did and intelligent scriptural explanations, but of vigorous exhortation, or story-telling. Now, facts are important, only as they illustrate principles; and exhortation is the veriest vanity, unless it is legitimately drawn from truth. This tendency, in our community, should be counteracted, and not strengthened.

According to present appearances, there will be a strong reaction, at no distant time. Men will not only return to the sober reading of former days, but will entirely abjure what is really commendable and important, in the lighter kinds of literature of the present day. We are not pleading for an abandonment of magazines and other like things, but that they should be kept in their proper place, and not be multiplied, so as to become the paramount object of public interest. We wish that they may be so managed, as to prevent the necessity of a reaction. We think that the sober part of the community always prefer to give a fair price to their old booksellers, for the standard works. What is very cheap, will be valued accordingly.

Again, the habit of condensing, and compiling, and extracting, and arranging with questions, is attended with real injustice to the original authors and publishers. A man may be a pirate, without coming under the cognizance of the statute. He may take out the best portions of a book, prepared with great care and at great expense, by the author, and so work them up into another form, as to set the law at defiance, and at the same time defraud another man of his property. We are advocates here, as well as elsewhere, of the strictest conscientiousness. It is no apology for this theft, that the sentiments of the author, by transmutation, are attaining a wider circulation. They are his property, and are not to be touched, but by his consent. of Christian integrity apply here, in their fullest force.

The laws

We have examined several numbers of the Penny Magazine. With many useful and interesting articles, it contains things of a pernicious tendency. It is, in fact, a perfect medley. It may be useful in Great Britain, and not in this country. We do not believe that the Lord Chancellor, and the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, would circulate works of an immoral character. Still, some of the most respectable people of Great Britain believe that the Penny Magazine is hurtful, in its moral tendency; and they have accordingly established a "Saturday Magazine," as an antidote.

5.-A Greek Grammar, for the use of High Schools and Universities. By Philip Buttmann. Translated from the German; with additions, by Edward Robinson. Andover Flagg & Gould. 1833. pp. 494.

A SCHOLAR-LIKE perception of the nature of the Greek language, and a real love of its beauties, are very uncommon in this

country. The usual apology is, want of time. There are so many things to be done, that there is little opportunity to explore the mysteries of Greek literature. Clergymen, it is said, are so engrossed with the active duties of their profession, that it would be sacrilege in them, to make the study of pagan literature a business. We have, however, no confidence in these excuses. What has been, can be again. There are numberless instances on record, of the entire compatibility of close study of Greek and laborious performance of practical duties. The real cause of the neglect of the language, is the lack of early and thorough initiation into its principles. How small is the number of the young men who enter our colleges, who have a radical acquaintance with any one of the books which they have professedly studied! A large part of the time of the college course, is wasted in efforts to inculcate an acquaintance with the common forms of the grammar. The root of the difficulty, as we think, lies here. The existence of our colleges depends, in no small degree, on the tuition received from students. Of course, the temptation to admit individuals, without the necessary qualifications, is irresistible. Besides, there is the rivalry of a large number of institutions, all eager to show the largest list. Consequently, there is no pressure on the preparatory schools, compelling them to adopt a vigorous and thorough classical discipline.

Such is the evil; the remedies, we think, are obvious. Let a few private schools, or academies, determine to insist on ample Greek discipline, as a part of their course. Let them acquire a character for promoting radical scholarship; and they will be patronised. Intelligent men will send their sons to such schools, and the support, in a short time, will be ample. Let the examining board, at our colleges, reject all the Greek stammerers, who apply for admission, even at the risk of some pecuniary embarrassment. Let instructors make unwearied efforts, in public and private, to promote a relish for the nameless beauties of the best classical authors. We believe that Virgil might be studied with eminent advantage, in every college. We are sure that the ten

derness, and beauty, and grace, of that amiable author, are lost, by the wretched manner in which he is generally read, with the help of Dryden, and an ordo, notes full to exhaustion, and, last of all, a clavis. Virgil ought never to be an elementary author.

The preparation of good grammars and lexicons, is another important auxiliary. Some of the common Greek grammars we have found extremely deficient, where the pupil has had any measure of inquisitiveness. On this account, we welcome the larger grammar of the veteran Buttmann. Mr. Robinson has laid the country under great obligations, by his seasonable and excellent translation. The grammar, published in this country a few years since, under the name of Buttmann's grammar, was an abstract or compend of the present work, and was not entirely

satisfactory to the advanced scholar, by its want of detture, and the younger pupil, by its want of the simple element controlled ples. The work now offered to the scholars of the comstances doubt not, will give universal satisfaction. We have rasis of all of it, with great pleasure. It is translated from theysical conGerman edition, which the author lived just long enoutant share plete. He was a professor in one of the principai Berlin, and died January 21, 1829.

exposition is science.

the human

6.-Discourses and Addresses on subjects of Americe ces which Arts and Literature. By Gulian C. Verple York J. & J. Harper. 1833. pp. 257.

:

eim's plans

space than

THE first discourse in this volume, is one pronoowever, to the New York Historical Society, in December, 18ound sense, rapid and highly interesting review of the services oing in the founders of the American States-Las Casas,* Rof the work, Oglethorpe, Dean Berkeley, William Penn, Baltim sively popuson, Professor John Luzac, of Leyden, an ardent freligious subican liberty, Thomas Hollis, and others. In the titution of the Verplanck illustrates, at length, some of the opini't, were gath

course.

