'Book of the United States.'—This little volume, like all from the pen of its world-renowned author, is entertaining as well as instructive, and admirably adapted to secure the attention and excite the imagination of the young. It exhibits the great features of the country, on a principle of classification which embraces in one view all that may relate to a particular topic, as mountains, rivers, cities, lakes, etc., which are contrasted with those of other countries, the better to impress them upon the memory. A free, colloquial style, illustrative sketches and anecdotes, and numerous wood engravings, render this little work what such works should be, eminently attractive. Boston: Charles J. Hendee.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The writer passed a few of the first years of his practice in the hospital of ——. While in this institution, he had, as house-surgeon, opportunities of becoming acquainted with the history of cases, and of attending and assisting in a great number of highly interesting operations, many of them perfectly unique in their character, and performed by individuals among the most distinguished in this branch of the profession. To the general reader, the mere technical narration of incidents of this nature would present but a mass of dry and unintelligible jargon. One, however, who has for some time voluntarily withdrawn himself from the active duties of the profession, to follow another pursuit, may be regarded, perhaps, as capable of portraying, with truth and clearness, the vivid scenes of his earlier years.
[2] Since the above paragraph was penned, the Presbyterian Church has actually come to a violent schism.
[3] There is some confounding of the genders in this verse, the only defence of which is, possibly, that passage in Milton, who takes a similar license:
——'His form had not yet lost
All her original brightness,' etc.
Eds. Knickerbocker.
[4] Mr. George Jones, who kindly took measures, when in England, (where he was born,) to prolong the still very respectable literary reputation of Shakspeare, by delivering a most inflated salmagundi at Stratford.
[5] In the crypt, I was shown the elephant's tusk, on which the first deed of the land was inscribed.
[6] Mr. C. was asked by a bishop if he knew Dr. Hubbart, in New York, and was quite at fault, till he accidentally discovered that the prelate referred to the late Bishop Hobart.