ventured to think for himself, and declared that he regarded the American Notes as 'one of the very best works of its class.' The fact that such a simple statement of opinion should be remarkable for its boldness, speaks more loudly than any foreign comments on the characteristics of certain news-writers in America.

SPECIAL LITERATURE AND MISCELLANEOUS

WRITINGS.

Under this head, we may briefly notice a few representatives of numerous works on the several sciences, with some other writings not commonly included in a review of general literature. It is obviously impossible to characterise fairly, within our limits, the works of eminent jurists, politicians, and scientific men; yet some brief notices are required to indicate at least the fact, that the American library is comparatively rich in its special departments-law, politics, medicine, and the applied sciences.1

In political economy, the works of Wayland, Colton, Dew, Vethake, and other authors, have been accepted as authorities; while views opposed to the doctrines of Malthus and Ricardo are found in the several works of Henry Carey on population, wealth, wages, and other social questions. The works of Gallatin, Raguet, and Tucker, on currency and banking, have a high reputation. Clay, Matthew Carey, Alexander Everett, and Greeley, may represent the writers who have advocated the protective system in commerce; while Raguet, Bryant the poet, Biddle, Legget, and Walker, may be mentioned as free-traders.

In jurisprudence, the names of Story, Kent, Bradford, Livingston, and Wheaton, have more than a national reputation. Kent's Commentaries on American Law are classed beside the standard work of Blackstone. We may mention, as connected with the interests of American as well as English literature, the works of Lieber and Curtis on literary copyright.

The department of medicine, anatomy, &c., contains many valuable writings, both practical and speculative; and homoeopathy has been advocated by numerous writers.

In ethnology, Morton's Crania Americana, and Gliddon's Types of Mankind, may be classed with the most important contributions to science.

Among numerous works on the exact sciences, the reports and other publications of the Smithsonian Institution have a prominent place. The history of the endowment of this institution

1 See Trübner's Bibliographical Guide to American Literature.

is curious. James Smithson, from whom it derives its name, was a son of the first Duke of Northumberland, and died at Genoa in 1829. By his will, he directed that, in case of the death of his nephew and heir, or his children, during minority, the property bequeathed to them should be left to the United States of America, to found at Washington an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. Smithson had never visited America, had no friends there, and left no papers to shew that he had ever regarded the country or its institutions with any special interest. The income of the establishment which bears his name amounts to about 40,000 dollars per annum, and is applied to the culture of science by aiding researches, and publishing reports and other works, which are freely distributed among the literary and scientific societies of the United States and foreign countries.

The scientific reports of the United States' Exploring Expedition (1838-1842) include volumes on botany by Asa Gray; animal and botanical geography, by Charles Pickering; geology, by Dana; philology, by Horatio Hale; and other treatises giving the results of researches in the islands of the South Pacific and Antarctic Oceans, California, the north-west coast of Oregon, and some parts of the antarctic continent.

In chemistry, the names of Hare, Webster, Silliman, and Henry; in mineralogy, Cleveland, Dana, and Beck; in geology, Hitchcock, Maclure, Jackson, Silliman, Mather, Hall, and Percival, may be mentioned to indicate that in these sciences many valuable works have been contributed by American writers. The Flora of North America, by John Torrey and Asa Gray, is the latest and most complete work of its kind.

Philology and education are very fertile departments in American literature. The Dictionary of the English Language, by Dr Webster; the editions of the classics by Professor Anthon; Lewis, Felton, and Woolsey; the several works on the aboriginal dialects of America, and the numerous writings on philology by American missionaries in various parts of the world: these are briefly mentioned merely to indicate the existence of a large class of books in two departments of Special Literature.

The general prevalence of education throughout the States, and the circumstances arising from a want of international copyright, will explain the comparatively high number of educational books and juvenile works of instruction and entertainment produced in America. As the representative of this latter department, we must mention S. G. GOODRICH, the true, original Peter Parley, whose little books have been exceedingly popular in England as in America, while his nom de plume has been unfairly prefixed

to the works of other authors. The writings of Mrs Emma Willard on American history and geography, and many pleasant books by Jacob Abbott, Mrs Clarke, Miss M'Intosh, and other caterers for young readers, might be noticed as specimens of numerous works in which instruction and entertainment are happily united. It is well known that in the department of classbooks for common schools and colleges, America is almost independent of the old country, and has supplied many acceptable works for the English market.

We have hitherto failed to find any suitable place for a number of curious books on the mysteries of Mormonism and (so-called) Spiritualism. These productions stand alone as phenomena of the 'latter days,' and have a significance with regard to the state of moral and scientific culture. Of the several records of 'rappings,' and other manifestations' of supposed spiritual agencies, we can give no critical account, but must simply refer inquirers to such authorities as 'the Poughkeepsie Seer' Davis, Dods, Mattison, Newman, and Oldfield. The literature produced through the mediums can hardly be criticised without a seeming irreverence; for all the specimens we have seen are as weak and commonplace as the efforts of ordinary mortals, while in many cases the 'spirits' have expressed their thoughts in ungrammatical forms.

