LITERARY RECORD.-The BROTHERS HARPER give to the public a very instructive and valuable work, in three volumes, in their Lives of Eminent Men.' The first volume contains the lives of JOHN STARK, David Brainard, RobERT FULTON, and JOHN SMITH; the second, ETHAN ALLEN, SEBASTIAN CABOT, HENRY HUDSON, JOSEPH WARREN, ISRAEL PUTNAM, and DAVID RITTENHOUSE; the third, WILLIAM PINCKNEY, Sir HENRY VANE, ANTHONY WAYNE, William ELLERY, and RICHARD MONTGOMERY. These lives are extremely well written, and each volume contains a portrait; the first, of ROBERT FULTON, the second, of SEBASTIAN Cabot, and the third of Sir HENRY VANE. Among other late publications of the same house are new numbers of their great' Pictorial History of England;' new editions of Mr. SAMUEL SPRING's Eastern tale of Giaffer Al Barmeki, or the Rose of Persia;' of ALEXANDER SLIDELL MACKENZIE's Spain Revisited,' in two volumes; 'The Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties,' with examples and portraits, by Rev. Dr. WAYLAND; 'The String of Pearls,' by the everlasting JAMES; 'Historic Tales for Youth,' by Miss MARY E. LEE; and last and least, 'Alice Gordon, or the Uses of Orphanage;' a dull, namby-pamby, very poor and very pious,' but very pretty-looking little volume, which calls for no farther notice at our hands, and will attract none from the public. . . . THE reading public are bound to thank the enterprising house of WILEY and Putnam for a new and excellent edition of CARLYLE'S 'Past and Present" and Chartism,' two works which have already been largely noticed in these pages; while juvenile readers will render to the same publishers their selectest praise' for the first volume of their pretty Home Treasury,' with its charming stories, illustrated by charming pictures. The 'home demand' of the little people has already spirited it away from the sanctum; and as we write, we hear enthusiastic encomiums passed upon its varied attractions. The same publishers have in press Izaak Walton's Complete Angler,' with notes by an American Editor, who is an accomplished disciple of the rod and line; and a new work by Mrs. FANNY KEMBLE BUTLER.... AMONG other entertaining and instructive works recently put forth by Messrs. APPLETON AND COMPANY, is one entitled 'A Book of Travels in Africa. It embraces all the travels in that country from the earliest ages to the present time, compiled by Professor JOHN FROST of Philadelphia, from the best authorities. The volume, which could not be otherwise than interesting, is embellished with a very fine portrait on steel of Captain CLAPPERTON, the celebrated African traveller, as well as numerous other engravings on steel and wood.... WE thought to have had opportunity to say something of 'The New-Englander' for the April quarter, but have not found it. We have read the number, however, and found it to contain several very excellent papers. Of these we would name especially that on 'The Best Society,' and 'Thoughts on the Revelations of the Microscope.' The latter bears we think the impress of Professor OLMSTED's mind and pen; while the former is full of important, wholesome truths, which ought to be, and we trust may be, carefully heeded. . . . WE acknowledge the receipt of two charming pieces of music from the new establishment of Mr. C. HOLT, Number 156 Fulton-street: The first, 'Fairest Flower so palely Drooping' is a beautiful tribute to the memory of a lovely and gifted lady of Brooklyn, the late Mrs. L. B. WYMAN, the poetry by Mrs. BALMANO, and the music by Miss AUGUSTA BROWNE; the second, 'The Shepherd's Cottage,'a pastoral ballad, composed by Gen. GEORGE P. MORRIS, the music by CHARLES HORN, as sung by Miss ABBY J. HUTCHINSON.... ME. J. S. REDFIELD, Clinton-Hall, has published the ' American Drawing-Book,' a Manual for the Amateur, and Basis of Study for the Professional Artist: especially adapted to the Use of Public Schools as well as Home Instruction; by J. G. CHAPMAN. 'Tell CHAPMAN to crow!' and his publisher also; for truth to say, they may both do so, and with perfect propriety; for we doubt whether either can be beaten in the excellencies which unite in the composition of the Drawing-Book, the first number of which lies before us. We were a little incredulous at first as to the postulate assumed on the titlepage, 'Any one who can learn to write, can learn to draw;' but as we went on, and saw how clearly the learner was conducted, step by step, from the lightest straight continuous, dotted, or curve line to the diversified combination of these, which make up the finished sketch, we were compelled to admit that the assumption was well-grounded. Mr. CHAPMAN'S directions are clear, simple and forcible; and illustrated at every point by explanatory drawings, which are of such a character as at once to convince the reader that he can practice with as much felicity as he can teach. There can be no more delightful accomplishment than that of drawing; and this work is so distinct and progressive in its instructions that we cannot well see how it could fail to impart a full and complete knowledge of the art. The publisher has successfully vied with the author; leaving absolutely nothing to be desired on the score of execution; it being quite equal in this respect to the best ornamental issues of the English press. ART. I. THE EGYPTIAN LETTERS. NUMBER SEVEN, II. THE RIVER OF HUMAN LIFE, . 483 492 III. STRAY LEAVES FROM THE PORT-FOLIO OF A GEORGIA LAWYER, 498 499 510 VIII. MIDNIGHT ON MARATHON. BY MRS. M. E. HEWITT, XI. THOUGHTS ON AMBITION. BY MISS O. H. FRASER, 511 512 521 522 XII. THE HISTORY OF POETRY. BY REV. S. D. Burchard, XIII. AVE MARIA BY T. W. PARSONS, XIV. FORBEARANCE: AN ILLUSTRATION, XV. LETTERS FROM THE GULF-STATES. BY A NORTHERN TRAVELLER, XVII. SPRING DANDELIONS. BY W. H. C. HOSMER, XVIII. THE STATE OF MAN IN SOCIETY. BY J. CHADWICK, ESQ., XIX. BACCHUS AND ARIADNE. BY Carl Benson, LITERARY NOTICES: 1. THE AGAMEMNON OF ÆSCHYLUS. BY PROF. C. C. FELTON, 2. A YEAR OF CONSOLATION. BY FAnny Kemble BUTLER, 3. LIVES OF DANIEL BOONE AND BENJAMIN LINCOLN, 4. OMOO: ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH SEAS, 5. WASHINGTON AND HIS GENERALS. BY J. T. HEADLEY, EDITOR'S TABLE: 1. DR. J. C. WARREN, BOSTON, 2. MUSIC IN THE METROPOLIS, . 