EDITORIAL BUREAU. LITERARY STATISTICS OF NEW-YORK. WE owe, to a friendly and very able writer of New-York, the following list of the working men, in a literary way, in the great metropolis of our country. We are not so sure that the statistics which follow, lead us very far in any appreciation we may be supposed to make of the substantial merits or qualities of the subject, since they are limited only to its external facts, and touch in no degree upon the work done, the labors wrought, the finish, the life, the perfection of our letters. These inquiries must be made elsewhere. It will gratify our readers, however, to learn the names of those writers who have ministered, at different times, to their instruction and delight; and they may be encouraged, by the confident and promising tone of our correspondent, in regard to the future performances of the Empire City. We must enter our protest, however, against some of the strong terms of exclusive prophecy in which he seems to speak of the things yet to be done. That his language is rather vague and general, lends something to this, as it seems to us, extravagant phraseology;-which his own details, did the scope of a hurried letter admit of it, might very much modify and subdue. We must not suffer ourselves to fall into the too common American mistake, of insisting upon the swanlike character of all our geese-the consequences being fatal to our objects, and leaving it doubtful, in many minds, when they have detected the false plumage of one bird, whether all are not equally fraudulent. Even an indulgent and hopeful criticism revolts at this disposition to hurry to the one extreme, if only because of a natural dread from the recoil and reaction of the other. We know, and acknowledge the strength of New York as a mover of opinion in this country. We see it in our politics, in our banking systems, in our popular enterprise of every sort, and in the number, the industry, and the various resources of her literary men. We are assured that New-York will inevitably become the great central city, drawing into her capacious bosom the literary minds of the future generations of this country, as certainly as she draws its trade and capital. She can have no competitor, in this power of absorption, in her own neighborhood; and none, perhaps, anywhere, unless it be in the extension of manufactures in the South and West, when New-Orleans, seated by the sea, a Queen to whom the boundless vallies of the West must pay tribute, will grow into an inevitable strength and grandeur, to the full extent of which, even prophecy, at this early day, can scarcely open its eyes. But, with all these concessions, it is not possible for New-York to be every thing, and to do every thing, in the way of controlling mind and opinion in a country such as ours, so vast in its length and breadth, so boundless in its resources, so various in its aspects, and covered with a people of such vigorous action, and so jealous of sectional independence. But we must not be seduced into an essay. Our purpose was simply to prevent our ambitious correspondent, from running riot in the exultation of his feelings, when considering the triumphs of the city in which his lot has been cast, and in which he entertains such a natural pride. VOL. II-NO. 111. 18 We must not keep our readers longer from this communication, which, from its introduction, they will discover is an unlabored and unstudied epistle to a friend, elicited by the ordinary correspondence of the parties. "You often ask me in your letters, how literature is going in New-York. That, I think, is the phrase? Many people think it long since past that stage, and gone beyond recovery. They are in error, and, to answer your question, once for all,— and to show not only what literature is, here in the metropolis, but of what it is capable-I mean to furnish you a muster-roll of the literary force of New-York, now in the field. It will go far towards proving to you, what you know I have alwavs claimed, and you, though a Southron, have always generously acknowledged, that New-York is the true centre of the country, in this, as in all things else. A mere table, with a word or two at the end, will accomplish this object. We have no Quarterly Review, and I am not sure that we need one. We must therefore set out with the monthlies,-treating now of the press only in its relations to literature and daily life, and not in its religious or purely scientific or technical character. DEMOCRATIC REVIEW-John L. O'Sullivan, Editor. Charles Eames, John Bigelow, Wm. A. Jones, E. A. Duyckinck, C. E. Lester, D. O. Field, Walter Whitman, Miss Sedgwick, Anna Č. Lynch, Contributors. AMERICAN REVIEW (Whig)-George H. Colton, Editor. J. T. Headley, Wm. Wallace, Dion. Lardner, J. O'Connell, W. M. Gillespie, Contributors. ARISTIDEAN-Thos. D. English, Editor. HUNT'S MAGAZINE-Freeman Hunt, Editor. James Lanman, E. W. Stoughton, Contributors. KNICKERBOCKER-L. G Clarke, Editor. C. F. Briggs, Dr. Shelton, Jno. T. Irving, Gardner Spring, jr., Henry Carey, Samue! Ward, jr., Jno. W. Francis, Contributors. NATIONAL MAGAZINE-Redwood Fisher, Editor. man, Mrs. Osgood, Contributors. And now for the weekly