Where was the husband of that widowed thing; A soldier dares a soldier's fire; The murderous ball brought death upon its wing, He fell in sunny Spain; The wife, in silence, saw him die, But the blue eyes of the fond boy gave drops like rain. "Mother," the poor lad cried, "He's dying! We are close by thee, father—at thy bleeding side- It was a stormy time when the man fell; Yet, through his pain he smiled, To sooth a parent's grief: Sad soul! she could not be beguiled: She saw the bud must quit its guardian leaf! "Mother," he faintly said, "Come near me Kiss me and let me in my father's grave be laid- VOL. II. 59 C. E. E. CRITICAL NOTICES. A Practical System of Rhetoric; or the Principles and Rules of Style, inferred from Examples of Writing. By SAMUEL P. NEWMAN, Professor of Rhetoric in Bowdoin College. Portland. Wm. Hyde. 1827. 66 MILTON, in his plan of a "complete and generous education," assigns a place to rhetoric; but it is one of the last studies to which he wishes the attention should be directed. After the pupils are initiated in the sciences, law, politics, and theology, now lastly," says he, "it will be time to read with them those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously, elegantly, and according to the fitted style of lofty, mean, or lowly. Logic, therefore, is to be referred to this due place, with all her well couched heads and topics, until it is time to open her contracted palm into a graceful and ornate rhetoric." For ourselves, we would add, that the study of grammar should be deferred till the same time, and referred to the same due place. The book of Professor Newman, however, is evidently intended for an earlier age, and those who wish to introduce their pupils to this study at the usual period, will find it more useful and intelligible than the one in common use. The "Lectures" of Blair, "designed to initiate youth into the study of belles lettres and of composition," occupy an immense field of metaphysical and historical criticism. They are, indeed, full of valuable critical remarks and literary information; but they are, in our opinion, much better suited for one who has finished the course of elementary education, than for one yet in the gristle of literary youth. The "Abridgment" extends over the whole ground of the original; the omissions being principally in the amplifications and developement (if we may use an unauthorized intruder into modern English) of the principles, or in the examples which serve to prove and illustrate those principles; and we have no hesitation in saying, that it is far beyond the capacity of those by whom it is commonly studied. The plan of Professor Newman is more limited. It is to establish and explain the principles of style; to point out the true means of writing well, and of judging correctly of the merit of literary productions. In pursuing this plan, the author is led to examine the standard of literary taste, its nature and objects; to explain what are called the figures of rhetoric; to show the necessity of care and accuracy in the use of words, and in the structure of sentences; and to treat of the qualities of good style, and of the peculiar modes of writing, which characterize the productions of different individuals, or are suited to different subjects and occasions. The plan is judicious; and the plain and practical manner in which the explanations are given, is highly creditable to the judgment and good sense of the author. He has in many instances availed himself of the inductive method, which is now so happily introduced into many books of elementary education, and which, with or without books, may be so usefully employed in teaching every subject of human knowledge. Facts first, and then principles; examples, and then rules ;—this is the true method of communication, as well as of discovery. Historical View of the Literature of the South of Europe. By J. C. L. SISMONDE DE SISMONDI. Translated from the Original, with Notes, by THOMAS ROSCOE, Esq. In two volumes. New York. J. & J. Harper. 1827. THIS work, the production of an elegant writer, as well as one of the most accomplished scholars and best thinkers of the age, has been fortunate in meeting with a better translator than falls to the lot of most good French authors. The French of Sismondi is not only exchanged for very good English, but the work is illustrated and improved in value, by notes which show the translator to possess a familiarity with the subject equal to that of the writer himself. That part which is least happily executed consists of the metrical versions of the copious extracts from the poets in the different languages of the South of Europe. These, with some exceptions, are only tolerably done. A few, however, taken from Blackwood's Magazine are spirited, and three or four furnished by Wiffen are very beautiful. A translation of a part of Politian's "Garden of Venus" is given from the Rev. Parr Greswell's "Memoirs of Politiano," and is highly praised by the translator. In the New York Review for May, 1826, is another version of the same passage in the same stanza, the ottava rima; and it is curious to observe, not only with how much more fidelity to the original, but with how much more grace and spirit the passage has been rendered by the American translator. This work is now the best guide in the English language to an acquaintance with the literature of those European