r of J. Fenimore Cooper. Our country is
full of most interesting materials for a work of this sort;
but we confess we hardly expected, at the present time, to see
them collected and arranged by so skillful a hand."

[Footnote 1: RURAL HOURS: by a Lady, George P. Putnam, 155 Broadway.
1850.]

* * * * *

THE REV. SYDNEY SMITH's "Sketches of Modern Philosophy," remarks the
Tribune, "consist of a course of popular lectures on the subject,
delivered in the Royal Institution of London in the years 1804-5-6.
As a contribution to the science of which they profess to treat, their
claims to respect are very moderate. Indeed, no one would ridicule any
pretensions of that kind with more zeal than the author himself. The
manuscripts were left in an imperfect state, Sydney Smith probably
supposing that no call would ever be made for their publication.
They were written merely for popular effect, to be spoken before
a miscellaneous audience, in which any abstract topics of moral
philosophy would be the last to awaken an interest. The title of
the book is accordingly a misnomer. It would lead no one to suspect
the rich and diversified character of its contents. They present no
ambitious attempts at metaphysical disquisition. They are free from
dry technicalities of ethical speculation. They have no specimens of
logical hair-splitting, no pedantic array of barren definitions, no
subtle distinctions proceeding from an ingenious fancy, and without
any foundation in nature. On the contrary, we find in this volume a
series of lively, off-hand, dashing comments on men and manners, often
running into broad humor, and always marked with the pungent common
sense that never forsook the facetious divine. His remarks on the
conduct of the understanding, on literary habits, on the use and value
of books, and other themes of a similar character, are for the most
part instructive and practical as well as piquant, and on the whole,
the admirers of Sydney Smith will have no reason to regret the
publication of the volume."

* * * * *

[FROM THE LONDON TIMES.]

BIOGRAPHY OF SIR ROBERT PEEL.

In the following brief narrative of the principal facts in the life of
the great statesman who has just been snatched from among us, we must
disclaim all intention of dealing with his biography in any searching
or ambitious spirit. The national loss is so great, the bereavement
is so