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ems of modern times ; and the specimens here printed of Leopardi , Prati » isti , Saffi , Foscolo , Berchet , Cantu , Grossi , and many others , give the ume considerable interest .
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CHRISTMAS VARIETIES . ptain Mayne Reid does not announce his " White Chief ; a Legend Northern Mexico , " ( Bogue , ) as a Christmas book ; but as a Christmas ) k it must be taken . Three volumes or one , such a story is for the rm fireside , and for readers who mean to be amused , forgetful of unities , » babilities , originalities , and all the other " points " of literature . It is , the title-page confesses , legendary in substance , and its contents will appoint no one who has perused ( patiently ) , either the " Scalp Hunters , " ; * The Rifle-Rangers , " by the same author . Captain Mayne Reid has , in t , a genius for detailing incidents of the thrilling and tropical kind , sry novel from his pen contains material for seven tragedies , or more , opens the most fearful perspectives to your eye , hangs above them the st dismal clouds , brings upon the scenes the fiercest heroes , and compels
m to fight it out with the most mortal atrocity . It is fair to add , with oming seriousness , that , as a melo-dramatic fiction , " The White Chief " 11 that young or old readers , with a deep relish for adventures , perils , catastrophes , in perpetual crescendo , could wish it to be . l better and a wiser book—but of a totally different class—is Mr . Henry yhew ' s " Wonders of Science ; or , Young Humphry Davy . " ( Bogue . ) is " written for boys" the title-page avows , but not boys only enjoy the pleasant pages in which science is made easy by lg made charming . Mr . Mayhew enters elaborately , though lightly , i the history of Humphry Davy ' s earliest experiments . His narrative is
h , genial , encouraging , full of instruction for the young , and quite as irtaining as some very good romances . It is the second example Mr . rhew has given of a new class of books for youth . Its graceful and py stvle , its loving praises of philosophy , its tale of human hopes _ ggles , interwoven with a narrative of erudite discovery , render it a sure among Christmas volumes . Fullom ' s " Marvels" may feed the istmas fire ; Mayhew ' s " Wonders" will brighten the Christmas e , and give to voung and old many pleasant things to talk of . he author of " " Mia and Charlie " ( Bogue ) , with an irreproachable ation , has not effected much for her child-readers . The story is poor , in a feeble stvle . Mr- Birket Foster ' s excellent illustrations are
somet misplaced in this volume . Twice Married ; a Story of Connecticut Life" ( Nevy York : Dix and 'ards ) , is a peculiar example of the new order of American fiction . The ts are improbable ; but the narrative flows with rapidity , and the interest ers strongly towards the close . le announcement of a new tale by the author of " Matthew Paxton , " ; ed a pleasurable sensation in the minds of many readers . Here it is — iristian Melville" ( Bogue ) , a touching , delicate story , with a meaning a purpose—the purpose faintly supported , perhaps , and the meaning , a ; conventional ; but with a pious tone—worth a library ot sermons . We Id ; have been fascinated more immediately by the heroine , had not the tispiece produced an unfavourable impression , both of her shape and
acter . ae preface of " Oeland ; a Thread of Life , " by Alice Somerton , spares 1 criticism . It is by no means a fiction , Alice Somerton says , nor is it collection of facts obtained from various sources . " It is distinctly " a id of life , perhaps unprecedented , but not less true . " If this be not a [ explanation , nothing more precise is to be gained from the " thread " ? . For " unprecedented" read " unintelligible . " Sabbath Bells Chimed by the Poets , with Illustrations by Birket Foster , " [ and Daldy ) , forms an elegant season book . The illustrations arc bright graceful ; the ornamental initials representing the wealth of the Whitlam fonts . Among the poets quoted are Miss Lnndon , Coleridge , , 'er , Cowper , Southey , Charles Lamb , Longfellow , and , inost famous 1 , "Anon , " who appears as great nn author as " Finis . " The volume lutifully printed , and tastefully dressed in autumnal colours , brown and p . William IT . G . Kingston writes under influence of a mission . His