A very brief eulogy on Lord Baltimore, is the sc

the volume. "The first colony of modern times, which a founded on the broad principles of religious freedom, explicitly recognising the rights of conscience and the liberty of thought, was that of Maryland, a Roman Catholic colony, founded by a Roman Catholic legislator."

The next address in order, was delivered at the opening of the tenth exhibition of the American Academy of the Fine Arts, May, 1824. It contains some very enlightened strictures on the state of architecture and painting, in this country. Mr. V does not claim for the arts "the holy power of reforming vice, or illuminating moral darkness. Without religion, and her most fit and natural attendants, education and freedom, they are weak and feeble agents indeed." "But when controlled, and purified, and elevated, by holier principles, they contribute most cciently to the moral melioration of society."

Next follows a tribute to the memory of Daniel H. Barnes, an eminent teacher of youth, and one of the principals of the high school for boys, in the city of New-York. As a conchologist, he obtained the highest rank. Within the last four or five years,

Mr. Verplanck employs much learning and ingenuity, in an attempt to vindicate Las Casas from the charge, which Dr. Robertson, on the authority of Herrera, makes against him, of first advising the importation of slaves from Africa. We think the evidence which Mr. V. brings forward very strong. We should rejoice, if it were entirely conclusive.

country.

rs have been repeatedly cited, by some of the first zoolmany thing geologists of the age, as of standard authority. the mysterddress before two literary societies of Columbia college, engrossed lanck pours forth the feelings of a warm filial and frabe sacrileg hment to some of his distinguished fathers and brethbusiness. trons and sons of the college. Among the subjects of What has ating eulogy, are Hamilton, Jay, R. R. Livingston, on record, c Morris, Benson, Dr. Cooper, Dr. Mason, and DeWitt

laborious pe

neglect of planck deserves the thanks of his country, for his dilition into its in congress, in 1830 and in 1831, in procuring the men who ent law for the amendment and consolidation of the with any or for the protection of copy-rights to books, prints, &c. A large partre than doubled the term of legal protection to copyto inculcate es improving and simplifying the law in various other grammar. public dinner was given to Mr. Verplanck in New The existencnpliment for his agency in producing this beneficial the tuition reare glad to see the speech, delivered by him on this admit individerted in the volume. It contains a sketch of the ible. Besides, the United States, on the subject of literary protions, all eager

no pressure on position in the volume, is an address delivered a vigorous and cantile Association of New York.

Sut the daracteristic of all these compositions, is the charm915 historical and biographical illustrations, which the author interweaves in his propositions and arguments. A truly liberal spirit is manifested, towards men of all professions and creeds. Scholars, we are sure, will properly esteem this volume, for the enlightened views and chaste enthusiasm every where manifested. The moral tone of all Mr. V.'s writings is high. We hope he will and much more leisure, now that he has withdrawn from congressional life, to cultivate a field, in which he can do his country so much honor.

A

7.-A View of the Elementary Principles of Education, founded on the Study of the Nature of Man. By G. Spurzheim. Second American edition. Boston: Marsh, Capen & Lyon. 1833. 12 mo. pp. 318.

THE views of the Philosophy of Mind, which are based on the science of Phrenology, whether true or false, are such as, if adopted, will immediately influence every mode of acting upon human beings: they must especially modify, at once, the science of education. They assign to every propensity, whether intellectual, moral, or animal, bodily organ, which is the instrument or medium of its exercise. The existence of these propensities is accordingly taken more distinctly into view, by the phrenologist.

He considers them as constituent parts of human nature, and only to be watched in their developement, and to be controlled and restrained, or awakened and cherished, as the circumstances may require. He gives prominence to nature, as the basis of all he shall do; education is only the handmaid. The physical constitution, too, so often neglected, attracts a very important share of his attention.

The work before us is a very popular and practical exposition of the views of education, which are based upon this science. By education, the author understands all the influences which may be made to conduce towards the perfection of the human being. To discuss the theory on which Dr. Spurzheim's plans of education are based, would require much greater space than can be allotted to it here. The practical results, however, to which his theory leads him, commend themselves to sound sense, and cannot fail of being useful. There is something in the foreign air, however, which characterizes much of the work, which must greatly interfere with its becoming extensively popular among us. With some of its speculations on religious subjects, we have no sympathy. His views of the institution of the Sabbath, and of the character of the Old Testament, were gathered any where, but from the Bible itself.

8.-A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin—now, for the first time, published. Boston: Charles Bowen. 1833. pp. 295.

THE Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Dr. Franklin, contained in this volume, and now for the first time published, came into the hands of Mr. Sparks, from various sources, while prosecuting researches for other objects. We are glad that he has given them to the public.

Genius always imparts life and interest to whatever it touches, so that the great reason why the public have so strong a desire to look into the familiar and private writings of really eminent men, is not mere curiosity to become acquainted with their private history-it arises from the fact, that a pen, which is really skilful on any subject, will throw a charm over any one which it touches. In fact, the principles which guide in one case, will guide in all. This is shown, very distinctly, in the work before us. The clear view of human character and conduct-the forcible and lucid expression-the sound, irresistible reasoning, and the dexterous appeal-illuminate these letters, relating often to the merest minutia of family arrangements, as brightly as they do discussions, by the same writer, of the most important questions of politics and science.

The perusal of these letters is calculated to have a good influence, in many respects. First, in style and language. Like