GEORGE W. CHILDS, PUBLISHER, Nos. 628 & 630 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA. SEÑOR DON HENRIQUE LEMMING, 9 Calle de la Paz, Madrid. Subscriptions or Advertisements for the "Publishers' Circular" will be received by the above Agents, and they will forward to the Editor any Books or Publications intended for notice. DEC. 15, 1863. OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENCE. LONDON, 21st November, 1863. AFTER the long and dull season the fields of literature are upheaving, the mountain is in labor, and the ridiculus mus of the fabulist does not apply to the offspring. So plentiful is the crop of good and sterling books, that one is somewhat puzzled which to begin with. So let Mr. Froude take the lead with his first two volumes of the reign of Elizabeth, embracing only a period of six years, painted with all the minuteness, and with all the faults, too, of the Pre-Raphaelite school, but evidently a work much to the writer's mind, in which Mary Queen of Scots holds the most prominent place where the romantic element prevails, and Elizabeth is but the foil; but when the moral aspect of the period is touched upon, Elizabeth stands forth the centre figure of all, for Mr. Froude is one to appreciate, notwithstanding his minute display of her little weaknesses, the high character of the last of the Tudors. Next we have Dr. Vaughan's third volume of "Revolutions in English History," a book written by a sensible Whig, but even sensible Whigs ever have been the most partial and party historians. Were it not for the strong Whig current, the stream of history would flow pleasantly through Dr. Vaughan's pages, and, as it is, read cum grano salis-a compound of Whiggism and Dissent-it forms a most valuable addition to our knowledge of the period. There is also Mr. J. E. Doyle's "Chronicle of England, from the landing of Cæsar, B. C. 55, to the battle of Bosworth Field in A. D. 1485," a performance evidencing great painstaking in the compilation from the old monkish historians, deep research in all things appertaining to costume and armor, unrivalled skill in reproducing the effect of the illuminations of the fifteenth century, and an utter abnegation of self as the producer of the book, that whatever little blemishes may exist in it as a whole, are lost in the perfect success of this first attempt to write the history of England in printed pictures instead of phonetic sketches. The late Mr. Gilchrist's "Life of William Blake" is a marvellously interesting piece of biography, and will do much to place Blake in his right place amongst the great masters of British art, and yet it is not the biography of Blake to satisfy us. John Linnell, who knew him well, the Good Samaritan who bound up his wounds and furnished the means which kept the great and original artist's latter days from want, could perhaps have written one more to our mind, more of the simple-minded old man, whom I myself, when a boy, a few months before he died, learned to love, as every one did who came within the circle in which he moved. "The Queens of Song," by Ellen Creathorne Clayton, is another attempt, and a successful one, to bring into cultivation a too much neglected field of biography. Clear and vivid in style, it is charming and readable, and cannot fail to become immensely popular. A kindred book, but of greatly higher pretensions, is Dr. Doran's "Their Majesties' Servants; or, Annals of the English Stage from Betterton to Kean," the only real history of the stage since the days of Charles the Second, full of good stories well told, and pleasant and instructive reading. "The Reader" sends forth a prospectus, to which are attached the names of the chief scientific men in England, Scotland, and Ireland to vouch for it, indicating that it will in future add eight pages weekly to its number "to afford scientific men a means of communication between themselves and with the public." It thus becomes, at once, the accredited organ of the great scientific body, and to-day's number shows that the compact has been ratified. This is a great gain; for it is no disparage ment to either the "Athenæum" or "London Review" to say that they were, at best, but stepmothers, never nursing mothers to science, which the "Reader" now is. Of a different class of biography to the three books I have separated by this last paragraph is Mr. Smiles' "Industrial Biographies, Iron Workers and Tool Makers." At Mr. Murray's annual trade sale 10,000 copies were taken by the trade; reviewers all speak well of it, but scientific men sing to a different tune; it is, however, a very readable book, and is sure to be a popular one. Mr. Maguire's "Father Matthew, a Biography," is a book to be read and treasured. The Apostle of Teetotalism has found his biographer, and the book reflects no less credit on him who cried out on the 10th of April, 1838, as he took