Poems. By WILLIAM THOMPSON BACON. Cam-, bridge: George Nichols. New York: G. P. Putnam. 1849.

Among the many volumes of poems which have been laid upon our table during the last year, we have opened none that contain more evidence of care and critical study on the part of the author than those of Mr. Bacon. The volume contains a great variety of verse on a great variety of subjects, but all showing evidence of genuine poetic feeling, and of that peculiar turn of imagination which characterizes natural genius. Our space will not allow us to enter upon a full analysis of these poems, and we must content ourselves with a few extracts, premising that they are chosen as specimens of what seems to us the best moods of the author. Mr. Bacon gives us to understand in his preface, that he is a political editor. If he finds it possible to unite the duties of such a function with the more elegant pursuits of literature, we cannot but admire both his versatility and his industry. One feature, we may be permitted, with all modesty, to commend in his poetical works, and that is that they express a purely poetical phase of imagination, and do not convert the winged genius of verse from its aerial functions to be the trumpeter of vain philosophy and false pathos. When Mr. B. writes a poem he writes it as a poet, and not as a humanitarian preacher, or a socialist lecturer. There is not a single poem on Labor in the whole book, which seems to be a very sure indication that the poet is himself a laborer in his vocation. This by-the-by. The metres are the old ones, such as our language naturally fell into, before we began to imitate the harsh trotting and cantering measures of the German. Want of space obliges us to limit our extracts to the two following poems.

REPROOF.

Why should we be for ever drooping, sighing, When so much round us is to make us wise? We cannot look upon an insect dying,

We cannot look on the eternal skiesWe cannot look abroad upon "boon Nature," Nor hear a voice loud ringing from her soul, But there is that to teach the immortal creature Some mighty truths that ever should control.

And yet we go, one race upon another, Drooping and sighing all along our way;

No one dares call his neighbor friend and brother,
Nor lets such feeling in his bosom sway;
Wrapping himself in selfishness and sorrow,
Seeking his own nor caring for aught more,
So waits each soul the light of each to-morrow,
While travelling here along this wondrous shore

Oh, is such lesson taught us in this being
Who looks abroad and finds this in his seeing!
Comes it from earth, or th' all-embracing skies?
Who hears it where earth's mighty heart re-
plies?

Is it the voice of ocean surging, rushing?

Is it the voice of mighty waves that roar? Comes it from sweet brooks holy valleys brushing!

Breathes it where vernal groves their pæans pour ?

Comes it from the great souls of ancient ages-
The mighty ones-the infinite in heart;
The far-eyed seers-heroic bards and sages-
Who for their age have felt and done their part!
Comes it from the pure word, God-given and holy,
To stay the soul, when crushed by guilt or folly,
Placed in each hand, by every humble hearth,
And cheer the drooping spirit of the earth?
O no, O no-then let us no more wonder

But hear the voice loud echoing like deep thunder,
At the strange mysteries that round us crowd,
And sounding on from age to age so loud;
Hear it, wherever we may be, life giving,

Gain courage, and still hoping press along; From holy earth, from holy heaven receiving The voice of Wisdom and the tide of song!

THE FIRST DECEMBER SONG.

It has come again, and it sweeps along,
The storm in its rapid might;
We hear it howling among the woods,
It sweeps from the stars their light;
We hear his voice as he rolls along,

Borne from the icy north,

And we feel it shake to his fearful wingThis old and crazy earth.

We have had the Spring in its light and bloom,
The vales and the hills all flowers,
And the lovely light of the sweet Spring sky,
And all its sweets were ours;

The Summer came too, in matron grace,
And the world smiled as she moved,
And the Summer blessed us as she can bless,
She hath loved us and was beloved.

And the pleasant Autumn passed along,
And a pleasant power she had,
And yet round the heart she flung her chain,
Till its very bliss was sad?
Over the leaves, over the flowers,
Cast to the earth along,

She sung a melancholy note,

And her heart joined with her song.

