destinies of society, will necessarily challenge a ginian is familiar, but of other works hitherto not careful and attentive consideration. Investiga- accessible in this State. What is taken from tions of the diversified national resources of the each will be given in the language of the original State, modern improvements in the arts and the author. It will be a leading object to prepare the applications of science to the practical pursuits of matter with such fullness that in each volume, publife, educational reforms, ameliorations in the social lished by the society, may be found all that is of economy, every thing, in short, which an active value in the period of our history embraced by it. and inquisitive spirit, stimulated by patriotism and While, at the same time, it will be attempted to enlightened by knowledge, can draw from the his- make the volumes less repulsive to the general tory of the past or the present to minister to the reader, than collections of historical societies usufuture advancement and renown of our State, falls ally are. The plan of preparing the matter in the within the legitimate scope of this society. order of time will conduce to this, and entitle the It was the dignity and importance of these ob- volumes to the name which will be given them, of jects, appealing so strongly to every Virginian" Annals of Virginia." Each member of the soheart, which made the venerable and illustrious ciety paying his annual quota, or the commutation, Marshall lay aside, for the moment, his judicial will be furnished with the volumes as they are pubrobes, and descend with alacrity from the Bench lished. It is expected that a volume will appear of the Supreme Court, on which his wisdom and during the spring or in the first part of summer, virtues have shed a never-fading lustre, to preside and another annually afterwards. in the meetings of this Society. The same noble These volumes will by no means be confined to objects early commended it to the favor of the Leg- what is now in print. A good deal of matter in islature, which bestowed upon it a liberal act of manuscript has already been obtained, and we incorporation; and if we shall now pursue them hope to obtain much more. Our purpose is to prewith the steadiness, zeal and united effort, which serve with care all that is collected, and make pubthe just claims of the interests at stake so earnest-lic such of it as may be found sufficiently interly invoke, they will secure for the society, I doubt esting. not, the according sympathy and encouragement of the whole State. In any event, gentlemen, "the bread which you shall cast upon the waters," will one day or other, you may be assured, return in accumulated benefits to our ancient Commonwealth, whom it is the duty and proud privilege of us all, in private or in public station, to serve to the best of our abilities." The Executive Committee, through Conway Robinson, Esq., their Chairman, then submitted the following Report: The Executive Committee have entered upon their duties under a full conviction that a diligent discharge of those duties is essential to secure the objects of the society. "The people of this state have taken so little care of their manuscripts, that many of great interest, there is reason to believe, are no longer to be had. And of printed matter, there is much less in our public libraries, relating to the early history of the state, than is to be found in other states in the libraries of their colleges and of their historical societies. The greater care taken by others than by ourselves in collecting books and documents illustrating the history of this country, will be of essential aid to us, in the attempt, to make known the History of Virginia as perfectly as we can. With these views the committee authorized the Secretary to issue a circular letter inviting persons to send to the society, books, pamphlets, or documents relating to the history of the State and to make any communications to it which they might think calculated to promote its objects. Considering it desirable that the society should be possessed of all the authentic information which can be obtained in relation to those who have been distinguished in the annals of Virginia, whether the same may be in letters, documents or otherwise, the committee, at its last meeting, adopted resolutions requesting such information from certain individuals named in the resolutions, and asking from some of them, memoirs or sketches of their own times or of particular persons. The resolutions declare also, in the most general terms, that in relation to all who have been distinguished in the annals of Virginia, or connected with its history, whether particularly named in the resolutions or not, authentic information will be gladly received from any persons who may have it in their power to furnish it. From time to time as communications are received, containing such memoirs, sketches or other information, the same will be read first by the committee, and then before the society, to such extent as may be agreeable to it, and be thereupon filed away and preserved, so that, (in printing the collections of the society,) such publication thereof may be made as the committee may deem advi sable. The plan of the Committee is to publish in chronological order, whatever matter relating