New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


The publisher of thI Incompatible edition Of the
"Noctes has made lucky hit. IL is brought out
OF the right time. Tie recent decease of Wilson has
created iresh interest in his Writings MANY who
have hitherto real only bits and scra 5s Of the re-
nowned "Noctes," will re be introduced to the
original hive overlooking with honey. And no one
who hes ever enjoyed the brood, gay humor of the
rollckng Christopher, and his merry compariots aud
compotators-no one who has ever been brought into
the "meitng mood by his sudden touches of pathos
or listened to his genial suggestive criticisms on
the poets Of the day-or suffered spasm Of side
shaking from his rressti Die sarcssms-that will not
be glad to repeat the old delights and vile away
many pleasant hour with such fascinating CON-
panion. The "Noctes has all the charm of the most
agreeable conversation, with the additional pleasure
that you are not obliged to rack your brains in order
give suitable return for the sparkling illusions of
your brilliant interlocutors You are spell bound by
the gushing flow of tak-your mind is less excited
than if you formed part of the electric chain which
is 90 fully charged with social vitaty-but you are
not called ON to contribute anything to the ovial
symposium-this would be indeed to carry Goals to
Newcsste-and can completely share in the exuoerant
outpouriDgs Of wit, wisdom, satire, Spleen cyncisn
and triumphant good nature without leaving your
Mercantile Library.
But II is idle at this time Of day, TO expatiate On
the charms of the jolly old Christopher and his
"mirthful crew." We may, however, notice this
edition of the Noctes in reality, an original
work. No small portion of its pages is from the
pen of the erudite editor. Such a fund Of anec-
dote "reminiscences, and personal CHARACTERISED
ton, ss he has interviewer with the text is rarely
put in print. DIR. Shelton Mackenzie is most sin
qulsrly qualified for his task. Whatever may be
thought Of the claims of modern prophets n general
be 10 Enthusiastically man with a mission. lie was
born to complete the work which Boswell left un-
finished His head teens with gossip about British
literary men of this centuryhis portfolio still
70. He is living biographical dictionary. The
patience with which he collects the most minute
facts in regard to the subjects of his pen, astound
ing, frightful, incredible. He throws of the COM
picated details Of genealogy, personal relations
photographed history, with much as if they
were the iokesOf cub-rOom He shows no traces of
WEAKNESS with his work. His vigilance is perpetual
Our reminiscent Homer never mods. Not sugges-
tive name or incident, or remark escapes his sleep
less eye. He sometimes, indeed, gives us more than
was snOminated in the bond, flooding the unsus-
pecting reader with information, for which he has no
special use at the moment. But, on the whole, his
notes and illustrations as interesting as they are
copious They furnish important materials for the
literary history Of the age and are not surpassed for
their fascinating qualities as eight reading" for
summer afternoon, Even without reference to the
delightful "Noctes," the present work, accordingly
deserves a high place among the current popular
volumes of amusement and instruction.
In addition to the extensive body OF Notes with
which DIR. Mackenzie has illustrated this edition,
he has given curious account of the origin and
progress of Blackwoods Magazine, and carefully
prepared memoirs of Wilson, LOckhart, Hogg and
Maginn the bibulOus quaterniOn to whom the con-
coction of the Noctes has usually been ascrbed.
The celebrated Chaldee Manuscript, which, on its
first, appearance in Black,roOd, made Edinburgh too
hot to hold the publisher, and was at once sup
pressed is here reproduced in its complete original
FORM Both account of its peculiar character, and
its desperate scarcity, this relentless, audacous
satire may be reck oned among the genuine curiosites
of literature.
The frat number of BlackwOod was brought out in
April 1877 At this time, its founder was about forty
wears old In Peters Letters, (by Lockhart) he was
described as ga nmble active looking man OF middle
age and moves about from corner to another with
great alacry and apparently under the influence OF
high animal spirits. His complexion Is very san
puineOus but nothing can be more intelligent, Keen,
and sagacious, than the expression of the whole
physognomy; above ALL the gray eyes and eyebrows
as full of locomotion as those of Catalan. The re-
marks he makes are, in general extremely acute
much more so, indeed, than those of any member OF
the trade ever heard speak upon such topics"
Its frat editors made "bOtch" of their business,
and soon received walking orders. Their place was
easily supplied. "Blackwoodwas thrown on his own
resources which did not fail him. He undertook to
be his own Editor, and he continued, for the re-
manning seventeen years of his life. He looked about
for assistants and found them. There was James
Hogg, whose Queens Wake had placed him, not long
before, in station, among Scottish poets inferior
only TO Robert Burns and Walter Scott. There was
John Wilson then in the spring of intellect and nush
of young manhood. There was John Gibson LOCK-
hart eminenty gifted by nature and largely improved
nv education. There was Robert Pierce Gilles, (af
forward the Kempferhausen Of The Noctes, whose
admirable notices of the dramatic literature OF Ger
many and Scandinavia speedily gave the Magazine
peculiar and inmitable character. There were 9TH
ers of less note-but these were enough at the time
The Magazine rapidly rOseto celebrity. Its caustic
nolitical satire and its dashiDg INSCRIPTIONS and
merciless literary criticism, equally contributed 10
attract the attention of the public. 1t became a Pc
tent authority in the world of letters but was less
hated than admired Meantime, on the removal OF
Jockbsrt TO London though Backwood never relin'
ouished the actual business conduct Of the Magazine
Wilson gradually became the virtual editor. His more
generous impulses gave new tone to its management