of his nation, until he placed himself at The book with the above title speaks of the head of it, though he never was concealed Gagern, of his family, his childhood, his from those who were reconnoitring the politi- education; speaks of him as the farmer culcal horizon. When the convulsion of the tivating the soil of his estate, as the man of earthquake waked the dead, as from an en- letters, as the President of the Parliament. chanted sleep, with their principles of ancient Gagern, born in 1799, was the son of a man times, and sent them to Frankfort in company who, living in the eventful times of Napoleon, with those, who with their wishes were far in acted on different occasions as ambassador at advance of the age, when one party desired to Paris and Berlin; and the son's talent through preserve what the revolution had overthrown the gift of God, improved more and more unat the will of the people, and the other party der the guidance of such a father; for the wished to go much further than the people child is nourished by what is given to him, had done, the eye of the true patriot was and to understand the man we must look at looking around for a rock to climb in this his childhood. What the boy strives for, he tempest-like commotion. Gagern entered the fully will obtain in manhood, says Goethe. stand. His noble carriage, his tall figure, his The father's frequent return home gave opstern eye looking calmly around upon the tu- portunity to the son to hear of the events of multuously contending parties, commanded re- the time from one who was nearly connected spect. As soon as he spoke stillness reigned, with them, and in this way he learned the and each found new hope in his words when views of the leaders. He became acquainted he said, “the Commonwealth requires our at- with their motive of action. Scarcely had he tention; not the problems of the minority. We reached the age of fifteen when he took up dare not destroy, but must build up. We must arms against the common oppressor, fought preserve the monarchy—the safety of our the last great battle, and returned with an honcountry depends on monarchy.” The loudest orable Belle Alliance scar. After this, he puracclammation of the crowded St. Paul's church sued his studies at different colleges, and at was heard throughout Germany and re-echoed

the

age of twenty-one entered the public offrom all sides. Gagern at once had pointed fice of his native land, Nassau, defending at out the way on which, ever since, the parlia- the same time the rights of the people by libment has been moving. He gave the theme eral pamphlets. Elected to the Nassau Chamto the parliament for discussion : " Monarchy ber, he was considered one of the opposition. and the sovereignty of the people.” Who Our book gives many of his speeches, some will blame him for speaking from himself at length, some in extracts. His speeches are what he felt intensely to be the inmost want simple, but powerful, showing always the of the majority-which alone he knew would naked truth in a fearless way.

They bring happiness and prosperity for the future, contain neither imagination nor mysteand would ripen men for a republic. A re- rious phrases. The manly thought comes public, indeed, is the best government. No- forth honestly, the word speaks the very body can deny that, living in this country or meaning intended, and the hearers are not acquainted with our history; but people not carried away by his oratory. The observer taught to govern themselves are as unhappy sees in the faces of the audience that anxin a republic as children deprived of their tu- ious feeling which fears to lose by a new distors. They will become the prey of their own cussion the opinion already formed, and ignorance. They must retain their govern- wishes that the voting might follow immement for some time, altering only the laws diately. which bind them like slaves, and educating themselves and their children to manhood. Governments are like the corner stones of a Schomburgk's Voyages in British Guiana in the building, take them away and the whole will years 1840–44. Printed by order of the fall and nothing is left to shelter the people. King of Prussia, with the Flora and Fauna Therefore Gagern said, “we dare not destroy, with maps and sketches. we must build up." Build up the new build- This book by Schomburgk is a most acceptaing under the shelter of the old one. The ble gift to every friend of nature and her beauwill of the people had found its representative | ties. It bears some relation to the earliest in Gagern, who desired to keep what nowhere voyages of Poppig and Johndy in South was hurt by the people—the monarchy-and America, but is written with more truth and who wished to secure what the people had simplicity. The author is a naturalist, he gained everywhere—their sovereignty. The describes the countries travelled over, as they people would be free except in electing the appeared to his discerning eye, avoiding all President and his Cabinet. "The voice of the trivial remarks about his own person, which people assuredly is God's voice. The people's too often destroy the main object in works of voice was heard in their uniform demands in a similar kind. This book gives us a thotheir first outbreak. Woe to them who did not rough knowledge of that country so little understand that.

