The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-26
New Publications.

limo. NCW forks harper anu DIolnSfbJ loou.
We have never read the autobiography of lite
rary that we thought adapted to win the ad-
miraton Of the reader for the life ofan author. Anx
iety, toll, hope deferred, disappointment, poverty,
rivalry, bitter jealousy, and nveterate hatred,
the concomitants usually made apparent. The
pleasure of the pursuit ia something the reader
cannot well discern; and however sweet the joy
proceeding from every triumph, we cannot realize
it in the vividness with which each adverse image
is brought before
Mr.. Hunt, in writing his own life, incorporated the
demonstration made by all who have essaycd the
same task, that however much desired by poet and
misanthrope, there is in world no isolated ex-
istenceno life that lives for itself and OF itseli-no
physical, intellectual existence not dependent
for its vitality upon cords Of tender sympathy with
the vast creations around it. Thus the history of
the progress of man through life, the history of
mind, necessarily involves collaieray the history
Of other men, and of all the objects that have en-
crossed the minds attention.
The volumes before comprise account OF
| the author, beginning with his remote ancestry
With his parents and their fortunes made
familiar; his childhood, its associations and the
sources Of the impressions then received plea
sanity brought in review, together with the pro-
gress of his school days and the expanding vista
then opening before him; and thus we pass through
the period of youth and its hopes, and manhood
and it's action TO the evening of life whose shades
are now around him. And here, with the charac-
terstic feelings of an old man, he delights IN
survey of the fields OF his past labors.
We would that it were in our power. in the brief
space allotted to u.s. to describe even in outline,
the substance Of these volumes; for in literature in
politcs and in social life, the web of existence has
connected their author with persons and incidents
of interest to all readers II ia true that the Ameri
can reader cannot sympathise, in the controversies
alluded to, with the agents named, can the Brit
ish public, for whom the author writes; but this
very circumstance, enabling to remain unin-
| iluenced by feelings of craftsmanship, may enable
US to enjoy with more profit the minute histories
| recorded.
Leigh Hunt has ever been to us an interesting
| author; yeti have never known a feeling of warm
admiration for him. 1t may be that we approach
too near the school Of uttarianism for the appro
| val of many persons Of good Judgment; but we
confess that we guilty, IN reference To the writ
| ings of every candidate for praise, of asking
WHAT Ia THE GOOD? Were we lovers of the crown
OF England, and all the arisocratic institutions Of
| Church and State existing under il, could COM
mend the works of Scott; satisfied that the
elegant urbanites of life, and poetic maxims of mo-
rality, and sentimental libertinism, could conduce
to the happiness Of man, and merit the approval of
| God, might be willing TO embalm the mem
| DRY and the romances of Bulwer These wri-
| ters have definite objects, TO be and felt
| throughout their works. And So too, has Dick
| ems, whose sympathies GO into the babiatons
of the humble and untaught, and who exhibits vir
tue, with all its burden OF poverty ana ignorance
and toils worthy love-who teaches with
uncrring force the truth that wealth and greatness
| not IN bopn nd hat . ,
and love of an humble home more precious than
the adornments of palace. We appreciate
definite purposes such as these, and whatever their
| tendency, constrained 10 set higher value
upon the powers Of the author who manifess them
| But the vague and underlined lights Of those who
| exhibit no fixed purpose affect US only as DO the
corruscaons that follow the SUMS decline, pleas
ing while they linger on the vision, and dying with
the vapor that reflects them.
| Yet, although the dcsutory labors of Mr.. Hunt
do not win our admiration by positive merits il is
not our purpose TO disparagc the iragmentary
monuments he has given Many of these pos
sess much merit, and may lie read with profit
They have in this country, well % in England,
| procured for their author the need of general
praise. The present work will be found to possess
interest for those who already familiar with the
author and TO others it will as an agreeable
! introduction TO his writings.
! For sale by Taylor Il Maury, Washington city.
SARTAIN's MAGAHNE.-We have just received
the September number, and heartily commend it
| TO our readers The embellishments, as Usual, arc
| fine. The portraits of President FILLMORE and Of
FREDERrKA BREMER arc good hkenesses and ele-
| ganty engraved. The sketch of Miss b., from
the pen Of AsNE c. LYNcH, is just and noble tri-
| butte, ard has increased our high regard for both
the beautiful writer and the subject 80 worthy Of
her pen. If it but for this article alone, we
would earnestly commend the present number to
our readers, and especially TO every American
lady who delights in the true elevation Of the ic-
male character.
| THREE YEARs rs CALIFoRNIA. BY Rev. WALTER
CoLToN, U. $. N, late Acalde OF Monterey, au-
| thor of "DECR ASD PoRT," &c New York
A. 5. Barnes CO., publishers
| "Don Walter Cotton" who figured 80 advan-
tageously In Senator Corwin's speech on the Mexi-
can war, Alcaldc OF Monterey, giving the Cali
fornians a choice between Colts revolver and a
trial by jury, is figuring well as author since his
turn. Il is scarcely six months since we had his
"Deck and Port" being perusal Of his voyage to
California, in the United States ship Congress, ls45,
via the Sandwich Islands, with Commodore stockton
Now have his Three Years in California" uni
cmbellished with portraits Of Captain Suffer- Thos
| o. Larkin, csq., Hon. J. c. Fremont, Hon. Will
liam NJ Gwin, Hon. G. w. Wright, and Joseph
| X. Snyder, esq., with numerous and humorous H.
lustratons Of matters and things in California, a
| ist Of the members Of the convention that organ
lied tho State Of California, chart Of the - Deea-
ration Of Rights, with fac siies Of the signatures
| &c, &c.
This work is an authentic history Of California,
from tho time it came under the flag Of the United
States down to this present. explorations, new set
Elements, and gold diggings. While the reader is
instructed on every page, he will laugh about a
! hundred il not thousand times before he gets
through this captivating volume, and though he
sits alone in his chair. II is, in the first place,
book Of fact; next to the remarkable and ludcrous
peculiarites Of California life and manners arc an
incessant proyocation TO make one laugh; and the
author, being poet, gives " fine relish OF that
| every now and then
| Take il all in all, Il is a book for tho timcs.
| r., D., bod n & NJ