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NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES, etc. During 1849 and 1850. By the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley. New-York: Harper & Brothers.

In the preface to this work, we have the old story repeated; we are told that upon leaving England Lady Emmeline was "fully determined against writing a book of travels," but that since her return, friends to whose better judgment she feels bound to defer, have pressed her so strongly to print her letters, that she has consented so to do, "after adding somewhat to give them the usual narrative form, and dividing them into chapters." Casting aside the apology and looking at the book, we find that she has given us a very piquante and racy description of men, manners and scenery in America: she neither condemns nor praises without good reason, and she is almost uniformly correct in the few remarks she chooses to interlard with her narrative. Of course she was lionized during her stay among us, and, as a matter of courtesy, she feels herself bound to return the compliment by noticing all who ministered to her pleasure; thus we have flattering notices of those in whose houses she was received, and with whom she met upon terms of familiarity. She speaks very highly of the courtesy and intelligence of the American people, and still more highly of the spirit of enterprise which they manifest. Her descriptions of Niagara, the Mammoth Cave, and the Mississippi, show that she expected to derive great pleasure from these objects in American scenery, and was not disappointed in her expectations. Her tour extended not alone through the United States, but into Mexico, South America, and Cuba; and the narrative of her travels, written in a very pleasing style, makes the book an agreeable companion for leisure hours.

GINEVRA: The History of a Portrait. By an American Lady, resident in the City of Washington. T. B. Peterson, Philad.

This new novel, by Miss Genevieve C. Fairfield, daughter of the late Sumner Lincoln Fairfield, has been generally commended; indeed, some have called it the "very first novel of the age." We read it, and derived a great deal of pleasure, not alone from the incidents, which are of unusual interest, but equally from the style in which it is written, showing a naturally vigorous and highly cultivated intellect. We trust that it will be generally read, and have no doubt but that, with a few judicious alterations, it would become exceedingly popular.

LONDON LABOR AND LONDON POOR. By Henry Mayhew. New-York: Harper and Brothers.

The third part of this interesting work has just been issued by the Harpers. The book is one which must come home to the hearts of the people, for in our own city we may trace much of the misery so strikingly depicted in these volumes as belonging to London.

GODFREY MALVERN; or, the Life of an Author. By Thomas Miller. With 24 Illustrations by Phiz. Harper & Brothers.

This is an admirable story, very much in the Thackeray style, and is very attractive.

CAMPAIGNS OF THE RIO GRANDE AND OF MEXICO. With Notices of the recent Work of Major Ripley. By Brevet-Major Isaac J. Stevens, U. S. A. D. Appleton & Co. The intention of this work is to reply to what are called unjust criticisms of Major Ripley on several of "the men of Mexico." Major Ripley's work is, however, too well appreciated by military men to have his estimate of the relative merits displayed in Mexico, shaken by a work which deals so much in generalities and theories, and so little in argument and fact, as this of Major Stevens. This gentleman says, his object is to "vindicate the truth of history;" but the time for that is not yet. The mere fact that the military conduct of General Taylor requires defence and we presume no one will undertake to make a political refutation for him, is an indication that posterity will be governed by the facts, and will not be swayed in their judgments of his character as a soldier by the fanciful theories, special pleadings, and palpable afterthoughts, which occur in the defence. When an officer violates military rules against the advice of his government and superior officer, and makes a precipitate retreat at the expense of his baggage and provisions, and his force barely escapes defeat on a field when he is not himself present during the whole of the battle, and where his want of sagacity, when present, was the cause of disastrous loss of life among his own troops, it is uphill work to give, in the final retreat of the enemy, as evidence of premeditated skill on the part of that officer. The truth of history can scarcely be vindicated by partisan officers writing at the moment when the chiefs whose merits they sing are in the field as candidates for the highest political offices in the gift of the people.

MEMOIRS OF WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, Poet-Laureate.

By Christopher Wordsworth,

D. D., Canon of Westminster. Edited by Henry Reed. Ticknor, Reed & Fields. The second volume of this attractive memoir, edited by Professor Reed, has made its appearance, and will be eagerly welcomed by the public, who were so well entertained by the contents of the first number. It is beautifully bound in the style of Messrs. Ticknor, Reed & Field's publications.

PLYMOUTH AND THE PILGRIMS; or Incidents of Adventure in the History of the First Settlers. By Joseph Banvard. Gould & Lincoln, Boston. Sold by Evans & Brittan, 697 Broadway.

This exceedingly interesting little work, of the Rev. Mr. Banvard, on that fruitful subject, Early Adventure in New England, is illustrated by nine engravings, and neatly printed. It is sold in New-York by Messrs. Evans & Brittan, a new house, at No. 697 Broadway. Mr. Evans has been favorably known to the public through his connection with George P. Putnam.

SHAKSPEARE'S DRAMATIC WORKS. With Introductory Remarks and Notes, Original and Selected. Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co.

This magnificent edition has been increased beyond the compass of the original plan, by the addition of the Miscellaneous Works of the great poet. To facilitate the completion of Shakspeare's works, the publishers thought it advisable to issue the Poems in three large parts-each one containing about three times as much as the average of

the preceding numbers. The first number contained Nos. 39, 40, 41, with a beautiful portrait of Desdemona, forming the first of this series.

The present number contains a beautiful vignette title page, from an original design by Billings.

The third, and concluding part, will contain a splendid engraving of Mrs. Siddons as the tragic muse, from the celebrated painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

INVENTOR'S MANUAL; or Legal Principles, and Guide to the Patent Office. By George Ticknor Curtis, Counsellor at Law. Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co.

This very valuable work is an abridgment from the author's larger work on Patent Law. When invention is rife and rights so precarious as they now are under the administration of the patent office, every person ought to have some sure and reliable information in relation to his legal rights before he ventures upon application. The work seems to be of immense importance in this respect, and will command general attention.

STUART OF DUNLEATH: A Story of the Present Time. By the Hon. Caroline Norton. Harper & Brothers.

This is a new and valuable addition to the Messrs. Harper's library of select novels. The Hon. Mrs. Norton has been loug and favorably known as a writer, both of prose and poetry; and from this work, more than any other, we have been impressed with a favorable idea of her abilities. Its characters are those met in every-day life, its incidents simple, yet artistically contrived; and with these familiarities, the authoress has given us a book for leisure hours from which we may glean information at the same time that we derive pleasure.

THE FARMER'S GUIDE TO SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. Leonard Scott & Co.

This great work, containing more than 1600 pages and an immense number of illus trations, has been completed, and is afforded at $5. No farmer should be without it. We shall have occasion in our next number to notice it more at large.

SOME PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF MRS. MARGARET MAITLAND; written by herself. D. Appleton & Co.

Autobiography seems to be the order of the day; and some of the most fascinating books of late years have been presented to the public in this form. This is the latest addition to that peculiar class of works. We have already commended the author's previous volume, Caleb Field, yet do not hesitate to express the decided preference we have for the work now before us. It is very neatly printed and bound, and does credit to the publishers.

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