Mrs. Lincoln Phelps, a lady favorably known as the author of several popular and useful school books, and as an accomplished teacher, a large part of whose life has been devoted to the inEnglish literary critics do not at once recognize, M. Cabany is in quite a ferment, because the struction of young ladies. This novel, we are from the proofs that he has offered, the authentold, was written for her pupils, and read to ticity of the so-called Walter Scott MSS. The them by parts, in the halls of Patapsco Institute. English critics, however, assure M. Cabany that Very busy, we imagine, their young minds must they will not believe "Moredun" to be the unhave been in tracing analogies between the published MSS. of Scott, until they obtain furladies in "Science Hall" and its model young 'Sargent's Standard Fourth Reader." Third ther evidence which shall place the genuineness teacher, and the inmates of Patapsco Institute. thousand. Phillips, Sampson & Co. entirely beyond doubt.

"Travels in Europe and the East," by Samuel Irenæus Prime. With numerous engravings. Harper & Bros.

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Periodical Literature.

The fourth number of the New Brunswick Review (for Feb. 1855), completes the first year of its issue. We perceive that the present editor of this valuable quarterly. one of the professors in the Theological Institution at New Brunswick, retires with the present number from the management of the Review. The contents are, I. "The Old Family Bible; or, the Bible the Book "The Drama of Ancient of the Race." II. Greece." III. "Notices of the Churches of Holland." IV. "The Mothers of the Fathers," a curious notice of some of the ancient matrons, and their sons who were famous in Church History. V. "The Rev. Elias Van Bunschooten," who ministered in New Jersey, in the last century. VI. "Paul and Seneca; tradition of an intimacy between them, viewed in connection with the resemblances in their writings," translated from Scholl. VII. "The Unity of the Church." VIII. "Romanism;" Historical Catechism of the Abbe Fleury. IX. An excellent digest of current "Literary and Theological Intelligence." We trust that this learned Review will command the patronage that it deserves.

The Christian Examiner for March renders its

contents all the more interesting by furnishing, on a slip, a list of contributors. I. "Auguste de Gerando" is a memorial, continued from a late number, by Mr. Lowell Putnam. II. "A Song of the Night;" poetry, by E. Foxton. III. "An Ecclesiastical Crisis in Germany," a translation. IV. "Reflections," pithy and suggestive. V. "Facts from the Last Census." VI. "Barnum and Greeley's Biographies," in which these two lives are contrasted, by Wm. H. Hurlbut. VII. "Neander's Church History," by N. L. Frothingham, D. D. VIII. "Arius and Athanasius," by Rev. Rufus Ellis.

The Photographic and Fine Art Journal is edited and published by H. H. Snelling, New York. This handsome royal quarto is published monthly, in three separate editions, the larger of which is illustrated with beautiful engravings.

Among other interesting. articles in Putnam, for March, is one on the genius of Charles Dickens, as manifested in his originating his own methods, thus inaugurating an era in English literature; in his prolific conceptions of types of of character, ever bringing out a fresh array distinct and well-defined "dramatis personæ." The Harvard Magazine is published on the 1st of each month, except February and August, by the students of Harvard University. The March number has, with other varieties, a pleasant sketch of the English table-talkers, and a review of the amusing "Macoraic Literature."

The Mercantile Library Reporter, of Boston, for March, contains a paper entitled "The Battle of the Dictionaries," which takes strong ground in favor of Webster.

The Connecticut Common School Journal, for February, is inostly occupied with a republication of the School Laws of that State, which are given in full.

Notes and Queries.

QUERIES WITH REGARD TO NAMES AND WORDS.

"What's in a name?"-Shakespeare. "The name is essential to the man."

"Sine nomine, homo non est."-Diatz. De Erycio.

and any historical notice of his city which he may have?

16. Will the Principal of the Institution who may see this, appoint a committee of the best linguists of the Institution to collect information with regard to the names connected with the Institution and vicinity, and report it to me,

"I believe, now, there is some secret power and virtue in sending their triennial catalogue and the annual names."-Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy. of the current year, and some historical sketches "Notre nom propre c'est nous-mêmes." "Whatever can throw light on the origin of names and of of the same. 17. Will the Postmaster have the goodness to families cannot be devoid of interest, since it has been said, that the hereditary names of families preserve the remem- send me a list of the curious and unusual names of those living in his vicinity, with such inforbrance of ancestors better than all other monuments." "There are but few families which have not some parti-mation as to his own name and others, as his

cular fables connected with their origin."

