Be it far from us, never

-a

Geoffrey pilgrimized amongst us; and is now | soften the vision. traceable, in its merest outline, only in his theless, to rail at the sketcher's kindly idealSketch-Book. Then, again, there is the ism; nor ever can his book be other than "Legend of Sleepy Hollow," recording the dear to us while we remember in it a Readyexpedition of Ichabod Crane, and his adven- Money Jack, and a Tom Slingsby the schoolture with the Goblin Horseman; and the master, or recall that substantial, drabessay on "John Bull," from an American breeched, top-booted mystery, the Stout GenNor must we omit allupoint of view; and the "Christmas Din-tleman in No..13. ner" at Bracebridge Hall, with boar's head sion to that august widow, Lady Lillycraft, and carol, with wassail bowl of " gentle tender-hearted, romantic, and fond of caselamb's wool," celebrated by Master Simon, living on white meats and little ladylike in certain roistering staves about the "merry dishes-cherishing the intimacy of pet dogs, browne bowle" and the "merry deep canne,' "Angola cats, and singing birds - -an insatiable and followed by a Christmas mummery, su- novel-reader, though she maintains that perintended by a Lord of Misrule, in which there are no novels now-a-days equal to Ancient Christmas duly figures away with a "Pamela" and "Sir Charles Grandison," frostbitten nose, and Dame Mince Pie, in the and that the "Castle of Otranto" is at the venerable magnificence of a faded brocade, head of all romances. Old Christy, too, and long stomacher, peaked hat, and high-heeled Mrs. Hannah, merit a passing salutation shoes. Or, if your demand be for the roman- couple as evidently formed to be linked totic and the superstitious, is there not "The gether as ever were peper-box and vinegarSpectre Bridegroom," and the peerless nar- cruet. The story of "Dolph Heyliger" glides rative of "Rip Van Winkle?" Or, should on with sprightly ease. you be of literary predilections, there are Next, we come to the "Tales of a Travelthe essay on" The Art of Book-making," and ler." Comparatively, it is a well-known Mr. Irving's the Shakspearean researches in the Boar's truth, they were a failure. Head Tavern, and Stratford-on-Avon. A like rambling among the forests of Germany and miscellaneous character pertains to "Brace- the plains of Italy provided him with copious bridge Hall," and the same refractive medium materiel for legendary lore; but the critics of colored spectacles everywhere occurs. The decided that of this materiel he did not make merry England described is almost in the the most. Notwithstanding his advantages, state of the old lady in the ballad, market- he might have written the tales, it was bound, egg-laden, and sleepily recubans sub averred, without being a traveller at all; integmine fagi, to whom, locked in dreamland, stead of spending three years on them, he "there came by a pedler, and his name was might have finished the thing in three months, Stout, and he cut her petticoats all round without stirring out of London. The ghost about;" so that when the matron recovered stories, it was alleged, were some of them old, that is, not told her consciousness, it was (Hibernicè) not to and nearly all badly toldknow herself, and to infer from the new seriously, but in a sort of half-witty vein, guise of her scant classic drapery that her with little dancing quirks interspersed. "Good personal ME (Teutonice) had evaporated, or Heavens!" cried a Blackwood censor, transmigrated, or disintegrated itself in some we come to this, that men of this rank cannot ineffable fashion, precipitating this ineffable even make a robbery terrific, or a love story residuum or result. Geoffrey Crayon has tolerable?" The story of the Inn at Terracina, played more amiable but equally revolution- of the Beheaded Lady, of Buckthorne, &c., alí ary pranks on merry England," adorning were more or less found wanting; in descripher in vestments so out of date (alas!), and so tive passages, where the traveller had taken dreamily fictitious, that she fails to recognize up his rest at Venice, Florence, Naples, and in the glass even the general resemblance. other such inspiring abodes, he was declared He has painted her, not as the sun paints to have produced either a blank or a blunder; portraits, with harsh and unflattering fidelity, and the only meed of praise awarded him was blackening every frown, deepening every fur- for that section of the book devoted to "some row, indenting every crow's foot, but rather of his old genuine stuff - the quaintnesses of as the sentimental artist, who has a soul above the ancient Dutch heers and frows of the accuracy, and who groups together prosy peo- delicious land of the Manhattoes." He was ple in poetic attitudes, after the manner of therefore counselled to eschew European and the family piece in the "Vicar of Wake- classical subjects, and to riot once more, field." These Yorkshire squires and villagers as Knickerbocker, in pumpkin pies, grinning are but demi-semi-realities. They are mostly negroes, smoking skippers, plump little Dutch too good to be true. The angularities of the maidens, and their grizzly-periwigged papas. originals are too much smoothed down, their If he would have honor, he was bid go seek crooked ways made straight, and their rough it by prophesying and historicizing about his places plain. Distance seems to lend en-own country, and his father's house. So far he followed this counsel as to write chantment to the view, and a dreamy haze to

