THE JUVENILE LIBRARY.*
THE .Theeiti/i? Librww, according- to the proprietors, is to consist of "an Historical series (Sacred and Protime), a 13iographica series, a Scientific series, a serk-s of the Fine Arts, a series of Guides to Professional Pursuits, a Miscellaneous series, and an Entertaining series." The entertaining part of tlie Library is put last, we suppose, to silence all possible complaint of dulness made against the rest. The work is to be edited by Mr. JERDAN, of the Literary Gazelle; who having long acted as critical director of the studies of the old, is supposed to possess a peculiar apti- tude tin. the instruction of the young. There is nothiir, new in the object of theJurenile Library, which is essentially I he same with that of the Library of Ustfai and the Library qf linterlain- ing Knowledge. Periodical libraries have become fashionable of late, and by consequence profitable. Messrs. COLHURN and BENTLEY take advantage of the fashion, in order to secure a por- tion of the profit. We can see no reason why they may not, and none why they should ferret out other excuses 101- their present publication, with this plain and obvious and perfectly justifiable one lying in their way. A number of the Biographical series has just been put into our hands. It forms the first volume, as a title of doubtful English informs us, "of the Lives of Remarkable Youth of both Sexes." The lives are nine in number,—EDWARD the Sixth, Lady .1.1i.:VE
*Juvenile Library, No. 1. Lives of Remarkable Youth of both Sexes. London, 1830. GREY, . PASCAL, CRICHTON, MOZART, Sir THOMAS LAWRENCE,
and three others.
We have considerable doubts, notwithstanding the authority of BEttotnN, how far the history of precocious genius is interesting
to youth, and we have no doubt 01' us Mut jilt-v. Such a musical procli2y as MOZART, or such a literary prodioy as BARRATIER, are uullat-estittg subjects of study to a philosopher ; but to the general reader, examples of unapproachable excellence are neither amusing nor edifying. Youth is indeed fond of the strange and the striking; but it is fond of such only as it may hope to imitate. The story of FRANKLIN Will convey a higher lesson of usefulness, and that of DRAKE will bring more spirit-stirring interest to a voting reader, than (Ivo hundred anecdotes of young ladies who wheedle their goal-mammas out or presents and tend school in their mistress's absence, or of young masters who swim at two years old and fight with sharks at twelve. Much, however, of a history, depends on the narratiOn. A clever writer can give interest to the most hack- neyed, and novelty to tl ie most commonplace subject. We cannot compliment the editor of the .hire-Vii.11! Library on the materials or execution of the present volume. Thu writers do not tell their tale—they preach about it. The interest of Pasem2s life is lost amidst a Inneile of unmeaning gene relisins—JANS GREY shares mi I)Ater fate. Eosv RI) hardly (.cieiples two .pages ofthe thirty-two assign-eat to him ; the rest are with an account of IIENay the E iil ii h, and of ca-rtain wars in Scotland, 'taken h!oin that hire and curious book II irus IL-dory of England. Cenorrox is somewhat better : but we never read of this young gentleman without recellecting That Ins earliest and best biographer was the most notorious liar in Christendom. In Mozartr's life we have: the marvellous old story ofthe Requiem set Mrth in all its [mai- culais. The other lives, with one exc-ption, aro not worth a eerweil. That exception is 11i life of LAWRENCE ; in which there is mucii that is new, and mueh that is amusing, told with sim- plicity and elegance.
The illustrations consist of neatly-engraved portraits of EDWARD the Sixth, Lady JANE GREY, the PrinCess VICTORIA, and Sir Tooroas LAWRENCE ; the last from an apparently original sketch by himself when youn!,. The portrait of the Princess VICTORIA iS a reduced copy of C.orransoN SMITH'S pretty whole-length sketch : it. forms :In interesting picture, and a very .appropriate ornameot to the volume,—which, by the special permission of her royal mother, is dedicated to the little Princess. The price of the Juvenile Library is only four shillings each volume.
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