and to praise which may stimulate others to do likewise. There is another reason-we wish not to conceal it-why we feel particularly gratified that his Lordship has betaken himself to a pursuit which is likely to afford full employment of a useful nature to his active mind; this reason is, our expectation that he will not, for a long time, have leisure or inclination to continue his barbarous assaults on the purity and refinement of English versification. Since Lord Byron has gone to war against the Turks we trust that he will war no longer against our poetry, and that its true classical structure will be able to recover from the severe wounds he has already inflicted on it, before he shall have an opportunity to renew his hostilities.

The intelligence of war between England and Algiers is confirmed. That it will result in the chastisement and submission of those lawless barbarians may be anticipated; but that the demolition of their stronghold, the only event which will finally secure the christian nations from a recurrence of their depredations, will take place, is rather to be desired than expected. About seven years ago, the British fleet humbled them, but the ministry granted them peace on terms which they have not scrupled to infringe. Whether they will again be trusted with the power of violating treaties by plundering the neighbouring nations, remains to be seen. We trust, however, that the restraints that shall be laid on them will be more effectual than the former.

But bustling as the affairs of the old hemisphere, at present are, they fall short of that ardent passionate activity which is displayed by the gladiators on our own political arena. In comparison to the eagerness with which political views are prosccuted in this country, the zeal of the European statesmen is absolute insipidity. In Europe they witness only the mere prose of political manoeuvering; here we experience the very soul of its poetry, that is, if poetry and passion be synonymous, as has lately been asserted in Philadelphia. Here, Heaven knows, we have the passion of politics exhibited in a style as discordant and inharmonious as the most exquisitely modernized taste can desire.

To speak, however, without metaphor, the approaching presidential election has aroused the energy of every expectant of

office; and spouters, as well as scribblers, are now in the full swing of alternate eulogy and vituperation. Each man has arranged himself, primed to the very foretop with fire and fury, on the side of that candidate whom he supposes to possess the best chance of gaining the contested chair; and henceforward, until the important decission be made, we need expect nothing but that

«Harsh words, jealousies, and fears,

Shall set folks together by the ears.”

For ourselves, we have no intention to engage in the contest; but we shall exercise the privilege of a looker-on, and perhaps occasionally cheer or hiss, as we may see the combatants deserve. At present we are much tempted to comment on the three remarkable explosions of political wrath which have taken place within these few weeks, and which now engross so much of the public attention-we mean, the dispute between a certain letterfinding Senator and the President; the rupture between the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Ambassador to Mexico; and the disgraceful outrage committed by the Legislature of NewYork on one of her most virtuous and popular citizens. But we are aware that we should not be able to express our sentiments on subjects so fruitful of ideas, with sufficient brevity to suit the very limited space which we have now left for political remarks in this number. We shall therefore not attempt it. If, however, our attention be not called to subjects more immediately interesting to our readers, we may, on a future occasion, devote a few pages to the consideration of at least some of these extraordinary transactions.

AMERICAN LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

H. C. Carey, and I. Lea, have in the Press: Notes on Mexico, with Maps, and an Appendix of Documents. By a South Carolinian. In 8vo.

A System of Midwifery, by W. P. Dewees, M. D. In one large vol. 8vo. with plates.

O'Halloran or the Insurgent Chief, a novel, in two volumes. By the author of "The Wilderness," and "Spectre of the Forest."

Long's Second Expedition-Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of the St. Peters, Lake Winnipeck, Lake of the Woods &c. performed in the year 1823; by order of the Hon. John C. Calhoun, Secretary of War; under the direction of Stephen H. Long, Major of United States' Engineers. In 2 vols. 8vo. with plates.

Essays on Variolous, Vaccine, and Varioloid Diseases, by N. Chapman, M. D. In 8vo.

Chapman on Fever. In 8vo.

Cook on Nervous Diseases. In 2 vols. 8 vo.
Cooke's Morgagni, 2 vols.

Conversations on Chemistry, new edition, with Notes, by W. Keating.

Digest of American Reports. In 4 vols. royal 8vo. By T. J. Wharton, Esq.

Sayings and Doings; or Sketches from Real Life, in 2 vols.

12mo.

Abraham Small, has in the Press:

A dissertation on the nature and extent of the jurisdiction of the Courts of the United States, by Peter S. Duponceau, Esq. with an introduction and an appendix, in which will be contained a sketch of the national and judiciary powers exercised in the United States, from the settlement of the colonies to the time of the adoption of the Federal Constitution; by Thomas Sergeant, Esq.

