The New York Herald Newspaper, February 13, 1856, Page 2

2 WOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Amertean Literature, @vouorgnr, or Awenican Lirerarvee: Em- Macias Porsems) and Critical Notices of Authors, and Selections from their Writings, from the Far- ‘Mest Period to the Present Day; with Portraits, foneree apd Other Ulustrations. By Evart A. Duyekinck and George L. Duyckinck. “2 vols, Bv0., New York, 55. The title of this work jastifes an expectation of ite embracing a careful, candid and oxhaus'ive oxhibition ef the Uteratare and literary history of the United States, full and exact in diblicgraphical information, wich in persons) ~eminircences connected with literary Mle, complete in that entire circle of ‘acts which ilkus- fente our intcliectuai advancement, and iudicative of eeméid and judicial temper on the part of its authors. ‘The “Cyclopedia of American Literature,” if judged only by ite name, and the extraordinary preliminary commen- dations which it has reeeived, would probably find its way to tho principal public and private libraries of this eountry and Europe. ‘Whas been said, perhaps with perfect sincerity, that the work of exhibiting the past history of American letters is pow done, ‘for the first time, and for all time,”’ mince the sapacities of the human mind are not likely to admit ef any improvement upon what the Messrs. Duyckinck have here. scoomplishec. Perhaps it is so ; but the mest consummate displays of genius and executive abiity have never been held to be privileged among critics, ‘Their only just advantage haa been » repelling power against injustice, and we may venture to examme what seems to be the common judgment im thie case; there- fore, without presumption, and with a perfect sasurance ‘that if woverr in our estimation of the merits of the pro- @evetion before us, those merits, more truly apreciated by ethers, will be a sufficient foil against our errors. ‘Tho tame has paseed when a reviewer's epithets, com- mending or condemning book, were conclusive as to ita qualities. Certain recent and famisiar instanees of praise ae wnirersal a3 it was absurd, of 900ks which it ts now an- @erstood no man can keep npon his shelves without hbazard to his good reputation, have made readers suspi- tous of “the opinions of the prers.’? Criticism et pre- sent, therefore, is authoritative only as it is demonstra- tive. Hatimates, neatly delivered, are read, and, if from approved sources, have a certain intluence; but in all ‘easen the intelligent reader wishes to have before him the more signiticaat facts upon which they are based. la ‘the desuttory observations we propese upon this “Cyclo- peda of American Literature’’ we shall endeavor to be wo explicit and particular, and to deal only in facts so weadily appreciable by every person of ordinary imtelli- gemoe and understanding, that any suspicion of projadics er want cf csodor will be impossible. In the few hours whieh we can devote to it, and the narrow limits that necessarily hem in the writer (or a daily paper, the work must of course be treated superficially, and we caa touch but here aud there a point, merely indicating, aa it wore, what might be done if the book’s importance would Jastify a more eladorate criticism. Its general plan ts the eame as thet of Chambers’s well- Ammown Cyclopedia of English Literature, and it would Ihave been better if the model had been more rigidly fol- Yowed, though it might have been departed from by a Jedécions author, in many instances, with signal advan- our makers of books on@ £0 easily observed, that the most rigid adherence to it could scarcely be deemed a po- sitive merit; yet the Messrs. Dayskinck disregard it #0 frequently as to suggest aeonviction of unp: earelessness. The composition known s# the ‘‘fore- father’s Song,” which, they admit, was written as early 28 1639, is placed atter a notice of the works of Benja- amiz Thomson, who was torn in 1640, aud wrote his prtn- apa! poems about the year 1700. John Cotton’s tines on ‘Thomas Hooker are mentioned in sash # way a1 to in- @mee an impression that they were first printed tm Mor- ton’s “Memoriat’”? mm 1609; but they are ‘preserved’? aore appropriately in Hocker arvey of tne Summe ef Church Discipline,” published twenty-cn» years be- Sore—that is, in 1048. This sort of disorder pervades tho volumes. In a ‘Cyclopedia of Amerisan Literature,” % was of course proper to notice the moans and results ef edueation among us. The histcry of our com- men = schook—-the op 1 boast anil = glory ef American civilizaticn~is 3 theme to ex- ette enthusinsm, and its illustration was easy from the annsis of our watchful and progressive lesisia- tien on the subject. A majority of our au‘bors, as well fae men of affairs, have deen graduates, not of the ant- | wersities, but of the common schoole. Yet of these in- stations we hare not a word, from the beginning to the end of the Mossrs. Duyckincks’ labors. Ins‘ead, we have accounts of a few of the principal collegos—perhans of ene-fifteenth or one-twenticth of those now existing in the United States. So incomplete an exhibition is of no value. We refer to the matter hero, however, because it s wade one of the causes of that chao: of arrangement Which must vex every one who attempts to read or con- walt these volumes. Suceinct sketshes of «nch establish- wente might bave constituted « portion ef a chapter on the education of the American people; but those which ere noticed at all, are introduced—each under the date of Ms foundation—in the midst of the personal memoirs, and all the men of eminence ever connested with then have their stories told under the same head. Thus, in ‘the earlier part of the first volume we have noted the be- ginning of Yale College in 1647, and In the pages immedi- ately following, sketches of Silliman, Olmsted, and ote professors who are now living. The selection of subjects for biegraphical or critical ‘Treatment appears to have been governed by no rule or peimciple whatever, unless one may be found im the fa- efity with which paragraphs about certain characters eeuld be compiled from monthly mazauines, querterly reviews, biographical dictionaries, er other easily acces- wible works. William Morel! came to New England in 3023, and remained one yoar; William Wood, sbout the wame time, made a short vistt to Voston. It does not ap- pear that eithor of them ever wrote 4 line here, or ia- fended to setilo here; but both are formally introduced a6 American anthors. William Vaaghan, who visiled Newfoundiand, but never touched the soil of what is now the United States, iz also treated as an Amorican author, fm two columns of biography end criticiam. Captain Joha Smith was in Virginia and along the coast previous to 1616, and six colusnns are devoted to his ashievemen‘s fm American literature. Soon after, we have a life ef the Rev. Samuel Wari, of Ipswich, England, with » part of ‘one of hia sermons preached and printed in Fngland— although this Roy. Samuel Ward was never in America, never wrote a syliable about Ameries, or, so far as we ‘are informot, know of the discovery or existence of this @entineat. Another Ward, of whom there is a long ac- ‘eeunt—Nathaniel—did, when between sixty and seventy years of ego, come to Massachusetis Bay, and after his xzeturn home, where he lived still many years, wrote several volumes, in some of which there are allusions to ‘hls visit this side the Avlantic, On pages 262 and 263 of the first volume we have bio- wraphical and critical notices of George Huddesord, an Baglish versilicr of very little merit, and Jolin Laprati, @ Seotchman, of the same rank, though neither of them ever came to America or had apything whatever to do with America or American literature. Huddosford is @eemed worthy of from sixty to sevonty lines, and La- pra of sbeut fifty. it would be dificult to as- ign any adequate reason for bringing these names tans conspicuonily into a * Cyclopedia of Amerioan Literature; but the very unsatixfactiry excuse which t« offered is, that Lindley Murray +00 clowly imitated their songs! It is & poor rule thet will not work Beth ways, and Murray himself, though born in l’ennayl- ‘vania, can hardly be calle‘ an American acthor, (since Rewent abroad while s youth, before commencing his @areer a4.8 writer, and never returned,) by the Messrs, Duyekinck, who do