New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-12-25
REVIEWS OF NEW BOOKS.

ss'iduous labor, facilitated by ca ice sud ccplo'
c)les,io OF literary ma eri.s, sueh - 10 library IA
tai, country Ca bjsst o. aud which il PROBABLY rot
eqgAled aud certainty ot surpassed, - any s'ri ~
/. e,ion Ia Europe. Dir. Toknors attention vas
directed b. hi. subject early sc tie year 4elo ne
taen travelled through large part CT SPAIN ana sP' h'
several mon,hs in Ma5rd. During this tour ne rlsoe
tie commencement Of lbs library which IN ihese VOL
urnss be has turued 10 such admirable sccouH'' eDo
which 10 one Of toe poblest objects en- ous ice h'e>y
treasures of ,iton and iH vicinity He saoseqaeb"y
derived great aid 10 its completion from ais in'ha'e
relations with Mr. Alexander II. Everetf, snd WIN
Washing ION Irving while trey represented me CN''e1
sts.es Q. tse our, Of Madrid lie also sysiei niuseH
e the zoslcus services e that eminent ciohogfsPa
IT. O Rich TO whose curious snoTl.dge aud en'aut-
s,ic taste In every hrg concerning rare and VA.17'e
books 50 rsny Of cur country men have hs1 Iee''I ~
scksowiecge their obligations
Tno rcsuli yas o3ilecdOn OF books Ia TIE . ensn
lsnguses and illustrative OF Spanish literature o.
far superior cnasoIer to tbs. enjoyed either oy b'u
te,ses or s.r 1-i il Inc preparation OF thef gre 81
n. oricsl woiks n the the same sdbj9es
W;ih these nnstersls, Nf. Tlcknof has corstcIsled
Of, ..e t. ibe Y.odx ion OF work, which 'noud pre-
.su, 2sle rhetorical and critical exPo'on oil 'ao
d.y,I Dnelt Of Spssish literature and be conSas 60
by s., tu,aseipqnrsrs the standard authority 10 tno
lafavor.,s department of study.
He hastrcuxht t. The accomplishment OF Ills task
20 g. o-alntance with general hor ature, sosuIr
esree q INDUSTRY refned snd correct iaste sPiht
0. cautious temperate though by DO nesns uozehid
c-i!ci.n Quick seGstiisy 10 the oesutiu IN fenti
neot TO- H. shoroog' acquaintance Wild MS iu'1ec'
Ia is most Minute sno delicate details and the power
of houiug z soeful and transparent competition his
hstor,csl awe IT, TO- eed admir- s5elivo!y, tde:eecc
cord d. free from moDotooy AID commonplace moving
wish tie esse Of i'm 9id stream, ind without oti02 ~
any time overloaded embeliisbed with tne rcl spo
tasteful Or6smeuts appropriate to literary d'sq'''"on
Nor is hs wsn;Ig in pootcsl tseLts - more n'n or
dicsry eycs,pce Tne tTeqGeni iransia,oo' from me
od spsnsh ballads sud other pieces which are io'tf'
,oe-,ei throughout this volume, Sh " su exquisite
Ok 10 veri6cs,op, AID nice and harm )aious use OF
DO ,ca sr gusse. They preserve the essential 'hspe
and rit of the poems from which they are 'rsusas'c
M, a, the ssue time nl~ with the rstuftl grace OF an
ocsinsl Production
The present volume which IL 10 10 Immediately sue.
cee ded By two others rsverSs an important peri ID
OF the literary history Vi spain treats oil the iers
ture tina, existed from the esast appearance II the
present written Language, toward the close oi the
twelfth cel iury, 10 thu times Of OSiedo and Ls'
Cssss 10 thu middle Of the sixteenth Among the sub
i.c,s Of peculiar Interest which Il considers, may b.
msntlone tho Poem Of the Cid the Ballads snd Ro-
m .nors oi Chivslry, tho old Chronicles, the early
Drama the Provercsl Literature, the CoUriy School
ia CASTLE including the Troubadour' and M!nue'ioger''
an descriptl Of the more recent Djsctc and II %.
toral Literature.