the first pledge himself: "Here goes in the name of God!" than on the author, who, in treating the subject, has thrown aside all prejudices of creeds and sects, and produced a book to be relished by Catholics and Protestants alike. "Wine, the Vine, and the Cellar," is a book upon wines by Mr. Thomas George Shaw, once a winemerchant but not fortunate in trade, and a man hitherto looked upon as a considerable authority on the subject, which we fear his book is likely to dissipate, beyond an admission of skill in testing, fixing, blending, bottling, racking, etc., the kind of knowledge belonging to his trade, as some of his reviewers, and amongst them M. V. Kirwan, the barrister, whose knowledge is said to be supreme on all matters touching wines, pick tremendous large holes in his coat, and discover the nakedness beneath in his pretensions to archæological lore and reading. "From Matter to Spirit. The Result of Ten Years' Experience in Spirit Manifestations. Intended as a Guide to Enquirers. By C. D., with a Preface by A. B." C. D. is Mrs. De Morgan. A. B., her husband, Professor De Morgan, author of the "Theory of Probabilities," the "Differential Calculus," and not at all a man to lend himself to the propagation of things in which he does not firmly believe. It is a marvellous work, and must become immensely popular in America. I must refer you to the leading article in the "Reader" of the 7th instant for a very curious and full list of books announced by the London publishers. It is a curiosity, and deserves repeating at length in the pages of the AMERICAN GAZETTE AND CIRCULAR, but by some accident it omits the forthcoming publications of Messrs. Bell & Daldy, and of Messrs. Trübner & Co., both of which you will find in the advertisement pages of the same number. Your obedient servant, N. OUR CONTINENTAL CORRESPONDENCE. PARIS, October 30, 1863. THE French Academy have postponed until some time next spring the election of the successor to the late Count Alfred de Vigny. The candidates for the vacant seat are annoyed at the adjournment. It must try patience to wait for years the death of a fellow creature, and when the event does occur which creates a vacancy, to be bidden wait still several months for the election day. A writer may be very prolific or very sterile. Byron went to bed at night, the poetaster scourged by the "Edinburgh Review," and woke the next morning-the famous Byron. Richard Whately was left at evening crouching on his sofa, or gambolling with his favorite dog at Oxford, and gazetted the next day Archbishop of Dublin. There is a book in the imperial printing-office which may make the author eligible to a seat in the French Academy, and this book DEC. 15, 1863. vote more might easily be obtained if I did not remember that poor M. Casimir Bonjour, after repeatedly coming within one voice of election, lived to pass into the state of perpetual candidate, and to receive only one vote. The Academy is impatiently expecting the "reception" of M. Dufaure. He is at present living in some obscure portion of La Charente, writing his eulogy of the late Duke Pasquier, his predecessor. The malicious say he finds it hard work. All writing is hard work (Canning said— there could not be a judge of more authority" 'easy writing is hard reading "); but if the malicious mean that M. Dufaure finds composition an ungrateful task, I am persuaded that they are mistaken. I have sometimes thought, in hearing M. Dufaure speak, that had Sir William Grant been a Frenchman, he would have closely resembled the eminent French advocate. His close reasoning, his powerful logic, his lucid language are scarcely unworthy of that great luminary of the English Chancery bench. may be published before the spring. Life, too, is full of chances, and many a rival in life's race has been seen to fall down a corpse, with his hand lifted over the crown fairly won. Two candidates only have as yet appeared to canvass the votes of the academicians. These are M. Jules Janin and M. Camille Doucet. The former has been for twenty years the dramatic reporter of the "Journal des Débats," and has written books innumerable. His dramatic report was once in great vogue here. This favor has, it appears to me not unjustly, sensibly diminished. It would probably never have arisen had men attached less importance to animation; the public are so anxious to see the man under the author and the orator, they are blind to every fault if the former will but breathe into his letter-press something like vivacity, and if the latter will seem to feel what he says even though he sweat like a smith and bellow like a calf. M. Janin's dramatic reports were full of the vivacity of animal spirits, but if one sought from them a report of theatrical proceedings, an analysis of the last new piece, a criticism of the actors, one was disappointed. He was the Gratanio of