"Words have an ancestry, and the ancestry of words, as of other more important duties may allow him, and men, is often a very noble part of them, making them capa- | show this article to those who are curious in ble of great things, because those from whom they are de- this matter.

scended have done great things before them."-Trench.

The undersigned has been for some time engaged in collecting materials for a work on names, and more particularly on surnames, and he will be greatly obliged for any help which any one may render him, by answering any, or all, of the following questions, so far as they apply to his own name or that of others, and also for any other information which he may be able to give in answer to the following queries:

Sir-Will you be so good as to give me the name of your family, and the different ways of spelling it, putting down the one first which is most common.

2. The changes that have been made in the name by legislative enactment or otherwise. 3. Of what nation, the etymology and meaning of the name.

4. When did the family come to this country?

5. Where did they settle?

6. From what country did they come, and from what part of the country?

7. Have there been any remarkable characters of the name? If so, for what remarkable? 8. Have many of the name attained a great age?

9. With what, if any, distinguished families

allied and how?

10. Is the family (by family I mean those bearing the name) numerous? In what part of the United States are they now principally found, and in what other parts of the world is

the name known?

11. How far back can the name be traced in history or otherwise?

12. Information with regard to Indian names of families, towns, mountains, rivers, creeks, hills, &c., &c., with reference to persons who have made them a study, and of works which treat of them.

13. Catalogues of names, especially of early settlers, minutes of ecclesiastical bodies, lists of State officers and legislatures, muster rolls, family genealogies, &c.

14. Unusual Christian names, pet-names, nick names, aliases, which are new.

15. Will the Mayor, or Principal Officer of a city or town, who may receive this circular, have the goodness to send one of the earliest and one of the last of the past year's directories,

18. Will Philologists and School-teachers be so good as to send me a list of old words used in a new sense, or of new words, with the circumstances which gave rise to their coinage; if derived from an Indian or other language, state what, and the precise sense in which they are Also, words and phrases used by different used. classes of society; as, college students, artisans, boatmen, slang words-which, like loafers' children, sometimes rise to respectability; and particular attention is requested to words and names from the Indian languages on our great western frontier, also the origin and meaning of the geographical names in their county and State, and when first given.

Let the answers be numbered to correspond to the questions, and let all names and words be distinctly written, and let each contributor give his full name and address. If convenient, let it be on a full letter sheet, with a margin of three-fourths of an inch from the fold, that it may be bonud.

Formerly, names were never given to any person or thing which did not have reference to the most striking characteristic in the object named. The Hebrews, Arabs, Greeks, the old French, the Teutonic nations, the Anglo-Saxons, the Hindoos, the American Indians, and many other nations never gave a name with the meaning of which they were not acquainted.

It is believed that if the information on the

above topics, which is scattered throughout our country (much of which will be lost with the passing generation), were collected and arranged, it would constitute a work of general interest. If each one who can give an answer to any of the above questions with regard to his own name will be so good as to communicate it, he may be able to learn from the collected mass of information, much that will abundantly compensate him for his trouble.

Let no one be deterred from writing because he may not have much to communicate. Frequently a new way of spelling a surname reveals the etymology and meaning of the name. So, also, oftentimes a single fact connected with the history of a family, serves as a key to much that otherwise would be inexplicable, or that cannot be understood without it.

As there is no section of our country but con

tains names which no other part does, it is hoped that there will be found some one in every

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Pilgrimage of Tender Conscience. (Vol. II., P. 31.) The Pilgrimage of Tender Conscience was not written by John Bunyan, but is one of the many feeble imitations of his immortal allegory. It belongs to the same class with the "Pilgrimage of Good Intent," "The Pilgrimage of Seek Truth," "The Pilgrimage of Theophilus," "The Infant Pilgrim," and "The Hindoo Pilgrim," all very well designed books, but, comparing with Bunyan's Pilgrim, about as the light of a tallow candle compares with the blaze of the noonday

sun.