not hesitate to regard an Americans every foreigner whose Ii y life, or any part of whose ‘Mierary life, has beon paseod in this evuntry. ‘The most conspicuous, and, upon the whole, perham the most ridiculous example of drageing tn persona whene Iai ms; 0 & place in the work consint in the ease with whieh articles about them could be manufactured, iis that of Bishop Herkeley, Most readers are aware that this cocicsiasiic was an Irishman, fend those st oi) ‘emiliar with his history koow ‘that he war on this continent but two or three years. His professional and autorin! activity were displayed in ‘the Irish see of Cloyne. There would have been almost ‘as much propricty in Introducing Ebakepers, because he wrote of ‘the stil vexed Permoothes,’’ or Durns, be- canse he once cherished a design of emigrating t» New Vork. Certainty Thomas Moore, who wrote some of his most exquisite songs on the banks of the Schuylkill, by ‘the Dismal Swamp! and the Mohawk, and in whose works ‘fare numerous illustrations of American seonery and man- nerf, was far more Geserving of consideration {n rush a work. Still, the interest which Berkeley manifested in ‘our colonial Institutions of learning entitled him to some pearing allusions in a history of our intellectual progress, and we were not unprepared, therefore, for even the Oity- one lines bestowed upon him in the account of Yale Col- Jege, and the sixteen he receives as an adviser of the ocerse of study im King’s College, at New York. Thoow notiecs of the thn ‘clergyman who happened to paws & few months in Rhode Island, seomed, indeed, absurd- ly Jorg, when wo @iscovered that the voluminous and itfcatrions native author, Dr, Jonathsa EAwards, whose treatise of ' Liberty and Necessity,’’ is among the mira- eles of logic, whose work om the ‘Indian lengnages is one cf the standards in ethnological science, and whose name is deservedly held in the highest respeet by philosophers and theologians throughout the world, was dismissed with a single paragraph, of but one fourth their length, in the sketch of Union College. Yet while the great Edwards, whose fame it becomesus a0 proudly to cherish, ia not ‘once again alluded to in the entire work, this irish tra- vellez, the Bishop of Cloyne, is brought forward the third tame, in an elaborate biography and criticism reaching through ten eolumns! As we have seen, the Messrs. Duyckinck qnote one of the vermons of Samuel Ward as a specimen of American lite. rature, (else why is it quoted at all?) though Ward was never out of England; but of one of the characters really ‘dest entitled to an eminent position in our colonial lite- ary annals, all they have to offer is, incidentally—‘‘Jehn Higginson, of Salem, himeclf » man of some literature, died in 1708, at the extreme age of ninety-two yoars, se- venty-two of which he had passed in the ministry.” Now, this John Higginson was one of the great men of New Fpgland, and imocroparably the best writor, mative or foreign, who lived in America during the first handred years of her colonization. That portion of his ‘‘attesta- tion’? to the Magnalia, which treats of the exodus of the Puritans, has not been surpassed in strength and grandeur in alt the orations ever delivered at Ply- mouth Rock, those of Webster and Everett not excepted. Generally, the information embraced in these volumes, respecting the great lights cf learning and literature who were in New England beicre the Revolution, is far more meagre and lers satisfactory than that which may be found in Eiot’s and Allen’s biographical dictionaries. Of Thomas Hooker’s works, not one-fourth im number, extent, or importance, are in any way mentioned. “The Soul's Implantation,” which has beea eonsidered his best performance, our authors seem never t> have heard of, Of the “ renowned Mr. Thonfs: Shepard,’”’ they are al- most as ignorant. In their peculiar style of English, they tell uz, in¢eed, that his “ reputation has been among the most permanent o/ hit brethren of the carly New England dlergy,” meaning, of course, that the sald Shepard’s ‘ re- putation”’ was one of the said “clergy,” and toprove its or his permarence they mention that two of his pro- ductions “‘have been reprinted iu Englana during the Inst quarter of & century.” Persons tolerably familiar with such subjecta might have told them that the com- plete works of Shepard, edited by the loarned Dr, Alger, of Cambruige, have deen reprin'ed in four s:out ostavos, at Horton, within the last half doven years. In tae life of Roger Wiliams, tnstead of an estimate of his genins and intiueree, we bave three pointless ietters of a Mrs, Sad- Mer, an Englieh woman, never in Ameriza, written to Wil- iams while he was in England, t> persnade him to entor the Episcopa! Church. Apprenching the period of the Revolution, we find a profound igaorance of all that political literatare which shaped the public feeting and action, exzept im a few in- stances with which every schoolboy is familiar. “tho great Dr. Mayhow, of the Revolution,” meaning Dr. J. Mayhew, who died in 1766, is briefly noticed, but not in the manner demanded by his character or activity. A Frencharan, St, Jean de Crevecosur, who printed a feeble work about the common life of the American perple, which Hazlitt read, because the subje:t had thon the merit of novelty, has eight columns devoted to him, The celebrate: diplomat and philosopbor, Phillip Muziei, who lived many years in Virginia, about the same time, and whose four octavo volumes of Zevherches Historiquas et Politiques sur ws Kiale Unis, emdrace some of the most brilliant sketehes of Americas colonial life ever written, ts not men'‘ioned; nor is Talleyrand, whose deveriptiona of the American woodcutter aa the American Ashesman are declared by Lord Brougham to be his masterpiczes in Uterary art. Henry Cruger, « renegade Amorican, who during the Revolution obiaiued a seat in the Beitish Par- Hament, where he made ® i#y commonpiacs ¢; occupies nearly five coluaas. If Cruger, who w: nothing, is entitled to so large a xpsco, how Isis that wo have no notice of George Chalmers, of Maryland, author of the ‘ Political Avmals of the ted Colonies,” the “History of the Revolt of the Americaa Colonies,’ and several other standard works Ame-ican bis tory? or that the accomplished Dalany, of Mary- land, and Oliver Deiancy, and fify others who were politically in the same category, bat distinguished from Cruger by being industrious ani able writers for the Crown, are not named? Sereno ns are given to Thomas laine, whose abilities and services are absurdly. exoggerated. Paino, of evuree, is treatel as an Ameri- can anthor, though bata small portion of his lire was passed here, and Jess than one-third of his works were written here. Two of the four exirsets from them quoted as specimens of American literature were written in Ku. rope—one in Fngland, before Paive’s firat visit to this country, and the other while he wasa rosident and citi- wen of France. A considerable portion of the selec: 8 of verse in this part of the work have as little claim to the title of liera ture as the jargon of idiots, A sflly fellow named I’arke, in 1786 published translations from Horace, with ‘‘origi- nal poeas.”” He was a laughing stock ia his day, being justly regarded as dectitate of any abilities that should sayo him from contempt. He was indeed inferior to the individual since known ss ‘lop Emmons,” whose national epic, “The Fredonisd,” in four large volumes, embraces cantos on “Hell,” “Sackett’s Harbor,” and ‘The Wallof Heaven.’’ Yet some hali-doven columns of the “Cyclopedia of American Literature” are devoted to his pitiable riffraff. It illustrates the judgment of the Messra. Duyckinck, that the aniablo, painstaking and eru- dite historian ond statesman, Dr. Namvay, of South Caro- Una, whose “Life of Washington,” ‘History of the United States,” and other works, are so highly esteemed by the judicious, occupies but the single page next preceding. Forty pages ave filled with a ehapter entitled “Rallad Literature ef the Indian, French and Revolutionary Wars.” It contains littie worth preserving, except those specimens copiot, for the most part without any ac- knowledgmoent, from an article entitled ‘Minstrelsy of the Indian Wars and the Revolution,” in Graham's Mu- gesine for 1842. Some ofthe extracts of blank verse, and ‘verse without » name, obtained by the Messrs. Duyckinck from other sources, surpast in pointless «tuptdity any- thing we have elsewhere seen, and are # cross libel on the Revolutionary age, in which they were probably as little known # in ours, Referring to the patrioticsong “Come join hand in hand, brave Americans all!” ovr aathors say it has been aktrfnied both to Merey Warren and to Jobn Dickimson,”’ Now, in Tudor's Life of Otis, which in enother part of the work they criticise as if they hed read it, John Dickinson saye himself, in a letter to Otis, that he wrote the song, with some assistance from Arthur Los, of Virginta. This, with us, is quite astin- factory authority. In the same connestion they quote “The Vermonters’ Song’? as an undoubted antique, though {t was originally written hardly twenty years ago. We do not remember that any of the histories of Eng- lish Hterature devote much altention to,the lives of Lin- tot of Curl; but as they were, if not authors, the ac- quaintances and employers of many eiminent literary men, and often exercised an important intiaenee upon their fortunes, euch attention would hav» beom pardona- ble. Yet by what legic the appropriation of ten or eleven columns In a ‘Cyclopedia of American J.itera- ture,” to James Rivington, the “King’s printer” in Now York during the Revolution, can be jastifed, we shall have to wait a long time to discover, Rivington was about as much = Mierary man as Mr. Jared W. Bell has been, The chief uftuence he had upon literature was as aretail bookseller, and the Mesars. Duyekinck give us one ot his advertisements to show the extent of his stock. It would have been perfectly proper if they had given us an aceount of Stephen Daye, the first printer in New England, or of William Bretford, the first priter west of the Andion, or of John Peter Zenger, whose fa- mous trial in New York was the immediate cause of the earliest public recognition and thorengh establishment of the freedom of the prews; vut these persons are not alluded to; and our authors did not even know of the only fact in ivington’s earcer which could have served aaan apology for introtucing hie name—hix having nd- Yertised an intention of employing some porson to come pile a volume of our oolonial poetry. We look in vain through avery part of the work for such fruits of @ loving familiarity with the intallees of the country and its developement as should have been an assurance t the authors of thelr yooation. Many of the rubjects demanded patient and eegacious research, and ‘wore susceptible of such handling as would have made thom highly interesting, Sut everything appenrs to have boon done carclewily and feebly, which the corapil- ers didnot find already done by other hands, Take, {or exaraple, the case of Joseph Dennie, the eolebrated elitor of the Port Although the writings of Deanie do not vindicate bis traditional fame, he was unquestionably ine and peculiar genias, who exercised in vari an extraordinary inflnenve upon the montal habite and tastes of our countrymen. A brief obituary in the Port Jilin, wit & few reminisconces in the pleasant volumes of sutobiography by J, T. Bucklogbam, fqrnleh 6 that ls “hee gives NEW YORK HERALD, WED cae i ‘one his bia ya Moore’s 8 his text keindtiness of his to bis friend “Kept his friends in laugnter and teare till troeee acta’ ql cclesment OF break- ‘amiable infrmi- Indeed, we have almost have constituted Deanir’s bio- i reference to Mr. Nicholas Biddle, of whose literary seem to be more ignorant than the editorship of bis nothing of what sno: research. Until this subject attracted the attention of Mr. Bidcle searesly more was known of the life of thig famous oiscoverer than of the life of Wiltam bbakspore; but its difficulties, not less than its impor- tance, arrested and detained his fut mind trained to the subtle foquisitions of ready command of the resources of related knowle: atdsn indomitable ardor which the lsbor of ye: ‘were crow: is im hia Memoir, published in London in 1832. The name even, as such an assertion may seem, of Richard . does not once occur in this *Cyelopedia of American Literature.” But we antieipste: we aball have occasion presently te mention « t number of other omiesions, some +f which are as conclusive as to the ignoranco and incapacity of authors of tentiou: mance. TN may be as well first to make pe bbgeeg 2 of the geueral literary qualifications exhibited by our critics, to see ‘they should be exempted from the fate of a sertain G; herald, whose sBrargaem are related in the diverting of Quentin A history of literature, it will of course be admitted, should itself be litcrature; itmay be doubted whether the annals of nish mors melancholy ex- amples than are to be found in this work of an utter in- capacity to write int ly, ‘spicuourly, or even grammatically. A» the monthly magazines’ and the weekly and newspapers have, as wih one ac:ord, asserted the irdefectibls grace, elegance, pecepieastiz, ene gy, frerhness, c., &e., &C., of the Mesers, Duyck- inck’s style, wo must demonstrate the justness of our censure, and we are sorry to say tha! no'more easy task eould be set before Should wo transeribe one-teoth of the bungling and incomprehenstb!e sentences noted while burriedly reading these volumes, a single numper of the Hixnsip would act contain even this portion of our review, We shall be content, and our readers will be wore than content, with a few specimens, taken almost at random :— A large number [of da: MB, Brady, of New Yo: oy the work. x ‘Michae] Wigglesworth was, in his dey, one conshul of our early writers.—1, Is Mz, Dnyckinck sure of this? Was not Wigziesworth “one of thé most succestul of our early writers,”’ some time since the Mexican war? Increase Mather deve'oped the forrning of the naw 1, 59, A mountain of learning and theoiogy was heaped won his chilabood.—t. 60. Led Cotton Mather to enter so vigorously upon the prec tion of witchcratt.-—i. 60. ‘Ye looms of bis dispoettion grew darker in age ms death ay) proached, a niend whom he was glad to meet, whin he exy'red, at the completion of bis sixty-fitth year —1, 2. the ripe cerlod of his book productiveness not a date is mising.—t. €2. Did he publish a book every day for forty years? Col, Byrd is a little free in bis langnage, at times, but (int be tongs to the race of hearty livers et his century.—i. 75, 1phet; Mulshe Wiliams Decamerector, which he eontinued ti 739 5 Frenkiln’s voluminous errespondence would alone have given him a hich literary reputation as a Leifer writen. ‘The aggregate of his distinct Itterary comporitions ou dis- timers the labors of any who have worked directly for repu tation and the boeksellers.—i. 10, We have aluded to Franklin's philosophy as indiestve of the religious posers. Here it vay ve sald that he rather Hved by them than in them He appreciated the devout aud trans eendant Jabors of such men as Jovathan Kdwards, tu lavi the foundations, [of what?| und could empty his pockets at heart stirring appeals of Waitelield.—Ihid. Lis (Byles's) rst wife was vlece of Gov. Belcher, and her fuccessor—the dignity apparcily diminishing with Gal relation ship—a dusghier of Lieut, Gov, Tailer.—1, 149, Is the daughier of a Jéeutenant Governor a less digai- fied person than the niece of a Governor? or is a second wile jess nearly related to her husband than a first wile? Like most well educated writers of verze he Jizz tried bis hand on a few of the odes of Horace,—i. 133, Of course the reader will suppose the man who hus Gone this is stilt living—but he died 116 years ago. Terkeley was to the country not only # persvau? friend, but a bavetacior. 5 types} have been taken by Mr. aflictent guarantee of this wage of the roost sa>- was « French gentleman, born in Caen, in Normandy, who at the age of aixieen, &c.—i. 175 Looked’ at as history, wo may soy it [the History ef Connecticut, by Velers,| is unreliable; but regurded 4s a . Which the wuthor almost had’ the opporwanity of og with quills piv ig badly avd piiandent there iy his over zeae a Ls vastly eojoga rio, and may be forgiven. ‘The full worhed liaorous gravity of its styie is irresistible i. 11, "Phe author of “M’Fingal”” had more of the power, Hopkin sou a larger proportion ot ust genile quality which plays around the heart—i. 209, and aecomplished work: {than the “Missel- and Occasional Writings of Bopkinson”’) us never issued trom the American press. 