of the Causes of the Existing Evils of Society, and a Development of Means by which they may be permanently and effectually removed. By John Gray. 8vo. Philadelphia. Price 19 cents.

A Discourse dilivered in the Chapel of Nassau Hall, before the Literary and Philosophical Society of New Jersey, at its first meeting, September 27th, 1825. By Samuel Miller, D. D. Princeton. D. A. Bor

renstein. 8vo. pp. 39.

The Guide to Health. Designed to promote the Health, Happiness, and Longevity of Students and all others in Sedentary Life, and especially Invalids. By Daniel Newell. 18mo. pp. 84. Boston. S. T. Far

ren.

An Oration pronounced at Middlebury, before the Associated Alumni of the College, on the Evening of Commencement, August 17th, 1825. By Nathan S. S. Beman. 8vo. pp. 40. Troy, N. Y. Tuttle & Rich

ards.

The Gentlemen's Annual Pocket Remembrancer, for the year 1826. 18mo. pp. 173. Philadelphia. R. H. Small.

The American Ladies' Pocket Book, for 1826. adelphia. R. H. Small.

NOVELS.

18mo. pp. 160. Phil

The Mysterious Picture. By Wrangham Fitz Ramble, Esq. 8vo. New York. Collins & Hannay.

POLITICS.

A Few Reflections of a Cool-minded Man on the Present Judiciary System of Kentucky. 8vo. pp. 12.

THEOLOGY.

A Sermon, on the Introduction to the Gospel of St John. By the Rev. Samuel Gilman, 8vo. pp. 16. Charleston, S C. C. C. Selring.

Prayers and Sermons, by John N. Maffit, delivered in the City of Philadelphia, October, 1825. Taken in short-hand, by T. C. Gould. 8vo. Philadelphia. Marot & Walker. Price 25 cents.

The Address of the Executive Committee of the American Tract Society to the Christian Public, together with a Brief Account of the Formation of the Society, its Constitution, and Officers. New York. D. Fanshaw.

A Pastoral Letter to the Members of the Protestant Episcopal Church in South Carolina. By Nathaniel Bowen, D. D., Bishop of said Church. 8vo. Charleston A. E. Miller.

A Sermon, preached at St. Philip's Church, August 21, 1825, by Christopher E. Gadsden, on the occasion of the Decease of Gen. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. 8vo. pp. 31. Charleston, S. C. A. E. Miller.

A Brief Outline of the Evidences of the Christian Religion. By Archibald Alexander, Professor of Didactic Theology in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N. J. Second edition. 12mo. pp. 251. Princeton. D. A. Borrenstein.

We noticed the merits of this valuable, though unpretending book, in a late number of our work; and are glad to perceive that the public reception of it has justified the publisher in bringing out another edition so soon. It is now, in this second edition, printed upon a good paper, and with a larger and fairer type; and is executed throughout in a style much to our taste.

AMERICAN EDITIONS OF FOREIGN WOrks.

English Synonymes, explained in Alphabetical Order, with copious Illustrations and Examples, drawn from the best writers. By George Crabb, A. M., author of the Universal Technological Dictionary. From the third London edition, revised and corrected. 8vo. New York.

The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians, and Grecians By C. Rollin. A new and improved edition, illustrated with Engravings of Egyptian Antiquities, &c.; and with a complete set of Maps of Ancient Geography. 2 vols. 4to. Boston. Samuel Walker.

A Treatise on Derangements of the Liver, Internal Organs, and Nervous System; Pathological and Therapeutical. By James Johnson, M. D. author of the "Influence of Tropical Climates on European Constitutions," &c. First American from the second London edition. 8vo. pp. 221. Philadelphia. Carey & Lea.

Napoleon and the Grand Army in Russia; or a Critical Examination of Count Philip De Segur's Work. By General Gourgand, late First Officer of Ordnance, and Aide-de-camp to the Emperor Napoleon. Translated from the French by a gentleman of Philadelphia. 8vo. Philadelphia. A. Finley.

The Scottish Chiefs, a Romance. By Miss Jane Porter, author of "Thaddeus of Warsaw." 3 vols. 18mo. Exeter. Gerrish & Tyler.

The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Macedonians, and Grecians. By Charles Rollin. Translated from the French. ilustrated with Maps and Plates. Revised and corrected from the last London edition. 8 vols. 12mo. Philadelphia. W. W. Woodward.

C. Cornelii Taciti Historiarum Libri Quinque; cum Libro de Germania, et Vita Agricolæ, cum notis Barbou. 12mo. pp. 299. New York. S. King.

The Works of Flavius Josephus, the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian and celebrated Warrior. To which are added three Dissertations, concerning Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, James the Just, God's Command to Abraham, &c. With and an Index to the whole. Translated by William Whiston, A. M. 4 vols. 8vo. Philadelphia. W. W. Woodward.

An Abridgment of the History of England from the Invasion of Julius Cæsar to the death of George II. By Dr Goldsmith. Continued to the Present Time, by several Gentlemen. Stereotype edition. 12mo. pp. 324. Boston. T. Bedlington.

Domestic Medicine, or a Treatise on the Prevention and Cure of Diseases by Regimen and Simple Medicines; containing a Dispensatory for the use of Private Practitioners. By William Buchan, M. D. &c. To which is added a Family Herbal. A new edition, revised and amendad; by John G. Coffin, M. D. Fellow of the Massachusetts Medical Society. 8vo. pp. 652. Boston. Phelps & Farnham and N. S. Simpkins.

