Sketches of American Character. By Mrs Sarah J. Hale. Author of "Northwood," &c. Boston. Carter & Hendee. 18mo. pp. 287. Ramon, the Rover of Cuba. The Personal Narrative of that celebrated Pirate. Translated from the original Spanish. Boston. Richardson, Lord, & Holbrook. 12mo.

POETRY.

A Poem delivered before the Porter Rhetorical Society in the Theological Seminary, Andover. By Richard H. Dana. Boston. Perkins & Marvin. 8vo.

The Drowsiad. By a Dozer. Charleston. W. Riley. 12mo. Quebec, The Harp, and other Poems. By W. F. Hawley. Montreal. 18mo. pp. 172.

POLITICAL ECONOMY.

Lectures on the Restrictive System, delivered to the Senior Political Class of William and Mary College. By Thomas R. Dew. Richmond. S. Shepherd & Co.

SPEECHES AND ADDRESSES.

Speeches on the Jew Bill, in the House of Delegates of Maryland, by H. M. Brackenridge, Col. W. G. D. Worthington, and John S. Tysen, Esq., together with an Argument on the Chancery Powers, and an Eulogy on Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, &c. By H.M. Brackenridge. Philadelphia. J. Dobson. 8vo. pp. 236.

An Address pronounced on the Anniversary of the Concord Lyceum, November 4, 1829. By Cornelius C. Felton. Cambridge. Hilliard & Brown.

The Speech of Henry Clay, delivered at the Public Dinner at Fowler's Garden, near Lexington, Kentucky, on the 16th of May, 1829; accompanied with Introductory Remarks. By a Citizen of Virginia. Richmond. T. W. White. 8vo. pp. 34.

A Discourse delivered before the Trustees, Faculty, and Students of Rutgers College, at New Brunswick, New Jersey, on the 14th of July. By John Sergeant, LL. D. 8vo. pp. 32.

THEOLOGY.

American Christian Observer; a Religious and Literary Review and Magazine; conducted on the Principles of the Protestant Episcopal Church in America. No. 1. Boston. Putnam & Hunt.

A Sermon preached in Boston before the Pastoral Association of Massachusetts. By John H. Church. Boston. Perkins & Marvin. A Sermon delivered at the Dedication of the Second Congregational Church, in Worcester, August 20, 1829. By Aaron Bancroft, D. D. Worcester. Griffin & Morrill. 8vo.

A Discourse delivered at Plymouth, Dec. 20, 1828, on the Two Hundred and Eighth Anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. By Samuel Green. Boston. Pierce & Williams. 8vo. pp. 36.

A Sermon on Paul at Athens. By the Rev. Andrew Bigelow. 8vo.

pp. 16.

A Selection of the most Celebrated Sermons of M. Luther and J. Calvin. To which is prefixed a Biographical History of their Lives. New York. R. Bentley. 12mo. pp. 200.

A Sermon preached in St. Paul's Church, Boston, June 17, 1829. By Joseph Muenscher. Boston. R. P. & C. Williams. 12mo.

Sermons, by the late Rev. Cornelius R. Duffie, A. M. To which is prefixed a Memoir of the Author. In two vols. New York. T. & J. Swords. Svo.

Eight Sermons addressed to Children, on the Duty of Obedience to Parents, and on the Lord's Prayer. By the late Rev. Cornelius R. Duffie, A. M. New York. T. & J. Swords. 18mo. pp. 150.

The Essential Doctrines of the Gospel; a Sermon. By. J. H. Fairchild. Boston. Pierce & Williams. 8vo. pp. 40.

An Essay on the Invalidity of Presbyterian Ordination. By John Ester Cooke, M. D. Lexington. 8vo. pp. 216.

A Treatise upon Theological Subjects, containing an Exposition and Defence of the Great Doctrines of Natural and Revealed Religion; together with several Prayers written in conformity with the spirit of this Work. By William S. Andrews. Cambridge. Hilliard & Brown. 12mo. pp. 292.

