The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-13 00:00:00

TIIV I'tll4,

THE KAFIR WAR.

SUCCESS OF 1 lIE BRITISH

TROOPS.

Atpre
s'e JAL OF THE BOSPHORTIS FROAI
THE CAPE OF GOOD IIOPE.
I,l)Lilliorn:ia MARCH 1 Bosphorus screw
;._`eam•vassel, Captain J. Vine Hall, arrived Itere last
HY.""tig at ten o'cloele, having made the passage from
hCape in 38 days, including stoppages. She left
.;513CaPe on February 2 • Sierra Leone on the 21st
1-114-q, having stoppedi there four days to coal.
e left Cape St. Vincent on the 28th of February.
ht,The celing at the Cape on the leaving of the Bes-
'"r118 was that Sir Harry Smith would very shortly
were
the Kafirs to subjection. Troops and money
ta, however, much wanted. The extracts from the
pers will show that the gallant commander was
treotit na taking decisive steps. There were 3,000
°ll there, and 2,000 Hottentots, under Sir Harry
has On her arrival in Plymouth Sound, the Bosphorus
brought direct alongside the pier of the Great
eltern Dock Company, and the mails were at once
11111'1A in charge of Mr. Markes, the postmaster of
b_YtlinUth, and conveyed to the station of the South
?en the Company.
nII-S the ordinary train would not start before 6h.
03132..tbis morning, the officials of the railway, agree-
hidY prior arrangement by the directors, at once
tit, a special train prepared to take on the mail
r:lttches, and such passengers as were disposed to
it:11 themselves of it. This train was ready for
the at about a quarter to two this morning, and
wijtiefore by this arrangement nearly twelve hours
4, be gained in the delivery of the letters in Lon-
letters Had the vessel gone on to Southampton, her
could not have arrived in London until some
wig ad
(71' eight hours at the least later than they. now
14d111,?e mail included several boxes for the Admiralty
to'or other departments of the Government, and
lt
/' seamen's letters.
of !Ye glean the following from a very scanty supply
Journals •
PellCap;7f Good Hope Exchange Gazette, of
Thei saYs
the last post brought news of a success achieved over
114, Kafir enemy. On the 21st ultimo, at 9 A.m., Fort
tore; and Alice Town were attacked by a very strong
tase-' estimated variously at from three to six thousand
bet 4ghting in divisions, and supported by a large num-
htie, ttiounted men, among whom were supposed to
„T4be !ri ?,Vsndilli and Umlangeni.
lighting lasted till a quarter-past 2 P.M., and
t 5 a, 'furious captures and recaptures of cattle belonging
Otie,6 Post, ended in the total defeat and retreat of the
tlitV. The brunt of the affair seems to have fallen on
le4;tcgoes, some 300 in number, who fought with great
rekuietY, and the artillery, which played on the enemy's
fi0,,," With fine effect. Manana, brother of the chief
toln was shot. From the number of corpses already
430-„„`ati upon the field, they cannot have lost less than
It it "'en, and, from the execution done by the artillery,
tosr."Pected that the lesson given them was still much
Mot severe. Numerous bodies, wounded or corpses,
The ,tcl be seen thrown across horses and carried off.
wfi "a on our side was 6 Fingoes killed and 10
tstitAed
tam
viNteritsreneral Somerset regrets, in his dispatch, 'not
wile °earl able to follow up the success ; but he had
I,l‘4:ltted his garrison by dispatching a force to meet a
pros °f waggons expected from Graham's Town, which
14 lwantially did not make its appearance till after the
taY
Th ad dispersed, and arrived in safety.
!tte,,lo7al part of the Kat River people, at Fort Arm-
41e1 lb Were reported to be in great distress, the rebels
at driven them to the Tower, taken possession of all
41Zternal buildings, and cut off the supply of water.
4riet,;,'ltress had reit' ched Graham's Town from the
t`,ll-,4121'. The garrison at Fort Cox were all right.
4essi,r"titi Davies, with 300 or 350 men of the Albany
44 Lis' had marched from Trompettera, it was supposed,
kltt,„4l°Drift, where he would be opposed by Seyolo, with
~Otit„4e force. Perhaps the latter may be attacked on the
Qate>isicte, at the same time, by a force from King Wil•
Town.
4t4.4ae,rfollowing is RR extract of a letter, dated Gra-
m'
Ail incertitude
Jan. 18 :
Vl6.4d'tieertitude and doubt; nothing is the horizon to
ilia i'e4 cur hearts; the apparent lull in affairs gives
!tort .o.:Berioua apprehensions. Our lines of communica-
°ltek"`th the army cut off—every pass being completely
1,4 ~4e'zi by the enemy. The little intelligence gleaned
VaZ,-"l'Ved by stealth through the instrumentality of
Ate,"l.,', who run a great risk in bringing in dispatches.
hit
ort Hare we are more fortunate in getting news.
git irt:al Somerset is busy in enlarging and repairing
!Ppej.t• Few Kafirs seen in that neighbourhood; they
'het to have seceded from that spot and gone else-
-1)%14; all is imagination whither. It is, however, sus-
ttathat the were assembling near Line Drift to
f,fsi:ht,l'i.e sup liesy and the next express may bring either