2 Of this political writer we find an aceount in the “Auiobio graply of Joba Adams,” trom which it appears that be wasa ‘ued in the town of Suficld~1. 20% ‘He had been apprenticed to a trade, trom which he ran away, in debt to bis master —Tbid, from hig wovil oj 2eote 18 mae sly Lauaor this Book, it af ia @ wea! quae “He vailed trom New Bedford to ascertain the istvraut dis he had staced incorrectly in e exact locality covered by Goenold, in 102, whieh the first volume of bls viograp! sland of Cattyhonk, be ve \d totroduced a description of the spot.—Ivid. bert Sraith, of Fo country in bis enildhood~a moe Lr. Witherspoon, u 1783, was Induced to visit Bocland for Nesting tunds tor the institution; Lig early Irish descent, who came to this of eduacttion end cbuvracter— ose of collec! application after the war, which was wasucressiul, is sagacity was shown in the old Continental Coasress, there h@ earnestly opposed the appoint homes Jalne as Secretary to ibe ( E ready distrtisied.—i Gur own kvowledge of Dr. Witherspoon enables say that it was Paine, and not the committee, win distrosied. Be wroie the Covgrossional Addreses to the People, reem mending tasta and Thonsh's 0 foun Libe ‘war topics in the newspapers—i, ‘We wuspect, but are by no means confident, that the Messrs. Dnyckinck intended in these lines to convey 1. meaning that Witherspoon wrote the Addresier 0! Con- gress in which ta:ts were recommended, and an essay entitled “Thoughts for the People,” besides discussing in the newspapers several aubjecta connected with the war. A portion o' these iines hax been happily introdneed in the celient rove: ‘ohn Keton Cooke, of the Virvinis Come- ng, Which introduces te m 8 ApiFil Ot delicate ventiment and elevated romance 9 the ehivairic olden time of the siate— to Now, Mr, Cooke is an estimable member of the Virginia bac, ani wes never in sny way connceted with the play actors of that Commonwealtn. But isit “a portion of thowe lines,”’ or Mr. Cooke's novel, that “imtroauces’’ us vo all this romance and chivalry After passing through eoli devoted himsel€ to merchon dige, & preronit whieh b8 3000 .— i. 257. The coupiet we bave quo! found in an te bd to the . Iv ik occupied by & parallel tragedy of Oxo, written La lj between the scenes and characters which have jun pas.od Le eyes, and those in which ihe suthor and participants, —i. 236, Which is so ocoupied, the couplet or the eptloguo? wrote tovelier papers in the style of the Spectator, e siandard model for this class ot compocitions.—i. 00. When did the Spectator cease to be the “standard model” tr ‘ compositions” ‘in the style of the Speots- tort”? Trumbull returned to New Haven snd wroie what now Hunde 9s the tive, second and third cantos of M’ Ping: Boooming President, Madie his aduninieiradon, euocecding to th n AB Foctor, he nee Tian its of Inka coven Jeraey. came smomber of the ‘New York Tegialatute, in whish he adopted the era! side, He had eigitt children,’ four ot whom Were gone, and et of ewe nous Yoaverneur Was the youngest, a1 OA. From all this it appears thet ser-ral of the ancestors of Gouverneur Morzis emigrated irom some foreign country, and that the first of them, Richard, the yrestgreal- granifatier of Couverngur, was an officer in the army of Cornwaills, a eral of about the same avo as Gouver- neur himself! This master Richard Morris must have beon rather an old soldier! Tho question of the sex of Gouverneur we cannot determine. Lewis Morrie had eight children, four of whom were sons, and ov! of these sons, Gouverneur was the yeungest, Jy it possible that lhe was the youngest daughter 7 Hospital duties ater the ‘eld 0/ Barmoga,—i. By what means’ Suicide, or a league with }: Baloame, ot @ search for the fountain of You oe Oppodtion to the Church of Rng’and inte: thwarted the plans of the onlay: SL Bia, nee © ong sine wad fed John Marshall, the enthor of the * Lite of Wi ” the fudletat bnete ‘of awiurity ot the Supreme Plant orien We nevor before saw it stated that Marshall wan the American constitution, ‘The traditional reputation of Ames tor . down by his trends and fellow, politicians, has bot expires in his Tiabedt wri One of thes anerdiuee « haaba related, exhtites he tan. i WANE WO Dave The Soneiasioe of his spond on the Bru one! of hiv spoech on the British testy, wien he alludes ‘0 his tebe bealth.—j. 470. vere rane The letters of Ames are svirply written, wil poiu, ancl oo casional S@licitios ot exor , but they & labovate or highly finished compositions raroly of the orsay character of some of Webster's enteiios.— 11 From 1812 10 182, Wobstor resided wi Ammlisrst, Mase., when he returned to New Havon.—i. 476. When the war was he had anopportanity w give proc! of bia abliity with the pep, in his authorahip of she eciehraisd “Newburg Letters,” disted frou the camp at that placsm 1, 480. Lippenoott mentions no sush place ax Newburg Lot- ters, We may detect the influenco of Dartwin, oho wan ‘hen the fashionable poet of the day in his iinos, in the opening of one of the cantos he y Tad usual comp,imenis of the day to his brother bards,— 'y, it, is 9 curtons picture ‘ \nimportant ag a election of pon of the ol years of the inst conte when Washington de clined a re olection to the Presideucy ho subject for several Ages of heroic verve), when Bhos rebellod in Masanchuse is ‘elevrated im an ironical rong), when Burope was seething = Ly! ped revolution (4 lively ne wsmonger’s ballad), &o., What is ** subject ofseveral of heroie verae?’? Who or wi is ‘celebrated in an song? and when did Egrope, or the “‘eoming revolutien,” become & lively * ballad ? : pesto ‘ A mend siziter of the ro o! ~ wd pM “ wutition,” which onder bls thoughla and feclings.-¢ 5m. Bora in 1769, in the town of Dover, ta Delaware, the son of © Scotch man who forty three years of milaistarial sce ap alae capiain, who bad retired with a moderate fortune by ne of Albet-1, 586. # practice in the Suoreme Court gained ‘here he frequently met his legal antagor hin re mist 1. oll. time Wirt- ss whet American suthor has not !—medi- Bre aR 1 » wi ler na eT Tine, acne, Wa aaslousee Of Golan Me on of State 179% until bis removal in the administration of ‘Adamna, '0 1800; mY \- der of the Bowrd of War in 18 similar duties in_ the revolut from 1814 to 1817, when be Hf; euploying himself ln agri E wsede to tbe taind Ure jal hor ‘ie ‘was entbustagiic in the pursuit of hie conoictions Did he ever catch them? tly, tm 1625, returned to the country, as mials ial phere tome wth “adinin{ stration of orton 1. schere he mainiained his perrenal independeroe— |. 661, AMP, Wm. Irving, who haa married his sider, ‘sman of wi ue face and long auburn ringleta— Dane offered $10,000 as the toundgtion of @ law professor ‘on the condition that Btory ssowld become is firwt proves Iofal wrikings of Blory from his own pent. 12. he }s in ‘aif be returned to for 1 period of two yours, which he passed in Boston, and at this tine married the 13, ‘About mi near the dawning of Sunday.— Ibid. Nott ing left his oacel of bis desk, which was not the ripe pro- duct of his mind, which had eost not only labor but perplexity. ~ Thid. rate work would have been completed, and have created — ‘Webster's father, a farmer, and according to the habit of the country and times, an innkeeper—ti. 29, So a!l New Hampshire farmers then kept taverns. ‘Ite author, who is understood to havebeen C. C. Foiton. When did Prof, Fel:on die? er if living, who is henow? Calhoun read the histories of Rollin, Roberison and Vol- taire with such assiduity, that arteen Weeks he hail dev- in for patched several of cach.—il. 38. Je hie characier, Calhoun was of great purity and simplicity of charactor. —ti. 36. Col, Benton's naderate curse on the slavery question not being approved by a majority of the Senate of his Bate and a ‘added “other quostions aa tell having to the number of his enemies. as well as his rriends, he loat his election to the Senate in 1851.—i. 44. of Nisbit’s lectures, which be hical, appositely il- . Miler be gives a spect men from one of his logic, which fully eustasins die last quolity.—t. 89. His * Fomale Biography.” havin; saasy pon of reseco- Dance to his collection of male ccltridggae tie 2 The meaning here, perhaps, is That Knaop’s ‘Female Biography” resembles ia many respec's the same au- thor’s ‘‘Hicgraphical Sketches of Eminent Lawyers,” &. It is a striking discovery. Lamenting the lack of intereat manifested by his feiio-coun- trymen.