AMERICA; an Ode, and other Poems. By N. W. COFFIN. Boston: S. G. Simpkins. 1843. This unpretending little volume is worthy of a more extended notice than we can now give it. The author is a young man, and his verses give many evidences of immaturity; but there is often discernible in them the hand of the true Poet. Amidst the affectation and obscurity that disfigures so much of our modern Poetry, it is refreshing to fall in with Poems written in the simplicity of nature. There are many little touches which show an eye observant of natural beauty, and a power of language which brings the object described before the mind's eye, vivid and life-like. This is a great merit, and one that gives to Bryant's verse much of its attraction. Mr. Coffin's greatest failure, is in his versification, which he has, apparently, not studied with the attention it deserves. A musical ear can do much, but it cannot supply the want of rhythmical knowledge. Á Poet, as well as the Painter and Sculptor, must have a practical skill in the use of his tools. His language should not only be good: it should be the very best. He must make his words, what they originally were, the very picture of our thoughts. He must give them back that freshness of meaning, of which use has deprived them. And more, he must thoroughly understand the laws of metrical harmony. The gift of poetic inspiration, is not always accompanied with the gift of tongues and Poets, like Orators, must study the rules of Syntax and Prosody. : We do not allude to this, as a glaring defect in Mr. Coffin. We do not think it is. But, there is a tendency amongst some of our young Poets to neglect language, and to speak as if the intrinsic beauty of their thoughts were sufficient to atone for all inaccuracies and faults in the expression. On the whole, this volume gives high promise that its author, in the maturity of his powers, will give us something that will have an abiding, and permanent value. POEMS, BY ALFRED B. STREET. Albany Weare C. Little. 100 pp. 12mo. 1843. The principal poem in this volume," the Burning of Schenectady," was reviewed in our first number. A more leisurely perusal of the remaining articles has induced us again to notice the book, as a valuable contribution to our infant literature, by one of the most gifted of American Poets. INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL IN YUCATAN. By John L. Stephens. New-York: Harper & Brothers. 2 vols. 8vo. 1843. These volumes of Mr. Stephens, so eagerly looked for, have been issued by the enterprising publishers in a style which will render them doubly welcome. Our pages will soon be enriched by an article upon the general subject of the "Antiquities of America," in which these volumes will receive due examination. In the meanwhile, we desire to recommend them to our readers. Mr. Stephens' descriptions are always agreeable, spirited and racy. LIFE OF JEAN PAUL FREIDRICH RICHTER. 2 vols. Boston: Little & Brown. 1843. A skilfully executed life of Jean Paul, such as is presented in these volumes, is a most welcome contribution to our Literature. The imperfect notices of this gifted favorite of the German people, afforded in the critical writings of Carlyle, and in Professor Longfellow's beautiful prose romance of Hyperion, have only served to awaken the interest of the general reader, without at all satisfying his curiosity. The volumes before us are chiefly valuable for the insight which they give into the ordinary life, the labors, the struggles, the hard won triumphs, and the ultimate brilliant success of the remarkable geni's they describe. Although pretending to no higher merit than that of a faithful compilation, the author of these volumes has given us an exceedingly interesting and instructive biography; and we doubt not that the work will be warmly hailed by every student of the literature of Germany. CREDULITY, as illustrated by impostures on science, gross superstitions and fanaticism. By JAMES M. M'DONALD. New York: Robert Carter. 1843. This little excellent work is altogether timely and acceptable. The age swarms with empirics, fanatics, and quacks of every name and species under heaven. If the human mind is a great deep," we have lived to see its foundations pretty effectually broken up, and a moral infliction not unlike the physical one of the frogs in Egypt, is rolling in upon us apace. Mr. M'Donald deserves our thanks for the sensible, judicious, and manly rebuke he has administered to the quackery and gullibility of the times. We trust, now that he has embarked in so noble a work as that of calling the public mind to habits of soberness and truth, that he will not suffer his vigorous pen to lie idle. INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF THE HON. ALBERT GALLATIN, L. L. D., on taking the chair, as President of the New-York Historical Society, Tuesday evening, February 7, 1843. New-York: James P. Wright. 1843. THE ARGUMENT OF THE REV. GEORGE B. CHEEVER, at the Broadway Tabernacle, on the subject of Capital Punishment, in reply to J. L. O'Sullivan. New-York: Saxton & Miles. 