PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL HUESTON, 139 NASSAU-STREET. LONDON: PARTRIDGE & OAKEY, PATERNOSTER-ROW, AND 70, EDGEWARE-ROAD, (HANBURY AND COMPANY, AGENTS.) BOSTON: CROSBY & NICHOLS: FETRIDGE & CO: REDDING & Co. PHILADELPPHIA: G. B. ZIEBER & CO. 1850. WM. OSBORN, PRINTER. EDITED BY LEWIS GAYLORD CLARK. THIS is pronounced, by the press of America and England, 'the best Magazine in America.' It has now completed its thirty-fifth volume, and in its list of upward of a hundred contributors, are found the names of every distinguished writer, male and female, in America, with several equally prominent of Great Britan, Turkey, Sweden, etc. A new volume will commence with the first day of July, 1850. The following notices of the KNICKERBOCKER are from the American and English press, to which might be added hundreds of others. THE last KNICKERBOCKER is exceedingly good. Some of the articles are worthy of BLACKWOOD'S palmiest days. The Editor's Table is in Mr. CLARK's happiest vein; varied and racy in a remarkable degree.'-New-York Commercial Advertiser. THE KNICKERBOCKER seems to increase in attraction as it advances in age. It exhibits a monthly variety of contributions unsurpassed in number or ability.'-National Intelligencer. "THE KNICKERBOCKER is one of the most valuable Magazines of the day, and outstrips all competi tion in the higher walks of literature.'- Albany Argus. "THE KNICKERbocker MAGAZINE is now beyond a question the magazine of the country. Whoever wishes his money's worth, and something over, let him subscribe now to Old KNICK,' and our word for it, the Editor's Table alone will amply satisfy his expectations. It is not a periodical to be lightly glanced over and thrown by, but it forms a library book to save and re-read. A set of the KNICKERBOCKER, bound up in volumes, on the shelves of one of our popnlar libraries, is more consulted (so the librarian has often told us) than any other similar work.'- Boston Daily Transcript. THE LONDON EXAMINER.-"This very clever Magazine is the pleasantest periodical in the United States. Its articles, which are numerous and short, various and interesting, are well worthy of imitation by our Magazines on this side of the Atlantic.' LONDON MORNING CHRONICLE.-'Judging from the numbers before us, we are inclined to consider this the best of all the American literary periodicals. Its contents are highly interesting, instructive and amusing.' REDUCTION IN PRICE TO CLUBS. The publisher has determined to do every thing in his power to bring the Knickerbocker within the means of all, and invites the attention of those who feel an interest in circulating the best American literature, to the following terms to clubs, viz: For five copies sent to one address, the price will be $20 00 ten 64 twenty 35 00 60 00 Post Masters throughout the United States are invited and requested to act as agents. To all those who may interest themselves in getting up clubs, we will send a copy free so long as they keep up, and remit regularly the yearly payment. To the Subscribers and all interested in our Work. The publisher desires to avail himself of this opportunity to thank those who have manifested their unabated interest in the Knickerbocker, by sending subscribers. Quite a number have done so, and no doubt with a very slight effort on the part of some friends, our list might be doubled. As a further inducement for this effort on the part of our patrons, we wish to say, that no pains or expense will be spared to enhance the value of the work, and our pages will prove that our readers will receive at least as large a share of benefit from our increased means as we could expect our. selves. AGENTS WANTED FOR THE KNICKERBOCKER MAGAZINE. ENTERPRISING, active agents are wanted in every town and city in the United States, to procure subscribers for the Knickerbocker. To competent, active persons, with satisfactory references, the most liberal terms will be allowed. Apply, post paid, to SAMUEL HUESTON, 139 Nassau-street. GREAT INDUCEMENT TO SUBSCRIBE FOR THE KNICKERBOCKER. FOUR YEARS FOR TEN DOLLARS. THE undersigned will give the Volumes of the Knickerbocker for the years 1847, 48, 49, and '50, to all persons who will remit to him ten dollars, in funds current in this city, post paid. BACK Volumes or Numbers supplied, and a complete set for sale. Specimen Numbers sent free of charge on application, post paid. SAMUEL HUESTON, Publisher, ART. L. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY: IN THREE PARTS. PARt First, IV. THE THREE VIEWS OF LIFE. BY A. B. JOHNSON, Esq., . VI HYMNS TO THE GODS. NUMBER TWELVE. BY ALBERT PIKE, ESQ., VIII. FIRESIDE MUSINGS. BY A NEW CONTRIBUTOR, IX. THE OLD TIMES. BY C. D. STUART, ESQ., X. TALES OF THE BACK PARLOR. NUMBER ONE: CONCLUDED, XI. THE WELCOME SEASON. BY REV. JAMES GILBORNE LYONS, XIII. LINES: SAPPHO. BY DR. DICKSON, LONDON, XIV. MENTAL PLEASURES. BY MARY L. LAWSON,. XVIIL THE BUNKUM FLAG-STAFF. VOL. II., NUMBEr Four, 175 180 LITERARY NOTICES: 1. THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW FOR THE JULY QUARTER, 2. THE KORAN, OR ALCORAN, OF MOHAMMED, 3. THE OLD JUDGE, OR LIFE IN A COLONY, 1. CARLYLE'S LATTER-DAY PAMPHLETS.' 2. ANECDOTES OF CHILDREN. 3. DREAMS: A GEM OF TRUE FEELING. 