The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11
[PrOspectus.l
BRITISH PERIODICAL LITERATURE.

HepuOicdttOn OF the London quarterly, the Edin-
btpgh, The North British and the Westminster Re-
+ pie,cs, and Blackicoods Edinburgh Magazine
LEONARD SCOTT Il CO., Publishers,
40 Fulton and "a Gold streets, New York.
fFflESE periodicals are the critical censors of
the British scholastic and literary world.
By their criticisms, they aid readers in the Sc
lection of standard valuable books; and by the
epitomes which they present, often obviate the
necessity of consulting works too volaminous for
general examination. They fill place which
American magazines cannot supply; for they dis
topics relating more strictly to the affairs,
POLITICAL religious, scientific, and literary, Of the
Continent Of Europe, They are conducted by the
best talent Of Great Britain; and engaged with
the most important questions which interest or
agitate the civilized world. Whoever subscribes
to them all, may read the ablest representatives Of
the principal parties into which the people Of
Great Britain are divided.
THE EDINBURGH REVIEW
is the exponent of the Wing party in Great Brit
ain, having from its commencement advocated
freedom and the rights of the people. When the
war, apparently of determination, was waged
against France by British Tory rulers, and du-
ring which occurred the second great struggle of
England with our own country, this Review first
unflrled the flag Of resistance, and made, by
its unanswerable and eloquent appeals in behalf
of inalienabe rights, the halls Of British legsla-
ton, and even the throne itself, to tremble. The
graphic and stirring delineations Of those events,
presented in the pages of that distinguished Jour
nal, exhibit the ruest portiaiture Of those perous
days to be found, perhaps, in the language. Its
influence was becoming so apparent, that at length
the leaders OF the Tory party, at whom the thun-
ders gifts eoquence We're especially directed found
it too powerful an instrument to be resisted by
ordinary means, and hence they established the
/" Quarterly" or as it is distinguished among the
American Reprints,
THE LONDON QUARTERLY REVIEW,
whereby to counterfeit that influence which its
powerful rival exerted against their measures.
The two great political parties thus made srenu-
Gus efforts through their respective organs, for the
of their antagonist principles; and
during long series of years, these two leading
periodicals have concentrated the labors the talent
and the influence of the adherents of the Wing and
Tory parties of Great Britain.
Men Of the highest literary rank as well as dig
nitares civil and ecclesastic, have contributed to
the pages of these works; among them might be
some of the most respondent names on
the scroll Of fame. Among the regular contrbu-
tors to the London Quarterly Review were So,.thep,
Scott Lockhat, Gts present editor) .9pperiey, Fer
guson, Wordsworth, Lord .Mahon, DR.. .Milman,
(whose articles on Oriental literature have been so
highly esteemed,) and that wonderful woman of
ly less celebrated. Then again in the Edinburgh
Rerier, it is enough TO mention the following Names
any one of which would Of itself insure a high
degree of renown to any work with which it might
be associated-we refer TO Jefreys, Napier Brough-
am, Macintosh, and .Macailay; the first Of whom
during his long connection with the Review, actu-
ally wrote, on an average, one-hird of the articles
that gracedits brilliant pages; while the universally
admired essays of the last, republished so extern
sively in our own and the parent country, leave
as in manner of doubt as to their great intrinsic
merit.
THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW.
This able journal was established under the pat
ronage and support of the ultra-berals, so styled,
Of the British House of Commons; among whom
Roebuek, MIL Bopriag, Professor Long of the Lon
don University, Miss .MaTtineau, and others whose
names need not be quoted, conspicuously figured.
IL was for some years under the editorial super
vision of Jeremy Bentham from which fact it
obtained the sobyiqud of the mouih-piece of Ben
hamism. This work has ever been especially
devoted to the great topics which interest the mass
Of the people: It's pages have been rife, il will be
with series of powerful articles,
lending TO the reduction of Tory and exclusive
privileges hereditary rights, kingly prerogutives
&c. The astounding developments made few
years since, respecting the wretched and ill then,
of horrors of some branches of the mining
III It's pages.
Not only have ITS articles ever been directed against
The aforementioned abuses the work has also
an unrelenting crusade against the
alliance of Church and State thus virtually seek
ing 10 abolish the parliamentary religion" of
England, and eventually ia remove the still exist
ing remnants Of feudalism, which continue 10 afct
the British nation. IL has recently become the
medium through which Golden promulgates his
free-trade doctrines, which will give il increased
interest To the numerous admirers, here and else
where, of that great Reformer. In many partcu-
ars the w estminster Review espouses a political
faith closely allied To that of our own country; and
therefore may, without any extraordinary effort
NJ charity, be induced 10 cherish il as an exotic
worthy of being ingrafled into our more genial
soil. II has recently been united with the Foreign
Quarterly Review, the more attractive features OF
the two Reviews beng now combined in the West
minister, and thus adding greatly to its value as n
literary periodical.
THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW
is work of more recent origin than those already
described but u.s. nevertheless, destined TO occupy
ns prominent place in the Republic of Letters
The great ecclesiastical movement in Scotland
led 20 IFS establishment There was no JOURNAL
in the UNITED KINGDOM, which appeared 10 meet
the necessities Of this Ant-National-C Church agita-
ton. Indeed, the revolution caused by the disrup-
ton induced "A new state OF things, placing the
actors IN new positions Of observation; nor could
they give utterance 10 their perceptions Of State
and Church Polity-their new sympathies-their
new emotions, without some other organ ofthought
than any then extani. Hence the spontaneous
agreement Of the great master minds among them
in the necessity Of n new outlet Of opinion, and
the Immediate creation ofth NORM BRirIsH RE- |
VIEW. The basis Of this Journal is the Evangelism
Of the Nineteenth Century; nor is IL to be over
looked Of the striking characteristics Of the
times, that the grand principle which Robertson,
Smith, and many Of the eminent men Of Scotland
took the field century ago TO icrife dorm, is now
adrocaied and rindioaed in this able work, and in
the same literary metropolis.
This Periodical is not ultra in its views on any
ono Of the grand departments Of human knowl- |
edge: at the same time il never drifts from its
on the shores Of the pure Evangelical
religion of the Bible. Nor will il fail TO compare
most favorably with every other contemporary in |
the amount Of talent, energy, and spirit, enlisted
on its side. The names of Sir David Brewster, |
Drs. Hanna, Cunningham, Lorrimer, CandIish,
Gordon, Buchanan, Smith, &c, are a host in |
themselves Much foreign talent is also pledged |
to adorn and enrich its pages.
is NOT 10 he considered strictly Theological Re-
reir for topics Of every kind calculated to occupy
and interest the well-cultivated mind are intro
duced. Political questions, not much in their |
party aspecfs az in their general character are con-