The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-02 00:00:00

LONDON AI.k.GAZINr.

We are pleased to learn that this able and
practical periodical keeps up its circulation, and
that in enemy and enterprize it is far from being
either tamed or worn out. The article "On
the Currency" is :well and even powerfully-
written it is, however, too long, and has about
it an appearance of mystery and abstruseness
which we could wish to see more simplified.—
Universal Biographies" is a partial review—
not, however, undeservedly so—of the French
o Biographic Uniyerselle," in the coure of which
we have the following cursory notice of the in-
dustrious " Bibliotheca Britannica:"—
c‘ One most important department of a general Dic-
tionary of Biography is its bibliographical (i_tails. By a
right method in the dispensing of this sort of information,
it may be rendered almost an index of universal literature,
a work in itself much wanted. The nearest approach to
any thing of the kind that we vet have, is that wonderful
compilation, ' Watt's Bibliotheca. Britannica'—wonderful
at all events when we consider it in connection with its
history. It is the work of a single individual, the late Dr.
Robert Watt of Glasgow, whom it occupied for twenty
years of life, Yet he lived only to car: y a few sheets
of it through the press. It consists of four closely printed
quarto volumes, in the two first of which we have a list of
the works of no fewer than 40,000 authors, arranged ac-
cording to the alphabetical order of the authors' names,
and the dates Of publication ; the whole forming, perhaps,
the most extensive and minutely particular catalogue that
was ever compiled. In the two other volumes, all these
works are distributed and arranged according to the sub-
jects to which they relate ; so that the book gives us, in
this way, an =punt of whatever line been written on any
subject, and by whom it has been discussed, at least in so
far 113 concerns the productions of the very large number
of writers comprehended in its scheme. The publication
of the Bibliotheca Britannica' commenced iu 1819, and
it was completed in 1821. Unfortunately it has suffered
in point of fulness and accuracy, in regard especially to its
latter references, from not haying been carried through the
preFo by the author himself. It contain* too a good many
mis-atatements, occasioned partly by oversights, scarcely
avoidable iu the case of to large a work conducted and
composed by a single individual ; and partly by the im-
perfect sources of information on which the author, in his
l'emotri situation, had been frequently obliged to depend.
There are some 'defects too in the plan of work, which,
for one thing, wants completeness ; and had better, per-
bap, have either been confined to British publications
uiereiy, or el,:tended so as to embrace the whole of Euro-
pean literature. With all these Lledtictipns from its utility
however, it is still a valuable and highly seryicei,ble work ;
and as an effort of individual zeal, ingenuity, learning,
tr,4 industry, quite a stupendous performance, and well en-
titling iits author to oi4 gratitude of every student."
E' The Inconyenhmee of baying an Elder Bro,
tiler" is an entertaining sketchy fragment, and
the little poem, entitled 't Schgol and !School,
fellows," remarkable for its elegance and correct?
ness. f 5 Life and Writings of Dr. Thomas
Brown," the late well-known metaphysician and
even 1)00 of Edinburgh, is from the pen of a
writer well acquainted with the rairpaiq of his
subject, but whose zeal iii the cause of his idol
—who most assuredly was not, " the most acute
inetaphpician of his time"—outstrips,we conceive,
his discretion. Stili the analysis possesses matter
well worth referring to. " Modern French Poetry"
is a dull subject, dully handled ; Victor Hugo is
the subject of the notiPe, " philosophy of
Statistics" is an article the very name of which
.s sufficient to give a headache. We have

scannftd the sentence in awful reverence, but
have not ventured to proceed further, The more
spirited reader must therefore judge for himself.
" The Journal of Facts" is a good idea, and
one happily in accordance with the literary pcles,
sities of the day ; it is a record of all the leading
practical remarks and discoveries that have oc,
enrred during the month. " Diary for February"
is passably amusing,