31 AUGUST 1844, Page 18

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED, From August 15th to August 29th.

BOOKS.

SL Lucia : Historical, Statistical, and Descriptive. By HENRY H. BEERS, Esq., thirteen years a Resident in the Island.

John 3Ianesty, the Liverpool Merchant. By the late WILLIAM MAGINN, LL.D. With illustrations by GEORGE CRUIKSHANIC. LI two volume.. Old Windsor Sermons. By the Reverend WILLIAM GIFFORD COWLES-

LEY, M.A., Assistant Master of Eton College. Fire Club Sermons. By the Reverend A. GIBSON, ALA., Vicar of Ched- worth, Gloucestershire, and late Fellow of Queen's College, Oxford.

A Bret/3re Narration of the Services done to Three Noble Ladyes, by GILBERT BLAKHAL, Preist of the Scots Mission in France, in the Low Countries, and in Scotland. 1631-1649. (Published by the Spalding Club.)

The Despatches of Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington. Compiled from Official and other Authentic Documents, by Colonel GURWOOD, CB., &c. Volume the first.

771e Popular Member, the Wheel of Fortune, 4c. By Mrs. GORE, Author of" Mothers and Daughters," &c. In three volumes.

Rapport fait par M Ic Due De Broglie, Pres- ident de la Commission Colo- niale, au Ministre Secritaire d'Etat de la Marine et des Colonies. Commission institnee par Decision Royale du 26 Mai 1840, pour l'Ex- amen des Questions relatives a l'Esclavage et la Constitution Politique des Colonies. (4to. 438 pages.) Rapport stir it's Questions aloniales adressi d If. le Due De Broglie, President de la Commission Coloniale, d la suite d'un 'Voyage fait aux Antilles et aur Guyanes, pendant les annees 1838 et 1839, par AL Jules Lecheoalier. Pablie par ordre de 31. is Baron De Mackau, Ministre Secretaire d'Etat de la Marine et des Colonies. Tome Premiere— Pieces &rites et recueillies pendant le Voyage : Enquetes. Tome Sc- comic—Etude de l'Emancipation dans lea Colonies Anglaise' depubt l'annee 1833 jusqu'au 3 Dec. 1842. (Folio, 2,066 pages.) [French cooks can manufacture more palateable dishes out of unpromising materials than English cooks. The same superiority appears to be enjoyed by the French artists who "get-up" official and Parliamentary "blue books,"-- for blue appears to be in France, as here, the livery worn by this class of pub- lications, but the French is lively cerulean, the English a heavy slate-colour. It is as difficult to look at the tasteful and even luxurious printing and bind- ing of the two folios containing the Report and Evidence of M. LECHEVALIER without being tempted to examine them, as it is to control one's repugnance to the dense unseemly folios of our House of Commons. This elegance ot outward form is connected with, and in a manner proceeds from, internal neatness of arrangement. French Reports (we speak with reference to a con- siderable number in our eye, besides those immediately before us) are artisti- cally prepared, and the " pieces justificatives " are selected. We do not re- member an instance of a Committee or Commission publishing the whole crude replies and returns to an inquiry—much less of its huddling up the re- plies and returns in a book and making them a substitute for a report. Selec- tion, condensation, and neatness in the reports and corroborative documents, naturally prompt an external neatness that invites the eye : the close-wedged print of our bulky "blue books" is but typical of the impenetrable entangle- ment of their contents.