journals. West, Editors. H. T. Tucker SPIRIT OF THE TIMES-W. T. Porter, T. P. Milner. ALBION Dr. Bartleft, J. S. Hone. ANGLO-AMERICAN-A. D. Patterson. ATLAS-M. Henicle, West. BROADWAY JOURNAL-Edgar A. Poe, H. C. Watson, Editors. Mrs. Childs, T. H. Chivers, Contributors. THE ROVER-Seba Smith, Editor. Mrs. Seba Smith. SUNDAY TIMES-M. M. Noah, M. Meighan. SUNDAY MERCURY-Mr. Nicholls, Page. With a great swarm beside under the names of "Rambler," Theatrical Arena," etc. We hurry on to the dailies, and a formidable front they show! COURIER & ENQUIRER-James Watson Webb, Editor. C. F. Daniels, Chas. King, H. J. Raymond. JOURNAL OF COMMERCE-Hale & Hallock, Editors. HERALD―Jas. Gordon Bennett, Editor. Dr. Houston, Mr. Robinson. TRIBUNE- Horace Greely, Editor. G. G. Foster, Thomas McElrath, Miss Fuller. MORNING NEWS-J. L. O'Sullivan, Editor. Mr. Tilden, Mr. Bartlett. SUN Eadie, D. C. Morehead, Mr. Beech. EVENING POST-W. C. Bryant, Parke Goodwin, Mr. Johnston. AMERICAN REPUBLICAN-James H. Green, L. D. Chapin, C. Vandenhoff. EVENING MIRROR-N. P. Willis, George P. Morris, H. Fuller, Mr. Machlachlan. I have set down these various writers as attached to certain periodicals: but many of them are migratory in their nature, and pass from one to the other, alternating from Democratic to Whig magazine, from weekly to daily, or e contrario. But, besides these, there is a great body of authors in New-York who are general in their service to literature, who write occasionally for the periodicals, or only books. Among these general retainers of the press are H. R. Schoolcraft; Rich. Adams Locke; Dr. Barber; Epes Sargent; James K. Paulding; Park Benjamin; H. W. Herbert H. L. Deming; L. F. Tasistro; Dr. Tomes; O. Macdaniel; J. B. Auld; John Jay; John O. Sargeant; Prosper M. Wetmore; Mrs. Stephens'; J. L. Macracken; Albert Brisbane; E. C Benedict; J. L. Stephens; George Folsom; A. W. Bradford; John Keese; Fitz Greene Halleck; Orville Dewey; Geo. B. Cheever; G. C. Verplanck; James Lawson; Charles Anthon; W. H. Channing; E. S. Gould; Washington Irving; Taylor Lewis; L. D. Slamm; Ralph Hoyt;and many, many others, whom I cannot just now call to mind. But, you see, as it is, what a body of strong writers we may boast-exemplifying, each in his way, as I would be happy to point out if I had time,-a great variety of styles in writing-force, rhetoric, wit, eloquence, declamation, analysis, humour, fancy,many of them authors of books that will live the long day-many the founders of journals of great power-and, taken altogether, you have here the MOVERS OF OPINION!-the men powerful beyond all other men in this Union, to build up or pull down-the men who have it in their hands, whether for good or evil, to determine the fortune of all public interests and all public men for the time-and who, take them altogether, and in a long career, do cast the weight of their influence, I sincerely believe, in behalf of the country, of good morals and of right thinking. When the press of New-York speaks, you hear the voice of fate. Confronting it, for the time, you must be overborne; but there is a virtue in it which makes it in turn bend to and acknowledge the worth, the talents and the public virtue, which, at first it may have denied. I have confined myself to the writers who are strictly of New-York, and who are known to the public as the 'conductors and supporters of the various organs to which I have assigned them. But the press of New-York is fed by all the world, and has many powerful assistants whose names do not get to the popular ear. I am proud, I confess, to know and to feel, that the press of the metropolis is the triumphant and predominant influence of the country; for I hope from it, and confidently predict results; results in literature and art-in harmony with our national character-worthy of the country,-independent of paltry or inferior motives whether from without or within. But we must keep something in reserve for your coming visit to the North, etc. C. M." FLOWER, FRUIT AND THORN PIECES. THE second volume of this delightful and fantastic book of Jean Paul, the most tricksy and original spirit of the literature of modern Germany, has just reached us, from the press of James Munroe & Co., Boston. This translation, made by Noel, is a good one. The book, itself, almost defies, while it delights, the criticthat is, when he has fairly reached the point of vision, which the author requires him to attain, before looking forth upon the landscape. Jean Paul is one of those writers who insist upon furnishing to their readers, an individual medium of survey. This, by the way, is one proof of his originality. He is not unreason able in this. It is Pope who tells us, with absolute propriety,— "In every work regard the writer's end." You are not to know an author's object before hand,-not to know where he designs to lead you, or what he proffers to display. Even a preface, which is seldom read, can only furnish an imperfect hint of his purposes. In fairness, therefore, to read a work of original invention properly, you must yield yourself to its author implicitly-give him fair play, and leave him, unopposed by your criticism, to the end of the chapter;—then, if he has had no power