The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-07
Gbs 8sdish.

,p Board of Missions. With numerous engra-
New York: Harper Brothers. 1856. For
.lsby Franck Taylor, Washington, d C.
There is more than one reason for regarding
-, hook with interest. 1t supplies a beside
.rm: for a work of moderate size, embody-
:, the various information respecting Western
,ssc. has long been wanted. 1t is likewise
.n,bsDtic and reliable, as the production of
-.,,lemsn of high character, who draws from
., -acords of his own observation and expert
30 as well as from a great variety of sources
-,;cb he had at command, and out of which
1. ,srsonal acquaintance with the country in
n is aspects, as missionary for some eigh-
IN or twenty years, enabled him to sift and
thor their most valuable stores. 1t relates
:, region, also, which is beginning to loom
:, with an importance hitherto unknown and
acknowledged, for its materials of profit
able traffic. and toward which the eyes of Eng
T.b commerce are eagerly bent, and which, be-
o.use of the claims of the Slave Power in our
midst. ever interfering with our availing our
selves of advantages no nation could compete
with. it is probable we may in a great measure
lose, while the Island Queen gathers in It's gold
duyt palm oil, and products of cline and
sail luxuriant often beyond description. A
r.,Ion of death has lined those coasts signs
and groans of wretched victims of Slavery
haze filed the air thick to crowding with horror;
sDectres which more than century have been
dismissed there to haunt the peaceful traveller,
gibberins in strange and uncouth words the
wrongs and outrages of that master crime,
whose bosom harbors evil of every kind
these all have made the name of Africa one to
think Of hardly without a shudder, and sort
Of despair for aught for her that is better.
But rays of light have shot athwart the dark.
ness, aud here and there now CLEAN, not the
b.leful fires of an accursed traffic, but light
houses of salvation, from whence echo back
the prophetic words, Ethiopia shall stretch
forth her hands to the living God" May the
dsy soon come when it shall be fulfilled!
Mr.. Wilson has given US book of real
yalue; the geographical position of the region
be describes, the tribes of men inhabiting it,
their languages, manners, and customs, their
civil polity, and their religions, with all the d.
vers collateral questions that arise in relation
to its history and prospects, are clearly stated,
and no little information thus placed within
the reach of every reader. The author evil
IDENTIFY does not view, in the colonization of
Africa remedy for Slavery as it exists among
US. All the influence it can exert in this as.
peet of the subject is reflex, and comparative
" slight. He rightly points out the injury
liable to happen by the attempt to send num-
bers rather than those of best capacity and
training for the work Of making their power as
= community felt among populous tribes but a
day or two's journey from Liberia, Cape Pal
mas, &c.
His words deserve attention. After series
Of very judicious observations in reference to
the employment of missionaries, and provision
for the education and religious instruction of
the people, all of which should be carefully
pOndered, he goes on to say: "The directors of
the Colonization enterprise, we think, have
erred in directing their efforts too exclusively
TO the one object of transporting emigrants to
Liberia. 1t requires something
more than mere numbers to constitute thrifty
and Aourishing Commonwealth. On the other
hand, an undue accumulation of idleness, i'm
providence, and vice, such as would be likely
to accrue from thrusting large numbers of
these people Unfortunately into the bosom
Of this infant Republic, would certainly result
ia its entire overthrow" He presses earnestly
the Importance of caring for the moral and re-
ligiOus Improvement of the natives-that they
maytend towards an equality with the settlers,
and says: " If the pecuniary resources Of the
Society we're devoted mainly to internal inn
provements for five or six years to come, es-
Pecially in erecting comfortable receptacles
for newly arrived emigrants, in establishing
saw-ms, introducing draught animals, and
constructing good roads, very little else would
be needed to induce colored persons to emf
CRATE, and no doubt quite as fast as it would be
compatible with the interest of the community
TO receive them"
We hope this book will be read by many,
aud that its wise suggestions will be needed by
every friend to the colonization-snd, yet more,
ciVilzatiOn-of poor, degraded Africa. If we
bad space, We should be glad to notice further
It's contents, which combine so much that is
interesting
SihTI'NS WRITINGS WALTER SAykGg
LANDoR. Edited by George SULLIVAN billiard. Boston
ncknot Fields. 1850.
4 valuable collection of choice thoughts, like
apples Of gold, set in pictures of silver"
Lander is a name that ranks high in modern
English literature, and the editor, Mr.. billiard,
Is esteemed an elegant scholar among his
friends, and where known. To those who do
not have access to Landor's works-two costly
volumes, of which no reprint has been given to
the public in this country-this duodecimo, 50
neatly printed, on every page of which are set
gems Of brilliant lustre, will most prize this &C.
eession to our literature. A much larger book,
yea, numbers of volumes of the same cast, could
easily be taken from the writings of Lander.
Indeed, we scarcely know of modern English
author who could thus furnish a greater body
Of elegant extracts, of intrinsic value, and
clothed in language of great force and beauty.
Lander, too, sympathizes with the cause OF
Liberty everywhere. More of this phase of his
spirit would have been breathed into this vol.
ume, had it been edited by one less conserva
tive as to the great question sgitating the
world, for ample materials we're at hand, in bis
authors burning words; but with even this
drawback, we rejoice that SO much of Landor
vii find its way to the readers that gather in
the family circles, and are scattered abroad, on
travel through our land. The author has
reached such an age, that he will soon pass
4vay from, the nresaace thou oh not we trust