S;'4ll intelligence,or something to cheer our spirits.
1111 7t,thing hines on Sir Harry's next step; if success-
e_t°t't„-?) Slambiegs are safe for a period; if a faux pas be
are,7tted, the colony will be overrun and devastated.
ttlk:annot dive into futurity, but we are sitting on the
itift°,,f a volcano. Very few Kafirs yet in the colony,
tht leel confident only those who have either deserted
it'rriee of their masters, or who have been dismissed
lsb-gara, and on their route to Kafirland. The colonists,
1e
111411 will observe by the papers, have suffered severely.
the pounded are doing well. I saw several parties from
kiiecatitry, and they had come from different parts,
4,,,aeither Kafirs nor the spoor of Kafirs were seen.
ito; 'cum four or five waggons have arrived in Graham's
giA from Port Elizabeth, without molestation, let, or
ielltace. The Kafirs evidently intend to have a des-
Qv° struggle for their country. lam happy to say
~ht," the charge against the Kafirs of having murdered
tnti kla and children is denied. Up to this nothing of
'lDe-;Ild has taken place. Mutilation of the dead is un-
taii,;'"Y true, as in former wars. We have quite sufficient
414411 to witness, without adding to it by exaggeration.
4(3th witness,
exists regarding Fort Cox and Fort White,
!akii.°F Which must be short of provisions. If the
`,4lt,larY forces do not hasten to the front, it is dread
anticipate the consequences to • the poor creatures
ire is
in these batteries. An epidemic of some kind
014:,-aue• Ophthalmia no doubt will prevail. These
e
Mpl: °WEI fears—may God avert such visitations..Th
K,artt eagerly calling out for Sir Andries; if he
rh tot urse-"144.0f tbousands will flock around him. " *
LI ,„ tae bad in this town to the " pressgang." Shock-
cone `ue scenes attendant en it; and, shame' to say,
it
Zl4-kaed solely to the natives. What will Britain say
'`le hears that coercion is used to force the Hoti
lie-n° fight, while the white man is spared? Alas
Zet in frightful times. I heard some Hottentots say
17)410' might force them to go to Kafirland, but they
tt' not make them fire! By the bye, speaking of the
dad t;liatt,"ll! are you not both surprised and shocked to
le; it defection? Here it is thought to be general;
Quartet bring my mind to think so.
Zia it,‘.l 1 seen much of them, and though they
tt
115-11 much of the Government, and more
1411
of Sir Harry Smith, yet I be-
R "'left loyaL Some misguided wretches
i4fe Vre joined the enemy, and some from fear and
itl4l4l46l‘it the groat body of the hottentots are true
iNtle men, as will be shown ere the war terminates..
tr;!`" mote than one reason for their disiiclina-
L.lthr,"glit, but the inoat'serious obstacle to their telt-
i7-11 field is the want of confidence in those who have
the lic'einted as their officers. Let men in whom they
NQ,I confidence be placed over them, and then the
its will
.have no reason to suspect either their
th„, their valour. However, there is not a doubt
mkh "L those who have deserted to the enemy will
!iveria,°ery serious effect on the race in general, for I am
`ttiq,l"() understand that some influential. individuals are
tie olltst the ranks of the Kafirs. If Sir Andries were
c'w himself there would not be a deserter. Could I
',,,e4p°l3tht to believe the Hottentots intended to pin the
ttil Would not remain one minute on the frontier.
Fear:aPe Mounted Riflemen would be sure to go also.
;1; Were entertained of the Theopolis people, as a ru-
"e; was in circulation, that on a farmer going there to ask
~-,EtPers, he was answered that they wished every
top tlisbman's throat cut." I have 19 of these men on
tll,tttat reaping, and one or two of my friends have
~IhtLrlia of 30. This is a contradiction to the report,
say. However, the Rev. N. Smit, of Graham
,4th's the pastor of the Hottentots, on hearing that some
4tt,'" gat River people were gone over to the enemy,
~he-le e,"' it advisable to proceed to Theopolia to find out
-h"er any communiastion had been made to the peo-
.slitite-4.e. He found there had not; and states that he
trati them all loyal. Probably you will hear through
tliti,ther channel the full particulars of his interview
ZPli;"111. Upwards of 200 burghers marched off yes-
kr Fort Peddie, chiefly Hottentots; amongst
N
„" were the first contingent from Port Eliza-
kh When the next batch will be forthcoming no
t\fisp„'""la• You may well imagine Sir Harry's anxiety
to tlesluent as he is in a great measure on the ficklenessso
tbek 'ambies. In fact, it surprises me that they have
Ote,.`alained faithful. How sadly he blundered even with
Aden he told the chiefs that he should hold them
ri‘tltt t-,"°le for the pacific intentions of their people.
ser4l'
his whole lic has been directed towards un-
at4lll4'a_their power. as chiefs. Hot and cold with a
the ae 141(4v:4n' At one time, when it suited his vieta
e o
uge their power and give strength to it, and
'sl3' policy to destroy their chieftainship its toto.
t) • .
thlt ITN

