17 JULY 1841, Page 19

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

From July 2d to July 14/h.

BOOKS.

Joseph Rushbrook ; or The Poacher. By the Author of "Peter Simple." In three volumes.

Debreit's Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland. Revised, Corrected. and Continued, by GEORGE WILLIAM COLLEN, Esti. Letters from Abroad to Kindred at Home. By MISS SETH:MICK, Author of " Hope Leslie," "Rich Poor Man," &c. In two volumes. The True Principles of Pointed,or Christian Architecture, set forth in two Lectures delivered at St. Marie's, Oscott, by A. WELBY PUGIN, Archi- tect, and Professor of Ecclesiastical Antiquities in that College. The Ancient Rigitzte ; a Tale. By G. P. R. llama, Esq., Author of "The Gipsy," &c. In three volumes. Specimens of the British Poets; with Biographical and Critical Notices, and an Essay on English Poetry. By THOMAS CAMPBELL, ER. A new edition.

[The whole of the specimens which CAMPBELL has selected as the best illus- trations of the style and character of their respective authors, beginning with CHAUCER and coming down to ANSTEY, compressed into a single volume. The selector's Essay on English Poetry is also included ; and young Mr. PETER CUNNINGHAM has undertaken the task of editing the volume, and cor- recting the errors of fact (and sometimes, in Mr. PETER'S notions, of criticism) into which CAMPBELL has fallen ; the bard himself not having leisure or in- clination to undertake the trouble.

It would be impossible for any one, with far less taste and critical per- ception than the author of Gertrude of Wyoming, to make a selection from our

poets and not furnish specimens of great interest and beauty, forming a useful collection for those who have no desire to refer to the originals, or who do not like " much poetry." Whether these Specimens supply what is requisite—the most characteristic examples of the writer's manner, and the best effusions of his genius—may be questioned from an inspection of the work, but could only be told by a research as extensive as would suffice to make a new selection.

Like every other book of a similar nature we have ever fallen in with, MR. CAMPBELL'S seems deficient in plan ; as if be began his labour without any definite idea of what he was going to do, and took what struck him at the

moment, without further thought. If the fact did not contradict the theory, it would seem an obvious thought, that the number of specimens from an author should bear some relation to his decline in celebrity, or what is much the same thing, to the scarcity of his works. The great poets

of a country—at all events of England, where books are so cheap—we may be pretty sure' are in the possession of every person whose love of poetry would induce bins to buy a book of this kind. Specimens of SEIAK- SPERE, for example, would scarcely be necessary ; but if they were, SHAH.. SPERE is ill represented by four sonnets, which is all that Mr. CAMPBELL has

given. If any one were asked to exhibit the most characteristic specimens of

MILTON'S genius, he might properly take the two first books of Paradise Lost, with Satan's address to the Sun in the fourth book : but Paradise Lost is the only poetry of MILTON from which Mr. CAMPBELL does not quote. POPE, again any thing being given, is not fully or even properly exhibited by the (whole Of the) "Rape of the Lock" and the "Dying Christian to his

Soul "; nor Commis by the Ode to Evening and that on the Highland Super-

stitions. Whether any specimens of DRYDEN need be taken is a questionable point, and therefore ought to be decided in the affirmative : the case with re- gard to CHURCHILL is clearer: but the quotations from each writer should have been more numerous. The specimens from GOLDSMITH, an author in everybody's hands, embrace nearly all his works, and are double the extent of those from DRYDEN, and nearly treble those from CHURCHILL. These remarks are made in no depreciatory spirit : in fact they cannot well be, for all Specimens that ever we have seen are distinguished by the same error, and CAMPBELL'S selection we believe to be by far the most voluminous

and the beat. We are merely pointing out a misconception in all compilers of extracts ; who seem to be guided by their own likes or dislikes, or at best by some narrow critical perception of excellence ; whereas hooks of this kind should, as a general rule, convey the various characteristics of the authors quoted—not merely beauties, but faults, except the fault of tediousness. They should, in fact, for popular use, and even for the purposes of general study, supersede the originals.] A Visiter's Guide to the Watering-places.

[This little volume contains an account of nearly twenty watering-places ; em- bracing all those most accessible by steam—ex. gr. Gravesend, Margate,

Brighton, Southampton. When such facilities exist for moving about, so as to enable a person to make the circuit of our coast in a schoolboy's holyday, a pocket-hook of this kind would he exceedingly useful if got up upon a proper

plan ; which this is not. The Visicer's Guide appears to be a mere compila-

tion, and that a had one. Where an account of so many places is to be compressed into a single volume, nothing but what is really necessary

should find admission. The first thing should be the means of locomotion— the modes of getting to the place ; the next, those matters which concern the traveller's comforts when there ; and afterwards the most striking objects to be

now seen. With what judgment this obvious rule is applied, may be found by opening the volume at random. Torn to Dover: we have a long rigmarole of its history, done in as patchwork a manner as to be in a measure without con- nexion. With the exception of an hour or two at noon, steamers are now running to Gravesend at every hour in the day ; and by the Blackwell Rail- way, with a favourable tide, it may be reached from the City in little more than an hour and a half. Not a word is said about the Blackwell Railway;

only a few incidental allusions to the steam-boats, and no information whatever. Upwards of twenty pages are devoted to Southampton ; two short paragraphs to the Railway, merely saying that there is toff; but to make amends, there is an account of HENRY the Fifth's embarkation for France, and the detection of ConnAm's conspiracy ; and so the compiler rambles on.] The Journey-Book of England—Derbyshire. With twenty-three en- gravings on wood, and an illuminated map of the county.

