IN illustration of the advancement of learning in Turkey, the London Literary Gazette mentions, that when the department of the Ministry of Public Instruction was created four or five years ago in Constantinople, it became apparent that there existed a desideratum of Moslem civilization necessary to be supplied as soon as possible-a Turkish Vocabulary and a Turkish Grammar, compiled according to the development of modern philology. The Grammar has now been published, compiled by Fuad Effendi, mustesher of the Grand Vizier, assisted by Ahmed Djesvid Effendi, another member of the Council THERE is now appearing serially at Paris a History of the Bastille, from its foundation in 1374, to its destruction in 1789. It is to contain a full narrative of its mysteries, its prisoners, its governors, its archives, the tortures and punishments inflicted upon prisoners, with revelations of the whole internal management of this great prison, and also a great variety of adventures, dramatic, tragical and scandalous. The dish is to be completed and spiced with some rich glimpses of the mysteries of the French police during the period referred to. The authors of this publication are Messrs. ARNOULD, ALBIOZE, and MAGNET. The last named has sometimes of Instruction. Translations will be made been employed to help Alexander Dumas as a playwright. These writers also announce that when they have got through with the Bastille, they shall attack the Castle of Vincennes, and give the history of the same from its foundation to the present day. They propose first to consider it as a royal palace, under which head they will narrate a variety of orgies and debauchery; next as a fortress, when they will narrate sieges and battles; and finally as a state prison, when they will give the history of the leading prisoners there confined, with an account of the dungeons, the torture chambers, &c., and kindred particulars. This work will be illustrated with steel engravings. into several languages, the French edition being now in preparation by two gentlemen belonging to the Foreign Office of the Sublime Porte, who have obtained a privilege of ten years for its sale. SIR EDWARD BULWER LYTTON has just brought out a complete collection of his Poems, except only, we believe, the_once pretty famous book of The Siamese Twins. His My Novel, or Varieties of English Life, is nearly finished, and he will give to the world a new three volume novel in the course of the spring. He is also bringing out, with final revisions, notes, &c., all his prose writings, in a neat and cheap edition. In the new preface to Alice, or the Mysteries, he says: COUNT MONTALEMBERT is engaged upon a "So far as an author may presume to judge of work whose materials has been fifteen years his own writings, no narrative fiction by the in collecting. It is to be entitled Historie de same hand (with the exception of the poem of la Renaissance du Paganism, depuis Philip-King Arthur) deserves to be classed before le-Bel jusq'à Robespierre (History of the Revival of Paganism, from Philip the Handsome to Robespierre.) Mr. Montalembert, who is universally known as an ultra Catholic, holds that the noblest era in history was that part of the middle ages, when the Catholic faith was at the climax of its influence and splendor. What distinguishes modern times is paganism, and the essence of paganism is modern education and science. Classical education is especially a bad thing. One great hope of this age lies in the reëstablishment of the jesuits and the religious education they will confer. SEVERAL eminent scholars are in the list of candidates for the Greek Professorship of Edinburgh, but the struggle is considered to be between Dr. William Smith, whose classical dictionaries have gained him a high reputation, Mr. Price, for many years a successful teacher at Rugby, Professor M'Dowell, of Queen's College, Belfast, and Professor Blackie, of Aberdeen. The election occurs March 2d. this work in such merit as may be thought to belong to harmony between a premeditated conception, and the various incidents and agencies employed in the development of plot." LADY BULWER LYTTON has written two extraordinary letters to the Morning Post, of a review in that paper, of her School for Husbands, hinting at what might have been said about some of the minor faults, had the book been written by any body else, and going out of her way, to remind us that her husband is a plagiarist. Repeating one of Mr. Joseph Miller's anecdotes of a larceny of brooms, ready made, she says. "And so it is with the great Bombastes of the Press-Sir E. Bulwer Lytton. Truly, therefore, may he exclaim:― "Non ulla laborum: O Virgo nova ni facies inopinaque surgit, LORD COCKBURN, one of the Scottish judges, is preparing a Memoir of Lord Jeffrey, with selections from his correspondence. "The DR. J. V. C. SMITH has just published ability, judgment, and taste of Henry Cock(Gould & Lincoln, Boston) A Pilgrimage to burn, as well as political sympathy and perPalestine, Embracing a Journal of Explora-sonal friendship," the Athenæum says, “give tions in Syria, Turkey, and the Kingdom of him every fitness for being the biographer of Greece. Francis Jeffrey." 