THE NEW QUARTERLY REVIEW, AND Digest of Current Literature, BRITISH, AMERICAN, FRENCH, AND GERMAN. FOR THE YEAR 1853. VOL. II. LONDON: HOOKHAM AND SONS, 15, OLD BOND STREET; OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH; HODGES AND SMITH, DUBLIN ; CHESSON, BOMBAY; COLVIN & Co., CALCUTTA; PARRY & Co., MADRAS; Address AT THE CLOSE OF THE SECOND YEAR. The Second Volume of the NEW QUARTERLY REVIEW is now completed. It was projected by a few authors, who had seen so much of the publishing trade, and so many of the secret springs of criticism, that they had grown indignant that literature should be sinking to a sordid traffic, and that criticism should be but a bookseller's bellman. Many considerations gave hope that a Quarterly Review, which should really be a Quarterly Review, would receive support from the general public. It was thought that there must be many thousand families in Britain who would be glad to have, in some compendious form, a complete view of the current literature of the time. It was believed that, in the distant Colonies of the Empire, the exile would be pleased to see, four times in every year, a reflex of the works that were forming the evening amusement of his friends at home. It was known that the Book Societies, which cover the land of England like a net-work, were without an honest guide-were the most unresisting prey of the least scrupulous of the publishing tribe, and the victims of their coarsest baits. It was anticipated that an Annual Register of Literature would be a volume of convenient reference, which multitudes would be glad to possess at the expense of an annual ten shillings. The enterprise was, in itself, promising: with the staff we had organised it was certain. There was but one formidable drawback-to work out the object of its projectors the Review must be Independent. This quality of Independence must be an ostracism. It would be an attempt to revolutionize criticism. It would be a rebellion against Marlborough Street, New Burlington Street, Albemarle Street, and Paternoster Row. It involved the necessity of not being "recognised." It was equivalent to the probability, that every prosperous vendor of unacknowledged translations would rush about, eagerly asserting to every one who was obliged to listen to him that the NEW QUARTERLY "could not stand,” that it had “neither authority nor circulation;" it also included the certainty of its being said in a whisper, in all these localities, that it must be put down. In a commercial point of view it had doubtless been wiser to chain the New Review to the galley, and to make it keep stroke. But this was not the object of its projectors. That object was, to quote the words of a contributor, "to represent the brains, and not the breeches pockets, of literature;" to inform, and not to betray, thepeople. The adverse interests are so strong, and their machinery is so complete, that perhaps we should have been daunted from the enterprise but for the facilities offered by the Post Office. It rests now with the public, and with the public only, what Critical Journal they will take, or what books they will buy. The most facile method of obtaining a book or a review is still through the neighbouring bookseller. But, should any Metropolitan influence delay the punctual delivery, it is but the trouble of a note to the publisher, and the dweller at John o' Groat's house, or in any remote village in India, will regularly receive his book or his Number through a Post-office official, whom no publisher can control. After two years' experience, the New Quarterly REVIEW has realised all our expectations. We have a much larger circle of Subscribers in all parts of the world than we could possibly have anticipated; and we are informed that the Publishers hate us with an uncomfortable hatred. We offer to the former a touchstone by which to try us. Whenever they find our advertising columns occupied by the announcements of the "great houses," they may make up their minds that we either have done, or are expected to do, some considerable subserviencies. For ourselves, whenever we find our table covered that every one may apply it. We ask no favour but from our Subscribers; and that not for ourselves, but for themselves and for CONTENTS OF VOLS. I. AND II. No. I. Sir Retrospect of Literature for 1851-Sir James Stephen's No. Retrospect of the Literature of the Quarter-Grenville No. Retrospect of the Literature of the Quarter-Lord Jeff- bands-The Pursuivant of Arms-Junius and his Works II. --- Darien-Heir of Ardennan-Militia Major-Farce of Life III. -Passages in the Life of Gilbert Arnold-Life and Times bian Desert-Residence in Algeria-Hunt's Universal Shakspeare et son Temps-Corneille et son Temps.-GER- dale-India: The Trader Sovereign and the Hindu Slave -Book Societies-Modern Taste in Art-Indian Poets and their English Translators-Glances at Europe during the Summer of 1851, including Notices of the Great Exhi- bition-Autobiography of W. Jerdan-Leaves from my Journal-English Agriculture in 1850-51-Voyage in Baf- fin's Bay-Western Himalaya and Thibet-Lives of the Sovereigns of Russia-Pictures from St. Petersburgh- Temple of Solomon-Ceremonial Usages of the Chinese- Blondelle-Belle of the Village-Tide of Life-Professions -Beauty of Amalfi-Lost Inheritance-Hutspot-Helen Talbot-Hunt's Yachting Magazine - History of Adult of Destiny-Boyhood, and other Poems-Oswald the En- thusiast. AMERICAN LITERATURE: Retrospect of the Quarter-The Blithedale Romance-The Works of Daniel Webster-Greenwood Leaves-The Laws of Life-Hud- son's Shakespeare-Lotus Eating-Witchcraft.