Tn. notes 10 this volume form small par, O! rs
attractions T5ey contain large fund OF Collateral
information, which could NO. DO gracefully woven into
texture Of tn narrative clothed In the terse, crisp
nouap, s,y 10 Of which have scTe fascinating eE'
amples IN cur most accomplished historians The 70
f.rsnces % authorities full ard complete, accom-
p,ped with the citation Of the original, whenever re
ou,red for the better calculation Of the subject.
II will be seen from our sh, notice. thst this work
"a one of the few which no, only confer this highest
credit on American literature but which will be dem
cd a rare contribution to good letters, wherever the
English language 10 read. In this respect mol more
than two or three native productions can be compared
with it. which 1t might be ,nvldous 10 name
MAHOmFr AND HIS SUCCESSORS BY WAsHlNGros
Isvfse New Yotk q futnsm.
Mr.. IRVING introduces this biography with q
simple aud modes preface stating that during bis rei'
dence IN Madrid, many years since be projected .
ssrss Of writings Illustrative OF the domination OF the
Arsbs Ia Spain. The plan Included sketch Of the NE
Of tia founder of the Islam faith ard the hrs, mover
of the Arablsn couquest Having completed the bic
srsphy, without toiowr out tss literary cnterprse
Intended in n, full eItnt hr Irving laid aide the
manuscript for several years, aud It now presented
| 10 the public for the frat time.
Ina work commences with eninGy notice Of
Arabia aud the Arabs describing In graceful narrative
,s fortunes of that extraordinary people with free
add rspid analysis of their prominent raits OF ehsfsc
ar. TIE career of Malone, Is thea portrayed in
lively color, and condemned description presented o
the outline, of the Mshsmetsn faith
Nj Irving Is not tempted to indulge In any profound
or faneiul speculstons hut corhnes himself TO svr
clear ana harmonious digest Of the facts, ss laid Go M
hy the hes, authorities The work displays no bfec' g
ton of original research bat shows on every psge ,hs
.hc author msde disent and conscientious use of itC
c,plous materials which he found in the horsi's o
,ddd Is 10 written 10 sptrs OF oera philosophical
r, a clon equsly free from pedsntry and prejudc-
with ah,sh and catholic view Of the position ana rfu
enco Of Mshome, Ia the development Of history and
with calm dete rmin alton to do justice TO his character
He suoposes tina, the enthusiastic aud visionary
,p,ri, OF MsAomst was gradually wrought up BY soil
tude fa,tng prayer aud meditation, until iriis'ed BY
bodily disease into state % temporary deilFum be
fsnce1 that he ID received revelation Irom Hosven
aud proclaimed himself prophet Of the Most High ID
,hs there was self deception, but no impossure Ne
believed In the reality OF the vison, and Interpreted a.
subseq aent dreams impulses 10 the same purport
He was thus an enthusiast sct;ps under mental delu
sion persuSded OF HE divine mission AZ an sse Mt oi
religious reform and striving, with sublime devoted
ne. to substitute the pure aud spiritual worship OF tie
Deity for ths vain dolsTy Of bis childhood This Wal
tha character Of Malone Ia the early part Of bis ca
reer while exposed TO persecution and suasrirs 81
Mecca A sigpl charge, however, takes place snei
his shi 10 Media ~hen be nads himself revered As
prophet, and oseyed as the chief OF powerful snc
ss-hs ho,s OF votsrtss From that ZINE the relsiooi
enthusiasm which threw slow OF pie,y over hi' ear
ds.ss 1. blended with the worldly passions Which Dow
give the Impulse to bis sections He renoueees ala iSr
mar doctrines Of for srd ressnsror, becomes
v.nd.,ivs towards hs eDemiss and ambitious 81 tx
tend rule Bat 10 hal no deeply eoncocsed Sl.ns o
universal conquest With great genius aod fruit
nssn.tou, he Was yet the creature Of impulse arE
excitement ard often the victim OF exteroAi eFeun
.tAncss HIS schemes grew oct Ct b., ioItaHe and no
ais torture on; Of hs schemes When he reached Nc
sins he had no idea Of lbs worldly power thai s"A'eS
alan be only wished to build . humble mcs4as, weer