The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

and that this Gothic oinnment would ill suit his head.
Sometimes he piceipitated himself on the future, at
others tell back on the past; and whether going against
or wilh the stream of the age, draw with him or re-
pulsed the waves by his mighty strength. Men were in
his eyes but a means to power ; no sy-mpathy un!t«l
their happiness and his : he had premised to deliver
the m, and he fettered them ; he isolated himself from
them, and they became estranged from him. The kings,
of Egypt built their funereal pyramids, not amidst ver-
dant fields, but amidst sterile plains of sand; these vast
tombs rise like eternity in solitude—Bonaparte followed
their example in erecting the monument of his renown."
With this grand historical parallel, worthyln dignity
if not in truthfulness, of the pen of Plutarch, we
cannot better conclude our observations upon these
memorable posthumous confessions.

EL BUSCAPIE. By Cervantes. Translated
from the Spanish by Thomasina Ross.
It is difficult to say which portion of this volume is
the more interesting and„attractive, that which con-
tains the " Buscapie," or that which relates the his-
tory of Cervantes. The history of Cervantes as here
detailed, is almost as marvellous and eventful as are
the adventures of the Knight of La Mancha himself,
as a brief epitome of his fortunes may testify.
Destined for one of the learned professions, the young
Miguel was educated at the University of Salamanca,
where he distinguished himself by some poetical com-
positions. His education completed, be entered the
service of Cardinal Acquiviva, in whole suite he
visited Rome. He some time after entered the army
as a private soldier, and was
,present at the battle of
Lepanto. Although suffering from fever, he insisted
upon taking part in the action, and gloriously distin-
guished himself. He was severely wounded, and lost
his left arm on this occasion, but nevertheless
" the memory of this day," says his biographer,
" the 7th October, 1571, was to Cervantes like a ray
of light beaming through the clouds of this past re-
collections." Cervantes was twenty-four at the
battle of Lepanto. In 1675, while returning to his
native land, having in the meantime continually taken
part in the enterprises of Don John of Austria,
Cervantes was made prisoner by the Algerines, and
spent five weary years in captivity at Algiers. The
narrative of his attempted escapes—escapes planned
with so much skill, and undertaken with so much
courage as to cause the Dey of Algiers to exclaim,
"he should consider his slaves, his barks, and the
whole city of Algiers perfectly safe, could he but
get rid of that one-handed Spaniard"—is given in
such an interesting manner by Miss Thomasina
Ross, that we will not diminish its attractions by ab-
breviating it. Suffice it to say, that after many cruel
disappointments, and many imminent perils, Cer-
vantes returned to his native land at the close of five
years' captivity. Here his literary history begins,
but even this, the most tranquil period of
his life, is crowded with extraordinary incidents—at
one time he is thrown into prison on an unfounded
charge of embezzlement, on another occasion he
writes a prize poem and is rewarded with three silver
spoons; and again he is arrested on suspicion as a
homicide. For a further detail of these very inter-
esting adventures we must refer our readers to this
newly published volume. One incident, however, is
too curious to omit quoting. " Don Quixote" on its
first appearance created such general eucitement,
even in royal circles, that King Philip, standing one
day in the balcony of his palace, and happening to
observe a student on the opposite bank of the Manza-
nares earnestly reading, who at intervals struck his
forehead with his hand and burst into fits of
laughter, exclaimed, " That student is either crazy or
he is reading Don Quixote.'" The King's conjecture,
on inquiry, proved correct. This very interesting
biography of the great Spaniard is prefixed to a
translation of "El Buscapie," a work which is in-
deed a curiosity of literature, for, after having baffled
the researches of the learned, it has been introduced
to the public for the first time, more than two cen-
turies after it was written ! The importance of the
work is naturally enhanced by the mystery which
has hitherto enveloped it. It was originally intended
as an explanation and defence of "Don Quixote," which
work has, however, fought its way without the assist-
ance of "El Buscapie." "El Buscapie" is composed
of a dialogue between two travellers who meet in the
course of their wanderings. The conversation, which
is lively and sarcastic, turns upon the merits of ro-
mance and romantic literature in general and of
" Don Quixote "in particular. It is well worthy of
perusal for its own sake, while the .circumstances
under which it was written and preserved considerably
increase its interest. The little work written to support
" Don Quixote " owes its own existence, at this day,
the celebrity of " Don Quixote." It is not the
first time that the patron has been patronised by the
protegee. The elegant little volume containing Miss
Ross's admirable translation is adorned with a
very beautifully engraved portrait of Don Miguel de
Cervantes. It appears from this biography that Cer-
vantes died on the same day as-Shakspere.

POPULAR BRITISH ORNITHOLOGY. By
P. X. Gosse.

This little volume professes to give a familiar and
technical description of the birds of the British Isles,
and seldom are professions better carried out. Every
British bird from the sparrow to the peacock is here
described in the most attractive manner possible.
The various peculiarities of each and all are set forth
technically and familiarly, so that the student of
natural history may gain information, and the general
reader may derive amusement from the same work.
Not the least attractive contents of this volume are
its illustrations. It contains no less than seventy
birds, admirably drawn and beautifully coloured.
To juvenile readers this work will be invaluable.

AUSTRIA. By E. Y. Thompson, Author of "Life

in Russii"

At the present moment when the political reor-
ganization of the Austrian empire is the object of
general attention, this work will be perused with
especial interest. It gives a brief but graphic expo-
sition of the actual state of Austria. An enumera-
tion of its various chapters will sufficiently show the
character of the work. It begins with the "Extent
and Population of Austria," proceeds to consider the
" State Policy," " The Statesmen of Austria," " Edu-
cation," "Religion," " The Army," " Peasantry,"
" Middle Class," " Revenue and Statistics," " Vienna
and the Viennese," &c., &c., until the postcript, which
treats of the " Present Position and Prospects of the
Empire." The writer's tone is, in general, sufficiently
liberal, but he, like too many Liberals, seems to fear
that the newly revolutionized countries may become
" a prey to anarchists and mob legislators," forgetting
that the perils and difficulties of revolution are
almost inevitable accompaniments of tf. e state of
transition from, despotism to constitutional liberty.

ADVENTURES IN BORNEO. 1 Vol.
This is not a " book of travels," as its name would
lead us to expect. It is a fictitious narrative, simple
in material, but interesting in detail. The hero, who
relates his own story, is a youth of tender years, the
son of a poor curate and a high-born lady, whose
family "give her up" on her ill-assorted marriage.
With the exception of a few years of peaceful retire-,
ment, the fate of the curate and his bride is sorrow-
ful in the extreme. He ultimately obtains a foreign
appointment, and, with his wife and childrenoets sail
from England. Shipwreck and all its attendant hor-
rors befit' the unhappy family. Some parts of the
narrative are terrible, and their melancholy effect is
only heightened by the natural pathos with which
they are suffused.