of Jamaica, and, moreover, the most sagacious prognostications
of the future prospects of the island that have ever been
published. Mr. Bigelow is an accomplished, acute, and liberal
American. As such, an eye-witness and a participator of the
greatest and most successful colonial experiment which the
world has ever seen, he is, necessarily, a better and more
impartial judge of the subject he treats of than any Englishman
of equal capacity and acquirement. Mr. Bigelow makes short and
easy work of planters, attornies, book-keepers, sophistries,
and Stanleys. In doing so, his language is invariably that of a
man of education and a gentleman. He might have crushed them
with a sledge-hammer, but he effects his purpose as effectually
with a pass or two of a sharp and polished broad-sword."

* * * * *

The publication of a translation in the Bohemian language of Lamartine's
_History of the Girondins_, has been recently prohibited at Prague by
the Austrian authorities.

* * * * *

MACREADY, in retiring from the stage, had more honors showered upon him
than ever before sweetened the leave-taking of any hero of the buskin:
among them, this dedication of George Sand's latest publication, _Le
Chateau des Desertes_, which is now appearing in _La Revue des Deux
Mondes_:

"To W. C. MACREADY:--This little work, attempting to set forth
certain ideas on Dramatic Art, I place under the protection of
a great name, and of an honorable friendship.

GEORGE SAND."

* * * * *

The first volume of _The Stones of Venice_, by Mr. RUSKIN, has been
republished by Mr. Wiley, and we trust it will have a very large sale in
this country, which was never in greater need of instructions upon any
subject than it is now upon that of architecture. In all our cities
there is remarkable activity in building; the surplus wealth of the
American people is largely applied for the increase of the magnificence
of town and country residences--for the most part so ignorantly applied,
that the Genius of Architecture might almost be frightened from our
shores by the spectacles reared here to vex and astonish the next ages.
To bring about a reform, to lead the way for rationalism, in the noblest
of the practical arts, Mr. Ruskin has approved himself worth