to persuade you, or to carry you with him, at his will, you may throw him by, and dismiss him utterly from your affections. But, to set out with him, on his quest, having a will of your own, is only to thwart him in his objects, and, in most cases, to baffle your own pleasures. In reading Jean Paul, in particular, you must thus completely surrender yourself;—for a more wanton and capricious genius, with will more fantastical, does not exist any where. But you may enjoy this consolation from our assurance-that he will conduct you—thus submitting-to pleasant places only; show you none but agreeable sights, and tell you nothing which, saving first the usual limitations of fiction, you may not readily believe. SCENES IN MY NATIVE LAND. BY MRS. SIGOURNEY. WE frankly confess to a total want of admiration for the writings of this lady, who is equally monotonous and voluminous. Coldly correct, elaborately dull, laboriously common-place, she has nothing to commend her, in our eye, unless it be the moral tone and inoffensive aim of her writings. And these are rather technically than intrinsically moral. It is good morals to the ear that she bestows upon us-the stereotyped lessons of virtue, and not its vital truths-which are rather to be enforced through the medium of the sympathies, than by any rigid repetitions of doctrine. Still, in morals, she is to be counted unexceptionable, and we have no objection that it should be so. Such is her merit. We may admit farther, that, so far as mere correctness goes, she makes very good verses. She has written some small pieces, which, in an indulgent period, might be considered poems. Some lines on the death of an infant, which commence thus "Death found strange beauty on thy infant brow," have a smack of poetry about them, which might almost persuade us to hope for something; but even these finally dwindle into common place. Another piece, entitled "Indian Names," is fair enough verse in a reign of mediocrity. The present volume, which is of mixed verse and prose, has nothing half so good as either of these. The prose is very prose, and for the poetry, take the following "Farewell to Niagara," as a sufficient specimen. Thus apostrophized, how "Niagara" must have roared and blubbered at the parting. FAREWELL TO NIAGARA. My spirit grieves to say, Farewell to thee, Oh, beautiful and glorious! Thou dost robe Thyself in mantle of the colored mist, Most lightly tinged, and exquisite as thought, Woven by God's right hand. Hadst thou but wrapped In showers upon us, it had been less hard To part from thee. But there thou art, sublime While long in wildering ecstasy we gazed, Always thy majesty. Fain would we dwell Thorn-hedged, perchance, yet fed with dews of heaven, Which like a honey-searching bee doth sing And were it not, that ever in our path Spring up our planted seeds of love and grief, Which we must watch, and bring their perfect fruit Into our Master's garner, it were sweet To linger here, and be thy worshipper, Until death's footstep broke thy dream of life. OCEAN WORK, ANCIENT AND MODERN: Or EVENINGS ON SEA AND LAND. BY J. HALL WRIGHT. APPLETON & Co. A curious little volume, no less than the history of the ocean, from the beginning of time to the present hour. "When it is remembered," says the author, "that the ocean has ever been in the hands of the divine Architect, in the fashioning every rock and valley, what the trowel has been in the hands of man in building palaces and cities, it becomes an object of the deepest interest to all to explain how rocks, sand, clay, limestone, etc., were formed; and to show that the ocean is even now employed as the agent in preparing a new earth, will be the main object." The plan is sufficiently promising. The volume, which is one that you may carry in your pocket, and not be ashamed to carry in your hands, is intended for the young. It is very prettily printed. OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE. It may not be unknown to our literary readers, that there are opportunities at present, which are rapidly passing away, for securing some large and valuable additions to their collections, from rare stores of old English literature. Among the numerous societies, devoted to letters, which are to be found honoring the great metropolis of England, are two, in particular, to which we beg to draw public attention. These are the SHAKSPEARE SOCIETY, founded in 1840, and the PERCY SOCIETY, established somewhere about the same time. The chief object of the Shakspeare Society, as stated in its laws and constitution, now before us, is "to afford every species of illustration to the Plays of Shakspeare and his contemporaries, by the publication and re-printing of works connected with the origin and progress of English dramatic poetry and the stage, anterior to the restoration." The Percy Society has a somewhat more extended object-in the publication of ancient ballads, songs, plays, minor pieces of poetry, and popular literature, of a rare and interesting character. The labors of the two Societies have resulted in the accumulation of performances, perhaps, even more various and comprehensive than either of their schemes would seem to promise; and |