rules by which the happiness of married life is to be secured for us and for our children. But to pass from the author to his American translator. Mr. H., in this work, establishes at least his own reputation. The translation appears faithful, and is unquestionably ably done. It has, indeed, much of the freedom and force of an original composition, and that, too, without departing from the precise and condensed style of the original. The following passage may be taken as a sample of the best parts, not only of the translator's talent, but of Bentham's mind, showing wisdom as well as acuteness in his bold questionings into the established order of things. In this passage, however, we rather think we have the comments of Dumont, and not the reflections of Bentham. Into his mind "of one idea," there entered no such wise scruples of his own principles as are exhibited in the following closing paragraph of the chapter on the civil code : "But, however bad existing laws may be, let us distrust the declamations of chagrin and the exaggerations of complaint. He who is so passionate in his ideas of reform as to desire a revolt, or to bring the established system into general contempt, is unworthy to be heard at the tribunal of an enlightened public. Who can enumerate the benefits of law, I do not say under the best governments, but under the worst? Are we not indebted to it for all we have of security, property, industry, and abundance? Are we not indebted to it for peace between citizens, for the sanctity of marriage, and the sweet perpetuity of families? The good which the law produces is universal; it is enjoyed every day and every moment. Its evils are transient accidents. But the good is not perceived: we enjoy it without referring it to its true cause, as if it appertained to the ordinary course of nature; while its evils are vividly felt, and in the description of them, the suffering which is spread over equal space and a long series of years, is accumulated by the imagination upon a single moment. How many reasons we have to love the laws, in spite of their imperfections!" This we hold to be eloquent wisdom, and with all our spirit of " conservatism," to which charge we plead guilty, we shall never quarrel with the innovator who proceeds to question human laws, under the guidance of such feelings. We now take leave of Bentham for the present, and but for the present too, we hope, of his translator; since both for his sentiments as given in his preface, as well as for the ability displayed by him in the translation, we feel sincere respect. We are pleased, also, to see that he holds himself aloof from the "Principle of Utility," as the foundation of morals, and is content to advocate it but as "the only safe rule of legislation." This distinction is an all important one; and we trust that in a future edition of this work, or in some subsequent translation of others of Bentham's treatises, more especially his " Deontologie," should he be inclined to take it up, he will exhibit more fully than he has here done, the baselessness of a moral system built upon such shifting sands. Of his "Deontology," however, it is well for Mr. H. to be aware that an English translation, or rather a direct compendium from Bentham's own papers, has already been made in England, the proof sheets of which are now in our possession, sent out to us by Dr. Bowring, Bentham's literary executor, with a view to their republication here. To this request, however, we have returned a respectful negative, being neither willing to appear as foster-father to such a theory of ethics, nor to put forth a work written in such pure Benthamese as that, from hasty examination, appeared to us to be. 10. An Inquiry concerning the Diseases and Functions of the Brain, the Spinal Cord, and the Nerves. By AMARIAH BRIGHAM, M. D. New York: 1840. George Adlard. 12mo. pp. 327. WHAT Contributions can be made to the store of philosophical knowledge, on a topic of such vast extent as the subject matter of this book, within the compass of some two or three hundred pages? And yet, after a careful perusal of the work itself, we are not at all reluctant to admit that Dr. Brigham has performed an acceptable task, with some care and ability, and that the great variety of cases, and the deductions depending thereon will prove, on the whole, of saving efficacy in the hands of those to whom is confided the perplexing duty of managing complaints closely associated with or depending upon the disordered manifestations of the nervous system. Dr. Brigham has disposed of his materials in two parts: 1st. on the structure and functions of the brain: 2d. on the diseases of the brain and of other parts of the nervous system; to which is added an appendix. The importance of such disquisitions is obvious, and Dr. B. has evinced a praiseworthy solicitude to group together a great number and variety of cases, drawn from approved and recent authority, to confirm his opinions, to give scope to sober reflection on the mysterious and complex character of cerebral affections. Among the many conspicuous authors whom he summons to his assistance, we were surprised to find that no notice whatever is taken of the recent physiological discoveries of Doctor Carus, of Dresden, relating to the nervous system, and we are sorry that so few details are drawn in illustration of particular views from our American writers, whose labors must assuredly have been familiar to Dr. B. There are some observations by Dr. B. on the increase of inflammatory diseases of the brain of late years, which we hope may become wider known than we apprehend they are likely to become, by the circulation of a book rather too professional for general readers. We fear his therapeutical views of delirium tremens, though given with much confidence, will not be sustained by the soundest clinical practitioners. His section on insanity is valuable both for its statistical details and the interesting remarks with which it abounds. The book is calculated to do good; though we are compelled to state, that we looked for a more elaborate and practical introduction than that given by our author: his collection of facts deserved something more than a few meagre pages of common-place assertions. 11. Voices of the Night. By H. Cambridge: 1840. J. Owen. W. LONGFELlow. 