The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-26
LITERARY NOTICES.

LITERARY NOTICES.
AMERICAN PORTRAIT GALLERY. Part III, Vol ".
By John Livingston of the New York Bar. New
York, 1854.
The Part before US contains eight portraits
and seventy pages of biographical sketches.
We do not exactly understand by what rule
the editor is guided in the selection of his sub
jccts; for, in looking over the contents of the
work, SO far as published, we find portraits
and memoirs of men of not the least note or
consequence, but who have probably been at
the cost of paying handsomely for their own
pictures. OF the two hundred and forty 1.-TWO
remarkable men who have kindly vouchsafed
to the Public their pictures, taxing themselves
for the benefit of Mr.. Livingston and posterity,
nearly all may be olassed with the great IN
known. They have revealed themselves fer
the first time, in "the American Portrait Gal
lery" The Press, as usual is full of admiration:
"a great national work y" one of the most
interesting works Of the age"-" large and
splendid collection D." the most remarkable
and valuable this country has yet seen -" q
true historical record of the lives and services
of those eminent citizens" &c., SOL This is
q pretty fair sample of the style in which the
newspapers enlarge upon the extraordinary
MORT of what is in fact humbug
POPULAR LECTURES ON DRAWING AND DESIGN By
WIN. Minifee, author of Text Book of Mechan-
ical Drawing" &c. Baltimore VIM. Minifee.
These Lectures were delivered at the public
meetings of the School of Design of the Mary
land institute, with view chiefly to inculcate
the Importance of teaching Drawing and De-
sign in ali our schools. They are sensible
we'll written, and will doubtless exert whole
some influence where they are read.
| UNIvBRsALIsT QUARTERLY AND GENERAL REVIEW.
October 1854. Boston: A. Tompkins. Vol XI
No ".
There is little in this number to remind one
Of the peculisrities of faith indicated by its
title, but much that Christians of all denomi-
nations hold in common. Its articles generally
are of q religious character.
NORTH BRITISH REVIEW. August 1854 New
York: Leonard Scott Co. For sale by Taylor
Maury Washington, D. C.
The North British has clever article on
Books for Children, which may be read with
great profit by those who would crush out the
pleasant fsncies of children and make philoso-
phers Of infants. Half of the good books
as they ere called, for children, are good for
nothing. They meet no want of child's ma
ture, they ignore its peculiar tastes.
In an excellent article on the past and pres
ent political morality of British statesmen, the
position is taken that the present race of public
mon in Great Britain is greatly in advance
morally, of it's predecessors. Of this there can
be no doubt. More regard is paid to political
consistency, to pecuniary integrity, and more
respect is shown to the obligations of Christian
morality.
The other articles in the Review are chiefly
literary with no special relation to the present
times.
THB GOBLIN SNoB. Imagined and Illustrated by
Henry L. Stephens. New York De Witt 4 Dav-
export, Publishers. For sale by Franck Taylor
Washington, D. c.
The marvellous adventures of the Goblin
Snob, done into outlandsh doggerel, illustrated
by all sorts Of fantastic pictures, Gil on the
finest paper, and in beautiful style, within the
lids of what looks like handsome singing book
It is comical and wonderful, and little and big
folk alike must laugh over its pages.
The CHEMISTRY or COMMON LIFE. BY James T.
W. johnson, NJ. A, Y. r. s., &c, DO No. "
New York: d. Appleton q Co.
DR.. Johnson, 10 this series of tracts, is serv-
ing up in simple style vast deal of informa-
ton for the People, important 10 life and health
The work is to be completed in five numbers,
at twenty-five cents each-the whole forming
neat volume of about 400 pages The topics
of the present number are-the odors we en-
| joy, the smells we dislike, what we breathe and
breathe for, what how, and why We digest.
We commend the work earnestly to all our
readers. They cannot be too well instructed
in regard to the subjects of which it treats.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER, and Monthly Record of
Medical Science. Edited by Samuel L. Hollngs-
worth. Philadelphia; Lindsay & Blakiston.
This monthly contains almost sixty pages of
reading matter in each numbcr-at SO per
year Its original department is well supplied,
its photographed notices arc discriminating,
and its record of medical science is quite valu-
able.
PUrNAN's MONTHLY. September and October, 1854
New York. For sale by Franck Taylor, Washing
ton, d. C.
We intended to notice at length the pupgent
article in the September number Of this spirit
ed Monthly, on Parties and Politicians, but it
is now too late. In the October number, is an
excellent portrait of Parke Goodwin, the able
author of the article, and the editor of the
Magazine. It caricatures him little but
looks like the portrait of one capable of deal
ing trenchant blows.
JERUSALEM AND ITS VICINITY. Byw H. Odonhei.
mer, A. M, Rector of st. Peters Church. Philadel
phia. Philadelphia E. II. Butler Il Co.
A very beautiful volume, very elegantly IL
Illustrated, creditable in all respects to the taste
and enterprise of the publisher It contains
descriptions of Jerusalem and it's localities,
given in series of familiar lectures, written
originally at the solicitation of friends There