419 THE last number of the London Quarterly nection with Alphonse d'Este, the proud Duke of Review presents a new candidate for the Ferrara, and the real causes of his imprisonment and liberation. Of course, the world was somehonor of the authorship of JUNIUS, in the per- what skeptical as to the truth of this announce son of the second Lord LYTTLETON-best known in his lifetime for profligacy, and ment; and Alberti either could not or would not since, for the curious circumstances attending satisfy the doubts of the unbelieving by a plain his death, which are well related in Sir Wal- statement of how, when, and by what means these ter Scott's Demonology and Witchcraft. The precious papers came into his possession. Four years latter, however, Candido Mazzaroni, a bookreviewer proves Lord Lyttleton capable of seller of Ancona, purchased a portion of them for writing the letters; that he had motives to publication, and they were given to the world write them; that his conduct on other occa- under the title of Interesting Documents on the sions is consistent with Junius's anxiety to Entrance of Torquato Tasso into the service of Alpreserve his incognito; and that there are phonse d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, and on the Precurious coincidences between his character sents he received at that memorable Period. In the and conduct, and many characteristic pas- following year-that is, in 1839-Count Alberti sages in the letters. This directs research to sold the remainder of his manuscripts to Signor a new quarter; but though a good prima Giusta, a bookseller of Lucca, who published them facie case of suspicion is made out, that is under the title of The real Causes of the Imprison all. Positive evidence is wanted. A writer ment and Liberation of Torquato Tasso proved by in the London Athenæum, who long ago de- History and authentic Documents. Now came the molished the claims of Sir Philip Francis to unpleasant part of the affair to the noble owner of the mysterious manuscripts. No sooner was this be considered Junius (Lord Mahon's judg; second book announced in the papers, than Signor ment to the contrary notwithstanding), and Mazzaroni brought an action against the count for who has since pretty satisfactorily disposed having sold him forged documents and autographs. of the dozen or more other prominent claim- On this charge Alberti was arrested, and in due ants, has, we think, conclusively answered time a commission was named by the tribunal to the Quarterly's claim in behalf of Lord Lyt-examine the documents in question. In consetleton. We should like to know who the critic of the Athenæum supposes to be the Great Unknown. In one of the volumes of the Grenville Papers, just published in London, the author says: "With respect to the letters addressed to Mr. Grenville by the author of 'Junius,' which will be printed in the coucluding volumes of this correspondence, it will be sufficient to say for the present, that there is not a particle of truth in all the absurd tales that have been invented, as to their preservation or discovery. In the proper place I shall have an opportunity of explaining that there was no mystery attaching to them, beyond the anonymous nature of the author's communication." quence of the slowness which characterizes all judicial proceedings beyond the Alps, it was not until September, 1844, that this commission gave its opinlon, declaring the said documents to be forgeries. Alberti was accordingly condemned to seven years' imprisonment. He appealed against the sentence, and demanded that the whole case might be re-examined from the beginning. Thereupon, a second commission was named, with larger powers; and before this body the count laid the proofs of authenticity which he possessed. He proved to their satisfaction that the manuscripts in question had been left by the Abbé Maranctonio to Prince Ottavio Falconieri, from whose library they had come to him. The Court admitted his evidence, quashed the former senThis is rather unfavorable, as far as it goes, tence, and ordered the prisoner to be set at liberto the hypothesis of Lyttelton's having been ty. The cream, however, of the affair is, that the the author. It throws us back upon Sir Da-second Commission took nearly seven years to arvid Brewster's claim in behalf of Mr. Mac- rive at this conclusion,-so that the Count's imwhen the Sacra Consulta declared it to be unmerited. lean. Upon that theory, probably, the ar-prisonment had about expired by efflux of time chives of London House could throw some light. It may be mentioned, with reference to this subject that the Grenville Papers go far to substantiate Lord Shelburne's title to the designation of Malagrida. We