Tales of My Neighbourhood. By the Author of the "Collegians." 3 Vols. Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street.

The author of these volumes can afford to have it said of him, that he has not succeeded so well in his own "Neighbourhood" as at College. It may be an invidious act, but the mind cannot resist the impulse to draw comparisons, and measure the strength of the author's last work by that of the preceding one. The little inferiority that we notice, may have proceeded, perhaps from the subjects, perhaps from that careless disdain so common to a successful writer. Measured by his own works, we find this decadence; by others, we should pronounce "My Neighbourhood" as of a very high order of fiction. These volumes contain a series of tales of great variety, and which embrace almost all the incentives to the different emotions which we are so fond of administering to our minds, from imaginary sources. The first tale is called the "Barber of Bantry," the first part of which is an amusing chronicle of the dynasty of "Tipsy Castle," a kind of more saddened Castle Rackrent. In all this we see Irish manners faithfully as well as wittily portrayed. The Barber comes and closes up the tale. His character is singular. He is a fine specimen of domestic romance, and his wife is rich in all those sterling qualities that affection tries and proves. However, the barber is a somnambulist without knowing it. This failing very well supplies the place of supernatural agency, and produces some very curious and startling events. The parts of the tale that call for pathos, are, indeed, finely written, and go home to the heart. The "Visit to the Great House," the tale next in order, is purely comical, and truly comic withal. It would form the basis of a good farce. In "A Night at Sea," we much admire all that does not relate to the yacht. The language of which the yacht-struck hero is so lavish, is not that of a seaman. The burlesque, perhaps, preponderates a little too much in some of the minor characters. But the story is a good story, and is rich with fine sentiments, and inculcates a beautiful moral. 66 Touch my honour touch my life," is a very fair exposé of the absurdity and immorality of duelling. It is pathetic and well developed. The letter of the bereaved wife to the remorse-stricken friend, is the strongest treatise against the barbarous practice that we have ever read. "Sir Dowling O'Hartigan" is an ancient legend, and very Irish. We certainly gloated over the idea of one witch borrowing a lake from another, for a week or so, and when she got it safely embedded in her own country, refusing to return it. But we cannot thus go on commenting and particularising every tale in the order it is printed. The whole publication is a bonne bouche for the lovers of elegantly narrated and graphic fiction. There may be, in these volumes, a little too much straining for originality, a feverish wish to create novel characters, and a too great tenacity of a good part, but these are but trivial drawbacks to the spirit, humour, and exciting interest that all these tales so redundantly display. We have no doubt but that they will be generally read, and afterwards remembered with that great pleasure, with which we love to recall striking incidents and humorous associations.

Every Englishman his own German Master; or, the Shortest and Easiest Introduction to a Knowledge of the German Language. By J. T. REINENDER. Richter and Co. 30, Soho Square.

We think this a well-digested book of instruction and worthy notice. The expositions are in English, and are lucid and ample. The work also contains very extensive vocabularies and dialogue.

The Diary of a Solitaire; or,
through part of Switzerland.
Notes personal and general.
H. Sotheran, York.

Sketch of a Pedestrian Excursion
With a Prefatory Address, and
Smith, Elder, and Co. Cornhill;

The body of this book is like that of the swallow, the wings of which, on either side, constitute most of its apparent magnitude. Take away the addresses from one side of this Diary, and the notes from the other, and we shall have but a very little book indeed. However, amply winged as it is, its flight is neither very wide nor very high. It is written with a good feeling, and amusing. Pedestrian tours, when narrated, can hardly be otherwise than interesting. We do not expect that this work will obtain a circulation beyond the extent of the writer's acquaintance. It is certainly not likely to create a sensation; but we can safely say that the time will not be lost that is occupied in perusing

it.

The Pleasures of Imagination, with other Poems, National and Lyric. By John M PHERSON. Anderson, Jun., Edinburgh; McLeod, Glasgow; Simpkin and Marshall, London.

In this little volume we see one more of the many pretty painted bubbles, that a vivid imagination, moderate talents, and a feeling for the beautiful, produce, by a sudden effervescence, on the turbid stream of time. This will float its limited space down the current, burst, and be remembered no more, except in the regrets of the author at his ill success, and the little prevalent taste for poetical compositions. Though in these various poems, there is much, very much, on which the ruthless fang of criticism might righteously fasten, and justice not cry out, "Hold, enough;" yet we assure our readers that they contain many passages of beauty, and some of originality. We wish the author much more success than we fear he is likely to obtain. We ask him friendlily, is he not very unfortunate in his title, as provoking injudiciously a dangerous comparison?

