MISCELLANEOUS.

Remarks on Changes lately Proposed or Adopted in Harvard University. By George Ticknor, Smith Professor, &c. 8vo. pp. 48. Boston. Cummings, Hilliard, & Co.

New York Review and Atheneum Magazine. No. V. For October, 1825.

POETRY.

Orondalie: A Tale of the Crusades. By Byron Whippoorwill, Esq.; to which are added other Original Poems. 8vo. pp. 56. Hudson, N. Y. P. Sturtevant.

THEOLOGY.

Gospel Advocate, conducted by a Society of Gentlemen. Vol. V. No. X. Boston. True & Green.

The Christian Spectator. Vol. VII. No. X.

An Address, delivered at the Commencement of the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, held in Christ's Church, New York, on the twenty-ninth day of July, 1825. By James Kemp, D. D. Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland. Published at the request of the Trustees. 8vo. New York. T. & J. Swords.

Biblical Repertory. Vol. I. No. 4. Princeton, N. J.

Christian Sympathy, a Sermon preached to the Congregation of English Protestants, in the city of Rome, Italy, on Easter Sunday, 3d April, 1825. By Bishop Hobart. 8vo. Philadelphia. Price 19 cents.

An Appeal to Liberal Christians, for the Cause of Christianity in India. By a Member of the Society for Obtaining Information respecting the State of Religion in India. 8vo. pp. 63. Boston.

A Sermon delivered on the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Boston Female Asylum. September 23, 1825. By F. W. P. Greenwood. 8vo. pp. 20. Boston.

Speaking of the policy of those governments, which discourage the general diffusion of knowledge, Mr Greenwood observes:-"Far different were the views of those gifted patriarchs who founded a new empire here. They were determined that all their children should be taught of the Lord; and side by side with the humble dwellings, which sheltered their heads from the storms of a strange world, arose the school-house and the house of God. And ever after the result has been peace, great, unexampled peace; peace to the few, who gradually encroached on the primeval forests of the land, and peace to the millions who have now spread themselves abroad in it from border to border. In the strength and calm resolution of that peace, they stood up once, and shook themselves free from the rusted fetters of the old world',. and in the beauty and dignity of that peace they stand up now, self-governed, orderly, and independent, a wonder to the nations. If a stranger should inquire of me the principal cause and source of this greatness of my country, would I bid him look on the ocean widely loaded with our merchandise, and proudly ranged by our navy; or on the lands where it is girdled by roads, and scored by canals, and burthened with the produce of our industry and ingenuity? Would I bid him look on these things as the springs of our prosperity? Indeed I would not. Nor would I show him our colleges and literary institutions, for he can see nobler ones elsewere. I would pass all these by, and would lead him out by some winding highway among the hills and woods, and when the cultivated spots grew small and infrequent, and the houses became few and scattered, and a state of primitive nature seemed to be immediately before

us,

I would stop in some sequestered spot, and directed by a steady hum, like that of bees, I would point out to him a lowly building, hardly better than a shed, but full of blooming, happy children, collected together from the remote and unseen farm-houses, conning over their various tasks, or reading with a voice of reverential monotony, a portion of the Word of God; and I would bid him note, that even here, in the midst of poverty and sterility, was a specimen of the thousand nurseries in which all our children are taught of the Lord, and formed, some to legislate for the land, and all to understand its constitution and laws, to maintain their unspotted birthright, and contribute to the great aggregate of the intelligence, the morality, the power and peace of this mighty commonwealth."

AMERICAN EDITIONS OF FOREIGN WORKS.

The Elements of English Composition; serving as a Sequel to the Study of Grammar. By David Irving, LL. D. author of the Lives of the Scottish Poets. Second American from the sixth London edition. 12mo. pp. 312, Georgetown, D. C. James Thomas.

This book will equal any expectations raised by the author's own account of it. "In the following pages," says he, “the reader need not expect to discover any originality of observation: I desire to be regarded in no other light than that of a mere compiler. Concerning every critical subject which has fallen under my review, I have endeavoured to collect the most rational opinions of writers distinguished for their learning and judgment. For any valuable instruction, which this compilation may exhibit the reader is principally indebted to Dr Blair's Lectures on Rhetorick, Dr Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetorick, Lord Kames' Elements of Criticism, Bishop Lowth's Introduction to English Grammar, and Mr Melmoth's Letters of Fitzosborne." These are excellent authorities, and the author has made judicious use of them in compiling his manual for the use of those just entering upon the subject.

The Works of the Rev. Richard Cecil, M. A. late Rector of Bisley, &c.; with a Memoir of his Life. Arranged and Revised, with a View of the Author's Character; by Josiah Pratt, B. D. F. A. S. 3 vols. 12mo. Boston. Crocker & Brewster.

Works of Maria Edgeworth. Vol. XII. containing “Early Lessons.” 8vo. Boston. S. H. Parker.

A Theoretical and Practical Arithmetic; in which the Principles of that Science are clearly and fully explained; being intended as an Introduction to the Higher Branches of Mathematics. By Bézout. Enlarged and adapted to the use of Young Traders, Bankers, &c. by F. Peyrard. Translated from the French, improved, and adapted to the Currency of the United States, by Noble Heath. Baltimore. S. S. Wood & Co.

Merivale's Chancery Reports. 3 vols. 8vo. New York. O. Halsted. A Greek and English Lexicon of the New Testament, from the "Clavis Philologica of Christ. Abr. Wahl, late Senior Pastor of Schneeberg, now Superintendant of Oschaz, Saxony. By Edward Robinson, A. M. Assistant Instructer in the Department of Sacred Literature in the Theological Seminary at Andover. 8vo. pp. 852. Andover. Flagg & Gould.

