The Courtship of Miles Standish. By Longfellow. (Sampson Low and
Co,)—This is a handsome quarto, the paper, print, and illus- tration being all that could be desired,—one of the sumptuous volumes which used to be more abundant in the Christmas publishing season of the past than they are now. The chief of the illustrations are the full-page pictures, designed by Mr. F. T. Merin, and executed in a kind of mezzotint. These are well drawn and otherwise effective. Then there are etchings and engravings, including a variety of subjects, not the least interesting being some that illustrate in the proper sense of the word, portraits, for instance, fac-similes of hand-writing, representations of muskets, swords, &c. The quality is good, and the quantity sufficient. Altogether, the volume is well got-up. The introductory note is interesting, as giving the literary history of the poem. Long- fellow's first idea was a drama, and he actually wrote a scene. Beyond this he does not seem to have gone. Other work called for his attention. Then we find him writing,—" To-day I set to work on Priscilla,' to be a kind of Puritan pastoral." This launder date December 2nd, 1857. On March 1st in the following year, he changes the name to that which it now bears. On March lath, he writes a whole canto (the eighth). This consists of 10/ lines. We may venture to -think that this was a little to rapid. Brat qua tonere velles. On March 22nd, we read,—" The poem is finished." It did not, however, appear till the following October. The author received .2150 for advance-sheets in England. In the States, twenty-five thousand were sold. in a very short time. There are some interesting notes, giving some details of the old New England life. The poet was, on the whole, very faithful to facts.
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