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ON THE CLIFFS.

WHILE the little ones gather flowers, Or rustle about in the corn,

I'll pray to the sea

To bring to me,

The schooner, the Golden Horn.

The horizon, gray and dim,
Scarce darker than the sky,
Hides all behind,

That I fain would find.

Would I had power to fly

Like the gull that now alights

On the waves with its snowy breast;

And a moment more
Whirls over the shore-

On sea nor land at rest.

Little gray blots of ships;
Nearer, a tawny sail,
Ochry red;

And overhead,

The breath of a southern gale.

A dancing, glittering sea,
Purple and laughing green;
With a ripple of gold
On every fold,

And a ruffle of surf between.

The barley is glossy as silk,
Bowing to every cloud;
And clickety-clack,
Tickety-tack,

The bird's rattle sounds so loud.

The wind-mill there on the hill Is tossing its arms about; Signalling

To the ships on the wing, And the waves below that shout.

Glitter and dance, ye waves,
And bear my darling home;
The boy with the hair
Curling so fair-

I love him where'er he roam.

Who knows but those broad brown sails,

Rounding the Foreland there,

Bring him to me

From over the sea,

Safe from the cruel gales?

No! for they tack again,
And bear away to the west;
And he I know,

Straight, straight would go
Back to his mother's breast.

The poppies are fluttering red Over the chalk-cliff's edge; Nodding to me,

And then to the sea,
From every sun-burnt ledge.

The wild geranium, too,
Has a butterfly fluttering round
But the thistle's alone.
My own-my own,

He is far on the rolling Sound.

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Then as I wandered free

In every field, for me

Its thousand flowers were blowing!

A veil through which I did not see,
A thin veil o'er the world was thrown,

In every bud a mystery;

Magic in everything unknown:

The fields, the grove, the air was haunted, And all that age has disenchanted. Yes! give me-give me back the days of youth, Poor, yet how rich!-my glad inheritance, The inextinguishable love of truth, While life's realities were all romanceGive me, oh! give youth's passions unconfined, The rush of joy that felt almost like pain, Its hate, its love, its own tumultuous mind; Give me my youth again!

BELLS BY NIGHT.

-Faustus.

"TIS Sabbath-eve: from the old kirk tower
Merrily chime the bells by night;
The organ peals with thrilling power,
And the windows glow with holy light-
Merrily chime the bells by night.

Year by year to the pilgrim throng, Warningly speak the bells by night: "Life is short, eternity's long;

Children of darkness waken to light"-
Warningly say the bells by night.
Over the grave of the patriot slain
Solemnly rolls a dirge by night:

"The good are gathered like ripened grainWhy should we weep when angels delight?" Solemnly echo the bells by night.

Lone do I list to a curfew-bell

That wofully throbs within me to-night!

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Two buds plucked from the tree;
Two birdies flown from the nest;
Two little babies snatched

From a fond mother's breast;
Two little snow-white lambs
Gone from the sheltering fold;
Two little narrow graves
Down in the churchyard cold.
Two little drooping flowers,
Growing in a purer air,
Blooming fragrant and bright
In the great Gardener's care;
Two little tender birds,

Flown far from fear and harm;
Two little snow-white lambs
In the good Shepherd's arm.
Two little angels more,

Singing with voices sweet,
Flinging their crowns of gold
Down at their Saviour's feet.
Free from all earthly care,

Pure from all earthly stainOh, who could wish them back In this drear world again?

-Chambers's.

ONE NOTE WRONG.

BLUE bends the sky above

Blue runs the stream below-
Earth quiet as a dove;
Would that my heart were so!
Nor leaf nor shadow falls

On all the green hill-side;
Even to the cuckoo's calls,
Echo but half replied.
So lazy goes the hour,
The very dragon-fly,

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BRIEF LITERARY NOTICES.

The Histoire de la Société Française sous le Directoire, like the previous book of MM. d Goncourt, will be eagerly read, but the impression which it leaves is painful in the extreme. We here have to deal with one of the most corrupt epochs of French history, and the sketch presented to our view is, moreover, painted in colors which dazzle us by their brilliancy, whilst at the same time they are ill assorted and spoiled by want of taste. It is no easy task to give an adequate description of the style which MM. de Goncourt have thought fit to adopt; all we can say is that the volume is made up chiefly of extracts taken from the newspapers, the pamphlets, and the correspondence of the day. The title Histoire is scarcely applicable to such a work, for where we expected seriousness and dignity we find nothing but anecdotes and comparatively trivial details. The mass of information brought together by MM. de Goncourt is wonderful, but it is ill digested, and leaves no distinct trace upon the memory. The chaos presented by French society immediately after the Reign of Terror, when a certain degree of quiet seemed to be restored, is reflected in the work before us; and in that dazzling panorama where Madame Tallien, Madame Récamier, and Madame Hamelin move about like the presiding deities of dissipation and pleasure, we regret both the more seri. ous pages of M. Thiers and the lively souvenirs of the Duchess d'Abrantès. The Histoire de la Société sous le Directoire belongs neither to the class of historical compositions nor to that of memoirs it is a cross between the two, and as such it is not pleasing.-Saturday Review.

