The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-30 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Indian Archipelago. By Horace St. John.
2 vols. Longman.
This work is a description of a comparatively un-
known region, its history, and present state. It
contains lively and varied accounts of the inhabi-
tants and their customs, and is likely to entertain
and instruct the reader. The following is a sketch
of one of the principal islands of the Asiatic
Archipelago _ _

" Celebes occupies the centre of the tropical zone, and
lies in the Molucca sea. Its length and breadth it is
difficult to estimate, being composed of four peninsulas,
with an area of about 3,578 miles. Its coast presents a
great number of bays, gulfs, and capes of eccentric
outline. Three deep arms of the sea penetrate it from
east to west, and the four gigantic tongues of land, united
at the centre by an inconsiderable mass, give the island
its peculiar shape. The southern peninsula was once
supposed to be a separate island, abounding in riches,
whose woods at night were illumed by swarms of the
firefly, imparting to them a magical beauty. The west-
ern and northern coasts are bold with few reefs ; but
along the other shores shoals and formations are spread,
some hidden, some appearing above water. The surface
is lofty, with considerable hills, and towards the north
several volcanoes remain active to this day. Some of the
mountains rise 7,000 feet above the level of the sea—usu-
ally with round or flat tops, the perfection of woodland
scenery ; no broken rugged peaks appearing to harden
the outlines of the landscape. The physical constitution
of the island is basalt in decomposition, covered with a
bed of soil, largely formed of volcanic detritus, from ten
to twenty feet in depth. In the north continual tremb-
lings of the earth have rent it into many chasms, and
large quantities of sulphur have been thrown up. In
each of the peninsulas distinct features would appear in
a minute description ; but where a sketch only can be
afforded, the whole may in general terms be remarked
upon, for the peculiar details are not visible in a super-
ficial survey.
" Though a mountainous island, Celebes presents
along the borders of the sea wide plains covered with
verdure, and beautiful valleys, some of which enclose
lakes more or less extensive. Nothing enhances the
grace of a landscape more than a lake, and those of
Celebes are distinguished by their beauty. Magnificent
basins of limpid water, raised on a smooth plateau, en-
circled by a rim of low hills, tufted with palm groves or
overlaid with soft sward, glitter under the sun of the
East, and glow like vast sheets of silver. They are
often spangled with the pearl-white flowers and the green
leaves of the water lily, with other aquatic plants of
splendid bloom. Water fowl of many species, some with
crimson and purple crests, inhabit the lakes, and birds
construct their nests on the floating fields of vegetation.
The scenery of the island becomes wilder as you leave the
sea. Shallow, but beautiful, streams intersect the long
sloping plains, springs of sweet water trickle between
the rocks, which are scattered, confused with green
knolls or thickets of flowering shrubs. Thick forests
cover the hills, and large tracts of the level country.
Oaks, maples, sycamores, cedars, teaktrees, the upas,
and numerous others, inhabit them. The woods, how-
ever, have in many parts of the interior been cleared
away, and the bright tints of the cultivated ground, the
cool refreshing rice fields contrast strongly with the dark
old drapery of nature still thrown over extensive tracts,
unvisited by industry, and enlivened only by rivers,
breaking into magnificent cascades."

Observations on India. John Chapman.

The author of this volume has been a resident
in India for many years. He gives us a descrip-
tion of his journey, and 'accounts of the inhabi-
tants, country, politics, and climate. He considers
the natives should be brought forward to occupy
situations of trust and importance, as one race is
unfitted to rule another, and gives a number of
the curious customs and habits of the dwellers on
the banks of the Ganges.

The Traveller's Library. Nos. 36, 37, 38, and 39.
These interesting and informing little serials pre-
sent us with a variety of contents. In the first is
an essay on Swift and Richardson, by Lord Jeffrey,
reprinted from the Edinburgh Review. The next
is a translation, by Lady Duff Gordon, of Professor
Ranke's " Ferdinand 1.," and " Maximilian II."of
Austria, being an essay on the political and religi-
gious state of Germany immediately after the Re-
formation. In the two concluding numbers men-
tioned above, we meet with Alexander Dumas's
" Memoirs of a Maitre D'Armes, or Eighteen
Months at St. Petersburgh," translated by the
Marquis of Ormoiade. It must be gratifying to
those who desiderata cheap literature to find so
much presented to them as is here the case.

Cwn Dhu, and other Poems. Effingham Wilson.
A pleasing and simple little volume of poems,
containing a variety of tales and lyrics, which, if
not possessed of much striking originality, are
agreeable and entertaining.

Lays of the Future. By William Leask. Partridge
and Oakey.

This little volume is on somewhat ambitious sub-
jects—such as light, mystery, the state of the world,
&c. The preface says—" That there is a good time
coming is believed by some, rather hoped than be-
lieved by others, and absolutely despaired of by
multitudes." The author is one of the more hope-
ful class. Two of the best poems are the Church
of the present and of the future.

Ten Sernions of Religion. By Theodore Parker,
Minist3r of the Twenty-eighth Congregational
Church of Boston. John Chapman.
These sermons comprise a variety of subjects.
In the preface the author remarks that he has been
repeatedly asked to publish a little volume which
might come borne to his readers in the details of
every-day life. A great deal of sound observation
is to be met with here, and solemn truths are en-
forced which are common to every religion, and in
.which all varying sects must agree. These reflec-
tions are very good.

" Some of you are young men and maidens. You
look forward to be husbands and wives—to be fathers
and mothers—one day. Some of you seek to be rich,
some honoured. Is it not well to seek to have for your-
self a noble, manly character—to be religious men and
women, with a liberal development of mind and consci-
ence, heart and soul. You will meet with losses, trials,
disappointments, in your business—in your friends and
families, and in yourselves many a joy will also smile on
you. You may use the sunny sky and its failing wea-
ther alike to help your religious growth. Your time,
young men, what, life and manhood you may make of
that ! Some of you are old men—your heads white with
manifold experience, and life is written in storied hiero-
glyphics on cheeks and brow. Venerable faces, I hope
to learn from you. Let me ask you, if, while you have
been doing your works, have been gathering riches and
tasting the joys of time—have been son, husband, father,
friend—you have also greatened, deepened, heightened,
your manly character, and gained the greatest riches—
the wealth of a religious soul, incorruptible and unde-
filed, the joys that cannot fade away ?"