Consolation in Death, a Sermon, preached on Monday, September 7th, at the Funeral of the Rev. M. Bruen, A. M. By Samuel Cox, D. D. New York. D. Fanshaw.

A Sermon occasioned by the Death of the Rev. M. Bruen, preached in the Bleecker St. Church, New York. By Thomas H. Skinner. New York. J. Seymour.

A Discourse on the Sins of the Tongue. By Alexander Young. Second Edition. Boston. L. C. Bowles.

The Monotessaron; or The Gospel History according the Four Evangelists. By the Rev. John S. Thompson. Baltimore. 8vo. pp. 408.

Advice to a Young Christian on the Importance of Aiming at an elevated Standard of Piety. By a Village Pastor. New York. G. & C. & H. Carvill. 18mo. pp. 209.

Essays and Dissertations in Biblical Literature. By a Society of Clergymen. Vol. 1. New York. G. & C. & H. Carvill. 8vo.

Review of Mr Beckwith's Dissuasive; from the American Baptist Magazine for October, 1829. Boston. Lincoln & Edmands.

Charges, and Extracts of Charges, on Moral and Religious Subjects. By the Hon. Jacob Rush. Lenox. John G. Stanley. 18mo. pp. 166.

A Sermon delivered before the Society for Propagating the Gospel among the Indians and Others in North America. November 5th, 1829. By B. B. Wisner. Boston. Putnam & Hunt.

Principles of Congregationalism. The Second Century Lecture of the First Church. By Charles Wentworth Upham, jun. Salem. Foote & Brown. 8vo. pp. 22.

An Inquiry into the Nature of Sin as exhibited in Dr Dwight's Theology, a Letter to a Friend. By Clericus. New Haven. H. Howe. Remarks on Prayer Meetings. Republished from the Episcopal Register. Philadelphia. William Stavely. 12mo. pp. 88.

VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.

Lafayette in America, in 1824 and 1825; or Journal of a Voyage to the United States. By A. Levasseur, Secretary to General Lafayette during his Journey. In two vols. Philadelphia. Carey, Lea, & Carey.

12mo.

AMERICAN EDITIONS OF FOREIGN WORKS.

Aids to Reflection, in the Formation of a Manly Character, on the several grounds of Prudence, Morality, and Religion. By S. T. Coleridge. First American, from the first London Edition; with an Appendix, Preliminary Essay, and additional Notes, by James Marsh, President of the University of Vermont. Burlington. Chauncey Goodrich.

Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews. By Robert Lowth, D. D. A new edition, with Notes, by Calvin E. Stowe, A. M. Boston. Crocker & Brewster. 8vo. pp. 464.

An Introduction to the Practice of Midwifery. By the late Thomas Denman, M. D. From the sixth London edition; with a Biographical Sketch of the Author. Third American edition, with Notes and Emendations. By John W. Francis, M. D. New York. G. & C. & H. Carvill. 8vo. pp. 776.

An Exposition of the Old and New Testaments; with Practical Remarks and Observations. By Mathew Henry. Edited by the Rev. George Burder, and the Rev. Josoph Hughes, A. M.; with the Life of the Author, by the Rev. Samuel Palmer. First American edition; to which is prefixed a Preface, by Archibald Alexander, D. D. In six vols. Philadelphia. Tower & Hogan. 8vo.

A Selection from the Public and Private Correspondence of ViceAdmiral Lord Collingwood; interspersed with Meinoirs of his Life. By G. L. N. Collingwood, Esq. F. R. S. New York. G. & C. & H. Carvill.

Peace Campaigns of a Cornet. In two vols. New York. J. & J. Harper. 12mo.

The New Forest. A Novel. By the Author of 'Brambletye House.' New York. J. & J. Harper. 12mo.

Waldegrave. A Novel. In two vols. New York. J. & J. Harper. Some Account of the Life of Reginald Heber, D. D., Bishop of Calcutta. Boston. Crocker & Brewster.

The Adventures of a King's Page. By the Author of Almack's Revisited.' In two vols. New York. J. & J. Harper. Rybrent de Cruce. A Novel. In two vols. Harper.

New York. J. & J.

