The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-06
Literary Notices.


LONDON QUARTERLY REVIEW for October.
EDINBURG REVIEW for October.
BLACKwooD's MAGAZINE for October.
do. do. for November
INTERNATIONAL ART UNION for December.
All for sale by IA YLOR d. MAURY, Penn
Syiudnia Avenue, near 9Th Street.
The London Quarterly contains an article of
much spirit and research on the Homeric con-
trOversy. 1t is known to our readers, that some
OF our German literary antiquarians undert ook
several years ago, to dispute the unity of Ho-
mer They asserted that the llliad and Odyssey
were each written or composed at different
tines by different authors; and were in reality
nothing but two collections of ancient Greek
ballads. They said this was evident from diver
sity Of manners, anachronisms, and of style, to
be found in those works. The plausibility of
their arguments and proofs produced good
deal of perplexty and alarm among the literati
of Europe. The books of Homer had been col
lected, as was always before understood by Pr
sstratus, an ancient King of Athens. They
had been quoted by Plato, by Plutarch, and other
Greek philosophers, scholars and historians,
men of profound sagacity and research. If, af-
ter all this, it should really be found that there
was no such man as Homer, there was no de-
pendence on the past, and ofcourse none on tho
future, nor on fame, nor history. The same set
of scholars in Germany, who were infdels in
classics, were infdels in religion. They denied
also the unity and authenticity of the Scriptures
and were rs bold in disputing the dates, the con-
necton, and the authorship of the sacred books,
as of the profane. The spirit extended to Eng
land, and Shakespeare himself was impersonal-
lied and disintegrated.
But Il reaction has occurred The disciples Of
faith in religion and in history, have taken
the field, and have turned back the tide of inf
deity. Homer, Moses, and Shakespeare have
been Acknowledgement as one and ndvsible-
And man may Yet write II book, and hope not
to be torn to pieces himself by literary hyenas,
even if his reputation is.
Blackmood's Magazine. for October, does not
contain its usual element of capital tory arti-
Gle. has a continuation of Mr. BULwER's new
novel, called My Novel, or Varieties of English
Life, and we like it very much.
BlackwoOd also contains another number Of
"Chrstopher under canvass" which is criticism
or conversation on poetry, and contains some ex-
cellcnt opinions and some attectation.
The International Monthly Magazine for De-
cember, is a very handsome number, the first of
the second volume, and contains la pages. 1t
has fine engraving on the first page of {. Is.
HADDocK, esq. our late charge to Portugal, and
the first article OH "Our diplomatic servants" is a
sketch of the life of that gentleman. This num-
Der contains also, fine wood cuts, and descriptions
Of the "inged human-hcaded bull and the winged
lion, recently discovered by MIR.
LAyARD among the ruins of Ninevch. 1t also
ebrated Miss VAN HoMRmH, and of ESTHER
JOHNSON, the Vanessa and Stella of his CORES
pondence, with an article on him and them, from
the London Times, with great variety of other
interesting articles-and the ladies' fashions for
December. Among the articles is the com-
mencement Of Mr.. JAMES new novel.
The Edinburg Review contains an article on
the United States, referring chiefly to our reli-
eion, education and morality-almost all Of
which, if we are to believe the Retiew and Sir
&. LYELL, the geologist, have their head quarters
in New England.
The ignorance of the reviewer and reviewed,
is elaborated over several pages and spun into
several absurdities. But we never expect to see
in any English work, any respectable amount Of
knowledge of the United States. There, for in
stance, is ALLIsoN's great work, which is so
highly cxtollcd in Europe, betrays an ignorance
of American affairs whenever they are referred
to, enough to destroy all confidence even in its
account of European.
BLAcKwooD for November, contains good
article on the project Of continuing the income
tax Of Great Britain This measure proposed
originally by Sir ROBERT PEEL in 1912, as a
temporary expedent he's already been twice re-
Of that tax, only about equals the expenditure,
the necessity for its continuance or for a sub
stitutc is obvious. The reviewer insists on a
complete revision Of the whole system of British
taxation.
1t is thought that the nine millions deficit al
luded to in the financial Department cannot be
met, unless by loan. This will now be a well
come boon to the bankers Of the metropolis and
elsewhere, and every species of lobby legislation
will he resorted to, in the hope Of inducing the
two houses to think favorably Of the proposition.
The appropriations of the last session amounted
to $5i,0OO,OOO, instead of as | see it stated,
$i2,OOO,OOO. The latter sum was the given ag-
gregatc for ordinary expenses but there were
additional extraordinary outays of 100000.
If loan is finally decided upon, the Govern
ncnt will not require less than $4,000 900, with
three millions additional accruing from the GUS
toms department. AS for the public domain,
the Presidents views singularly coincide with
my own in a former communication. The pub.
lie lands cannot be disposed Of under period
of four hundred years-and not in twice that
tine.-Wash. Cor. ". Y. Com. ADJ.
The House of Delegates yesterday it will be
seen, agreed with the consent of the Senate to
proceed on Saturday next to the election of a