New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-09
Nrxv WORK. DAILY TRIBUNE, SATURDAY, MAY @ 1851

even more than they eIprcz In regard to Che literary
execution Of the work must Lc confessed that Il be
travs great iuequAtes. Mr. Jones r. 80 lcll'n cric
in Judging Of other. int he il not always sufficiently
severe toward himself Heis guilty of slip. which,
with all his kindne-- Of feeling be would not fail to
condemn in anothers writing. Ills style is too dis
cur.ive-not seldom laagu.i-rever remarkable for
tersenes- or point. Will prevailing air Of cultivs
ton ard polish it is often careless, expressing an IN
complete thought in an imperfect manner Hence we
do not anticipate long duration for these volumes
They were excellent specimens Of ephemeral criticism
in their dsy-certanly better than the common run OF
newspaper and magazine literature in that kind-;hey
do ere dit 10 the writer's taste and accomplishment
they may now be read with a mild satisfaction, q. 5
relief from the glare and intensity Of modern sensa-
ton books-but they do not belong to that class Of
productions which the world would greatly miss II SUIT
fered to die natural death.
NEW BIOGRAPHIES OF ILLUsTRIOrS MEN. l2mo pp.
408 Boston: Whtemore, Ail- Il Han
The Encycoped:a Britannica, Of which the eighth
edition is now passing through the press, IL not more
remarkable in any of its well-fied departments than
in that Of biography. it, sketches of eminent men,
for the most part, although subject to the inevitable
rule Of brevity demanded by the nature of the work
are full of information. written in compact but toWinS
style, and animated by genial spirit The notices OF
johnson and Goldsmith and Aterbury, by Macaulay
are models Of condensed and expressive composition
Omitting of course the minor details connected with
the subject they each present cabinet picture OF OK
ouise finish. Professor Spsdlng furnishes the art-
cles on Addison and Bacon, in which he gracefully
deineates the strongly conrasted characteristics OF
those eminent men. The contributions of M Henry
Rogers, including sketches Of Bishop Butler. Gbbon
Hume and Gassend are valuable papers, although IN
comparably inferior to those of Macauay, and often
dsfgured by vein Of pedantry of clumsy mode OF
expression which show the scholastic tendencies OF
the writer Several of the biographies in the Ency-
clopedia Britannica beside those just alluded to, are
collected in this little volume which forms not only an
eminently readable book for the moment, but one Of
permanent interest 1t il issued in neat edition and
de.erves place in every library.
Whittemore. Niles, & Hall
Mr.. Swain is an amateur English poet, residing in
Manchester, where he is engaged in the business of
engraving. He has been frequent contributor to
London periodicals. and has published several volumes
of poems Without attempting lofty flight he has
free command of poetic dictonhs verscaton is cosy
and smooth, ana OFTEN ni's'"i-onu" i' VIM VI 'o
and feeling appeals to the better sentiments OF our ms
ture One of the most striking pieces in the volume
entitled " Dryburgh Abbey is description OF Sir
Walter SCOTS funeral, attended by procession OF
the characters in his novels. OF this poem, 1t IL re-
marked by Mr. Tuckeman, to whom this volume IL
dedicated that it is too graphic tribute to genius
not to be recalled with delight Several OF the smaller
pieces have certain liquid sweetness, but few possess
sufficient depth passion 10 eutitle them to high
praise.