critics. His books were even worse. The titles of all of them have been forgotten-all except "L'Ane Mort," which drew from Sir E. B. Lytton the phrase "spued up a Janin," and which M. Janin never forgave, though he was fifteen years waiting for his vengeance, if indeed his attack on the French translation of the comedy "Money," when it was played in 1848, can be called vengeance. "L'Ane Mort" still lives, and a pew edition appears at long intervals to satisfy the public demand. M. Camille Doucet wears the embroidered uniform of office, and in its pocket introduced to the French Comedy several comedies written upon the pattern of the old-fashioned comedy in verse, from which the English stage has been happily exempt (at least I cannot immediately recall one), but which were long popular in this country, where the art of conversation has always been a favorite, and has been cultivated to great perfection. M. Doucet's verse was an easy babble, his plots, according to the French standards, were moral; the French Comedy plays everything admirably; people yawned and languidly applauded. An office-holder's friends can fill a good many houses; so the comedies ran several nights, the critics reported them successful, M. Doucet had them printed, and he thinks them (in which he is quite right) as literary a title to a seat in the French Academy as any which M. de Pongerville or M. Empis possesses. M. Littré and M. Renan are clearly out of the question, and will not challenge the Academy's favor. There is a whisper that the Duke de Fesenzac Montesquieu may bring out his two volumes of memoirs on the imperial Iliad for warrant sufficient to authorize his election, which his years may assure, for they promise he will not hold it long (he is hard upon fourscore). M. Sainte-Beuve (who is beginning to become quite an active partisan of the Empire) has tried earnestly to make M. Theophile Gautier a candidate, but the latter refused to become an opponent of M. Jules Janin. The chances at present seem to be entirely in M. Janin's favor. He has M. Louis Ratisbonne is a Hebrew of independence secured the votes of MM. Guizot, Mignet, Saint Mare of fortune, who fills his leisure hours by cultivating Girardin, de Sacy, Legouvé, Ponsard, Emile Augier, poetry. He has translated Dante without betraying Patin, de Montalambert, de Rémusat, de Lamartine, the Italian poet more than was absolutely unavoidOctave Feuillet, Villemain, Victor Cousin, conse-able. He has written a children's book, "La quently has only five voices to obtain to secure his election. These can scarcely be refused him, for the Duke and Prince de Broglie are old friends of the "Journal des Débats," M. Ampère is one of the family, M. Flourens has always been kindly disposed to that newspaper, and I would say that one Upon We are still without any definite information respecting the unpublished manuscripts which the late Count Alfred de Vigny has left behind him. We are told that a volume of poems may shortly be expected; this is all we know. But his literary will has been published; here is a translation of it. The envelope bore this memorandum: “Codicil to my will; the literary property of all my works bequeathed by me to a sure and tried friend named by me herein." The will went on as follows:"After having studied and tried the excellent head and heart of my friend, Monsieur Louis Ratisbonne, I institute and appoint him absolute proprietor and legatee of my literary works of every kind which have hitherto been published. In the eternal absence of the author, my books and my plays shall be under the authority of no one but himself, and he will stand in my place in every respect. this sole condition nevertheless, that he shall never sell a new edition except by contract providing that so soon as this edition shall be exhausted, he shall re-enter upon the termination of the contract into full and perfect possession of his property, that is to say, that he may without dispute sell a new edition in any form whichsoever he may please, even in the form in which the last edition appeared. And under this further condition, that M. Louis Ratisbonne shall never sell to any publisher the whole property or the perpetual property of my work. He knows experience has demonstrated that publishers, to excite and renew public curiosity, sully by doubtful, if not hostile, prefaces and notes the posthumous editions of celebrated works. It is to protect forever my name from this danger that my friend Monsieur Louis Ratisbonne will be good enough to accept this modest legacy. His charming family is as yet composed only of several young daughters, but if he becomes the father of a boy he will transmit to him my instructions. If he has no son, a son-in-law will suffice, or an author from among his friends-either a poet or an eminent writer, whom he will choose as I do now choose him. Done at