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'I wander alone, 'mid the desolate piles,

To tell of the days, that once wreath'd them in smiles,
But they're few that will list to the old Harper's tale,
And my song floats unheeded along the wild gale.'

Would the compass of our sheets allow, we could quote fifty pages, of which the above is a fair sample. We love, and we admire, Mrs. Hemans, as a woman of infinite beart, imagination and talent. But we are not of her school; and we protest against the so common interweaving her silky mannerisin into the texture of our national poetry. Would, that our gifted minds were independent, and would draw from their own hearts, and the open volume of nature.

The American system of English Grammar, abridged, and simplified, by JAMES BROWN. Philadelphia: 1829.

This book is a twin brother with a much larger one, entitled An appeal from the present popular systems, &c. both making 600 pp. The object of both is to revolutionize the existing systems of grammar, and supersede them by his. According to Mr. Brown, this new revolution is a work of much the same pith and moment, with that ancient one, which achieved our political independence; and there is in the appeal no small amount of tha sort of eloquence, which distinguishes a partizan on the legislative floor; with a full measure of the asperity of invective, which is to be found in the hottest matter of Junius. Indeed, we feel somewhat timid, in regrd to bringing forth all, that is on our mind, in relation to these books. We have not forgotten our excellent Esculapian friend, Anthony Hunn, and his analeptic equalizers.' We shall never forget dreaming about being pursued by him, armed with the aforesaid equalizers' and a syringe. There seems much of the same inward burning and militant fierceness in the distinguished philologist before us. He lays about him, like a giant, sparing neither our friend, Mr. Kirkham, nor his patron, Mr. Murray; and most unmercifully cutting up divers other authors of grammars, as well as the Rev. Bishop Croes. That he is no common champion in the arena, and that his weapons are of steel of the finest temper, and the most exquisite edge, we quote the motto of the grammar, which is itself quoted from the appeal.

'When a country so idolizes its old forms as to tremble at an appeal from their use, the avenues to improvement are closed; national reputation sickens; the expiring rattle is heard in the larynx of genius, and the cold sweat of death covers the public body-a republic must advance, or it must retrogrado.'-APPEAL. Even our logomachic difficulties in congress are traced to bad grammars, as the reader may discern from the following.

6 We are disposed to ascribe these individual, and national misfortunes to a want of skill in the language which is used. These sparrings which tax a nation's wealth, these concussions in the political elements, which carry horror in their vibrations, these eddies, which sometimes whirl in amazement, nation after

nation, these adverse winds which give being and energy to faction, are the storms which ambition directs by riding upon the clouds of the constitution-It is in these clouds, that ambition lurks-yes, it is from these, that the thunder of eloquence will burst-it is from these that the lightning of genius will play, first to the consternation, then to the destruction of our political EDEN.'

One quotation more, and that from a pamphlet of recommendations of this grammar-yes, an entire pamphlet of recommendations, commencing with the highly respectable name of De Witt Clinton-and all couched in terms of the most unmingled and superlative praise.

"The author has attempted no new modification of the old system of English Philology-he thinks the old system beyond repair. And he cannot believe that the never ending generations of that portion of the human race, who enjoy the unbounded blessing of using the English language, are to receive their knowledge of it through a system of Grammar crazy in its structure, blind in its application, and altogether deficient in its result upon the student. The time has now arrived when this patch work of error must be torn off-let us then in the ship of Innovation, freighted with gratitude to the memory of MURRAY, and float. ing upon the tide of time, return it to England!'

The reader will allow, that this is not the diction of a common man. The author says, he has devoted the best of his life, and nearly $15,000, to the getting up this work. Simply assuring the reader, that the above quotations are fair samples of the language, tone, and spirit of these books, we bestow a few words,-for we have space for no more-upon the proposed innovations in the American Grammar. The plan of scanning, or his system of orthopy, seems to us simple, ingenious, and worthy of adoption. Under the head Etymology, words are divided into major and minor. Washington is the major; George the minor. His definitions, of what are called the parts of speech, are different from the common--two or three of them vague and obscure, and, as far as we can judge, no improvements. His definition of a verb appears in our judgment, clear, simple and an improvement.

'A verb is a word which shows the time of the being, action, or thing it signi fies.'

His views of Syntax strike us, also, as admirable, and worthy of being received.

'SYNTAX Comprises the principles of constructing sentences from words.There are three principles upon which a sentence is formed; namely, Government, Agreement, and Position; hence, SYNTAX may be divided into government, agreement, and position.

1. GOVERNMENT respects the influence which one word exerts over another, in giving it some particular form or character.

2. AGREEMENT respects the exact correspondence in some of the properties of two or more words.

3. POSITION respects the place of one word, or one section, in reference to another word, or another section.'

We have no doubt, that there are many improvements in this book; and that Mr. Brown is a man of talents. Pity, that the coldest and most

abstract of all subjects, philology, should have generated within him such volcanic fires, and such an explosion of sophomoric figures, which, if we were not afraid to handle the hot lava, we should call by the outright term-rhodomontade.

The formidable array of recommendations, appended to this 'grammar and appeal' -suggested the enormity of this system of puffing. It has gone into a fashion; and every one has laughed medicinally at seeing the union of many of the most respectable names of the faculty of one of our most distinguished colleges joining in a testimonial to a razor strop! One recommendation is commonly obtained as a nest egg; and forthwith we have a litter of a round robin. The Rev. D. D. and A. S. S. &c. are strung along ad infinitum. We are inclined to value a book none the more for them, and we hope to see the time, when D. D's and F. R. S's will be more cautious, how they yield their names. We would not be understood to say this in reference to Mr. Brown's grammar-to which we wish all manner of success; and which, we are told, is going forward, borne on the very shield of public favor.

