THE BEAUTIES OF ISAAC BARROW.* DR. BARROW* was a very extraordinary man. When at school he was more remarkable for fighting than for attention to his books. He became a student in theology to turn to medicine and natural history, and then studied St. Chrysostom for a whole year, in his own stronghold of Byzantium. He ultimately became a mathematician, second only to Newton; but finished, as he began, by theology. All true lovers of British literature and of old English wisdom, will rejoice at having a collection of the beauties of one whose only fault was his copiousness. Barrow's style is less poetical than that of Jeremy Taylor, from whose writings Mr. Newby has also published a volume of selections, but he is unsurpassed for depth and copiousness of thought, and nervous, though unpolished, eloquence. LEO THE TENTH.+ THE "Life and Pontificate of Leo X." is not William Roscoe's chefd'œuvre, but it is a work which, had he not have preceeded it by the "Life of Lorenzo de Medici," would still have at once raised the author into the proud situation of one of the most able and popular writers of the day. We have previously alluded to Mr. Bohn's praiseworthy design of publishing a library of works of sound literature of this class, at the very cheapest price possible. It is very much to be regretted, that we observe there are two editions publishing at the same time. The public suffer from this injudicious competition. One edition might sell well, two cannot. Hence both publishers fail in being able to prosecute their otherwise praiseworthy and admirable designs. THE WORKS OF THE REV. ROBERT HALL.‡ THIS is the first of the series, by which Mr. Bohn introduces his library of standard literature to the public. Nor could the publisher have found a more popular subject than the works of Robert Hall, the most distinguished ornament of the body of English Dissenters. A man, in whom a masculine intellect and extensive acquirements were united to high rhetorical and even poetical brilliancy of imagination. So cheap a volume cannot, indeed, but be considered as a boon by the thoughtful and studious portions of the community. THE WIGWAM AND THE CABIN.§-TALES FROM THE GERMAN OF HEINRICH ZSCHOKKE.||| THESE works are in continuation of Wiley and Putnam's "Library of Choice Reading." We do not know whether the tales of "The Wigwam and the Cabin” are attracting that notice in this * The Beauties of Isaac Barrow, D.D. Selected from all his Sermons and Devotional Writings, with a Biographical Notice of the Author. By B. S., Esq., Barrister-at-Law. T. C. Newby. †The Life and Pontificate of Leo the Tenth. By William Roscoe. Fifth Edition. Revised by his son, Thomas Roscoe. 2 vols. Henry G. Bohn. The Miscellaneous Works and Remains of the Rev. Robert Hall, with a Memoir of his Life, by Olinthus Gregory, LL.D., F.R.A.S.; and a Critical Estimate of his Character and Writings, by John Foster. 1 vol. Henry G. Bohn. § The Wigwam and the Cabin. By W. Gilmore Simms. Second Series. Tales from the German of Heinrich Zschokke. By Parke Godwin. Second Series. way. country which they deserve. If not, they are sure to make their They are full of profound and startling interest. As to "Zschokke's Tales," they belong to another school, and their reputation is European, and will, no doubt, be soon trans-Atlantic. ANTONIO PEREZ AND PHILIP II.* HAVING noticed this work at its original appearance, it is unnecessary to return to it now, except to say that it was in every respect worthy of translation, and that the translation appears to have been satisfactorily done. So many new materials have, however, fallen into M. Mignet's hands since the publication of the first French edition, which was soon exhausted, that he is, we understand, engaged in the immediate preparation of a second, which from this great accession of details, will be almost a totally new work. AN ALPHABET OF ILLUSTRATED GEOGRAPHY AND HYDROGRAPHY.+ We have not a moment's hesitation in stating that if the gallant and well-known captain has industry and perseverance to accomplish that which he promises in the prospectus received, of an alphabet of illustrated geography and hydrography, that it will be one of the most popular and useful works extant. Nothing of the kind has ever yet been attempted. It will require between two and three thousand sectional maps, will contain charts of all the known harbours of the world, and plans of all the cities, with an alphabetic reference to between 200,000 and 300,000 names, and this at a fourth of the expense of the existing great and cumbrous atlases, which have no references at all, except to latitudes and longitudes. It is only to be regretted that the proofs transmitted with the prospectus of the Anastatic press, are not remarkable for neat and clear printing. THE LITERARY GAZETTE. IT is with feelings of sincere satisfaction that we observe our oldestablished favourite, the Literary