4 e No
tq -I,Wtir,l
uinretecit ligence this morning from the front is
k, .`" Of 400 Hottentots have joined the e.nemy,
'illqtti•• the liatirs are making every effort to enlist the
;1 It2trEt,-,, population in their favour.
, ~ of another letter, dated Graham's Town,
‘jl t () 1851, half- past two P.M :""
/.10 jettißht43,ltab.
08 V, since my
tolast to you, that the favour-
of r 4,71 V conveyedyou regarding the Hotten-
d Evidence has this
tt?
SQLa po is is quite reve
,g 4t imk(lll before the clerk of the peace to the effect
at
nsPiracy exists arrainst the English. Measures
'L thooper.ation to disarm them. I am fully aware
in this town
Litva t unjust antipathy the people
Oite,t: the coloured race—tticugh they uv,
am
tone
a- 71°A' to call out for their assistance. I
t'IN-4 to believ now, from the many facts which
If4ll is to
disclosed, that the defection of the _Rotten
~-rttt I:l5°M extensive than is dreamt of. In other re 7
i bodliiwe are in statu quo. This hemisphere, dark and
!tll,:',l', 0, one knows what an hour may bring forth.
rat 4 `-niphant'i Hoek—a division between the English
1,44 q.:. batch, almost coming to actual conflict. I have
iutlt x 1.11 my possession giving the whole particulars,
'l\44 ww.lit,b-beld saying more for the present, hoping that
IttbilL''..,brnfio•la, asperitieF. I am not desirous that
,7nu Erighott kinula in the moat remote manner

divided, at a time then unanimity of fading ought
to exist.
The Frontier 'ime*, of Jan. 21, says
Since the deTcht and death of the traitor flertnanns, at
Fort Beatffort, on the morning of the tth inst., there has
been no aggressive movement on the part of the enemy,
either in British liar:atria, or within the limits of the
colony. Ilia Excellency, it is well understood, is con-
centrating as large a force as he can muster at head
quartors, to assail the enemy. In the mean time, the
Kutirs, it is supposed, are closely watching his proceed-
ings, end will probably make a desperate effort to inter-
cept the supplies, which must in a short time be sent to
the two posts, Fort Cox and Fort White, with which all
communication have been cut off for some weeks. Ir
they should be unsuccessful in this attempt, and his Ex-
cellency should be sufficiently reinforced to be able to
follow up any sucuss by vigorous severity, they will in
all probability overrun the colony. Their first rush will
be tremendous, and will be withstood only by the most
populous towns and the largest fortified camps. Look-
ing, then, to this obvious probability, it is earnestly

