University of Virginia Library

“This work belongs to the historic school; but it has that talent which
bestows its own attraction on whatever subject its peculiar taste may select.”

“An admirable historical romance, full of interest, and with many new
views of character. The plot is extremely well conceived, very artful and
progressing, the story never flags, and you open at once upon the main interest.”

“This is especially a tale of adventure—an historical romance of the days
of Cromwell, who, with the poet Milton, is a prominent character in the fable.
Almost all the other personages are imaginary, but they are conceived and
executed with admirable fidelity to the time wherein they are made to figure.
Indeed, the keeping is in every respect perfect, and demonstrates the intimate
acquaintance of the writer with the peculiarities of the era she has undertaken
to exhibit.”

“There is a great deal of beauty, and a great deal of talent in the composition
of this work; and as to the historical part of it, we must say for a poetical
view of Cromwell, the best is here taken of that extraordinary man yet
given in fiction, by no means excepting `Woodstock.'
The perusal of these volumes warrants our preconceived impressions of
the ample capacities of Mrs. Hall to sustain the bolder flight she has undertaken.”

“The whole work is very amusing.”

“Those who want a few hours of pleasant reading are not likely to meet
with a book more to their taste.”

“The labor and power, as well as knowledge, displayed—the `New Gil Blas'
deserves to stand forth to the public view with every advantage. We have
read these volumes with great delight.”

“A clever and intelligent author. There is a quaint humor and observance
of character in his novels, that interest me very much; and when he chooses
to be pathetic, he fools one to his bent; for, I assure you, the `Entail' beguiled
me of some portion of watery humors, yclept tears, albeit unused to the melt-ing
mood. He has a sly caustic humor that is very amusing.”

“One of the remarkable characteristics of Galt, is to be found in the rare
power he possesses of giving such an appearance of actual truth to his narrative,
as induces the reader to doubt whether that which he is perusing, under
the name of a novel, be not rather a statement of amusing facts, than an
invented story.”

“The perusal of a few pages of the work must impress every reader with
the opinion that the writer is no ordinary person.”

“His pages abound with passages of vigor and beauty, with much fund
for abstract thought; and with groups of incidents which not only fix the
attention of the reader, but awake his admiration.”

“It is one of the most pleasing, chaste, and spirited productions that we
have met with for a long time. We may claim it with pride as an American
production.”

“This is the production of an American who we think is destined to add
largely to our reputation, in the line which he has selected for his future
efforts—that of a novelist. The work before us is well written, and particularly
happy in its dialogue. The delineation of character is excellent,
and there are occasional flashes of wit which will pass as such with
critics far more severe than we are disposed to be. As a first attempt—for
such we know it to be—it is a production of no ordinary merit, and will,
we think, meet with a reception calculated to inspire the author to further
and still more successful efforts. We take pleasure in recommending Rosine
Laval to our readers as being far, very far, superior to nineteen-twentieths
of the novels which are daily issuing from the press.”

“We conscientiously recommend Mrs. Markham to our readers.”

“These volumes contain excellent instruction in a very agreeable form.”

“We have two neat volumes, containing a series of Dialogues, by Mrs.
Markham, designed for the improvement of young people. We have examined
them carefully, and can say that we think them well adapted to the purpose
of the author. They are sufficiently simple to be understood by boys and girls
who have just begun to take to their books; they convey lessons well worth
the study of all who are yet classed among young people; and they are interesting
enough to secure the attention of those whom they are designed to instruct.”

“The title of this book is not altogether so precise as it might be. Children
are always new; but children—new or old, little or big—will find some very
entertaining matter in these volumes.”

“The books are intended for the young folks—to recommend virtue, piety,
and a good life, by kindly precepts and the exhibition of good examples. The
writer appears to have in view the good of children, and to write from a feeling
of love for her kind. She consequently writes well, and must do good.”

“This work contains a number of tales, written in a simple and easy style,
and well calculated for the amusement and instruction of children.”

“We cannot praise too much this excellent work, in which good sense and
good feeling are as conspicuous as good taste.”

“The commissioners appear to have pursued their researches with much
industry and intelligence, and to have rendered themselves thoroughly acquainted
with the subject.”
“The translation of the work could not have been committed to better
hands than Mr. Leiber's, and with his notes and additions, it forms one of
the best practical treatises extant on the causes and prevention of crime.
We shall probably have occasion to recur again to this valuable work.”

“A work unequalled in modern English historical literature.”

“A delightful little bouquet of `elegant extracts,' from the best writers of
prose and poetry in Great Britain and America. The premiums would be a
pretty present for young ladies, or students, emulous to be noticed or rewarded.”

“It is a collection, or rather let us say, a selection of pieces in prose and
verse, that have real merit, with reference both to style and sentiment. They
are choice, and will be useful to improve the taste and strengthen the morals.
The author has done a good work, and those who wish to give the most deserving
a beautiful and a useful `premium,' will find the work to which we
refer altogether suitable.”

