The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-21


The following criticism of very clever volume
from the pen of our young countryman, s. t. WAL
LIS, esq, of Baltimore, we copy from the London
Exraminer
Glimpses Of Spain; or Notes qf an Unfinished Tour.
BY 8. T. WALLIS. New York Harper and
Brothers.
This is the easy, nonchalant but wellinformed
narrative OF an American writer who appears to
have qualified himself for travel by some knowledge
OF the country he was going TO, and, while there,
TO have found. good opportunities for observation.
Il is much in the manner and tone of Mr.. Wild
drington's excellent book upon the subject, ofwhich
we have often had occasion to speak very highly
Wr. Wallis has undisguised liking for the
Spaniards. The sturdy industry and intelligence
OF the Galatians the simple and cordial manners of
the Malaguenos, the lively and spirited gaiety Of
the Sevianos-he has frank appreciation for them
all Indeed, he seems to lose his good nature
but when an Englishman comes in his way, or he
has occasion to refer To English tastes or morals.
At such times, regret to say, he lays aside both
his temper and his manners. He resents the vul-
garity Of his countrymen in stultfying themselves
BY reading English books and adopting English
notions on subjects which they ought TO regard from
their own degrees of latitude and longitude; but
this resentment, when leyelled against the authors
or dsseminators Of the obnoxious ideas thus plum
dered, is but another form OF the vulgarity com
planned Of. We must at the same time do Mr..
Wallis the justice to say, that, such prejudices
apart, he is excellent, shrewd, observant travel
Ter, much more free from general prejudces than
ours; and that his volume is of the best supple
ments TO Widdrington and Ford that have
seen. II touches the various subjects more lightly,
but the hghtness is not superficial; and on most
points of art and manners he shows himself hardly
less entitled TO be listened to. His views more
favorable TO Spaniards throughout; but perhaps less
from kindness than out of spleen, or from dislike
to be too uniformly in agreement with Englishmen.
To the stationary and unaltered condition which is
commonly charged upon the Spaniard, he objects
that nothing like the adventures of Gil Bias Don
Quixote happened to himself; but this must be
taken with allowance and he admits that the tray
eller will still meet unaltered examples Of the
ming and the rascality Of the days of Guzmen de
Alfarache and Lazarillo de Tonnes
The London publishers announce that Mr..
THAcKERAY has recovered from his long and Sc
we're illness, and that the next number of Penden-
mis- may be soon expected.
RebeccG and R0tsena; or, A Romance upon Ro
nance: A Story for Christmas, (and, indeed, any
other SEASON. containing Perilous Adventures,
Tremendous Battles, Tender Love- making, Pro-
found Historical Knowledge, and a (tolcrably)
happy ending"-is the title of a new work an
nounced by the author of Pendennis.
WoRxs IN PREss.-Harpers have just announced
a list of works for speedy publication, which in
clude, among others, the following: A new CLASH
cal Dictionary, by DIR. William Smith--a produc-
ton said to be of great value; Life of Calvin,
compiled from authentic sources, by Thomas H.
Dyer Memoir of the Life and Writings of DR..
Chalmers, by Rev. DR.. Hanna; Greek and Eng
lsh Lexicon of the New Testament, by Professor
Robinson; Sketches of Minnesota, by S. E. Sey
mour; The Conquest of Canada, by the author Of
Hocheaga !" Beattie's Life and Letters of Thomas
Campbell, with an introductory letter by Wash
ngton Irving; Pictorial Field book of the Revo-
luton, by Losing; Second Book in Greek, by
Professor McClntock; Latin English Lexicon,
by Professor Andrews, &c.