4. IMPRESSIONS AT ROCKAWAY: CRANSTON'S 'MARINE PAVILION.' 5. GETTING TEMPERATE BY DEGREES: THE RETORT PRACTICAL. 6. THE ROCKLAND CEMETERY. 7. ANECDOTE OF JUDGE B, OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 8. THE UNITY OF NATURE: THE WORLD TO COME. 9. A GHOSTLY PUN. 10. BROUGHAM'S NEW THEATRE IN BROADWAY. 11. THE DUKE OF BEDFORD'S PIGS. 12. LINES ON A SLEEPING INFANT. 13. SADNESS, NATIONAL AND FOREIGN. 14. DICKENS' 'HOUSEHOLD WORDS: BEGGING LETTER-WRITERS OF LONDON. 15. A WAIF OR ESTRAY AT THE ROCKAWAY PAVILION. 16. 'POUR ON, I WILL ENDURE:' LINES BY A LADY OF ALABAMA. 17. A 'FIRST-RATE COMMANDMENT?' A NEW VERSION OF SCRIPTURE. 18. OUR SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS AT NORTHERN WATERING PLACES. 19. A WALK TO SUNNYSIDE: PAPER VILLAGES: MOWING IN WESTCHESTER: ENVY OF OLD KNICK.'S SKILL WITH THE SCYTHE. 20. ANECDOTE OF TOOTH-DRAWING: A VOLUNTARY VICTIM. 21. BOHN'S STANDARD LIBRARY. 22. LINES: LIFE HATH FOUR SEASONS. 23. THE COMMON: THOUGHTS ON EVERY-DAY LIFE. 24, LINES ON NIAGARA. 25. SMALL POLITICAL ECONOMISTS: AVERAGE BREECHES' AND 'THE ROYAL SKEWER.' 26. THE POET'S HEART.' 27. STORY OF AN INEBRIATE. 28. PLEASANT EPISTOLARY PASSAGE FROM W. H. C. HOSMER, ESQ. 29. RINGS, ETC. 30. LINES: 'MY CHRISTIAN NAME.' 31. CHAPELS FOR THE POOR. 32. VIEUXTEMPS: NAPOLEON. 33. NOAH'S ARK: AN EXTENSIVE PAIR OF RETRIBUTIVE BELLOWSES. 34. GOSSIP ABOUT PERCIVAL, THE POET. 35. LONGFELLOW'S EVANGELINE' ILLUSTRATED. 36. WOMAN: A QUAINT PASSAGE FROM AN OLD AUTHOR. 37. BUFFUM'S 'SIX MONTHS IN THE GOLD MINES. 38. PROF. GRANT'S THEORY: NEGROES AND MONKEYS. 39. UNFORTUNATE LOVERS: A DOUBLE FAUX. 40. A VERY EATABLE INSECT. 41. AN ACTION OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 187 189 190 191 To our Subscribers. THE Publisher of the KNICKERBOCKER gladly avails himself of this opportunity to return his thanks to the numerous patrons and friends of the work, for the generous interest many of them have taken in extending the circulation during the past year. By their efforts in saying 'a word in season' to their friends, many have been added to our subscription-list, and while we gladly acknowledge our indebtedness to them, we would respectfully suggest that many others, who have often taken occasion to express, with much cordiality and warmth, their satisfaction with our Magazine, could easily induce some of their friends to send us their names. We trust they will bear it in mind. We would beg leave again to say to those in arrears, that it is of the utmost importance to have our outstanding claims settled as early as possible. Though we cannot, like the facetious editor of the BUNKUM FLAGSTAFF, take hay, oats, or grits, in exchange, yet we shall most gladly receive the notes of all specie-paying banks in the United States at par. Our distant subscribers therefore need not wait to be called on, but just enclose the amount due by mail, in the best bills they can get, and we will send them a receipt in full, with our most grateful acknowledgments Please address S. HUESTON, 139 Nassau-st., New-York. THE KNICKERBOCKER. VOL. XXX VI. AUGUST, 1850. No. 2. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.* WITHIN a short period of time, many of the important questions which perplexed the savant, and alarmed the theologian, have been settled. Phenomena profound and mysterious, extending from the microscopic world of wonders to the more astonishing revelation of the telescope, have yielded to the successive steps of knowledge. New and interesting territories have been subjected to the dominion of mind by the increase of instrumental power; and scenes of grandeur and beauty spread out before us, tending to elevate and ennoble our conceptions of the great and beneficent ARCHITECT, which is the natural and inevitable result of all faithful scientific inquiry. If we except astronomy, no branch of knowledge has been more rapidly advanced within the last quarter of a century than that connected with the physical geography of the globe we inhabit. In the apparently irregular figures and careless distribution of the continents, in which Paley could discover no evidence of original design, science has detected a systematic arrangement, sustaining a most intimate relation with all terrestrial phenomena, and highly important in the diffusion and development of vegetable and animal life. Independently of the relations our planet sustains to the celestial bodies, in the economy of the solar system, it is significantly marked with the evidences of harmony and design. And it matters not whether we contemplate the figures, division or distribution of its continents; the position and adaptation of its fertile valleys; the character and arrangement of its mountain chains; the number of chemical properties and affinities of its constituent elements; its atmosphere, orbit, axis, or rotary motion; upon all the same impressive lessons have been written. The earth is an oblate spheriod, varying in its equatorial and polar 'HUMBOL. Cosmos,' 2 vols. 'Earth and Man,' by Prof. GuYOT. This article is not intended as a review of these works. We have used thein so frequently in our reflections on the science, that we think it due to make this acknowledgement. 8 VOL. XXXVI. |