The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-14 00:00:00

GREEZ%'S NURSERY 'A NN U 44 L,

Among the various multitude of hooks which have
recently appeared, intended to serve as Christmas
presents and New Year's gifts, it were difficult to
find one more more likely to please the youthful in-
habitants of the nursery, than the very elegant little
volume now before us. Its external embellishments
are most attractive. The binding is peculiarly
beautiful, consisting of a sort of arabesque pat-
tern of blue and crimson on a golden ground;
and the illustrations consist of numerous wood-
cuts, and a few coloured pictures, always great
attractions for children, and every page of the whole
volume is surrounded by a red-coloured flowery bor-
der. The literary portion is well chosen, and is cal-
culated to improve as well as amuse its little readers.
" Arthur's birthday," " Malcolm Duncan," the " Chil-
dren in the wood," &c. will afford sufficient enter-
tainment. " What sort of a heart have you got ?"
" Content and discontent," and other subjects of a
similar character will furnish a mild remon-
strance or gentle admonition ; " Labour and pro-
perty," contains tha first elements of political
economy a la Adam Smith, very simply
explained. There are, of course, numerous
poems scattered through the volume, by far the most
beautiful of which is from the pen ofLaman Blanchard,
" Upon the Picture of a Boy endeavouring to lay
Salt upon the Tail of a Bird." The writer com-
mences by describing every action of the anxious
urchin, and very forcibly does he describe them. We
see it all before us—the eager sportsman approaches
—is about to achieve his object—
" Yes, you have it in your tether,
Never more to skim the skies ;
Lodge the salt on this long feather,
Ha l it flies, it flies."

This anxious pursuit, and this complete disappoint-
ment—trivial in themselves though they be—suggests
to the supposed spectator the following beautiful lines,
in which the author pathetically laments the blighted
hopes of his own life. He tells us that he, too, has
shared the folly. of " the baffled sportsmen," we have
been contemplating
" Time, thy feathers turn to arrows ;
I for salt have used thy sand,
Wasting it on hopes, like sparrows,
That elude the hand.
On what raptures I've been counting,
Stogy ping here, and creeping there,
Ail to see my bright hones mounting
High into the air.
" Half my life I've been pursuing,
Plans often tried b. fore ;
Rhapsodies that end in ruin—
I and ti.ousands more.
This young sportsman, be your 'warning,
Though you've lost some hours to day,
Others spend their lily's fair morning
In no wiser way.
" What hath been my holiest treasure ;
Wilat were ye unto my eyes :
Love and peace, and hope and pleasure,
Birds of paradise.
Spirits that we think to capture,
By a false and childish scheme ;
Until tears dissolve our rapture,
Darkness ends our dream.
" Thus are objects loved the dearest,
Distant as the dazzling star ;
And when we appear the nearest,
Farthest off we are.
Thus have children of all ages,
Seeing bliss before them fir,
Found their hearts but empty cages,
And their hopes on high."

THE BOYS SUAIAIER BOOK. By Thomas

ill filler.

This is the first volume of " The Boy's Own Li •
brary," a series of works intended.to be issued peri-
odically, which promises to furnish both instruction
and amusement for juvenile readers. The prospectus
contains some very just remarks respecting juvenile
literature. The writer observes, that authors who
have failed in other ways often take, as a last resource,
to " writing for the young ;" hence the great defi-
ciency of met it too often manifest in this very im-
portant branch of literature. " The Boy's Own
Library" is, however, to be conducted on a different
system. It is proposed to enlist the services of really
able writers, who, though capable oc commanding
attention in a more ambit': us line, will think it no
degradation to devote a portion of their time and
talents to the instruction and entertainment of youth.
Shou'd this excellent design be efficiently carried
out " The Boy'. Own Library " will be a most valu-
able and must be a most popular work. The first
volume is from the pen of Thomas Miller—that pen
by which he literally speaks to us when the beauties
of the country are his theme. He is not an author who
requires to change his tone when addressing the young,
because he alwa) s writes in a natural manner, and
is, consequently, intelligible to all. This little
volume—the Boy's Summer Book—relates, of course,
to summer scenes, and is addressed to boys ; but, to
describe it more correctly, we should say that to its
youthful readers it would in some degree bear the cha-
racter of a genial, cheerful companion, come to pass a
bright sunny day with them. They stroll out toge-
ther amid beautiful scenery, every passing object is
noticed by their friend, and suggests some interesting
remarks, or elicits some useful explanations. Now he
expatiates on the beauty of the surrounding landscape ;
now he recalls the years of his own youth, and many
a hearty laugh or sympathising sigh are evoked by his
varied reminescences. Many an interesting anecdote
or strange adventure does he relate—he would be ill-
fitted
for a companion for youths, who had no "stories"
to tell them—and thus they ramble on without the
trouble of walking, and the reader reads on without
thinking he is reading. The little volume is illustra-
ted with numerous woodcuts.

THE ENGLISH MATRON. By the Author of

" The English Gentlewoman."
This is another addition to the now numerous class
of works containing practical advice fur the fairer
portion of the community. Supposing the advice in
question to be good, and supposing it to be adopted,
the benefit to be derived from such volumes may be
inestimable. Madam Campan's reply to Napoleon's
interrogation has been quoted again and again, but
it is always appropriate to a subject like this. The ;
Emperor having inquired of her what she thought
necessary in order to provide a good education for
the youth of France—" Good mothers " was her
reply. Napoleon was struck by the force of this ob-
servation. "We have here," he said, " a system of
education in one word." All works which tend to
elevate the character of women tend to elevate the
character of the next generation—all works
calculated to improve and increase the good
qualities of women tend to increase the
happiness of their homes ; consequently such
works are of no slight importance. The days are
pasted when the advocates for the "rights of woman,"
anxious to advance her to a more prominent, and, as
they deemed, honourable position, attempted to re-
' niove her from her own apparently hip.nbler but
really more noble and elevated sphere. Happily the
attempt was vain, and it is now generally admitted
that in faithfully discharging her duties and adding