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Extracts from select notices of the Analyst, Literary Studies, and Memorial of the Hon. David S. Jones.

THE ANALYST; A Collection of Miscellaneous papers. Wiley & Putnam, 1840.

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This is a volume well worthy to be read. It gives proof of reflection, observation, and literary culture; and its style is always clear, sometimes forcible and terse, though not often elegant. abounds with shrewd remarks, happy criticisms, and well-drawn traits of character.-North American Review, April, 1840. LITERARY STUDIES; A collection of Miscellaneous Essays by W. A. JONES, New-York: E. Walker, 1847.

Mr. Jones, a native of New-York, and a well known contributor to the Whig and Democratic Reviews of papers on purely Literary subjects, has here made a collection of his articles under a modest title, which would admit of some enlargement. The papers are something more than literary studies. A part of them are devoted to the illustration of neglected periods of English Literature, but even these are improved by suggestions and reflections drawn from the writer's marked individual experience and independent of the bookish text under consideration. Such are the chapters on Elijah Fenton, and Pope and his Friends. Another portion relates to men rather than books, such as the Essays on the Morality of Poverty, a finely conceived paper, worthy the pen of Dr. Dewey; on Notoriety, a profitable subject in these days of the abuse of true reputation; and the independent remarks on Preaching.

Works of the kind undertaken by Mr. Jones receive little pecuniary reward from the trade, and make far less reputation with the public than they deserve, but when, as in the present instance, they are the genuine product of sound literary culture and a candid, ingenuous, original mind, they are among the most useful and honorable contributions to literature.-Tribune.

Mr. Jones is one of the few writers among us, who may be called the direct descendants of the old English essayists. He gives evidence of the most careful reading of that class of authors, and has imbibed a portion of their characteristic spirit and style. The little volume he published several years since, called the Analyst, a collection of miscellaneous papers, contain a series of delightful essays, which have never attracted as much attention as they deserve; and the present volumes, though like it in character, indicate considerable improvement.-Democratic Review.

A valuable addition to the class of works by Hazlitt, Hunt, D'Israeli, and others, illustrative of English Literature. It is a book of taste and reflection, an admirable library companion.- Wiley's News Letter.

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Good sense characterizes all Mr. Jones's writings, and the scholar and gentleman are every where plainly visible. He has lately favored the public with some fruits of his more mature genius, under the title of Literary Studies;" one of the very best books ever written by an American. It displays much and varied reading, refined and delicate taste. No one can write better than Mr. Jones on the old English Divines, essayists and novelists.-American Mail.

Mr. W. A. Jones, long favorably known to readers of American periodicals, belongs to a class of writers but too little prized among us-those whom a deep-rooted and highly cultivated love of literature, leads to research, comparison, and discriminating criticism. It would seem the most natural thing in the world, that the people who are forever lamenting that their hard fate prevents any attempt at study-that they have not time for even light reading, beyond the page of a newspaper-should delight in books which show a royalperhaps we ought rather to say a mercantile-road to some knowledge of elegant letters, should feel really indebted to the patient goldfinder who saves them the time which might be expended in unprofitable search, even to the sifting out of the sprinkling ore from the mere dross. Such has long been Mr. Jones' office; and in this volume we have the result of much of that labor of love which enriches him who pursues it, whether the world appreciate or not.— Christian Enquirer.

"LITERARY STUDIES" is the title given to a collection of Miscellaneous Essays, by W. A. JONES, who has been long and favorably known as a contributer to the periodical literature of the day. They evince a sharp, critical acumen, sound common sense and general felicity of expression. They are modelled, quite successfully in form and spirit, upon some of the best and most highly esteemed English Essayists, and ought to be very widely popular.-Cour. & Enquirer.

We have before expressed our high opinion of Mr. Jones' abilities as an essayist, and our earnest admiration of the spirit as well as the matter of his writings. As a critic we do not know his superior among American writers. His conception of the merits and beauties of his author, is in all cases, just and discriminating, while his highly cultivated taste and delicate appreciation of those minuter traits of excellency which are apt to escape the glance of the mere reviewer, render him the delightful and intelligent companion of our "literary studies." The essays in these volumes treat of a variety of subjects and books, ancient and modern, but they all bear the stamp of an original, acute and cuitivated mind.-Protestant Churchman.

This is an excellent book, full of good criticism and just sentiment. Essay writing is by no means an easy department of litera

ture. We think a book of bad essays the dullest of all books. A good deal of talent, or rather, tact, is needed to bring out these points of a didactic subject which are apt to arrest the attention of common readers. We think the author of this book quite successful in the department which he has chosen, and that its tendency will be to improve and elevate the taste of its readers; and that, not merely by a compilation of correct opinions upon books and authors, which might be easily made with the aid of a little reading. The author has evidently an independent ground of his own, and does not hesitate to dissent from the authority of high names. There is that in the book which should be in every good one, viz: enough is original to influence strongly opinion upon the books, authors, or subjects treated of.— Evening Post.

After all, the best trait in the writer of these papers, is his quiet, genial sympathy with all that have written well-the stronger, apparently, for the more obscure--and the excellent moral tone pervading his columns, not the less sincere and effective for his making no noise about it. He acts, indeed, upon the sentiments implied in his remarks on the offensive, all-perfect moral characters obtruded into religious novels. In short, this little volume is entirely worthy of being bought; it is more-it is worth stealing, as we can testify, having lost two from our table within a week, by means unknown to any except to those who took them.-American Review, July, 1847. MEMORIAL OF THE LATE HON. DAVID S. JONES.-Containtaining notices of the Jones family of Queens county. New-York. Stanford & Swords, 137 Broadway, 1849. Banks & Gould.

It contains a variety of interesting matter relating to the early history of the New-York bar, and is a very appropriate tribute to one of its early and distinguished ornaments.--Evening Post.

This is an affectionate tribute, to a member of one of the most eminent families of our state-by one of its representatives of the present generation, who has himself acquired an enviable reputation, in a sphere of his own. It is written with elegance, in excellent taste, and a spirit of reverent judgment, altogether becoming in a memoir of a father by a son.-Express, July 24.

Filial affection has, in this brief and well printed memoir, reared a monument of simple dignity and beauty to the private virtues and professional attainments of one, who was entitled to rank among the best of an eminently judicial and legal family.

Mr. Wm. A. Jones, the writer, is eminently fitted to raise this tablet to his father's memory. Among the many learned, well educated, and legal members of the Jones family, none have (if we recollect aright) striven for the laurel of literature but Mr. Wm. A. Jones; and with what success some of the finest Essays in the English language, published in the "Analyst," and two recent volumes of "Essays" will amply demonstrate.-Brooklyn Star, July 25.

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