The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-09-14
CURRENT LITERATURE.

The U. s. MAoAnSE AND DsMocRATc REVIEW,
for September containsian article "the progress
and present condition Of the General Post Office"
which embodies many interesting facts. BENZ.
Franklin was the irst Post Master Generals Amos
Kendall the last and Of course the last Is demon
strated to be the greatest and best The number
Of Post Offices in 1893, was l25l9--Receipts, g.
1856 OIL Compensation to Posimasters, $685., 9i8-
Transportation Of Mail, SO 2l5 OIL Total Expenses.
| $i,l26,637. So il seems the Department run In
debt last year $36s, 759 Extent of Post Roads, 1874,
8i6 miles.
We have, from the admissions OF this article, adj
di,ional reasons why The appointm. mt Of the Post
Master General should be given TO Congress. Its
power Is becoming too great to be ef still entirely
i in the hands of the Executive. II will ultimately
overshadow and usurp the liberty and power Of the
| Democracy. The Bank Of the.U. S. was pigmy
| compared with the General Post Office. Hear the
| Democratic Review:
| ~ From nothing, the General Post Office has worked
Its to Importance eqna! 10 all the other Depart
ments Of the Governments and in POWER and labor,
| lis thought 10 exceed them ALL With the exception
Of the Patent Bureau, il 10 the only Office under Co
i yernment that supports itself Truly. it 10 MIGHTY
ENGINE. Iii the distributor OF light through upwards
| Of 10000 channels, by the means Of THIRTY-FIVE
| THOUSAND AGENTS!"
/ A GUIDE FOR MorHEas AND NuasRs-By Caleb
Ticknor, A. M. M. d. Author Of !" the Philosophy
of Living" &C.. &C.; ! vol. New York. Taylor &
| Dodd. Washington Jno. Kennedy.
| DR.. Ticknor is not only sensible writer, but he
Is philanihropist Each book he has written bears
| the impress of a benevolent mind. Every effort has
clear and decided aim at some object Of practical
utility, and il Is undertaken and completed without
hustle or ostentation Another merit Of his works is,
their elearness and simplicity. They not only have
good object, but they well adapted to effect Il
| in such a manner that the greatest number may be
| partakers Of ii.
/ The little work before us is gotten up in popular
form and STYLE and Is designed for the better half"
Of our race in the most trying circumstances to
which they subject. II is not only recommended
by lis intrinsic merits and the authors own charac.
ter, bu, by the joint testimonials of dozen or
more OF the first physicians of New York. II is ad-
4 dressed TO mothers and nurses and has especial
reference to the diseases Of women and children,
comprehending the plan Of managing children with
reference to their hereditary predsposition dis
| case. We concur with others in the opinion that
II all the preceps contained in this book honest
y carried into practice, much sickness and suffering
in this world from the cradle 10 the grave, win be
prevented.
/ SKETCHES ny Boz, illustrative of everyday life
and everyday people. BY Charles Dickens. With
! twenty illustrations by George Cruikshank. New
edition, complete. Philadelphia Lea & Blanch-
/ ard.
! This volume contains the earliest productions OF
their author, written from time to time, he states,
to meet the exigencies Of newspaper or maya
zine The edition is very neat, and is nform with
| the Pickwick Papers" and Nicholas Nickeby."
Many Of the chapters quite amusing and charac-
teriStic Of their source. The reader will feel how
ever that he is not lille indebted to the inimitable
Cruikshanks, whose illustrations quite as droll
and graphic as the text itself. The artist ii is said
has introduced very tolerable likeness Of himself
and Dickens into the picture entitled "public dim
ners." The steam excursion will afford most per-
sons hearty Taught is clevery dene-but seve-
raj of the sketches are dull
Hunts Merchants Magazine and Commercial Re-
rie,o has reached its Sd number and continues to be
most valuable and interesting publication. 1t con-
tains great variety Of information of practical use
upon commerce, its rise, progress, &c. Mercantile
law, bookkeeping, weights and measures, naviga-
ton, commercial regulations banks and currency
commercial and miscellaneous statistics, and mer-
camille miscellanes Many Of the articles are ably
written, and they are beautifully printed. Price IS
per annur..
The Southern Literary Messenger, for September,
was punciually published, and contains lis usual
riety of entertaining reading in prose and poetry.
JACK SHEPPARD. The first volume of this inge-
NOUS romance by Ainsworth, has Seen published by
Lea & Blanchard, with engravings by Cruikshank.
II is OF the Bozsian style, and many parts of the
tale are graphic and exciting.
TnE NAVAL FoUNpLiNG. By the Old Sail,r. Au-
thor of Tough Yarns" &c. 3vols. Philadelphia:
Lea & Blanchard
This book is said to be very readable one, though
we have not found time to test the truth OF It, If
the preface Is characteristic we will give the reader
a specimen. "My first launch was single volume
/ then tried two decker and now have boldly
commissioned first rate, with three tiers OF ar
tillery. Imake up my mind TO some random shots,
and perhaps rafting broadside but have nailed
my oolors TO the mast, and will never strike. As
for sinking met must be precious heavy metal to
do that so that hope to carry my flag triumphantly
into the port OF public favor, that has given me snug
mornings heretofore. Now, for a preface, l say this
is short and sweet" The nautical scenes are put
sea-manike-but the author is a lubber on land-but
as good as Marryat any how-so say the critics.
The Hon. Amos Kendall, Postmaster Genera, was
In this city yesterday. We suppose we INNS, have