, 1863-04-23

luc Al41ul1c A1oAlAi} 4oT 1laJ 4e HUm iEAAJ
at the bookstores, and contains several papers
which will compare tayorably with the best |
contributions eyer made to its classic pages.
There is Is much freshness in 1t as cyer, as |
much sunny and genial writing, as much skill |
in the construction and coloring Of tue stories,
as much learning, pleasantly, end, therefore,
popularly set forth In the solder articles,
and cs much genuine ichor In tho poems, ~
characterized its carly and SO called, palmy,
numbers.
We do not wish even to appcnr invidions,
but We honestly think there is no serial ex-
tant, either in this country Or in England,
which is at al equal to the Atlantic in point
OF literary merit. Awhile ago, it was our re-.
proach that We had no periodical literature
worthy Of the name; and We had to take what
VIC could get from the proud and capable
English, nor look the gift horse too closely
in the mouth. In those days, Blackwood, and
Frazer, and Tait were the trinity by which VIC
ewore our allegiance to letters; not, however,
without much grumbling that VIC had no
gods Of our own TO swear By.
All is changed since then. kit North's de-
nise fell like q black shadow upon the once
brilliant pages Of Blackwood. and there 1t re-
mains, dusk and heavy; tumbliug its glooms
through articles which are meant to be bright
and good, and giving all readers hypocondria,
and the mumpE, instead, rs Of old, inspiring
them with ambrosial wit, and he wine Of ge-
MUS. Frazer, too, which Carlyle christened
eand-magaziue," in contempt, long ago-is
now quito blind with It's own dust,
Its e1oqucncc mere echo Of the old
music which whilom thundered through its
matchless sentences; and 1t lives merely
upon the traditions Of Its ancient fnmc. TAFT
las lost all tone, character md ability, and
has sunk into well meritcd obscurity. In
the meanwhile, tho genius Of literature, flap
ping her wings in the face Of these dying en-
terpEises, has abandoned them to their imbe-
s1lity, and graclously come to us with her In
srirations and glorics. There is nothing Of
the mock-heroic In all this, hard as it may.
eonnd to those who have been familiar with
the names Of the English magazines, and
| have learned 10 esteem them as the chief of
their class. Let any Impartial, competent judge
examine the last number Of Blackwood, for
example, ard compare It with the present
issue Of the Atlantic, aud lie will subscribe,
70 far, to the general proposition which We
affirm, rs to the superiority Of the American
over the English serials.
In this Msy number, there Is ono p.per, en-
titled " Dark Ways''-a sort Of autobiosraph-
ical confession, made to n Roman Catholic
priest, by IN 1talian in thc dungeons of Ma
pies, who had betrayed his country to Austria,
instigated BY an all absorbing love for beau
tful Austrian spy-which, in conception and
literary treatment, Is without rival in prose
compositions. Lord Byron, in his Proph-
cEy Of Dante, has reached its heights Of
passion and agony, but he Inns not gone be-
yond it, nor do We think 1t possible for any
one to excel It. It ie, indeed, q prose poem,
and is set In all the pomps and splcndor o.
language. The struggle between the prison
cr's lore Of country and his love for the Aus
trian girl-who is SO finely painted that an ar
tist could make an effective copy Of 1t OF
his canyass-is wrought out with fear
fnl power, and makes the reader trcm
bic like an aspen leaf. His snbscqucn
remorfe, his euffcrings, hfs unlying low
through It all for the girl, to save whom from
| infarly and dishouor, he dishonorcd Eimsel
, ard betrayed Italy, arc profound studies 0
the human heart, and show how great mas
|, ter Of its secrets and conflicting emotions an'
, | passions, is this delincator Of them. The In
cidcntal descriptions Of scenery and places ar
! perfect gems Of art, and float In an atmosphcr
Of Imagination and poetry.
: We have seen nothing frou, Miss Harriet F
Pre.cott'B pen Of late which is worthy t
. compare with it. It Is an indnbitah1c work c
l to-