;

We remember reading, in one of M. SainteBeuve's Canseries du Lundi, an interesting article which made us wish that we could, like the critic, have access to privately printed books, and to literary treasures reserved for a limited circle of friends. The article in question referred to Madame de Tracy, who was evidently a person of no ordinary merit, and who, without aspiring to the dignity of blue-stockingism, had given proof of high intellectual as well as moral qualities. We are happy to say that the restrictions imposed by the delicacy of Madame de Tracy's intimes are now removed, and the public at large is allowed to read and enjoy the three volumes left by her under the title of Essais Divers, Let

* Histoire de la Société Française sous le Directoire. Par MM. DE GONCOURT. Paris: Didier.

tres et Pensées.* It has often been remarked that several English writers have conquered a place amongst the purest and most idiomatic French littérateurs. Madame de Tracy is a case in point; for her maiden name, Sarah Newton, sufficiently denotes her extraction, and, if we may believe her biographer, she was of the same family with the immortal author of the Principia. Taken to France at an early age, she soon became completely French in her tastes, her feelings, and her opinions; but she combined with the feminine accomplishments of her adopted compatriotes a seriousness of character which seems more distinctively English. The Essais Divers, consisting of three volumes, are an unpretending work, well-written, and calculated to leave the most favorable impression of the authoress. We have, first, the journal of an excursion to Plombières, in company with Madame de Coigny, which, according to M. Sainte-Beuve, is the gem of the collection. Then come abridged translations of two English tales; and, finally, a biographical éloge of Madame de Tracy's father-in-law, the celebrated idéologue Destutt de Tracy. The second volume is entirely taken up with essays on Saint Athanasius, Saint Ambrose, and Tertullian, illustrated by extracts from their writings; and the third contains detached thoughts, letters, passages from journals, and an account of the lady herself, composed by one of the most distinguished contributors to the Journal des Débats, M. Cuvillier-Fleury.—Ditto.

The Conversion of the Holy Roman Empire: the Boyle Lectures for the Year 1864. Delivered at the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. By Charles MERIVALE, B.D. Longman. Eight lectures are con tained in this volume, with an appendix of illustra tive and explanatory notes. Mr. Merivale attrib utes the conversion of the empire to the following influences: First, the conviction wrought by the external evidences of Christianity-that is, by the apparent fulfilment of recorded prophecy, and by the historical testimony to the miracles on which its claims to some extent rested. These evidences he admits, however, owed much of their weight to the uncritical and credulous character of the age in which they were first adduced, and, to avoid discussion, does not dwell on them. Second, the internal evidence - that is, the appeal made by Christianity to the intelligence and moral sensibilities of men-a species of testimony so markedly distinctive of the true religion, yet bearing a mysterious affinity to some of the highest aspirations of the heathen philosophy. By this evidence the most refined and intelligent of the heathen were actually converted, and no other possesses equal importance. Third, the godly examples of the Christians throughout the trials of life, and especially in the crowning trial of martyrdom, which produced millions of conversions. Fourth, the temporal success with which Christianity was eventually crowned. This decided the multitude.-The Reader.

An American Dictionary of the English Language. By NOAH WEBSTER, LL.D. Thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged and improved by Č.

Essais Divers, Lettres et Pensées de Madame de Tracy. Paris: Plon.

BRIEF LITERARY NOTICES.

A. GOODRICH, D.D., LL.D., and NOAH PORTER, D.D. Springfield, Mass.: G. C. Merriam. 1864. 4to. Pp. lxxii. 1768. In the preparation of this new edition of WebWith 3000 Engravings. ster's Dictionary, no pains have been spared to make it the most complete and useful Dictionary of the English language. It is about thirty years since Dr. Webster completed his great labors, and English lexicography has since advanced at an unprecedented rate. This edition has been in the course of preparation for more than five years; and full thirty years of literary labor, by highly competent scholars, have been devoted to it. The Vocabulary has been enlarged, so that it now contains upwards of 114,000 words, being 10,000 more than are found in any other lexicon. Rejecting self-explaining compound words, and words so obsolete or technical that they are seldom or never used, all terms are retained which can fairly claim a place. As the English is still a growing language, there must be in every new lexicon some new words or new significations of old terms. The Etymology has been thoroughly revised, under the charge of Dr. C. A. F. Mahn, of Berlin; so that, though much remains to be done in this direction, it is here presented more carefully and fully than in any previous work. Able scholars in this country and Europe are now at work in this field, and before many years we shall doubtless have a tolerably complete etymological dictionary of our language; but for the present this edition of Webster must take the lead.