find in the Athenæum an account of a curious case, having considerable interest for the lovers of old Italian literature, which has just been decided by the Sacred Council in Rome. "About seventeen years ago the Count Alberti, then a sub-lieutenant in the Roman army, an possesnounced to the world, that he had in his sion, many of the unpublished papers of TORQUATO TASSO, written with the poet's own hand; and also a large collection of documents, throwing new light on certain passages of his career, particularly on those, which up to that time, had been considered the most mysterious and disputable-his first con MR. BANCROFT is about publishing a history of the American Revolution in three volumes. It is announced by Bentley in London, and will be brought out here by Little & Brown, of Boston, the publishers of his History of the The present book is altoUnited States. gether distinct from that history, upon which the author is still busily engaged. During the years of his foreign residence, MR. BANCROFT has been storing the richest materials for his great work; and the public, which in the broad perception and brilliant style of the first volumes of his History recognized the master, awaits with eagerness the conclusion. After the long silence of Mr. BANCROFT, the present volumes will be doubly welcome. The first volume, which will appear before the others, treats of the causes of the Revolution. THE Hon. JOHN G. Palfrey, L.L.D., has just published (by Crosby and Nichols, of Boston) the third and fourth volumes of his very able work on the Jewish Scriptures and Antiquities. It is about ten years, we believe, since the first and second volumes appeared. Without finding fault with Dr. Palfrey's politics, we are glad to chronicle his return to the pursuits of scholarship. MR. GEORGE W. CURTIS has in press another volume of Eastern travel, in which the public will welcome the sequel to his very successful Nile Notes of a Howadji, one of the most brilliant books the last year added to English literature. We understand, from those who have been favored with a sight of the manuscript, that the Howwadji in Syria will be somewhat graver in its tone than its predecessor, as befits a book which records the impressions of Palestine and the Arabian desert, but, that it will breathe the same Oriental atmosphere, and abound in the same graceful humor and flowing imagination which lent so great a charm to that work. No traveller so truly reproduces the soul and sentiment of these ancient and mysterious countries of the Orient as Mr. Curtis, and this makes him as much preferable, for our reading, to the collectors of dry statistics and the jotters down of petty daily adventures, as the artist who paints a lovely person in the full glow of beauty is to a tedious gossip who describes the color of her gloves or the material of her bonnet. The one gives you a living reality; the other mere accidents and circumstances. THE poems of WINTHROP MACKWORTH PRAED are in press, by Redfield. Miss Mitford, in her Recollections of a Literary Life, just published in London, says of these writings: "That they are the most finished and graceful verses of society that can be found in our language, it is impossible to doubt. At present they are so scarce that the volume from which I transcribe the greater part of the following extracts is an American collection, procured with considerable difficulty and delay from the United States." The collection referred to was made by the editor of the International, for the same love Miss Mitford feels for its delightful contents, and was published many years ago by Langley, a bookseller in the Astor House. It is the only volume by Praed ever printed, and it has been long out of the market. Mr. Redfield's new edition will be much more complete. Rev. H. N. HUDSON continues his admirable edition of Shakspeare. Early drawn to the study of the poet, and pursuing that study against every disadvantage, until he had embodied, in a series of lectures, his views of Shakspeare and impressions of his plays, we well remember the excitement which greeted his public reading of them in Boston, before the literary aristocracy of the Athens of Massachusetts. A shimmering brilliancy played along his analysis, rather of fancy than of imagination,—almost rather of conceit than thought; but they approved him a most competent critic, and this edition shows his admirable editorial qualities. THE History of Classical Literature, by R. W. BROWNE, which has lately been much praised by London critics, has been republished by Blanchard & Lea, of Philadelphia. The volume commences with Homer and closes with Aristotle; and the plan pursued is to give a biography of each author, an account of the period in which he flourished, and then a criticism on the character of his works. All the chapters are written with a careful remembrance that the general, and not the strictly scholarly, reader, is being addressed; and hence