The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

REVIEWS OF BOOKS.

Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addi-
son ; with Notes by Richard Hard, D.D.
London : Henry G. Bohn.

The third volume of this valuable edition of Ad-
dison's works, with notes, explanatory and critical,
by the Lord Bishop of Worcester, has just been
published by Mr. Bohn, as one of his series of the
British Classics. This volume contains Addison's
celebrated critical essays on " Milton's Paradise
Lost and Paradise Regained," which, at the time
of their publication, did much to place their author
at the head of the literary critics of his time, and
were mainly instrumental in directing popular
favour towards these noble epics. Like its prede-
cessor, this portion of the series is carefully anno-
tated, correctly printed, and very beautifully
as well as very cheaply issued.

The Lift and Adventures of Dick Dhniny. By
E. J. Collins. London : Collins and Ponsford.
In this fictitious narrative the author, avoiding
any attempt at what is generally denominated fine
writing, has endeavoured to make his pictures use-
ful from their truthfulness, and disclaims any in
tention of painting individual portraits, his object
being, as he himself says it is, to represent a class,
haply not very numerous, still existing in sufficient
numbers to render their "sayings and doings"
matters of some moment to parties who do not
belong to it, and who in point of fact have no im-
mediate connexion with it. The book is devoted
to an exposition of certain forms of manoeuvre not
unfrequently brought into play by " gentlemen"
who are understood as par excelleace the patrons
of the truly English sport of horse-racing. Some
of the tricks and devices resorted to by the sharps,
if not the " sharpers," of various grades of " turf-
men" are happily displayed ; whether the display
may act beneficially on the simpletons it is no easy
matter to determine ; but the scenes here given
are rendered in forcible, if not always in glowing
colours.

The Museum of Science and Art. Edited by Dr.
Lardner. London : Walton and
.Maberly.

The second volume of this scientific repertory is
now published, and furnishes us, among other
matters, with interesting notanda relative to
"Cometary Influences," and a very interesting ac-
count of the "Potter's Art," including a brief
glance at its practice from the earliest ages, and
a rapid, though intelligible, review of its progress
down to the present time. Among the subjects
treated of as " common things" in this publication
will be found useful hints on ventilation, and other
subjects connected with domestic and general com-
forts. This work is very tastefully got up, and it
is published at a rate so cheap as to bring it within
reach of all classes.

Orr' s Circle of the Sciences,

London and Liver-

pool : W. S. Orr.

This capital scientific series has reached its fifth
monthly part, and continues to be conducted with
undiminished tact and beauty. The present part
4contains an excellent chapter on the varieties of
the human species, and a continuation of physical
geography and geology ; the strictly scientific
part being devoted to an exposition of the elements
of algebra. This part, like its predecessors, is
copiously illustrated by well-executed engravings.

Blackwoods' Magazine. Edinburgh :
Blackwoods.

It would seem that our old friend Ebony is
content with the large share of attention which
he had previously given to the war with Russia,
for this month there is no allusion to it, nor,
indeed, to any strictly political subject. The
number opens with a notice of "Henry lviorley's
recently-published biography of Dr. Jerome Cardan,
but it is rather descriptive than critical. The suc-
ceeding article, entitled " Young Bengal," is a
review of an interesting work by Shoshee Chunder
Dutt, a native Hindoo, and contains some valuable
information on Indian affairs. The publication of
Miss Mitford's new work, " Atherton," has given
occasion for a glowing eulogy on this attractive
writer, who, in her own peculiar walk, is without
a rival. " A Letter from Madrid " has been evi-
dently written by a keen observer, and he is un-
sparing in his exposure of the infamous conduct of
the Queen. We extract the following graphic
description of
A SPA.NISIT OENTLEMAN.
Observe yonder stately gentleman, rolling by in a well-
appointed carriage with coroneted panels. He is still a
young man, and, but a few years ago, was an unknown
clerk in a private office, poor, and not of very good repute.
Gifted with audacity, and with that slippery, unscrupulous,
sleight-of-hand cleverness which in Spain is often a pass-
port to power, although in other countries it would lead a
man at most to that sort of distinction attained by Bar-
rington, the pickpocket, or Robin, the conjuror, he has
ascended in the social scale by huge leaps, passing over
the heads of hundreds of better men than himself. He is
now titled and a millionaire, his breast is covered with
stars and decorations, and he is the councillor nearest to
his sovereign. It is certainly not out of a Spanish
minister's salary that he has economised, during the short
time that he has received it, the princely fortune he is
well known to possess. Your simplicity will excite un-
bounded astonishment _in any Spaniard of whom you
inquire how this fortunate adventurer accumulated his
wealth. If ministers of state are not to make their for-
tunes, who, in the names of Mercury and Plutus, are so
to do ? It seems considered here that a statesman's para-
mount and first duty (to himself), when he is so lucky as
to attain office, is to get rich. And it may truly be said
that it is a duty to which few are here remiss.

He says there are 103 ex-ministers at present in
Spain all receiving pensions, including the members
of one Cabinet which held office only twenty-four
hours. These pensions are paid with the strictest
regularity, those who have charge of the purse not
knowing how soon they may be in the condition of
the recipients. After a poem entitled " The Villa,"
which occupies no less than twelve pages, we have
some interesting statistical information on " The
recent growth of the United States of America,"
showing by facts and figures the immensely rapid
strides which our Transatlantic brethren have made

within the last few years in the increase of material
wealth and commercial resources. One of the
entertaining features of this number is the com-
mencement of a new story, entitled " The Secret of
Stoke-Manor : a Family History," which is ushered
into notice with a mysterious introduction, des-
criptive of a journey on the Great Western Rail-
way. We give the following extract, containing
some shrewd observations on