English Grammar, in familiar lectures, &c. by SAMUEL KIRKHAM.Stereotyped by Wm. Hogan & Co. New York. Fourteenth edition, enlarged and improved. pp. 228.

When we take into view the opportunities of the author of this work to acquaint himself with the philosophy of language, and the original rudiments of our language, this grammar strikes us, as a work of great and uncommon merit. He has been successful according to his merit, and success has had its right effect, in inducing him to concentrate the powers of his mind upon this work, and to continue to add to it such improvemenis, as continued contemplation of it suggests.

We have so amply borne our testimony to former editions of this work, that it would be superfluous for us to add at present any thing more, than that this edition has been considerably enlarged, and obviously improved: particularly on the important points of Orthography and Orthoepy.

THE

WESTERN

MONTHLY REVIEW.

APRIL, 1830.

CINCINNATI FEMALE INSTITUTION.

THE excellent female schools of our city are just grounds for honest pride. No holidays in our year create more sensation, than those, in which the medals are distributed and a certain number of the young ladies graduate. The annual examination of the Cincinnati Female Institution of the Messrs. Pickets commenced February 8th, and continued for three successive days. There were about 150 Misses in all the departments. Medals were distributed for attainments in the common branches, in mu sic and painting. The hand writing and map drawing, it is believed, can be no where surpassed. The numerous and respectable board of visiters caused to be inserted in all the papers of this city a testimony of their entire satisfaction and high gratification in the result of this examination, which was witnessed by a crowded audience, who manifested, during all the exercises, their unabated interest in the young ladies, and confidence in the tried experience, industry and fidelity of these well known instructers. Eleven gold medals were awarded, and some premium books. These were gracefully distributed, with appropriate remarks, by D. K. Este, Esq., appointed to that duty by the board. The services were commenced and closed with prayer, and occasionally diversified with music by the pupils on the piano.

Previous to the distribution of the medals, and prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Dennison, he addressed the audience as follows.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The benefits accruing to our rapidly increasing city from this institution, and similar establishments, are incalculable. Our citizens can give their daughters an accomplished education in this excellent seminary, without the inconvenience and expense of sending them to Academies remote from home. The reputation and interest of Cincinnati are considerably advanced by this institution. At present it includes about one hundred and fifty pupils, of whom between thirty and forty are young ladies from distant places. During the short period that has elapsed since this school was established, nearly twenty-five thousand dollars have been Vol. III.-No. 10.

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circulated in Cincinnati, by that portion of its pupils who have come from remote sections of the country.

To form a rational estimate of the benefits resulting from this institution, and other establishments of a similar character, the scenes of future days must be presented to the intellectual vision, and the events of coming years contemplated. As the prudent agriculturist deposites seed in his well prepared field, and, from the indications of incipient and progressive vegetation, derives the hope of an exuberant harvest to reward his toil and replenish his granary; so the intelligent preceptor infuses correct principles into the minds of his juvenile charge, and, from the success of his efforts to elicit thought and guide the progress of his pupils in literary and scientific pursuits, cherishes the pleasing expectation that his exertions will be instrumental in the formation of characters, distinguished for their intelligence, virtue and benevolence,

When a few brief years shall have elapsed, those who are now in the meridian or the evening of life will be associated with the forgotten geaerations of past centuries, but these interesting young ladies who are under the tuition of the enlightened and assiduous Principals of this institution, will occupy your stations, perform their part in the busy scenes of this transitory state of existence, and exhibit, in their character and deportment, the advantages derived from the well directed efforts of their judicious instructers to furnish their minds with sound principles and useful knowledge. The instructions which they are now receiving will qualify them for discharging the relative and social duties of subsequent life, with credit to themselves, satisfaction to their friends, and advantage to the community with whom they hold intercourse. Enriched with the love of literature and science themselves, they will infuse it into the minds of their offspring; and these, in their turn, will communicate it to their descendants. In this manner, like the refreshing stream and the luminous guide that accompanied the Israelites through the wilderness, the treasures of knowledge and correct principles will be transmitted from generation to generation, through a long succession of ages, to a people who shall exist at a period too remote in futurity for human contemplation to reach.

Few objects, within the sphere of human thought, are contemplated by the philosopher, the philanthropist, the politician, the patriot and the christian, with such deep interest as the gradual development of the intellectual faculties of human beings, in their successful pursuit of literary and scientific acquisitions; because in the juvenile pupils of an intelligent preceptor, the studious mind perceives living miniatures of the future agents in every department of active life. Science sheds an exhilarating radiance on the human intellect, and opens, to the assiduous and persevering student, sources of rational enjoyment, unexplored in ages when superstition vested in despotism exercised a tyrannic, arbitrary and deleterious control over the mental faculties and physical powers of man. But from female education, judiciously conducted, society derives the most beneficial and salutary results. Ladies are the natural tutoresses of the human species. They give the first impulse to the youthful mind.

During the examination which has just closed, satisfactory evidences have been exhibited that he young ladies in this institution have attained, in various branches of science, a proficiency, honorable to themselves and

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