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    SERIALS.

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    MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS.-j-

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    told is to be found throughout broad Scotland , unless in the libraries of the wealthy . Burns appears even to have been ignorant of them . In order to render them more intelligible , the publishers have in part modernised the spelling , . but nob substituted words . The idiom of the original , therefore , has been preserved , while obsolete words have been explained . The readers of Dunbar ' s poems have also to be forewarned that pronunciation in his time was not fixed , and that , for the sake of rhythm or measure , it was frequently capricious . . Dunbar was poet laureate of the court of James the f ourth . We are indebted for the collection of all the poems known to have been written by him to Mr . David Laing , of the Signet Library , who in 1834 accomplished the task . the whole

    Our present publishers have , however , not reprinted of the collection , having omitted the indelicate pieces . Not that Dunbar was an immoral poet , but the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were not so particular as the nineteenth . Of his biography next to nothing is known . It is supposed he was born in l . othian , about or before 1460 . He was probably of doubtful parentage and dwarfish stature . He studied at St . Andrew ' s , and took the degree of Master of Arts in 1479 . He is supposed at one period to have adopted a friar ' s garb , and was afterwards employed by the king , though the time is not known . He is supposed to have been in the embassy to Fiance , which sailed , under the Earl of Bothwell , from Berwick hi 141 ) 1 . In fact , 'he * was abroad many times on the " kingis eraudis , " and visited many countries ; among them " France , Ingland , Ireland , Almanie , Italie , and Spaine . " Once he seems to have been cast away on the northern coasts .

    His poems divide themselves into two different periods , —that before , and that after his retention at Court , He was not recognised- ' as a familiar attendant in the royal household until 1500 . He had studied Chaucer with evident devotion , and describes him as " rose of rhetpris all . " "In playfulness , " says his biographer , " and flexibility of geniu $ , the scholar is admitted , by good judges , to have surpassed his master . In pathos he alone is deficient . Reason and humour were the chief supports oil which he leaned *' His death appears to have occurred about the year 1520 , when he had attained at least sixty years of age . The selection of poems in the edition before us is accompanied with arunning commentary ^ which blende . the . life and works of the poet together . All we know of the former is , in fact , gathered from the latter . ¦ . .

    Dunbar was a beautiful alleg-orist , and one of his earliest works was "The Golden Targe . " composed confessedly in imitation- of Chaucer , Gower , and Lydgate . It was evidently written when fresh from the reading of those authors , and is . tinctured with the morality and imagery of the " Roinaunt of the Rose , " and the " Floure and Leafe . " Dunbar , nevertheless , has numerous phrases entirely Scottish . A very fine poem exists , also , called " The Disputation between the Merle and Nightingale , " in which these exquisite singing birds discpurse of the love of God . Take the last verse as an example : . . . " Then flew thir birdis oure the bour ' s sheen , Singing of Love anwng the learia small ; " Whose ytliantl * plead yet mude my thochtis green , Both sleeping , wauking , in rest , and in travail : — : ———Mti-to-recomfoi'fc-most-it-dotli-ii-v-alLv- — ., - , * -

    Again for love , when love I can find none . To think how sang this ine «! e and nightingale , All love is lost but upon God alone . " Dunbar ' s poems have frequently a philosophical cast;—but , indeed his moods are various— -and the present volume . may be commended to poetic readers of all tastes ; each will find ¦ sometanig in it to suit him . . . .. .. Mr . John Colletfs poems , we see , have arrived at the second edition . They will repay a meditative perusal . t . A young poet , who names himself " Short Enfield , presents his various " inooils " in their " effects " to the lenient reader . lucre is some promise in his verses ; bub he has yet much to learn . in volume

    The " Septuagenarian " lms reproduced , one pleasing , many of the free and easy verses which long ago delighted' a wide circle of readers in" Fraser , " " Black wood , " Aclvermann ' s " * orgetme-not , " and " Bontley ' a Miscellany . " There is many an old bookworm who will be glad to meet with these again in u collected form , and we wish success to the rupublicution . Mr . William Jackson prefaces a small volume of light and easy satirical versos " with a prefatory letter of approbation and eulogy from the lute eminent poet , the Rev . George Crabbe . " His testimonial is well merited ; but the subjects of those lampoons are tor tlio most part out of date , and the mere ropublication of the latter cannot revive the interest of the former . A few of them , however , have a oertuin vulue as political curiosities .

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    The Thames Angler i « an instructive little work , , wme contains every item of information concerning the subject on which it very pleasantly trouts . About the river , and its piscatorial inhabitants , und the rods , linos , hooks , &c , by which they may bo angled for and caught , we UBsure tlioso who are fond of the Hport that they will , in the present work , find all , that is necessary lor the

    purposes of successful angling in the Thames , and the directions for this purpose may also be obtained at a trifling cost . Tiie position and prospects of a Rational System of Medicine are very ably set forth in the oration before us by Di \ Ward , and we wish it an extensive circulation . . . . We have received a copy of the second edition of a pamphlet entitled " Direct and Indirect Taxation contrasted ; or , the immeasurably preferable Policy of an Income Tax to Customs and Excise Daties eliminated . By Laurence Heywortu . " It is published by J . R Williams and Co .. Liverpool . " Tales from Blackwood . " The republication of this series of interesting tales will , we are sure , be welcome to the generality of readers . " Each tale is complete , amusing , and instructive , and just long enough to form pleasant ' reading for an hour . The present volume contains " Rosaura , a tale of Madrid ; " " Adventures in the North-west Territory ; " " Harry B ilton ' s Curacy ; " " The Florida Pirate ; " " The Pandour and his Princess ; " and " The Beauty Draught . " ' Lottie's Half-Sovereign " a very pretty and entertaining story , by Mrs . Russell Gray , is published by Grooinbridge and Sons in their series of " Magnet Stories for Summer Days and Winter Ni-hts . "

