NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN.-The annual exhibition of this association of artists has just commenced, and will continue until the first of July. We have called at the rooms once or twice, and have glanced at the pictures; but as they are very numerous, we must venture nothing more than a general opinion of their merits until we have an opportunity to make ourselves more familiar with them. Of this we are pretty confident, however: there is a less proportion of portraits than usual, and more works that appropriately come under the head of " design." We are glad to notice this change. It is an improvement which we are sure the public will like, and which will contribute more than anything else to the popularity of the Academy. Apropos of portraits, however, there are some on exhibition this season, that are exceedingly well executed. Three from the hand of Ingham, unless we exceedingly misjudge, are among the most perfect and life-like that we have seen for many a day. But we ought not to attempt to particularize, as our limited observation does not allow us, at this time, to do anything of the kind. We shall be more discriminating, if possible, at another time.

CHRISTIAN SONGS.-Seldom have we been more delighted with a volume of modern poems, than we are now with one on our table, from the pen of the Rev. Dr. LYONS, entitled "Christian Songs." Reader, is not this morceau worth at least a cart-load of such wares as we hear frequently hawked about under the name of poetry?

A rosy child went forth to play,
In the first flush of hope and pride,
Where sands in silver beauty lay,

Made smooth by the retreating tide;
And kneeling on the trackless waste,
Whence ebb'd the waters many a mile,
He raised in hot and trembling haste
Arch, wall and tower-a goodly pile.

But when the shades of evening fell,
Veiling the blue and peaceful deep,
The tolling of the vesper bell

Call'd the boy builder home to sleep.He pass'd a long and restless night, Dreaming of structures tall and fair,— He came with the returning light,

And lo, the faithless sands were bare.

Less wise than that unthinking child,

Are all that breathe of mortal birth, Who grasp with strivings warm and wild' The false and fading toys of earth. Gold, learning, glory,-what are they, Without the faith that looks on high? The sand forts of a child at play,

Which are not when the wave goes by.

The following, too, though perhaps not quite equal to the former, is a gem, according to our estimate of poetry :

"SING WITH THE HARP."

Minstrel! my spirit is sorely dejected;

Take down thy harp from its place on the wall; Long has it slumber'd untun'd and neglected, Long has its voice been unheard in the hall : Tyrants have triumph'd, and all have consented; Orphans are wrong'd, and the spoiler is glad; Just men have perished, and none have lamented:Marvel not thou that my bosom is sad.

Teach thou the sorrowing chords to awaken

Thoughts of the dead, who for ages have slept, Martyrs that shrank not though scorn'd and forsaken,Bards whom the people have honored and wept :Harp thou of heroes, the valiant, the chainless, Bleeding for rights which the weak have betray'd; Sing thou of Goodness, the lowly, the stainless,

Burning her incense unseen in the shade.

When thou hast told of the lost and the dying,
Bid thou thy strain of lamenting to cease ;-
Sing thou of Him, on whose promise relying

Guilt may have pardon, despair may have peace: Sound thou of worlds, where the seraph is sweeping Harpstrings unworn by the war-notes of men ; Lands of delight, where no mourner is weeping;So shall my spirit be tranquil again.

Several articles are accepted, and awaiting their turn for publication. We have, however, a few, which we have not yet found time to examine. Authors must be patient. It is no small task to read half a bushel of manuscripts per month.

We must request our friends, who write on any business whatever connected with the Magazine, to address the publisher. Communications intended for publication, as well as those respecting the pecuniary department, should invariably receive this direction.

The Children of the New Forest. By CAPTAIN MARRYATT, R. N. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Of the tales of Captain Marryatt already known to the public there are different grades, both as to their merits as literary compositions and their moral influence. For one, we think it would have been quite as well for the world, if some of his novels had never seen the light. With regard to many, however, our opinion is very different; and it seems to us that this new candidate is among his best efforts in every respect. It is especially adapted to the mind of the juvenile reader.

A Picture Book without Pictures, and other Stories. From the Danish of Hans Christian Andersen, by MARY HOWITT. With a Memoir of the author and a portrait. New York: C. S. Francis & Company.