to our history it may deem worthy of publication. In preparing the matter for the press, a careful exami- When matter is obtained by the society, relating nation will be made, not only of Smith, Beverley, to events which have occurred, or persons who Stith, Burke and other books, with which a Vir- bave lived within a time comparatively recent, some years may elapse before it can appear, in its | State as he might deem advisable to obtain donachronological order in the annual volumes. And tions to the Society and the cooperation of persons yet it will be desirable to communicate at an earlier fit and proper to be elected members. day to members of the society, and to others, any information in respect to such matter which can properly be given. The proceedings of Mr. Maxwell under the authority so given him, have conduced greatly to the welfare of the Society and have met the cordial For this purpose, the committee contemplate approbation of the committee. The persons whom making use of the “Virginia Historical Register," he has seen, and at their instance proposed to the a quarterly journal proposed to be published by committee as resident members, have been all of William Maxwell, Esq. Such a journal, if it be them gentlemen whom the committee took pleasure encouraged by the public and properly conducted, in recommending; and the society has, by ballot, (as it is anticipated it will be.) will preserve in-unanimously elected all brought before it. formation as to events happening about the period Of the resident members, twelve have paid each of its publication, as well as in relation to occur-fifty dollars as a commutation for all the regular fees rences of past times and as to the last, will be an and dues for life, amounting for the twelve to $600, additional security against the danger of loss or of which $300 has been, and the rest will soon be, injury to manuscripts before the matter of them invested as part of the permanent fund. The excan be inserted in the volumes of annals. A copy ample of becoming life members, it is believed, will of the journal will be furnished without charge to shortly be followed by others; and the permanent each member of the society residing out of Rich-fund will of course be enlarged in the same promond, who may have paid his annual quota, or the portion. commutation. This distinction in favor of members residing out of Richmond, is thought to be just, because of the greater benefit which those residing in this city will derive from the library. Without the benefit yet of interest from this fund, there has nevertheless been received during the past year, from the admission fees and yearly dues of the other resident members, a sum sufficient to pay all the expenses of the Society. The largest room in Mr. Minor's new Law Build- We think the annual income may be expected ing has been obtained at an annual rent of $150. regularly to increase and we hope from this income It serves for the committee to meet in and for meet- and by means of donations of books, to be constantings of the Society, called between the annually adding to the extent and value of the library, meetings, as well as for the Secretary's office and until it shall become not only an agreeable place to the library and cabinet. Some rare works have be visited by members of the Society, but a reposibeen obtained during the past year, partly by pur-tory of ample materials for the investigators of chase, and partly by donations. And we shall en-history, and a just source of pride to every citizen deavor to make the library a place to which a mem- of the State." ber of the Society may take pleasure in going, or in carrying a stranger. the British Army, written while a prisoner of war in the Revolution, the gift of Charles Campbell, Esq., of Petersburg, Va., and a Patent of Land, bearing date the 17th of August 1669, with the autographs of Governor Sir William Berkeley and Colonel Philip Ludwell, the gift of another member of the Society. The Secretary of the Society, William Maxwell, Esq., then submitted a few remarks. giving Our progress in adding to the collection of books, further information concerning the Collections must of course depend on the progress which may of the Society, in the course of which he presentbe made in obtaining contributions from members ed a list of donations to the Society of books and and other donations. To place the Society upon manuscripts. Among the latter were a volume of sure ground, we have thought it important to have autograph letters of General William Phillips of a permanent fund, the interest on which may always be counted upon in aid of the admission fees and yearly dues of members, to pay the current an nual expenses. The Treasurer has, therefore, been directed to invest from time to time, in certificates of debt of the State of Virginia bearing interest, all the commutation fees which may be paid by life members and all sums of money which may be given to the Society. These certificates are directed to be taken in the corporate name of the Society, and will constitute its permanent fund. After giving this donation, the Corresponding Secretary, Mr. Maxwell, was appointed general agent of the Society until this meeting, and as such was directed to take measures to establish the permanent fund, increase the yearly