The Translator's Guide; or, Exercises for Latin Prose Compositions, being Translations from Ancient Authors, and Extracts from Modern. Grant, Cambridge; Simpkin and Co.; Whittaker and Co.; Washbourne and Priestly, London; Reid and Co., Glasgow.

This useful affair, which has attained a second edition, is introduced by a very instructive and sensible preface. There could not have been a better selection, on which the tyro can exercise his talents and incipient erudition. We recommend it to general use. We have also received some other works from the same publisher, Mr. Grant, principally from the pen of Mr. Latham. This author has certainly, in these, his rudimental works, surprised us by the depth and variety of his learning, as much as by the boldness of the innovations he wishes to introduce. When these latter have excited a more general sensation, (if it ever be their lot so to do,) it may become incumbent on us to pronounce upon them. We certainly are reluctant to force them upon the public attention, as it would involve a lengthened, and perhaps not a very generally interesting, discussion.

The Works of William Cowper. Edited by the Rev. T. S. GRIMSHAWE, A. M., Rector of Burton, and Vicar of Biddenham, Author of the "Life of the Rev. Legh Richmond." With an Essay on the Genius and Poetry of Cowper, by the Rev. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, A.M., Vicar of Harrow. Saunders and Otley, Conduit Street.

The seventh volume of this ably edited and successful edition has, for its frontispiece, a well-engraved portrait of Cowper's mother, engraved by E. Finden. It is a quiet, pleasing face, without any thing remarkably striking about it. The vignette title-page is also by E. Finden, after a drawing by Harding, of the town of East Dereham, a very fine specimen of art. This volume is principally occupied by "The Task." It also contains the " Tyrocinium," and many of the author's minor and humorous poems. His melancholy, at times, could be exquisitely humorous. "John Gilpin" figures conspicuously among these. As this volume contains merely the text of Cowper, we cannot have possibly any thing to say, by way of commentary, on that which is so well-known and appreciated.

A Practical Treatise on Brewing, and on Storing of Beer, deduced from Forty Years' Experience. By WILLIAM BLACK. Elder, and Co. Cornhill.

Smith,

Really what its title imports it to be. We would trust to the directions so fully and so plainly given in this book, with more confidence than to one written with great scientific pretension. It is worth the while consulting by heads of families who brew their own beer. We believe that all the great London breweries have each their peculiar system and their secret. As their officials are above or beyond instruction, of course this book is nothing to them. But "the proof of the pudding," &c. We should much like to compare a pot of Barclay's best with some of Mr. Black's better. We think that we have a taste in these matters, though we cannot boast, like our author, of quite forty years' experience.

The Library of Romance. By LEITCH RITCHIE. Smith, Elder, and Co. Cornhill.

The fifteenth volume of this very amusing publication, contains the tale of "Ernesto," a philosophical romance, by Mr. William Smith. We advertize the public, that this gentleman has, some time since, published two very excellent poems, entitled, "Guidone" and "Solitude," which have not excited, by any means, the attention that they deserved. The literature of the day is so prolific in metrical trash, that without some accompanying circumstances, foreign to the merits of the work, the best poetry is now overlaid by the superincumbent rubbish. We hope that this well-digested tale will bring the writer's poetry into notice. Even the prose before us is written with a well-tempered poetical feeling. It will well repay the reader the time that he may bestow upon it, even if he read it more than once.

Colburn's Modern Novelists. Vol. VIII.

The Disowned. By EDWARD LYTTON BULWER. Richard Bentley, London; Bell and Bradfute, Edinburgh; and J. Cumming, Dublin.

There are few bosoms among the educated classes that have not swelled with the various emotions this powerfully written novel so plentifully excites. The innate nobleness of soul of the hero, is at once so grand, and yet so practical, that we feel, while we admire it, that had we been placed in similar situations, we should hold ourselves mean did we not attempt to imitate it. We have only the first volume reprinted in this 8th number. The engravings that preface the work are good specimens of a very delicate burin. The selection that Mr. Colburn has hitherto made, is most judicious. We wish him every success.