and anxiously recommended' that all' the small lagers
that may exist throughout the country should be at once
abandoned, and that all preparations be completed with-
out delay in every town and village to repel the enetny,
fur in the present state of aff,irs, no man residing in any
of the border districts can count upon his safety for a
single day.
The Cape of Good Hope Observer, of Jan. 28,
says:—
The intelligence from lisfirland is that the Governor

would move, it was supposed, yesterday morning, upon

• .
an encampment of the Kafirs on the Debe Flats. between
Fort Cox and Fort White. It is trusted by all that the
Kafirs will hero attempt a decided stand. The desultory
operations of last war were the strength of the enemy.
They scarcely once offered our troops a hope of entering
into fair contest with them. Wearisome marches and
counter-marches, with the position of our nimble• footed
enemy very often unknown to us, were the character.
istics of the contest. The Prophet has so far worked
upon their hopes this time, that Hermanus and his
people had the boldness to attack oven the town of Fort
Beaufort, and they happily met with a fit repulse. Ho
has, it is said, held out hopes to them of successfully en.
countering the troops on the open field—a proceeding in
which the military power of the civilised man, when
opposed to that of the savage, will not fail to assert its
superiority.
The prospect, thus, of some effective proceedings
against the Kafirs appears nearer. The speedy arrival
of the volunteers sent from the west had much encou-
raged his Excellency, and they would form probably a
part of the force with which Sir H. Smith would procet d.
'The movement, it is stated, was of the. greater import-
ance, as it would convey relief and the means of com-
munication to Forts Cox and White.

A letter from Graham's Town, of which an extract is
published below, spa ska very despondingly of the ex-
tent of the disaffection attributed to the Hottentot-.
The people at the station of Theopolis are said, it is
feared upon unexceptional authority, to be disaffected to
the English, and to be engaged in some conspiracy
against them. The number of persons at this station is
not large, certainly, but each addition is painful that is
made to the distrust which exists between the several
portions of the community in the east.
From Kat River reports are more favourable. The
Frontier Times states that 400 Hottentots are in camp
at Buxton, under Field-Cornet Botha, and 300 are at
Foit Armstrong. Of the loyalty of these no suspicion
is mentioned, a circumstance in the highest degree en-
couraging. Field-Cornet Botha is the officer named in
his Excellency's recent proclamation, commented upon
last week.

Some particulars of the proceedings at Theopolis are
given from the Frontier Times.
The employment of the press-gang at Graham's
Town for the compulsory service of coloured persons
only, is a most unfortunate business. There can be no
doubt that on the coloured people at this time, within the
border depends much of the safety of the colony. Some
fears are entertained of their faithfulness, exaggerated
perhaps, but yet having at least a measure of founda-
tion. Hence the present is not a time, if any time may
be permitted for the purpose, to make any improper dis-
tinctions between the races, or to tempt them to view
the whites otherwise than as friends and equals.
It will be seen that there are references above,
which want of papers preclude our rendering clear.
The latest intelligence received from the interior
districts is to January 22, but supplies nothing of
importance to add to the foregoing.
Arrangements had been made further to facilitate
and induce the enrolment of volunteers.

The Governor had appointed Friday, February 7,
as a day of fasting and humiliation, in consequence of
the war.—Daily News.

SPURTING INTELLIGENCE.
SLOUGH STEEPLE CHASES.
WEDNESDAY.

Free Handicap Steeplechase `of 5 son. each, with 20
added; the winner to nay '5
soya. towards expenses.