income, and extend the operations and influence of the Society. To this end he was authorised to visit such parts of the Wm. M Burwell, Esq., of Bedford County, then offered resolutions thanking the President for “his eloquent and instructive Address," and the committee for "their zealous and efficient attention to the interests of the Society" during the past year, and directing that the Address, Report, and other Proceedings of the Meeting should be published; which were unanimously adopted. The Society then proceeded to elect officers for the ensuing year, when the following gentlemen were elected : Hon. Wm. C. Rives, President. ciently indicate its merit and character. As for certain Hon. Jas. McDowell, Wm. H. Macfarland, and (cheap?) reprints of good old works in bad type and boards Jas. E. Heath, Vice Presidents. or the parvenu in gilded livery, we leave them out of view altogether. The lounger in libraries will recognize in the Wm. Maxwell, Corresponding Secretary; (also, rude black-letter of the early days of printing a fitting garRecording Secretary and Librarian.) George N. Johnson, Treasurer. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.-Conway Robinson, Chairman: Socrates Maupin, Gustavus A. Myers, Thomas T. Giles, Wm. B. Chittenden, Thos. H. Ellis, and Chas. Carter Lee. ment for a literature as yet unpolished and uncouth. In the stout back and clear, bold type of an old copy of Milton or Shakspeare, he will see an appropriate dress for the great work itself. There is a high moral tone in the appearance of Bunyan, with his odd embellishments, and the quaint device of Democritus, Jr., which prefaces the Anatomy of Melancholy, conveys an idea of the quiet humor of (The officers of the Society are, ex officio, mem- Robert Burton. In the old poets of England, we have bers of the Executive Committee.) The Society then adjourned. EDITOR'S TABLE. A DAY AMONG BOOKMEN AND BIBLIOPOLES. "My library "Ode and elegy and sonnet, Tricked in antique ruff and bonnet," and coming down to a later period, we may find the best printed volumes of the Spectator to harmonize well with the homely beauty of Addison. It is partly from this notion that we have learned to look with a sort of veneration upon old volumes, regarding them, in some degree, as the physical representatives of their departed authors. We could spend months in paying our deferential regards to the folio inhabitants of the Bodleian and we could have wished to ramble with Dibdin through lofty cabinets, where the lore and poesy of early ages are enshrined, and storied windows shed a "dim religious light" on manuscripts and missals, whose writers have long since mouldered in the dust. Mais voila une episode! We have been running off to the Continent, when we should have simply strolled down Broadway. We have digressed from our original design, we fear, into an affected essay on Bibliography. We ask pardon. We have to do with new books, not old ones, and with your permission we will now speak of the inviting shelves and tempting volumes of D. APPLETON & CO. The Was dukedom large enough."-Tempest. Within the experience of a twelve-month we do not recollect a day, which better deserves to be marked with a white-stone, than one we spent in the month of November among the bookmen of New York City. There is to us, in a well arranged and orderly book-store, an attraction, which we make no effort to resist. Our first impulse, on reaching a large town, is to seek its best publisher, to find out its Paternoster Row, and having established our lit-store of this well known firm, which is situated in the most erary localities with one visit, we do not allow a long interval to elapse before paying them another. We love to run our eye along shelves groaning under the weight of handsome volumes,-to look down long vistas of vellum and calf and turkey-morocco,-to pass in review before the imposing array of authors, who have written "books, which are books." We shall be told probably, that this feeling is a discreditable weakness. Be it so, human nature is weak, aad we confess a passion for the curious and the odd in books, akin to the penchant of a dowager for poodle-dogs or the fondness of an ancient maiden-lady for buhl furniture. crowded section of the great thoroughfare, is not remarkable for a showy exterior, nor does it exhibit any thing to catch the eye, through huge panes of French plate glass; and yet there is no shop between the Battery and Grace Church, in which we so delight to idle away an hour. We never pass it without a disposition to go in and indulge the luxury of seeing. The attendants too are so civil and obli ging, that one feels, as one of them hands him a book to look over, that he has met a true friend. And now, what book is this of royal octavo, 12 volumes, in the imposing habiliments of "calf gilt?" We will not ask the price, until we have have feasted our eyes upon all its beauties, for We trust, however, that it will not be set down as the un- '$125" may cause us to return it to the shelf unopened. worthy conceit of a literary dandyism, when we broach the It is Waverley, the Abbotsford Edition complete. What exnovel doctrine that there is a physiognomy in books as in quisite embellishment! Here is Cromwell in his ruff, as men, and that as the disciple of Lavater forms his opin- described