3. GOSSIP WITH READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS, THE 1. OUR SUMMER QUARTERS ON THE HUDSON: SCENERY OF THE TAPPAAN ZEE: 4. LITERARY RECORD: BRIEF NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, NOTICE. COUNTRY SUBSCRIBERS who are in arrears should recollect to make returns for what we send them. Remittances to be made to JOHN ALLEN, 139 Nassau-street, New-York. MR. T. P. WILLIAMS is our Agent to receive the names of Subscribers in the West and South. terested in the circulation of this facilitating his designs. Editors and others kindly inMagazine, will oblige us by O. D. DAVIS and JOHN STOUGHTON, Jr., are canvassing for subscribers to this work in the state of New-York. Entered, according to the act of Congress, in the year 1847, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York. FROM ABD' ALLAH OMAR, TO SEYD AHEMAD EL HAJÍ, CHIEF SECRETARY OF THE CHADKE AT CAIRO. In no country are the changes of fortune more frequent than in this; not merely the casual mishaps which daily prostrate a few individuals, but the catastrophes that overwhelm a whole community. Every few years a calamity of this sort overtakes people, who from a season of great prosperity are suddenly reduced to a condition lower than that in which they were at the beginning of their commercial career. These reverses come round with so much seeming regularity, that one would think they who had eyes to see would guard against their recurrence; but they do not. Perhaps the reason for this apparent negligence is found in the fact, that no single individual can ward off the impending danger, and no possibility exists of getting the public to unite in general measures of precaution. Moreover, the false hopes mankind are prone to feed themselves with, the self-confidence that attaches itself to most persons, with the desire to continue on to the last moment, in constant expectation of farther gains; all these blind men to the future, and bring them to the full knowledge of their situation only when they are suffering under the rod of the oppressor,' Adversity. If people could only be induced to stop short, or gradually curtail, as trouble approaches, they would often save themselves from ruin, and sometimes from disgrace; but they are prevented from doing this by a petty feeling of rivalship toward their neighbors, or more frequently by false pride. They cannot bear to acknowledge their own fears; or, by curtailing their business, allow it to be supposed they are less rich than they desire the world should believe them to be. It is true, furthermore, that there are persons who do not know how properly to stop or retrench; who greatly err in judgment in this particular, and who make changes in an injudicious way; one that exposes them to unfounded suspicion, or does not produce the effect they intend. Few people are reduced by mere misfortune alone; it is in most cases brought about by their own improvidence, want of forethought, or ardent desire to rise suddenly to wealth, and to the consideration which wealth brings in its train. The goddess Fortune is represented as blind; why, I could never tell, for she bestows her favors with more discernment than many mortals do who have two eyes in their heads, both wide open. She is very coy, as nymphs are and ought to be; yet she is kind to those who are truly devoted to her, and who show their devotion by patient assiduity. Her true lovers are those who admire her for her own sake; who watch her motions, devote themselves with zeal to her exclusive service, are submissive under her frowns, and joyous only when she smiles. The frugal man who plods his patient way, 'pulling always upon one string,' is her faithful votary, and seldom fails of receiving a recompense for his devotion; while the fickle swain who courts her one day and misuses her favors the next, is left to the fate which his own waywardness brings upon himself. The careful man, who is willing to woo and who has patience to wait for her favor, slowly bestowed, is in the end crowned with full enjoyment; while the too ardent and indiscreet admirer, eager for immediate possession, seizes her with violence and stifles her in his embrace. In this country, these reverses are produced by a rage of speculation and by over-trading, more often than by unforeseen calamities. There exists a constant desire to go forward, and that so rapidly as to leave no leisure for reflection, no time coolly to calculate the chances of loss. The desire to be at all times in action brings on a continued state of excitement, that wears upon body and mind, whereby the latter is deprived of much of its natural strength by fatigue of excessive labor. Europeans, who are accustomed to small gains and slow accumulation, are astonished at seeing the perpetual bustle by which the inhabitants are animated; a state so much the reverse of the sober system that prevails with them at home; and they have been heard to say that this constant agitation produces a feverish state of mind, that cannot fail to render the parties incapable of that methodical course so essential to business-men, and greatly tends to shorten the duration of life. The difficulty of checking exertion exists in the same degree as does the inability to ward off impending danger. The great competition in trade, and the fear each man has that if he relaxes his efforts his neighbor will supplant him and become rich sooner than himself, keeps him ever on the alert. The very atmosphere that surrounds him is filled with a stimulating power, and every object he beholds serves to check a disposition to repose. He is under a mesmeric influence, not generated by galvanism, but by a thirst of gain, and he cannot resist it. It is not therefore surprising that this general disorganization of mind, for such it may be called, should bring forth disastrous effects, and be the cause why so many and |
