mountain, and swelled by copious rains above its banks, pours forth the vast, deep, boiling torrent of his song." Pindarum quisquis studet æmulari, Nititur pennis, vitreo daturus Monte decurrens, velut amnis, imbres Splendid, and as respects the mere form of composition, not unmerited eulogy! But how poor and mean are his subjects, when compared with those of David! Of Pindar, more truly, perhaps, than of any other writer, we may say, that the workmanship excelled the stuff. Materiem superabat opus. What a waste of the richest gifts of mind to commemorate the triumphs of the race-ground and the wrestling-match, -to adorn the interminable fables of a childish and corrupt mythology! In the matchless odes of David, on the other hand, as I just now remarked, the finest poetry' is employed to embody the most profound wisdom. His only subject is Religion, sublime, beautiful, pure, and true, as she reveals herself to the highest contemplations of the noblest minds. But is not this devotional language a mere lip-service? a form of sound words employed by the king to set a good example to his court? Ah, no! Religion is his pride, his delight, his passion. There is no mistake about his meaning. His poetry is a boiling flood, like that of Pindar, though heated with a far different fire. Every verse is alive, breathing, burning, throbbing with unaffected sentiment. Whence, then, comes this sudden burst of light and glory from the centre of the deepest intellectual and moral darkness? How happens it that the ruler of a little semi-barbarous eastern state has reached in his odes a height of sublimity, pathos, moral and religious truth, which Pindar never dreamed of, and Milton vainly sought to imitate? Answer, infidelity! Answer, scepticism! When you have done your best in vain, Faith supplies the solution with a word. APPENDIX TO CRITICAL NOTICES. A glance at the foregoing critical notices of the current literature, will show that we consider it an important department in our journal. It is our purpose to make it as thorough and as comprehensive as possible, especially in the notice of original American works; and to that end we have sent circulars to publishers generally, inviting them to transmit to us a copy of their publications as soon as they come from the press. This invitation has been responded to by many, and notices of the books received from them will for the most part be found in the place assigned to them. Some required a more extended notice than we had room to give, and some came too late for any other notice than a simple acknowledgment of their being received all such are enumerated in the appendix to this department of the journal. We will cheerfully give a full and complete list of all the books issued from the press during the quarter, if publishers will enable us to do this by sending us their publications, in turn. S. COLEMAN, 141 Nassau street, New York. Child's Gem, No. 2, for 1839, second of the series, edited by a Lady. New York: 1839. Diamond quarto, pp. 144.- Parley's Christmas Gift, for 1839. By the genuine Peter Parley. New York. Square 16mo. pp. 168.- Weekly Reports for Schools, by an Instructer. - Child's Gem, No. 1, new edition. - Parley's Universal History, new edition, 200 engravings from wood, maps, etc. 2 vols. square 16mo. pp. 760.- Little Girl's Own Book, new edition. — Rhymes for my Children, by a Mother, new edition. New Testament, authorized version, large and elegant type. - Geraldine, Athenia of Damascus, and Miscellaneous Poems, by Rufus Dawes. In elegant binding, with gold backs. New York: 1839. S. Coleman. 12mo. pp. 348. - Peter Parley's Christmas Tales, for 1839. New York: S. Coleman. Square 16mo. pp. 352.- Peter Parley's Gift, for 1839. New York: S. Coleman. Square 16mo. pp. 168. - Peter Parley's Rambles in England, Scotland, and Ireland. New York: 1839. S. Coleman. Square 16mo. pp. 266. - HARPER and BROTHERS, 82 Cliff street, New York. - Public and Private Economy, parts 1 and 2, by Theodore Sedgwick. New York: 1836 and 38. Harper and Brothers. 2 vols. 12mo. pp. 263, pp. 210.-Life of Christ, in the words of the Evangelists. Illustrated with engravings, after Chapman and others, by Adams. New York: 1838. Square 16mo. pp. 292.- Evenings at Home, by Dr. Aikin and Mrs. Barbauld, illustrated by engravings. New York 1838. Harper and Brothers. Square 16mo. pp. 383. LEA and BLANCHARD, of Philadelphia. — City of the Czar; or a Visit to St. Petersburgh, in the winter of 1829-30, by Thomas Raikes. Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard. 2 vols. 12mo. pp. 212, pp. 197.- Principles of Political Economy, part second, by H. C. Carey. Philadelphia: 1838. Carey, Lea, and Blanchard. Svo. pp. 466. AMERICAN COMMON SCHOOL UNION, New York.- Town's Spelling Book. 18mo. PP. 160. GOULD and NEWMAN, New York. English Grammar for Beginners, on the inductive method of instruction, by John L. Parkhurst. New York: 1838. Gould and Newman. PERKINS and MARVIN, Boston. My first School Book to teach me to read and spell words, by a Friend of mine.. Boston: 1838. Perkins and Marvin. 