The Report of the Due DE BROGLIE is an important document ; being in fact a manual of the views regarding Colonization and Colonial policy at pre- sent entertained by the first statesmen of France. It is an exposition of what the master-minds of the nation wish to do, and will do if they can find in the nation materials to work out their views. Ostensibly, it treats of Negro Emancipation in the French Colonies ; but as there are Negro slaves in all the colonies remaining to France, and as the question of their liberation is viewed in all its bearings upon colonial and national policy, almost every important question connected with the Colonies necessarily falls to be reviewed in turn. Emancipation is considered, in its bearing upon the preservation of public order, the interests of the Negroes, the interests of the Planters, and the maintenance of the Colonial system. The subject is canvassed in all these bearings with the frankness of a humane mind, with the caution of a statesman, and the impartiality of a scientific inquirer. 31. DE BROGLIE has closely examined the results of Emancipation in the English Colonies, and has had the discrimination to appreciate the wise and liberal views of Mr. BURNLEY of Trinidad. Warned by our failures, encouraged by Mr. BURNLEY'S confidence in the possi- bility of bringing a system of free labour to work well in the Colonies, and decided by the obvious impossibility of maintaining slavery in the French Colonies surrounded as they are on all sides by the free Colonies of Eng- land, kr. DE BROGLIE declares unequivocally in favour of Emancipation. He suggests two measures of emancipation for the choice of Government. By the first, all slaves to be free at the end of ten years; their owners to be com- pensated; and themselves to be allowed to acquire property and exercise several other rights of freemen during the ten years, in order to educate them prac- tically for freedom. By the second, all children of slaves, born or to be born after 1838, are declared free; to be maintained by the owners of their parents till their seventh year, and apprenticed to them till their twenty-first : and the same limited exercise of the rights of freemen is conceded to the slaves as they would enjoy under the other measure during the preparatory period. At the time these plans were first proposed, either might have succeeded : but we fear that time has passed. The apathy of the French public, backed by the Planters afraid of Emancipation, and by the Beet-root-sugar interest afraid of any measure that might give the Colonies a claim upon public sympathy— has caused time to be wasted which ought to have been actively em- ployed; and there is too much reason to fear that Emancipation in the French Colonies, now inevitable, will be as precipitate and hurtful as in our own.

The two volumes (a third is in the press) of Reports and documents by M. JULES LECHEVALIER are addressed IO 31. DE BROGLIE as Presi- dent of the Colonial Commission ; and have perhaps a more immediate in- terest for English readers than the Duke's Report, as they contain in greater detail the views of a French publicist on the working of Emancipation in the English Colonies. It is highly useful to be thus enabled to place ourselves in the position of others, and see our own actions and situation through their eyes. M. LECHEVALIER visited the most important English Colonies in 1838-9; observed for himself the effects of Emancipation, and checked and modified his conclusions by inquiries addressed to the officers of Government and the most intelligent planters. He is a close observer; and his remarks upon the varied aspect of the Colonies at the time he visited them, according to the varied character and sentiments of the Governors, are striking. Be remarks that affairs are very different under a "thoroughgoing partisan of Emancipation," a "zealous advocate of Emancipation but friendly to the in- terests of the Planters," and under "the ascendancy and impartial benevolence of Sir Charles Metcalfe." The manner in which M. LECHEVALIER has worked up his materials leaves a highly favourable impression of his talent for eliciting and appreciating evidence, deducing just inferences from it, and pre- senting those inferences in a lucid and pleasing manner. His preliminary his- torical sketch of the French Colonial System is both instructive and interest- ing.] Tables of the Historian's Commonplace Book and Companion to the Study of History. By the Writer of" Lessons in Ancient History." Key of the Historian's Commonplace Book and Companion to the Study of History. By the Writer of "Lessons in Ancient History." [The most useful of these publications, the Tables, consists of a quarto blank book with ruled pages; each horizontal space forms an oblong which represents ten years, from the Creation to the Birth of Christ ; the perpendicular lines arc headed Sacred and Profane History, with subdivisions for events, persons, foundations of states, &c.; the dates of these occurrences are to be filled into their proper places. The compiler mentions that her pupils coloured the per- sons to facilitate the recognition of their pursuit, whilst it "tended to form habits of research and assisted the memory.' The idea is good ; but the choice of colours rarely shows any nice discrimination, and some are quite inappro- priate. "Crimson " is good for warriors; but why should historians be "black," when politicians are only "yellow "? sky-blue would surely be bet- ter for astronomers than " purple '; and what have orators to do with " scar- let " ? they may have occasion to blush, but they never do—bronze would surely be the more appropriate tint. The Key is an interleaved book ; the printed text showing the mode of using the Tables by the compiler's example. This consists of putting down the date of any remarkable person or event, and adding your remarks upon it. Those of the authoress are nearly limited to religious subjects. Any one likely to make a profitable use of the Commonplace Book, beyond its use as a receptacle and an exercise in chronology, which would be considerable, might readily do without the Key. A. manuscript book of any kind would receive the obser- vations as well, or better.] The Grahame Family ; or Historical Portfolio Opened. By HUSSEY GOULD.