a comprehensive historical air most desirable in a book assuming to be a history rather than an analysis of a literature. The Iliad is examined as a poem, but also as affording evidences of the manners, customs, and civilization of the east at the time at which the poem was composed. The philosophers are enumerated; but their philosopy is examined more with reference to its indications as to society than for its bearings on the schools. Demosthenes is dealt with less as the orator than as the politician. The story of Socrates is told, not for the individual, but for the universal model. In every respect, the work is ably executed. A SURVEY of the literature of the Southern States is in preparation by JoHN R. THOMP SON, editor of the Southern Literary Messenger. It will make an ample volume in octavo, comprising biographical and critical notices of the chief writers of that part of the Union, with liberal extracts from their characteristic productions. Mr. Thompson is a fine scholar, and has taste, and a thorough acquaintance with the intellectual resources of the South, and his work will be interesting and valuable, in many ways, though we suspect that it will fail of the accomplished editor's intent to show a general unfairness toMR. R. H. STODDARD, the poet, is preparing ward southern writing by northern cities. a volume of fairy tales for children. Poets We have nothing to offer here as to the causes, were always the friends of fairies; they it is but we hold it to be a maintainable fact that who bring them within the sphere of human the south has not contributed her part to the sympathies. That Mr. STODDARD is the very intellectual riches of the country. We may, Laureate of Titania, to sing her summer rev-perhaps, discuss the subject fully on the apels, the rare delicacy of perception and grace-pearance of Mr. Thompson's volume, with ful music of the volume of poems published which, we are sure, the south will have abun by him in the autumn, is the certificate. dant reason to be satisfied Bistorical Review of the Month. people. On the other hand, Mr. Vukovitch, who was also a minister in the same cabinet, who is now in Paris, has published a letter on Kossuth's side. To Szemere's letter Mr. Pulszky has replied from Cincinnati, repelling the charge of cowardice against Kossuth, and showing that Szemere himself had fled from Hungary some months before the termination of the war, and when there was still reason to hope that it might be brought to a Kossuth's suite, also states that Szemere is a man of exceeding vanity, an intriguer against every body that is above him, and that no man is more unpopular in Hungary than he. Therefore, it is argued, his opinion is valueless, and he is utterly in the wrong when he says that Kossuth is no longer beloved and accepted by the Hungarians as their chosen leader. American diplomacy is pushing on into the Orient. A treaty has been negotiated with Persia, by Mr. Marsh, our ambassador at Constantinople, which guarantees to our commerce all the advantages enjoyed by the most favored nations. The overtures for this treaty came from the Shah himself, through his envoy at Constantinople, and were promptly met by Mr. Marsh, acting under the instructions of Secretary Clayton. It now re mains to be seen whether our trade with the Per-favorable issue; and Count Bethlen, another of sian kingdom will grow to much under the favorable influence of the new compact. Up to the present day Persia does not figure very largely in the annual returns of the treasury department. The idea of renewing the search for Sir John Franklin, by American vessels, has been set on foot again by a letter of Commodore WILKES, who advises the dispatching of ships to Wellington Channel, and explorations from there by sledges, The revolutionary disturbances in Northern especially in a westerly direction. Mr. HENRY Mexico have been renewed, the government havGRINNELL has also addressed a memorial to Con- ing unwisely returned to the old tariff of import gress, supported by the petition of a large num-duties, which was the pretext for the first outber of citizens of New-York, asking that the Gov-break. Accordingly, Caravajal has got his men ernment will again fit out and man his two ves- together again and has resumed operations, of sels, the Advance and Rescue, which he offers for course with considerable assistance from the Texthe purpose, and send them out, accompanied by an side of the line. Mexico is generally in great a store ship and a propeller. The Maryland In- trouble, not only from insurrections in this and stitute, and a large number of the citizens of Bal- other parts of the republic, but from the fact that timore, have also addressed a similar petition to the entire political organization is in a state of deCongress. It is certain that, what with the efforts cay approaching dissolution. The revenue is inof our own countrymen and those of the British sufficient for the ordinary