But here we have, and he comes in wrath,

The tyrant of the year;

And he breathes from his furious lips the snows,
And the sleet and the ice severe;
And over the hills, over the vales,

He flies with rapid wing,

And he chains the waves, and withers up
All that danced to the touch of Spring.

Yet he is not, surely without some charm,
For see where he drives along;
Lo! in what clouds he wraps himself,

And hark! to his thunder-song;
He bows the forest with his fierce breath,
He spreads himself on the waves,
And the old waves pause in their stormy joy,
Or howl in their hidden caves.

He piles the snow in the vales, he heaps
The hills till they prouder are;
He decks the forest with all the fires
That live in the rainbow's glare;
He brings us, too, the thoughts of home,
For we gather the hearth-stone round,
And here, while his voice is heard without,
Are love and its blessings found.

O, forget not now such as shrink to-day,
From the storm that howls along;
And forget not the wretches that shrink to-night,
As they hear from on high his song;
Let feelings such as wake the heart

That feels for its brother's woe,
Lead us to send to the God of storms,
A prayer for earth's wretched now!

The plan generally adopted in foreign countries, of allowing the pupil to copy the lecturer's manuscript notes, was in this case found to be impracticable; and the often-repeated request of the students to be furnished with some elementary book, as a framework or skeleton of the course, could only be met by a declaration, singular as the fact might appear, that no such work cheap, compendious, and tolerably readable, existed in English. The excellent volumes of Warton are obviously inapplicable to such a purpose; for they only treat of one portion of English literature the poetry; and of that only down to the Elizabethan age. Their plan, also, is far too extensive to render them useful to the general student. Chambers's valuable and complete 'Cyclopædia of English Literature' is as much too voluminous as his shorter sketch is too dry and list-like; while the French and German essays on the subject are not only limited in their scope, but are full of very erroneous critical judgments.

"Induced by these circumstances, the author has endeavored to produce a volume which might serve as a useful outline Introduction to English Literature, both to the English and the foreign student. This little work, it is needless to say, has no pretensions whatsoever to the title of a complete course of English Literature; it is merely an attempt to describe the causes, instruments and nature of those great revolutions in taste which form what are termed "Schools of Writing." In order to do this, and to mark more especially those broad and salient features which ought to be clearly fixed in the reader's mind before he can profitably enter upon the details of the subject, only the greater names-the greater types of each period-have been examined; whilst the inferior, or merely imitative, writers have been unscrupulously neglected; in short, the author has marked only the chief luminaries in each intellectual constellation; he has not attempted to give a complete Catalogue of Stars.

He has considered the greater names in English literature under a double point of view; first, as glorified types and noble expressions of the religious, social, and intellectual physiognomy of their times; and secondly, in their own individuality; and he hopes that the sketches of the great Baconian revolution in philosophy, of the state of the Drama under Elizabeth and James the First, of the intellectual character of the Commonwealth and Restoration, of the romantic school of fiction, of Byronism, and of the present tendencies of poetry, may be foundhowever imperfectly executed-to possess some interest, were it only as the first attempt to lected in elementary books, but which the intreat, in a popular manner, questions hitherto negcreased intelligence of the present age renders it no longer expedient to pass over without remark."

The author further informs us that this volume is to be followed by a second, nearly equal in bulk, containing a selection of choice passages, forming a chrestomathy to be read with the biographical and critical account of each

This is a labored argument against the establishment of the Church, by one of the most celebrated evangelical preachers of this day, in England. It condemns the Union of Church and State upon constitutional grounds, by arguments drawn from history and the Mosaic law, and from the prophecies and the New Testament. It condemns also the maintenance of Christian pastors by the State, and undertakes to show the evils of such maintenance. It then shows the influence of the union of church and state upon church dignitaries and pastors, and upon dissenters. A third series of objections discovers many miscellaneous evils resulting from the same to the people and country generally, and to religion. The last chapter of the work is devoted to the means and methods of promoting a revival and extension of religion. The volume is a small, cheap octavo.

