Alexander Otis, Esq. Second edition, in two volumes, revised and corrected. Boston. Harrison Gray. 1826. 8vo.

History of the Bunker Hill Battle, with a Plan. By S. Swett. Second edition, much enlarged, with New Information derived from the surviving Soldiers present at the Celebration on the 17th of June last, and Notes. Boston. 1826. pp. 88.

LAW.

An Essay on Equity in Pennsylvania. By Anthony Laussat, Jr. Student of Law, Member of the Law Academy of Philadelphia. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 157.

We shall take an early opportunity to notice this elaborate essay, when we have gained time to read it with the attention, which its nature and the importance of the subject demand.

MEDICINE.

Observations on the Medical Character, addressed to the Graduates of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, at the Commencement held on the 4th of April, 1826. By David Hosack, M. D. New York. 1826. 8vo. pp. 24.

Anatomy taught by Analysis; a Lecture introductory to the Course delivered in the Philadelphia Anatomical Rooms, Fifth Session 1825-6. By John D. Godman, M. D. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 23.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Refutation of certain Misrepresentations issued against the Author of the "Fauna Americana," in the Philadelphia Franklin Journal, No. I., 1826, and in the North American Review, No. L. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 42.

It is always a bad omen for science, when its votaries are found engaged in personal squabbles with one another, and are willing to sacrifice its interests to the views of their own petty ambition. Dr Harlan, it seems, has put forth a book, of which one critic says that it is bad, and another that it is stolen. The expression of which opinions throws Dr Harlan into such tremendous wrath, that we cannot help fearing that it is both; for it is an old remark, that when a man finds himself in the wrong, he falls into a passion. Dr Harlan's refutation is angry and violent in the extreme, and we can hardly believe, that a man who feels himself in the right, would find it necessary to descend to vilifying and calling names. Dr Godman, in his letter to Dr Jones, the title of which is quoted below, sufficiently establishes the points he made in his first paper.

A Letter to Dr Thomas P. Jones, Editor of the Franklin Journal. By John D. Godman, M. D. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 28.

Biographical Sketches, and Interesting Anecdotes, of Persons of Colour; to which is added, a Selection of Pieces in Poetry. Compiled by Abigail Mott. New York. M. Day.

The Virginia Housewife. Second edition. With Amendments and Additions.

THEOLOGY.

The Doctrines of the Church, vindicated from the Misrepresentations of Dr John Rice; and the Integrity of Revealed Religion defended against the "No Comment Principle" of promiscuous Bible Societies. By the Right Reverend John S. Ravenscraft, D. D. Bishop of the Diocess of North Carolina. Washington. P. Thompson. 8vo.

A Discourse on the Official Relations of New Testament Elders. By the Rev. John M. Duncan. Baltimore. 8vo.

Hints on Extemporaneous Preaching. By Henry Ware, Jr. Second edition. Boston. 1826. 18mo. pp. 93.

A Sermon, preached at Danvers, January 23, 1826, at the Interment of the Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth, D. D. By Samuel Dana, Pastor of the First Church in Marblehead. Salem. 1826. 8vo. pp. 24.

A Sermon, preached at a meeting of the Seamen's Union Bethel Society. By the Rev. J. P. K. Henshaw, Pastor of St. Peter's Church.

AMERICAN EDITIONS OF FOREIGN WORKS. Letters to a Friend, on the Evidences, Doctrines, and Duties of the Christian Religion. By Olinthus Gregory, LL. D. First American, from the fourth London edition. 2 vols. New York. G. & C. Carvill 1826. 12mo.

The author, in his Preface, says, "I have attempted to exhibit in small compass, a view, not merely of the evidences, but of the distinguishing doctrines and principal binding duties of the Christian Religion." Again; I have entered pretty much at large into the establishment and defence of the leading doctrines which distinguish Christianity from all other religious systems. In the choice of these, I have kept almost entirely out of sight the higher points which separate the Arminians from the Calvinists; while I have attempted to illustrate and confirm, as essential, those grand doctrines, in which both Arminians and Calvinists, and, indeed, the great majority of Christians differ from the Socinians." The first volume, which relates to the evidences of Christianity, and that part of both which relates to Christian duties, we believe, will be universally acceptable; but the part which relates to what the author esteems distinguishing doctrines" and "fundamentals" in religion, is controversial ground, from which we desire to escape with all possible despatch.

The French Phrase Book, or Key to French Conversation; containing the chief Idioms of the French Language. By M. l'Abbé Bossut. Boston. Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. 1826. 18mo. pp. 96.

The design of this little book will be best learned from the following short extract from a notice prefixed to the London edition: "By learning these familiar and idiomatic phrases, the young English scholar will acquire the French language and idiom exactly in the same manner as it is acquired by a native,-by practice and example, and not by rule. Rules are not to be despised; but they are rather adapted to perfect than to initiate."

The Spirit of Prayer. By Hannah More. Selected and compiled by Herself, from various portions, exclusively on that subject, in her published volumes. Boston. 1826. 12mo. pp. 171.

To those acquainted with the writings of Hannah More, this volume will need no other notice, than the knowledge of the subject, and the author's name contained in the title-page.

Memoirs of the Life of the Right Hon. Richard Brinsley Sheridan By Thomas Moore. 2 vols. Philadelphia. 1826.

