The Rev. Dr. Henry A. Boardman, of Philadelphia, one of the wise, learned and faithful divines by whom is preserved the best reputation of the best vocation, has just published (Lippincott, Grambo, & Co.) a volume of discourses entitled, The Bible in the Family, or Hints on Domestic Happiness. It is quite aside, and evidently was intended to be, from the usual routine, though not beyond the legitimate domain of the pulpit. We have treatises on the relative duties, but no book, we believe, of this sort—not a treatise,—which is adapted to American society. Dr. Boardman's work is attractive for its original and striking observation and scholarly finish as a piece of literature, while calculated to be eminently useful for its illustrations of practical religion.
Among the novelties about to be issued from the press of Mr. Redfield, of Clinton Hall, is a series of Portraits or Biographies by Arsene Houssaye, of the men and women of the eighteenth century, comprising the philosophers, poets, artists—indeed all who lent a grace to or stamped their impress on the long and desolate reign of Louis Quinze. They are executed with a firm hand and possess the brilliant coloring of fiction, without deviating from historic truth. It is the only work that gives a just idea of the gay, witty and dissipated society that existed in France previous to the Revolution, and was one of the causes of that event. Mr. Redfield also announces The Ladies of the Covenant, a series of interesting biographical illustrations of the religious history of Scotland, by the Rev. James Anderson; Sorcery and Magic, by Thomas Wright, of the Shakspeare and Percy societies; and a volume of Tales and Sketches, by Miss Caroline Chesebro.
There is in the possession of descendants of Jonathan Edwards a MS. volume of Discourses on Christian Love, in his own handwriting. The paper looks dingy, but the writing is regular and clear. It is now being transcribed, and will be published during the autumn by Robert Carter & Brothers. The same house have in the press Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity, delivered at the University of Virginia, during the Session of 1850-51, among the contributors to which are the Rev. Drs. Alexander, Breckenridge, Plumer, McGill, Rice, Sampson, Ruffner, &c.
The Knickerbocker has recently contained several chapters under the title of The Sketch Book of Me, Meister Karl, which have the best quality of Rabelais and Sterne. We have heard them attributed to Mr. Charles G. Leland, of Philadelphia—one of the youngest of our authors, and one of the finest scholars and rarest humorists of this time, We believe Pennsylvania has no other son or citizen who gives fairer promise of distinction in letters.
Isaac Taylor's Elements of Thought, a concise Explanation of the Principal Terms employed in the several branches of Intellectual Philosophy, has been published by W. Gowans, from the ninth London edition.