wants of the governgovernment, the subject will not be abandoned till ment, which is unable to pay its civil officers or something positive has been ascertained with re- the army with the exception of the troops in the gard to the fate of Franklin and his companions.field, to whom something has had to be paid, Congress has continued in session, but has ac- though not all they have been entitled to. The complished little or no useful legislation within the deficit for the last year, exceeds a million of dolmonth. The time has been mainly occupied with lars, exclusive of the interest on the debt. Condebates on foreign intervention, on giving the job gress met on the first of January, when President of printing the census to the publishers of the Arista addressed the two Houses in a speech, exUnion newspaper, and on the abolition of the law posing the dangers of their situation, and calling on giving the delegate from Oregon only $2500 mile- them to come up to the sublime task of saving age. The census printing question occasioned a the country from the destruction which menaces it. rencontre between Senator Borland, of Arkansas, From South America we have the details of the and Mr. Kennedy, the Superintendent of the Cen-progress of the revolution which begun in Chili sus, in which Senator Borland got into a passion in the last autumn, and is not yet finished. It and knocked Mr. Kennedy down, breaking his nose, at the same time that he vehemently expressed a desire, to the bystanders who interfered to prevent further violence, to get at Mr. Kennedy in order that he might "cut the d-d rascal's throat." Mr. Stanly, of North Carolina, and Mr. Giddings, of Ohio, have had a passage of personalities in the House, which has been quite universally condemned by the press and public. Kossuth has continued his career of triumph in the west, and besides the ovations of the people, has received a large amount of the material aid, which he especially seeks. Wherever he goes, he receives contributions of money and offerings of commenced with a revolt of the provinces of Coquimbo and Concepcion, against Gen. Montt, the President, elected by a large majority in the other ten provinces of the republic. The election took place in June last, and the insurrection broke out on the 6th and 8th of September, under the leading of Gen. Cruz. The government forces were commanded by Gen. Bulnes, the retiring President, who put his antagonists to route in a battle at Longomilla. The contest was a most furious and bloody one; the armies on the two sides were nearly equal, eight thousand men being engaged in all. Two thousand, or one quarter of the whole, were left dead upon the field. After his defeat, Cruz signed an agreement recognizing Montt as the legitimate President, and promising to disband all his forces, and make no farther attempt to disturb the peace of the country, on condition that his offence and that of his associates should be pardoned. It was thought that this event would insure the tranquillity of the country for many years; and Bulnes was received at Valparaiso with great rejoicing on his return from the cam paign. But the agreement of the insurgents was not kept. On the 30th of December they rose again, and got possession of the city of Copiapo, and prepared from there to resume their march against the capital. Should Bulnes again defeat them, as is probable, he will be sure to show them no mercy. From the Rio de la Plata we have intelligence which seems to leave no doubt that Rosas, the tyrant of Buenos Ayres, is on the verge of destruction. Urquiza, the general who has just freed the republic of Uruguay from the presence of Rosas's satraps, and restored to the important city of Montevideo the enjoyment of its liberty and the advantages belonging to its commercial position, has now completed his preparations, and is about to march against the dictator himself. Besides the troops of Entre Rios, his own State, he has under his command the forces of Corrientes, and is aided by the Brazilian fleet and army, and some 2,000 men from Uruguay. The entire force about to move against Rosas cannot be less than 30,000 troops, including some of the best soldiers in South America, and a full complement of artillery. Rosas, on his part, by extraordinary efforts, has got together some 20,000 men, many of whom are raw recruits, and none of whom retain that faith in the invincibility of their leader which has been an important element in his previous successes. The supple legislature of Buenos Ayres has, in these circumstances, outdone itself, and has not only made him absolute and irresponsible dictator during the war, but for three years after the victory. That victory, however, we opine he will never see. As Urquiza approaches, the army of the dictator will diminish. Large bodies of his soldiers will go over to the enemy; and he will either be shot or allowed to escape to England, to live there upon the revenues of