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CRITICAL NOTICES.

The Pictorial History of England: being a History of the People, as well as a History of the Kingdom. Illustrated with several hundred wood cuts. Vol. IV., Nos. 42, 43 and 44. New York: Harper & Brothers.

The present numbers of this work conclude the fourth volume, which comprises the period from the Revolution to the accession of George III., A. D. 1688-1760. They are devoted to sketches of the National Industry, Literature, Science, the Fine Arts, Manners and Customs, and Condition of the People; the Civil and Military Transactions, Religion, Constitution, Government and Laws, occupying the previous numbers of the volume. With the general merits of this compilation our readers, it is presumed, are sufficiently familiar.

These last numbers are particularly interesting, on account of the many illustrations they afford of the progress in knowledge which has been made in the last century and a half, and of the singularities of by-gone fashions and manners. The state of physical science in the middle of the seventeenth century is said to be not unfairly represented by some extracts from the "Archæologia Nova, or New Principles of Philosophy," published in 1663, by Dr. Gideon Harvey, physician to the forces in Flanders. He attacks Descartes for "assuming the erroneous opinions of Copernicus." In another place he says, "In grinding any substance, if you continue the operation beyond a certain point, you shall soon grind it into clods and bigger pieces than lesser." In like wise he deduces the formation of the universe out of chaos. The true reason, he tells us, why a man living is heavier than when dead had never been given. That such is the fact, he assumes from the sinking of a living man at first when he falls into the water, and rising again to the top after having been dead some time. "The reason is, because, through the great heat which was inherent in that man, the heavy and terrestrial parts were the more detained from the centre; they, again, being thus detained, moved stronger toward the centre, and, therefore, make the body heavier during the violent detention, through the great heat which was in the said man when alive; so that, through this great weight, the alive body sinks down to the bottom. Now, when the man is suffocated, and the heat squeezed out of him by the thick compressing parts of the water, then he is rendered less heavy, and immediately leaves the inferior parts of water, as being less weighty than the said profound parts." Women, he thinks, being less compact, are lighter: "Weak and

VOL. I. NO. IV. NEW SERIES.

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tender women have fallen into the river and have swam upon the water until watermen have rowed to them, and have taken them up; and many weakly women, that were suspected to be witches, being cast into the water for a trial, have been wickedly and wrongfully adjudged to be witches because they were long in sinking; and, alas! it is natural." "No doubt," he naively adds, "but their clothes conduced also somewhat to it." In the same profound manner he reasons upon the universe, the earth, tides, &c.

In 1701, it was the fashion for both sexes to carry muffs. They were made very small and ornamented with bows and ribbons. The fashion of patching the face began about 1680. Afterwards, when politics ran high, the party to which a lady belonged, was known by the arrangement of her patches. The Spectator gives a humorous description of the annoyances of a Whig lady who had a natural mole on the Tory side of her brow.

The origin of many odd signs is curiously shown: thus the Boulogne mouth became the Bull and Mouth; the Satyr and Bacchanals was metamorphosed into the Devil and Bag of Nails; and the pious Puritan motto, “ God encompasseth us," underwent a singular transformation into the Goat and Compasses! In the reign of George the Second, there was a rage for splendid signs, many of which were made to cost several hundred pounds. Thimble-rigging was then openly practiced in London streets, which were for the most part unpaved. Drinking houses and drinking stands were quite as common as now. In wet weather, the strongest took the wall, the numerous penthouse lids affording the only shelter. Sedan chairs were then used to a great extent. In theatrical representations in Garrick's day, great attention was paid to scenery, but the actors wore the dress of the time. Thus Cleopatra or Semiramis appeared in a powdered commode, a hooped petticoat, a stomacher, and a fan. Even Cato in 1712 was introduced on the stage in a "long wig, flowered gown, and lackered chair;" and Macbeth figured in a court dress of sky-blue and scarlet! Prize fighters with broad-sword, sword and dagger, and single stick, were common, and used to "cut collops out of one another to divert the mob."

One of the favorite cures for consumption in the country, was "a peck of garden shell snails, washed in small beer and fried in a frying pan, shells and all, with a quart of earth worms, and mingled with abundance of strong ale, spices, and drugs."

The English roads were such in 1703, that it took fourteen hours to go from Windsor to London, forty miles. The population of the entire kingdom, at the time of the Revolution, is estimated at seven millions. In the rural districts there were thousands of superstitious notions among young people, relating to courtship and marriage, some of which yet remain.