dialects. which were formed by the corruption of the Latin tongue. The author, after a slight notice of Arabian literature as it once flourished in Spain, gives a very full account of the curious, and till lately almost forgotten literature of the Troubadours; then passes to that of France in the age of chivalry; and afterwards considers successively that of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Not only are the characteristic differences of these several literatures discussed with reference to the state of society in Europe at different periods, but all the celebrated writers in each are made to pass in review, anecdotes of their lives are given, and liberal extracts are made from their works. A note by the translator mentions that M. Sismondi intends preparing a similar work on the literature of the nations of the North of Europe. Blair's Outlines of Ancient History, on a New Plan, embracing Biographical Notices of Illustrious Persons; General Views of the Geography, Population, Politics, Religion, Military and Naval Affairs, Arts, Literature. Manners, Customs, and Society of Ancient Nations; a Chronological Table, and a Dictionary of Proper Names that occur in the Work. Boston. S. G Goodrich. 1827. An Epitome of History, with Historical and Chronological Charts. By J. E. Worcester. Cambridge. Hilliard & Brown. 1827. An Historical Atlas accompanying Worcester's "Epitome of History," containing the following Charts: I. Chart of History. II. Chart of Ancient Chronology. III. Chart of Modern Chronology. IV. Chart of American History Cambridge. Hilliard & Brown. 1827. THE anonymous author of these "Outlines" (for, by a most singular license, Blair's name is attached to the book, as we are informed in the Preface, only because "it resembles Blair's celebrated works for education, in making a distinction of type between what is more and what is less important, and there is a convenience in having a series corresponding in plan and subject, connected by a general name ") is of opinion, "that it will be found to possess great and important advantages over any method that has yet been devised for presenting ancient history to the mind of a learner." These advantages are said to be the following; "1. It is intelligible; 2. It is interesting; 3. It is distinct; 4. It will enable the pupil to master the difficult subject of dates; 5. It presents a general view of the whole subject that may be easily comprehended; 6. The subject is exhibited in a manner calculated to establish it permanently in the memory; 7. It will lay a strong and lasting foundation for a knowledge of history." It is stated in the Preface, that four years ago a "History of the United States 99 was published on the same plan, and, as we are left to infer, by the same author, of which work fifty thousand copies have been sold; and that a "History of Greece" from the same quarter, was published within the last year, the first edition of which is already exhausted. We have not examined those works, but if they are like the one we are now about to consider, we can only say that we are astonished at their success, and sorry for it. We are satisfied neither with the plan nor the execution of the "Ancient History." Instead of any thing like a regular, connected relation of the political history of any people, we have divisions and subdivisions and repetitions without end. Including the "Chronological Table," and the " Dictionary of Proper Names," the whole work is divided into four parts. The first part contains the general outlines of events distributed into ten periods. The most important facts of each period are first related in large letters, some further details in smaller type then follow, and the whole is concluded by biographical sketches of the distinguished individuals of the period. The second part contains general views of the geography, politics, literature, arts, customs, &c. of the nations, whose history was detailed in the first part. The same events are often repeated in large letters, in small letters, and in the biographical notices, and may not unfrequently be found even the third or fourth time in the second part, the "Chronological Table," or the " Dictionary of Proper Names." Besides the unavoidable repetitions which this plan produces, we think such a division, such a mechanical apparatus, breaks up the connexion, and destroys the unity of all history. In addition to the confusion arising from this subdivision, we object in general to an adherence to chronological order in an universal history; the history of each people is too much interrupted, and unnecessarily intermingled with the history of other nations; it would be much better to give an independent and unbroken narrative of each. It would be, we think, more intelligible, more interesting, and more distinct; it would present the whole subject in such a manner, that it would be more easily comprehended, and more permanently fixed in the memory. If we are not satisfied with the plan, neither are we always satisfied with the selection of details. To say nothing of the accounts of the earlier periods of Oriental, Grecian, and Roman history, or of the speculations on the commerce, population, and arts of the antediluvian world, we would refer in particular to such relations as the following;-that Adam's grave is supposed to be on Mount Calvary; that the discoveries of Seth's posterity, |