History of the colonies planted by the English on the continent of North America, from their settlement to the commencement of that War which terminated in their Independence.

A Treatise on the principles of Pleading in Civil Actions; comprising a summary view of the whole proceedings in a suit at law by Henry John Stephen, Esq.

A compendium of the Law of Evidence, by Thomas Peak, Sergeant at Law, 5th edition, with the addition of notes and references to all the American authorities, by Joseph P. Norris, jr. Esq.

A Treatise on the Law of Partnership, by Neil Gow, Esq. with the addition of American notes and references, by Edward D. Ingraham, Esq.

Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 2d, new series, quarto, with several plates.

Conversations on Chemistry, in 1 vol. 12mo. with the notes of Professors Cooper, and Keating.

SUMNER L. FAIRFIELD is preparing for the press, a Metrical Romance, entitled Movanna or the Avenger, founded on the history of a celebrated Indian prophet recently deceased.— Also a didactic poem entitled, The Pleasures of Melancholy.

NEW AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS.

Suggestions on the Canal Policy of Pennsylvania in reference to the effects of the Inland Navigation of other States, on the Commerce of Philadelphia, &c. by J. L. Sullivan, Civil Engi

neer.

The National Calendar, and annals for the United States for 1824.

Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, for March, 1824.

The North American Review, No. 43, for April, 1824.

The Medical Recorder of Medicine and Surgery, No. 26.
The Port Folio, for April, 1824.

The Museum, No. 22, for April, 1824.

FOREIGN WORKS RE-PUBLISHED IN AMERICA. Prose by a Post, by James Montgomery.

View of the State of Europe, during the Middle Ages. In 2 vols. by Henry Hallam.

Hajji Baba, by the author of Anastasius.

Prize Poem, Recited by Mr. Caldwell at the opening of the New American Theatre, at N. Orleans, together with the rejected addresses.

Marriages.

On Tuesday evening, the 9th ult. by the Rev. Henry Holcombe, Mr. John Coleman, of Reading, Pa. to Miss Elizabeth Bickley daughter of the late Jacob Bickley, of this city.-On the 22d ult. by the Rev. Dr. Boyd, Mr. James Doull, to Miss Louisa Young, of the Northern Liberties.—On the 22d ult. by the Rev. Mr. Bedell, Mr. Sampson Tams, Merchant, to Miss Ann Hennessy, daughter of the late William Deas, Esq.

On the 22d ult. Job Palmer, aged eight months, only son to Mr. Job Palmer, publisher of this Magazine.-On the 26th ult. Margaret Palmer, aged two years and ten months, daughter of the aforesaid Job Palmer.

CORRECTION.

In the Biographical Sketch of Henry Clay, which appeared in our last number, it is erroneously stated that on his first arguing in congress, the constitutionality of the United States Bank, he supported the affirmative of the question, whereas the contrary is the fact. It was at a subsequent discussion of the subject, that he gave it his support, a more thorough investigation of its merits having, in the interval, produced a change in his opinion, which he had the manliness and candour, even at the risk of his popularity, to avow.

THERE is not, perhaps, a more fruitful source of error in reasoning, than inattention to the literal signification of terms. It need scarcely be remarked that there are few terms in common use, that are not frequently employed in a metaphorical or secondary sense, and that have not, in consequence of this employment, produced in many minds an erroneous conception of the nature of the things they are intended to express. Nor is this surprising, as the secondary meaning of words is often more striking to the imagination than the primary one, and the faculties of the most discerning are not always on the stretch to ana lyze the distinction. Habit may, therefore, occasion the primary which, philosophically speaking, can alone be the true meaning, to be overlooked, and the secondary or adventitious one to be incorrectly substituted in its stead. Hence arise disputes concerning principles, on which there would be no misunderstanding if a strict attention was paid to the difference between the literal and metaphorical meaning of words.

We can think of no word in our language the application, or rather misapplication of which by many men of even acute understandings, will more forcibly illustrate these remarks than the word Poetry. In a literal sense, a plain unsophisticated understanding, which in such matters is always the most correct, would undoubtedly mean by it, tliat species of literary composition, which is in all languages contradistinguished from VOL. I.-No. VI.

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