The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-19
Eighth month, 1852
LITERARY NOTICES.
J. g. w.

ElgHH UlOHH, loO-'
LITERARY NOTICES.
MYSTERIES or, Glimpses of the Supernatural b.
Charles WHY'S Elliott New York Harper 4
Brothers For sale by Franck Taylor, Washing
ton, d. C.
Mr. Elliott has here taken it upon himsel
to trace the whole history of Supernaturalism
from the Delphic Oracle to the Rochester
Knockings" beguiling the way with con
tinuuous discharge Of caustic comment.
We have read the book with considerable,
interest, and must acknowledge the author
title to goodly share of "sound common
sense" yet, on the whole we cannot say tina
we have found in it sufficient answer to thu
query which heads the first preface. 1t seem!
to be rather an exercise in style than anything
else.
LONDON LABOR AND LONDON Poor No. 81. BY
Henry Mayhem For sale by Franck Taylor
Washington, d..
The more we sec Of this work, the more are
we impressed with its value. 1t is perfect
encyclopedia of the lower strata of London
life
PIERRE or the Antiquities. BY Herman Melville
New York Harper 4 Brothers. For sale by
Franck Taylor, Washington, d. C.
Truly is there q but one step from the SUBJ
lime to the ridiculous" and as truly hath Mr..
Melville herein accomplished it. Such mass
of incongruities, antiquities" heterogeneous
absurdities, and absolute impossbilities, as the
two covers of this volume enfold, it has rarely
been our fortune to light upon Now and then
we strike upon something that reminds us Of
Typee, Omoo, &c, but it is speedily swallowed
up in the slough of metaphysical speculation
which constitutes the largest portion of tn,
work. The characters are absurdly paradox
cal and greatly overdrawn the incidents arr
impossible, in real life, and the whole book i
utterly unworthy of Mr.. Melville's genius. |
unquestionaBly contains vast deal OF power
but it amounts to nothing and accOmpllshe
nothing but climax too horribly unnatura
to be thought Of
Mr. M has evidently taken hold of a sub
iect which has mastered him, and led him int
all manner of vagaries. He is more at home
in the manifold intricacies of ships higgins
than amid the subtleties of psychological phe
nomena.
MEYER UNIvERsuM, Parts and 3. New York
Herman }. Meyer.
We most heartily commend this beautiful
publication to our readers, rs a cheap ant
elegant means of acquainting themselves with
some of the most notable localities of the world
The present numbers contain each four fin'
steel engravings.
GRAHAM MAGAZINE September, 1852
Graham has distanced Time, in the race fo
September; and truly he gives us mos
princely number. Pictures and poems, essay
and stories, by host of favOrite contributors
May the length of his subscription list be pro
pOrtionate to the excellence of his magazine
Tue NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY OF DIsrIN
GuIsHrD AMERICANS &c. Published by Rober
+. Peterson 4 Co, Philadelphia.
The publishers have conceived the com
mendable idea of issuing, in weekly numbers
gallery of portraits, executed in the bes
manner upon steel. and accompanied with re
liable biographical sketches of the most dis
tinguished Americans from Washington t
Fillmore, including statesmen, soldiers, sailors
poets. painters &c. The work is to be com
pleted in forty numbers, at twenty-five cents
each number to contain three plates.
The number before us contains three hand
some engravings of Washington, and one o
his wife The paper and typography are full.
worthy of the enterprise and the book prom
ises to be at once one of the most elegant ant
valuable of the day.
Robert King is agent for the District of Co
lumbia Rooms at Mrs. Macpherson's Penn
sylvania avenue, third door from Adamss tx
press Office,
Tns WESTMINSTER REVIEW. July, 1852. For sal
by Taylor 4 Maury, Washington, D. C.
In point of literary merit, and as u power
full, earnest advocate of practical reform, tn
Westminster Review ranks second to no publ
cation of the time.
The present number begins new volume
and contains some dozen articles; anon,
which the most prominent are" Secua
Education" THE Future Of Geology, y Ten
denotes of England" "The Lady Novelists,
and "The Restoration of Belief y
BLAcKwooD's EpINBuRou MAGAZINE. July, 1852
For sale by Taylor Maury, Washington, d. c.
Blackwood opens with an able and elaborate
argument in favor of an increase of "Nationa
Deiences;" followed by a few chapters of {
new story called Katie Stewart ridicu
lous article upon american Politics, anothe
instalment of "My Novel" &c.
This number commences new volume, an,
the publishers take occasion to renew the
liberal terms, viz Blackwood alone, three dol
lars in conjunction with the four Reviews
ten dollars