in Woodstock and Queen Bess and Leicester and ion of the temper and character of his fellow-beings from James L., and here we see the varied features of the Engtheir features, so there are certain outward indicia, which lish landscape, Warwick Castle by moonlight and "fair lie upon the surface of books, by which their contents may Melrose" and the vale of Gala Water, all in the most defairly be judged. In both cases, we admit, appearances are licious steel engravings. But we cannot linger upon this often fallacious, and as we sometimes meet in society a splendid work. It would be impossible to speak in this chevalier d' industrie, who conceals beneath an elegant and place of all its gems, and here is another that tempts us to fascinating exterior a lurking fondness for his neighbor's purchase. Ah! what a quaint title. "The Poets Pleasilver, so in the library or the bookstore you may not unfre- saunce or Garden of all sorts of Pleasant Flowers, which quently find a literary sharper in costly raiment, making our pleasant poets have in past time for Pastime plantedpretension to a position it can never sustain. Against such, by Eden Warwick." A parterre where daisies and violets Charles Lamb used to direct his ridicule. "I confess," bloom, in the genial atmosphere of English rhyming. Each says Elia, "that it moves my spleen to see those things in floweret is represented in ornamental designs of the most book's clothing perched upon shelves like false saints, usurp-beautiful description and illustrated by choice extracts from ers of true shrines, intruders into the sanctuary, thrusting all the bards from Chaucer to the present time. Our auout the legitimate occupants." But the exceptions serve thor scatters his blossoms with the grace of sorrowing only to establish the rule and we repeat that among a col- Ophelia, "There's rosemary for you, that's for rememlection of original Editions, the typography, the vignettes, brance, and there's pansies, that's for thoughts." the binding and the je ne scais quoi of each volume suffi-" VOL. XIV-8 Shall we look over the Annuals or Gift books? Here is the Keepsake with sweet Jenny Lind looking out of the Perhaps a better idea of the extent and variety of the frontispiece and Heath's Book of Beauty full of queenly Harper's publications and the wide range of their operafaces. But some of the most attractive among the "pret-tions can be obtained from their new Pictorial Catalogue ties" of the season are the publications of the Appletons than from any other source. This is really a most agreeathemselves. We may mention the elegant Edition of Hal-ble and attractive volume and displays well-selected specileck, the uniform copies of Byron and Moore, the Booke of mens of the style of wood-engraving now employed in their Christmas Carols and the unique illuminated volume of works. It has been printed for gratuitous distribution and the Parables of our Lord. We could write much more of we are sure will make the public better informed with rewhat we saw in this tasteful and extensive establishment, gard to the book-trade. In turning over its pages we shall of the courtesy and intelligence of the proprietors,-of see- find cuts from the Illustrated Shakspeare, a work, the Loning their English budget opened on the arrival of the steam- don edition of which cost $50 dollars, but which they pub. er, and so on, but we must leave them and step across the lish at $18. The Pictorial History of England is another street to the house of WILEY & PUTNAM. notable example of their beautiful typography and at the same time of the great reduction in price from the original London publication. This magnificent work which contains many thousand wood cuts, of the most finished description, cannot be obtained in London for less than £8 sterling and yet is republished by Harper & Brothers, an exact counterpart in every particular, for $14. For this acceptable service to the American reader, surely the Harpers deserve very high praise. We will not refer to their exquisite reprints of the Etching Club editions of the English poets, Thomson, Goldsmith, Cowper and Milton, for in descanting upon their beauties, we should protract our present article to a tedious length. We will not attempt to describe the magnificent folios of engravings-birds, flowers, landscapes and portraits-to be seen upon the tables of Wiley & Putnam. Nor do we design to speak of those works, (such as the superb work on the antiquities of Rome in ten vols.,) which are, (in price,) so far above the reach of our limited faculties, that we can only look at and admire them. But there are some of comparative cheapness, which may be noticed. And first among them is the Etching Club edition of Gray's Elegy, con taining a most charming series of designs, one for each verse of the most charming of poems. Then we find Hogarth's Works, engraved by himself, and Holbein's Court of Henry the Eighth, and the works of Sir Joshua Rey- In wandering through the many apartments of this labynold's; the latter, indeed, being rather expensive for gen-rinthine establishment, and especially when looking in at eral circulation. Among Wiley & Putnam's own publica- the office, from which the books are sent off, one cannot tions are many delightful books gotten up in the most splendid style. The Heroines of