[The members of the Grahame family, to pass away the evenings, examine a Urge portfolio of historical prints • and from a verbal description of each print some one of the party indicates the incident, with more or less distinctness. To each of the chapters or evenings a sort of appendix is added, narrating the sub- jects of the texts. The scenes are taken from English, Scottish, Greek, and Roman history ; and are those, of course, which involve action. Indeed, we think the whole of them have been pictorially represented, either as historical, poetical, or dramatic illustrations; and perhaps companion-outlines are neces- sary to the volume to enable the design of the authoress to be usefully car- ried out. It requires historical knowledge, and some readiness, always to make out the verbal descriptions.] Notices of Windsor in the Olden Time. By JOHN STOUGHTON. [A pleasing, gossipy, historico-antiquarian account of Windsor, from very early times; in which authentic anecdote and narrative are mingled with the imaginary kind of a riling, the first or at least the best specimens of which are to be found in Geoffrey Crayon's fancied pictures of olden times. The mate- rials are derived from various sources; and the work was originally produced in the form of lectures to a literary institution at Windsor.] Latin made Easy ; an Introduction to the Reading of Latin, comprising a Grammar, Exercise Book, and Vocabulary. By the Reverend J. It. BEARD, D.D.

[The most marked distinction of this Introduction is the feature of beginning the exercise of translation and retranalation before any part of grammar. This is accomplishedby a series of short vocabularies or lists of words, out of which are formed little Latin sentences to be translated into English, and English sentences to be turned into Latin. The verbs, of course, are exhibited in the head-lists according to their person and tense, and their exact meaning given.

We think Dr. BEARD, however, too much inclined to into in the trans- ]ation of idioms. Thus, he translates eat used for habeomto the English "have": sat mihi, for example, in the very first exercise, is rendered "I have," though the literal meaning, "there is to me," would be intelligible, and the difference of idioms could be explained in a note. The pupil who learns this thoroughly will get a false general idea both of eat and mihi, of which it may be troublesome to dispossess him.

The grammar follows the preliminary exercises, and upon a similar plan. After the form of the declension, for example, there is a string of Latin words to be construed into their respective cases, and another of English words to be rendered into the proper termination according to the sign of the case prefixed. Something of a similar character, though not to the same extent, has been done in other grammars ; and the principle is frequent exercise. We do not, however, approve of the extent to which it is pushed in the grammatical lessons of the book before us, because we think the same result might be reached in an easier and less monotonous way ; and we are not sure but that the plan of disjointed and made sentences is liable to vitiate the style. In a very early stage they are necessary evils, but they cannot be too soon discontinued.] A New and Complete French and English and English and French Dic- tionary, On the basis of the Royal Dictionary, English and French and French and English, by Professor FLEMING, formerly Professor of English in the College Louis le Grand, and Professor TIBBINS, Pro- fessor, and Author of several Lexicographical Works. With complete Tables of the Verbs on an entirely new plan, to which the Verbs through- out the work are referred. By CHARLES PICOT, Esq. The whole pre- pared, with the addition, in their respective places, of a very great number of Terms in the Natural Sciences Chemistry, Medicine, &c. &c. which are not to be found in any other Sciences, and English Dictionary, by J. Doosoar, Member of the American Philosophical Society, &c.

• [This is an American abridgment of the great Royal Dictionary published by Dnatair in two volumes quarto, one volume of which (the English and French) we received and described a few months since. In the compilation be- fore us, as much of the original type is given as could be put into a thick - octavo. The titlepage tells the additions—a table of verbs, and the insertion of some new terms.]

• The Alphabet; Terentian Metres ; Good, Better, Best, ; and other Philological Papers. By T. BEWiTT KEY, M.A. F.P.S. of Trinity College, Cambridge, &c. With a Letter on the Reverend J. W. Donaldson's " Varronianus."

[A collection of the learned, acute, and original articles on philology con- tributed by Mr. KEY to the Penny Cyclopcedia ; with an essay on good, better, best, and well, based on a paper read before the Philological Society. The pre- fatory Letter on Mr. J. W. DONALDSON'S Varronianus contains a charge of wholesale plagiarism against that divine, neatly, calmly, but clinchingly made. If all who are curious upon the subject of languages were aware of the cha- racter of the papers, it would be superfluous to recommend the book; but even the possessors of the Penny Cyclopedia may like to have papers in a collected form. It would be absurd to say that the different representations in juxta- position of the various forms ot the Greek, Roman, and Saxon alphabets, is • worth the money, because the value of money depends upon people's wants ; but it is a curious exhibition, that should be in the library in a handy form.] The German Interpreter; or Original Conversations in English and Ger- man, on every topic useful to the traveller ; with the exact pronuncia- tion expressed in a separate column, by which any person without the least knowledge of the language can read it fluently and pronounce it correctly. With a table of coins, models of letters, &c. By J. C. Moo.