The Definitions of Dr. Webster have always had the highest reputation; and the present edition improves in this respect upon the previous ones. The order of the definitions is, in many instances, changed so as to give the literal sense first and then the derived. Numerous extracts have also been added from the best writers. No one can consult the work without profit on this score; though there is here, too, an endless field, and, of course, a great variety of usage. Hamilton, we see, is largely used, and rightly too, for philosophical terms. But Mansel's definition of Personality ("as we can conceive it, it is essentially a limitation and a relation") represents the view of a special philosophical tendency, and is, on the face of it, inconsistent with the ascription of personality to God. A learned friend has pointed out to us the definition of Temeration as temerity-Jeremy Taylor being cited as authority; but he uses the word in the sense of stained, polluted, (derived from temero.) The same friend criticises the definition of citizen-" one who has the privilege of voting," etc.-as too narrow: it is not the American sense or usage. But these are slight points compared with the general fulness and accuracy of the definitions.

Among the other points that give preeminence to this work are the careful revision of the Pronunciation, with a full list of words differently pronounced, and Dr. Goodrich's able paper on the Principles of Pronunciation; a Table of differing Orthographies, with Mr. Wright's Rules for spelling certain classes of words; and the addition of a list of Synonymes to the most important words. Some 3000 pictorial illustrations are incorporated in the work, and are much bet ter than verbal descriptions. Mr. Wheeler's Vocabulary of Names of Fictitious Persons and

[February,

Places is a novel attempt, and very successful. Besides this, we have a Pronouncing Vocabulary of Modern Geographical and Biographical Names, of Scripture Names, of Greek and Latin Names, of English Christian Names; a select list of Quotations and Phrases from various languages; Abbreviations and Contractions; Arbitrary Signs in Writing and Printing; and Ancient, Foreign, and Remarkable Alphabets. Nor must we omit History of the English Language. to commend Professor Hadley's excellent Brief scholarship. It is a monument of careful and This great work is an honor to American protracted labor. On the whole it is now the most complete Dictionary of the English Language. Those engaged in it, and foremost among them that accomplished scholar, Professor Noah Porter, are to be congratulated for their high publishers have shown great efficiency and a success in a laborious undertaking. And the laudable ambition, in producing a work which, pression, and whatever goes to make a convenon the score of typographical clearness and comient and elegant book, stands foremost among the productions of modern book-making.-Presb. and Theol. Review for Jan.

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Parson." London: Longman & Co. A vein of The Autumn Holidays of a Country Parson. By the author of The Recreations of a Country sly humor runs through the book, making it very pleasant to read. chapters to point to specially where all are good We scarcely know which in their way; but the reader will get, perhaps, as fair an estimate of the author's powers in the chapter "Concerning the Estimate of Human Beings as in any. cerning the Right Tack, with some Thoughts on or, Some Thoughts on Misplaced Men;" Concerning Ugly Ducks; the Wrong Tack;""Concerning Needless Fears," should also be read by those who like this class of gossip. Ticknor & Fields, Boston, have also brought out an American edition in good style.

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The Queens of the County.

Con

English work, dedicated by the authoress to her
of "Margaret and Her Bridesmaids." Second
By the author
"Literary Sisters in America." It is composed
edition. Boston: Loring, Publisher. 1865. An
of some thirty short papers on a variety of
topics, mainly illustrative of the habits and man-

They are common-sense sketches, not over lively
and not sensational, but healthful and improving.
ners of our common ancestors in the olden time.

Moods. By LOUISA M. ALCOTT, author of
"Hospital Sketches."
which gives tone and breadth to the moral feel-
The same publisher.
1865. A novel of decided interest, and one
ings.

delphia: Frederick Leopoldt. New-York: Hurd
& Houghton. 1865. A small book of poetry,
Real and Ideal. By J. W. MONTCLAIR. Phila-
them only tolerable, while others possess con-
siderable poetic merit. Several of them are trans-
elegantly printed. The poems are short, some of
lations from the German. We extract one poem
in our Poetry department.

United States of America. By ABEL STEVENS,
History of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
LL.D. New-York: Carleton & Porter. 1864.

2 vols. Dr. Stevens has already won a high meed of praise for his previous history of Methodism. No better man could have been found to write the history of this great and growing denomination. The task thus far has been executed with taste, judgment, and candor. The history will undoubtedly be a standard one in the Methodist church, and adds another to the growing list of noble American histories. The first volume is occupied with "The Planting of American Methodism," and the second with "The Planting and Training" of it. The work of Dr. Stevens, we observe, has been very favorably received abroad.

