The Living Age ...

sermon, upon the death-bed scene of the great
and we have endeavored to make some im- statesman, will give an idea of the whole :-
provement in the form of the work, and have Let us gather now closer within that central
added to the quantity of matter.

scene, around which all these reflections group

and cluster. The chimes of midnight have died
This number begins with an article on away on the ear, and the young morning of the
Lord John Russell's memoirs of Moore, Sabbath is ushered in — though the night still
which we have copied from four different holds its reign. It is the chamber of death,
numbers of The Times. It created consider- There, on that couch of death, lies that form
able sensation in England, and was thought mighty crown of greatness it upheld. The

whose port and presence became so well the
to have induced his lordship to delay the marble of death is settling on that broad, capa
third volume. It is edifying to see the lofty cious brow, beneath which wrought and tri-
condescension of The Times in regard to umphed the grandest intellect of our country's
noble anthors and lecturers.

history. The life-hues are fading out from thosó

lips which have dropped upon us, through the
As a specimen number of the Second times of a generation, such great, earnest, mas
Series, we regret that a considerable variety sive truths. The voice seems altogether hushed,
of poetry and short notices has been crowded whose grand and majestic oratory was but the
out. It is not so good as the average in this fitting garniture of the regal thoughts that

marched forth in their own kingliness and scep-

respect.

tred power. A dimness creeping up from the

We have left ourselves room for much shades of the valley veils that deep-set, full-

VOL. I.

LIVING AGR.

CCCCLXIII.

orbed, glorious eye, that flashed its splendors | The first is entitled “ Christianity in relation to
upon senates, and mighty crowds led captive at its ancient and modern antagonists." The sec-
its will. Powerless lies the hand whose lifted ond is “on the Supernatural Element in the
tokens shielded the sailor on the sea - the hum- Epistles, and its bearing on the argument.”.
blest son of the soil wherever he wandered. The Bulletin.
idol of so many souls — the victor in so many
triumphs in that wonderful and unparalleled

Reprint of the Original Letters from Washcombination of the statesman, the lawyer, the ington to Joseph Reed, during the Americun orator, the first man among men — is on the Revolution, referred to in the pamphlets of threshold of the uplifted portals of eternity.

Lord Mahon and Mr. Sparks. By William B. We have followed the flight of that soaring Reed. Philadelphia : A. Hart. mind in the marches of many an argument, In consequence of a controversy about the text whose stepping stones were set as the continents, of these letters, Mr. Reed has issued this very in many a burst of eloquence, that swept every handsome edition. For this he deserves the spirit with its resistless mastery ; but who can thanks of all historical students. The work is follow it now, as the ranges of the infinite open printed in the nicest and neatest way, and reminds around it, and the unseen becomes visible? Its us more of those cleverly-printed pamphlets that own proper wings, no longer clogged by clay, the are issued for the sake of the public nowhere shadowing wings of a great spirit departing are else but in London. It is a fortunate thing that unfolding the earth-chords are well-nigh sun- Mr. Reed has been willing to incur the hazard dored ; but the lips move yet once more — the of the cost and outlay of such a work ; for, had failing heart rallies once again — and the legacy he not done so, there would always have been an of last words is bequeathed to the watchers ; - unadjusted question as to the fidelity with which words that may well be called prophetic of an these letters have been hitherto published, and enduring place in the affections of his country- their authority would have been blemished and men - prophetic of an undying memory in the hurt, not only as to the truth and fairness of their histories of earth – prophetic, let us hope, of a text, but they would have been open to the surfadeless immortality.

mise that some improper liberties had been taken

with them, and important parts of them unwarPutnam's Monthly Magazine, No. 2. This rantably suppressed. Now we have them all — Magazine, which seems to aim at uniting an not only the original, but also side by side with American and an English literary interest, has them the additions, corrections, and alterations, only reached its second number. It is called a as they were before this was published. This is as

Magazine of American Literature," but an it should be, and will close the door on all future edition of it appears over here. We can speak cavil and dispute. in favorable terms of its excellent promise. By themselves the letters would be of little “Our Best Society” is an admirable paper, and value, but taken in connection with some historithe paper on Melville very interesting. But the cal controversies that have been heretofore agimost renarkable contribution is an essay which tated with harshness and bitterness of manner and we have read with much curiosity, called “ Have feeling, they possess great interest and go far to we a Bourbon among us ?”. This essay professes clear away the doubts that have rested upon to establish the existence, in the person of the these questions. Bulletin. Rev. Elea zer Williams, an American missionary, of no less a potentate than Louis XVII., heir The Friends of Christ in the New Testaof the throne of France - in other words, the ment. Thirteen discourses ; by Nehemiah Adyoung dauphin whom Simon, the gaoler, treated ams, D. D. Second Edition : Š. K. Whipple & with such brutality, and whom historians relate Co. Boston, 1853. to have died in his childhood. We are aware We have been rending with unaffected delight that the success of certain fantastic literary the volume of thirteen discourses, recently pubimpostures by the gifted Edgar Poe may have lished by Rev. Dr. Adams of the Essex street tempted other writers to try their hands at hoax- church in this city, with the above title. ing the public, and that this article may be a Those who neglect to place this volume upon specimen of vraisemblable inventions. But at one of the selectest shelves of their library, will any rate, this would leave it the merit of much miss doing justice to the most original, most ingenuity and readableness, while it would be affluent, and most useful volume of sermons open to condemnation for the impertinent use of which the American press has — at least, for a the names of living persons, amongst others of long time - given to the world. Congregathe Prince de Joinville. —Morn. Chron.