This volume forms one of a series by the above house, under the name of the "Little Library of Young Persons of Various Ages." We have been much pleased with this story book by Andersen. Though we have heard a great deal of late of this remarkable man, this book is the first of his efforts which has come under our observation; and we find that he has been by no means overrated. His tales, especially when taken in connection with his early poverty, and the difficulties through which he hewed his way to genius and popularity, must be greatly interesting to every class of readers. Messrs. Francis & Company announce their intention to republish other tales from this author.

The Boy's Spring Book, Descriptive of the Season, Scenery, Rural Life, and Country Amusements. By THOMAS MILLER, author of "Beauties of the Country," &c. New York: Harper & Brothers.

The Messrs. Harpers have already published several books by this author, which have been favorably noticed in this Magazine. The least we can say of the one entitled as above, is that it is a charming book, fully equal to the former works by the same author. It is written for children; but it is of that sensible, suggestive character, which elicits the interest and commands the attention of "children of a larger growth." We read it half through, almost, though we intended, when we took it up, to glance only at a page or two to form some idea of its merit. It is difficult to write for children; but if a man has ever succeeded in the task, Mr. Miller has done it. Price 374 cents.

Romance of the History of Louisiana. A Series of Lectures. By CHARLES GAYARRE. New York: D. Appleton & Company.

The author of this work, long a resident of Louisiana, and possessing an intimate acquaintance with the history of the south-western part of our country, and withal being gifted with no little genius and taste, has executed his task in a very creditable manner, if we may judge from sundry portions of the volume at which we have opened at random. Certainly he has presented us with a book which has the merit of being an exceedingly readable and pleasant one, albeit it would have been better, in our estimation, if a little severer censorship had been exercised in regard to the moral tone of some portions of it, particularly the preface.

The Seamstress: A Guide to Plain and Fancy Needlework, Millinery and Dressmaking, Embroidery and Lace Work, Knitting, Netting, Crotchet Work and Tatting. New York: J. S. Redfield.

We have never been inducted into any of the mysteries revealed in this book; but we have not the least doubt that our friends, the ladies, will be delighted with it. It is a very comprehensive manual. Indeed one can hardly conceive of any plain or ornamental work achieved by the needle, that is not here minutely treated of.

The second and third numbers of the Messrs. Harpers' Пlustrated edition of the Thousand and One Nights have been issued in the style which characterize the initial numbers, already noticed. As a work of art, it will not suffer in comparison with any other juvenile works ever published in this country. The illustrations, of which there are to be upwards of six hundred in the entire work, are in the highest degree graphic and elegant.

Niagara. A Poem. By Rev. C. H. A. BULKLEY. New York: Leavitt, Trow & Company.

We have several times alluded to this effort of our friend and contributor, and have spoken of it in terms of commendation. Now that it has passed through the press, we need scarcely do more than re-echo our former sentiments, and to express the hope that the poem will readily find its way into good company. Respecting the merits of Niagara-the exact position it ought to take in the scale of poetical excellence

there will, of course, among literary critics, be some difference of opinion. We do not regard it as free from blemishes. But in our estimation, it is a poem of which the Genius who presides over such matters on this side of the Atlantic need not be at all ashamed.

An Illustrated History of the Hat, from the earliest ages to the present time. By J. N. GENIN.

The author of this little volume is one of the most accomplished hatters in this city. We have had the most satisfactory evidence of this, during an acquaintance with his establishment of several years. It does not follow, however, as a matter of course, that because a man can make a good hat, he can therefore make a good book; and those who are interested in the history of the article to which he has devoted so much attention will be gratified to learn that in our view, he has made a very readable and useful book. His illustrations of the different forms that the hat bas assumed for many centuries past, add not a little to the interest and value of the history.

Old Hicks the Guide, or Adventures in the Camanche Country in search of a Gold Mine. By CHARLES W. WEBBER. Complete in two parts. New York: Harper & Brothers. It would require an extremely sleepy reader to be uninterested in this volume. It would possess many attractions with any people at any time; but it must be doubly attractive with the American people at the present time. Price 75 cents.

