kept every thing to himself, revealing nothing to denote his vision or trials. He partook sparingly of food, and soon recovered his perfect strength. But he never for a moment forgot the burial-place of his friend. He carefully visited it, and would not let even a wild-flower grow there. Soon he saw the tops of the green plumes coming out of the ground, at first in spiral points, then expanding into broad leaves, and rising in green stalks; and finally assuming their silken fringes and yellow tassels.

"The spring and summer had now passed; when one day, towards evening, he requested his father to visit the lonely spot where he had · fasted. The old man stood in amazement. The lodge was gone, and in its place stood a tall, graceful, and majestic plant, waving its taper leaves, and displaying its bright-colored plumes and tassels. But what most attracted his admiration was its cluster of golden ears. 'It is the friend of my dreams and visions,' said the youth. 'It is Mon-damin, it is the spirit's grain,' said the father. And this is the origin of the Indian corn." Part ii. pp. 230–232.

Various statistical returns occupy a portion of each of these volumes. We turned to these with some curiosity, hoping that they might contain definite and precise information, specially collected for the purposes of the work, on which interesting conclusions might be founded, or which might serve at any rate as specific facts for record in the history of the red race. But again we were wholly disappointed. A plan seems to have been drawn out, of great pretensions and even absurd minuteness, for taking a census of all the Indian tribes within the limits of the United States, together with their " Vital and Industrial Statistics." But the courage and patience of the investigator seem to have failed him, after completing the easiest and smallest portion of his task, the census of the feeble remnant of the Iroquois confederacy, amounting in all to less than 6000 souls, most of whom still reside within the limits of New York and Pennsylvania. A few particulars are also given respecting some members of the Algonquin Group. But the skeleton of the plan is printed at.great length, even for those tribes or bands, and in those particulars, in respect to which no information has been obtained. Thus we have page after page of blank columns, or of statistical returns in which the statistics are omitted. For what purpose these were inserted in the volume, if not to give "a fat job" to the printer

or compositor, we cannot imagine. We find, for instance, 176 different columns, or specific heads of inquiry, arrayed against each member of the Algonquin Group; and in reference to twenty-seven such members, just five of these columns are filled up, and 171 are left blank. To obtain space for arraying these blank columns in proper order, the names of the twenty-seven Algonquin tribes or bands are printed ten times over, on as many distinct pages. Thus we have one third of a page of actual statistics, and nine pages and two thirds of blanks. Perhaps these numbers indicate very fairly the ratio between the information promised, and the information actually supplied, by these three ponderous quartos. The second and third volumes of the work do not indicate that any progress has been made in completing this magnificent plan of a Census of the Indians; the statistical portion of them consists mainly of a reprint of some forgotten papers, fished up in great part from old Congressional documents, containing estimates or very imperfect enumerations of the Indian Tribes at different epochs.

But we need not carry the examination of these bulky and pretentious volumes any farther; the reader can now form a fair judgment of their character and merits. We have spoken very plainly about them, but not from any feeling of unkindness towards their author or editor, who has gained some reputation for his extensive acquaintance with Indian affairs, and some credit for his former publications. If Mr. Schoolcraft alone had been responsible for the work, and had defrayed its expenses from his own resources, we should have allowed him and his publisher to obtain wisdom by experience; it would have been quite superfluous to caution the public against purchasing the book. Even if this had been an ordinary case of the abuse of government patronage, we should not have meddled with it; as it is no business of ours to look after the peccadilloes of politicians or the peculations of public contractors. But this is a work of lofty pretensions upon a matter of great interest to men of science. If allowed to go forth to the world unchallenged, it will be the means of casting a reproach upon American science, or of impeaching the faithfulness or the fearlessness of those who are set to guard

its interests. Those who are engaged in the study of ethnography, and its kindred sciences, whether at home or abroad, will seek with eagerness to consult a work upon such a subject, got up by the authority of Congress, and published in a style of great magnificence, at the expense of the American government; but after a brief examination, they will probably close the volume, as we have done, with a feeling of impatience and disgust. On this point, we have something more than conjecture to offer. We have the highest authority for stating that Baron Humboldt, having had occasion to examine the work, expressed in strong terms his opinion that it was a crude and worthless compilation, and his great surprise that it should be allowed to appear with the sanction and at the expense of the government of the United States. The aid which Congress can offer to scientific and literary enterprises of a national character ought at once to be liberal, and to be watched with jealous care. If the work really deserves patronage, and is at the same time national in its objects, hardly any appropriation for its encouragement can be deemed excessive. Every government of a civilized people acknowledges its obligations to do something for the advancement of science and the diffusion of knowledge, something for arts, letters, and education. Truly scientific reports of surveys that have been executed for government purposes ought to be published in a liberal style, and to be widely and gratuitously distributed. The people will gladly welcome the information that is thus placed before them, and will not grudge the trifling burden to the national treasury. But in order that this source of patronage for science and letters may not be wholly dried up, its treasures should not be drawn off without a careful scrutiny of the character of the work to which they are to be devoted. The appropriation of nearly thirty thousand dollars a volume for the ill-digested and valueless compilation that lies before us, rich though it be in its exterior and costly in its illustrations, is enough to discredit the whole system of publishing works at the government expense. We have done our share in exposing the nature of the evil; it is for Congress to do the rest.

NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Interviews Memorable and Useful; from Diary and Memory reproduced. By Samuel Hanson Cox, D. D., Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Brooklyn, New York. New York: Harpers & Brothers. 1853. 12mo. pp.

320.

Ellen Linn, a Franconia Story, by the Author of the Rollo Books. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 16mo. pp. 215.

The Bourbon Prince. The History of the Royal Dauphin, Louis XVII. of France. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 16mo. pp. 202.

A Child's History of England. By Charles Dickens. New York: 1853. 12mo. pp. 288.

Early Buds. By Lydia M. Reno. Boston and Cambridge: James Munroe & Co. 1853. 12mo. pp. 309.

Dr. Grant and the Mountain Nestorians. By Rev. Thomas Larrie, Surviving Associate in that Mission. With Portrait, Map of the Country, Illustrations, etc. Boston: Gould & Lincoln. 1853. 12mo. pp. 418.

Considerations of some Recent Social Theories. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co. 1853. 12mo. pp. 158.

Poetry of the Vegetable World; A Popular Exposition of the Science of Botany, and its Relations to Man. By M. J. Schleiden, M. D., Professor of Botany in the University of Jena. Illustrated with Engravings. First American, from the London edition of Henfrey. Edited by Alphonso Wood, M. A. Cincinnati: Moore, Andrews, Wilstach, & Keys. 1853. 12mo. pp. 360. Yusef, or the Journey of the Frangi; a Crusade in the East. By J. Ross Browne, Author of Etchings of a Whaling Cruise. With Illustrations. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 12mo. pp. 421.

The Mother and her Offspring. By Stephen Tracy, M. D. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 12mo. pp. 361.

Annual Report of the Superintendent of the Coast Survey, showing the Progress of that Work during the Year ending November, 1851. Washington: Robert Armstrong, Printer. 1853. 8vo. pp. 559.

Report of the Principal Fisheries of the American Seas; prepared for the Treasury Department of the United States, by Lorenzo Sabine, of Massachusetts; and submitted by the Hon. Thomas Corwin, Secretary of the Treasury, as a Part of his Annual Report on the Finances, at the Second Session of the Thirty-second Congress. Washington: Robert Armstrong. Printer. 1853. 8vo. pp. 317.

Three Tales: Christine Van Amberg, Resignation, and the Village Doctor; by the Countess D'Arbouville. Translated from the French, by Maunsell B. Field, M. A. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 12mo. pp. 272.

Thalatta: a Book for the Sea-Side. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, & Fields. 12mo. pp. 206.

1853.

Life of Thomas Chalmers, D. D., L. L. D. Edited by Rev. James C. Moffat, M. A., Professor of Latin and Lecturer on History, in the College of New Jersey, Princeton. Cincinnati: Moore, Anderson, Wilstach, & Keys. 1853. 12mo. pp. 435.

Chambers' Pocket Miscellany. Volume XI. Each Volume complete in itself. Boston: Gould & Lincoln. 1853. 12mo. pp. 180.

Notes from Life, in Seven Essays. Money, Humility and Independence, Wisdom, Choice in Marriage, Children, The Life Poetic, The Ways of the Rich and Great. By Henry Taylor, Author of Philip Van Artevelde. From the Third London Edition. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, & Fields. 1853. 12mo. pp. 197.

Memoirs of Elizabeth, Second Queen Regnant of England and Ireland. By Agnes Strickland. Complete in One Volume. Philadelphia: Blanchard & Lea. 1853. 12mo. pp. 583.

Historical and Critical Essays. By Thomas De Quincy, Author of Confessions of an Opium Eater, etc. etc. In Two Volumes. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, & Fields. 1853. 12mo.

Thoughts on the Education of Girls. By Mrs. Anna C. Lowell. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, & Fields. 1853. 16mo. pp. 72.

Bleak House. By Charles Dickens. With Illustrations, by H. K. Browne. Nos. 13-16. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1853. 12mo.

Reason and Faith, and other Miscellanies of Henry Rogers, Author of "The Eclipse of Faith." Boston: Crosby, Nichols, & Co. 1853. 12mo. pp. 458.

Report of the Majority of the Commissioners appointed to Examine the Affairs of Union College. Transmitted to the Legislature, March 4, 1853. Albany C. Van Benthuysen, Printer to the Legislature. 1853. 12mo. pp. 230.

Address delivered before the New Hampshire Agricultural Society, at its Third Annual Exhibition, in Meredith-Bridge, Oct. 7, 1852. By William S. King, Esq. With the Remarks of Hon. Franklin Pierce. Boston: Bazin & Chandler. 1853. 12mo. pp. 40.

Report of the Commissioners of Public Schools of the State of Rhode Island; made at the January Session of the General Assembly, 1853. Providence. 1853. 12mo. pp. 77.

An Oration on the Life and Public Services of Daniel Webster, delivered Dec. 18, 1852, upon request of the Citizens of Cincinnati, by Alphonso Taft. Cincinnati: Printed by the Cincinnati Gazette Company. 1853. 12mo. pp. 84.

An Address, delivered at the Opening of Williams Hall, Corner of Dover and Washington Streets, Boston, on Tuesday Evening, March 8, 1853. By Timothy Bigelow. Boston: B. H. Greene. 1853. 12mo. pp. 32.