ated, sometimes not. Sometimes they occur at the beginning, sometimes at the end of the verb, and sometimes they are placed between the syllables. Besides, the verbs, generally, consist of many syllables. Take the Dahcotah word Nishahsnoneiishnay for an example sufficiently long. Snanoi, I know, seems to be the root of the verb. In the above expression, which means, simply, you do not know, there are two personal pronouns incorporated; one at the beginning, and the other in the middle of the word; the one abbreviated, the other not; and there is, besides, a connecting particle. Pick this word, or phrase, if Mr. Atwater likes the term better, to pieces, and the separate parts have no meaning whatever. It must be written as one word, if at all. On the whole, it is very amusing to hear Mr. Atwater express his indignation against ignorant pretension. Has he not written a book? and such a book, too! If there are individuals among the Saques and Foxes who do not understand the Chippeway tongue, as our traveler affirms, they must either be deaf and dumb, or idiots; for the languages of these tribes are radically the same. We have heard a Chippeway, who had never had the least intercourse with the Saques and Foxes, converse fluently with a Saque at the first meeting. He is far from the truth in affirming that guttural sounds are almost the only ones an Indian utters. The Dahcotahs, Winnebagoes, and all other tribes of their stock, have but two guttural sounds, one of which occurs in but very few words, and the other not oftener than other letters. One of these is the Castilian jota, and the other the guttural g of the Germans. There is no guttural in the language of the tribes of the Chippeway stock; which division comprises almost all the Indians north of the Ohio, and east of the Mississippi. The Chinese alphabet of syllables, says our writer, with a few additions, would express every sound in the Winnebago tongue. What then? So would the French or English alphabet of letters. Enough of the writer's crude speculations on languages, in which he could not ask for food, were he starving. We will merely add that the rudiments of the Dahcotah tongue (communicated by Mr. John Marsh to Mr. Atwater,) are tolerably correct, as far as they go. It seems to have been a hard task to Mr. Atwater, to make a book; for we find that he has dragged into his ser vice more truisms and common-places than we should have supposed any one man's memory could contain. They are sprinkled over every page, without regard to order or connection. Nay, on the eighty-eighth page, he has favored us with a confession of his particular religious belief, which will, no doubt, be of great advantage to the rising generation. His sentiments, it must be allowed, are somewhat startling and altogether new; nevertheless, we do not despair of soon seeing them generally adopted. "A belief in the exist ence of a God," he says, "and of a future state of existence for man, not a few persons suppose are derived, exclusively, from tradition. I confess myself to be of a different opinion. The existence of a GREAT FIRST CAUSE, and his superintending providence, are too clearly written on all the works of cretion, not to be read and understood by every human being." We are also informed that "the Episcopal clergy stand foremost in the world, at this moment, for learning and talent ;" that Mr. Atwater "gives them a decided preference over all other Christian sects;" that "he does not believe that there is a nation of Atheists in the world;" that" the Indians of the north-west have no idea of a Trinity." After this display of theological learning, originality, and force of mind, the episcopal bishops can do no less than dispense with the three years of study required by the canon, and confer holy orders on Mr. Atwater forthwith. We shall not enter into a discussion of any of our author's mere opinions or theories. They must pass for just what they are worth, which, in our opinion, is very little. We shall be content with making so many corrections of his statements as will prove his utter unfitness for the task he has assumed. He says, (page 96,) that he can find thousands among the tribes of NorthAmerica, who are unmixed with European blood, with as blue eyes, lightcolored hair, and as fair skin, as Europe can boast." Mr. Atwater could hardly have been in his senses when he wrote this paragraph. We say, that neither he, nor any other man ever saw a fullblooded Indian with hair that would be called light, among us, unless age had made it so; or with a light skin, unless tainted with leprosy; or with blue eyes, unless disease had changed their natural color. If such observations as these are the results of his travels, he had better staid at home. To put the most charitable construction on this enormous mistake, we must suppose that his optics are of that kind which see what is not to be seen." "After preparing his (the Indian's) food, the wife and her daughters never sit down to eat with the head of the family, but stand around him while seated on his mat," &c. "If he appears to be pleased with his food, every female face wears a smile of satisfaction, but if otherwise, visible signs of regret cloud every female's brow." There is not a word of truth in all this, taking it as part of a description of Indian domestic manners. No consideration, says Mr. Atwater, will induce an Indian to part with a present. "The Sioux use a pipe made of jasper, found any where on the margin of the Mississippi.' "The eldest wife has the control of the household affairs, and the others obey her." "The consequence of the man is rated by the number of wives belonging to him." "The influence of women among the savages of