-FRENCH LITERATURE: Résumé of the Quarter - Le Réfractaire- Caprices et Zigzags-La Femme et l'Enfant-Nouvelles. Par Armand Barthet.-GERMAN LITERATURE: Summary of the Quarter-Steen Bille's Bericht-Russland's Indus- trielle und Commerzielle Verhältnisse-Geschichte eines Mönchs und einer Nonne-Philine, Roman-Eine Pension am Genfersee-Weimar und Jena-Die Alliirten der Re- Retrospect of the Literature of the Quarter-Memoirs, Journal, and Correspondence of Thomas Moore — Mr. Thackeray and the Age of Queen Anne-Smatterers in Oriental Literature-Falsifications of Food-The Whim- Whams and Opinions of Sir Archibald Alison, Bart.— India: How the Hindu Thrall is ruled-Anecdotes of Wellington-Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses A Fortnight in Ireland - Village Life in Egypt-Isis; an Egyptian Pilgrimage-Visit to the Holy Land, Egypt, and Italy-Palissy the Potter-Revelations of Siberia-Uncle Walter-The Pilgrims of New England -Milton Davenant-Cathal More The Bride Elect Reuben Medlicott-Basil-The Romance of the Forum- The present condition of Medical Science-Observations on the Magnetic Orbit - Exposition of the Apostles' Creed-Ecclesiography-An Analytical Digest of all the Reported Cases decided in the Supreme Courts in India, in the Courts of the East-India Company, and, on Appeal from India, by Her Majesty in Council. Together with an Introduction, &c.-Hippolytus and his Age-Phaeton -Discussions on Philosophy and Literature, Education, and University Reform-Spirits of the Past-The Violin The School of Musical Composition, Practical and Theoretical-Poems-A Dictionary of Scientific Terms- What am I? Where am I? What ought I to do?-Re- ligion and Education in relation to the People.- AMERICAN LITERATURE: Austria in 1848-49 - Life of Franklin Pearce Essays and Reviews-Literature and Art-Au Expedition to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah -The Mormons in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake- Freedom National; Slavery Sectional.-FRENCH LITERA- TURE: Résumé-Louis XVII., sa Vie, son Agonie, sa Mort Les deux Cours et les Nuits de Saint-Cloud. Mœurs, débauches, et crimes de la Famille Bonaparte- Mont-Revêche - Jeanne d'Arc suivi d'une étude sur Ho- mére et Bernard de Palissy-Régine-Confessions d'un Ouvrier-Léon Gozlan. Cauntes et Nouvelles: De Neuf Court and Cabinet of George III.-Earl Grey's Colonial Admi- nistration-Lives of the Earls of Essex-Lord Maidstone's De- luge-The Late Earl of Belfast-Ranke's History of France-Lady Emmeline Wortley's "&c." -The Water-lily on the Danube- Canterbury Settlement-Miss Martineau's Letters from Ireland- The Wellington Poets-Prose Wellingtonia-Muffling-Larpent- An Ex-Aide-de-Camp- Strickland's "Canada"-Evil Genius- Memoirs of a Stomach-Novels of the Quarter, &c. &c. Gold-its Past-its Present-its Future- Will Quartz-crushing pay?-An Analytical Account of all the Californian Quaitz-crushing Companies: their History - Pro- spects-probable Results-M. Chevalier on the Production of the Precious Metals, and various Pamphlets-Stirling on Gold--- The Two Coalition Cabinets-The Duke of Buckingham's Memoirs-The Bulwer Novels: The Caxtons: My Novel -Religious Novels of the Quarter: Lady-bird: Jesuit Executorship: Quakers: Ruth: Lieutenant's Story India: The Anarchy of Thraldom-Lord Grey's Colonial Policy The Biographers of Mohammad: Sprenger's Life of Mohammad-Another Oriental Smatterer: Lares and Penates-Layard's Nineveh - Legends of the Ma- donna as represented in the Fine Arts-Notes and Emen- dations on Shakespeare - Two Thousand Miles' Ride through the Argentine Provinces-Travels in South and North America-A Historical Tour in Franconia in the - Eminent Characters of the English Revolutionary Period-Memoir of a Metaphysician-White, Red, Black -Villette The School for Dreamers The Dean's Daughter-Amabel-Mark Hurdlestone, the Gold Wor- shipper-Claverston-Rambles in an Old City-An Expo- sition of the Laws relating to the Women of England- The Sexuality of Nature-The Bouquet, culled from Marylebone Gardens-A Common Place Story- Retail Mammon-A Complete System of Bayonet Exercise- Bases of Belief-The Second Burmese War-A Tour of Inquiry through France and Italy-Paris after Waterloo- Cobden and his Pamphlet considered, in a Letter to Richard Cobden, Esq., M. P.-A Visit to the Indian Archi- pelago in H.M.S. "Mæander "-The Indian Archipelago. its history and present state-Report of the Commissioners in Lunacy on the subject of Bethlehem Hospital-The Golden Spell.- AMERICAN LITERATURE: The Private Life of Daniel Webster History of the State of New York-The War with Ormuzd and Ahriman in the Nine- teenth Century-Pioneer Women of the West-Summer Gleanings Lectures on African Colonization, and kin- dred subjects.-FRENCH LITERATURE: Résumé - Cali- fornie-Voyages et Récits-GERMAN LITERATURE: Ré- sumé Bilder und Geschichten aus dem Schwäbischen Leben Tagebuch aus Languedoc und Provence-Bel- letristische Schriften-Einleitung in die Geschichte des - |