"Thus a young damsel who was anxious to know something of the husband whom fate had destined for her, was directed to run until she was out of breath, as soon as she heard the first notes of the cuckoo; after which, on pulling off her shoe, she would find in it a hair of the same color with that of her future mate. If she wished to see his full appearance, she was to sow hemp seed on midsummer eve, and command her lover, in a rhyming couplet, to follow and mow; and behold, on looking over her shoulder, she would see him at her heel, scythe in hand! On Valentine's morning, the first bachelor whom a girl accidentally met, was supposed to be her destined husband.* Another way was for her to pare a pippin, and throw the rind over her head; on falling it would show his initials. Or if she had two lovers, she could decide between them by burning two hazel nuts or sticking pippin seeds on her cheeks, to see which would remain longest."

All these things make pleasant reading, and serve to keep up the good old family feeling. Conceited and disagreeable as Englishmen, or rather English snobs, sometimes make themselves, it creates a warming of the heart towards that uncomfortable people, to consider how very simple the "old folks," our common great-great grandfathers and grandmothers, used to be, a few hundred years ago. We think it argues no want of nationality in us to look with par

ticular kindness on the manifold infirmities of Queen Victoria's subjects, and still to cherish towards them a becoming brotherly regard. Compared with the M-but there is no need of making a comparison so odorous.

The Library of American Biography. Conducted by JARED SPARKS. Second Series. Vol. XV. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown. 1848.

This volume contains the lives of William Richardson Davie, by Fordyce M. Hubbard, and of Samuel Kirkland, by Samuel K. Lothrop. Governor Davie was, as none of our southern readers will need to be informed, one of the most distinguished men in the early history of South Carolina. He was born in England, his father emigrating to the Catawba country in 1763, when his son was seven years old. He studied at Nassau Hall, and in 1776, while a student, served as a volunteer in the vicinity of New York. He afterwards became

The reader will remember the Fair Maid of Perth.

| a lieutenant of a company in Pulaski's legion; then a major, and colonel; distinguishing himself in the various battles of the Revolution which were fought in the South. Towards the close of the war he was appointed Commissary-general of his State; and when the Convention met at Philadelphia, for forming a constitution, he was present as a delegate. At length he was elected Governor, and was afterwards appointed Minister to the French Directory, with Ellsworth, in place of Patrick Henry. He was a man of commanding person, dignified manners, an eminent lawyer, and an unblemished gentleman. In 1803 he was a candidate for Congress, and lost his election by not being in favor of Jefferson. The remainder of his life was passed on his estate, where he died in 1820.

Samuel Kirkland was the father of John Thornton Kirkland, for several years President and after graduating at Princeton, became a of Harvard University. He was born in 1741, missionary among the Indians, within the limits of New York, chiefly among the Oneidas. In this work, and its perils and vicissitudes, he spent the whole of the active part of his life. He died at Clinton, in this ptate, in 1808.

The second series of Mr. Sparks's work, which this fifteenth volume concludes, shows that the materials for American biography are yet by no means exhausted. The list of the lives at the end, exhibits names respecting which there is no less curiosity than attached to those which were selected for the previous series; and there can be no doubt that another series might be made, without at all encroaching upon the boundary that separates the present from the past, which would be equally popular and instructive. It is intended, probably, that the work shall go on as heretofore.

We have need enough, as a people, in the rapid fluctuations of events, to keep an eye backward, in order to preserve our identity. For, as when stout vessels sail before the wind, over the stormy ocean, they seem to be riding faster than the waves, when, in reality, it is not so, and sometimes a heavy roll overtakes and bears them down-so it may be with nations, sailing with the wings of Time, over the restless commotion of human Passions, (and intent on Progress,) suddenly, if the helmsmen regard only the dim light in the binnacle of Reason, and do not consider the mountains of Ambition, ever outstripping their speed, the ship of State is driven under, or lies at the mercy of the raging billows. Hence it is necessary to the prosperity of a state, it might be argued, to treasure the lives of its distinguished men, as well as proper in individuals

to desire to read of them.

The present volume is embellished with a well engraved portrait of Mr. Kirkland, from and typographical accuracy by which the books an old picture, and is marked by the neatness of the Messrs. Little and Brown can be generally distinguished.

