The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-11
Gbt Ssbit6.
VALUABLE PUBLICATIONS BY LITTLE,
BROWN, & COMPANY.

BROWN, & COMPANY.
We have Just received from the Publishers,
Little, Brown, & Co., Boston, the following
valuable Publications:
LIFE WORKS. OF JoHN ADAMS, by CHARLES FRANCS
| ADAMS Vols. LIST and 10Th.
The former volumes we have noticed at length.
Those before US complete one of the most i'm
portant and valuable works ever issued from
the American press.
The general correspondence" continued
and closed in the tenth volume, ranges from the
year eighteen hundred and eleven to eighteen
hundred and twenty six, the last year of the life
of Mr.. Adams. 1t comprises his interesting
and varied correspondence with Jefferson, and
his series of letters to William Tudor, contain.
ing profoundly interesting "reminiscences of the
Revolution, and of the events and characters
that initiated the great movement. The more
we read of old John Adams, the more we feel
that he was the very soul of the Revolution.
His letters are fascinating word is in
stiAct with life-they show his intensity, his
verabounding energy and activity. He had
vitality enough for dozen ordinary men.
The biographical portion of the work is
worthy of all praise. The first part of it, occu-
plying about eighty-nine pages, and bringing
down the narrative to the year 1870, is from the
pen of John Quincy Adams the rest, the main,
and, we may add, by far the more interesting
part, is the work of Charles Francis Adams,
who has executed the task with an ability
worthy Of the subject. Clearly understanding
the character of his grandfather; ardently sym.
pathizing with his lofty spirit of independence;
thoroughly informed in regard to his acts and
those of his cotemporaries, and their relations
to each other; keen in his insight into human
nature; careful in his investigation of evidence;
infexible in his devotion to Truth comprehen-
sive in his views, and withal an accomplished
scholar, he has given to the Public one of the
finest and most valuable biographies of modern
times. In this connection we cannot help re-
marking, that it is a shame to Massachusetts
that man, bearing the honored name of
Adams, and inheriting so many of the great
qualities of that revolutionary family, should
be absent at such crisis from the Federal
Councils.
From the same Publishers we have received
the following volumes of their admirable edition
of the British Poets:
PoKMs SKELroN 3 volumes
PoEMs OF HOOP. volumes i
PoKads HRRIcx. volumes
Poems OF SHAKESPEARE. l volume.
PoEMs DONNIE. 1 volume
PoEMs oS VAUGHAN / volume.
The series to which these volumes belong
or nhroc Al
Poets, from Chaucer to Wordsworth
whole works of the most distinguished, with
selections from the minor, authors, accompa.
MED with biographical, critical, and historical
notices-edted by T. j. Child, Hamilton Pro-
fessor of Rhetoric and Oratory in Harvard |
College. The volumes, l6mo, are peculiarly |
neat; the paper, Typography, and mechani-
cal execution, are exceedingly beautiful; and |
the editorship is marked by care, scholarly
ability, and taste Each work may be bought
separately, neatly bound in the style of Pick.
eriDg's Aldine Poets, or in black cloth, gilt
lettered, at IS cents volume. Sixtyseyen
volumes have already been printed.
BRITISH EssAYIsrs.
The same sntsspEis9ss 81 Sll4ishes, byfssaing
a uniform editon--size and appearance like
those of the British Poeta-of the British Essay
lists, in thirty eight volumes, and comprising
the Tattler, Spectator, Guardian, Rambler, Ad-
venturer, World, Connoisseur, Ider, Mirror,
Lounger, Observer, and Looker-on, with pre-
faces, historical and biographical, by A. Chal
mers, f. S. A.
Apart from the intrinsic claims of these
standard works, the beautiful style and reason
able price of this edition give it special claims
to favor. AS this century is characterized by
noveLwriting, so was the eighteenth by essay
writing. Novels constitute the body of our
light ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, magazines, and
reviews, contain great deal of fine writing, full
of thought and energy, but it is only now and
then real essay appears in the style of the last
century. Our writers and speakers would gain
point and polish, without impairing their vigor,
if they would consult more frequently the es-
sayists of the last century, of whom we have no
living representative.
FOREIGN