tails of construction with an admirable clearness of
exposition, and by a process which leaves him at the close in a
position to apply the principles which he has learned by the
way, and to form an intelligent and independent judgment upon
any form of architectural structure. The argument of the book
hangs too closely together to be indicated by extracts, or by
an analysis within the limits to which we are confined."

We perceive that the work of which the first volume is here noticed, is
to be followed immediately by _Examples of the Architecture of Venice_,
selected and drawn to measurement from the edifices, by Mr. Ruskin: to
be completed in twelve parts, of folio imperial size, price one guinea
each. These will not be reproduced in this country, and as the author
probably has little advantage from the American editions of his works,
we trust that for his benefit as well as for the interests of art, the
_Examples_ will be largely imported.

* * * * *

The new play written by Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, as his contribution
towards the fund raising for the new Literary Institute, is in the hands
of the literary and artistic amateurs by whom it is to be enacted, and
rehearsals are in progress. The first performance will take place
probably in June.

* * * * *

It was a custom when the world was younger than it is now, for
disappointed lovers, and outlaws, and portionless youths too proud to
labor and afraid to steal, to go into the wars; nobility, that would not
suffer them to become journeymen mechanics, led them to hire out as
journeymen butchers. But at length the field of military adventure is
almost every where closed. There is no region, ever so remote, where a
spirited and adventurous youth could hope ever to learn the art martial.
A few skirmishes on the Parana and the Plata, on the Fish River, or the
Keiskamma, form all the fighting that is going on upon the globe; and
that fighting offers no premium to the adventurer. There is no native
prince of great wealth and numerous followers, no mogul, or sultan, or
sikh, with whom the turbulent European might make a good bargain for his
courage. The last field for such enterprise was the country of the
Mahrattas, where French and English mercenaries--with a sprinkling of
Americans--created a colony which enabled the ignorant, bigoted and
jealous savages to keep in check the b