---

The Crescent (Vol. II., p. 97). The crescent has been the symbol of the city of Byzantium from a remote antiquity. It appears on medals as early as the reign of Augustus Cæsar, B. C. 31, and was in use long before that time. The origin of its use was as follows: When Philip of Macedon had overrun Thrace, he besieged Byzantium, and prosecuted the siege a long time with vary. ing success. The siege was rendered memorable by the wonderful deliverance of the city from a

night surprise, by means of a flash of light which

illuminated the northern horizon, and revealed the advancing masses of the Macedonian army. As a memorial of this deliverance, the Byzantines erected an altar to the torch-bearing Heeate, and stamped a crescent on their coins as a symbol of the portent.

St. Johnsbury, Vt., March 10th.

P. H. W.

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DEAR SIR-In reply to one of your queries (Vol. II., p. 97), I copy the following from the Cyclopedia of English Literature. The poem from which the first quotation is made is "The Grave," by Robert Blair.

"The good he seerned Stalked off reluctant, like an ill-used ghost, Not to return; or, if it did, in visits

Like those of angels, short and far between."

The latter simile has been appropriated by
Mr. Campbell in his "Pleasures of Hope," with
one slight verbal alteration, which can scarcely
be called an improvement:

"What though my winged hours of bliss have been,
Like angel visits, few and far between."

The original comparison seems to belong to
an obscure religious poet-Norris, of Bemerton-
who prior to Blair, wrote a poem, The Part-
ing," which contains the following verse:

"How fading are the joys we dote upon:
Like apparitions seen and gone;

But those who soonest take their flight,
Are the most exquisite and strong,

Like ungels' visits, short and bright;
Mortality 's too weak to bear them long."
Let me add the hope that your correspondent
will prefer Blair's version of the thought to

Campbell's tautological imitation.

Williams College, March 5, 1855.

SIR,-I send you the inclosed solution of the
riddle noticed in your No. of the 1st inst. It was
written several years ago, when that riddle first
made its appearance, and I hope it will prove
satisfactory.
G. L.

When England's Kings, of Norman race,
Reclaimed their fiefs of yore,

Its tongue the Barons held as base-
In French they spoke and swore.

To all who fought and won the day,
The rank of par* was given;
While those who fell in battle, lay

Beneath the blue of Heaven.

And many a pair of soft blue eyes
Bewailed the warrior's fate-
When did not woman's tears and sighs
On hapless valor wait?
Parbleu! then sworn in hour of strife
In lieu of pray'r would prove
Sir Hillary true, in death as life,

The Crescent Montant as it is usually designated, was adopted by the Ottomans as the symbol of their empire, on the taking of Constantinople in 1446. It had, however, been employed as the insignia of sovereignty and rank, both civil and religious, from a remote antiquity. The Egyptian Isis, and the Diana of the Greeks had each their crescent, emblem of the returning light; the Egyptian Apis, and the existing medals of Alexander, Augustus, and Trajan, all establish a possession of the crescent insignia long before its adoption by the Moslems. It had, in fact, been the symbol of Byzantium from the remotest antiquity, and the Moslems under Mohammed II, in their conquest of that city, regarding the crescent, which every where met their eye, as a good omen, adopted it as their national ensign, and it has continued ever since to decorate their minarets, their insignia, their dress, and indeed everything appertaining to their empire. Aben Mohammed, who over-ran One of our correspondents, whose address has Spain, A. D., 979, carried the crescent reversed, been forgotten, inquired of us some two months and that country abounds with these symbols ago concerning two translations from Descartes'

To Heaven-Arms-and Love.

writings, published in England within a few years. Their titles are as follows:

Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason, and Seeking Truth in the Sciences. By Descartes.Translated from the French; with an Introduction. 16mo. PP. 118. (Edinb. and London, 1858.) Price, 2s. 6d.

The Meditations, and Selections from the Principles of Philosophy, of Descartes. Translated from the Latin, and collated with the French; with Preface, Appendix, and Notes. 16mo., pp. xiv, 212. (Edinb. and London, 1858.) Price, 3s.

Of this last work, the translator says that it comprises the Meditations in whole; the Preface and the first part of the Principles of Philosophy, with selections from the second, third and fourth parts of the Principles. In the Appendix, are

contained Descartes' Demonstrations of the Existence of Deity as these were put by him, in their most rigid form.

The only other translations which we find of Descartes' Works in English, are an edition of the Meditations, by W. Molyneux (Lond. 1680), and his Compendium of Music, with animadversions by Brouncker (Lond. 1653).

ED.