his enormous and ill-got fortune. In England all the world has been agog for the approaching opening of Parliament, which was to take place on the 3d of February. The highest expectations of entertainment were cherished from the set-to then expected to take place between Lord John Russell and Lord Palmerston, the dismissed Foreign Secretary. It will be piquant to see these former allies converted into antagonists, and cutting and slashing at each other with all the greater effect from the intimate knowledge of each as to the concerns of the other. As a ready and efficient public debater Lord Palmerston is the superior of the two. All possibility of trouble between the United States and England on account of the brig Express firing into the steamer Prometheus at San Juan de Niacaragua, has been prevented by a manly apology made by the new British Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lord Granville. The act is as creditable to his lordship, as it is grateful to all who would not have the friendly relations between the two countries disturbed. It is authoritatively stated that the new reform will, which will be brought forward shortly after the opening of Parliament, will not so much extend the suffrage as vary the present apportionment of representatives. The boroughs, which are notoriously small, are to be enlarged by copious annexations, but there will be no new boroughs, nor will the large towns, such as Manchester and Liverpool, get any more representatives than they have now. If this be the nature of the bill, it cannot give satisfaction to either the Radicals or the Tories, nor extricate the Cabinet from its present difficulties. The cabinet has been further weakened by the resignation of Lord de Broughton-better known as Sir John Cam Hobhouseas President of the Board of Control for the affairs of India, and of Lord Normanby as Minister at Paris. It is surmised that Lord Normanby retires to take his chance for coming into power again as a member of a new cabinet, with his friend, Lord Palmerston, at its head-not an improble thing, by the way. He is succeeded at Paris by Lord Cowley. The troubles at the Cape of Good Hope still continue, with no advantage gained on the British side. The Caffres seem even harder to beat than was our own Florida Indians. The Government is loudly blamed for not acting more promptly in despatching forces to that colony; and the opinion is expressed that the Duke of Wellington, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, has, by great age, lost the energy his powers and character. In his younger days, it is said, he would either have had the required reinforcements at once sent forward, or would have resigned his office. The Government and its agents have also been blamed for not more promptly despatching vessels to search for the passengers who got off in boats from the steamer Amazon, destroyed by fire off Scilly. It is possible that by timely action many lives might have been saved. of The danger of a French invasion is much dwelt upon by the British press, and there have been rumors of a great increase in the army with a view to such a contingency. These rumors do not seem to be well founded, nor can we believe the danger very imminent. Certain parties regard the whole as rather a fetch of the Ministry, to strengthen them at the opening of Parliament, by removing attention from home matters, and by uniting the nation in a common burst of patriotism. If this be so, the trick is a poor one, for if there was real danger of a war, the present ministry would not be likely to be trusted with carrying it on. IN France, the march of despotism continues, with rapidity, and apparent safety. On the 15th of January Louis Napoleon published his new "constitution," of which the chief provisions are, that the President reserves to himself to desig nate, by a sealed will, the citizen to be recommended to the nation as his successor in the event of his death. He commands the land and sea forces; he alone can propose new laws; he can at any time declare the state of siege. His Ministers are responsible to none but him, and each for his respective duties only; they may be "the honored auxiliaries of his thought," but they are not allowed to be "a daily obstacle to the special influence of the chief." The Council of State, whose mem bers the President is to nominate and dismiss at his pleasure, is to put into shape the laws he intends to propose to the mock Legislature. The Senate, nominated for life by the President, and to any of whose members he may grant a salary of 30,000 francs, "may propose modifications of the Constitution" its deliberations are secret. The Legislature is to consist of a deputy for every 35,000 electors, elected by universal suffrage, for six years. The President convokes, adjourns, prorogues, and dissolves this body at his pleasure; he nominates its President and Vice-President the official minute of its proceedings, drawn up |