; is in the colonies , where he would wish the bodies of many more ishmen , and women , and children , to be . His new book is the " Emits' Home , or How to Settle" ( Groombridge and Sons ) . ' 1 his is " n story ustralitin life for all classes , at Home and in the Colonies , " and it is y rational story in spirit and manner . Mr . Kingston is not a man . who fs in the highways calling on nil who hunger or thirst , or who areiinpaor ambitious to go to Australia nnd enrich themselves . In this volume he ts out the " characters" who are unlit to succeed as Colonists , and explains nigrants the essential conditions of success , whether in Australia , or any rof the transmarine territories of Great Britain . It is a timely
pnblicawell considered , and admirably writ ten . inning together a number of translations nnd reprints , — - Alexandra as' charming novel , " The Queen ' s Necklace , " in the Parlour Library ; Bulwcr Lytton ' s " Harold , " "The Cnxtons , " and "My Novel , " in ledge ' s llnilway Library ; Horace Smith ' s " Brambletye House" and i of Mr . G . P . R . James's , and Mr . Ainsworth ' s cheap editions—we come to seems a new popular Library , " The Amusing , " of which , four volumes n our table , " Romantic tales of Great Men , " trite and poor ; " Tales of u" with a tinge of true romance ; " Talcs of Franco ; " nnd " Tales of series onlbut of that
lour ; " the last being the be * , not of this y , many mbcrtbe railway stnlls . In " Adventures of my Cousin Smooth , or o Quibbles of Great Governments ( Twcedie ) , " we have originality ; that say , the book is neither a translation nor a reprint . In style , however , a gross carictature of " Sam Slick , " the author ' s efforts at humour tins ; in an outpouring of inarticulate crambo . The narration is intended story , and the story as a satire ; but Mr . Timothy Tcmpleton 1 ms iken absurdity for wit , and violence for severity . Ho has published an eribably stupid book . Lifted Leslie ; a story of Glasgow Life , " ( Glasgow , Murray ) , is nn iIIuh-
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MK . ANDERSON'S ONE HUNDREDTH NIOHT . Tuesday being the one hundredth night of Mr . Anderson ' s " bedeyilments" ( saving the reader ' s presence ) , the " Puoi ' isssoii" gave an invitation to all connected with the London press to partake of " oysters and other comestibles and condiments , " together with " libations of champagne and other sacrificial liquids to the infernal gods " ( to quote from the circular sent round to us ) , after the performance . The bidding to the feast was , it must be confessed , of a somewhat alarming character , and somewhat peremptorv too ; for we were " summoned , cited , and commanded , in the names of " " Pluto , Lord Chief Justice of the High Court of Tartarus , Riiadamanthus , Minos , and . / Each us , Barons of the Tartarean Court of Excheouer , " to appear in person before the Wizard , and state fully all we know of him ; act-ins ; that he has been , " by certain of her Majesty s lieges , f
accused , before the' solemn Tartarean tribunal or Vehnigerieht , osundry unlawful and unhallowed doings , of weaving malineent spells , of working unholy incantations , and of bewitching and insorceHuting thousands of the said lieges . " Now , we really know nothing of this awful Wizard , except that lie is a very clever and amusing gentleman ; and we positively should not like to answer for anything more , being in nowise convinced of the safety ot such vouching . We were told , moreover , to fail not in our appearance , or to " beware of the Cord and Dagger ; " and the invitation was surrounded by a very suspicious hieroglyph , representing daggers , Death ' s heads , serpents , and demoniacal faces . Nevertheless , though we have small desire to be mixed up with the powers of darkness , we attended the Magician s diabolical supper-room ( being assured in the circular that we need not be terrified , nor allow our hearts to " wax faint" ) ; and we can only say that , judging by the lateness of the hour to which some of our brethren " kept it up , they