2d Edition. Ir tells well for our taste in poetry, that this delightful little volume has already reached a second edition; and we trust that such a decided proof of a love for the beautiful in our community, will satisfy the poet that he is not casting his pearls before swine, and tempt him to bring out other " gems of purest ray" from the "dark unfathomed caves" of his portfolios, where, as we know, many such lie hidden, and were he to consult us in making the selection, we should advise him to fill the casket with more originals and fewer translations. The finer touches of poetry generally owe much of their beauty to the peculiar force of the words in which the poet's thought is first embodied, and this beauty no power of translation can transfer to another language, just as no skill in the mixing of colors can ever give to the copy of a master-work of painting the exact lights and shades of the original; of this we have a striking proof in the innumerable attempts to produce a perfect version of several exquisite pieces of the Greek anthology. The higher and sublimer the strain, the more it sets translation at defiance; hence the best translators often find, after bestowing all possible pains upon a version of a poem, known to possess the highest beauties as an original, that it gives no adequate idea of these beauties, and of course excites none of the admiration which they universally command in their native dress. We do not make these remarks with a view to detract from the merit of Prof. Longfellow's translations of the choice specimens of foreign poetry in this volume; we mean only to express our preference for his own poetry to any translations, however exact and however spirited they may be, and to remind him that he can never impart to others his own nice perceptions of the fragrance and beauty of these foreign flowers, until they are able to admire them upon their native stocks. We want him to allow his imagination to soar upon its own wings, and bring down to us the photegenic pictures which it imprints upon his own mind; by so doing we are sure that his flight will be easier and higher than any that can be made on the waxen wings of translation. 12. A Tribute to the Memory of Fitzhugh Smith, son of Gerrit Smith. By the Author of Thoughts on a new Order of Missions. New York: 1840. Wiley and Putman. 12mo. pp. 184. WERE this book in reality what it purports to be, a "Tribute to the Memory" of an amiable and excellent youth, we would hold it sacred, and out of the reach of criticism, as much as the stone which marks the spot where he lies; but when it violates as it does the sacredness of its own character, it loses all claim to forbearance on account of it—and, besides, a more heartless piece of formality and sickening affectation was never compounded. Perhaps we are judging harshly, and if so we must expect in turn to be judged ourselves; but let facts be heard in the case: an interesting and promising youth dies early, some months short of twelve years of age, when his life could not have furnished many materials to swell the record of his worth; more than four years afterwards this mis-named tribute to his memory appears-a volume of nearly three hundred pages; and of the sixteen chapters into which it is divided, but five at most have any relation to the subject of the tribute. The rest treat of the topics of every day's strife, and every day's gossip-of foreign travel, of political violence, slavery, extravagance in the style of living, fashionable parties, Napoleon's military hat, dress, property, professions, agricultural occupations, public charities, pharisaical righteousness, etc., etc. And all these acknowledged digressions the, author undertakes to justify, because his "eye glanced forward to what he believed the noble boy would have become, had he ripened into manhood." Why did he not tell the honest truth, and acknowledge that he had no other way of gratifying his own vanity, and swelling out the few pages, which his proper subject would occupy, to the size of a thick volume. 13. The School District Library. New York: 1840. Harper and Brothers. vol. 7. We do not now take up the New York School District Library with a view of giving it a critical examination; such a labor belongs to another part of our journal, and that is already filled. Our principal object at present, is to remind the friends of education of the immense importance of this instrument to the cause, which it is designed to aid, and to suggest to them the propriety of a severer scrutiny into the character of the works, which are thus put into the hands of our youth, sanctioned by the recommendation of persons in whom the public place confidence. This sanction ought never to be given to a book intended for this purpose, until it has been carefully read and examined. It is not, however, from distrust of the respectable publishers, who have undertaken the enterprise, or dissatisfaction with their selection, which, as far as our knowledge enables us to judge, appears in the main judicious and appropriate, that we have made the above suggestion; it was prompted solely by a deep interest in the matter, which leads us to wish for a stronger guaranty for the faithful execution of this important trust, than we can have in leaving it entirely to those who make it a mere business affair. The school committees, it is true, are not obliged to buy, unless they approve, but all know that they will buy, when they find what they want so conveniently put up and arranged and so strongly recommended: hence the necessity for the security that what they buy shall be of the right kind. Among the recent additions to the School Library, we are pleased to see Murray's excellent history of British America, and a very valuable compendium of practical mechanics by Prof. Renwick, and we are very sorry to see a history of the Fine Arts, of which nothing good can be said. The publishers' list of the third series announces various works, on remarkably well chosen subjects, and from the pens of our ablest writers; we need only specify-Selections from the American poets by Bryant, selections of foreign poets by Halleck, lives of Dewitt Clinton, General Alexander Hamilton, and Judge Jay, by Professor Renwick, and The Pleasures and Advantages of Science, by Dr. Alonzo Potter-to satisfy our readers that this series promises to be more interesting than either of the preceding. 14. Elements of Pathological Anatomy. Illustrated by numerous engravings. By SAMUEL D. GROSS, M. D., late Professor of General Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathological Anatomy, in the Medical Department of the Cincinnati College. Boston: 1839. Svo. THIS is a contribution to the stock of scientific knowledge, in an honored profession, of no ordinary character. Two substantial volumes on pathological anatomy, by a distinguished professor of the study, merits a notice far beyond the limits that can be assigned to such an undertaking in the miscellaneous pages of this periodical. All, therefore, that can be done upon the present occasion, is to awaken the attention of the faculty to a careful examination of Professor Gross's work, and to urge its perusal upon all solicitous of solid acquisition in one of the most important of the many departments into which the healing art is divided. In his prefatory pages, the author justly adverts to the want, in this country, of a work such as he has now endeavored to supply, and when we con |