About 4 miles.
Mr. Vevers's Volatile, aged, 9st 101 b ...(Sadler) 1
Captain Fraser's Kilkenny, aged, lOst 10Ib...(Frisby) 2
Mr. H. Thomas's Rensburgh, lOst 51b... ... (Sail) 3
Betting-5 to 4 agst Kilkenny, 2to 1 agst Rens-
burgh, 4 to 1 agst Volatile, and 5 to 1 agst The Hunter.
Won by six lengths, and about the same distance be-
tween second and third. The others did not pass
the post.
A Selling Race of 3 sovs. each, with 20 added. the win-
ner to say 3 soya. towards expenses. About 4 miles.
Mr. J. Darby's Cowslip, lOst 7lb ... ...(Seyfort) 1
Mr. G. Gray's Outcast, list ... (Land) 2
Mr. Smith's Tatnwortb, lOst 7lb ... (Burrows) 3
Farmers' Stakes of 1 soy. each, with 10 added; list 71b
each; winner and professional jockies extra. About
3 miles.
Mr. Shackle's Chronometer, 12st 31b... ...(Rackley) 1
Betting—Even on Widow M'Crea. Won in a canter,
all the others having gone the wrong course.
DONCASTER SPRING MEETING, 1851.
The following is a list of the horses that have arrived
for the ensuing races:-
1, Mr. Cunningham's ch g Quadruped, aged; °Mr. El-
more's b g Mulligan, aged; Mr. J. H. Kemp's br g
Hope, aged; *Mr. J. Darling's b h Bedford, 5 yrs; Mr.
Atkinson's Chieftain, 5 yrs; *Mr. Walker's b g Cadeby,
aged; *Mr. Higgins's b m Maria Day, aged; Mr. Jamie-
son's b f Monument. 2 yrs; Mr. H. Stebbing's b c Knook
Knoll, 3 yrs; Mr. H. Stebbing's br f by Ithuriel out of
Miss Norton, 2 yrs; Mr. H. Stebbing's b a Guardsman,
3 yrs; Mr. Farrar's bl c Viscount, 5 yrs; Mr. G. Bar-
ton's b f The Little Fawn, 3 yrs; Mr. G. Barton's bl f
Madame Wharton, 3 yrs; Mr. Allen's ch c The Saxon,
3 yrs; Mr. Jones's ch c by Faugh-a-ballagh, dam by
Liverpool, 3 yrs; Mr. Lister's b in The Wharfdale Maid,
aged; Mr. Foster's ch in Nanny, aged; Mr. Phillips's
b g Tally-ho, aged; Mr. Wiley's br I Eliza Middleton, 4
yrs; Mr. Eddison's b c Slang, 4 yrs; Mr. W. Wright's
b f Miss Flyaway, 3 yrs; Mr. B. Eddison's ch c by
John o' Gaunt out of John Cossar's dam, 3 yrs; Mr. T.
Lister's br f Nancy, 3 yrs; Mr. Armstrong's b c Har-
leiton, 5 yrs; Mr. T. Lister's Lady of the Grove, 3 yrs;
Mr. Lawson's b h Keloshea, aged. (Those to which an
asterisk is prefixed are engaged in the steeplecase.)
Boxes are also engaged for Lord Eglinton's Belus and
Pepinia, Mr. Dawson's Old Claret and Reversion, Mr.
Stobb's br h Witchcraft, Mr. Hutton's Psyche and Dame
Tattle, Mr. Gardner's Little Queen, Mr. Osborne's AM-
el-Kader, Mr. Lamplugh's Standard and The Wild
Hero; and numerous others from John Scott's, Wad-
low's, Osborne's, John Shepherd's, C. Peck's, J.
Dawson's, &c.

