thor of the work entitled "Political Ethics," used as a text book in that institution, and also of "the American Encyclopedia," pretty generally known to our American scholars, is also a contributor to "the New York Review." The able article on the Post Office Department, which appeared in a recent number of it, was written by him, and contains many valuable suggestions, and proposes some radical reforms in our Post Office arrangements, which are well worthy of the attention of a patriotic Congress. There has been a good deal of excellent writing in this Review, and we regret, that it is not as extensively patronized, as, from its literary merits, it ought to be. In politics, it is thorougly Conservative, and in theology, it is a strenuous and able advocate for the High Church party, and goes the whole length for Episcopacy.

The history of the late "Southern Review" is too well known to our readers throughout the Southern States, to require any additional information at our hands; and it is so well known to fame, that no eulogium passed upon its merits, can enhance its celebrity. Equal to any, the best periodical, of the same order, in Great Britain, it attained a reputation not reached by any American Review, during the brief period of its brilliant career, and the only regret that is felt, when its name is mentioned is, that a work so well calculated to advance the cause of American literature, should have been of so short-lived and evanescent a character. It existed long enough, however, to prove one thing, that the Southern part of the American confederacy is not destitute of scholars, rare and ripe ones; that it is capable of taking a high and independent literary position before the world; and that if similar enterprizes are destined to fail here, it will not be for want of talent and ability in our writers.

"The Southern Review was, at its commencement, under the editorial control of that profound and elegant scholar, and fine writer, the late Stephen Elliott, L.L.D. Upon his death, the work passed into the hands of his talented son, Stephen Elliott, junr., now the Rev. Dr. Elliott, Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Georgia, a gentleman universally beloved and revered for his virtues, and admired for his rare attainments. Mr. Legare finally took charge of the work, and while under his management, fully sustained the high

reputation it had already attained. Among its principal contributors, were Dr. Cooper, Professor Henry, Professor Nott, Professor Wallace, Mr. Grimké, General Hayne, General Hamilton, and Mr. Turnbull, constituting a galaxy of literary luminaries of the first magnitude, besides other writers of approved scholarship and eminent attainments. Several of these distinguished individuals, indeed the majority of them, have passed from the scene of their earthly labors and fame, to reap the rewards of a well spent life in a better world.

"The Boston Review," published at Boston, and edited by O. A. Brownson, Esq., deserves to be noticed among the other quarterly periodicals of the United States. Its editor is a man of strong mind, and original powers of genius. His course in life has been rather eccentric, and his opinions, as an editor, are especially so. His style is distinguished by great energy, boldness and beauty. Mr. Brownson is a writer preeminently fond of theories, hobbies and novel speculations. His aim seems to be, to unsettle the foundations of old dogmas, and to startle and astound the world by novel propositions, which he sustains with plausible reasoning and much force of argument. He takes his stand on the side of the people, and maintains, with great ability, many of the broad principles of democracy. He was, at one time, more transcendental in his views of society than he now is, and we think the change has brought improvement to his position. We have a great respect for the talents, and for the purity of the motives of the author of "the Infidel Reclaimed," a work in which, we believe, he has intended to set forth his own history. We do not concur in all his plans and projects, but we do in some of them, for they are honorable to the age. If he will commence the work of reform, and combat existing evils with all the powers of a master mind, God speed him in the holy labor. Whatever he achieves for the truth, or for mankind, will be so much gained, and if he accomplish nothing, the honest motive still remains to console him for energies vainly expended in a cause that his conscience approves.

Few works are read with more avidity than Mr. Brownson's "Boston Review," for if readers do not fully assent to all his opinions, they yet admire his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his ability, his honesty of purpose. We believe he

writes most of the articles that appear in the Review himself. He has, however, a few able contributors, who are among the first scholars of the age. The circulation of this work is not great, the number of copies, published quarterly, not exceeding six hundred copies.

"The Boston Christian Examiner," though not a Quarterly Review, yet, in literary character, ranks as high as any Quarterly published either in Europe or America. It is issued from the press once every two months, there being six numbers in the course of the year. Its title indicates that it is simply a theological work, but this is not the case, it being partly devoted to literary objects. It has been successively in the hands of different editors, possessing the highest qualifications. The Rev. William Ware, author of "the Letters from Palmyra," before alluded to by us, fills, at present, its editorial chair. It has many able contributors, both among clergymen and laymen. We believe it is the only periodical in America, for whose pages Dr. Channing has ever written any thing. His great articles on Milton, on Bonaparte, on Fenelon and on American literature, first appeared in this work. In theology, it espouses the cause of what is called the Liberal Party. We are not aware of the amount of its circulation. We believe it is not very extensive, by no means so great as, from its high literary merit, it deserves to be.