Shakspeare is well known as a work, in the highest degree creditable to America, and we do not hesitate to pronounce the Pearls of American Poetry, with illuminated embellishments by Mapleson, the most gorgeous specimen of the bibliographic art, ever brought out in this country. help thinking how great a responsibility rests upon the owners and proprietors. They wield the lever of Archimedes, which moves the world. Every where throughout America, on the wings of every wind, are their publications disseminated. Who shall estimate the influence thas exerted for good or for evil? The refined lady of the world of fashion languidly peruses the last new novel from Cliff But there is another establishment which deserves hon-Street, in the retirement of her boudoir, and you shall find orable mention, as the first publishing house in America, it in the hands of the passenger in the down steamer on we mean of course the great Harperian depot in Cliff Street. the great Mississippi. The lawyer and the divine, the cliNo one who has not visited HARPER & BROTHERS can form any idea of the immense capital invested in their business. Statistics would fail to convey any notion of it and might provoke, at the same time, a smile of incredulity. When we say that the paper alone of the Pictorial Bible cost $72,000, we fear many of our readers may not believe us.* We can re ent and the parishioner, the physician and patient alike bend over the pages of their volumes. In the silence of the backwoods, you may see the pioneer with a well-thumbed number of the Family Library, and the volunteer in the interior of Mexico, beguiles the interim of camp duty with the feats and fortunes of James' heroes. How important is it, in view of this powerful influence over the public * We submit a few figures, of which we were put in mind, that the energies of the Harperian press should be possession by F. Saunders, Esq., the obliging gentleman, directed to proper ends? How vitally momentous to the whose difficult office it is to decide upon the publication of morals of a great continent that good books alone should be original works and to select foreign ones for reprint. There sent forth under the sanction of their approval! To the are 22 presses in the establishment, of which 3 are Napier credit of the Harpers be it said, they have published compresses and 19 worked by steam. They work off regular-paratively little to demoralize and corrupt. ly 70 reams of paper per day, i. e. 33,600 sheets, making collect but one book, emanating from their press, of es201,600 sheets per week and 10,483,200 per year! This is equal to 1,000 octavo volumes of over 500 pages per day, 6,000 per week and 312,000 per year. The fixtures in the bindery are valued at $13,000. Here are used annually 52 barrels of flour for paste, 42 barrels of glue, 1,000 packages of gold leaf, 60 tons of paste-board and 750 pieces of muslin of 40 square yards each. Then 14,400 sheep must be slain yearly to supply skins for covers. Beneath the buildings (for there are 5 tenements) are immense vaults, where the stereotype plates are deposited. These have been accumulating for 25 years, and now amount to 500,000 pounds weight, worth 7 cents per pound. 800 pounds of metal are used weekly for casting-making 41,600 pounds per annum. In the composing rooms there are from 60,000 to 70,000 pounds of type. The amount paid to employees, about 400 in number, (one fourth of whom are females) is $200,000 per annum. sentially bad character, the "Illustrated Wandering Jew," and we must regret that the public taste called for so expensive a garb for the vilest and most detestable of modern romances. Other houses led the way to this state of things and in their wholesale re-production of French literature, have brought upon our land an infection, worse than all the plagues of Egypt, and opened a source of mental debasement which brings painfully to our mind that repulsive image in the opening of the Seventh Seal, "And the third angel sounded and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountain of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter." Let us hope that a sense of their dangerous and fatal agency may cause the publishers of the land to pause in their course and that a Messrs. Harper & Brothers have paid to authors very about $50,000 and Prescott about $25,000. Dr. Anthon, large sums of money. Stephens has received from them too, has received a fortune from them for his works. pure and vivifying literature may be made to flow in the into better hands. We have every confidence that he will current of this swollen and desolating tide. THE LATE GEORGE H. COLTON. But a few weeks have passed away since we were called upon, under circumstances alike monitory and affecting, to deplore the loss of a Southern votary of literature and now, the destroyer, in his terrible visitations, has sought out a kindred spirit beneath a northern sky. Both are deeply lamented. But the death of Colton fills us with peculiar sadness. Wilde fell a victim to a distressing epidemic, but he went down to the grave full of years and full of honors, having well-nigh attained the allotted period of human life, and after having filled a large space in his country's history. The gifted Colton was cut off in the first flush of manhood, when he had just given rich