PEDESTRIANISM AT THE REDIIOUSE.
Battersea was on Monday the scene ot an unexatnpled
occurrence in pedestrianism. Dead heats for sellingers
have been threefold, and for most of the minor turf
events, memory will serve to recal the like occurrence.
But in a fourteen-mile race between a pair of bipeds,
such a result is a long waY beyond the memory ot that
respectable personage " the oldest inhabitant" of any-
where. Charles Westhall has so often appeared before
l
theldu
t h his d
pu thatetaai
detailed
p
p p
ilerinfoernintaorifeae
s,daani daily
;o more. Old
y journal would
Smith, of Ipswich, first burst upon the world as a " fast
one" some tour years since. They were matched yes-
terday for 501. to %%all( seven miles, and run seven miles,
successively; and in consequence of frequent interrup-
tions on the turnpike, they selected the enclosure at the
ltedhous,,. Battersea, for the contest.
THE MA ca.—At three o'clock the pair started to
walk the seven mil 1 leers
.much
t
in advance, but alternatelyes'et lweaedilittigogi;othrekurneimtli
g that time the pace, considerin that the ground was
slippery, and the
men welkin on turf, was terrific.
About this period it appeared to tell on Westhall, for
Smith got a lead, which he gradually increased till the
seven miles were completed by him 100 yards in ad-
vance. Time, 58 minutes! The men, immediately on
arriving at the mark, went off at a run, Smith's 100 yards
giving him nearly 170 advantage, when NVesthall changed
his style of going. At about two miles, Westhall, by dint
of great exertion, came up to Smith and passed him.
tThhe e thirdold ' umn persevered, i
leof the
run n Westhall
running in
inalittlm
difficulty;
seeed abtutabbootuht
kept gamely to their work, keeping
so close that, when-
ever one slackened, the other for a time took the lead.
This occurred at least twenty tiu3es during the last four
miles of the race. Finally, the last round of the enclo-
sure a desperate struggle took place, Westhall leading
with strong running; but about 120 yards from home
Smith got to him, and at the straight run for the finish
the long race ended with the closest thing ever seen. The
referee, a most respectable and unimpeachable man, pro-
pounced it a dead heat ! Total time, 1 hour and 44 mi-
nutes! A decision which was assented to by many who
were nearest the go3l, among whom the general pinion
was, that a more decided do had scarcely ever been seen
in the shortest of sprint races.
A prize of 51., given by Mr. Ireland, the proprietor
of the ground, was then run for, di.tance 120 yards.
J. Patterson, Jesse Smith.
Mayne (Mile-end), mid Lee
(a novice), appeared at the post. They started level,
and Mayne won a good race by a couple of yards. The
weather was unfavourable, but the attendance good.

ANTICIPATED VISIT OF BEE MAJESTY TO PEM-
IVROKE.—It 18 now fully anticipated that her Majesty will
honour Pembroke Dockyard with her presence on tho ces-
sion of the launch of the Victoria, first rate, which it is ex-
pected will take place very shortly. Should her Majesty
honour the neighbourhood with her presence, the Earl of
Cawdor will place his seat,
Stockpole-court, at the disposal of
her Majesty. The dock-yard strength has been increased to
898 men.—Advertiser.

Extraordinary virtues are ever defamed by those
who want the courage to imitate them.—•Eliza Cook's
Journal.

A CAUTION.—Never nod to an acquaintance at an
auction. We did so once, and when the sale closed we found
four broken chairs, six. cracked flower pots, and a knock-
kneed bedstead knocked down to us. What we intended as
nods to a frifzud, had bean taken by the auctioneer as bids for
the kitchen furniture,