Two Journeys through Italy and Switzerland. By WILLIAM THOMPSON, assistant Commissary General to the Forces. John M'Crone, St. James's Square.

This volume can certainly have no higher pretension than that of being a well written guide book. Yet is it one of the best of its kind. The author appears to possess considerable literary powers, yet seems, either from diffidence, or a wish to get over his ground rapidly, loath to display them. For absolute utility no book could be better conceived or more ably executed. Making those allowances for the differences that that stern innovator time must have made in the countries Mr. Thompson visited ten years back, we should think no traveller could have a better companion than this work.

The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., including a Journal of his Tour to the Hebrides. By JAMES BOSWELL, Esq. To which are added, Anecdotes by Hawkins, Piozzi, Murphy, Tyers, Reynolds, Stevens, &c. And Notes by various Hands. 8 Vols. John Murray, Albemarle Street.

This sixth volume boasts a frontispiece after that excellent artist, Stanfield, and engraved by Finden. It is a romantic view of Dove Dale. The vignette title-page is a portrait of the gravid doctor, from a bust of Nollekens. The volume is full of anecdote and highly-amusing conversational traits. In every other respect, as far as the getting of it up is concerned, it is quite equal to the best of its predecessors.

The Dublin Penny Journal. Conducted by PHILIP DIXON HARDY, M. R., &c. &c. Wakeman and Co., Dublin, &c.

We have received this publication for the year 1834-5, very neatly bound up. It may fairly compete with any specimen of the penny literature of the day. Many of the articles we have read, and found them amusing, instructive, and generally well selected. Some of the woodcuts are rather inferior-but, on the whole, they are sufficiently well done. We think an extensive circulation of a work like this is peculiarly fortunate for Ireland. We cannot help expressing our opinion, that the mass of her population are semi-barbarous, and the finest pisintry on the face of God's earth," are benighted, bigoted, and ignorant, to a degree that can be satisfactory only to priestcraft, and traitorous agitation.

The Tragedies of Harold and Camoens. By H. ST. G. TUCKER, Esq. Parbury, Allen, and Co. Leadenhall Street.

There is some very respectable verse in these tragedies. They are composed in the best of feelings, and breathe the most unexceptionable sentiments; it is, therefore, much to be lamented that they are a little dull in the perusal. But there is no good under the sun without some alloy, the finest and purest springs have often a layer of mud at the bottom, and Mr. Tucker may be surely pardoned an occasional tedium, he may also console himself with the idea that his readers cannot sleep and yawn at the same time.

The Poetical Works of Samuel Rogers, Esq. Illustrated by One Hundred and Twenty-eight Vignettes, from Designs by Stothard and Turner. Edward Moxon, Dover Street.

This felicitously embellished edition has reached its sixth number, containing the close of the poem of "Columbiad," and a portion of that of "Italy." The vignettes are all after Stothard, and most exquisitely engraved. The engraving of the nun being immured, that is, actually walled up, is enough to make the heart ache to look upon it. The type and paper continue to be of the first order.

Sunday, a Poem. By the Author of the "Mechanic's Saturday Night." Effingham Wilson, Royal Exchange.

This is very good. In it certainly the higher attributes of poetry are wanting. We find nowhere the bold metaphor, and the finer abstractions of ideality. Here all is natural, sweet, and appealing directly to the unsophisticated associations we derive from the contemplation of the goodness of the Creator. It is very graphical, and though the pictures presented to us are always taken from this earth, yet the author has selected the fairest spots for his representations. The metre is polished, and the rhythm harmonious. The political tinge that appears here and there upon the work, is as offensive to our eye as mildew upon a beautiful Claude.

Minor Morals for Young People, illustrated in Tales and Travels. By JOHN BOWRING. Whittaker and Co., London.

That the ability displayed in these tales is sufficient to the ends proposed by the author, is their best praise. He certainly never rises, either in diction or sentiment, beyond a juvenile comprehension. This may read like a doubtful panegyric, but we mean it as a sincere one. The illustrations by George Cruikshank, though not in his best manner, are nevertheless good. We recommend this work to the attention of parents.

A Manual of Pntomology, from the German of Dr. Hermann Burmiester. By W. E. SHUCKHARD, M.E.S. Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street; Charles Tilt, Fleet Street.

This scientific periodical is now taking double steps towards its completion, the numbers seven and eight being published together. We have but little to add to our former encomiums of this work. It is a desideratum to English science.