sketch of the Colony and Manor of Rensselaerwyck. By Daniel D. Barnard. Albany: 1839. Hoffman & White. 8vo. pp. 144. Addresses delivered at the Inauguration of the Professors of Middlebury College. Middlebury: 1839. 8vo. pp. 56. Lecture on the Romance of American History. By William B. Reed. Philadelphia: 1839. A. Waldie. 12mo. pp. 46. I. Poetry: POETRY AND THE DRAMA. Poems. By Mrs. Follen. Boston: 1839. W. Crosby & Co. 12mo. pp. 192. The Last of the Lenapé, and other poems. By Samuel W. Janney. The Ladies' Wreath. A selection from the Female Poetic Writers of England and America. By Mrs. Hale. Second edition. Boston: 1839. Marsh, Capen, Lyon, and Webb. 12mo. pp. 436. This selection is made with great judgment and taste, forming a volume of delightful poetry, as pure and sparkling as diamond dew-drops. Lady Cheveley, or the Woman of Honor. Philadelphia: 1839. Carey & Hart. 12mo. pp. 47. Birds and Flowers; and other Country Things. By Mary Howitt. Boston: 1839. Weeks, Jordan, & Co. 12mo. pp. 208. This is a volume of nature, pure nature; could we interpret the poetic language of the Birds and Flowers, and other Country Things, we should not find it a bit more simple or sincere. The Battle of Saratoga; a Poem. By James Rees. New-York: 1839. F. Saunders. 12mo. pp. 20. II. Drama. Tortesa, the Usurer. By N. P. Willis. 12mo. pp. 149. New-York: 1839. S. Colman. One of Mr. Colman's Dramatic Scries, and got up in the same beautiful and tasteful style. The Dwarf; a Dramatic Poem. By James Rees. New York: 1839. F. Saunders. 12mo. pp. 62. * Richelieu; a Drama. By Sir E. L. Bulwer. THEOLOGY AND SERMONS. Truth made Simple; being the first volume of a system of Theology for Chil dren. By Rev. John Todd. Northampton: 1839. J. H. Butler. 18mo. pp. 424. The Works of the Rev. J. S. Buckminster. 2 vols. New edition. Aids to Preachers and Hearers. By T. H. Skinner. The Three Last Things: The Resurrection of the Body, the Day of Judgment, and Final Retribution. By Rev. Jos. Tracy. Spiritual Improvement, or Aid to Growth in Grace. By Rev. Ray Palmer. Unitarianism Vindicated against the charge of Skeptical Tendency. By Rev. James Walker. Outline of a Work of Grace, in the Presbyterian Congregation at New Brunswick, N. J. By J. H. Jones. Sermon on the Anniversary Election in Massachusetts. By Mark Hopkins, D. D. Sermon, occasioned by the Death of the Rev. Alexander H. Crosby, A. M. By Robert W. Harris, Rector of Grace Church, White Plains. Funeral Discourse: commemorative of the Life and Virtues of the late Honorable S. Van Rensselaer. By Rev. William Barker. Discourse, delivered at the Dedication of the Church of the Messiah, in New York. By Rev. O. Dewey. The Theory and Uses of Natural Religion; a Dudleian Lecture. By Rev. J. G. Palfry, D. D. LL. D. * Sermons to a Country Congregation. By Augustus W. Hare. VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. Travels in South-Eastern America; embracing Hindostan, Malaya, Siam, and China. By Howard Malcom. Boston: 1839. Gould, Kendall, & Lincoln. 2 vols. 12mo. pp. 273, and 321. Narrative of a Journey to Guatemala, in Central America, in 1838. ByG. W. Montgomery. New York: 1839. Wiley & Putnam. 8vo. pp. 195. Mr. Montgomery's book is full of interesting matter, but it is not satisfactory; several of the most important inquiries connected with Guatemala, are not touched upon, undoubtedly from want of time to make the necessary researches, which his excellent account of what came under his observation, makes us the more regret; but we may anticipate a complete filling up of this chasm, from the felicitous pen of our recently appointed diplomatic agent to that country. Impressions of Travel in Egypt, and Arabia Petraea. By Alexander Dumas. Translated from the French, by a Lady of New York. New York: 1839. J. S. Taylor. 