Vellum, Parchment, and Pigskin. Parchment is the skin of sheep or goats divested of the hair and prepared for legal instruments, as leases, &c., or for the covering of books. Vellum is parchment of a finer quality, the material being the prepared skins of calves, kids, and lambs. Vellum was in much demand in former days for library-books, particularly among the French and Italians; its use as a binding material arose from its employment by the Monkish scriptors, for their manuscript volumes, and was transferred on the general adoption of paper, from the inside to the outside of the volume. Pigskin is much used in China for covering books, as I was informed by a gentleman sometime resident at Canton, and who made me a present of a blank volume, half bound in a leather which he assured me was pigskin, and the usual material employed by the Chinese for binding purposes.

S. B. H.

JOURNAL OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE.
This periodical was commenced in January,
1826, under the title of the Franklin Journal and
American Mechanics' Magazine, and was continued
under that title until the end of 1828. Since that
time it has been regularly continued as the Journal
of the Franklin Institute, and there have been
published, up to and including December, 1854,
58 Vols. 8vo.

as follows:

First Series-Vols. 1 to 4 (Franklin Journal and American Mechanics' Magazine), Jan., 1826, to Dec., 1827.

Second Series-Vols. 1 to 26 (Vols. 1 and 2 being Franklin Journal and American Mechanics' Magazine), Jan., 1828, to Dec., 1840.

Third Series-Vols. 1 to 28-Jan., 1841, to Dec.,

The word pair (English, peers,) is thus spelt in Norman 1854.
French.
Philadelphia, March 9. 1855.

Descartes' Works in English.

NEW ENGLANDER. This review was commenced in Jan., 1843, and there have been published, up to and including November, 1854, 12 Vols. 8vo.

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with the run of literary and scientific publications which appear in France, Europe, and even in America, where they print numerous and important works, the expense for all

The "Gazette" is altogether wrong in supposing that this work of Ximenes was discovered by Mr. Schenzer. Its existence in Guatemala has long been known to every body in the slightest degree acquainted with the history of Chiapas and Guatemala, or with the documents bearing upon it. It was largely used by Pelaez, in his late work entitled, "Memorias para la Hist-less, real and abundant aid for their studies. The interest

the cities of France (not including Paris) would not exceed 388,000 francs. Then the Professors of the University, the faculty of the Lyceums and of Colleges, and all who are interested in letters and sciences would find in these libraries, in the place of ancient books of theology, of jurisprudence, of medicine, almost always superannuated or use

excited by such novelties in the departments of the sciences, of belles-lettres, and of fine arts, would invite each one, according to his tastes, to these establishments erected for common instruction and advantage. When we see so many individuals loving books and study, who lay out very considerable sums for the support of their library, limiting themselves even to the peculiar department which they prefer, we may hope that the 338 cities which contain pub

The conflict of authorities touching this patri-oria del Antiguo Reyno de Guatemala," pubarch of living British authors, at least touching lished in 1852, in which an account is given of the point from which his career begins, it is it (vol. ii. p. 284) and a summary of its contents. I can add to what the "Gazette" has to say upon the subject, that this work was intended to be in five volumes, but that four only were finished; and that it was written as a supple-lic ment to the well-known Chronicle of Remesal.

66

Yours, truly,

libraries will have the same regard for the general inter

est. The official documents gathered in 1853 and 1854 show Ximenes also wrote a work entitled, "De la that the entire expenditure for all the cities is annually Cosas Maravillosas de la America," which for 407,781 francs, but we must deduct from this 223,554 francs merly existed in the Dominican Convent of Gua- for personal expenses. There remains then, 184,227 francs temala. He also composed a Comparative Dic-for the materiel. Now, in this materiel figures the binding and other expenses, which reduces to about 100,000 tionary of the Quiché, Tzendal, Tzotzil, and francs the sum appropriated to the acquisition of books, other languages common to the ancient prov- that is to say-to complete the most important deficiencies among ancient books; to procure the most indispensable inces of Guatemala and Chiapas. new books; for subscriptions to journals and reviews. The outlay is limited to 800 francs; and that in a country like France, which is the central luminary. * * * The allocation of more considerable funds placed at the disposal of learned and zealous librarians would engage the savants and literary men to produce works worthy of being encouraged by the public libraries, from a subscription which should come in aid of the different agencies, having only, however, the mission of encouraging great publications. This would be at the same time a title of honor for authors and an encouragement for editors, if they found this a sure place for the great scientific works, which they dare not often under

Library Intelligence.