"The Biblical Repertory" is another theologico-literary Review, published quarterly, at Princeton, New-Jersey. We have never seen more than a single copy of this able periodical, but, from that specimen, formed a very high idea of its literary excellence. As a religious vehicle, it is devoted to the cause of the Presbyterian Church, and is, we believe, the leading organ through which its most eminent divines and scholars express their opinions.

A Quarterly Review was some time since started at Petersburg, Va., by Mr. Ruffin, well known as the editor of an excellent agricultural magazine, whose title has escaped our memory. What success has crowned the labors of this gentleman, we cannot say. We fear that it has not been so great as it ought to have been, for we learn, with regret, that the publication of the work was, some months ago, suspended.

Quarterly Reviews are the embodiment, so to speak, of

the national mind on all great questions, in which the interests of arts, sciences, letters and politics are involved, at certain periods in a nation's history. Their aim is, to discuss subjects thoroughly, learnedly, profoundly,-in such a manner as to affect the whole social system, and to produce a broad, deep and permanent impression upon the character of a whole people, and upon the destinies of an entire age; in a word, their object is, to diffuse knowledge, not to foster prejudices; to create, direct and control, not to echo, opinions; to produce beneficial changes upon a large scale, not to perpetuate, or even tolerate, existing abuses. All the low aims of party, all the ebullitions of personal resentment, all fanciful speculations and castle-built theories, from which an age of light withholds its sanction, are necessarily excluded from such a work, and its writers come, if they come at all, to canvass principles and maintain truth, intrepidly and effectually, in a calm and dignified manner, and in a style so chaste, luminous, nervous and appropriate, that the most stern and captious critic cannot cavil at it, if he would.

Ably conducted Reviews are the offspring of a high state of civilization, and are the best evidence now-a-days that can be furnished, of intellectual advancement and of the prevalence of a pure and elevated philosophy. Distinguished scholars have found in them a readier and a better organ, through which to act upon the public mind, than through the medium of books, the old, more tedious and more expensive method of gaining access to the popular ear. If it be asked, what evidence is, or can be furnished, of the superior intelligence and progress of the present century, a progress of which we are so apt to boast, we reply, that it is to be found in the high character of the Quarterly Reviews, abroad and at home. If it be affirmed, that we have no native literature in this country, we answer, that our Reviews, at least in part, (though we are by no means destitute of authors of celebrity,) constitute our native literature, and that if learning and scholarship are sought for, they are to be found in these works, which are an evidence, and a fair one, of our literary pretensions and our national character. In addition to this view of the subject, it may be safely affirmed, that no one cause has contributed so much to elicit talent, to awaken literary ambition, and to produce the highest order of fine and power

ful writing, as these organs of our literature have done, and that many individuals have been stimulated to extraordinary effort, and have been subsequently known far and wide to fame, in consequence of the opportunities they have enjoyed and improved, of successfully contributing to works of so influential a character,-individuals, who, otherwise, in all probability, would never have been tempted to test their strength on the literary arena, with such competitors as they would be likely to meet there.

Since the discontinuance of "the Southern Review," and while we are now writing, the Southern States have no such influential organ, through which their scholars, statesmen and critics can express their opinions upon the character of the works which are issued from the Press, and which, whether good or bad, constitute the food of the people, and affect, more or less, the national character, nor upon questions of great moment and deep interest to the South and to the whole country. While the Northern and Middle States have their Quarterly Reviews, through which the leading minds of those great, populous and powerful sections, speak out their thoughts and sentiments, boldly, freely and ably on the leading principles of taste, the great improvements of an improving age, and the measures of domestic policy to be adopted and pursued, with all the energy of talent, and all the zeal awakened by sectional feelings and sectional prejudices, the great South and South-West has no organ, through which its voice can be heard, even in a whisper, except piece-meal, so to speak, through the Newspapers and the lighter periodicals. At a moment when fanatical, but powerful writers, unenlightened as to the true merits of the question, and the real state of affairs in this region, are endeavoring to excite a deep, permanent, bitter, living and breathing power of odium and opposition against us; at the very moment when not only individuals, but large, powerful and constantly increasing combinations of misnamed philanthropists, are feeding the greedy avarice of one party, and nursing the weak and conscientious scruples of another party, or ministering to the wicked hopes or foul ambition of political aspirants, who constitute a third party, by dark, subtle, concerted measures to assail institutions which constitute the strength and almost the very life-blood of this Southern section of the confederacy, institutions secured to