NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS.

THE PEASANT AND HIS LANDLORD: By the Baroness Knorring. Translated by Mary Howitt. Harper Brothers.

This admirable novel, by an authoress who has newly acquired a high reputation among the writers of Northern Europe, purports to be the first of a series of translations by Mary Howitt. It treats in a most lively and agreeable manner, of the habits and customs of a highly interesting people, of whom but little is known in this country.

C. JULIUS CESAR'S COMMENTARIES on the Gallic War; with English Notes, Critical and Explanatory, a Lexicon, Index, &c. By Rev. J. A. Spencer, A. M. D. Appleton & Co., 200 Broadway.

This is a very excellent edition of the commentaries, and the editor informs us the text is mostly that of Oudendorp, with such variations as a careful perusal of other writers warranted him in making; supplying thus from his own judgment such manifest corruptions as were not in accordance with the usual mode and style of Cæsar.

LOITERINGS IN EUROPE: or, Sketches of Travel in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Prussia, Great Britain and Ireland. By John W. Corson, M. D. Harper Brothers.

This is the title of a very agreeable gossiping book on the scenes that presented themselves in a two years tour through the countries indicated.

WILLIAM, THE COTTAGER. By the author of Helen Herbert, or, "Family Changes.' Harper Brothers.

The fame of the popular author is well calculated to ensure the rapid sale of this no less interesting work than others already known to the public.

ANGELA; a novel. By Mrs. Marsh. New York: Harper Brothers.

This distinguished writer of fiction has earned a name that will long take good rank among modern authors. Good sense and high moral aim are the characteristics of her pen, no less than the more generally regarded attributes of powerful and picturesque portraitures.

DR. CHALMERS'S POSTHUMOUS WORKS. New-York: Harper Brothers.

We have just received the third volume of the "Daily Scripture Readings" of this celebrated divine and philosopher. We have consulted the previous volumes of this series, and can conscientiously add our testimony to that of the many, whose opinions accord to these "Posthumous writings" the joint merit of the highest order of scholarship, with the most sublime devotion to the science of practical Christianity.

HISTORY OF CONGRESS, BIOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL; By Henry G. Wheeler, Esq. New York: Harper Brothers.

This is an important work, devoted to the personal and political history of the public men and their public acts at the federal seat of government. As a people, we are universally interested in knowing something about those who participate in arbitrating our national affairs, and the present work will be regarded as one of great historic value and interest. Such a work has been long required, and, appearing as it does under such favorable auspices, it will secure the attention of all who regard our national progress

with any interest, or whose taste and pursuits lead them to the selection of works of permanent and solid value. The work is produced in beautiful style, and is embellished with portraits of the leading members of Congress. The volume, we judge, will be deemed indispensable by every politician, statesman and lawyer.

PRINCIPLES OF ZOOLOGY, touching the structure, development, distribution and natural arrangement of the races of animals, living and extinct; with numerous illustrations, for the use of schools and colleges. By Louis Agassiz and Augustus A. Gould. Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln.

This is a highly interesting and valuable work, admirably calculated to excite the attention of the learner, and lead him to examine thoroughly one of the most interesting branches of science.

SELF-CONTROL; a novel. By Mary Brunton. Harper Brothers.

This sterling and popular novel has been embraced in Harper's series of cheap and select novels.

MORGAN'S ASTRONOMY. The Practical Book of Composition: By Ed. A. Morgan. Abbott's Institution. New-York. Clark, Austin & Co., 205 Broadway.

The plan adopted in this work for teaching the elements of astronomy, is every way calculated to impress upon the mind of the learner those leading facts, the generalization of which will soon become to him the source of the highest pleasure.

NOTES EXPLANATORY AND PRACTICAL, on the General Epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude. By Albert Barnes. Harper Brothers.

The high encomiums bestowed upon this work are testimonies to its great usefulness.

HISTORY OF THE GREEK ALPHABET; with remarks on Greek Orthography and Pronunciation. By E. A. Sophocles, A. M. B. B. Mussey & Co., Boston, Mass.

This is a skilful and apparently successful attempt to deduce from the most authentic sources a uniform system of Greek pronunciation, and is exceedingly interesting for its

historical lore.