E. G. S.

worth while to observe. The "Men of the
Time" calls him 66
an English poet and banker,
born about 1760." Mr. Sargent, to whom we
owe the only extended or attractive account of
Mr. Rogers, and who it might be thought would
have taken some little pains to find his specific
birth-time, begins-"he was born about the year
1763, and is now (1854) upwards of ninety-one
years of age." Again, his works, with a personal
sketch, make part of a volume embracing several
English poets, issued at Philadelphia in 1841, in
which the phrase is, "he was born about the
year 1762, in London." Rufus W. Griswold, in
a volume giving notices and specimens of the
English poets of the present century, gives 1762
as his natal year; and this, too, he qualified with
the never-failing and insufferable about."-
Compare now with these four authorities, the
recent New York Albion, of January 29th. The
Albion, to all intents, is a British paper: that is,
one which might be fairly supposed more likely
The French Minister of Public Instruction has
than most journals (its correspondents and its issued a work on the Public Libraries of France
predilections considered) to know the truth, in and Algiers, from which it appears that, exclud
a paragraph pertaining to the "veterans non-ing Paris, there are in all the libraries 8,733,439
combatant—who are found, with the opening of printed works, and 44,070 manuscripts.
another year, still in the body among us," says,—
deaux has 123,000; Lyons, 130,000; Rouen,
"Mr. Rogers is, of course, our oldest poet-now 110,000; Strasbourg, 180,000; Troyes, 100,000;
in his ninetieth year." Why, Mr. Editor, need Avignon, 60,000; Dijon, 80,000; Versailles,
there be all this discrepancy about a date, which 56,000; Tours, 57,500; Grenoble, 80,000; Nantes,
it would be so very easy, but for men's listless- 45,000; Marseilles, 51 000; Amiens, 53,000;
ness, to get with precision; and which to many Toulouse, 50,000. In 1853-3, there were ex-
it would be so pleasant to see in some definite pended for all these libraries 407,781 francs, of
which sum only 184,227 francs were for the pur-
shape?
chase of books and binding. There are 338
public libraries.

Boston Transcript.

QUERIST.

Will you ask where the following line can be

found?

"A feast of reason, and a flow of soul." Williams College, March 5, 1855. [A friend, looking over our shoulder, refers the querist to the last line on page 24, vol, iii., of Little & Brown's edition of Pope's Works.-ED.]

Correspondence.

"IMPORTANT LITERARY DISCOVERY." To the Editor of Norton's Literary Gazette:UNDER this heading, the “Augsburgh Gazette" announces the "discovery by Dr. Carl Schenzer, in one of the convents of Guatemala, of an interesting MS. work by the Dominican Father Francisco Ximenes, entitled, Historia de la Provincia de San Vincente de Chiapas y Goatemala, compuesta por el R. P. Provincial General Fr. Francisco Ximenes, de la Orden de Predicadores," etc.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF FRANCE.

take, being ignorant where they will dispose of them. Thus,

in this doubt, they find themselves forced too often to devote their talents and their productions to the majority of Bor-readers, that is to say, to the vulgar, for whom works of the

The Athenæum Française makes the following remarks:

"Almost all of these possess a catalogue, more or less
complete. Unfortunately, the greater portion of these li-
braries is composed of old stock furnished by Convents and

different Congregations, the books of which had escaped
revolutionary vandalism. By their useful influence, as cal-
culated to raise the standard of intellectual culture by fur-
nishing aid of every kind, the Public Libraries have drawn

the serious attention of different ministers who have suc-
ceeded to the office of public instruction, and are the object
of solicitude to the present minister. By official circulars
they have sought to stimulate the zeal of municipal coun-
cils and of librarians, by promising to recompense the efforts
which they shall make by a larger distribution of works to

which the ministry subscribe. They have even tried the
method of exchanges; for, in the first formation of these
libraries, a great number among them possess several dupli-
scates of works which are wanting to others, and vice versa.
While monuments, as important as the Louvre and the
treet of Rivole, may be seen rising with marvelous celerity,
which, in embellishing the capital, contribute to the glory
of France, the much less considerable expense which has
occasioned the reconstruction of public libraries in all the
cities of France, show results no less important and useful,
at least in an intellectual point of view. In the mean time,
if each library would devote an annual sum of 1,000 francs,

for a limited term, for its completion and to keep up better

first class are, in general, above their intelligence, their tastes, and their fortune. It is then desirable that the cities

of France, as well for their interest as for that of letters and sciences, resolve, as soon as possible, to satisfy these intellectual wants. The important publications which will result from it will increase the literary glory of France."