66

"are

Who the great secret of the Deep possessed,
And, issuing through the portals of the West,
Fearless, resolved, with every sail unfurled,
Planted his standard on the Unknown World.*

Verily, a fascinating narrative—a strange, saddening, yet inspiriting tale of the great Genoese sea-king, and of his great fight of afflictions, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils by his adopted countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. In narrating the story of this hero, Mr. Irving has endeavored to place him in a clear and familiar point of view; rejecting no circumstance, however trivial, which appeared to evolve some point of character; and seeking all kinds of collateral facts which might throw light upon his views and motives. In this endeavor he has succeeded. Few biographies surpass in sustained interest this memoir

of the

a misconceived, misrepresented man — - with none to sympathize with and foster his high imaginations,

Moving about in worlds not realized. Perhaps the subject might have warranted a little more warmth of coloring - indeed, Mr. Irving is less ornate than usual in the present instance, and might easily have drawn a more impressive figure of the admiral in the waste deep waters -around him, mutinous, discouraged souls," to use the words of Carlyle; behind him, disgrace and ruin; before him, the unpenetrated veil of Night.' However, apart from the intrinsic charm of the recital, there is so much of the author's wonted fluency and unaffected grace of style and clearness of method in working it out, that it leaves us sensibly his debtors, and in charity with him, if not (remembering the wrongs of Columbus) with all mankind.

The bent of his Spanish studies at this time found a new direction in the "History of the Conquest of Granada"- wherein he has fully availed himself, says Mr. Prescott, of all the picturesque and animating movements of the romantic era of Ferdinand and Isabella, and has been very slightly seduced from historic accuracy by the poetical aspect of his subject. "The fictitious and romantic dress of his work has enabled him to make it

* Rogers.

the medium for reflecting more vividly the floating opinions and chimerical fancies of the age, while he has illuminated the picture with the dramatic brilliancy of coloring denied to sober history."* The concoction of this modern Iliad is certainly admirable. The hand of a master is seen in the delineation of character, Christian and Moorish; in the grouping of the dramatis persona; and in the evolution, act by act, and scene after scene, of the drama itself. Especially we remember with interest the portraits of Don Juan de Vera, ever dignified and chivalric, and the gallant Ponce de Leon, Marquis of Cadiz; of the daring old warrior, El Zagal, and the ill-starred Boabdill. Tenderly the historian tells the exodus of the latter, with his devoted cavaliers, from the city of the Alhambra - how they paused on the mountain side to take a farewell gaze at their beloved Granada, which a few more steps would shut from their sight forever, and which never before had appeared so lovely in their eyes - the sunshine, so bright in that transparent climate, lighting up each tower and minaret, and resting gloriously upon the crowning battlements of the Alhambra, while the vega (plain) spread its enamelled bosom of verdure below, glistening with the silver windings of the Xenil; how the proud exiles lingered with a silent agony of tenderness and grief in view of that delicious abode, the scene of their loves and pleasures—until a light cloud of smoke burst forth from the citadel, and a peal of artillery, faintly heard, told that the city was taken possession of, and the throne of the Moslem king lost forever: and how, thereupon, the heart of Boabdill softened by misfortunes, and overcharged with woe, could no longer contain itself, and the words of resignation, Allah achbar! died upon his lips, and tears blinded his last glance at the metropolis of his sires.

Far less satisfactory, to our thinking, is the collection of tales entitled the Alhambra”

for we shared in the "dolorous disappointment" of an eminent reviewer, who observes that he came to it with the eager supposition that it was some real Spanish or Moorish legend connected with that romantic edifice; and behold! it was a mere Sadler's Wells travesty (before the reign of Phelps and legitimacy) applied to some slender fragments from past days. The observation applies, however, to the plan of the work, not to the execution.