known. The reader is placed in the midst of

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the rich prairies and forests of the southern be cholera there. The interior of Gujana continent. Our traveller sailed into the Deme- abounds in wild beasts, snakes, and venomous rara river in the beginning of 1841. The sud- insects; our traveller himself experienced their den change of scenery after the long sea-voy- attacks. The rivers abound in alligators of age burst upon him beautifully, awfully, the length of 12 to 16 feet. An Indian one unspeakably." He says, “In our homely, day shot a large one, and as it appeared to be

ill, romantic vales, we are not familiar with dead, he drew it to the shore by the assistance this mysterious charm of tropical climates. of his companions. They were about to cut The luxury of plants, the fresh green foliage it up when suddenly it arose, and throwing of the trees is unknown us; even the most aside the men, ran off at full speed. At anothtalented poet would in vain attempt to give any er time, an Indian killed a young one with an other description than mere outline, as the arrow, but he had scarcely time to escape, the most glowing language cannot inspire the mother of the young alligator attacking the mind of the reader with those feelings by murderer of her dearest with such a suddden which a man is overpowered while enjoying rage. Other alligators joined her with a deafsuch a glorious sight. I can give but a faint ening howl, and the smooth water became a idea and an imperfect sketch of this scenery. roaring sea by the incessant striking of their When after sunset the almost overpowering tails. The snakes are much to be dreaded, fragrance of the opposite gardens penetrated as they are concealed under thickets of unour windows, when at night each leaf of this derbrush. We find excellent descriptions of waving sea of dark green whispered to me: “the rattlesnake,” of “the trigonocephalus

stranger remember us when far distant, | atrox,” of “the bushmaster,” of “the parwhen thousands of brilliant insects of every rot-snake,” (cophias bilineatus,) and many hue and color traversed the air, still I missed others which he met. The aborigines posthe friendly twilight of my home.” George- sess many remedies against their bites, altown is a hospitable city of 23,000 inhabi- most every village having its own. Among tants. The author makes some very striking the insects the most frightíul was the sand-flea, remarks about the emancipation of slaves, which enters the great toe right under the which took place not long before his arrival, nail, laying its eggs there. At first a burning the consequences of which were so evident at pain is felt, a blue spot appears, and a small that time. He speaks of the cotton-planta- bag of the size of a pea, contains hundreds of tions, the sugar-fields, giving a minute report eggs. They can only be removed by a knife, of their production. The trial of using and travellers, in order to avoid the consequenEuropean laborers was a failure, the travel- ces of their bite, must carefully examine their ler found but a few of those Portuguese and feet every morning. “The bête rouge” seGermans left who were brought over to Guiana lects the softer parts of the body for its bites, some years before. Sickness, fevers of all producing corrosive ulcers. Mosquitos and kinds prevail at all seasons, and make sad ants are not less troublesome. Stung once by havoc among foreigners. He was several an ant, after a few hours the traveller fell down times attacked himself by fever, and it seems senseless; he was carried to an Indian hul, and as if no one could enjoy the beauties of such was saved by the Indian after much suffering. a bountiful nature without endangering his The author relates a great deal of “the atta life. Most frightful is the yellow fever; it cephalotes," a kind of ants, the habits of which was raging at his second visit to Charlestown, are interesting in the highest degree. They and he found the city almost deserted. Those form a well regulated state, each doing its own whom the sickness had spared had left for work for the advantage of the commonwealth. more healthy places; none of the lovely girls, The reader follows all these descriptions and of whom he speaks in the highest terms, were stories with the greatest interest; the riding up seen then. Not less dangerous is the so called the banks of the Essequibo river, the dangers dry cholic, which like all the other diseases, and hardships he met there are of such a kind except cholera, causes death much sooner in that nobody will lay aside the book without that climate than in our own. All seem to confessing how much it has delighted him.

ERRATA IN OCTOBER NUMBER. Page 363, in the foot note, insert in second line, "mighty' before 'mine.' In fourth line insert 'homes and before "haunts.' Page 365, first coluinn, line 9th, for appeared read ' appears. Same page and column, in the Traveller's Vision, first verse, second line, after the word 'outstretched,' read .my.' (Bedouins is to be pronounced as a dissylable, Bed weens; it is sometimes spelt Bedaweens.) Second verse of same poem, second line, insert & comma atter beneath.' Same page, second column, sixth line from foot, omit.and.' Page 366, in poem .Nebo, second verse, fifth line, for in, read on. Same page, third verse, in first and fifth lines, for their,' read there.' Same page. fourth verse, first line, for . Their,' read. There.' Page 367, first column, seventh verse, third line, for tannin,' read

tannen. Same page, tenth verse, third line, for 'pastime,' read 'portion.' Same page, second column, last verse but two, first line, for were,' read once.' Page 368, first column, fourth line, for displays,' read display.' Same page, same column, fourth verse, second line, for sands,' read 'mists.' Same page, second column, fourth verse, last line, for .in,' read 'on.' Same page, same column, fifth verse, third line, for southern,' read southward.' Page 369 second column, twenty-third and twenty-fifth lines, for 'breakest,' read brakest.' Page 37), second column, sixteenth line from foot, omit word political.' Page 372, first column, eighth line, for 'our,' read one.' Eame page, second columo, last verse but two, fourth line, alter •nine,' insert a comma.