— ii. 88. This, of course, refers to Mr. Verplanck’s country neighbors: ‘ fellow countrymon’’ having no other signi- fication. But what Mr. Verplanek lamented was the ie- duforence of his countrymen—a word waich our auinors abould pe informed incicates fellow citizens, or fellow in- Labitants of the same pation. Juvenile Verses, writen by young Woodworth--ti, 71. ‘The Foree: Nose keeps possession of the stage on acount of the amusin, paphie character who sorms one or the dramatix oreo db o* [nis piojress in his History, and the other useful labors of bis tifa, teas interrupted.—ii. 85. Jack Tier was published in 1842, from the pages of Grakain's Moyazine, a story o the sea, &e.—it V2. Satenstoe was the first’ of tes deriynedly () writen to cenounce the anti-rent doctrines. Ibid Franstation: In Satanswe, Mr. Cooper denounced an- ti-rentism. ‘With his customary spirit be adapted Aims? to the publish- Ing fashion intacenoed by the syscm of cheap reprints.—il, 112, ‘The government ot the Unitea Sintes was ove of the most ex- pensies and entailed 8 beavy a burden of taxauon om those under its sway as any in the worla.—il. 110. Some ot the newspaper eaitora of the dey, who manners, and personally assailed the author's pee? @ Messrs. Duyckinck are doubtless deserving of praise tor letiing us know that thenewspaper editors whi quarrelled with Cooper were not those xenrvy members of the press-gang who sived in tae days ot Cheops; but what do AS mean i Orem they ‘ personally’? assailed Mr, Cooper’s “peculiarities *? Does the word “ persoually” sitach to edilors ? theiz action was editorial—in wnting —by leading articles, as ic were; or doos “ personally” refer to these “ peculiarities!” "Were ¢h-y persons, and did the editors black their cyos and crop tueir cars 7 ‘Tho author bas contrasted creat mental vigor, combined with lax moral prizeipie ( eneebled intellect, strongthened by ur, swerving rectitude —ii, 111. The Ways of the Hour was designed to exhibit the evils in the author's a.of treat by jurymtts U3. ‘the oid iyo divines as contradistinguished fo the schoo! ot Locke.—Hi 1s, An editorial connection was planned with Tie Chrtotian Spec dalor, a theowgical renew at New Haven, 1 position tor which he was well qnalified, but it was not carried on: —Ihiu A controvers3 with the Is "os, which grew oat of 1 remark tet fo Ore of the fopies Which of late years specialiy engaged his attention was (le introductory mooir prefixed 19 the ediion of the works of Webster. ile 1/1, What was the reault of bis attention to this “ topic Did he wile a review ot the “introductory memoir, merely think abomt it? yurses On When it was tinally dischar: The partion'ar influence of Wr. Nott tie collaye has been practical tern ih E Cieipline, in ealing, forth the earnest moral quaities of his pu: pil, ond repressing the opposite procttvities of youth, Thisis a Dertonal inlfuenco, for w ich he Will be gratefully rememwer- ed.—il. 195, Now, Dr. Nott administered the government of the coi- lege, and not the college iteeli. iis influense was not the practical tun given to culiege discipline, but that practical turn may have been a result of bis influencs. In the next line, it was perhaps intended to intimate that he developed the nanty qualities of his pupils, and re- pressed their youthful prociivities. ‘The act or conduct aluced to capnot, by any rue with which we are ac- quainted, be described a “personal intiuence,’” though it may have becn a means of creating such an io- sinence. Dr, Holm in 1824, wae elected Professor of Anatomy in the Nestieal Uotlage of Soutn earetinn, « place witot he wow bole Is the Professor of Anatomy a place, or does Dr, Hal- wrook hold the college? Of the thirty or more poems of which the whole series was com pow, Drake wro'e nearly one hail, including ‘The Amcrisau Flag, which eppoared among thenmli. D3. “Tlorace fusnn isa native of Marsachnsette, wh-rr he was born at Frapkim.” “ Heoursued the study of the Inw in Latehtield, Gonn. Deahuro, Maan. which be repr ‘edd in the Leguilatuze, nines former antl ph! rence greece. ? de. 4 Antioch Collegd, where he #80 srnports the duties of of Political Keopomy,” &e.— i) 224 ‘Dr, Bush became connected with the Sirrdonborg ina chocrehy and devoted himself to the dissemination of the writnge of thu! phileaoyher ii. 22. Bra ening is a Slower plucked from the hanks of the river which be loved and preserved for posterity. a. Logare’s extenaive erudition scoms, as is sometime to have acted unfavorably to his auccu.—ti, 247 ‘Lhe tro feta brothers, whore names, &e.-—ii. 252. ‘The rapid and imapetubus erator of New England, whowe olo- quence descunds like the flood ol mot river, bearing along grand and minute opjects in its course, is a’nauve of Marsachnseits, where be wns born, at Ipswiell.—ii, 254, In New York. on the gnniversary of the landing of the Pil- grime in 1845, ait the Ladernacie Al, 2 Greenbow, after his arrival in California, was appointed, in law agent ¢ the United States Land Commission - er. 1. pen thor of ‘Georgia Soencs,” and = native of Gust Sta Sis. hey were procured in Lowton, froin the well known bookseller, 1.80! - 200, Driven from England ?y the’ part he took 1n reference to Fror.ch polities. — i, 231. Atlas] i Adarns, in & newspoper communivation, which be Published in the Pennsylvanis seating W ely Advartier.— While Dr. vooper was «his best, It was rare to moot such ebarming conversation ax was exhibited 7 Uutt tine, at the din ner tables aud other eomidy o. Columbia, in which Cooper, Renry, Presion and others, were conspicuous, and would n te appeare’ to disadvantage in the best London sovidy. ‘This eminent speculative inquirer, ingenions thinker, and ex penent of various, religions opinions én Me wordings, was bora in, Vermiomt.—it, ‘The torm of Oction ts but a pin covieing, ent a slight impedi- ment boy Af it doos not assist, a purely philosophical eveay.— idle ‘The author of the popaiar baliad of Old Grimes. a poet of cutiivadon, and an it prosecnlor of Ove historienl literature of Rhode I4and, 1 & native of that Biate.—Ii, 36. Some may wish to know whether Mr. has aetod ina strictly legal manner in thus prosonuding this historical literaturo—who sppotated him to tho dity, and whether he is likely to gain conse. passed his evenings in reading aloud wo hh * sch Whice bisa Coptainea Be aon wicain i affat-n of the daw, ex- coptin the mater ot the savery queitioa, on Whish be hnk Livered several orations in opposition to thi inwtitition.—i). S88, ‘Ag & writer, the prose of Mr. Gayarre is marked vy tho French and Southern eharacteristics,- 4. 402 ‘As an eecyis’, Mr. Sanford holds a very happy pen. His articles of this clare, in the newspapers ¢/ the iy), ke.—il. 406. ‘The transitiow irom the quiet ot on flallan xusio Ww tho ae pesca wes Guled im 1000, © dainty, (2 rfecting the ‘Hyperion was B daiaty ‘ods ef happy promises of Outre Mer, Old’ wuropoda vendo Woe Weetboderal scntmmeht ued winking nee oF We fines antes SM ic) 6 cy, wi wit Jong secure the atiractivenems Of wile pleasant volume it, 444. Whether owlng to the wriiex’s sympathy with Bunyen from his own sornewnnt Ee Sabre. Secegs And atte 9 in the temperanoe canse, ume e olde ef 4 Suchons. it ADA. ace! ‘Lhe plot (urns on distinctions of fashionable tHfe, and the assumption, by one of the charecters, of the favorable porition ot rings pete pblied tn” dict Mis wri were numbers of the New York bbls ‘The scenes and tnciden:s of his stories are for the most part drwtn from the BoRdEM States ~—ti. tos, He was one ot tho body of exseliens writers atiached to Mtuckinghasa’s, Neo Raglan! Magasine, where be wrvie a 98. Fee ot iveracy portrait 5 When ¥ iin Pierce was nominate! for the Presideney Mr. Hawthorne catue torward as his biographer, a work which to ezecued in moderate spnoo and wilh iierary deoocam— in delivored “Postz7, » Motricat Famy.” before var. 'bi Kota Kappa, lin he puiliched the anne he wok up her residenoe tno hervell, {0 TA89, in # species or tes'ureship, or They were called conversations, m whic’ 0 made tho Lopica of instr first President of the Cincinuati Historleal Socicty afterwards Vico Prosident of the Obto Historian! So Cioty, bia fondness for the later pwrenite being Uherally wit ncaced by hia pudlication, ‘The Anonla of the West "=i fils pen ofered the next jill, and he aid on the phiflog foundation of the magazines and newspapers some of the cor nes of the Ierature of the Went.