agreeably described, without any straining at their tendency is to endear; since he was no effect, or long-bow draughtmanship. "Asto- man's enemy but his own; since his errors, ria" followed-the story of a merchant- in the main, inflicted evil on none but himprince's commercial enterprise, from its pro- self, and were so blended with humorous and jection to its failure; sometimes tedious, but touching circumstances as to disarm anger not without moving accidents by flood and and conciliate kindness; since there is somefield. "Abbotsford and Newstead" is a thing in the harmless infirmities of a good delightful specimen of biographical-topograph- and great, but erring creature that pleads ical gossip the former part making up one affectingly to our common nature - as being of the most charming chapters in " Lockhart's ourselves also in the body, ws za auto ÒYTES ¿v Life of Scott;" which is giving it unstinted ownati. Prudish censors may scout this sort praise, yet praise as discreet as emphatical. of indulgence on the part of a critical biogCaptain Bonneville" is a kind of sequel to rapher. For ourselves, we have too much "Astoria," relating the expedition of a fellow-feeling, with Elia's veneration for an chieftain of trappers and hunters among the honest obliquity of mind, to find the indulRocky Mountains of the Far West. But the gence culpable; thinking with Elia, that the supply of this sort of information concerning more laughable blunders a man shall commit bark canoes and wigwams, Indian swamps in your company, the more tests he giveth and Indian scamps, snowy mountains and you that he will not bewray or overreach you. sun-scorched prairies, beaver-skins and buffalo I love the safety," protests dear, canonized meat, salt weed and cotton-wood bark, was by Charles, "which a palpable hallucination this time beginning to exceed the demand, warrants, the security which a word out of and the excitement kindled by Cooper's season ratifies. And take my word for this, romances was becoming subject to the law of reader, and say a fool told you, if you please, reaction. Hence these works fell compara- that he who hath not a dram of folly in his tively flat on the public ear, and the public mixture, hath pounds of much worse matter voice was heard to murmur that Geoffrey in his composition." Goldy was no fool, Crayon had written himself dry, and that though; but his nature found it occasionally his every later literary birth was a still birth dulce desipere and not always in loco. -a sleep and a forgetting.

66

The "Life of Mahomet," like the preceding, For awhile he was silent. When again seemed to require explanation, since it conhis voice was heard, it was heard gladly, and fessedly could add no new fact to those already the echo of response was still fraught with the known concerning the Arabian prophet. The music of popularity, and swelled with reso-author tells us it forms part of a projected nance of welcome. Oliver Goldsmith; a Biography," was a theme a little the worse for wear; but an English public was too fond of both Geoffrey Crayon and him " for shortness called Noll,"

series of writings illustrative of the domination of the Arabs in Spain -most of the particulars being drawn from Spanish sources, with the addition of assistance from the elaborate work by Dr. Weil, and other recent authorWho wrote like an angel, and talked like poor Poll, digest into an easy, perspicuous, and flowing ities; his object in constructing it being, to not to lend a willing ear to what the one had narrative (wherein so few can compete with to say of the other. Prior's life was voted a him) the admitted facts concerning Mahomet, pattern of industry, but left unread. Forster's together with the leading legends and tradiwas highly, widely, and deservedly admired, tions connected with his creed, and a sumand remains the Life-being executed, as mary of the creed itself. The pretensions of Mr. Irving himself testifies, with a spirit, a this memoir are, therefore, small, as regards feeling, a grace, and an eloquence, that leave historical weight. It is deficient, moreover, nothing to be desired. That Mr. Irving's in the matter of contemporary history, so esbiography made its appearance at all, when sential to a due understanding of Mahomet's by its own averment it was no desideratum, political and religious stand-point. The critiis explained by the fact that its author had cism on Mahomet's personal character is of already published it in a meagre and frag- that moderate and judicious kind which the mentary form, which attracted slight notice; author's antecedents might have warranted us and now, in the course of revising and repub- to expect neither condemning the prophet lishing his opera omnia, felt called upon to as an impudent impostor, juggler, and sensreproduce it in a more complete and satis-ualist, nor exalting him to the honors of factory shape. He writes con amore, and hero-worship. Mahomet is neither taxed with with ever-prompt indulgence, of one to whose heartless selfishness, and ruinous imbecility, literary genius his own is indebted and akin. nor eulogized for "total freedom from cant, Whereas Johnson said of poor Goldsmith," deadly earnestness," and "annihilation of "Let not his frailties be remembered; he was self."* He is portrayed as an enthusiast a very great man". - it is Mr. Irving's course

to say, let them rather be remembered, since I

* Carlyle.

originally acting under a species of mental delusion, deeply imbued with a conviction of his being a divine agent for religious reform, but who, after his flight to Medina, became subject to wordly passions and worldly schemes -yet, throughout his career, in a great degree the creature of impulse and excitement, and very much at the mercy of circumstances. With equal impartiality Mr. Irving discusses the lives and actions of his successors.