12mo. PP. 112. J. MUNROE and Co. - Self Culture, by W. E. Channing. From the AUTHOR. Sanders's Spelling Book, by Charles W Sanders. New York: 1838. F. J. Huntington and Co. 12mo. pp. 166. QUARTERLY CHRONICLE. We have it in view to enrich the next number of our Journal with a new department, to be designated the Quarterly Chronicle; and in so doing, the New York Review will take the initiative in a route hitherto wholly untrodden by its trimestral brethren in this country, and nearly so by those of Europe. They have been and are repositories of elaborate literary disquisitions, but not timely reporters of the progress either of society or letters. The voice is too distant; it does not sound until long after the train has passed, and borne the impatient travellers within it quite out of hearing. Of the four leading English quarterly periodicals, and of our own of the same class, it may be asserted, that few numbers have appeared which might not have been issued months before or after the date of publication, without seeming tardy or premature. This course may be very wise and proper to a certain extent; reflection, judgment, and impartiality, are to be exercised-time must be afforded for the patient investigation of abstruse topics, and the calm elucidation of important principles. But the increased and increasing numbers who labor in the field of science, of letters, of art, and of philosophy, require that more attention should be had to the minute footsteps of discovery — the fruits of days, and hours, and minutes. The moral effects of discovery, the great political consequences of the arts of communication, the application of new principles to the social system, the extension of commerce, the direction of enterprise, the promotion of the general interests of humanity, by civilization, education, and religion, the international action of the European states, and the growth of liberty- these are matters which deserve inscription upon our pages, if not in the earnest spirit of quotidian journalism, at least in a manner at once calm and condensed. In this way we purpose to connect ourselves with the living interests of the day, by chronicling all events of marked importance. It seems to us a duty. The mass of mankind, and especially of our own countrymen, are so busily engaged in active pursuits, that it is incumbent on those who have leisure to contemplate the changing scenes and events of the great theatre, to communicate and portray what they hear and see to the actors themselves. In all other respects, the journal will continue the same. The advantages accompanying a variety of well digested and interesting studies from different sources of the highest authority, will be thus combined with notices of all publications of interest at home and abroad, and such an account as tolerably extensive connexions, and a careful observation of passing events, shall enable us to give of the changing physiognomy of this great and intelligent age. CONTENTS OF NO. VIII. ART. I. LITERARY PROPERTY. 1. Remarks on Literary Reports, by PHILIP H. NICKLIN. 2. Plea for Authors and the Rights of Literary Property. II. NATHANIEL BOWDITCH. 1. Eulogy on Nathaniel Bowditch, LL. D., etc. By JOHN PICKERING. 2. An Eulogy on the Life and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch, etc. By DANIEL APPLETON White. 3. The Varieties of Human Greatness: a Discourse on the Life and Character of Nathaniel Bowditch, etc. By ALEXANDER YOUNG. III. THE CONGRESS OF 1774. Historical Address delivered before the Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania, etc. By WILLIAM B. REED. IV. THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. The National Portrait Gallery of distinguished V. POEMS FROM THE GERMAN. Select Minor Poems, translated from the German of Goethe and Schiller. By JOHN S. DWIGHT. VI. SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS. 1. Report of the Meetings of the British Association for the advancement of Science, etc. 2. Proceedings of several Gentlemen belonging to Boston, Salem, and the University of Cambridge, met November 1, 1838, to consult on the expediency of forming an institution to be called "The American Institution, for the Cultivation of Science," etc. VII. THE ABORIGINES OF OHIO. A Discourse on the Aborigines of Ohio, etc. By VIII. EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY. 428 Demonstration of the Truth of the Christian Religion. By ALEXANDER Keith. Histoire de la Grandeur et de la Decadence de X. NEW TRANSLATIONS OF THE BOOK OF JOB. 1. A New Translation of the Book of Job, etc. By GEORGE R. NOYES. 2. The Book of the Patriarch Job, translated from the Original Hebrew, etc. By SAMUEL LEE. XI. STEAM BOAT EXPLOSIONS. 1. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting, in obedience to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 29th of June last, information in relation to Steam Engines, etc. 2. Report of the Committee appointed by the Citizens of Cincinnati, April 26th, 1838, to inquire into the causes of the explosion of the Moselle. XII. CRITICAL NOTICES. 1. Dr. Hosack's Lectures. 2. Report of the Massachusetts Lunatic Hospital. 441 457 461 485 487 489 13. Russell's Principles of Statistical Inquiry. 498 499 15. Skinner's Religion of the Bible. 500 16. Life of Cardinal Cheverus. 500 17. Sparks's Life of Washington. 501 18. Staunton's Dictionary of the Church. XIII. QUARTERLY CHRONICLE.. QUARTERLY LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 521 |