—Jhid, hkwepaie, county town of his’ naive place — intellectual powors sometimes reminding us. ina par 100, Of those of Coleridga’s pootic exercives, iake Kubla or instance, being alter 1oo’s idesl ii, 538, tt published “a rn Ny periodical 10 tench, French, en- titled The Literary Gemint 'n 1340 he commeneed aw a le urer, obe of the tow profitable apm literary ocenpas Hom Open in the country, Which he haa ince prrsud With wud CEERI OOD tho Tar. roll SU. ‘omp'oy: ior clan of tlie. German philoeophy, tion. 1h. 625. Ps a NESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1856. tm circulating a iutuas system of ad- | He engaged oe b n ¥, dn icon wil the minnie Wyle ofthe Daten wet of palaiord i 556. * tions of natural r" en Dosenty atural scenery in the author's best ve! of i re is fertile iy analysis,—it. 572, (Hee the army, where be served as a privaie soldier. il, 87 "the of sound were is oe acca ae i Se, 4p octavo colame, was prepared by Bishop Duane, Re} pegpommecheerretleeen ‘The modest ttle of Aer colune of peema should not if ~~ 2 We egershade the menits of the choice ‘oontenta ot ine ‘Mr. Sargent has never thought his play,'"The Genoese,” wor- tt a alo] —H 634, —Ibid, Mai ‘wlage ‘we Bnow existed, though we trust with very tatiributes than those to which the necessity of the plot kere sunjects bim.—Ut 68). ‘Mr. Matbews was su.ong the early graduates of the New York Ualearaity, an acroc ich he revived some years Aerwarde y ai address on -amnericanian. “i, 645, a: aerival” By neary sabpritions from George Grit was ‘re ny heavy sul jeorge Gris- wold and pratinnie, ‘The Messrs. Dayokinck, how- éver, way be correct. In 1840, The Politicians, » comedy, appeared, the subject pre ‘uel wan followed up in the Uareer of Puller Hop- ae Een ann noenmand mexlan tn tie journal liam of ‘Bo was aselatad in the rating by Emerson, George W. Curtis, of the C oer Gnere ‘whose presence gave This ts the first intination we have seen that Thoreau ‘was compelled to eat the rafters of his Walden suanty. Our authors appear to have known of other not lesa as- tonisbing results of hanger. On {i. p. 613, we read of an eccentric Lapreny Who bad “a wild flavor,” and on 1 201 ofa book that had “the rough tlavor of the fron- tier settlement,” eo that not on}y must. a book have been literally devwured, but somebody—perhaps one of the Messrs, Duyckivck—bas actually made provender of a frontier settlement ! Be has since been J teaching theology. both in the bres and ete sees with the exeeption of the your ‘The sulject (of the Bigelow Pavers) ‘a of the pate pel and sie "which Tanita | Mexican ° pmplored in the office of a large broker's firm Be was next Boston.—| Who was this large broker? Who constituted the firm whom he owned? and as they were from Boston, where did tbey open their office? Or did the authors mean simply that Mr. Whipple was empioyed in the office of the emixent brobers, or private bunkers, Dana, Fenno & Co., of Boston? Whipple was a leodor inthe display of his quick int !e> taal fence snd revert j¢, extensive stores of reading, and sub the and copious ert ulty.—ii, 664. Undoubtedly. Who cise should have been a leader in tbs display ot Mr. Whipplo’s own abilities, evon to the “eopious exitieal faculty?” A book remarkad'e (or iis various reading.—il. (65. ‘The educaven ‘h her son hos recetved as the compar fen of her artisti waged a natural ¢ Hie excursions, for poss’ nius for art, into the natural world, determined, &¢.—Thi:/. ahe witeot Dr. #. 4. Worthingtim, a physicien of Obi, whose maiden name waa Jane 3. —h. 678. Sheis married to Mr. W. 8 Kiuney, editor of the Newark Daily Advertier, where many of ber postie compositions havo appeured —il, 65, THo wat precout resident Minister at Vienna, to whi was appointed in 1853, - it. 623. Jomes Burrell, remembered as an eminent Rhode 1si: audio his Senator's specch in Congress —il. 706 Our author han given an imaginative reminiscence of his gatly imprexsions of Providence the in the decay of its large india trade. Ibit, Benj. F, Butler, a member of the Cabinet of Jackson and ‘Van Buren, to whom, in 1824, in connection with John Duer dthejate John U.’ Spencer, was entrasted the important work of revising the Stautes of the State of New York, and author ot several addresses cud a few poetical cuntetintions to the Democratic Reciew.—il, 718. Would it be possivle with unjust severity to censure persons so ignorant of the commouest aud stmplest uses ef language, for their presumption in attempting to mite # critical history of Litsrature ! Let not the ab- surdity be zepeated, tnat their work is historical and not euitical. The very selection of authors for historical treatment—the deelsion, for example, that Henry James, fs net entitled to any notiee woatever in a cyclo- pedic review which embraces formal biographies of 1. S. Arthar and Louisa McCord—is aa act of criticism. Besides, these volames are fullof what is meant for criti- eism, accorcing to the commen application of that word; and this criticism. when not second huad, is often aa feeble and preposterons in substance aa puerile and vicious in expression, Cotton Mather writes the life of bis father ** with great spirit and unction;’’ he tells the story cf wi chereft “with a hearty unction toat gloats over the vic:ims;” Jefferson’s autobiography, has po thing of the rehsh of Franklin’s?’ William B, Tappan’s verses, perhaps less deserving of this poculiar praise than any others iu the whole range of our literature, are de- serived a8 “ uniformly smooth, musical, and in excellent taste;”? Miss Warner’s book, ‘The Law and the Testi- mony,” which is simply » classified collection of texts of Scripture, is called ‘a theological work of research and meri; plargaret Fuller’s “criticism” (of Longietlow,) is but another pame for sympadiy;” and Wilham P. Bawes’s ‘signature of Cypress, Jr.,” is regarded as “a sure méicavion 10 the reader of a pleasant, ingenious yeiu of speculation on the favorite tepies of the sports- man, mingled with persozal hamors of the write:’s own.” Acareful stncy of this last extract has not enabled us to cisecver its significance, except as to the suggestive im- port of the name “ Cyprevs,’”? which to moat people would be ‘2 sare indication” of reveries in graveyards, It was lorg ogo the reproach of foreign wits that our country wss overran with “American Addisons,” “Ameri- can Goljsmiths,” ‘American Scotts.” “American Cole- ridges,”’ kc. American criticism appeared at length to be purged of this sort of staff: bat iis here revived, “Modern Chivalry”? is “modelied upon Hudibras and Don Quixote, and productions of that i,” and “the humor in after Sterne and Viciding;’” Drake’s ‘Ualprit Fay” is “a Midsummer Night's Dream, atter Shakspeare’s Queen 7 in Longfoliow ‘the poetical virion and earnest teachings of Goethe and the every day humors of Jean Paul, as it were, come to live with us.’” But let us see what 1s the ‘historical’ value of this wok. We have already shown that no judgment is ex- hiblied in the selection of subjsots, and that there is no proportion in the particntarity and ‘sh of biographies, We will now inguiro what degree of reliance ean bi placed upon the statements which the suthors offer facta. Jt would require s volume to point out all their blunders, and, of their style, we shall mercly give a few mens. So much bey) Los sald and written a wh fpr family, especially since the rcppearance of “Uncle Tom's Cabin, thas the reader Wik readily understand Low aouncent and easily acvossible rust be materials for their dicgraphies; and if the account of the Boechers and ther Looks is inaccurate, that all the rest of the work may therefore be justly suspecte). After a few rontenees on tbe Iifo of I'yman Beecher, the father, we have of his cereer in literatura these meayre sentences :— ls chief pablicatior s consiat of sermons and addresses, and awors ov Fobiical Atheism. A collection of his works. tn four compact duodecimo vorurnes, was made in Boston in 1852 Here is not a wordof those extraordinary ‘siz Ser- mops on Intemperanoe” whieh produced a more pro- found and pervading censation tl any other six ser- mon: ever printed in America, of of his ‘Plea for the West,” “Views in Theclogy,” or other distinct publica- h he nlor, S tions, Of hia children wo are tokl:— Of his four eons, all eminent in the mink * oe one, Charles Beocher,, has published a pepular volume, *' The Incarnation, or Pictures ¢1 the Virgin andher Son,” andan ingenious work, entitled © The Conti yes,” In whieh he tualntains theory referring: Tt to @ supposed eristonce of the progenitors of man race privt to Adam, Another brother (of whom) Kaward, has written a duodesimo volume on“ Baptiem, i linport and Modes; aod a third | brother or enry Ward iscecher, is Oue of the most popular speak- he day. Tis sertoons attract an audience, Sunday alter Telent to crowd the large plitc: of worship in Brook lpn, of wchich he is pastor, and he ls 6 vored In lila fre- quent appearances as a lecturer on topics / the lay.