The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-06 00:00:00

,LITERATURE.

One Hundred Lectures on the Ancient and
Modern Drama and Dramatic Poets. By B. C.
Jones, in Nos. Lacy, Strand; and Simpkin and
Marshall, Paternoster-row.

The author of this work aims at giving to the
public in the form of popular lectures some account
of the great dramatic writers from the earliest ages
down to our present time. Commencing. with
Thespis, the supposed founder of the art, who
flourished in Greece about 530 8.C., he goes on to
describe the principal plays of fEschylus and
Euripides, giving copious extracts from those
authors. He tells us that the reason why Thespis
is often called the founder of tragedy is,
that when dithyrambic choruses were chanted
at the feasts of Bacchus, Thespis used to recite
mythological stories between the parts. Captain
Jones justly observes that this would rather entitle
him to be styled the father of melodrama than the
founder of tragedy, and claims that honour for
ifischylus. He proposes to devote the first series
of :his lectures entirely to the Greek tragedians,
and the second to the comedies of the same date,
finishing the tNr, o series with Seneca, whose birth
took place about the Christian era. He then comes
down to more modern days, and if he discusses the
merits of only half the names on his list he will have
ample material for his hundred lectures. He intends
however, to notice also some of the actors who have
brought the drama prominently forward. The
lectures have apparently been addressed to a mixed
audience, and the author seems very apprehensive
of making them tedious. We would warn him,
however, to beware of flippancy and of preventing
readers of sober tastes from crediting that real in-
formation and intelligence are to be found in them.
There are also little affectations of style, such as
the frequent use of "'Tis," " 'Twere," &c. It is
very probable that such mannerisms will be
dropped as the lecturer goes on, and becomes
more identified with his subject. We would sug-
gest to him that, as the aim of his work is to ren-
der a knowledge of classical literature popular, his
abject would be better attained by considerably
reducing the price of his lectures. At present their
circulation must be restricted to a select few; but
if they were less expensive many might be inte-
rested in their lively and unpretending style, who
would feel no inclination to study more ambitious
or solid commentaries.

Paul Duncan's littleby Little. A Story for Young
Folks. Edited by Frank Freeman. Sampson
L nv and Co., Ludgate hill.
The prevalence of moral tales for the young,
written in an amusing manner, is one of the
chief improvements that have taken place in the
literature of modern times. So much may be
learned from the apt inference and the happy
illustration ; and while the attention is seemingly
intent on trifles, wisdom may be gathered and virtue
take rost in the youthful mind. This little story
shows what progress may be made by an ener-
getic lad who is willing and able to exert himself,
and put the golden moments of youth to the
best profit—hence be is succasful in his endea-
vours, and proves a benefit and a blessing to
all around him. The career of Paul Duncan is
full of warning and yet full of promise and hope
to all boys similarly situated, The son of a widow
has peculiar claims on him, and assiduity and
perseverance are incumbent on him. Mrs. Duncan
was indeed blessed in her children, and few mothers
could expect better ones ; for their faults were only
trivial, hile their merits were of no ordinary class.
This little sketch of the early years of a boy's life
is entertaining and instructive. It teaches the
giddy and thoughtless haw they may improve the
shining hours of the present that they may bear
rich fruit in the long years of the after time ; and
when the pleasures of childhood are over and the
joys of youth departed, the seeds they sow in that
happy season may yield a glad harvest in the dark
days that wait on maturer age, and bring a blessing
on their lives by the consciousness of talents that
aro cultivated for the great day of account. Some
of the scenes at sea are very exciting, and are sure
to prove attractive to boys. This simple story is
told in a natural and pleasing manner, and may be
expected to take its place among the useful and
amusing libraries that abound for the young, from
which they derive such stores of entertainment, and
from which they can, if rightly disposed, obtain also
knowledge that will be valuable to them in the
first trials and early temptations of their young
hearts and lives.

The Children's Picture-Book of the Sagacity of
Animals. Illustrated with Sixty Engravings,
by Harrison Weir. Sampson, Low, and Son,
Ludgate-hill.

This is an elegant gift-book for children, and one
that will afford them a great deal of useful informa-
tion. The study of natural history is oue of the
most curious and interesting that can be brought
before a child, and few subjects are more attractive.
This book is especially entertaining from the variety
of amusing anecdotes, and the agreeable manner in
which they are narrated. Those beyond the age
of childhood may well derive profit and pleasure
from the perusal, while for the juveniles
themselves a rich treat is in reserve when
they become the fortunate possessors of this
beautiful volume. The engravings are very well
executed, and their number and variety are addi-
tional advantages in a book for youth, as children
always learn so much more from the contempla-
tions of the things themselves than from any de-
scription in words, however simple or plain it
may be. This delightful little work can be con-
fidently recommended to the notice of all looking
out for a gift-book at this season, and they are
not likely to be disappointed at the results, as few
can fail to be gratified with this brilliant assem-
blage of animals of every class and kind, while
they can study their peculiarities and be amused
at their vagaries.

The Royal Insurance Company's Almanac for
1862. Grant and Co., Ludgate-hill.

A handy little pocket almanac for the ensuing
year, containing a good deal of information on all
matters connected with insurance, especially with
regard to the Royal Insurance Company. The
almanac registers all the chief fires that have oc-
curred during the past year, and a full description
of the great fire in Tooley-street is subsequently
given. Besides the usual intelligence to be found
in books of this kind, we have an extended account
of the French Tariff of Customs duties as appended
to the Treaty of Commerce, and a comprehensive
summary of the events of the Garibaldian campaign
in the Two Sicilies.

TRIS DAY'S MAREETS.