[This publication sustains the character of the series for full and correct in- formation, both for the student and the tourist ; giving an ample account of the statistics, &c. of the county, and enabling the traveller to enjoy the pleasures of Matlock, the wonders of the Peak, and all the other lions of Derbyshire, which railways place within an easy distance.]

Recent Information respecting Port Phillip, and the promising Province of Australia Felix, in the great territory of New South Wales; inclu- ding their history, geography, and important natural resources, with in- teresting sketches of the aboriginal inhabitants, and valuable advice to emigrants. By the Editor of the Port Phillip Gazette, Melbourne. [The greater part of this publication is addressed to emigrants to Australia the Happy ; treating minutely of topographical and other subjects, which chiefly interest a person who has arrived in that land of bliss, or is on his way thither. The advice to emigrants is practical and specific, and has a wider interest especially for the fair sex. According to the editor of the Port Phillip Gazette, every emigrant, of "whatever class or profession, should be married."] Lives of Eminent Men of Aberdeen. By JAMES BRUCE.

[A memonal by a townsman in honour of his native place ; embracing the lives of upwards of twenty Aberdeen worthies, of whom BEATTIE, and Dr.

CAMPBELL. the opponent of Hulas on Miracles, are the most popularly known. The lives are readable and informing, and to Aberdeen men no doubt will be interesting : to the Southron reader they would have had more attrac- tion had they possessed more spirit and characteristic discrimination. The book commences with JOHN BAnnoust, the contemporary of CHAUCER, and poetical chronicler of ROBERT BRUCE; but, as it is not known where this worthy was born' it seems scarcely fair in Mr. JAMES BRUCE to include him in his lists when he has to regret the number of undoubted eminent townsmen whom want of space compels him to exclude from his book.] Criminal Jurisprudence considered in relation to Mental Oryanisations By M. B. SAMPSON. ThePrinciples of Physiology applied to the Preservation of Health, and to the Improvement of Physical and Mental Education. By ANDREW COMBE, M.D., &c. &c. Tenth edition, revised and enlarged. [Tenth edition 1—what more needs be said, except that the present is conk. derably enlarged with additional matter, and illustrations drawn from contem- porary circumstances. Dr. Comas thinks with the Quarterly, that Lord DUD- LEY'S irresolution of habit arose from urging the mental at the expense of the physical education, and which probably gave rise to the last fatal catastrophe.]

Description of a Series of Geological Models, illustrating the nature of stratification vallies of denudation, succession of coal-seams in the

Newcastle coal-field, the effects produced by faults or dislocations of the

strata, intersection of mineral veins, &c. By T. SorwrrH, F.G.S.,

Mernb. Inst. C.E., Author of a "Treatise on Isometrical Drawing," &c. [This little volume contains plates with letterpress descriptions of a dozen geo- logical models, prepared by the author—l. To present an elementary view of several phsenomena that merit the attention of the general student in geology ; which is accomplished in six models : 2. To exhibit in a clearer manner than can be accomplished by plans and drawings, unless very numerous and incon- venient in use, the nature of several features, a knowledge of which is impor- tant to the owners and surveyors of mineral property; and six models are also devoted to this section. What the effect of these models may be we cannot tell : those who wish full particulars about them may procure the volume,— though, considering its size, and that it is little more than a scientific advertise- ment, three shillings is a sufficiently high price for it.]

The Remorse of Orestes, King of Argos, Lacedemou, Mycents, and Sicyon, Son of Agamemnon.

[A most futile attempt to make a philosophical tale out of the events succeed- ing the fall of Troy. The author seems to have been beguiled into an imita- tion of Telemachus.]

Inez di Castro; an Historical Drama. By JONATHAN S. SKELTON, of *Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

The Poet; or the Invocations, Lamentations, Warnings, Criticisms, Thoughts, and Ravings of a Madman.

SERIALS.

Knight's Store of Knowledge for all Readers, Part L The Christian Traveller, Nos. I. and IL—Western Africa.

London, Part IV.

History of Napoleon, Part XXXI. Cumming s Fox's Book of Martyrs, Part VI.

Daubigne's History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century. Trans- lated from the French by WALTER K. KELLY, Esq., B.A., of Trio. College, Dublin. Part I. Containing the first volume of the original. (Popular Library of Modern Authors. Copyright editions.)

Floreston, Parts V1L and VIII.

PERIODICALS.

Edinburgh Review, No. CXLVIII.

Proceedings of the London Electrical Society, Part L Magazines for fu/y—Asiatic Journal, Floricultural, Surveyor, Engineer and Architect, Polytechnic Journal.

PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND PRINTS.

Pictorial History of England, Part LIII. Pieta 'rial Edition of Shakspere, Part XXXIV.—" Coriolanue."

Illustrated Shakapere, Part XXVI.

Sibson's Illustrations of Master Humphrey's Clock, No. XIV. Canadian Scenery Illustrated, Part XVII.

Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland Illustrated, Part VI. Quatn's Anatomical Plates, Fa.sciculi LXXX1X and XC.

William Fawcett. Painted by GEORGE PATTEN, Esq., A.R.A.; en-

graved by THOMAS LUPTON.

PAMPHLETS.

Speech for the Defendant in the Prosecution of the Queen v. Mozon, for

the Publication of Shelky's Works, delivered in the Court of Queen's Bench, 23d June 1841, and revised, by T. N. TA.LFOURD, Sergeant- at-law.

A Letter to Sir F. Burdett, Bart., M.P.,by RICHARD Dews, Esq., M.A.,

T.C.D., Barrister-at-law.

A Sketch of the State of Affairs in Newfoundland. By a late Resident

in the Colony.