present century. The criticisms are, so far as we have had opportunity for examination, judicious and discriminating. The author is himself an elegant writer, and no one who reads his sketches can fail to admire the classic purity and chasteness of his style. To form a correct estimate of French character, seems to us no easy task. Frenchmen are among the strangest and most anomalous specimens of humanity on the face of the globe. Whether our author-himself a Frenchman-has invariably done so in these portraitures, is not quite certain. But it is gratifying to us, as it must be to every friend of virtue, that he has written in terms of the highest reprobation of the moral tone of Eugene Sue, Paul de Kock, Madame George Sand, and others of that school. The value of the book is enhanced by a mezzotint engraving of Lamartine.

Memoir of Clementine Cuvier, Daughter of Baron Cuvier. By JOHN ANGELL JAMES.

A Guide to Acquaintance with God. By Rev. JAMES SHERMAN.

The Bible True and Infidelity Wicked. By WILLIAM S. PLUMER, D.D.

Great Truths in Simple Words, for Little Children.

These are the titles of four little volumes just issued from the press of the American Tract Society. They are exceedingly well written, and the manner in which they are printed renders them doubly attractive. One of them--the last namedis beautifully embellished with wood cuts, from excellent new designs.

Alfred in India, or Scenes in Hindostan. Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln. New York: Sold by H. Long & Brother.

This is another volume of "Chambers' Library for Young People,” already mentioned in very favorable terms. This book is instructive and entertaining. Every little boy and girl who is so fortunate as to possess it, will be delighted with Alfred. He is exceedingly communicative, and tells just what we all like to know. The volume is beautifully printed and bound too. In this respect, the three volumes in this "Library," which we have seen, are inimitable.

The Young Schoolmistress. By JOSEPH ALDEN, D.D., author of "The Dying Robin," "Alice Gordon," "Elizabeth Benton," "The Lawyer's Daughter," &c. New York: Harper & Brothers.

A book of some two hundred pages, inculcating some of the purest truths in the happiest mode. Prof. Alden is fast gaining the reputation of being among the best writers of tales for the young in this country. He has long been a favorite author with us, and every new tale of his which we read increases our respect for his talents in this department. "The Schoolmistress," unlike most of Prof. Alden's stories, is one of considerable length, and he shows himself to be as much at home in this as in his briefer efforts.

Chambers' Miscellany of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. Numbers 24 and 25. Boston: Gould, Kendall & Lincoln. New York: Sold by H. Long & Brother.

This work continues to be excellent and worthy of universal patronage. Among the subjects treated of in these numbers, are the Life of Sir Walter Scott, the Conquest of Mexico, Friendly Hints to the Young, Account of the Gipsies, Life of Alexander Selkirk, African Discovery by Mungo Park and others, &c. There is a vast amount of information of the highest value in this Miscellany.

Vanity Fair: a Novel without a Hero. By WIL

LIAM MAKEPLACE THACKERAY, with Illustrations by the author. New York: Harper & Brothers.

A quaint title for a very readable, and for the most part quite unexceptionable tale. It is somewhat in the style of Dickens, but in our humble judgment much better. The plot is more perfect than that of Dickens' novels; the characters sustain their several parts better; the interest thrown around the entire performance is greater; it exhibits more dramatic power; and withal there are in it more originality and thought. It is one of the most finished and powerful things in the department of romance which we have read for many a day, and would not disgrace Sir Walter himself.