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    * Diligent . + Tho ' Mamea Aiuitoi : By A !««»«¦ Smith . London : Ohapmnn nnd Hall . ltationul Modioino ; ild J- ' oaltion iok . 1 rrusjwvtx . Hy 3 . II . Wahd , M . D . London : John Churchill .

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    We have received the " Journal of the Statistical Society of London" for the present month . We need not dwell upon the great value for public purposes of this Journal . To till ineu the undoubted importance of its statistics is self-evident , and , we trust that its quarterly reports will continue to be widely diffused , as the facts to wnich they relate form the basis upon which depends the right and accurate knowledge of governing and directing all public plans and pursuits . We observe , " with some gratification , that to . the value of its pages ourselves have somewhat contributed , by our own efforts to place correct information before the public . In the present number of . this Journal , its second Classes at 160 is

    paper , on the " Condition of the Poorer Rome , S , " extracted from the foreign correspondence of the Leader and Saturday Analyst , of 14 th April ^ -a " newspaper , " it is said , " every way entitled to be placed in the first rank of our periodicaL literature . " The Journal contains a " Review of the Statistics of Spain , to 1857 . " " Vital Statistics of Prussia , 1816 to 1849 , " "Progress of Traffic , &c , on German Railways , " " Local Taxation of England and Wales , " " Registrar General ' s Report , March , . 1 SCO , " " -Imports , Exports , Shipping , Builion , " -xfec . . . We have received Kbigsloris Magazine for Boys , to the great suitability of which for the readers to whom it is addressed we ¦

    bear our willing testimony . .. . \ .. .. . Messrs . Longman and Co . have issued the Sixth Part of the celebrated Jlemoirs , Journal , and Correspondence of Thomas Moore * edited by Lord John Russell . It embraces three of the most interesting years in the life of Moore up to 182 S , when the poet was , one may say , at the mature and philosophic age ot forty-nine . The present part contains a portrait of James Corry . . The present part of Bout ledge's Illustrated Natural History is exceedingly interesting , and continues to give , with increasing clearness and vigour . t-W ; prominence and value to the sublet of Natural History which it deserves . The illustrations are truly excellent . . We have received Part V . of Gassell ' s Popular Illustrated

    History of England , and Part XV . of the same publisher ' s Pojmlar Natural History . ' ¦ _ _ „ n ., , CasseWs Illustrated Family Taper and Family Bthle have also been received , and deserve the wannest commendation and public support , the latter especially , as a work remarkable alike in point of cheapness and excellence of printing and designing . The Ladies Treasury for June is remarkably rich and attractive in illustrations , and moreover contains , much- interesting reading . This number has also an extra sheet of Fashions . . ' , ' . ¦ ,, usualthree admirable

    Tho * ¦ Art Journal" for June contains , as , engraving * . Tne first i » Van Dydk ' ii " Lady Digby ' / from the picture in the Royal Collection ; Turner s " Dido Building Carth . jge from tUb nieturo in the National Uu levy . ; and * . 1 lie Penny Weddin-, " by ' Wilkie , from the R . yal Collection . . Mr . and Mrs . Hall s " C ^ npitnion ' s Guide" in S > uth Wales is continued . > The present part of Blaclcie and Sons " Comprehensive History of England" ranges from 1704 to 1802 . The value ot this H » story is further enhanced by numerous interesting portraits and BUfttc rlatiiw Si'icnrc contains a well-written paper on " The Honvenlv Symbol of Human Knowledge , " " Spongc . hun ing in Holy Island ' and Burwah B . iys ; " " Notes on a lew liiver lushes ; anil " The Life of a Cloud ; " nil nicely illustrated . of Arts and Sciences

    Part 17 of " Tno ^ EnglUh CyeloptDiui m tho close and clear print of its vulua ..:.- pages extends Irom tho letter J to L—supplying under the latter considerable iniormution nbiiut litomiure and liorariod . Bliiokio and Sons' " Comprehenaive History of ^ Iudm , with Maps and Illustrations ;' includes in the present number the important period from 1772 to 1781 . ¦ ,. . The Eclectic for Juno , contains , among other able and important article * , die following : - Thoughts on . the ^ vision ol Ife AuthoriHttii Version ; " •' . Life and Health Assuranee ; % t to liivui Side ; " and several good Sonnets , " A Cliuplot or tliu lie . The Wvtoonto Guest , ahvay . s entertummg , has , lor the mohuiiI month , he following : " Tnno ' lJargains /; on the Stock I x . hango ; " AuArtwfB Wtoryt" illustrated ; Madame Prudence j buwnt f

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    June 9 , 186 . 0 . ] TheLeader andSaturday ' Analyst . 549

    Serials.

    SERIALS .

    Miscellaneous Books.-J-

    MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS .-j-

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 9, 1860, page 549, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2351/page/17/