—1. Hd. We will not dwell upon the diction of this paragraph. it will resaily onough be discovered that it makes two of Ir, Lyman Boecher’s sons his brothers, and one of them the pastor, not ot a body of Christian men and women, but ef a mecting house; and we are twice reminded, ina sbrase repeated in these volumes several hundred times, at the subjects and persons treated are “of the day,” and we presume the ‘day’ referred to was not that in which Nebuchadnervar eat grass—though we have no authority ior doing so, {pon the whole, the extract ina an — ot the Mersrs. Duyckinck's manner of wilting. Butas to the “historical” facts: Instead of four sons, Dr. Beecher has had soven, of whom six—William H , born in 1802, Wdward in 1808, ‘ieorge in 1800, Honry Ward in 1914, Chaties in 1817, and Thomas K.—who in still younger—became clergymen. The Rey. Georye Beocher, @ man ot eminent qualities of mind and heart, whose memoirs have beon published, died @ few years since in Ohio, The other fiveremaininthe ministry. Charles, iv will be perceived, is not the oldost; he ¢il not write “Tne Conflict of the Ages;? and that book has nothing te do with ‘the origin of evil,” nor with “the progenitors of the human race prior to Adam,” thongh it does treat of the pre-oxistenee of theroul. Idward her, 1. D., who did write ‘ihe Conitict of the Ages,”’ and who is the suthor of “The Papal Conspiracy,’’ and other works may be regarded ae the ablest and weightiost character of the family. Henry Ward Beecher’s volume entitled “Star Papers,” hia.‘ Leeturos to Young Men,” and other works, ‘will probably recelve aome attention in tuture histories of Ameriean literature, Charles Becher has written some half-dozen volumes, all noticeable for grace, fervor and imagination, Gur cyclopelists pro- ceo ‘The daualtere of Dr, Reecher contrite thelr full share to the goneral activity of ibe tamily. Misa Catherine Beecher is the auihor of “ Domesle ** The Duty of American Wemen to jheir Ay Hy Tlousekeepor’s Recipe Boow,’”” Moral Instructor,” * The Tene Remedy tor ike Wrongs of ue! ngs Women, with the History of an Fiuterprive having that for ite Onjoc,> " Treptise on Domestic ‘Beonomy,” tnd" Fruts Orenger than Fievion,” a vizorons dennuciailin of the alle fetatons ot yous ‘tviuty stedenis: Thewe. volumes are of sinall oompazs, and designed for wide popular infiience.—i. 644, Now thix distinguished person, who was born in the year 1800, has devoted herself during more than twenty years, with untiring assiduity, to the intellectual and ioral hinprovement of her sex. For the education of won, espocdally in the yalloy of tha Mississippi, no man or other woman has done as much, ler Weerary productions, a] written with singular earnestness a? directnosa, have generally boen of a very practical kind, It {# untrue that they “are of mmall compass.’ ‘They are of the average extent of duodecimo votumes. The long- ent, ables, and by far ihe most important of them, in a Uterery point of view, is “Difficulties in Religion,” which the Mesers. Duyekinck never hoard of, “Truth Stranger than Fiction” is nol on the ‘“‘ilirtations of young divinity students,” bat the exbibition ofa particular history, in which @ friend of Miss Leecher believed to have been wronged. Alter stating that Harviet Deocher was born In 1812 (the crue date being 1811), end that she was mar. ried in her twenty-first year (another mistoke) to Pro- fessor Stowe, a brief notive is given of “Ihe Maytiowar” apd “Cnele Tom's Cabin,” after which we Lave what here follows: 8 the publication of * Stowe, see apany, wilh Wer, sb Beesher, her brother, visied Great Hriiai tlona were coramunicat return. by (ie inawe, vorumge of travele--"Sunny M ‘nele Tom's beorvar : Ader her a wit) Audet, of two ies of Forotga Lauda.” The Ume eT ee From all this it appears thet Mr. and Mrs, Stowe pro- eccdea no further than Great Britain—that Charles Beecuer helped $1 up the vohtmes. with an account of what he saw on the Continent, aod that the work thus completed was issued as the joint production of Professer Stowe and bis wife! But the bad nothing what- eve! er need Re ma oto to some vr extracts from new! pers. Biomee Gere with epepapher edugeare® hese Europe, and toe invention that the latter cont journal of a tour on the Continent has for its foundation merely the fact that Mre. Stowe illustrates gy 1m her aesap by Daeeger omnes: to a dozen or twenty pogex—fiom her brother's diary, Ot the Ballou family:-- Mores. the son of Hosea Ballou, is the a of “The Diwine Characler Vindiouted,” % reply to a “Conflict of Ages” ano her brotber ie the edior of Ballou's P =e the author of {nf =) eee ines, Asiode mpmber, e same family, the Kev. i ‘anchor of seve- rai paimp! On ihe pence movement’ BOR s Mores Ballon is nota son, but w 7 Of the late eminent Universalis: prea ‘The editor.of HaNou’s pot a brother, but a son, of the same 4 Pictorial ts » y and his ttle to a place in literary history is mot from his Pictorial or his ‘‘ popular tales,” but from = careful volame on Caba, and @ memoir of his father, Adin Baliou does not belong to the fa-nily. Of the late Witiiam Leggett: ‘Toe Rifle,’ they say, —was speedi'y followed by other tales, of ses as wellas hp athate ware surenuueony eoeeled salen tae wie or “Tales ae Country schoolmaster.” in 1423 Mr. Teggett married ElmiraLeyzett, of New Rocheile; and i No- vember of the same year commenced The Critic, weekly not eoip erin, Bim alto'et in type and Uicrdutes eoaulserE, no % in type r bere by bizasell—i. S44 wee Lead Toe whole @f Mr, Leggett’s ‘‘tales of sem as well an land,” were not gavlixbed in the volume named; the naval stories wero collected in a bask entit'ed “Tales of the Sea; and ue printed in the periodicals enovgh pieces of the ame description for » third volume, and was eso one of the writers of tho ‘Tales of Glauder Spa.’ The maiden name of hia wife was not Leggett, but Waring. The preposterous account of his writing the copy, setting the type and dis- taiduting to subscribers the worked-cff sheete of Phe Critic, surpesses anything ince the daya of Munchau- sen, The printer has nut yet been born whe eoald set in type haifa number ot the Critic, {% complete num- ber being sixteen quarto pages of small type } ia a slogle week; Mr. Leggett, though he bad astonishing facihty with the pen, did not #riw the entire coment, or nearly the entire contents, of any pumber of that paper; and how mdiculous the ssxertion that a young mia of talents and social eminence, who had lately resigned an eftice im tke navy, and within a year had become connected, by marrisge, with one ot the leading families in the neigh- borhocd ‘of the city, performed the menis! sevice of car- rying about his weebly gazctte to between seven hundred and ¢ight hundred subscribers! To learm the simple trick of setting type is very ea:y toa person of dexterity and quick intelligence; Mr, Coop»r could ret type vory well; no could Mr. Duponcesu; aad there isa story whick may have had some foundat on, that Mr. Leggett “set up” « portion of is staall volnma of vorsos. the “Leisure Hours at Sa;” but that entire volame did not contain as many words ass numbar of +:Tiss Critie,”” in the same artisle’ it is mentioned tha’ Mr. Loggstt’ “home,” from the time cf bis marriage, in 18.8, was at New Kochelie, ‘This ulxo is untruc. Ha cid not reside in that place before 1837. ‘tke Mesars, Duyckinek do not appear to have been iniorme’ tha’ Me. Lewgett had ever apy connexion with the rtage, or toat he les. an uniinish- ed navel, oro volame of which paesed through the pross. The “i'robationary Uces et Jonathan Pindar?