[LITERARY RECORD.]
Tokens of the Holidays.—We feel paternal yearnings, when we sit down, as now, by our round-table, to draw around us our great family of readers, that they may admire with us the various gems of art with which it is literally overloaded. Before us, gleaming in gold, crimson, and purple, rich blue and velvet green, and affluent in the finest engravings, are the English Annuals, for 1838, which, with their American brotherhood, will very soon, we venture to predict, collect some of the superfluities of this 'money-voiding town.' Love-tokens are they, for the tasteful swain, and remembrancers from the generous-hearted, to those who stand on the top-scale of their friendship's ladder. Annuals, both foreign and domestic, are every year improving. From 'combinations of show and emptiness,' they have come to be the medium of the highest efforts of art; while green-sick sonnetteers and small tale-writers are succeeded by minds more capable of entertaining the public. We can do little more than catalogue the rich stores before us.
Finden's Tableaux, in imperial quarto, may be placed first in the list, since it is superb, beyond all former precedent. It is intended to represent the peculiar female beauty of different countries, or provinces, with a characteristic back-ground of scenery, and adjuncts in keeping. 'England,' 'Andalusia,' 'Florence,' 'Egypt,' 'Ceylon,' 'America,' 'Georgia,' 'Scotland,' and 'Castile,' have each their representatives; and what a galaxy of beauty would that court present, which should combine in one assembly these ambassadors of loveliness! The letter-press illustrations, in prose and verse, mainly by Miss Mitford, we need not say, are worthy the pictorial department, and the reputation of the author of 'Our Village.' The 'Flowers of Loveliness', edited by Miss Landon, also in the imperial quarto form, is a very pretty volume, but less beautiful, as it strikes us, than its predecessor. It is dedicated to the Queen, in a clever acrostic upon her name, in four-line stanzas, each verse of which is introduced by an ornamental letter, representing a flower; a pretty and feminine device. Female beauty is made to represent the Clematis, Hyacinth, Water-Lily, Night-blooming Convolvulus, Poppy, Canterbury Cathedral, Pansy, 'Marvel of Peru,' the Laurel, Iris, etc. Heath's Book of Beauty contains thirteen engravings, portraits of several women of nobility, and fancy pictures. Its externals are gorgeous. The binding is of cerulean satin, richly embroidered with thread of changeful golden tissue. It has a few stories, and some good poetry. Lady Blessington does the editorial honors. 'Children of the Nobility' is a work in the large quarto. The engravings are by Heath, from drawings by Chalon. One or two of them are exquisite—the portrait of Lady Mary Howard, for example. There are some pretty children, too, and 'extraordinary ordinary'-looking othersome, with legs like upright nine-pins, and shod hoofs. Edited by Mrs. Fairlie. 'Beauties of Costume'—Heath again. This is a series of female figures, in the dresses of ancient times—Egyptian, Scottish, Court of Louis XII., Bernese, Milanese, Russian, English Peasant, Swiss, Court of Charles VII., Persian, Scottish Highland, etc. Descriptions by Leitch Ritchie. We can say little for the English Annual. Old plates, which have been served up to the British public in the 'Court Journal,' if we do not mistake, are scarcely worthy of being ushered forth as original embellishments. The 'Oriental' has twenty-two spirited engravings of 'Scenes in India,' many of which are very superior. The name of Rev. Hobart Caunter is a guarantee for the character of the letter-press portion of the work. The London 'Christian Keepsake' is worthy of all praise, both as to matter and embellishments. A portrait of Mrs. Stewart, (wife of Rev. C. S. Stewart, of the American Navy,) late missionary to the Sandwich Islands, from a painting by Ingraham, of this city, is one of the gems of the volume. Heath's 'Picturesque Annual' is devoted to 'Scenes in Ireland.' They are well selected, and the engravings are exceedingly soft and clear. The descriptive matter is from the pen of Leitch Ritchie. Beside these, there are 'Italy, France, and Switzerland,' in two large quarto volumes, the plates by Prout and Harding, and the illustrations by Thomas Roscoe; Fisher's 'Drawing-Room Scrap-Book,' with its usual quality and quantity of engravings, edited by Miss Landon; 'Midland Counties Tourist,' illustrating hoary ruins, romantic castles, and picturesque towns and landscapes, in the counties of Chester, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, Rutland, and Lincoln, with descriptions historical and topographical, 'Illustrations of Scotland and the Waverly Novels, etc. Wiley and Putnam, Broadway.
Good out of Evil.—'Selections from the Court Reports, originally published in the Boston Morning Post, from 1834 to 1837. Arranged and Revised by the Reporter of the Post.'—The writer of this work is surely chief of the adepti in his art, for art it is. He is a prëeminent 'dab' at his business; uniting grace of composition with a keen sense of the humorous, and the reflections of a heart open to the influence of generous emotions, and full of sympathy for the unfortunates, whose abandonment to temptation he records. As contrasting examples of pathos and fun, we would instance the picture of maternal affection, in the story of the three juvenile book-thieves, and the cool knavery of the omnium-gatherum varlet, whose systematic pilferings were directed by a written programme, as: 'Visit Bailey's Female High School—scrutinize;' 'Get books from library—valuable;' 'Go to the theatre—once;' 'Go to the Museum, night and day; criticise, and get every thing I can;' 'Visit Horticultural Rooms—and get things;' 'Get some pocket-handkerchiefs—gratis,' etc. These 'Selections' will amuse a dull hour passing well. The reader will find the book fruitful of fun or instruction, open it wheresoever he may. Boston: Otis, Broaders and Company.
'The Arethusa.'—Such is the title of a naval story, in two volumes, by Captain Chamier, R. N., author of 'Ben Brace,' 'Life of a Sailor,' etc. In our judgment, it is his best work. If not as a whole, certainly in particular scenes it has not been surpassed by any previous effort of the author. The wreck of the Tribune, the naval warfare, the pestilence at Jamaica, and many other detached scenes, which might be mentioned, are most vividly portrayed. We would counsel Captain Chamier, however, not to meddle with character of which he knows nothing more than may be conveyed in the terms, 'I reckon,' 'I guess,' and 'I calculate,' in endless iteration. His 'Corncob' is an imaginary anomaly, and has no counterpart in America. Philadelphia; E. L. Carey and A. Hart. New-York: Wiley and Putnam.
'Reviewers Reviewed:'—by the Author of 'Pelayo.'—This is a little volume of seventy-two pages—dedication, introduction, argument, text, notes, and appendix, all counted—and is facetiously denominated by the young lady-author a 'Satire.' The editors of the 'Courier,' 'Gazette,' 'Commercial,' and 'Mirror' journals, together with the Knickerbocker, are the victims—because they could not admire 'Pelayo.' For our own poor part, the force of the attack has stunned us. We know not what to say. Also, we wist not what to do. 'Where,' (to adopt the kindred language of our fair satirist's illustrious archetype, 'Rosa Matilda,')
'Where is Cupid's crimson motion?
Billowy ecstacy of wo!
Bear us safe, meandering ocean,
Where the stagnant torrents flow!'