12mo.

Mornings at Bow Street; a Selection of the most humorous and entertaining Reports, which have appeared in the London Morning Herald. By J. Wright, Reporter to the Morning Herald. With Illustrations, by George Cruikshank. New York.

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

1. An Act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to provide more effectually for the Education of the Poor gratis, and for Laying the Foundation of a General System of Education throughout this Commonwealth. Passed March 29, 1824. Harrisburg, 1824.

2. Remarks on the School Law of the last Session of the Legislature, and Information concerning the Common Schools of Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina, &c. &c. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 38.

3. Eighth Annual Report of the Controllers of the Public Schools of the First School District of the State of Pennsylvania; with their Accounts. Philadelphia. 1826. 8vo. pp. 15.

We have selected the first of the above titles from a copy of the "Pamphlet Laws of Pennsylvania," merely as intimation to our readers of the main subject of the following article, and we have subjoined the titles of two pamphlets, partly for the same reason, and also because they contain many facts, very convenient for our present purpose. Drawing from these sources of information, and from various others now within our reach, we shall proceed to offer some account of what has been done at different periods by the constituted authorities of Pennsylvania towards making the education of youth a public concern.

That the founder and proprietary of Pennsylvania was not, as some seem to suppose, insensible to the advantages of general education, we may be satisfied by a recurrence to the preamble to his "Frame of Government," promulgated about the time of

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his arrival with the colony. In this, he declares, that "that which makes a good constitution must keep it,-namely, men of wisdom and virtue,-qualities, that, because they descend not with worldly inheritance, must be carefully propagated by a virtuous education of youth." In the body of the "Frame," it was expressly provided, that "the governor and provincial council shall erect and order all public schools." With this injunction he very conscientiously complied, by incorporating, in 1697, a body politic, under the name of "the Overseers of the Schools," body, composed, as might have been expected, principally of persons of his own religious persuasion, whose number was limited to fifteen, and whose authority extended to the various. schools within the city and suburbs of Philadelphia,—and those were probably all, that, at so early a period, could be deemed worthy of the attention of the government. This corporation has, we believe, existed from the date abovementioned, under the original charter, with the same organization, and through a succession of persons of the same religious persuasion, to the present time. The overseers have, at this time, the superintendence of twelve or thirteen schools. Of these, the classical establishment in Fourth street has always been conspicuous for the merit of its teachers, and for diffusing among the society a liberal share of learning, of science, and of refinement.

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The facts just stated go far to exonerate the benevolent Miquon" and his followers from the charge of hostility to the cause of good learning. If any one still doubt, whether their discarding the notion, that great learning is essential to the success and usefulness of a religious teacher, do not amount to a renunciation of learning in general, let him examine the lists of distinguished members of the learned professions, literary and scientific societies, and institutions of education, within their "beautiful city;" or let him visit the private dwellings of the respectable "Friends" in any of the older counties of Pennsylvania, and examine their libraries.

If the character and views of the proprietary were truly represented in his "Frame of Government," above quoted, and if the same denomination of persons had continued to constitute a majority of the population, and of the councils of the state, the governor and provincial council might have been very proper depositories for the important trust of popular education. But what was a very discreet arrangement, while the enlightened Penn himself filled the office of chief magistrate, proved to be a very inauspicious one, under many of his successors.

Such

men as John Evans, Charles Gookin, and George Thomas, who, in the capacity of lieutenant-governors, represented, at different times, the principal proprietaries of Pennsylvania, found too much of their time occupied in managing their contests with the provincial assembly, and in proving their loyalty by opposing public sentiment, to allow any great share of attention to be bestowed upon the true interests of the people. Education, therefore, among many other primary concerns of a free government, seems to have been without a guardian, except within the limited jurisdiction of the corporation before mentioned. The records of legislative proceedings, during the long period from the settlement of the province to the revolution, will be searched in vain, for any evidence or even a disposition to legislate, directly, upon the subject. By a diligent examination of those documents, we have found but four acts, which even incidentally involve the subject. Two of these are private laws, granting to particular churches, the right of raising by lottery, small sums of money, to be employed in building school-houses. The others, which were passed in 1712 and in 1730 respectively, provide that "all religious societies of protestants, within the province, shall be allowed to purchase lands and tenements for burying grounds, and for erecting houses of religious worship, schools, and hospitals." Slight as the influence of these laws, which seem to tolerate, rather than encourage education, must have been upon the progress of intelligence; yet we apprehend, they have tended, in no small degree, to prevent the establishment of a more general system of education throughout the State. For, besides the particular schools attached to many of the separate societies, several denominations have larger establishments, to which youth of the same sect resort for instruction. As examples of the latter kind, we may mention the Friends' School at Weston, and the Academy of the Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. These partial sectarian establishments satisfy the demands of a portion of the community, and render them indifferent or averse to a system founded on an equal distribution of the benefits and expenses of education.

But in addition to the injudicious assignment of the superintendence of public schools exclusively to the governor and council, and the subsequent practice of religious societies in confining their exertions for education to youth of their own persuasion, it may be suggested, that the constant influx of foreigners, differing widely from each other in language, habits, manners, and, above all, in their ideas respecting the importance of education, must