But New Monthly space and patience will no farther go, and leave us only room, in anticipation of his promised life of Washington, to bid that great man's namesake a pleasant and respectful au revoir.

ing influence of the key-stone, and the arch must give way and tumble down.

Having thus shown the comparative failure of chemistry in revolutionizing this important manufacture, let me take one or two instances from it has been of use in economizing time and it to prove that, in the details of the working, labor, and in affording new uses to comparatively valueless objects. In removing the hair from the hides, previous to tanning, it was customary to shave it with a knife. This process was tedious and imperfect, and the following simple one is now used. Lime-water dissolves the bulbous root of the hair, when the hides are immersed in it for some time, and the hair may then be readily removed by a blunt instrument. By this simple process one man can remove the hair from a hundred kid-skins in about an hour. Still the immersion requires several weeks, while the addition of red orpiment to the lime, as practised by the sheep-skin manufacturers of France, reduces the time to a few hours.

When goat-skins are tanned for morocco leather, it is necessary, in order to adapt them for dyeing, to remove the lime absorbed by the last operation. A solution of album græcum cleanses the pores effectually, leaving them so spongelike, that air can readily be forced through them. Hence the process of tanning is rendered much easier, being in fact completed within twenty-four hours; while the leather is rendered fit to assume the colors so characteristic of morocco. About fifty persons are employed in London to collect the sweepings of dog-kennels for this purpose, and many more in applying them; and I am informed by Mr. Bevington, that the sum annually paid to the collectors and workmen employed in using this apparently worthless substance, is not less than £5000 in the metropolis alone.

The currier shaves leather to render it of equal thickness, and the shavings were treated as waste, scarcely fit for the manure-heap, but chemistry has shown that they contain much nitrogen, which renders them well adapted for the formation of the beautiful color known as Prussian blue. Lyon Playfair.

LEATHER. - The manufacture of leather has been less advanced by the application of chemical science than any other of the arts. If Simon, the tanner of Joppa, had been able to send leather to the Exhibition, no doubt he would have carried off a medal for leather as good, and made exactly by the same process, as that of our most eminent manufacturers of the present day. And yet the science of leather production is better understood now than then; but so many physical conditions are involved in the production of good leather, that scientific processes have been unable to satisfy them all. The hides, steeped in an infusion of oak-bark, absorb tannin, and are converted into leather. Good sole leather takes about a year to tan, and even calf-skins consume a month in the operation. Chemists have certainly indicated substitutes for bark, containing a greater amount of tannin, and these, as for instance, terra japonica, cutch, catechu, and divididi, produce their effects in half the time; but the leather is said not to be so durable. With sumach, light skins may be tanned in twenty-four hours, and, with the aid of alum, even in one hour; but the resulting manufactures are not preferred to the old processes. Atmospheric and hydrostatic pressure have been used to hasten the absorption; the refined laws of Endosmosis and Exosmosis have been called in to accelerate the process; heavy rollers have squeezed the solution through the pores; but THE GREAT SALT LAKE OF UTAH. all these methods have had at the best but a without witnessing it, can form any idea of the doubtful success. Leather-manufacturers meet buoyant properties of this singular water. men of science by the well-founded assertion, man may float, stretched at full length, upon his that the resulting leather is too porous, too hard back, having his head and neck, both his legs to or too soft, or not sufficiently durable; and they re- the knee, and both arms to the elbow, entirely vert to their old traditional modes of preparation. out of water. If a sitting position be assumed, I allude to these failures the more especially to with the arms extended to preserve the equilibshow that there is a wide chasm between the rium, the shoulders will remain above the chemist's laboratory and the workshop-a surface. The water is nevertheless extremely chasm which has to be bridged over by the difficult to swim in, on account of the constant united aid of the philosopher and the manufac- tendency of the lower extremities to rise above turer. One without the aid of the other does not it. The brine, too, is so strong, that the least suffice, but both, working together, may achieve particle of it getting into the eyes, produces the great results. Yet, in bridging over this chasm, most acute pain, and if accidentally swallowed, they must act on a common plan. If the man- rapid strangulation must ensue. I doubt ufacturer builds his half without understanding whether the most expert swimmer could long the principles of construction employed by the preserve himself from drowning, if exposed to other, the sides of the bridge may indeed meet, the action of a rough sea. - - Captain Stansbut they are not constructed to receive the bind-bury's Expedition.

- No one,

A