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.

1. A Digest of reported Cases argued and determined in the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachu setts. By LEWIS BIGELOW, Counsellor at Law. Boston. Wells & Lilly. 1825. 8vo. pp. lxxxii & 856.

2. Digest of the Cases decided in the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, from March, 1816, to October, 1823, inclusive; as contained in the five last volumes of Tyng's, and the first of Pickering's Reports; with the Names of the Cases and a Table of the Titles and References. To which is added, a digested Index of the Names of the Cases in the eighteen volumes of Massachusetts Reports. By THERON METCALF.

Cavendum autem est, ne summæ istæ reddant homines promptos ad practicam, cessatores in scientiâ ipsâ.-Lord Bacon.

Boston. Richardson & Lord. 1825. 8vo. pp. 513.

THE first of these works contains an abridgment of all the adjudged cases contained in the eighteen volumes of Massachusetts Reports, it being an improved edition of the Digest formerly published by the same author, and having incorporated in it the cases reported since the date of the original compilation. The second work is in the nature of a continuation of Bigelow's first edition, comprising only the cases subsequently reported, and forming in conjunction with it a digest of the entire series of eighteen volumes. The legal profession in Massachusetts are particularly under obligations to Mr Bigelow for conceiving and executing the plan of his Digest, which is invaluable as a con

venient and well arranged index to a great body of expository law. In his last work, he has corrected some of the errors which had escaped his attention in compiling the first, and has altered the minor details to advantage. There is one defect in it, however, which renders a little caution necessary in the use of it. The author does not, as we conceive, draw the line with sufficient distinctness between the points of a case which are solemnly decided as law, and the obiter dicta of the court, their queries, extrajudicial remarks, and opinions delivered arguendo. Mr Metcalf is exceedingly happy and judicious in making this very proper distinction. Indeed, in this respect, as in his language, style, arrangement, and in other things, more of the booklearning of the deeply read lawyer is plainly to be discerned in Mr Metcalf's book than in Mir Bigelow's. Both works, however, are entitled to uncommon praise, as well for their general method, as for the merit of the execution.

The maxim adopted by Mr Metcalf for his motto conveys a very salutary caution to those, who resort to digests for aid in the prosecution of legal inquiries. But we do not concur in the opinion, which many advance, that the proper use of digests and abridgments of law, which has grown so prevalent, tends or threatens to diminish the erudition of the bar. These laudatores temporis acti, who lament the day when Blackstone had not lectured, nor the admirable modern digests been compiled, forget the endless multiplicity of reported cases which the thoroughly educated lawyer must have within the call of his memory. The truth is, that digests and abridgments, while they increase beyond conception the number of persons out of the profession who know something of that whereby all their actions are regulated, and the number of persons in the profession who know a great deal of the science which they profess, do not in the least diminish the class of profound legal scholars, the ornaments and supporters of jurisprudence. Praiseworthy ambition united with great capacity will produce the same effects now, that it has done in less enlightened ages; it will stimulate men to augmented exertions, and will lift them to extraordinary eminence. Every thing calculated to facilitate their studies will accelerate, not retard, their progress in improvement. And in proportion as conveniences for the study of law are multiplied, and a certain degree of learning becomes more common, they who aspire to the higher walks of professional merit, will discover the necessity of additional effort in order to attain a relative superiority in excellence.

We embrace the opportunity offered us in this article to suggest a desirable change in the method of publishing the lawreports in this Commonwealth. The course now pursued of issuing them only in volumes, and retaining the matter in the hands of the reporter or publisher until enough has accumulated to compose the complete volume, greatly detracts from the benefit of the publication. The interval between successive emissions being generally upwards of a year, sometimes two years, it always happens that the members of the profession are kept much behind the progress of legal decision. They have no convenient or sure means of ascertaining the principles of law which are settled from term to term in their respective counties, but through the printed reports. Now it is plain that a large portion of the cases ultimately decided in the last resort by the full court, contain points, which previously were either doubtful, or to say the least, questionable; otherwise it is not presumable that the cases would be reserved by counsel under the sanction of the judges. But when once determined, and upon proper investigation, they cease to be matters of litigation or dispute, and become the law of the land. Many of them are of course such that, until so fixed, reasonable doubt concerning the final decision may be entertained by the ablest lawyers, and still more by the young, the precipitate, the ill-informed, the indolent, the undiscerning, all those who are prone to judge hastily or incorrectly on subjects, which in fact require the best exercise of the understanding. Hence an action is, not unfrequently, commenced or defended against, nay sometimes entered in the lower courts for trial, and prosecuted with great expense, when the principles of the law which govern it have already been settled in a similar case in some other county, but the decision has not come to the knowledge of the profession in general, who seldom practise out of their own county. This evil might easily be remedied by publishing the reports in numbers, to be bound together when the volume shall have been completed. The Suffolk cases, for instance, might be published each summer, and the cases decided on the fall circuit in the winter following; which would enable the bar, all over the commonwealth, to keep even pace with the advancement of the law. Add to this, that the cases would be far more diligently and profitably studied, if published in small numbers, than it is likely they will be when issued in a ponderous volume. They will possess all the zest of novelty, and the interest of a pamphlet, to that whole class of men, whose business it is to become acquainted with them;