Paris, Saturday, 6th June, 1863. ALFRED DE VIGNY." Comédie Enfantine," which I find namby-pamby : it is true my jurisdiction may be objected to upon good ground of reason-I am an old bachelor who detests everything about a nursery except its door. M. Louis Ratisbonne had long been an ardent admirer of Count Alfred de Vigny, and when nearly DEC. 15, 1863. all of the poet's old friends had cooled for him, M. Ratisbonne doubled his attention and admiration. His friendship was a great solace of the last years of Count Alfred de Vigny's life. The Renan fever knows no abatement; pamphleteers and M. Dentu, their accoucheur-in-ordinary, thrive by its vogue, and the Romish prelates increase its sale by waging a very stupid war on it. The Bishop of Marseilles, who is by the way an Irishman, has ordered that throughout his diocese the bells shall toll for the space of three minutes every Friday at three o'clock, and he has given forty days' indulgence to all the faithful who may recite three times an expiatory prayer for sacrilege. The new Minister of Public Instruction continues to be very active, and is really doing a good deal of service to the cause of Public Education. His last measures of general interest are decrees offering a prize of 1500f. to such author as may rectify or complete one or more of the historical catalogues of France which are contained in "L'Art de Vérifier les Dates," or as may determine the chronology of the great French feudatories who are omitted in that celebrated and most useful work, which, to the credit of American librarians be it said, is not to be found on the shelves of five transatlantic public libraries. The well-known Belgio-French publishing firm of Messrs. Lacroix & Co. have in press a work in three volumes entitled "Le Maudit," which is anxiously expected here. It is written by a Roman Catholic priest, and is the secret story of a priest's life as it passes away isolated from all the charities of lifea very lot of Tantalus in the midst of modern society: what waves of life's pleasures-the purest and the impurest-roll in the confessional past his parched lips, leaving them more fevered than ever! He depicts the priest as the Pariah of the West. If he aspires to independence, he is punished for a rebel; if he would rise above the empty forms and hollow puerilities of religious ceremony, he is forced to fall back upon them. It touches on all the most delicate questions of the Romish priesthood, from the dangers of the confessional to the nicest difficulties of the vow of celibacy. It exhibits the intrigues of the Jesuits to wrest estates from lawful heirs. It is expected that this work will make a powerful sensation. M. Michelet has published a new volume of his "History of France." It offers the same violent contrasts to be found in all his works: poetry and balderdash, eloquence and dulness, sensibility and hysterical sentimentality, the babble of the servants' hall and the reflections of the historian. His histories (and the remark may be applied to most French histories) are mere party pamphlets in favor of the wildest Democracy. M. Guizot will give us before many days the sixth volume of his Memoirs. It will embrace the history of two years, 1840-1842, and treat of the obsequies of Napoleon in December, 1840, the death of the Duke d'Orleans, the fortifications of Paris, the right of search, and the affairs of the East, Syria, and Greece. The anecdotal portion of the work will probably be small; indeed, there are fewer anecdotes, and they are worse told, in his Memoirs than in any other book of the class. They are the Blue Books of Memoir writing. I regret to have to announce to you the death of a very remarkable woman, who was, too, the mother of one of the most remarkable men living. I refer to Madame de Ruolz, who departed this life at the advanced age of eighty-two at Clamart, a village in the southern vicinity of Paris, where she lived in a picturesque house situated in one of the most picturesque spots to be found near Paris. She trans lated anonymously all of Lady Morgan's works, and published under the same mask and domino many original novels which had great success in those days which preceded the reign of M. Alex. Dumas. She was the mother of Count Henri de Ruolz, who, at the age of thirty, was the most popular musical composer in Italy and in Russia, who invented the electro-plating process, who is one of the best steel manufacturers and profoundest chemists of France. This, thank Heaven, is the only death I have this fortnight to chronicle, but I confess to feeling something like grief in telling you that the last descendant of Estienne has been discovered in the menial capacity of warden of the decayed domestics' retreat at Issy. I must tell you even at this late date (want of space has prevented the earlier expression) the regrets with which we have heard of the