be a government too weak to deserve support which could be hurt or irritated by such an inconceivably nonsensical perform

ance.

Dr. Hosack has completed his munificent gift to the Library of Columbia College. It now consists of nearly four hundred volumes of well selected and valuable books, and among them are to be found many of rare occurrence in either the public or the private collections of this country. Of these may be cited a full set of the transactions of the French Academy of the Sciences from the year 1700 until that body ceased to exist in its original form, and merged in the Institute; the works of Maupertius and Pascal, the Mechanique Celeste of Laplace; the Trigonometry of Cagnoli; and a complete series of the Philosophical Magazine, so well known as comprising the best record of the important discoveries of the last twenty-five years, a period so interesting in the annals of science.

This gift of Dr. Hosack, when added to the books already belonging to the College, puts that institution in possession of a very complete collection of the best authors on physical science.The donation comes with the more grace from this gentleman, inasmuch as he is in no shape connected with the government of Columbia College, and does not share in the patronage or influence connected with the office of a trustee.-He can, therefore, have had no other motive than a disinterested one to promote the cause of science, or that laudable stimulus by which honourable minds are actuated to perpetuate their memories in connection with the recollection of important services rendered the community. If the latter has been his motive, we know of no channel in which his bounty would be likely to be productive of more lasting and permanent honour to himself. Situated in the greatest city of the United States, rising in reputation by the steady exertions of its government, and safe, in the permanent prosperity of the country, from those political convulsions that threatened its early existence, Columbia College promises to fill a prominent place among the literary institutions of the United States, and the names of its early benefactors must go down with honour to remote posterity.

Dr. Christian Endress, Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Lancaster proposes to publish an attempt at a new translation of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, with Annotations; for the purpose of aiding the scholar of Religion in the investigation of this important document of Christian faith.

Lord Byron and Sir W. Scott.-A comparative estimate of the respective merits of these two eminent poets has recently appeared in a German Journal, preceded by some remarks on the state of English national poetry at the period immediately preceding their appearance on the literary horizon. Fine poetical feeling,

it is asserted, was totally dormant in England during the 18th Century. Originality and genius displayed themselves in works of humour and the Comic Epopee,-in the Drama, which could boast of the facetiousness and humour of Foote, the wit and vivacity of Sheridan, and in the Parliamentary eloquence of Pitt, Fox, and Burke, but not in the inspirations of the Muse. The Nineteenth Century has distinguished itself from its predecessor by the production of two genuine poets allied only in power, in almost every other respect entirely dissimilar. The antithesis is, indeed, sufficiently striking: in Byron, the poet himself is always apparent; his peculiar trains of thought, his reflections, his own individual character are every where prominent. In Scott, on the contrary, the poet himself completely disappears, while his character and the events in which they are involved stand out in relief, not only visible, but prominent and tangible. In Byron, we meet with only one character, though variously arrayed. In the compositions of his rival, the characters are most diverse and multifarious. In this estimate, the writer takes into account the Scotch Novels, which he assigns, seemingly as a mere matter of course, to Sir Walter.

In Byron there is but little action; in him all is declamation, reflection, or sudden, animated description: in Scott, events crowd upon each other; he seldom pauses for mere reflection. Byron describes his actors in a minute and masterly style, but still always describes: Scott, on the contrary, makes his personages describe themselves, by exhibiting them in all the animation of reality. In Byron's poems we discover the workings of a powerful fancy, the starts of an inspired mind, yet are his productions but fragments and sketches: while Scott possesses symmetry, continuity, integrity. But if the manner of the one be so dissimilar from that of the other, their spirit is still more so. The one exhibits the world as one great prison, as a cavern of death where all is gloomy, cheerless, and appalling: the other displays some redeeming points even in the most depraved natures; his views of life are rather consolatory than sombre. Lastly, Byron avoids, even in his poems, every object that may remind him of his Fatherland;' unlike his own Foscari, his affections are not knit to his home, to the soil which gave him birth: he is any thing but a patriotic poet, in whatever sense we take the epithet. To Scott, on the contrary, his Fatherland,' seems as a holy sanctuary, on whose altars he deposits with filial reverence the fruits of his ge

nius and his affection.

Polish Journals.-The productions of the periodical press in Poland are at present very numerous. There are now no fewer than twenty-four Journals of various descriptions; some political, others devoted to subjects of literature or science.

88

To Readers and Correspondents.

THE several communications from "VEDOQUE" have been received, and we shall insert such of them, as are suitable to our work. The articles on the application to Congress, for a patentright to navigate the air, are out of time. We hope this ridiculous scheme will be forgotten before our Journal is published. "Vedoque" must excuse us from giving any advice on the momentous question which is propounded in his private communication. We would rather

Let the Volces plough Rome, and harrow Italy

than encounter the pen of an angry poet.

Of "MARTHA" we may say with the poet," then she plots, then she ruminates, then she devises;"-but we hope her erraticStrephon will escape the snare:

Wilt thou, wilt thou really fly

From vanity and folly,

And quit their pomp without a sigh,
My own dear Dolly,

There is a petitionary vehemence in "OCTAVIAN" which we should be glad to gratify, by inserting his "Verses on a walk to Pratt's Garden with Miss "did we not fear that they would deter young ladies in future, from rural rambles with young gentlemen who have just quitted College. He appears to be one of those silky-milky, woodstock-glove beaux, whose minds could be sewed in a sampler, and who should have inscribed on their hats, "a fool, Sir, at a woman's service"-Othello would advise him to discourse fustian with his own shadow.

The vituperation of the angry poet, "FLORIUS," is not like

"Chough's language,-gabble enough, and good enough,"

since it possesses only the former of these properties.

There is a class of correspondents, who are not so punctual as we wish. They should remember that

"For want of MEANS poor rats have hang'd themselves."

Of most editors, such is the unpardonable negligence of subscribers, we may affirm that "their means are most short, their creditors most straight." An English Magazine is never tarnished by such complaints, as we are compelled to prefer against literary patrons, in this country; yet an English traveller would raise a storm about his ears if he were to say, what we believe to be very near the truth, that editors of American journals, literary, politi cal, or theological, rarely realize a moiety of what they earn.