the child into flight. She took shelter with a female friend, who concealed her, and for a time treated her as her own. Her parents, meanwhile, supposed that she had drowned herself, and, as the cause of her flight was well known, they suffered a loss of caste in consequence. Valerie, nevertheless, grew and flourished, charming, beautiful and accomplished in everything. She was addressed by a gentleman whom she refused, and he subsequently married the lady who had adopted her. This lady pressed her to accept an invitation made to her to visit England; she did so and, from that moment, instigated by her husband, who never forgave Valerie's rejection of his suite, her patron abandoned her. When this became evident to the girl, she put on a new character, and resolutely determined to be independent. She passed through several vicissitudes as a governess and a teacher of music. In this progress, she learned how bitter was the task, according to Dante, of 'ascending another's stairs,' but her independent courage works through all and becomes triumphant. She marries happily, and the story ends in a cloud of roses. Such is the sketch of the novel. Its filling up is unequal. Capt. Marryatt, who was little of a gentleman, knew not well how to describe a lady. The consequence is that 'Valerie' with great beauty, according to her own account, and considerable intelligence, is any thing but an ideal-scarcely a model for the sex.

42. Lectures on Dramatic Literature; or the Employment of the Passions in the Drama; by SAINT MARK GIRARDIN. Professor of the Faculty of Letters in Paris, &c. First series. Translated from the French, by ROBERT GIBBES BARNWELL "Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo." New-York: D. Appleton & Co. 1849.

THE translation of this work is very creditably made by a young Carolinian. Girardin's Lectures may be taken up more formally in these pages hereafter. Meanwhile, we are pleased to express our satisfaction at the performance of our young countryman, whom we hope to welcome in future to more independent labors.

43. The Works of J. Fennimore Cooper. The Spy, complete in one volume. New-York: G. P. Putnam. 1849.

WE welcome the edition of Cooper's complete writings, of which the present is the initial volume. It is got up in the excellent style of

publication which was adopted by the same publisher in his edition of Irving. These two writers properly go together. They were the first to begin fairly the career of American letters. Mr. Cooper is an old favorite with ourselves, as well as the public. We can forgive all his errors in consideration of his sturdy and sterling merits. We trust, and believe, that his countrymen generally are prepared to welcome him with a renewal of old favors, and a forgetfulness of the old quarrel. They have now an excellent occasion to do so. This fine edition deserves to have a place everywhere in the American library. It is newly revised and improved by the author, coupled with explanatory and illus. trative notes, and prefaced by a new and interesting introduction, which shows whence he derived the original germ of the novel which first brought the writer into notoriety.

44. Last Leaves of American History: Comprising Histories of the Mexican War and California; by EMMA WILLARD. New-York: George P. Putnam. 1849.

THE principal events in the history of the United States, beginning with the inauguration and death of Harrison, and bringing down the record to the close of the war with Mexico, are here compressed into the smallest possible space. This is the chief, perhaps the only merit of the volume, which is rather chronological than historical, which expatiates fully upon none of the particulars in our progress, and is written in a style exceedingly slip-shod. An excellent map of the United States, including our new acquisitions in Oregon and California, accompanies the volume, which is got up in the usual handsome manner of all Putnam's publications.

45. The Mystic Tie: or facts and opinions illustrative of the character and tendency of Freemasonry; by ALBERT G. MACKEY, M,D., author of "Lexicon of Freemasonry," &c. Charleston: Miller & Browne. 1849.

DR. MACKEY is habitually known as a student con amore, and an authority in all that relates to freemasonry or can interest the craft. His Lexicon was a valuable compend, supplying a generally acknowledged de

ficiency. The merit of this work is of another nature. It does not so much teach the laws of freemasonry, as it illustrates its virtues, benefits and beauties. It is, in fact, a volume of masonic anecdote, grateful to the mason, and agreeable reading to those who do not belong to the fraternity. It is compiled with care, and the stories are generally well related. They appear, all of them, to be quite authentic.

46. Practical Hints on the Comparative cost and productiveness of the Culture of Cotton and the cost and productiveness of its manufacture. Addressed to the Cotton Planters and Capitalists of the South. By CHARLES T. JAMES, Providence: Jos. Knowles. 1849.