WE have received the Twentieth Annual Report of the Young Men's Mercantile Library Association, of Cincinnati. This Society was founded in 1835, with 45 members. It has now 2,550 members and 14,841 volumes. One thousand volumes have been added during the past year. The aggregate number of volumes withdrawn during the year 1854 has been 23,417. The Aggregate Revenue of the year amounted to 9,500, which the Expenditures nearly balanced. A new Catalogue is in preparation. Charles R. Fosdick is the President of the Association; A. M. Hall, Vice President; and A. B. Merriam, Corresponding Secretary.

The Ninth Annual Report of the St. Louis Mercantile Library Association has also just been published. The frontispiece gives a view of the handsome building which the Library Company has recently erected, at a cost of $140,000. There are at present 1,000 members. The total number of volumes in the Library is 11,943, valued at $19,578. The Inaugural Address of Rev W. Homes, at the opening of the Hall, is also furnished in this pamphlet. John T. Douglass is the President; M. V. L. M'Clelland, Vice President; John D. Stettinus, Cor. Secretary. The Marylebone Free Library has issued a

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Very respectfully, Gentlemen,

Your obedient servant,
THOMAS II. BENTON.

itself, in the preparation for which I am always ters to place stamps upon all prepaid letters
busily engaged.
upon which the writer has not placed a postage
stamp; also, that letters containing money may
be registered, but the department will not be-
come responsible. The Special Committee of the
House of Representatives, of which Hon. C. W.
Upham, of Massachusetts, was chairman, also
submitted a long report adverse to the present
management of the Smithsonian Institution.

George Bancroft, the historian, sailed on Saturday last in the Charleston steamer, for the South. He expects to visit some friends in North Carolina, and to go as far south as Savannah. It is the first time he has ever been south of Virginia. A volume of Miscellanies from his pen, will be shortly published by the Harpers.

Mr. J. R. BRODHEAD, historian, of New York, has been appointed Consul at a port in Japan. It is still uncertain whether he will see fit to accept the appointment.

and rare.

ENGLISH.

James Montgomery, the poet, who died last year, left an estate, which has just been sworn under £9,000. Times have changed since John£3,000 in debt, "was ever poet so trusted be son exelaimed, on hearing that Goldsmith died fore?" Southey died worth about £7,000, and Wordsworth as much, while Rogers is a millionaire.

The Atheneum says that a Russian press, printing works in Russian, of a democratic order, is in full operation in London. The first Russian grammar ever printed was at Oxford, in 1696, by Ludolf. Hertzen, in 1853, issued from the above press, an address to the Russian noThe Correspondent of the Journal of Com-blemen; he has now published a work entitled merce says: The number of amateur AUTO- "Prison and Banishment." GRAPH COLLECTORS is increasing in this country. One of the best general collections is that of Rev. Dr. Sprague, of Albany. His is very large has a very large display. His private library is Rev. Dr. Smyth, of Charleston, S. C., well known as one of the largest in the whole country. E. H. Leffingwell, of New Haven, Conn., has an autograph collection that may be worth $5,000. Other large collections are those The London Critic has the following items:of Lewis J. Cist, of Cincinnati, Mrs. Z. Allen, of "Leigh Hunt is about to give the lovers of poetProvidence, B. Perley Poore, of West Newburg, ry something they have long desired, viz., a colMellen Chamberlain, of Chelsea, and of Charles lection of his best narrative poems.-Elizabeth Morse, of this city. We were reminded of Barrett Browning and Robert Browning are this subject by having just now seen the auto- both preparing new poems for this year. Mrs. graph of Oliver Cromwell, the old Puritan, Browning's is a narrative poem.-Miss Jewswhose handwriting is not often found in this bury has a novel ready for publication.-A country." volume of selections from the writings of Thos The Tract Society of the Methodist Episcopal Carlyle is announced to be edited by one who Church, North, offers a premium of six hun- will do his work with taste and discrimination. dred dollars for the best TRACT ON SYSTEMATICA literary discovery of some interest has lateBENEFICENCE, with particular reference to the ly been made. It comprises above a hundred peculiarities of the Methodist Episcopal Church. letters of James Boswell, principally addressed The Essay is not to exceed one hundred pages duodecimo, and all manuscripts must be in the hands of the Committee prior to the 1st of May,