had no reason to be dissatisfied with their sortilegious night . JENNY LIND AT EXETER HALL . Last Monday Jknny Lind , Madame Goldschmidt now ( happily for M . Goldsehniidt ) sang to the most crowded and critical audience that London could exhibit at this end of the season . Every one was prepared to decide whether the Lind ' a voice lmd faded ; no one went away without resolving to return next Monday , if possible , and hear again the sweetest of the singers of Europe . Happy are they whose places arc taken for the JLltjan . The performance of that and the Creation we must describe next week . Tim Population ov China—Wo may with tolerable safely estimate the xiir . jrorui . ATioN uv v , « ir < jv . — m > u » vj «» u « ~ ' ~; ~~ ; : ~~ " i a nn nnct 0 ( 1 ( 1 000 and 400 000
nrcHcnt population of the Chinese empire ns between 860 , 000 , , OW of human beings . The constant How of emigration from Chiim , eoiitruHtotl wi « i ««• oomploto ubHonoo of immigration into China , is striking < ! " " ° " , " ,, ' eonfined clancy of the population ; for though that emigration in ahncjrwho " con « ne « to two provinces—namely Kwangtung and M . okion , - ^!""*"' ' * ' , 5 J tWnk population of probably from 84 , 000 , 000 U , 815 , 000000 , 1 ««» f ^ XJoH alone £ that a number nearer 3 , 000 , 000 than 2 , 000 , 000 f . o . » t . « No « alo ^ u located In foreign countries . In the kingdom of Sm « i > * w ™ ™ Jj , \ ( Bankok ) . are at least 1 , 5 » 0 , 000 ClunCHo , of which 800 , 000 nro in 1 '' « J ^ Y ^ ^ They crowd all the Wands , of tho ^^ i ^^ t ^^^^ ^ ^ correct eonsus , there are 180 , 000 . Coo »» ^''""* j tuking cl . inoHO emigrant * oolouy wo are Boldoni without ouo , two , or llnoo vobhi hi iiu » k pi , })! ,,, ^ - to rssrts ss « r ^/ SHr ^ Amori " Home have m . idothoir way to British liulln .- ¦/>«• •/« ' «• Uowrtnff .
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tration of Glasgow society—not of that society alone which moves and has its being under chandeliers or on Aubusson ' s carpets—if there be such North oi the Tweed—but of various classes : in streets , in boats , in drawingrooms , shops , and even less recognisable places . It is amusing enough to be sent with recommendations , to rural friends ; indeed , it might , if read with appropriate emphasis , exorcise the ennui oi a party frozen in a parlour during there long Christmas evenings . The Holly-Tree Inn . Being tJieExtra Christmas Number of " Household Words . " " Household Words" Office . What so delightful for Christmas reading as any book or other publication with which the brilliant , many-sided , but always cheerful mind of Mr . Dickens has been associated ? From the time when—now some twelve years back — the " Christmas Carol , " with its covers red as the winter berries of the holty , its coloured pictures , and its genial humanities , came forth like a glorious " Christmas fruit , down to this fifteenth day of December , 1855 , each
succeeding Christmas , with a very few exceptions , has been associated with the genius of Mr . Dickens , and the Christmas hearth has derived an additional glow from that companionship . And now , from five shilling issues , Mr . Dickens has descended to a threepenny pamphlet , associating with himself many other intellects worthy to range beside him . " The tloily-Tree Inn " —the present year's issue—keeps up the general design pleasantly pursued for the last few years ; and is in fact another offspring of the " Decameron . " or * ' Canterbury Pilgrims" mode of setting a variety of tales within one harmonising framework . A nervous or bashful gentleman is staying at an inn at a country town , on his way to America , whither he has resolved to go because the " object of his affections" has , as it seems , jilted him ; and here , despite his retiring disposition , he contrives to get at the history of each of the chief persons about the hostelry—such as , the Ostler , the Boots , the Landlord , the Barmaid , and the Poor Pensioner . We need not say that the Guest is made happy in the end , for otherwise it would be preposterously against the genial practice of Mr . Dickens .
When we add that " The Holly-Tree Inn" is only issued to the public this daj ' , and that we made our first acquaintance with it late 3 'esterday , it will not be expected that we should go into any elaborate criticism . But we can promise the reader the usual variety , amusement , and literary power , and we are well assured that his threepence will be speedily forthcoming , when he will judee for himself .
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December 15 , 1855 . ] THE LEADER . 1207
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 15, 1855, page 1207, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2119/page/19/
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