C URRENT LITERATURE.
Suggestions on the True and Practical Route from the Atlantic to the Pam:* Ocean. By T„homas Rawlings. (Sampson Low.)—There is a great deal of fine writing in this volume, and some very useful chapters. The former has reference to the future of the American continent, and our responsibilities in connection with it ; the latter deals more methodi- cally with the present development of its agricultural and mineral wealth. We have statistics of the area, population, progress of cultiva-
tion, railway; and manufactures of the Eastern provinces, Canada, the Hudson's Bay Territory, and the North-Western States of the Union ; a sketch of the probable route of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, and a description of the magnificent regions through which it will pas; that would make an archbishop feel disposed to emigrate. It does seem monstrous that with all this elbow-room the talk in those parts should just now run principally on fortifications, and gunboats, and other devices against land-stealing, and we do think that the 'minister who shall be the first to let slip the dogs of war over this fair heritage of humanity will deserve the most conspicuous niche in the temple of infamy. Our author, as we said, has collected a mass of useful information about these parts, but he has encumbered it with much unnecessary matter on such subjects as the progenitors of the human race and the migratory journeys of the people of Western Asia. And when this country is asked to guarantee a loan for the construction of the railway from Halifax to the St. Lawrence, she requires some better reasons than that "her colonies are the right-hand maidens that shed radiance along her onward path, and scatter treasures before her advancing feet." She is at present inclined to think that these maidens, more puellarum, are more likely to scatter her treasures, and to turn from these heiresses of forest, lake, and prairie to her tocherleas daughters at home.
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