12mo. pp. 318. The fascinations of Mr. Stephens's recent work on the same countries described by Mr. Dumas, have undoubtedly diminished the popularity of the latter; but the two travellers are so different in their manner of observing, and in the nature of their observations, that both may be read to great advantage. At any rate, Mr. Dumas's book is a pleasant one, but how much it may owe to his American translator we cannot say; she informs us that she has taken great liberties with it; we should hope, however, that the "words and sentences which she has added, and "the sentences, paragraphs, and pages she has omitted," have affected the language rather than the substance of the work she has professed to translate. * Idler in Italy. By the Countess of Blessington. A Residence in the Sandwich Islands. By C. S. Stewart, U. (S. N., late Missionary at the Sandwich Islands. Fifth Edition, enlarged, etc. Boston: 1839. Weeks, Jordan, & Co. We take notice of this fifth edition of the work here introduced, to express our gratification at this fact, and inform our readers of one or two things connected with this edition. In the first place it contains the interesting introduction prefixed by Mr. Ellis to the London edition, and also six letters addressed to the late Jeremiah Evarts, in answer to the article in the Quarterly Review, for March, 1837, respecting the introduction of Christianity into these Islands, and being a complete refutation of the misrepresentations of the Review. In the second place, we are glad to notice that "this volume, thus enlarged, is designed to be the first of a uniform series, of which a re-print of the Visit to the South Seas,' with similar additions, will constitute the second and third volumes, and a new work the fourth the whole to furnish an exposition of the origin, progress, present state, and prospects of the mission, as an enterprise of philanthropy and piety, and of the Islands as a nation, in the faithfulness and accuracy of which the public may confidently rely." BOOKS FOR YOUNG PERSONS. Harry Winter, or the Weaver of Burrough's Place. Rebecca Wilson, the Cumberland Girl. Instructions from Trees and Flowers. Uncle Thomas's Tales of Shipwrecks. The Play House and Work Shop for Little Folks. New York: 1839. S. Colman. Peter Parley's Book of Poetry for Children. New York: 1839. S. Colman, Caleb in Town and Caleb in the Country. By Jacob Abbot. McDonner, or Truth through Fiction. By Jacob Abbot. Charles Hartland, or the Village Missionary. By W. A. Alcott. Stories to teach me to Think. By J. D. P. Stone. My Cousin Mary. By a Lady; with preparatory remarks by Mrs. Hale. The Rollo Series; new edition. Boston: 1839. Weeks, Jordan, & Co. . The Warners, by Mrs. Follen. Anecdotes of Washington. WORKS IN PRESS- S. COLEMAN, PUBLISHER. Hyperion. A Romance, in 2 vols. By Professor Longfellow. Nick's Mate. A Legend, in 2 vols. Romance of Travel. By N. P. Willis. Letters written during the American Revolution. By Mrs. Eliza Wilkinson. Edited by Mrs. C. Gilman. *Boy's Country Book. With beautiful Illustrations. By W. Howitt. The Prize. A Gift for 1840. The Child's Gem, No. 3. By a Lady. Holiday Book. By Mrs. C. Gilman. The Bride of Fort Edward. A Story of the Revolution. By a Young Lady of New Haven. Selections from the Poets of America. With Etchings on Steel, by Chapman. Undine. Translated from Fouqué. The Cataract of Fate. By Frances Sergeant Osgood. A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines. By Andrew Ure. Edited by James C. Booth. J. Dobson, Philadelphia, Publisher. The Poetical Works of E. Spenser. With Notes, original and selected; and an Introductory Essay upon the Faerie Queen; and a complete Glossary. 5 vols. 8vo. and 12mo. Boston: C. C. Little, and James Brown. From a specimen of this new work, in our hands, we can promise the public a neater and handsomer edition of Spenser, than any now extant, and from the editorial supervision of it, we feel justified in adding, that it will in all respects be superior to any other. North American Herpetology, or Description of the Reptiles inhabiting the United States. By John Edwards Holbrook, M. D. Vol. 3d. HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS. Morton's Hope; a Tale of a Provincial. Miriam, or a Young Maid's Fortunes. By Mrs. Hall. In 2 vols. 12mo. It will be seen by the list of publications for the quarter, which we have made as complete as the publishers will allow, that there is an unusual number of original literary productions for the time, and among them an unusual proportion of a valuable character. The historical division is uncommonly rich, and all illustrating important portions of our own country. Of all of these, we have taken such notice as our time and opportunities would allow, except Mr. Cooper's Naval History of the United States, which will claim our earliest attention hereafter. Professor Tucker's Theory of Money and Banking, and the Rev. Howard Malcom's Travels in South-Eastern Asia, would also have been reviewed in the present number of our Journal, could we have found a place for the articles upon them, which we have in hand. In forming a more exact classification of the Catalogue, we have been struck with the fact, that so little has appeared upon the Fine Arts, either of re-prints or originals, and that there are so many republications of Novels and Tales, for the most part worthless. THE NEW YORK REVIEW. No. X. OCTOBER, 1839. ART. I.