destruction of the Palace of Top Capou at Constantinople. Many of us have often turned anxious eyes to that old fabric, for four hundred years the abode of the Ottoman dynasties, in the belief that its library contained more than one of those invaluable treasures of classical antiquity whose loss is so bitterly deplored. Men of authority have believed that may be a lost book of Livy, a lost book of Aristotle, a Latin tragedy, the life of Cæsar which appeared before he fell, an oration or letters of Cicero, was still to be found. It has always been believed by our scholars to have been formed of the works which were saved by the Greek Emperors after the conquest by the Latins. De La Vallée, the traveller who visited Constantinople in the seventeenth century, was persuaded that the fourteen decads of Livy were in this library, and upon his report the Grand Duke of Tuscany offered five thousand dollars and the Baile of Venice accredited to the Ottoman Porte offered ten thousand dollars more for a reward to whomsoever should "convey" this perfect copy of Livy from the Library of Top Capou Palace. As long ago as 1453 the learned men sent to Athens and Constantinople by Pope Nicholas, to discover precious manuscripts, reported this library filled with the most valuable works, and their mistake in asserting that it contained the Hebrew original of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (which scholars seem now agreed was originally written in Greek) does not substantially damage their credit. It may be mentioned by the way that the Pope offered five thousand ducats to the first dextrous fellow who might "convey" the original Hebrew Gospel according to St. Matthew from the Library of Top Capou to the Library of the Vatican. Fortunately the Decalogue is to be found in the book of Exodus and not in the initial Gospel. All of the treasures of this Library are now in ashes. We have not yet lost all heart. There are innumerable libraries scattered in Moslemland, and energetic, learned travellers may yet recover some long lost treasure. Who knows what Mecca contains? Was it not yesterday that the manuscript of Hyperides was brought from Ethiopia? We do not know what even the Vatican contains. All accounts represent this great library as kept with inexcusable negligence-the most precious volumes lying helterskelter, some on the floor, some on the shelves, all uncatalogued. The Vatican upon one occasion, to reward the services of a zealous adherent, asked him what present would be most acceptable to him. He replied, "A book from the library." The doors of the library were forthwith opened, and he was ushered into it. The librarian said, "Take any three books you please." All lay on the floor in disorder; choice was impossible; he let his fingers wander over the first pile, and let chance determine the lot he should draw. DEC. 15, 1863. AUTHORS ABROAD. Wyndham," and numerous other novels, has pubGEORGE SAND.-"Mademoiselle La Quinterie," lished anything. We see an announcement of this lady's latest romance, has got into a second" Heathside Farm; a Tale of Country Life," edited edition. She announces it as a religious novel, by her. which is an attack on the Catholic priesthood, so highly-colored as, sometimes, to be even impurely suggestive, though intended to have been highly decorous. WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR is perhaps the oldest English author, for he is now ninety years old. This veteran has in the press a volume of "Heroic Idyls, and other Poems." CHARLES LEVER.-This well-known author, now British Consul at Spezzia, in Italy, has commenced a new tale of Irish life, called "Luttrell of Arran," which Messrs. Harper will republish here. W. M. THACKERAY. It is understood that the January number of the "Cornhill Magazine" will contain the commencement of a new novel of society from the pen of Mr. Thackeray. MISS M. A. BRADDON.-This very successful young author announces the publication, in London, of a new illustrated monthly, to be called "The May-fair Magazine." With her popularity and talent, it will have a good chance of success. SOURCES OF THE NILE.-Captain Speke's "Journal of the Discovery of the Sources of the Nile," with numerous illustrations, is to be published by Wm. Blackwood, of Edinburgh, before Christmas. It is looked for with great expectation. THE IRISH LANGUAGE.-As many as three new "Dictionaries of the Irish Language" are now simultaneously being published in Dublin. IRISH TOPOGRAPHY.-"Murray's Handbooks" are known all over Europe, and the series is about being increased by a "Handbook for Ireland, from Original Survey and Journeys in that Country." There are guides to every conceivable place short of the North Pole, but no one thinks of visiting one of the most beautiful countries in the world, although placed within such an easy distance of London. EDITORIAL CHANGES IN THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW.