The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-08

our reading public. The larger Russian &C
counts are either in that language or the
French; and, with the exception of PaIlas and
Ernan, scarcely any means of accurate knowl.
edge, as to any of these portions Of Russia, is
within reach of the general reader. Mr.. At
kinson, in his preface, says that, his account
"relases to country extending from Kokhan
on the west to the eastern end of the Baikal,
(Lake,) and as far south ss the Chinese town
of Tchin-si, including that immense chain,
Syenshan, never before seen by any European,
as well as large portiouIof the western part of
the Cobb, over which Genghis Khan marched
his wild hordes toward the west-scsnes on
which no pencil has been previously employ
ed-comprising distance traversed of about
$4,000 versts, IA verst is about three quarters
OF mile,) in carriages, 100 in boats, and
10000 on horseback-in all, So, 400 versts
(about $4,000 uiles) in the course of seven
years."
MIR. Atkinson is an artist; and one great OBJ.
ject he had in view was to take sketches of the
wild and varied scenery which fell under his
eye. He secured, he says, FIVE hundred sketch.
es, and some of these are given as illustrations,
to accompany the book. He visited the mi
ming establishments and manufactures of iron
and steel in the Uralian and Altaian mount
aims, and furnishes many particulars relating
to these subjects. He has also interpreted
his narrative with scraps of history, anecdotes
of individuals, and descriptions of manners and
customs, which add yet further to the value of
his book. The scenes through which he passed
were most of them more than ordinarily fitted
to awaken an interest, and he paints them in
language of rare felicity. Yet there is no at
!. tempt at producing sensation in the account
of his adventures. he gives scientific and sta
| tistical facts, as well as hunting and sketching
adventures, tells his story with straightforward
mention of events az they rise, even while fully
conscious that he has material that could be
| wrought up, as some do their notes, with plen-
| tiful use of epithets and terms, to excite won
der or admiration. In this respect he is fine
| model. He possessed superior advantages for
the attainment of his object, as be bore letters
of high authority to various officers on his way,
to whom he was commended by the Govern
ment of Russia, with the charge that they should
afford him their aid.
The volume is printed in similar style with
that of DR.. Livingstone, from the same Ameri.
can press. We are not certain whether all
the engravings of the English edition have
been reprinted in the present one and we no
tice some discrepancy in the mode of spelling
the names, las, for instance, Uralan and Oura-
Ian, between the map and the text, which needs
explanation. A number of the places he men
toned as visited are not given at all on the
route laid down in the map; and in a few cases
on the map, mountain seems to have been the
object of visit that is not described in the
authors descriptions; so that apparently the
book is only partial selection of more en-
lsrged materials and notes. We believe Though
we are not certain) that the original English
edition was published in two or three volumes
all of which may, however, be embraced in the
single volume before US. The work, we think,
will take high rank as one of value, for its
varied information, as well as popular sdapta-
ton.
The English Language in its Elements AID Forms; with
History of its Origin and Development Abridged
from the edition Designed t1r general use
in schools and families BY WiIom C. Fowler, late
Professor of Rhetoric in Amherst College. New York
Harper & Brothe--- - hs Taylor &
Madry, washington, d. c.
The science of Grammar has m .de large ad.
vances within the last quarter # a century.
The labors of Grimm, Bopp, an Becker, in
Germany, applied to the Indo lropean Ian.
guages, as well as to the philosoph of language
in general; thoee of Latham, kemble, and !
Barnes, in England, and others, too, in our |
own country, have thrown much light on the |
character and structure of the English Ian. |
gusge, and the elements by which it is related |
to various languages or dialects, and thus de- |
veloped its richness and fitness as vehicle of |
thought and feeling. More therefore is en-.
brsced in the grammars of the present day than
was formerly the case. Collateral subjects are
introduced by way of statement and discus.
sion. This is well in large work, intended
for teachers and as a book of reference; it
admits, however, of serious doubt, if for " gen.
ersl use in schools and families" book so full /
as this of such varied literature is enough aim.
pli6ed. A still further abridgmept would be
better. Many pages will scarcely be read at
all by children aud youth, nor taught, except
in some of the higher schools and academies.
For such, the larger Grammar might be sufi.
Gent. The terms, too, though recognised by
the scholar and philologist, are often too learn.
ed for the beginner. The value of the book is
therefore necessarily limited mostly to those
who have already gained knowledge of the
rudiments of grammar, and to such as desire
to prosecute their Investigations yet further
To these it offers compendions summary of |
the results of the researches of Latham and |
others, adding the acute observations of Pro- |
lessor Gibbs, of New Haven, to whom, as well |
as to Professor March, of Lafayette College,
the author acknowledges very justly his obIiga-
tons for some of the best original portions of |
the book, and important aid otherwise These
are often curious, and for one who will give |
time and attention to them, no doubt may help |
to perfect the pupil in his knowledge of his
mother tongue but few teachers, perhaps, and |
fewer pupils still, will bestow the labor neces-
sary, while more may be discouraged by such |
multiplicity of subjects from engaging with |
much readiness in any of them. In the earlier |
pages, relating to the historical elements" of |
the English language, we notice some assumed |
facts rather too broadly stated; at least Latham
gives reason to question them. There are, too, |
occasional fanciful speculations, such as this
on page 8: The word man in English means |