The Gold Seeker's Manual; being a Practical and Instructive Guide to all persons emigrating to the newly discovered Gold Regions of California. By DAVID T. ANSTED, Professor of Geology, King's College, London, Consulting Mining Engineer. New York. D. Appleton & Co. 1849.

A small pamphlet containing an account of the great gold regions of the earth, but more especially of California, by an author of great scientific reputation. A book needed by all emigrants, and all who seek solid information on gold regions.

The California and Oregon Trail; being Sketches of Prairie and Rocky Mountain Life. By FRANCIS PARKMAN, Jr. New York. 1849.

A spirited narrative of prairie life and travel, well worth the leisure of an evening to read it. Among the many works upon California and western life this volume ranks well, both for the variety and interest of the adventures, and

the clear, straightforward, descriptions. The author seems to be an honest man and a "good fellow."

Napoleon Louis Bonaparte, First President of France. Biographical and Personal Sketches, including a Visit to the Castle of Ham. By HENRY WIKOFF. New York. George P. Putnam. 1849.

This is a very amusing and sprightly little book, though at the same time ludicrously pert and conceited. The author gives an account of his acquaintance with several of the Bonaparte family, and with the famous dandy, Count D'Orsay, who it would appear, from Mr. Wikoff's description of him, is a kind of philosopher in disguise. The sketches of French manners are very funny and brisk. A very good book for the cars or steamboat, or to be read while dinner is getting ready.

A great deal of very pleasant reading will be found in this book, compressed together with a great deal of sentimental cant and positive "stuff." The latter part of the book must be really valuable to persons about to go to California, as it contains an account of the gold regions, and certain practical directions necessary to those who mean to cross the Isthmus. The details of the incidents of the author's adventures are so peculiarly silly and impertinent in some parts, that it reminds one of the feeble twaddle of an over-sanctimonious, henpecked schoolmaster.

Catechism of the Steam Engine, Illustrative of the Scientific Principle upon which its operation depends, and the Practical Details of its structure, in its application to mines, mills, steam navigation and railways. With various suggestions of improvement. By J. BOURNE, C. E., Editor of a Treatise on the Steam Engine, by the Artisan Club. From the last London edition. New York. Appleton & Co. 1849.

The author of this valuable work has also published a quarto treatise on the Steam Engine, to which this is a supplement and in part an introduction. In a moderate compass the author has given an outline of the entire subject. It embodies the best information on the steam engine and its practical applications.

A Dictionary of the German and English Languages, indicating the accentuation of every German word, containing several hundred German synonyms, together with a classification and alphabetical list of the irregular verbs, and a dictionary of German abbreviations. In Two Parts. 1. German and English. 2. English and German. By G. J. ADLER, A. M., Professor of German Language and Literature in the University of New York. New York: D. Appleton. & Co. 1849. Philadelphia: G. S. Appleton. agreeable German dictionary we have ever This is by far the most serviceable and opened. It is a compilation from the works of Hilpert, Flügel, Grieb, Heyse, and others. The compiler dedicates it to the Hon. Theodore Frelinghuysen, LL.D., Chancellor, and to the Faculty of the University of New York city, of which he declares himself a graduate. The book itself is the finest thing of the kind, for mechanical execution and elegance, and clearness of type and arrangement, ever got up in this country. We have seen no dictionary equal to it. The publishers have fairly outdone themselves and all others. The book lies delightfully upon the table, remains open at any page, and invites the eye by sharp, clear letter, on the best of paper. To students of German, these recommendations will have great force, if they have been used to read in the cramped, eye-killing type of German dictionaries, printed in Germany. The literary merits of the work cannot be pronounced upon, except after long use, or by a native scholar. It has all the authority of great names.

REVIEW OF WHIPPLE'S ESSAYS.