“Carey, Lea & Blanchard have given us a choice selection of gems, from
the best popular writers of the day, under the above title. It contains articles
from the pens of Croley, Wilson, Byron, Mary Howitt, Mrs. Hemans,
Moore, Hood, Dr. Bird, Campbell, Manning, Irving, Webster, Sprague, Braining,
Percival, &c. The volume is a pleasant one, and the selections such as
their respective authors have no need to be ashamed of.”

“This is a neat volume composed of extracts from the celebrated writers of
the present century. The selections are admirably made, and the work is
got up with unusual elegance. The binding is a beautiful specimen of the
skill which has been attained in this important department of book making.
The volume is one of rare beauty, and constitutes a cheap, elegant, and appropriate
present.”

“A very neat and instructive present for youth at all seasons.”

“The present treatise is in no wise inferior to its predecessor; it is characterized
by the same agreeable and elegant style, the same facility of illustration—added
to which it possesses unrivalled precision and accuracy of demonstration.
Avoiding, therefore, the abstruse niceties and the transcendental
mathematics of the subject, the author has nevertheless produced a volume
calculated, we are fully persuaded, to impress upon his readers the magnitude
and importance of the science, and to initiate them in no mean degree into
its mysteries.”

“Considering the circumstances under which these volumes are given to the
public, we consider their contents as amongst the most interesting records of
which the assertion of the human mind ever formed the theme.”

“The masterly manner in which Mr. Moore has brought together his arguments,
the great extent and minuteness of his researches into ancient authorities,
his intimacy with the customs and traditions of other times, and his
close and critical knowledge of the ancient languages, will surprise the reader
of his Travels, who may have measured his talents by his songs.”

“It is remarked by the author, that there was nothing in the manner of
Lord Byron towards him during the conversations, approaching levity, or any
thing that indicated a wish to mock at religion.
“Much conversation is recorded which is not connected with the religious
lectures, and occasions are used to represent Lord Byron in a favorable light.”

“This is a very valuable and interesting work, full of new views and curious
deductions; beginning with general remarks on the influence of literary
habits, on the constitution, and thence proceeding to make the theory more
actual by its application to particular instances.
“His physical biographies, if we may so term them, of Burns, Cowper, Byron,
and Scott, are of a very curious and novel kind; written with equal feeling
and observation. He traces Cowper's malady to its true source, monoma-nia
on religious subjects; and the tone of the remarks is at once so just and
so candid, that we cannot do better than give a brief portion.”

“We have been delighted with the perusal of these volumes, and we pronounce
them a boon to those who do the wearying work in the literary mill.
All men of genius—the acknowledged, who are too few, and the unacknowledged,
who are too many, and the self-estimated, who are countless—will
read the pages eagerly, reflect upon their contents deeply, and, we are well
convinced, derive from them more practical benefit than from any other work
that has yet appeared, tending to show the cause and cure of those gentle
aberrations of intellect that seem insuperable to the poetic temperament.”

“The author has unfolded the principles of Christianity with much candor
and correctness; he has explained our personal and relative duties in a just
and philosophical manner; and, by the ease and unaffected simplicity of his
style, has rendered his treatise pleasing as well as instructive.—His remarks
on brotherly love, in that part of his work embracing the relative duties, possess
much to interest.”

“The book has a high reputation in Great Britain, and there is no being
capable of reflection, who has not need, and upon whom it is not incumbent,
to obtain light, and bestow concern on the topics which are here discussed.
“Every page that directs the mind to what should be deemed the main interest
of life, and causes operative thought in ulterior destinies, is of inestimable
value.”

“The publishers deserve the thanks of the lovers of pure, chastened and
profitable fiction for their reprint of this charming little work. It cannot fail
to become as popular here as it already is in England. It is a collection of tales
and sketches, designed to impress upon the mind useful lessons of piety, virtue
and wisdom. It is written in a style of unusual excellence—masculine in its
vigor, yet light and playful in its delicacy, and embodies several scenes of
pathos and feeling of which Sterne or M'Kenzie might be proud.—To those
whose taste has not been perverted by the flashy wit and nauseous sentimentality
of modern fiction, we commend the immediate purchase of this delightful
little work.”

“A very captivating little book, one that cannot be carefully read without
moving the feelings and improving the heart. It contains so much truth under
the garb of fiction, so much that is like nature and like life, that the
picture though drawn from the imagination must make a deep and enduring
impression. The author, Miss Sarah Stickney, is to us little known; but hereafter
her name will be connected with those of the gifted ladies of the present
age, who have successfully exerted their talents in the progressive cause of
education and of morals.”

“We cannot but wish these pictures of P. L. may be contemplated by all
our young friends, who think they cannot be happy in any situation, however
humble, in which God may have placed them.”

“We predict that this interesting volume will become a universal favorite.
We have in fact never met with a book, besides the Sacred Oracles, which
might be more advantageously put into the hands of young persons.”

“This beautiful little volume cannot be perused without affecting and improving
the head and the heart, and to young ladies particularly, would we
most earnestly recommend it.”