In a literary point of view, nothing better can be said of the famous Book of Mormon: its incredible stupidity is the chief of its internal characteristics, but its history is one of the modern curiosities of literature. When narrated without qualifying details, the story of the rise of the sect of Mormons seems too wild and absurd to find a place even in the most fantastic work of fiction. We read that an illiterate young man of low reputation determined to set up a new sect. While he was studying by what means he might assert his own claims as an inspired teacher, he found somewhere a stupid, long story written by a needy man, and rejected by a bookseller. This tale of Mormon was adopted by the new prophet' as quite good enough for his purpose-the delusion of thousands of people in Christian and civilised countries. He printed the dull fiction, and circulated it as a revelation from Heaven! It found readers and believers in England, as in America, and the new prophet succeeded so well that, in the course of a few years, his followers formed a large community, and colonised a district of the far west, where, it is said, they have already become so powerful, that they might

perhaps be able to resist any force which could be sent against them by the government of the United States. To increase the marvel of the story, it is stated, on the best authority, that emigrations from Great Britain have mainly supplied the population of Utah, the Mormon territory, and that this is likely, in the course of a few years, to be large enough to claim recognition as one of the United States.

is this.

The legend of the Book of Mormon shortly is, that it contained a revelation to the North American Indians, descendants from the Jews, but had lain buried for a certain period in a hillside, whence it was drawn forth by an inspired personage named Joseph Smith. The more practical account of it, however, A poor man, named Solomon Spaulding, who had once been a preacher, and had failed in business, amused his leisure by writing, in a very feeble and incorrect style, a religious romance, which he entitled The Manuscript Found. It was founded on the absurd theory, that the Red Indians of America are the descendants of the Jews, or 'the lost Ten Tribes,' and gave an account of their journey from Jerusalem to America. Mormon was one of the principal characters of the story. The style of the book was extremely dry, and in numerous passages, ungrammatical. In 1812, the work was offered to a printer named Patterson, residing at Pittsburg, in Pennsylvania, who retained it for some time; and after the author's death (in 1816), restored the manuscript to Spaulding's widow. In some way, not certainly explained, the manuscript fell into the hands of one Sidney Rigdon, a compositor employed by Patterson. This Rigdon afterwards became the associate of Joseph Smith. When The Book of Mormon was published as a new revelation, John Spaulding, the brother of Solomon, declared upon oath that it was, to the best of his recollection and belief, nearly identical with the romance written by his brother. This statement was supported by the depositions of the author's relatives, and by his partner in business, Henry Lake.1

The book itself, whatever may have been its origin, is a very dull production. It contains no new doctrines. The peculiar tenets, rites, and ceremonies of the Mormons have been founded on later 'revelations.' The religious passages interwoven with the story of the Ten Tribes, are borrowed from the Old and New Testaments. The grammar is very bad, as a few specimens will shew-Ye are like unto they.'. 'I should have wore these bands.' . . . 'Ye saith unto him.' .. 'He has fell.' Such phrases are interspersed throughout the work. It was followed

1 Exposé of Mormonism, by John Bennett. Boston: 1842.

by the book of Doctrine and Covenants, also purporting to be a divine revelation, and containing definite doctrines and rules of church-discipline. This book, written partly by Joseph Smith, with the assistance of Rigdon, was, in fact, the new covenant of the Latter-day Saints; but its statements have not been regarded as final. From time to time, new revelations have been made, to suit various circumstances connected with the interests of the sect.

The progress of the society, founded on the doctrines of Joseph Smith and his associates, cannot be rationally explained by a mere reference to the books of the sect. The real causes of success are found partly in the circumstances of society and the state of popular education in England and Wales, but chiefly in the enterprise, industry, and able organisation of the new community. However absurd the pretensions of their leaders may appear, it is unquestionable that, in practical affairs, the Mormons have displayed remarkable energy and perseverance. Their pilgrimage from Nauvoo to the Great Salt Lake, was a fine example of union, cheerful endurance of hardship, and hopefulness sustained during a perilous journey of 1000 miles. One of the prominent features of their organisation of church and state is the great number of its functionaries. It has been calculated that every fifth man holds some office, so that work is found for every grade of talent. Though the highest officers claim exalted powers and privileges, there is some approach to the contemplated equality of communism in the free access allowed to the numerous subordinate posts of honour.1

We must here bring to a close this brief review of the more remarkable books published in the United States. Our topic might have been treated in a more ambitious style. Instead of a series of descriptive notices of various works, with biographical sketches of authors, we might have attempted an analysis of literature, regarded from the highest point of view, as a record of the intellectual life and moral progress of a people. But this would be an exceedingly difficult task with regard to the people of the United States, and one inconsistent with the popular character of the present work. It would be necessary, in the first place, to set aside all writings of the imitative class; all books described as echoes rather than as original voices-as

1 For details of the system and doctrines of Mormonism we may refer to the following works :-The Seer, edited by Orson Pratt; History of the Mormons, by Lieutenant Gunnison; The Mormons, by Thomas Kane; History, Government, &c., of the Latter-day Saints, by B. G. Ferris; Mormonism and the Mormons, by D. T. Kidder; Expedition to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah, by Captain Stansbury.