We have been very seriously blamed by several friends and correspondents for having admitted the expression of some rather strong high church" sentiments and opinions in our February number, in the review of " Whipple's Essays. It is, perhaps, necessary to assure our friends and readers generally that the aforesaid review was admitted on the score of its literary merit, which is freely acknowledged. The editor is obliged to admit that he regards historical controversies with no degree of enthusiasm; to be a sound republican, and to

enter with a right feeling into the affairs of one's own country and age, seems to be sufficient for a moderate ambition. Touching the sneers at New England Calvinism in the same article, a very learned theologian informs him that the celebrated South, whose writings are so highly praised by the author of the review, was himself a very good Calvinist. These are difficult points, and require great study. It is, perhaps, a pity any thing had been said on the subject, but the editor hopes no man's belief or faith may be taken from him, or his spiritual condition in the least jeopardized by this review of Mr. Whipple's essays. Indeed, we may rest

assured that the Calvinists generally are too firmly seated to be shaken by a few tilting sentences in a review. Nor will the admirers of Paradise Lost think any the less of John Milton by hearing a High Churchman call him a radical. Radical, indeed, in those days, but of such a sturdy and legitimate kind, as our modern radicalism may dread to think of. In a word, we endorse nothing of the ultraism of the offending article, and desire our kind readers to weigh against them the brilliancy and originality of style and manner for which its author is so justly admired.

It is objected, too, that the style and eloquence of two very distinguished gentlemen, namely, Dr. Tyng, of New York, and Theodore Parker, of Boston, are too severely criticised; but at the same time, nothing, it must be observed, is advanced against the eminence, ability, or character of these gentlemen. The criticisms are literary, and not personal, though affected somewhat by the theological prejudices of the writer. Certainly, nothing could be further from the heart of the writer of the article, (we happen to know,) than bitterness or malice; it is an affair of the brain merely, and not of the heart; and should any real hard feeling on the part of the friends of these gentlemen result from it, we shall regret that we did not rather deprive our readers of the entertainment they must find in its brilliancy, keenness, and direct and studied opposition to the usual and established course of opinion on the subjects it treats of. For, on our part, we derived a real satisfaction from it, if it were only the pleasure of hearing some of our own favorite opinions handled with such a saucy freedom. Somewhat too much of this.

some have been got with great difficulty, because of the reluctance of the persons solicited to make their faces public. Many distinguished names have been passed over because of the difficulty of procuring good portraits in time for the engraver. Others have been inserted, not merely because they were well known, but because they were in New York or Washington at the time, and could be daguerreotyped in a style fit for engraving. Notwithstanding, however, the many difficulties that have been got over, and the general satisfaction expressed with the appearance of our portrait series, a great deal of jealousy has appeared among the friends of some gentlemen, who conceive that their favorite names have been neglected, and others preferred. In some instances names of some eminence have been withdrawn from the subscription list, apparently through jealousy of the appearance of certain portraits. The editor will not say that such a withdrawal justifies him in his choice, but he will venture so far as to regret his inability to do entire justice, and to beg the forbearance of his subscribers. It is clearly impossible to discover, to a certainty, who are the most eminent persons in every part of this vast continent. Conspicuous and powerful men, and those who are well and popularly known, must sometimes be preferred before those whose fortune has not blown their fame quite as loudly in the direction of New York. We would therefore repeat the assurance, that we do not assume in this series, to establish by our feeble judgment any scale of merit; it is enough for the purpose that a name is conspicuous and eminent, either in a social, moral, or political sense. The procuring of these portraits is a profitless and invidious task for the editor, and nothing would have tempted him to engage in it but the belief that it would be rendering a real service to the party to make its leaders and statesmen known, if only by their portraits, in all parts of the Union. It will indeed rarely happen that, even with the best engraver, a perfect likeness will be given; the most that can be expected is an approximation-a tolerable resemblance. Imperfect, however, as the best portrait must be, it is better than none, and when the best is done no more can be required.