New-York daily tribune., 1843-03-03
THE TRIBU NE.
literarp Notices.


r.r Es,cREasocxER, OR NEw.YoKx MONTHLY MAcA.
iaI ZINE March, 1913. John Allen, laa NnssausL
The leading article in this number of the knick-
s,bocker is collection of CARLYLE's scattered
criticisms of BYRON, woven into a single and con-
asc.ed paper. 1t would have been much better,
we think had each passage been given by itself, de-
.,ehed from the others, for then we should not
have beer imposed upon by a show of unity where
there is none. 1t is valuable article, however,
and We shall copy portions of it a, our convenience.
!. The Quod Correspondence has been resumed,
and new novel commenced. The opeaing is
good and graphic; though there is much that is
revolving ard incredible in the bare supposition
that such horrible cruelty as is described should
exist in our city. Mendicity, as profession, we
cannot believe is practiced to any very great cx-
tent here-at least not when compared to It's pre-.
yalence abroad and the picture of Mrs Blossom
in her horrible den, presiding the gang Of lit
lie wretches, and coelly devisins schemes to main
or blind ,hem to fit them better for their task, can
hardly we are sure, find its reality even in the
midst of London. The second chapter makes
amends for the repulsive effect OF this. Neck
Nothing Hall is racy Hunting Sketch, and the
account of Merry Christmas in the Palmetto
State is pleasing and interesting. There are sew
eral very fair Poems by STREET, GEORGE LUNT,
JOHN WATERS, RocKwELr., and others, one of
which we published yesterday; another may be
found on cur last page. The Editor has been even
unusually Industrious, and besides some ino Lite
rary Notices, gives us a very excellent paper upon
Robert C. Sands, in which are first published many
excellent sketches and chance compositions of that
gifted author The Editors Table is well filled,
though, spicy as it is, there two things which
make it hard reading is, the excessively
small type on which it is printed; and tho other,
the fact that professed, deliberate collection of
tests is of itself the sorriest, most mea schoy ast
inthe world. Joke is only good as it provokes
laughter; and we defy any man, no matter how io-
cosely prcdisposed, to laugh steadily and persc-
yeringly through dozen pages of close Print-even
at the Knickerbocker's good things. The verdict
Of Posterity, or what in this case is tho same thing,
the thievng propensity Of the whole world has
stamped Joe Miller as perfect Hemer in the de-
partraent Of jokes-unnpproa to be admired
only from afar. AS the Poets and Authors of
modern days are said to steal all their inspiration
from the genius of the Ancient. so there s not
wit in Christendom, probably, that would have
been wit, or at least such wit, had Joe Miller
never lived And yet an can sit down and
read his book through from beginning to end. The
very notion of man sitting down by his midnight
lamp to beat his brain for sallies OF humor and
outbreaks cf wit has in it something vastly tragica
If the fine sayings and witty anecdotes which are
SO carefully collected and displayed SO lavishly
upon the table of the Editor were judciously dis,
ributed through the pages of the knickerbocker-
40 bestowed that they might seem naturally and
properly there, they would have teafold wsght'
However, we are disposed to be thankful for them,
ard take them as we find them; and in truth, our
Monthly Magazines furnish few more recy OF
pleasant papers than this periodical pot ponrr' OF
the Knickerbocker.