A Paris paper states that the library attached to the "Jardin des Plantes," at Paris, comprises upwards of 40,000 volumes, and 10,000 smaller publications on natural history, together with a vast number of manuscripts on the same subject, some of them illuminated. Amongst the manuscripts containing designs are those of the monk Plamier, on the plants of the West Indian Islands; those of Tournefort, on the plants of the Levant, those of the Spanish naturalist, Norona, on the plants and animals of Java and the Philippines; those of the Abbé Manesse and De Sonnorat, on European orni. thology; and those of Commerson on the zoology and botany of the numerous countries he visited. The last mentioned, which contain up-H. wards of 1,200 designs, were frequently consulted by Lacepède for his History of Fish and Reptiles, and by Cuvier for his "Tableau du Régne Animalé." As to the illuminated manuscripts, a great many are of extraordinary value, and not a few really remarkable for the excellence of their execution, and the freshness with which their colors are preserved. There are like wise in the library some very singular Chinese manuscripts, representing fish, and a Chinese treatise on anatomy, with figures.

Literary Intelligence.

AMERICAN.

1855.

The Commissioners of the two branches of the Methodist Church met at Cincinnati on the 12th THE late fire which burned up all of Col. Ben-inst., to divide the property known as the WESTton's MS. data for the continuation of his "His- ERN BOOK CONCERN between the two churches, tory of the United States Senate," has not extin-under the decree of the Supreme Court of the guished the great statesman's zeal in the The subject, after an harmo cution of the work. He writes as follows, to his nious session, was settled to the entire satisfacpublishers:tion of all parties. The amount allowed to the Southern Church in money was $80,000, besides debts due in the South to the amount of $12,000

prose

United States.

more.

The PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION have recently made a donation of a number of their various standard Doctrinal and Religious publications to Harvard College Library.

to his friend, the Rev. Wm. Templer, Rector of St. Gluvias, in Cornwall, whose name is men tioned in the life of Johnson. They were rescued, some years ago, from the hands of a shopkeeper in France, with a mass of other less important correspondence, addressed to Mr. T., but have not been thoroughly examined until lately. Preparations are now being made for their publication."

The Edinburgh Courant says that a member of the Associate Societies of the Edinburgh University, who, in the name of a seetion of the WASHINGTON CITY, March 10, 1855. constituency, communicated with Mr. Thackeray MESSRS. D. APPLETON & Co. regarding his nomination to the office of presi GENTLEMEN,It is now near a fortnight since the dent of the association, has received a reply burning of my house; and I have had full time to from that gentleman, in which he says-"The learn the damage, and to ascertain the effect of that office to which a body of the members of the accident upon the second volume of the "Thirty Associate Societies of the Edinburgh University Years' View;" and find that the only consequence will be to double my labor upon it, and delay its would do me the honor to elect me, is hard for appearance some six months, say from the fall of Among the latest acts of Congress at the clos- any one to fill who succeeds Sir Bulwer Lytton, this year to the spring of the next. In other re-ing of the session was the passage of the new and I myself am obliged to decline the flatterspects, the volume will not suffer; as the material postage bill. This provides that for letters go- ing proposal which you make me, as, in all prowhich I had collected for it, though gone for the ing less than three thousand miles, and not bability, I shall be in America during the next present, is recoverable, and will be recovered in the weighing over half an ounce, the postage shall course of the spring and summer. What is irre- be three cents, and over that distance ten cents, coverably gone consisted of correspondence and memoranda, intended for a posthumous volume except where postal treaties with other counindependent of the history, and constituting a sepatries prevent. After the commencement of the rate work in itself. That is gone; and I now have next fiscal quarter, all letters are to be prepaid. all my time and thoughts to give to the history The Postmaster General may require postmas-ated as a candidate for the vacant office.

winter and spring." A committee, organized for the purpose of securing the return of Lord Mahon as president, has been dissolved, in consequence of that nobleman being unable, from private reasons, to allow himself to be nomin

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