The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-16 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

POETICAL GL.E.4 N G
Madden, _Lando?, i 8.41.

A we'l chosen collection of poc►n:,, chiefly fron►
the pens of modern authors ; among them, we pci-
ceive our favourite " 0-de to the Cuckoo," which
was written by Logan nearly seventy years ago, and
so delighted Burke that when he visited Scotland l►e
made a point of finding out the author, and
complimenting him on his poetic genius.

KHI VA 11.
Madden, London, 1841.
This little volume contains an account of the
countries in the neighbourhood of the Caspian Sea,
and the Lake of Aral,- illustrative of the late Rus-
sian expedition against Khivah. It is a transla-
tion from the German of Carl Zimmerman, by
Captain Morier, and abounds in important statistic
and geographical information. A map is attached
to it, executed in Arrowsmith's most careful man-
ner, and compiled from the best
.sources, which
gives U 3 a better notion of the remote and little-
known districts on the borders of the vast lake, or
sea, of Aral, than any we have yet seen. It is still
more deserving of notice, as enabling us to get an
insight into the nature of the progress that Russia
has for some time been stealthily making towards
the East.

JVARRATIVE OF EVENTS CONNECTED
WITH THE FIRST ABDICATION OF
NAPOLEON. Fraser, London, 1841.

Of all the accounts we have yet had of Na-
poleon's voyage to Elba, and his habits of life
during the first two or three weeks of his residence
in that Lilliputian island, this by Captain
.Sir
Thomas Usher is unquestionably the most enter-
taining, as it is the most authentic. The gallant
author is very lively and particular in his descrip-
tions, and gives several droll details respecting the
enthusiasm of the French, when he and his friend,
" fighting Charley Napier," landed at Marseilles,
previously to Napoleon's embarkation. " Never
did I witness," he observes, " such a scene as now
presented itself, as almost choked by the embraces
of old and young, we were hoisted on their shoul-
ders, and hurried along, we knew not whither. I
certainly did not envy the situation of my friend,
Captain Napier, whom I saw most lovingly em-
braced by an old woman with one eye, from whom
he endeavoured, but in vain, to extricate himself,
not using, I must say, the most gentle terms
our language affords I" This must have been
a rich scene, and we can readily imagine the
complimentary expostulations which the astounded
Captain addressed to the snuffy old she-Cvclops, in
order to extricate himself from, her hugs and kisses.
While strolling about Marseilles, waiting for orders
from the commanding officer of the station, relative
to the fallen Emperor, Sir Thomas Usher was
greatly struck by the absence of young men among
the crowds whom he encountered in the streets, and
elsewhere. " The predominance of old people and
children among the crowd, was," he assures ns,
" remarkable. Observing upon this to some of the
municipal officers, they told me it was caused by
the conscription, which had swept off without
distinction, like another plague, all the young men
who were capable of bearing arms, causing indes-
cribable misery, not only here, but everywhere
throughout France." What an idea does this con-
vey to us of the devastating character of Napoleon's
campaigns ! It was not, however, to his conscrip-
tions only that this drain was owing, for before lie
commenced his career, the revolutionary wars uncle'
Dumouriez, Pichegru, Kellerman, custines, and
otters,' had swepi'Otl: sev, al liqudreaslf
of young Frenchmen—to-2ay nothing; of those who
fell. in the struggles in Lo:Veildre;- and. under the
axe of the guillotine. Attached,Ao Captain Usher's
Narrative are some hasty, meagre details respecting
Napoleon's flight from Elba, and his triumphant
march from Grenoble to Paris. .