tionalist. The Restoration of Belief. Philadelphia : LETTERS from M. Victor Langlois — travelling Herman Hooker.

in Lower Armenia, on a scientific mission from This is a new argument in behalf of the Chris- the French government- have been received tian religion, which has created much sensation in Paris, announcing valuable results from his in England by the force of its views and the ear- research. He has, he says, transcribed a great nest style of the learned anonymous author. It number of inscriptions found in the Christian is impossible to read it without benefit, and it Churches converted into mosques since the Mus will prove a most powerful antagonist of infidel- sulman Conquest, and collected in the Armenian ity. The work is as yet incomplete. This vol- convents many important manuscripts and hithume contains the only two parts yet published. erto unpublished medals.

MEMOIRS OF THOMAS MOORE.

From the Times. Lord John Russell has not edited the meMEMOIRS OF THOMAS MOORE. * moirs of Thomas Moore. He has not even Ir goes against the grain to find fault with done the next best thing. He is a minister Lord John. It is most ungracious to rebuke of state, and knows the worth of those unthe admirable spirit with which men of his seen hands which undergo official drudgery order have set to work of late, identifying

for the service of their betters. He has not themselves with the literary taste of the age,

availed himself of the knowledgo and experidescending from their social eminence in order ence of a man of letters, whose advice might to win still higher honor from intellectual have been usefully taken in the back-room, labor, and borrowing lustre from pursuits that while his lordship was acquiring all possible add to the dignity of the noblest, as they give respect for his undertaking in the front. It refinement and grace to the meanest, of men.

is only too evident that his lordship has sufThe homage paid by the rulers of our country

fered his materials to pass through his hands within the last few years to the literary pro- two voluines issued comprise the fragment

to the press unexamined and unsifted. The fession is among the most remarkable features of our remarkable time. An aristocratic of an autobiography, which, unfortunately, sieftain sitting at the same council-table comes suddenly to a close before the writer with a tribune of the people is surely a less

has reached his twentieth year; four hundred marvellous sight than a prime minister dis- letters, dating from 1793 to 1818, and the coursing before the busy operatives of a

beginning of a diary, the first entry of which manufacturing city upon the universality of

is made on the 18th of August, 1818, and the Shakspeare and the tutored elegance of Pope.

last on the 30th of August of the year followHitherto it has been a grievance, no less than ing. We have no hesitation in stating, that a reproach, to the literary man, that for him of the four hundred letters at least three no niche had been assigned in the social hundred might have been dispensed with, and fabric. Assuredly it will be his own fault that of the diary a considerable portion might now if he does not discover his rightful place,

have been omitted without disappointment to and take rank with his fellows.

the reader or disadvantage to the fame of
We declare that no praise can exaggerate John intends to proceed with bis subsequent

Thomas Moore. It is very clear that if Lord
the merits of the dukes, earls, and barons
who have fairly confessed to assembled multi- volumes on the plan he has adopted with the
tudes that civilized man has something yet

first two, no ordinary bookshelf will suffice
nobler to boast of than magnificent descent,

for his contribution ; and it is equally certain and who by their acts have vindicated a glory life of the poet as we were before his lord-.

that, after all, we shall be as ill off for a true surpassing that achieved on the battle-field by fire and sword. But, let us be permitted ship undertook to edit his memoirs. to say, something more is required than the

If it be not too late, we would respectbare recognition of the dignity of a profession fully volunteer to Lord John Russell a very from him who undertakes to follow it for his simple suggestion. The stuff which yet reown credit and the public advantage. If mains in his hands must be abundant, and literature reveals occasionally the preternatu- no doubt contains the elements of a good ral signs of inspired genius, it also includes biographical work. The public are not sothe more numerous productions of instructed licitous for all the letters of a deceased poet. and painstaking art. There is no royal road

unless such letters have intrinsic value as to science, and certainly no ducal avenue to records of noteworthy facts, or are remackphilosophy or verse. Welcome, noble lords,

able and instructive specimens of prose comto the workshop, but do not scorn the tools position. When Southey published the life Labor with us if you will-take your fair

of Cowper, and made the letters of that portion of the wages earned, but grudge not poet the most prominent feature of his work, the sweat that sweetens toil and makes it he had justification for his act, for more fructify. Wear the laurel in your coronet,

charming epistles had never appeared in anbut show your title to the leaf!

cient or modern times, and Englishmen could

not peruse them without lasting edification • Memoirs, Journal, and Correspondence of Thomas and delight. Southey's own letters, subsell, M. P. Vols. 1 and 2. London : Longmans, sequently communicated to the world by the

Laureate's son, came to us in profusion ; but

1852.

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