-That veteran periodical," The North American Review," has passed, or is soon to pass, into new editorial hands. The Rev. Dr. Peabody, who WILLIAM MACKWORTH PRAED.-The long-promised has conducted it for ten years with signal ability, collection of Praed's writings, with a memoir of the voluntarily retires, and will be succeeded by Proauthor, by the Rev. Derwent Coleridge, will be fessor James Russell Lowell, and Charles Elliot published in London ere the close of the year. Norton, Esq., under whose charge the number for With reference to this announcement the "London January, 1864, will appear. Dr. Peabody's occuBookseller" states that Mr. Praed's poems were col-pation of the editorial chair through so long a term lected in this country, and two editions sold, while the author's friends in England were merely thinking about it. ALEXANDRE DUMAS.-This exhaustless writer has finished a new romance, which will be published in England three months before it appears. in France. It is called "Emma Lyons," which was the maiden name of the once celebrated and fascinating Lady Hamilton, by whose charms Lord Nelson was subdued and spell-bound. ANOTHER NOBLE AUTHOR.-Viscount Amberley, a young gentleman who has just attained his legal majority, and is Earl Russell's eldest son, has written an article on "Clerical Subscription," in the "North British Review," the organ of the Free Church of Scotland. of years has been most honorable to him, and beneficial to the public. But we are confident that the gentlemen who succeed to him will be found in all respects worthy to assume the post which he vacates; and that as directed by them "The North American Review," which has entered upon its second half century of vigorous life, will afford new and abundant occasion for expressions of honorable pride to the people of the country whose name it bears. They are, both as scholars and citizens, men of firmly established reputation, men whose bold and brilliant labors in the past allow us to speak with genuine confidence as to their future works. Professor Lowell belongs to one of the most eminent historical families in America, a family that has been distinguished through several generations for the various talents, the acquireLAMARTINE.-The "London Times" contains the ments, and the eminently high labors of its memfollowing appeal, in formâ pauperis: "M. de Lamar-bers in behalf of religion, freedom, and literature: tine, the great French poet, is in a condition bordering on distress, and his property on the eve of being sold by auction. The subscriptions collected in France have not been sufficient to rescue him. To accomplish this purpose he has himself become the editor of his entire works, to be had, in a complete form, at the price of seventeen guineas, which sum is respectfully requested to be forwarded to M. A. Azur, 117 Jermyn Street, London, the authorized representative of M. de Lamartine, who will himself immediately forward the copies of his works. M. Azur will also receive at the above address any subscriptions, in post-office orders or postage stamps, kindly intended for the poet. An acknowledgment for every sum received will be sent by return of post." The question suggests itself-why should not Lamartine's landed property, to which there is no heir of his blood, be sold to pay his debts? His imprudence threw him into debt, and he ought not to desire to live as a landed proprietor, and ask the public to settle with his creditors. NOTES ON BOOKS AND BOOKSELLERS. MRS. MARSH. It is some time since Mrs. Marsh, the aged author of "Two Old Men's Tales," "Emilia and of this family he is one of the most renowned members, having achieved distinction in letters at an early age, and steadily augmented it ever since; and he now fills one of the professorial chairs in the most ancient seat of American learning, an institution the history of which takes us back to the days of John Winthrop and Henry Vane. His writings have ever been directed to the support of liberal principles, and no man has done more to aid those principles in America. Mr. Norton, too, is hereditarily a scholar, and man of talent, his father having achieved a world-wide reputation in some of the highest of literary pursuits; and he is worthy of his descent, having added new honors to the name he bears by the extent and variety of his knowledge, and by the force and elegance which he has exhibited as a writer and a speaker. Conducted by such men, "The North American" cannot fail to satisfy the demands of the most enlightened and fastidious of readers, or to increase its own well-earned and widely-spread fame. They are, we should add, good critics, having had experience as editors and reviewers, and therefore they do not come new to the responsible station they have assumed. It is safe to predict for them |