Mr. James gives us a very useful body of Statistics, with a very interesting running commentary. His pamphlet appears at the right season. Our people are every where opening their eyes to the importance of engrafting the manufacture of Cotton, upon our present plan of simply raising it. The pamphlet before us is designed to foster this spirit. Mr. James is a practical man, of large experience in machinery. He should be listened to with attention and respect. One of his suggestions, in particular, should compel inquiry. He insists that steam is preferable to water power for manufacturing purposes, making always a superior article of goods. With equal abundance of water power and fuel, the South is at no loss, whatever may be the preferable agent.

47. Bulletin of the American Art Union. New-York. 1849.

By this we rejoice to learn the continued prosperity of this Institution. The last picture engraved was one by Leutze, on the subject of Queen Mary signing the death warrant of Lady Jane Grey. Copies of this picture, accompanied by the outline sketches of Darley, on the subject of Rip Van Winkle, were distributed to subscribers. Medals in bonor of Gilbert Stuart and Washington Allston have also recently been distributed, hough in small numbers and by lottery. Could not this be so contrived as to give one of these to each of the subscribers? The subject of the engraving for the next year, is one of the allegorical series by Cole, representing youth in pursuit of triumph-hope at the prow and pleasure at the helm.' A small and very pretty etching from this picture has been issued already in order to afford an idea of the subject. The larger picture will

be of the usual size of the series. The Art Union's plan is a fortunate one. The society in New-York seems doubly so in the management of its affairs. The President, Gen. Wetmore, is singularly well calculated for the chair which he occupies.

48. Illustrations of Rip Van Winkle. Designed and etched by FELIX O. C. DARLEY. For the members of the American Art Union. 1848.

These are very spirited sketches, from the hands of an artist whose reputation is based rather upon his achievements in works of humor, than in the higher and bolder performances of art. Mr. Darley is destined most probably to acquire more credit from his serious, than his humorous performances. He is yet young, and, with study and industry, and the avoidance of conventionalities,-which is the great danger from living in a large city he must rise to eminence in his profession. He deserves to do so. We have great faith in his natural endowments, and we are pleased to believe that he is a student. This implies not only the constant examination of what his bretheren of the profession teach, but that he as constantly goes out of the profession and into himself. Solitude, and that brooding thought which knows how to concentrate itself upon its own heart, are the great and proper teachers in all arts which require the agency of the imagination.

49. Transactions of the Art Union of Philadelphia, for the year 1849. Philadelphia: King & Baird. 1849.

This institution differs from that of New-York in one single respect. It allows to him who draws a prize, the choice of any picture within the collection, or which he may purchase with the money. In the New-York Art Union he draws a picture; in the Philadelphia, the means to buy one. The report of this Institution shows it to be prosperous. The agent for SouthCarolina is Saml. Hart, Sen., Bookseller, King-street.

SOUTHERN QUARTERLY QUARTERLY REVIEW.

No. XXXII.

JANUARY, 1950.

ART. I.-THE PRESENT STATE OF EUROPE.
The Edinburgh Review, for April, 1849.
The London Quarterly Review, for April, 1849.
The Westminster Review, for April, 1849.
The North British Review, for May, 1849.
Blackwood's Magazine, for March, April and May, '49.

WE remember, some thirty years ago, to have heard pretenders to literature, to art, to science, to political informa tion, or to knowledge of any sort, characterized as "Readers of Reviews." It was said of them, that, instead of investigating for themselves-instead of analyzing and dissecting the subjects with which they should be acquaintedthey depended on Jeffrey and Gifford to do this for them, and feasted their minds on the more delicate titbits, served up with the best skill of those accomplished masters of literary cookery. We must say, that we did not, even then, feel the justice of this reproach. We had not forgotten the anecdote of the High Dutch doctor, who challenged the world to dispute with him de omni scibile et quolibetente; nor how he was discomfited by a question, the very terms of which were unintelligible to him. Here was a proof, that, more than three hundred years ago, no man could find time to make himself acquainted with all of the little that was then known. Indeed, the instances have been, at all times, rare, of men, who, while acquiring a thorough knowledge of any one art or science, have found leisure to acquaint themselves with anything beyond the group of sub24 VOL. XVI.-No. 32.