1843. The address of Dr. Gallatin, to which allusion was made in our last number, is altogether worthy of a more permanent form than that of pamphlet publication. We trust none of our readers will deny themselves the pleasure and instruction it affords on the most interesting questions of our Political History. Mr. Cheever's Argument, in our opinion, is a complete demolition of the sophistry of the Democratic Review, on the subject of Capital Punishment. There are many passages in the report which, for strength of reasoning, and power of illustration, are worthy of being placed beside the productions of our most distinguished jurists. We hope, ere long, to examine the argument at some length. ESSAYS, MORAL, ECONOMICAL AND POLITICAL. By FRANCIS BACON and THE CONDUCT OF THE UNDERSTANDING. By JOHN LOCKE, ESQ. In one volume, with an introductory essay, by A. POTTER, D. D. Professor of Moral Philosophy, in Union College. NewYork: Harper & Brothers. pp. 300. This volume forms No. 170, of the School District Library: a series of publications to which we have before had occasion to allude. To those who are familiar with either of the works incorporated in the present number, we need not say that it constitutes a very valuable and acceptable contribution to the series. The editor, in his able introduction, well remarks, that to cultivate an acquaintance with these great masters, must be an object of cherished interest, not only with the scholar, but with all who would improve their minds. Among their works, are some not only free from the language of the schools, and level to the general understanding, but which, to use Bacon's own phrase, come home to men's business and bosoms? Of this kind are those comprised in the present volume. They furnish as striking and characteristic specimens of their respective authors, as could well be brought within the same compass, and are fraught with precious lessons for the heart, as well as for the understanding. In this connection, we would avail ourselves of the opportunity of correcting a false impression, which our readers may have received from our remarks upon another work on this series, "Maury's Principles of Eloquence," noticed in the first number of this publication. The books placed in this library, called for convenience, "The School District Library," are not, as we then supposed, intended primarily, for the district schools, or for the scholars in those schools; but for the inhabitants at large. These collections are termed, "School District Libraries," only, because one is placed within the limits of each school district, as the best means of bringing it home to every man's door. In this view, our readers will perceive that the force of our objections against the incorporation of Maury's work on Eloquence in the series, is almost wholly done away. In order that the people may feel the electric influence of the great masters of thought, the highest class of works in every department should be placed within their reach. OBITUARY. It is our painful duty to announce the death of JAMES MORTIMER RATHBUN, a member of the Delta of our Society, and of Geneva College. He was drowned the twenty-fourth day of February, while skating on Seneca Lake. He was precipitated twice into the water; the first time, by the greatest exertion, he was enabled to raise himself upon the ice, but the second, wearied by the previous fall, calling for aid and no helping hand could save, he yielded up his spirit to Him that gave it. Mournful event! A short time ago he was among his companions, in all the pride of dawning manhood, joyous, and bearing to mortal ken, tokens of long life, health and happiness, and now his death is scarcely realized by them. Our deceased brother was born in the town of Ledyard, in the county of Cayuga, of this State. He had lived at Auburn about seven years preceding his untimely fate. He prepared for College at the Academy of that place, and entered the Freshman class of Geneva College in the fall of forty-one. He possessed an amiable and cheertul disposition; a heart full of generous and lofty sentiments; a mind acute and independent. To his more immediate collegiate friends he was warmly attached, and to them his loss is irretrievable. "None knew him but to love him, None named him but to praise." Friend of our love and hope! Young hast thou left us, and gone to the silent tomb! Sorrow could not stay thy flight, nor exertions the arm of the strong One. May it be that the friendship he knew on earth will gladden his heart in another world; that he has only gone from us to enjoy that better Love which gushes ever from the fountain of the Lamb of God. THE AMERICAN REVIEW. No. IV. JULY, MDCCCXLIII. FROISSART'S CHRONICLES. CHRONICLES OF ENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN, AND THE ADJOIN- London William Smith. 1839. 2 vols., TIME was, when the Chronicles of Sir John Froissart were accessible only to those favored few who could afford to invest a fortune in a manuscript, or to pawn a princedom or barony for the luxury of perusing an illuminated copy of a favorite author. Since the period when the invention and rapid improvement of the art of printing first opened the literature of the old world and of the middle ages to an infinitely wider circle of readers, no works have been circulated more generally, nor read with more avidity in Europe than these Chronicles. The beautifully illustrated edition before us is, we believe, the |