LoNDoI4,

LiTtRATUItE:
VIE GERMANk AND AdßirbLA or
PACiTUS. With English Notes. By the Rev.
John T. White. Longman, Brown, Green, and
Longmans.
Editions of Tacitus, the incomparable historian of
antiquity, cannot, to our thinking, issue from the
press too frequently. As a perfect model of style in
prose composition, as the most admirable prototype
that could, perhaps, be selected from the literature of
any tongue, in regard to the graces of narrative,
Tacitus must ever be welcomed by the judicious and
discerning. The learned and reverend editor has,
therefore, acted wisely in choosing his text in parti-
cular for annotation. In extracting his " Gerinanits"
and his " Agricola," from the mass of voluminous
records in which they are, as it were, imbedded, Mr.
White has exercised a no less laudable discretion.
Mach of these masterly productions has, with all its
astonishing condensation, the indisputable merit of
completeness. The one affords a comprehensive view
of the origin, the geographical position, the manners,
and the people of Germany, not exactly of the coun-
try known now-a-days as Germany, but what
was formerly known by that designation,
namely, the land beyond or nn the eastern
bank of the Rhine, Germania Transrhenana. The
other relates the memorable career and achievements
of Julius Agricola, accompanied (a matter of no
small interest to us Idnglish !) by a description of
Britain, and an account of the famous defeat of the
Caledonians. Those who have in any way endea-
voured to appreciate the beauties of Tacitus will re-
quire no reminder whatever of their splendour; they
will cherish a vivid remembrance of the felicities of
his ripened and eloquent diction, the charms of his
episodical illustrations, the force of his onward moving
and picturesque narrative. Who can forget his
graphic portraiture of the German people :—"lpse
eorurn opinionibus *coed°, qui Germanise populos,
nullis aliarum nationurn connubiis infectos, propriam
et sinceram et tantiim sui similem gentem exstitisse
arbitrantur. Uncle habitus quoque corporum, quam-
quam in tantohominum numero, idem omnibus : truces
et ccerulei oculi, rutilce conue, magna corpora
et tantiem ad impetuns valida." A minutely
finished and exquisitely coloured enamel of the ap-
pearance of the ancient Germans could convey no
more brilliant picture than those closing syllables.
Again, how perfect in its minute exactitudb that
mention of the personal aspect of Agricola—" Quod
si babitum quoque ej us posteri noscere velint, decentior
quam sublimior fait : nihil metals in vultri : gratia oris
supererat." Surely, after its kind, this is as marvel-
lous a portrait in pen and ink as any ever traced by
the hand of Minasi. The notes appended to the vo-
lume by the rev. editor are laboriously lucid and ex-
plicit, betraying more than once, without one vestige
of ostentation, an intimate acquaintance with most of
the masterpieces of classic literature.

CHAMISSO'S PETER SCHLEMIHL. With
a Vocabulary and copious Notes. By Faith Le-
bahn. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.
Adelbert von Cbamisso should have survived until
now, instead of dying in 1839, that he might have
witnessed this very splendid tribute to his
abilities. A Frenchman by birth and educa-
tion, he nevertheless rendered himself so pro-
found a master of the Teutonic language as to
have produced one work at least worthy of being
numbered among the masterpieces of German litera-
ture. The wonderful history of "Peter Schlemihl,
the Shadowless Man," had been many years familiar-
ised to the reading population of Europe before its
author bad breathed his last; but, honoured as he had
been by reiterated translations, it was reserved for
Falck Lebahn to confer upon Chamisso the greatest
glory yet accorded to him as a writer. He has se-
lected " Schlemihl" for a standard classic of his
tongue, as the model for the acquisition of the Ger-
man language, just as " Telemaque" has been the
model for the 'acquisition of the French language,
fragments of " Quixote" of the Spanish language,
or stories from the "Decameron" of the Italian lan-
guage. The laurel crown thus placed by scholars on
the head of Fenelon, of Cervantes, or of Boccaccio,
has been at length placed also on the temples of
Chamisso. The author of this posthumous corona-
tion, moreover, is no other than Falck Lebahn, a Ger-
man grammarian, who has already done so much
towards imparting a knowledge of his mother
tongue to Englishmen. We are rejoiced that the
wonderful history of the " Shadowleas Man" has been
thus put to an account so peculiarly admirable, and
been employed for a purpose for the furtherance of
which it is so excellently adapted. We have always
considered that the selection of an entertaining class
book, through which to break up the difficulties of a
language, was the accomplishment of half the labour
of tuition. The imagination in its perusal aids the
judgment, and the dryness of mere rules of syntax
and prosody becomes lost in the interest of the narra-
tive. No story more admirably calculated to secure
these advantages could have been chosen than the
story of the strange and surprising adven-
tures of " Peter Schlemihl." The student
will hurry on in his task-work in his
anxiety to watch the unbending faithfulness of Ben-
del and the rascally knaveries of Rascal. The bird's-
nest cap rendering Peter Schlemihl invisible, the
inexhaustible purse of Fortunatus endowing him with
incalculable wealth, the seven-leagued boots enabling
him to perambulate the globe in five minutes, are
all incidents that arrest the fancy and stimulate the
curiosity of the reader. The horrid consequences to
poor Schlemihl of having sold his shadow to the
abominable old gentleman in the grey coat, only tend
to rouse the attention to a more engrossing vigi-
lance. Added to which the melancholy close of the
love passages, first with Fanny and afterwards with
Minna, imparts to the fiction a pathetic charm,
blended with its many grotesque and fantastic pecu-
liarities. The horror with which the narrator re-
counts his first interview with the grey devil, who
afterwards deprived him of his shadow, when he pro-
duced from his pocket so many incongruous articles—
eine Brieftasche, sin Fernrohr, ein Teppich, zwanzig
schritte long und zehn breit, ein Luftzelt von derselben
Grosse, und alle dazu gehorigen Stangen und Eisen,
!—cannot be forgotten as among the more hu-
morous portions of the narrative; and these portions
seem to us to indicate most vividly the quiet sense of
fun with which Chamisso contemplated his fantasy
throughout the major part of its composition. Ap-
pended to the present edition of " Peter Schlemihl,"
are, as the title-page truly proclaims, very " copious
notes," accompanied by a❑ elaborately compiled voca-
bulary. Altogether the volume is deserving of every
commendation ; and we doubt not will tend very
considerably to confirm Falck Lebahn's already
widely-extended popularity.

