Parley’s Cabinet Library.—In this work Mr. Goodrich proposes to furnish the public with forty numbers, at twenty-five cents each, of biographical, historical and miscellaneous sketches, designed for the family circle, and especially for youth. The first two numbers consist of the lives of famous men of modern times; as Scott, Byron, Bonaparte, Burns, Burke, Goethe, Johnson, Milton, Shakspeare, Bacon, etc. The next two numbers are devoted to famous men of ancient times; as Cæsar, Hannibal, Cicero, Alexander, Plato, etc. The fifth and sixth numbers contain the ‘Curiosities of Human Nature,’ as Zera Colburn, Caspar Hauser, etc. The seventh and eighth contain the lives of benefactors: as Washington, Franklin, Howard, Fulton, Bowditch, etc. We notice also, in the biographical series, the lives of celebrated Indians and celebrated women. The historical sketches will present a series of striking pictures, illustrative of the history of the four quarters of the globe. The miscellaneous department will embrace arts, sciences, manners and customs of nations, a view of the world and its inhabitants, etc., etc. The intention of the author is to furnish a library of twenty volumes, devoted to the most interesting portions of human knowledge, with the design of rendering their subjects interesting and attractive to the general reader. Several of the numbers are now issued; and judging from these, we are happy to give the work our hearty approbation. The sketches will not be found to be mere sketches, drawn from cyclopedias: the author has evidently gone to the original sources, and culled with care the most interesting points on each subject. A contemporary expresses surprise that he has been able to say so much that is striking, just and new, in so brief a space; a praise in which we fully concur. The work entitled ‘Curiosities of Human Nature’ is one of the deepest interest, and is calculated to suggest profound reflections as to the capacities of the human mind. The two numbers devoted to the American Indians, as well as other volumes, present a good deal of new and curious matter. The life of Jetau, the Indian Voltaire, is very striking. The Benefactors will be read with gratification by every one who loves to dwell upon the actions of those who have been great in doing good. The moral tendency of these works is excellent, and they may be read with pleasure as well as profit by old and young. They are happily adapted to the family as well as the school-library; and we are glad to know that they have been adopted for the latter purpose in some of our principal cities. They will constitute a wholsome check upon, as well as an agreeable substitute for, most of the trashy and pernicious literature that is now so freely poured upon the public. Mr. John Allen, at the office of the Knickerbocker, is the agent for this city.

‘Wonders of the Heavens.’—A superb large quarto volume has recently been put forth by Messrs. Robert P. Bixby and Company, entitled, ‘The Wonders of the Heavens: being a Popular View of Astronomy, including a full Illustration of the Mechanism of the Heavens; embracing the Sun, Moon, and Stars, with descriptions of the planets, comets, fixed stars, double-stars, the constellations, the galaxy or milky way, the zodiacal light, aurora-borealis or northern-lights, meteors, clouds, falling-stars, aërolites, etc.; illustrated by numerous maps and engravings.’ We cannot too highly commend this volume to our readers. The author, Mr. Duncan Bradford, has kept constantly in view one object, viz: to make his subject plain and interesting to the people. Instead of mingling mathematics with his great theme, to such an extent as to alarm the neophyte at the very threshold of the temple of astronomy, he has with a wise judgment selected from the best works, including the latest, those parts that were least encumbered with the abstruse and the unintelligible; and the illustrations serve to make his sublime teachings still more clear.

Rogers’ Poems.—We have not seen a more beautiful volume for a twelvemonth than the new illustrated edition of ‘Poems by Samuel Rogers, with revisions and additions by the author,’ recently issued by Messrs. Lea and Blanchard, Philadelphia. It is indeed in all respects an exquisite work; being printed upon the finest drawing-paper, with a large clear type, and illustrated with ten engravings on steel, from paintings by the very first artists in England. The volume opens with the ‘Pleasures of Memory,’ and contains every thing from the author’s pen which his maturest consideration has deemed most worthy of preservation. We cordially commend this admirable work to the attention of every reader of the Knickerbocker to whom it may be accessible.

Footnotes

  1. [Return to text]Men who are yearly selected by the inhabitants to superintend the business of the town, and who, among other duties, have the charge of managing the poor.
  2. [Return to text]Ενθα δὲ Νυκτὸς παῖδες ἐρεμνῆς οἰκί' ἔχουσιν, Ὕπνος καὶ Θάνατος, κ. τ. λ. Hes. Theog. 1. 758, etc.
  3. [Return to text]Observe the order of collocation in Genesis i: 5. ‘And the EVENING and the MORNING were the first day.’
  4. [Return to text]‘When the morning stars sang together,’ etc. Job: xxxviii., 7. In the same chapter observe the astonishing boldness of scripture personification, and the unequalled pomp of oriental imagery.
  5. [Return to text]This line is from one of Grimke’s polished and most scholar-like orations.
  6. [Return to text]See ‘[Editor’s Table]’ of the present number.
  7. [Return to text]From the minute account of the good friar, drawn from the ancient chronicles, it would appear that the walls of the tower were pictured in mosaic work.