The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-11

ne is competent to handle his subject success.
culation and careful perusal especially by min
listers of the Gospel.
MEMORIALS OF HIS TIME BY Henry Cockburn New
York; D. Appleton Co. 1S56. For sole by r Farm
ham, Washington, ID. c.
1t is but short time since Lord Cock.
burn appeared before the public with the Life
and Correspondence of Francis Jeffreys. of the
Edinburgh Review; and now, the grave hav-
ing closed over him, we have the Memorials of
his lime. That it is well written, we need not
say. 1t is indeed rich collection of notices
OF men and manners, by one who was qualified
to observe, and who has treasured up mass of
facts relating to the most distinguished authors,
divines and lawyers, judges and statesmen,
Scotland has produced for the last sixty or
seventy years. Here we have DIR. Robertson,
Adam, (author of Roman Antiquities,) Dalzel,
(of the Gr@ca Minora and Majora,) Hume, Du-
gald Stewart, Brown, Leslie, Walter Scott, and
long list more of those who figured in their
various departments of learning or influence
No volume has lately appeared in so small
compass, which presents such number Of
sketches of the Edinburgh giants, or brings
us more into the circle of passing events, in
which they mingled. Lord Cockburn's posi-
ton, as one among them up from his very
childhood, gave him every opportunity to see
and hear, and he richlyimproved disadvantages.
Those who with his eyes wish to look behind
the curtain, too, can trace many of the infu.
ences then at work to affect the condition of
Scotland, and make her what she now is. His
picture OF the manners of social life, and the
usages OF visits, dinners, and various meetings
with each other, of the time of his childhood,
are amusing, and it is interesting to watch, as
he proceeds, the changes that take place. In
his life of Jefreys, he gave full account of
the establishment and progress of the Edn-
burgh Review; so that this portion of his me.
MORALS was omitted on its publication. But
we have many anecdotes relating to Brougham
and others, who bore part in that Review :;
and the famous Speculative Society of Edin-
burgh receives its due share of notice. Such
works as this are valuable, as their authors
faces are coming to take their places, and new
customs and manners are crowding out those
which will soon belong only to the memorials
of olden time.
LIFE SKETCHES FROM COMMON PATHS Series of Ameri-
can Tales. BY Mrs. Julia l.. Dumont New York
ID. Appleton & Co. 1SJ6. For sale by X. Farnham,
Washington, ID. C.
Whatever its merits as literary production,
a volume SO dedicated as this" To my two
sons, the last of the then mirthful band whose
young feet gladdened their parental home
while the pages of this little volume were from
time to time written, intended as mothers
Offering to dU"-might claim 10 be tenderly
treated; and if we could not commend we
might omit to censure. But thus prepared
with thoughtful regard to the welfare of those
so dearly loved, we might, too, feel assured its
moral aim and influence could not be other
wise than salutary, to inculcate lessons of truth
and good conduct. Such we find these pages ;
nor do they need shelter from rebuke beneath
the 9gis only of mothers affection. We rec
ognise in them the talent that can convey its
instructions in fitting manner. If not of the
highest style Of such class of writing, thew
are written as to interest and enlist the feel
ings of the reader the incidents are suitably
put together, the descriptions and delineations
of character fairly done, and the moral impress.
sion of the whole is good. We trust its author
ess has not labored for naught as we'll in re-
gard of her children and of the readers who
may follow her pen, as it sketches for the m,
also, the scenes of the First Temperance Pledge
the Brothers Estrangement; the Young Ply
stefan; the Debt; the Pauper; Family His
tory Aunt Hetty, &c.-some of the titles Of
her stories here collected. The style of wri-
ting is attractive, and the variou, portions of
the volume evidently have not been thrown off
hastily, but bear marks of care, and, with the
object in view, not of mere effect, but Of USE
fulness. They are called Life Sketches
which seems to indicate that they are founded
on fact. Whether so or not, they are what
may be supposed to have happened in various
parts of our country. We cheerfully and
heartily bespeak for them the good will of our
readers.