DE BOW'S COMMERCIAL MAGAZINE. New Orleans.

This valuable work is published on the 1st of each month at New-Orleans, and embraces a great quantity of extraordinarily useful matter on commercial subjects. The papers on the great staples of the south are in the highest degree interesting and instructive, as well to the philosopher and the merchant as the producer. The work is, for the south and west, a highly interesting one.

HUNT'S MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE.

This well-known and popular exponent of the mercantile interests appears promptly on the 1st of the month, and is well supplied with statistical and other matter of high value. The commercial literature of the country has of late years made great progress, and it is much indebted to Mr. Hunt for the rich vein of information and instruction he has opened in the valuable papers contributed upon subjects strictly utilitarian, by able and practical men, who otherwise were but little given to writing. In a popular magazine they interchange views and elicit mutual ideas that are of vast benefit to the com. munity.

"THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS THAT WHICH GOVERNS LEAST."

Agents and Collectors.-MR. ISRAEL E. JAMES is our Travelling Agent for the Southern and South Western States, assisted by James K. Whipple, Wm. H. Weld, O. H. P. Stem, Jno. B. Weld, Jas, Deering, T. S. Waterman, Reuben A. Henry, and John Collins.

MR. C. W. JAMES is our Travelling Agent for the Western States, assisted by James R. Smith,

J. T. Dent, E. Y. Jennings, T. G. Smith, and Fred. J. Hawse.

MR. HENRY M. LEWIS is our Travelling Agent for Alabama and Tennessee.

$3 Per annum (in advance)-Single Copy 25 Cents.

VII. POPULAR PORTRAITS WITH PEN AND PENCIL.-JOHN MITCHEL.......156

VIII. THE LITERATI OF NEW-YORK.-S. ANNA LEWIS.

What I Saw in California; being the Journal of a Tour, by the Emigrant Route and South Pass of the Rocky Mountains, across the Continent of North America, the Great Desert Basin, and through California in the years 1816 and 1817. By Edwin Bryant, late Alcalde of St. Francisco....

XI. FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL REVIEW...

XII. GOSSIP AND CHIT-CHAT..

..169

.177

.....185

Lyceum Gallery-N. Y. Volunteers-Watering Places-Broadway, Bowery, and Niblo's Theatres, &c. &c.

XIII, NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS....

192

THE approaching election presents features altogether novel in the history of our institutions, and such as to make the American freeman, the national republican, the democrat from principle, blush for former fellowships. What is the picture presented by the two great parties, composed of the people, advocating certain principles of national government, and by the two factions formed of the drilled personal followers of disappointed party leaders? The whig party on one hand, have, in convention, nominated a leader by votes of a majority of its members. The democratic party have likewise, by a large majority, named the man who best represents the general principles for which the democracy of the Union have contended since the formation of the government. In making these nominations both parties have been governed by experience in relation to men; and both have, in that respect, bowed to the will of the people. Mr. Clay has repeatedly been before the people for their suffrages, and has as frequently been rejected. So perseveringly had the people placed upon him the seal of disapprobation, that warm friends and enthusiastic admirers were forced to admit that his election was impossible. In like manner the democratic party became convinced that Mr. Van Buren had no longer the confidence of the American people; and in the exercise of their right, and in pursuance of the interests of the party, they nominated another. This nomination met with a full ratification from the people, and in their response the triumph of principle has been perfected. It has resulted from the working of party tactics, and the influence of executive patronage upon the elective franchise, that these two rejected leaders retain a number of personal adherents, instruments of former intrigues, sympathizing in that "spirit of revenge" attending disappointed ambition, and expectants, however desperate, of future favors, and these are now organized into lawless factions. They no longer represent the principles of either party, inasmuch as that each has chosen other men, more worthy and more reliable to carry out their views. They are but the reckless adherents of men in utter disregard of principles, as regardless of national welfare as they are determined upon party disorganization. Nothing can more clearly demonstrate this fact, than that these two factions draw together on the common platform of abolition. Abandoning all principles, they coalesce in the prosecution of the means of party revenge that apparently presents itself to both; and the followers of Clay cross hands with the adherents of Van Buren, in the presence of those