Our friend John Doyle has just issued a catalogue of all the books in his establishment, which-the establishment, not the catalogue-he calls the "Moral Centre of the Intellectual World." His list embraces a great number of rare and ancient books, as well as a respectable variety of more modern and common ones, which, if he is as gentlemanly in his deportment and as reasonable in his charges in all cases as we have found him uniformly to be in our acquaintance with him, will very readily command purchasers.

Vive La Republique. An Offering from the United States to the National Republic of France. By HERMAN S. SARONI. New York: Firth, Hall & Pond.

A very timely and excellent piece of music, arranged for the piano forte by one of our best composers. It comprises several of the most popular American and French airs, so connected as to have the effect of a single piece.

Discourse on the Life, Character and Public Services of James Kent, late Chancellor of New York. By JOHN DUER. D. Appleton & Company.

This address was delivered by Mr. Duer, before the Judiciary and Bar of the city of New York, at their request. The orator had a noble theme, and he has treated it nobly.

Uncle Sam's Money Box. By Mrs. 9. C. HALL, author of "Stories of the Irish Peasants," &c. Jacopo, and other tales.

These volumes, placed upon our table by Messrs. Long and Brother, by whom they are for sale in this city, are parts of Chambers' Library for Young People, republished in this country by Messrs. Gould, Kendall & Lincoln, Boston. We

are very much pleased with the stories on more than one ac count They are well told-that is one thing. They mean something-that is another. They have an excellent moralthat is another thing, and a better. Moreover, as specimens of art-mechanical art, we mean-they are beautiful in the extreme. The embellishments are of a high order, and the printing is elegant in the extreme. The latter, especially, is seldom exceeded in this country, if indeed this country has the honor of executing it, and of that we are not quite certain.

Hobart's Analysis of Bishop Butler's Analogy of Religion, with Notes and Questions for Examination. Revised and adapted to the use of Schools. By CHARLES E. WEST, Principal of Rutgers Institute, in the city of New York. New York: Harper & Brothers.

We are glad to see a popular edition of this great work, and one so well adapted to the use of schools. From the attention we have been able to bestow upon this edition of the Harpers, we are convinced that Prof. WEST has performed very creditably an important task.

Familiar Lessons on Astronomy: designed for the use of
Children and Youth in Schools and Families. By Mrs.
L. N. FOWLER, author of "Familiar Lessons on Physiol-
ogy."
Illustrated by William Howland. New York:
Fowlers & Wells.

It is not every sensible man or woman that can talk to children or write for them, so as to be understood, and so as to entertain and instruct them. Indeed, there are many people who think they can and do succeed in this matter, but who, nevertheless, are greatly deceived. Mrs. Fowler, in our opinion, is among the few who have succeeded. In this book she has done admirably well. She has not attempted to open the doors of any apartments in Astronomy where children would not feel at home. She has wisely contented herself with the more simple and elementary parts of the science, such as can be readily apprehended and appreciated by the juvenile mind. It must, we think, be a popular book, in families and schools. The Sketches: Three Tales. 1. Walter Lorimer; 2. The Emblems of Life; 3. The Lost Inheritance. By the authors of" Amy Herbert," "The Old Man's Home," and "Hawkstone." New York: D. Appleton & Company.

This book is issued in very beautiful style, and accompanied with several fine tinted engravings. The tales, so far as we have been able to ascertain, are well written and instructive. Those who sympathize with the Episcopal Church will, perhaps, be most pleased with them; but they will be more or less acceptable to readers of different religious views. Appleton's Library Manual: containing a Catalogue Raisonne of upwards of twelve thousand of the most impor tant works in every department of knowledge, in all modern languages. New York: D. Appleton & Company. To the general reader, and to the scholar, especially, this work is of incalculable utility. No one who has not had such an assistant at his command, can form an idea of its value. It is full-covering over 400 pages-and judiciously compiled and well arranged.