[The features of this new German conversation-made-easy are two—its form, and its object. Its form is oblong, like a business parcels-book ; which may not only disguise its purpose in the use, for those who like disguise, but it con- tributes to the more important end of the publication, which is that of enabling a person to pronounce the German though quite ignorant of the language. For this purpose, the page is divided into three columns; the first containing the English, the second the German, and the third the German printed in English characters, representing the pronunciation as nearly as such makeshifts can attain to an enunciation that nothing but example and practice can teach. Row far the volume will answer its avowed purpose, must depend upon experi- ment and individual aptitude for sounds. We suspect, if the traveller masters the sense of each particular word, he will succeed better than in sentences he does not understand. In most places, however, the book will have its use; for if you fail in speech, show it, and let the person read the question. There is one inherent difficulty in this kind of books—if what you want be a thing, the 'physical reality will be a sufficient reply to the demand; but if you ask for in- formation, that is for words, German will be German still.] A Descriptive Account of an Improved Method of Planting and Managing the Boots of Grape-Vines. By CLEMENT HOARE, Author of " A.Prac- tical Treatise on the Cultivation of the Grape-Vine on Open Walls." [Without pretending to horticaltural skill, we incline to agree with Mr. CLE- MENT HARE'S Improved Method of Planting and Managing the Roots of Grape- Vines because it is based on the intelligible principle that all exotics should be placed as nearly as possible in the circumstances of their indigenous growth. As far as heat and artificial atmosphere are concerned, this, Mr. HOARE says, is accomplished in our forcing-houses, but the very contrary in sweet to soil. The vine naturally grows in rocky, stony, or gravelly soils ; in this country we put it into rich and compact earth. The consequence is, that the vegetative powers of the plant are almost certain to be stimulated, which are in this country quite active enough, our deficiency being in the Ina- turative or fruit-producing powers. There i8 also this additional mischief in early forcing-houses—the atmosphere is artificially hot, the soil as cold as the season; and consequently the roots and the branches are in totally opposite conditions. The evils of this result, and the plans by which Mr. HOARE pro- poses to prevent it by an artificial soil, are explained at large in the httle book ; to which the grape-grower had better have recourse.] Guide to the Madeiras, Azores, British and Foreign West Indies, Mexico, and Northern South-America. By JOHN OSBoRNE.

[Considerable additions have been made to this new edition of the steam- traveller's companion to the West Indies and Central America; some being merely an extension of old subjects, others embracing new features. One of these last is a chapter on health and climate. Of course all the last altera- tions of routes, times, and charges, are included by this employe of the Company.] Poems. By FRANCES ANN BUTLER, late FANNY KEMBLE. [An English reprint of the American edition of the ci-devant FANNY limp. HEX'S Poems; the literary character of which we noted not long since. This appears to us a neater and more compact edition than the Transatlantic, and quite as elegant—but wanting the portrait.]

SERIALS.

Southey's Lives of Oliver Cromwell and John Bunyan. (Murray's Co- lonial and Rome Library, No. XII.) [A reprint of SoUTHEy'S notice of some Memoirs of CROMWELL, in the Quarterly Review, which swelled into a biography. BUNYAN is more entitled to be called a republication ; but the two are " wondrous cheap" at half-a- crown.] The Recovery of Jerusalem. Translated from the Italian of Tasso, by EDWARD FAIRFAX. With Lives of Tasso and Fairfax. (Knight's Weekly Volume.) [This reprint of the excellent old translation of TASS0'8 Jerusalem Delivered is among the most valuable of Mr. KNIGHT'S inclusions in his " Weekly Volume." In one though in quite another sense, Dtvis's Chinese may be as valuable as Fatartx's translation; but it was by no means so races book.] History of Ten Fears : 1830-1840. By Loots BLANC, Part III. (Foreign

Library.)