The primitive Republican., 1851-04-10
For The Primitive Republican.
Monday Morning Gossip about Books, Anh's &c.
BY PHIL. +. NEELY.
No. III.

'MopERN LITERATURE AND LITERARY Men: BEIN'
A SECOND GALLERY or LITERARY PORTRAITS
By GEORGE GILFILLAN"
The beginning of week-say Monday
is of all other days in the week, most appro
pos to the work of indulging in gossip a
bout books. The Sabbath with its halloweC
thoughts and solemn service, has intcrvcneC
between the hour of the present, q the hour
of the preceding week, wherein one has beer
in communion with those silent, yet ever
speaking companions, that lie on the shelves o
his library; and it may be, that his rccollcc
tions of the uttcranccs of those pleasant com
panions, may be assuming a somewhat impal
pable shape. If 50, pleasant is it, and profit
able too, on Monday-morning, provided he
can command the time, to place himself in
their midst, and for an hour or two, review,
by an effort of mental retrospcction, the vol
umes, or parts Of volume, including sub
iects, relations, &c, over which he may have
passed the previous week. BY this exercise
he fixes upon his mind a more lasting impress
sion of what he has read-opens afresh, in
viting avenues, for thought to make its pill
grimage along, and prepares himself for en-
tering upon the intellectual labor, which he
may have apportioned to the week before him
This is the pro6t that has accrued to me,
by thisplan of setting aside portion of each
Monday, and devoting it to retrospective
glance over the field of ton connected with
the week preceding; and if can, by placing
some of the results of this habit, before the
eyes of suehyoung persons, as may be eager
ly seeking for Improvement, give them assist
ance, however little it may be, [ shall feel
myself fully compensated for any labor,
may devote to these gossippings.
GEORGE GILFILLAN, author of the vol
ume whose title page is given at the head of
this number, is a Scotch clergyman of the
Chalmers school lie began his career as a
writer, few years ago, by contributing to
the pages of country newspaper. His pre-
ductions, thus given to the public excited
quite an interest, among some Of thc,most pop
uIar hterateurs of eday-such men as Viii
son, the "Christopher North of Blackwood
&c.-and called forth predictions of future
eminence. From this unpretending catrce
upon the stage of literature, he has advanced
until he has acquired a position, as an analy-
sist Of literary character, commensurate with
the early expectations Of his ,Earnest adni-
I IS
form first work in the regular book -niaking
Literary BS first series, Of his @Gallery d
from aIoaI; ;ts,o which was reprinted
New York, in 1916. - y 'iie = Apl''e'''ls =
Not until nearly two years. .f.o,. i ,.... ].
sued in this country, wer,..,o - 81 - "''e -
to lay hands on it; and not sooiss. ''l'''e, =
get the feelings, with which, it was rea,,l, 10
rc-read. We had engaged to make one Of
small party Of clergymcn, at dinner with
friend some two miles from town; and havin,
to SO at an hour rather early for one, VIII,
had but little relish for the miscellaneous ton
les usually introduced in dinncr-party circles
we slipped a volume from the library Of tn,
town-acquaintance with whom we were LODI.
ing, not knowing what it 1g;ls--secretly dc
termining on ramble in the woods, befor,
the hour of dining. Luckily we were tn,
first, and before others had arrived, we haC
obtained leave of absence from mine host /,
and seated in the quiet wood, drew forth th,
unknown volume. Hwas GilAllan,s ) arst Sc
ries Of Literary Portraits. Beginning Will
his ''Lord jeffrey whose s3many-sidedness, 4
he filed up, with "critic, lawyer, politician
judge and philosopher, We rushed right on
ward, through his William Goodwin "Will-
lam Hazitt," Robert Hal, Shelly, oChal-
mers;;" and had, without pausing, just enter
ed upon his mastery critique Of that sfgigan-
tic original, " Thomas Carlyle, with his "rug-
ged aame-words,,o when my hospitable host,
Who, as he ayowed, had been searching me
for the last half hour, came up, and remind
q me, that it was Aeh s o'clock in the after
= lldu pSS1t SSilIeu AZ TIE base OF tlaJi
rec four hours; and what. rendered my apol-
ogy at the table, Of 40 avail, was the fact,
hat no one had read the volume. But for
hat, ! should have been readily .absolved for
ny sin against social etiquette No book Of
'rofane authorship, had ever so powerfully
Interested me. Time and place, and indeed !
y else, were forgotten, in the exeitement
reated by his burning imagery, his forcible
Lotion, his brilliant antitheses, his startling
and his glowing illustrations.
he second series of his j Portraits, has been
sued by The Harpers and 81 the ppletons
gently winch is the volume referred %, at
ae head of this al ticle: is in ke cping with
ae HEst series, 81 ppilst 81 Interest and wien
ssted b. the strict Of criticism, would 4
Asl adgsd superior 8 It Iliat IS, its im-
galy y not 80 M y ana fierce IIaA become
e tlAe tess grand and Il moro aFnsonious
s ls iess Ike the Flltanioalsle comet vet re-
'ns asles she more, AS stsad5 als ifcent
arch e tie planel Ill l,e Re- wherewith