Prayers and Religious Meditations. By David Hartley, M. D. Second American edition. With several selected Prayers for a Family. Cambridge. Hilliard & Brown. 18mo. pp. 72.

The Veracity of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. By the Rev. J. J. Blunt. Boston. Perkins & Marvin. 12mo.

Sketches of Irish Character. A Novel. By Mrs. S. C. Hall. New York. J. & J. Harper. 12mo. pp. 220.

The Book of the Boudoir. By Lady Morgan. In two vols. New York. J. & J. Harper. 12mo.

A Memoir of Barbara Ewing; by her Husband, Greville Ewing. Boston. Lincoln & Edmands. 12mo. pp. 224.

A Course of Lectures for Sunday Evenings; containing Religious Advice to Young Persons. In two vols. New York. O. A. Roorbach. 18mo.

NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW.

No. LXVII.

NEW SERIES, NO. XLII.

APRIL, 1830.

10. Dewey

ART. I.—1. Library of Useful Knowledge. Nos. 1—60. 8vo. 2. The Library of Entertaining Knowledge. Vol. I. and Vol. II. Part I. 18mo.

[Published under the Superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. London. 182829-30.]

SOME One of the British journals, in speaking of the prolific press of the English Society named above, says, rather freely, 'We wonder where Brougham can find the men to write all these tracts.' Now we must as freely say, though without designing the least disrespect, certainly, to that distinguished individual or his praiseworthy coadjutors, that it seems to us they might find them anywhere. The truth is, and the truth in this case is a matter of so much disappointment and regret to us, that we cannot suppress the expression of it, there is a most lamentable want of tact, not to say talent, in these publications. No doubt the first series is sufficiently learned, that is, the scientific part of it, though we cannot wonder,' certainly, that men should be found to do this work for a fair consideration. But the want of talent appears in this, that there is no adaptation, in these tracts, to the purpose for which they were avowedly written. They are wholly unfit for the diffusion of knowledge among the mass of the people, or among the mass of general readers. And when this deficiency was confessed, though not remedied in the current series, as it ought to have been, the moment it was discovered; when a new series is brought forward, as if starting anew would better help the matter; when, we say, a new series VOL. XXX.-No. 67.

38

(the Library of Entertaining Knowledge) is got up, on purpose to correct the preceding error, what have we but a collection of children's stories about Menageries and Forests, descriptions that look like a traveller's memoranda of trees and plants; rambling anecdotes about dogs, cats, and jackalls; and all this, with scarcely any pretension to philosophical classification or instructive inference. We have had, but this moment, as we were writing, an exact illustration of the character of this series. We were expressing our disapprobation about this work in conversation; and the answer was, 'But don't you think it is a very good thing for children? It is indeed a good thing for children,' was our reply, but it was designed for men. The title Entertaining' we were in truth afraid of, from the first; and it seems to have impressed its character upon the tracts, almost to the exclusion of all other objects. They may do good, no doubt; we are not sorry to have them for our youth to read as entertaining books; but we cannot admit, that these or any publications of the British Society are examples of what can be done to further its great project.

Our brethren across the water must pardon us if we express ourselves somewhat strongly; for we have looked to them for the best thing that could be done; we have rejoiced at their great and noble undertaking; we have actually had visions of the good they were to do, and, confess it we must, we are grievously disappointed. The truth is, the first failure seems to have led to a separation of things which it was their very business and intention to unite. Of scientific books we had enough before; entertaining and intelligible treatises, too, such as Goldsmith's and St Pierre's; but the object of the Society was to give these matters a form sufficiently scientific for the best purposes of instruction, and yet to render them intelligible and interesting. Now its first series of tracts had enough of scientific classification, but was not intelligible to the mass of readers. To remedy this, the Society has issued a second series; but, by this arrangement, being unwilling to trench upon the ground of the first, they have cut themselves off from a large portion of the field of interesting and useful instruction; and that, too, the best portion. For instance, in the first series the subject of Vegetable Physiology was treated of; a subject which yields the most interesting results for mental and moral contemplation. But