promise of future usefulness and distinction. The cherished hopes of friends and the just expectations of his native State have been thus suddenly extinguished in the grave. "Those who knew him best," says the friend who announces his decease, believed that had his life been spared, he would have continued to deserve well of his country;' and that he would not have failed to leave behind him some imperishable works of genius." Mr. Colton was graduated at Yale College, in the class of 1842, where he first became known as a writer in the pages of the Yale Literary Magazine. Soon after obtaining his degree, he published his poem " Tecumseh," a thoughtful and imaginative production, which admitted him at once into the brotherhood of recognised authors. But it was as founder and Editor of the "American Review" that Mr. Colton will be longest and most gratefully remembered. This work was commenced in January, 1845, and after struggling through many difficulties and embarrassments was placed at last upon a permanent basis by the untiring zeal and enterprise of its founder, who was taken away as he was about to enter upon the full fruition of his labors. The first number of the Review is now before us. From that time to the present, it has borne a high character as an elevated literary periodical. Of its political character it becomes us not to speak. We neither approve or condemn, for the Messenger recognises no party distinctions and no political creeds. It is not too much to say, however, that invest the science of practical agriculture, as treated in his monthly, with peculiar interest, by throwing around it that charm, which so pleases us in the Georgics, and presenting useful information in an attractive guise. We look for the best results in Virginia from Mr. Daniel's labors. Of late years, the increased attention paid to husbandry, as evinced in the formation of Agricultural Societies throughout the State, has created a demand for good books and papers in that branch of investigation. The absurd prejudice, too, against theories and scientific experiments in farming, at one time so prevalent, is fast yielding to a more enlightened spirit, and the wonderful discoveries in chemistry have been brought to bear upon practical tillage. In addition to this, much valuable knowledge is diffused among the people by public addresses. We remember an admirable address, delivered three or four years since by the Hon. W. C. Rives, before the Agricul tural Society of Albemarle, which association has, within a few weeks, been favored with a similar effort from the Hon. Andrew Stevenson. Copious extracts from this latter address have been laid before the public in the daily newspapers. As a most efficient auxiliary in the cause of agricultural improvement we commend the Planter, with its excellent Editor, to the generous support of the public. Notices of New Works. "And do you think there are any who are influenced by this?" "Oh, lud! yes, sir,-the number of those who undergo the fatigue of judging for themselves, is very small indeed." The Critic. Perhaps there is no duty more important in a Literary Magazine than that of presenting impartial critical notices of new publications. The infor lofty flight, sound criticism, and nice discrimination, it fluence thus exerted in directing public taste imwould compare most favorably with the best of the Eng- poses on the critic a sense of serious responsibility. lish monthlies. For how much the reader of the Review The conviction that others will be affected by his was indebted to Mr. Colton for direct contributions to its opinion and that the sale of an author's book is, te pages, those who remember the finished poems over the a greater or less extent, in his hands, is well calHe is gone. Let us emulate the example he has set be-culated to impress him with the difficulties of his fore us of patient labor and uncomplaining study, and let situation. If he boldly applies the lash to a work, us take to heart the great truth so impressively enforced in which, in his judgment, deserves it, he may be told his untimely death, that that he has been doing the grossest injustice from the grossest ignorance: if, on the other hand, he suffers a bad book to go altogether unwhipped, he will be considered unworthy of his vocation, for Judex damnatur cum nocens absolvitur. signature of "Earlden" may best judge. "As the long train Of ages glide away, the sons of men, THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. The motives of the critic, too, are not unfrequently assailed by offended vanity, and while he has endeavored to divest himself of all unworthy prejudices, his intentions are liable to violent misconstruction. For it is his province to point out This established favorite, we perceive, is now under the the blemishes, as well as to indicate the beauties editorial charge of John M. Daniel, Esq. To those who of a volume, and never did writer undertake a more know Mr. Daniel, it is quite unnecessary that we should. say a word with regard to his fitness for the task he has ungrateful task. assumed, but we take occasion here to express to all our fact, he should remember that a book is to be estisincere conviction that the Planter could not have fallen mated of itself, that it must stand or fall by its Yet malgré this embarrassing |