—i, 330— were not written by Froneau but by St. George ‘tucker. George Tucker, (ii, 731) was pover a memoor of Congress from Virginia. ‘fo say nothing of other biog-aphical er- rors respecting this gentleman, it may de remarked an romewhat odd, that his only works of an eminently lite: charac er, ‘‘Ierays, on Sutjects of Taste, Morals, and National Policy,” which appeared in a stout octavo in 18:2, the novel entitled ‘The Valley of the Shenanjoah,’” publishea in Sew York, in 1882, and “A Voyage to the Moon,’”? in one volume, ia 1827, are not named in the eketch here given us of his literary life. It is not true that Beverly Tucker wrote‘ ‘Lee- tures on Government.” Judge Uexry $:. George Tucker, ait, 752) was net “the Anthor cf two volumes of Commentaries on Blackstoae.’’ His onty wockson the Jaw are—“Leetnros on Constitutional Law ana Govern- ment,’ in one volume: ‘‘ On Natural Law and Govern- ment,”’ in one volume; and ‘Commentaries on the Laws. ot Virginia,” in two lstge octavos, Thus, not one of the bocks he realy did write is mentioned, while s work which be did not write, and, porhaps, never sat attri- buted to bim. ‘Ledyard (i. 324,) could not have been ‘horn within « fow hundred yaraé of Nort Geiawoid, at Groton, Conn., in 1761,” as no such fort.existed then, or atverwards for qore than a quarter of a century. ‘There wax never a Professor St. George (i. 85,) in the Virginis Cotlege of Williain aud Mary. ol, Benton’s house, (i. 44,) in which they sey his manuscripts “perished,” was not in st. Louis, bat in Was bington, In the life of John Sanderson, they say:—— ‘The Tivos of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence were written by bimssif and bis brother, our autho.’s sharo of ia work was the cocpposition of the trst and secon volumes ‘the ‘Lives of the Signers’’ is & work in ten yolumes, ot whieh, itis here alleged that Janos M, Sanaerson, the brother of John, wrote eight. Why, then, hayo we not a more particular notice of that autnor? iat toe story ik utterly groundless, No “brother” of Mr. Sanderson wrote mee the work. The Inter volumes wore by Robert Vain, Jr. Wolter Colton was nol a brother of Calvin Colton, (It. 246,) bute son of bis cousin. Rev. Henry I. Cheever was not a “friend” (4i. 247,) of Walter Colvon. He never had even the elightest anquaintance with hiw. Duche’s “Letters ot Tamoc Casptpias,”’ (i. 220) had fot atall “refercnee to Lngilsh polities of the times,’” but only, as the author himseit says, to ‘‘subjocte liter- ary, moral and religions.” if Messrs. Duyokinek had taken the trouble to examino Mr. Duche’s ‘works, particularly the two volumes of his sermons, Uiustrated ry his friend Benjamin West, and dedieared to anovher intimate friend, Lady Penn, they would have discovered some facta fadiigas biography which they evidently know nothing about George W. Curtis did not write the articles on Proscott and Washington Irving in ‘‘Homes of American An- thors.” Tre first of these articies is by George 8. Hil- lard, and the last by H. f. Tuckerman. Pr. Benjamin Qhurch (i. 228) was notthe “som of Dr, Byles was clergyman of’ he Episcopal checks aud ‘+ jes Was a cl e chur al there could not have beon such an officer ‘in De Byles's church,” though the Epissopal denomination has an orcer of deacons in its priesthood. Massachusetts was not a “State” (i. 154) in 1715, Pau) Alien (i, 648) did not prepare the journals of Lewis and Clarke for the pross, That labor was por- formed by Nicholas Biddle. ‘Thoodore Sedgwick, ‘first President of the New York Crystal Palace Company,’ (il. 292) ie not @ brother, but is a nephew of Miss Catherine Sedgwick. Mr. Cooper (ii. 112) did sot, after his return from Ra- rope, remove to his ‘“‘residense at Utsego.”? He never had any such residence, Thomas Hi. Shreve (li. 528) was never “prominently setociated with the Louirville Gaze.” He was for many years one of the ecitors of tho Jouisvil.e Journal. R.A. Vana, Jr. (ii. G1) ¢id net pass “into the family and under the tatorship of the Rev. Leonard Woods, as An¢over, now the President of Kowdoin.”” Jt iy unquen- tionably ‘intended here to stato that Dr. Woods, and not Andover, became ['reeideat of Bowdoin Colloge; put this Dr. Woods is @ baebelor, and never had apy family, Family Indson (if, 626) was not born at Mornisvitle, at Haten, in New York. Dr. Judson, in 1850, was “ordered home by his physicians,” and did not “embark for Amerioa.”” He was directed to undertake a shert =e and sailed for the Isle of Iance, Heorge H. Colton (ii 058) did not, after the clection of General Harrison to the Presidency, ‘‘dotermine to write a poem on the In¢isn wars,”’ in whieh Harrison bad been engeged. *‘Tecumsch’’ was nearly all written, and s portion of it was printed before the election of Har- rison. James Rurtell Lowell's “time”? (ii. 840) hae not, since 1848, ** been occupied in @ rosidenes abroad.”? He has not resided nbsoad at all, nor in all theso eight years referred to bas he been absent from Massachusetts two years, The Rev. ‘ieorve Rivley (il 586) is not the anthor of the work ‘On tho latest Furm of lefide ity,” Taat per- formance in froma the pen cf the late Rev. Andrews Nor- ton, a very diilerent person, 8 Fai field (i1.077) did not sell his “ ine to Mr, Jamen C, Brooks, of Baltimore,” but to the Rey. Na- Sraccls Cathcrwocd (1 490) was not, ia ‘raccls erwocd (i. 4 was not, in 1846, or in other yenr, elected a dolegate to the state Convention of New York to revise the cmstitution.” He never held iy ofiice whatevor in this country. Re W. Emerson (11. 36) was nol “one of the original editors of the Dial.” “ Thoughts on the Poets,”? published in 1846, (it. 688,) was not “ the first of Mr. Tackorman’s collections from the magazines.” ‘The first and largest of all bis “col- lestions from the m: ,”” was ‘Rambles and Reve- ries,’ published batt a doven years earlier. Poe (ii. 588) never wrote a story entitled “The Gold pg nor wore ‘The Gold Bug,” and “ The Murders of the Rue Morgne,” written whilo he was editor of Grahem’s Magazine, nor did he pudlish in that perioaieal Hie “developement of the plot of Barnaby Mtndge.’” Withcut an exception, the productions referred to as il- lustrating Poe's editorial connection with Graham's tine were writton after Uhat connection was Teviow of ‘‘ Barnaby Mudge’ rod lly im the Saturitay oem Po, oa Mie dota log’? wan one of the prize storivs of the Dollar New , Among the other blunders in reference to Poe is the statement that “in 1844 he took up his residence in Now York, project- inga eee be called “The Stylus.”’ Poe frat ‘1, in Philadclpbia, » monthly, to be called “I'he Pean ingavine,”’ but before that city he rn hin plan apd sife, and printed tho propoatua of + Stylus.” He did nt “commence wiway Jour- nel with Charles ¥F. B: .”? Tho origmal! editors and propristors of that were Mr. Briggs and Mr. Wat- son, Mr. Poo came in come tue afverwaris, Grenville Mellen, (ii, 278) they pay, “wrote for the United Staton Vat Garette, sapported by Tong’ellow and ethers, of Cambritge.” The periodical hore alluded oe to exist before Longfoliow ever went to Cam- bridge. ‘Theodore Parker G14 not (M. 557) “in 1948," deliver » Pri dee te mesg for ite severity, on Daniel Web- jer.’ This person’s lampoon upon Mr. Webs! de- Hivered after the statoaman's death, in isoge We cannot, however, proceed further with ao re of tho direct mis-statoments contained in this work. SAF yroper correction demands a new vo- instrations of the extreme igaoranse 1@ Mesars. Doyckinck of everything not found fa pre. vious publications in the same department, conaseted with the literary lives of thoes persons whom they resog- nite authors, %e shell bring to a close what we have to ray of the ‘historical’? vatue of the ‘Cyclopedia of American Strains In regard to Gen, Cass (fi. 42) the authority followed War posal me newspaper aleteh, prepared rather for the illustration cf the political than the Literary career of that vereradle ovant. If among all the wriflnge of Gon, Cars there is one thing of which he is eepevially and Juatly prod, it is his tngenious and masterly exporare, in the North American Reviow, of the pretended Inaian tra- veller who eneceeded tn imposing pon Raropean scho- ereeJobn Dunn Lunters ‘the moet Jearnod and care-