-1. Lehrbuch eines civilistischen Cursus, vom Geheimen Justiz-Rath Ritter HUGO, in Göttingen, Dritter Bandwelcher die Geschichte des Römischen Rechts bis auf Justinian enthält. Elfte, sehr veränderte Auflage. Berlin: 1835. 2. Corpus Juris Civilis, ad fidem Manuscriptorum aliorumque subsidiorum criticorum recensuit, commentario perpetuo instruxit EDUARDUS SCHRADER, Jctus. In operis societatem accesserunt, THEOPH. LUCAS FRIDER. TAFEL, Philolog. GUALTH. FRIDER. CLOSSIUS, Jctus. Post hujus discessum, CHRISTOPH. JOH. C. MAIER, Jctus. Tomus Primus, Institutionum Libri iv. Berolini: MDCCCXXXII. 3. Gaii Institutionum Commentarii Quatuor, cura AUGUSTI GUIL. HEFFTER. Bonnæ: MDCCCXXX. 4. Commentaries on the conflict of Laws, Foreign and Domestic, in regard to Contracts, Rights, and Remedies, and especially in regard to Marriages, Divorces, Wills, Successions, and Judgments. By JOSEPH STORY, LL. D., Dane Professor of Law in Harvard University. Boston: 1834. 5. Institutionum Juris Romani Privati Historico-Dogmaticarum Lineamenta, observationibus maximè litterariis distincta in usum prælectionum denuo adumbravit et Legum Duodecim Tabularum nec non Edicti Prætoris atque dilitii sententias 35 NO. X.-VOL. V. integras, etc., adjecit. D. CHRIST. GOTTLIEB HAUBOLD, antecessor, Lipsiensis. Post mortem auctoris edidit atque additamentis auxit D. CAROLUS EDUARDUS OTTO, Professor Lipsiensis. Lipsia: CIOIDCCCXXVI. MR. HALLAM, in his "History of the Middle Ages,”* speaking of the civil law and its earlier professors in modern times, remarks, that he “should earn little gratitude for his obscure diligence, were he to dwell on the forgotten teachers of a science that is likely soon to be forgotten." As we do not affect to have done more ourselves than glance over the pages of the Corpus Juris Civilis Glossatum, and know (we confess it with shame) little more of those restorers of Roman jurisprudence than may be learned from Gravina or Terrasson, it is not for us to take up the glove for Azzo and Accursius, or to censure very severely the historian who omits their names in a general view of the progress of society. Yet Accursius has found in the first of elementary writers of the old school † a champion, whose zeal is equalled only by his prowess, and one does not very readily conceive how the history of the human mind, in the middle ages, can be written without reference to a branch of study, which, in its double form of civil and canon law, did, during that period, more than all others put together, to shape and control the opinions of mankind. But when that writer goes on to speak of the schools of the sixteenth century, and even of the great Cujacius himself, as of those "whose names, or at least whose writings, are rapidly passing to the gulf that absorbed their predecessors" and still more, when he gravely assures his reader, that "the stream of literature, which has so remarkably altered its channel within the last century, (he is writing some twenty years ago,) has left no region more deserted than that of the Civil Law," he must pardon us for doubting whether he is the best of all possible pilots in that stream, or has explored with any pains the particular channel, of which he speaks with such flippant, and, as it happens, erring dogmatism. We trust we are not insensible to the real claims of the author of the "Constitutional History of England," to the grateful consideration of statesmen, as well as of scholars. That work, although far, in our judgment, from being perfectly satisfactory, is still a respectable one, and has, to a certain extent, filled a void in a most important department of knowledge. But the "History of the + Heinecc. Hist. Jur., § ccccxvii. He quotes and confirms the elaborate panegyric of Gravina de Ortu et Progr. Jur. Civ. § CLV. |