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The English roads were such in 1703, that it took fourteen hours to go from Windsor to London, forty miles. The population of the entire kingdom, at the time of the Revolution, is estimated at seven millions. In the rural districts there were thousands of superstitious notions among young people, relating to courtship and marriage, some of which yet remain.

"Thus a young damsel who was anxious to know something of the husband whom fate had destined for her, was directed to run until she was out of breath, as soon as she heard the first notes of the cuckoo; after which, on pulling off her shoe, she would find in it a hair of the same color with that of her future mate. If she wished to see his full appearance, she was to sow hemp seed on midsummer eve, and command her lover, in a rhyming couplet, to follow and mow; and behold, on looking over her shoulder, she would see him at her heel, scythe in hand! On Valentine's morning, the first bachelor whom a girl accidentally met, was supposed to be her destined husband.* Another way was for her to pare a pippin, and throw the rind over her head; on falling it would show his initials. Or if she had two lovers, she could decide between them by burning two hazel nuts or sticking pippin seeds on her cheeks, to see which would remain longest."

All these things make pleasant reading, and serve to keep up the good old family feeling. Conceited and disagreeable as Englishmen, or rather English snobs, sometimes make themselves, it creates a warming of the heart towards that uncomfortable people, to consider how very simple the "old folks," our common great-great grandfathers and grandmothers, used to be, a few hundred years ago. We think it argues no want of nationality in us to look with par

ticular kindness on the manifold infirmities of Queen Victoria's subjects, and still to cherish towards them a becoming brotherly regard. Compared with the Mbut there is no need of making a comparison so odorous.

The Library of American Biography. Conducted by JARED SPARKS. Second Series. Vol. XV. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown. 1848.

This volume contains the lives of William Richardson Davie, by Fordyce M. Hubbard, and of Samuel Kirkland, by Samuel K. Lothrop. Governor Davie was, as none of our southern readers will need to be informed, one of the most distinguished men in the early history of South Carolina. He was born in England, his father emigrating to the Catawba country in 1763, when his son was seven years old. He studied at Nassau Hall, and in 1776, while a student, served as a volunteer in the vicinity of New York. He afterwards became

reader will remember the Fair Maid of

a lieutenant of a company in Pulaski's legion; then a major, and colonel; distinguishing himself in the various battles of the Revolution which were fought in the South. Towards the close of the war he was appointed Commissary-general of his State; and when the Convention met at Philadelphia, for forming a constitution, he was present as a delegate. At length he was elected Governor, and was afterwards appointed Minister to the French Directory, with Ellsworth, in place of Patrick Henry. He was a man of commanding person, dignified manners, an eminent lawyer, and an unblemished gentleman. In 1803 he was a candidate for Congress, and lost his election by not being in favor of Jefferson. The remainder of his life was passed on his estate, where he died in 1820.

Samuel Kirkland was the father of John Thornton Kirkland, for several years President of Harvard University. He was born in 1741, and after graduating at Princeton, became a missionary among the Indians, within the limits of New York, chiefly among the Oneidas. In this work, and its perils and vicissitudes, he spent the whole of the active part of his life. He died at Clinton, in this ptate, in 1808.

The second series of Mr. Sparks's work, which this fifteenth volume concludes, shows that the materials for American biography are yet by no means exhausted. The list of the lives at the end, exhibits names respecting which there is no less curiosity than attached to those which were selected for the previous series; and there can be no doubt that another series might be made, without at all encroaching upon the boundary that separates the present from the past, which would be equally popular and instructive. It is intended, probably, that the work shall go on as heretofore.

We have need enough, as a people, in the rapid fluctuations of events, to keep an eye backward, in order to preserve our identity. For, as when stout vessels sail before the wind, over the stormy ocean, they seem to be riding faster than the waves, when, in reality, it is not so, and sometimes a heavy roll overtakes and bears them down-so it may be with nations, sailing with the wings of Time, over the restless commotion of human Passions, (and intent on Progress,) suddenly, if the helmsmen regard only the dim light in the binnacle of Reason, and do not consider the mountains of Ambition, ever outstripping their speed, the ship of State is driven under, or lies at the mercy of the raging billows. Hence it is necessary to the prosperity of a state, it might be argued, to treasure the lives of its distinguished men, as well as proper in individuals

to desire to read of them.

The present volume is embellished with a well engraved portrait of Mr. Kirkland, from an old picture, and is marked by the neatness and typographical accuracy by which the books of the Messrs. Little and Brown can be generally distinguished.

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