Man and Nature; or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action. By GEORGE P. MARSH. New York: Scribner. 1864. Our Minister to Turin is an eminent example of the facility with which a man of philosophical culture and enlarged acquisitions can turn to various departments of literary production, and in each show himself to be a master. The bibliographical list of works prefixed to this volume indicates the most thorough preparation for the projected task, which is of a high order of importance, comprising the amount of changes produced in the physical condition of our globe through human agency; the dangers arising from waste of materials; the practicability of restoring exhausted regions; and the various projects now on foot, on a large scale, in relation to these objects. We need not say that the work, though hitherto unattempted with much comprehensiveness, is well done, and will be of the greatest aid and need to future inquirers. In this country the tendency is to waste rather than thrift, since nature is here so prodigal, and our resources are as yet so imperfectly developed. Many of the author's suggestions are worthy of the serious study of our statesmen. The work, besides an introductory chapter on the general aspect of the subject, discusses the Transfer, Modification, and Extirpation of Vegetable and of Animal Species, (chapter II. ;) the Woods, (chapter III., one of the most valuable;) the Waters, (chapter IV. ;) the Sands, (chapter V.;) and Projected or Possible Geographical Changes by Man, (chapter VI.,) such as the various larger canals, seas, Darien, the Dead Sea, etc., etc.

Though devoted to physical researches, yet this volume bears constant testimony to the true position and power of man, as having a higher nature and capacities than the brutes, and thus sharply distinguished from them, and made to rule over this lower world, in subjection to his Maker.-Presb, and Theol. Review,

American Presbyterian and Theological Review. Edited by Prof. HENRY B. SMITH and Rev. J. M. SHERWOOD. New-York: J. M. Sherwood. The January number of this quarterly presents a list of articles of unusual ability. I. CHRISTIAN MIRACLES AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE, by Rev. J. Q. Bittinger, is a sensible and timely discussion of a most important subject. II. DELIVERY IN PREACHING, by the venerable Dr. Skinner, is on the whole the richest and most suggestive essay on this vital theme that we remember to have read. III. ORIGIN OF HOMER'S PURER RELIGIOUS IDEAS, by Frederick Köster, is from the German. IV.

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JOHN FOSTER ON FUTURE PUNISHMENT is a thoughtful and impressive review of this well-known Letter by President Wayland, in the form of a letter addressed to Rev. Thomas H. Skinner, D.D. V. GIBBON AND COLENSO, by Dr. William Adams, is a striking and brilliant paper which none can read without interest. VI. CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION, by Dr. C. P. Wing, does justice to the subject. VII. THE COVENANTERS AND THE STUARTS is a racy historical article. VIII. WHEDON ON THE WILL, by Prof. H. B. Smith, is written with that acumen and masterly ability for which he is so distinguished. In addition, a large space is devoted to CRITICISMS ON BOOKS, THEOLOGICAL AND LITERARY INTELLIGENCE, and a COLLEGE RECORD for the year 1864. On the whole, we think this the best number of this Review which has yet been issued.

Diary of Mrs. Kitty Trevylyan. A Story of the Times of Whitefield and the Wesleys. With a Preface by the Author. New-York: M. W. Dodd. 1865. The author of this work has achieved a reputation as sudden and great as it is deserved. It is only a year since she first became known in this country through The Schönberg-Cotta Family, published first by M. W. Dodd, and afterwards by T. Nelson & Son. No book of its kind was ever a greater success. Combining the dramatic interest and excitement of a romance with the solid worth of history, it has been read and admired by a very large number. That was followed some months since by The Early Dawn, and now we have the third volume from this gifted pen. The other works by the same author, republished here, are her earlier productions. We need only add, that the last work strikingly resembles the Cotta-Family in its essential features, and we doubt not will be as eagerly read in ten thousand households.

SCIENCE.

Roman Discovery.-Righetti, a wealthy commoner of this city, has lately purchased an old palace for an old song, being in one of the dirtiest parts of Rome, called the Biscione; it is close to the Piazza Campo dei Fiori, and not far from the Farnese Palace. Extensive repairs were indispensable, for the building was in a most rickety state, and, on setting people to work to dig for a foundation, they came upon a pavement composed of large slabs of that marble called "Porta Santa," which is a dull, veined marble, of a reddish hue, which comes from the Island of Iasus, in the Archipelago, and is properly called Marmor Jasseuse;" it is, however, better known by its modern name, which it derives from its forming the jambs of the jubilee door at St. Peter's. This pavement was found thirty feet below the present level of this part of Rome; and here, likewise, they came upon a massive wall, near which they found a piece of building somewhat resembling a Noah's Ark without the boat; the sides were of brick and the roof was formed of large blocks of travertine resting upon these walls, and uniting with bevelled edges at the top ("rigging" as they call it in Scotland). There were two gable ends, each formed of one large block of travertine; on

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