Gazette, has adapted itself to the pressure of the times, and qualified itself against cheap rivals, by at once lowering its price and increasing its size. The Literary Gazette has always enjoyed the confidence of the right-thinking and steady-going classes of the community. Its spirit of fairness and its general tone of kindliness have made themselves felt everywhere. The Literary Gazette has loved to encourage the tyro, and sustain the oppressed. It has never sought to gain influence by pandering to the grovelling taste for detraction, or by fostering literary or artistic jealousies and animosities, and it cannot, we feel sure, fail to retain in its new form, and with its enlarged means, that ascendancy as the weekly journal of criticism and information, which it is entitled to by its talent, its merits, its character, and its well-earned reputation. * Antonio Perez and Philip II. By M. Mignet, translated with the approbation of the author. By C. Cocks, B.L. 8vo. Longman and Co. † An Alphabet of Illustrated Geography and Hydrography. By James Mangles Commander, R.N. THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, AND HUMORIS T. CONTENTS FOR APRIL. SPANISH BALLADS. TRANSLATED BY JOHN OXENFORD THE LAST BALL AT THE TUILERIES TO A YOUNG INDIAN. BY J. E. CARPENTER ON A DEAD ROSE. BY ALARIC A. WATTS. THE PRIVATEER'S-MAN, A TALE. BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT, ECHOES FROM THE BACKWOODS. BY CAPTAIN LEVINGE LIGHTS AND SHADES IN THE LIFE OF A Gentleman on HALF- SKETCHES OF THE LIVES OF THE LORDS STOWELL AND ELDON PAGE 379 385 407 409 420 BY AN OLD MAN THE LOSS OF the Great LIVERPOOL. BY ONE OF THE PAS 490 LITERATURE:- 499 to 500 NOW READY, THE APRIL NUMBER OF AINSWORTH'S MAGAZINE. EDITED BY W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, ESQ. I PIQUILLO ALLIAGA; OR, THE MOORS IN THE TIME OF PHILIP III. II. HOW THEY MAKE LOVE OVER THE WATER. BY DUDLEY COSTELLO. III. THE COUNT OF MONTE CHRISTO. IV. CHAPTERS FROM THE HISTORY OF SORCERY AND MAGIC BY THOMAS WRIGHT, M.A. V. IMMATERIALITIES; OR, CAN SUCH THINGS BE? BY CHARLES HOOTON. VI. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A FRENCH SOLDIER. BY THOMAS ROSCOE. VII. LIFE AND WRITINGS OF NIMROD. BY THE AUTHOR OF "HANDLEY CROSS." VIII. IRISH LEGENDS. BY J. L. FORREST, ESQ. OLD SAINT PAUL'S. BY W. HARRISON AINSWORTH, ESQ. WITH AN ILLUSTRATION ON STEEL BY JOHN FRANKLIN. CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186, STRAND. THE NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, SPANISH BALLADS RELATING TO THE INFANTS OF LARA. TRANSLATED BY JOHN OXENFORD. ALTHOUGH Dr. Southey and Mr. Lockhart have familiarized their readers with the story of these celebrated "Infants," it may not be so generally known as to preclude the necessity of a brief argument for the understanding of the following ballads. The seven "Infants of Lara," are supposed to have lived at the end of the tenth century. They were the sons of Don Gonzalo Bustos (or Gustios), lord of Salas, and his wife, Dona Sancha. Ruy (Rodrigo) Velasquez, the brother of Dona Sancha, married Dona Lambra, a lady of high rank, and on the occasion of the nuptials a quarrel arose between the bride and the family of Lara, which resulted in a series of mutual insults. Don Rodrigo, taking the part of his wife, contrived the ruin of his sister's family. He sent Don Gonzalo to Almanzor, King of Cordova, on the pretext of receiving certain moneys, but really that Almanzor might put him to death. The Moorish king had the magnanimity not to comply with the wish of. Rodrigo, but merely imprisoned Don Gonzalo. The next step of Rodrigo was to pretend an incursion into the Moorish country, that he might lead his nephew into an ambush. They were all killed by the Moors, together with their tutor, Don Nuno Salido, but afterwards their death was avenged. During his captivity Don Gonzalo had a son by the Moorish king's sister. This son, who was named Mudarra, killed Rodrigo with his own hands, and carried his head to Don Gonzalo, who had been released from Cordova, and was living at Salas. some years In the above argument I have merely tried to connect the ballads I have chosen; hence I have omitted all mention of the "Bloody Cucumber," and of the "Seven Heads." An admirable version of a ballad on the last subject (No se puede llamar Re,) will be found in Mr. Lockhart's collection. Unwilling to follow that distinguished translator, I endeavoured to find another ballad in the "Romancero," but the best was so full of tasteless concetti, that I deemed it better to omit the episode. The death of Rodrigo by the hands of Mudarra I could not pass over without spoiling that completeness of story which has been my aim in the choice of the ballad; and hence, against my will, I have re-translated a ballad previously translated by Mr. Lockhart. The rest of my selection he has left untouched. J. O. April.-VOL. LXXVI. NO. CCCIV. 2 c |