THE POETICAL WORKS OF OLIVER
GOLDSMITH. With Thirty Illustrations.
Cundall and Addey.
Numerous as are the editions already existing of
these classic poams, the sweetest fruits of the genius
of Oliver Goldsmith, there is yet room for more—
especially when they come to us, like the present,
with so many graceful and characteristic embellish•
ments. Upon the illustrations here given to the
Traveller," the " Deserted Village," and the fugi-
tive pieces by which they are happily followed, the
delicate and congenial fancies of John Absolon, of
Birket Foster, of James Godwin, and of Harrison
Weir have been employed. Each of these draughts-
men has performed his part in the labour of love to
admiration. The frontispiece, by Foster, is an ex-
quisite little sketch of Auburn—" Sweet Auburn."
In one page " the hollow sounding bittern guards its
nest," in another " the swain responsive to the
milk-maid sings ;" here the noisy geese are gab •
bling o'er the pool," and here again " the village
statesmen talk with looks profound." Scarcely a
line but suggests an engraving to itself, and of these
suggestions the very best have been realized. We are
rejoiced to see that similar editions of others among
the English classics are in preparation, and anticipate
with satisfaction the issue in this guise of the " Vicar
of Wakefield," the " Seasons" of Thomson, and the
poetical works of Gray and Cowper. The series is
entitled to very general encouragement.

BORIS VACIV2E : a Thought Book. Collected.
arranged, and edited by James Elmes. Longman
Brown, Green, and Longman.
A lovely little bijou of a volume, printed after the
bygone fashion, with scrolled initial letters, and capitals
to the majority of the nouns substantive, with a
wood-brown medieval-looking binding, and brick-red
edges—such is the external appearance of the force
Vaciew. Internally the book is precious, being a col-
lection of thoughts culled from the writings of " the
wise spirits of all ages and all countries, fit for all
men and all hours." Charles Lamb would infallibly
have kissed it, as he did his dear mouldy old folios.
is Thoughts," saith Jeremy Collier, " take up no
room : when they are right they afford a portable
pleasure, which one may travel with, without any
trouble or incumbrance. ' And thoughts like these
are here in abundance, gathered up from the lore of
ages by the scholarly band of James Elmes a learned
man, who tells us, very touchingly, in his preface
how his love of letters has had to struggle against the
great calamity of blindness, as it does likewise in the
case of two illustrious historians, now living, a
Frenchman and an American, Thierry and
Prescott. weighed down by the sorrows of his
most grievous infirmity, James Drees has, neverthe-
less,contrived to gather together, in what he very beau-
tifully calls his " spicelegium of golden thoughts," the
wisdom of many varying generations. The book is
to general literature what the " Thumb Bible" (a
work also published by the Messrs. Longman) is to
biblical literature exclusively. The mere enumera-
tion of the great men who here speak to us in their
own words—poet., annalists, divines, essayists, novel-
ists, philosophers—would be a labour cf needless ex-
tent in the present notice, seeing that our aim is to
commend all readers, hut especially all thinkers (for