Published on the first and fifteenth day of every month, by CUMMINGS, HILLIARD, & Co. and HARRISON GRAY, at the office of the U. S. Literary Gazette, No. 74 Washington-Street, Boston, for the Proprietors. Terms, $5 per annum. Cambridge: Printed at the University Press, by Hilliard & Metcalf.

Tremaine, or the Man of Refinement. Philadelphia. In three volumes. 1825. 12mo.

THIS is rather a series of dialogues on morals and natural religion, than a novel. But we are quite indifferent concerning the name which the author may choose to give his performances, so long as they are as agreeable as the one before

us.

The story is slight enough. Tremaine, a gentleman of talents, accomplishments, and fortune, carries his refinement to such an extent as to become disgusted with almost every thing in the world about him. He retires to his country-seat to escape from society and all necessity of exertion, and to enjoy the sweets of leisure and solitude. It is scarcely necessary to observe that the experiment is unsuccessful. He becomes diseased in mind and body, and is fortunately compelled by business to seek another residence. His pursuits, or rather his want of pursuit, is here disturbed by an old college friend, Dr Evelyn, who, with his daughter Georgina, undertakes to rouse him from his torpidity. The father does something, but the daughter more, and he is gradually renovated. He falls in love with the lady, who refuses his addresses on the ground of his scepticism in religion. He accordingly sets seriously about a conversion, and in this is assisted by the father. The work ends with the marriage of the parties. This groundwork is enlarged a little by some episodical matter, and the introduction of a few additional characters, who have little or nothing to do with the main action. The story

in short is little more than a vehicle, as we before observed, for a series of dialogues, in which the author's opinions on the several topics are put into the mouth of Dr Evelyn.

Philosophy as well as religion teaches that virtue is the best policy, even in this world, as conferring the greatest amount of happiness; that the cultivation of the social affections is as much a part of virtue as justice and generosity, and that the exercise of these is peculiarly adapted to gratify the principal motive of human action, the desire of present gratification. Our sympathy goes along with good illustrations of these doctrines, which serve to connect the ideas of duty and pleasure, and such illustrations are presented in the volumes before us. The characters of Dr Evelyn and Georgina are perfectly natural; they neither do nor say any thing which might not easily be done and said in common life. They are not placed in any very remarkable circumstances, nor is the account of them attended by any romantic incident. We cannot help feeling that their happiness is real, and that it arises from sentiments and conduct which it is in our power to imitate. The contemplation of happiness and contentment, when accompanied with mental activity, is one of the most agreeable, that can be presented to the mind; and we are apt to regard the lot of those with whom we are acquainted as more or less desirable, in proportion as it seems to possess the requisites for them. Indeed the common discontent with our own lot, arises from considering it as deficient in these requisites in comparison with that of others. We see our neighbours with their best looks, and made up as it were for company; but we cannot see, and not seeing cannot realize, that they have troubles and disquietudes, which differ from our own not in degree or nature, but only in their causes; and that grief, anxiety, and fear, in the same degree, are equally disagreeable, from whatever cause they spring. An event which brings neither to us, may bring each or all to another; but finding it difficult to conceive of an effect, which we have never known to follow the cause assigned, we are apt to doubt its reality. Man in good health is much more a laughing than a weeping animal, whatever bilious moralists may say to the contrary. The depressing passions are not easily excited; they are by no means permanent in their character, nor easily conceived of. In the presence of sorrow, we are more ready to feel a sort of restraint, than any real sympathy, while the influence of smiles and joy can seldom be resisted. In the characters above

mentioned we feel that the cheerfulness is equally sincere and permanent in its nature, because arising from causes simple, common, and sufficient.

Almost the whole of the third volume is devoted to the arguments in favour of natural religion. These are stated and illustrated with great ability, and in so agreeable a manner, that we think they are likely to make the subject equally clear and attractive to many, who may have been deterred from the consideration of it by its dry and abstract nature. The wisdom of many solemn treatises is here condensed, and their darkness made light; and we believe that very few books can be found in which more is said to the purpose in an equal compass, on the immortality of the soul, particular providence, free-will, predestination, and materialism. It was with a feeling of disappointment that we found, that the subject of revealed religion was not to be touched by the same

Catrul and liberal hand.

The author is probably a clergyman, certainly a practised writer (for the style is highly finished), and one who has learned in the school of the world that wisdom which good sense and christianity alike inculcate; indeed piety and liberality and accurate observation of nature are among the most distinguishing characteristics of the work.

But the studies of the writer have not been confined to the book of nature only. There are every where marks of extensive reading, sometimes appearing in quotations, but oftener as well as more agreeably in allusions. Two English writers are evidently among his favorites; these are Sterne and Shakspeare. His familiarity with the former appears in his style, which sometimes strikes one almost as designed imitation. His partiality to the latter is evinced by the mottoes of his chapters, which are, almost without exception, from him.

We are loath to conclude our commendations of this work; and we hope that these have been set forth in such a manner as to make all our readers desirous of becoming acquainted with it. Whether we have well expressed our reasons for being pleased with it, or whether they will like it for the same reasons that we do, we know not; but sure we are that they will be pleased with it for some reason or other, and upon this we are ready to stake our credit for good judgment; and if any one read it from our recommendation, who would not otherwise have done so, he will have good reason to thank us.