the north-west, is as great as it is among us." "The women may be said to govern the young men as they please." "When good-nature prevails, as it generally does, no earthly sounds can be more harmonious, more soft, more soothing, more melodious, than their (the women's) voices." We say, and what we say, we know to be true, that Indians, generally, set no higher value on an article presented to them, than on one obtained by bargain. The Dahcotah pipes are not made of jasper, but of red serpentine, which, moreover, is not found" any where on the margin of the Mississippi,' but only in one spot near Lac qui Parle. The eldest wife does not control the household, nor do the younger wives obey her. The consequence of an Indian does not depend upon the number of his wives. Many of the chiefs have but one, and few of them have more than two. The influence of the women is not so great as among us. Some examples of the contrary there may be, but the general fact is not as Mr. Atwater states it. The women, cannot, truly, be said to govern the young men as they please. On the contrary, the Indians set a very low estimate on the female character. Mr. Atwater may find a squaw's voice "harmonious, soft, soothing and melodious;" but for us, We had rather hear a brazen canstick turned, These are not all, nor even the twentieth part of the blunders we have found in this work, which the author has the effrontery to call "a popular book;" a title it is far from deserving. There is a great deal in it, too, which may be true or not; for the writer has not given his authority, and it is sufficiently obvious that he did not gain his knowledge by personal observation. If he had ever passed a month in an Indian lodge, he would have spared us much of the trash he has so boldly laid before the public. In short, he appears to have set out on his journey with a determination, at all events, to make a book. He has passed a short time on the frontier, during which he has drawn general conclusions from particular instances, and set down in his journal whatever persons disposed to make game of him told him. In a word, he has given the public all he heard, all he saw, and much that he did not see. As to the few pages which purport to give an account of the mineral district, they are, in the main, cor rect. He tells us that he saw prairies, streams, wood, and lead ore, and we believe him, for we have seen these things ourself, in the same region. Even here he is sometimes mistaken. For instance, he says, that the said streams flow over topazes and opals, and that the prairie wolf often breeds with the domestic dog, neither of which presumptions is true. That part of the book, which regards politics, is entirely beneath criticism, and so is the panegyric upon a certain lady and her hair. We are bound not to meddle with politics, and if we were not, we would not notice such trash. The style of the book is coarse and clumsy, the construction of the sentences is often ungrammatical, and the words are often misspelled. It is plain, that if the writer does not understand the Indian languages, neither does he comprehend the English. It is equally clear that none but a very ignorant man could have written or published such remarks. We appeal to those who have read and shall read these our remarks for their justice. The mechanical execution of the book corresponds with its intrinsic merit. It is badly printed on coarse paper. In fine, the whole affair deserves nothing but "One sorry sentence of damnation." Mr. Atwater threatens to publish again. We advise him to think twice before he does so. A Biographical Memoir of the late Commodore Joshua Barney; from Autographical Notes and Journals in possession of his Family, and other authentic sources. Edited by Mary Barney. The adventures and incidents of a mariner's life, under ordinary circumstances, generally comprise matter of thrilling interest. The subject of this memoir had a full share of hair-breadth escapes and perils by flood and field, and they are related in this volume by his daughter-in-law,-doubtless with natural and commendable partiality, but, we trust, without censurable exaggeration. The style of the work is calculated for the popular taste-a little too ambitious of ornament for sober biography, and occasionally running into needless affectation. We are sorry to see any unnecessary departure from good taste in the composition; for the simple facts have in them enough of interest to secure the attention of the reader. It appears from the Memoir that the subject of it, from a very early period of his life, had an unconquerable predilection for a sea-faring life, which was, at first, opposed, but afterwards acquiesced in by his parents. His first instruction in the science of navigation was received from the master of a pilot boat, in the harbor of Baltimore, then an inconsiderable village. In 1772, he embarked on his first regular voyage with Captain Drysdale, a brother-inlaw, who commanded a small brig in the Liverpool trade. After several voyages with the same captain, to different European ports, and while on a voyage to Nice, in a leaky ship, the captain died, and young Barney, then under sixteen years old, assumed the command, and prosecuted the voyage to the satisfaction of the owner. The incidents of this voyage, as related, excite almost a painful interest, and exhibit almost a supernatural presence of mind in the juvenile sailor. We cannot attempt to give any thing like a connected abstract of the events of Barney's life, nor even to enumerate the steps in the progress of his advancement in the little gallant navy which was created by the revolutionary congress. His first entrance into this navy is thus related : He scarcely allowed himself time for a short visit to his mother and family, before he became one of the busiest actors in the stirring scenes of the day. A couple of small vessels were at this time under equipment at Baltimore, intended to join the small squadron of ships then at Philadelphia, under the command of Commodore Hopkins. To the commander of one of these vessels, the sloop Hornet, of ten guns, Barney offered his services, and was gladly received on board in the character of master'smate, the second rank in the sloop. A crew had not yet been shipped, and the duty of recruiting one was assigned to Barney. Fortunately for his purpose, just at this moment a new American Flag, sent by Commodore Hopkins for the service of the Hornet, arrived from Philadelphia-nothing could have been more opportune or acceptable-it was the first "Starspangled Banner" that had been seen in the State of Maryland; and the next morning, at sunrise, Barney had the enviable honor of unfurling it to the music of drums and fifes, and hoisting it upon a staff planted with his own hands at the door of his rendezvous. The heart-stirring sounds of the martial instruments, then a novel incident in Baltimore, and the still more novel sight of the Rebel Colors gracefully waving in the breeze, attracted crowds of all ranks and eyes to the gay scene of the rendezvous, and before the setting of the same day's sun, the young recruiting officer had enlisted a full crew of jolly "rebels" for the Hornet. After the war, Barney engaged in the merchant service, and encountered every variety of fortune. He afterwards engaged in the service of the French republic, and charges have been brought against him of having preyed upon the commerce of his countrymen while in that service-charges which the author of the memoir declares to be calumnious and malicious. During one portion of his life," he took it into his head to become a sugar-planter, and rented two plantations in St. Domingo. He was on the most friendly terms with Christophe, and several other black chiefs. His chief companion was Sonthonax, a native of France, and the principal administrator. After his return to the United States, in 1806, Barney was a candidate for a seat in Congress, and again in 1810, but was unsuccessful in both campaigns. We regret that the fair authoress of the memoir should have indulged so much feeling in the record of these political incidents. It would have been more becoming to state the fact, without these exhibitions of temper, which indicate a little more of the virago than we wish to see in an American lady. From the style of certain paragraphs on pages 244 and 249, one would be led to suspect that they were interpolations by a certain notorious female from Tennessee. The events of the war of 1812, with which Commodore Barney was connected, are known to the majority of readers. Beside his agency in the battle of Bladensburg, in 1814, he was concerned in various privateering cruises, with various success. He died at Pittsburgh, in December, 1818, while he was on his way to Kentucky with his family, where he intended to spend the remainder of his days. The following description of his person and character concludes the memoir. In his stature, Commodore Barney, perhaps, rather fell short of, than exceeded, what is generally understood by the "middle size;" but his form was a model of perfect symmetry, combining in a remarkable degree the close knit, muscular strength and vigor of an Ajax, with the graceful proportions of an Antinous. His forehead, nose, and mouth, were of the finest Grecian mould; his eyes, a sparkling black-full, liquid, and so peculiarly expressive, that, to those who knew him well, language was scarcely necessary to interpret the various emotions that rapidly succeeded each other in his mind. When excited, there was a lightning-like splendor in the coruscations of his glance, that few persons could meet without perturbation. Upon the whole, his features were strikingly handsome; and the general air of his countenance, when not disturbed by any moving passion, was eminently benignant and prepossessing. In his dress, he was scrupulously attentive to neatness and propriety; in his manners, he was graceful, easy, courteous, and polished. Having, in his early life received nothing more than the rudiments of a common English education; and having been, almost from the moment of quitting school, constantly employed in the active and laborious duties of his profession, it could hardly be expected, that his acquirements should be very extensive, or very various. But, though the fondest partiality of friendship may not ascribe to him the elegant accomplishments of a scholar, it may with great justice be said of him, that few men were ever more profoundly versed in those branches of science, the knowledge of which is indispensable to the attainments of eminence in the nau tical profession. His arithmetical proficiency, which formed his boast when a boy, served as a foundation which enabled him afterwards, with comparatively little labor, to pursue the more abstruse branches of mathematics, astronomy, geography, and navigation, with great success. In addition to these professional attainments-for which he was indebted to his own unguided assiduity-he possessed a respectable acquaintance with history and politics; and there were few common topics of conversation, in the discussion of which he could not bear an equal share, with credit to himself. His conception was quick and penetrating, and his conclusion once formed, there was seldom much interval between decision and action. His temperament was enthusiastic and ardent-qualities, which carried him forward in whatever he undertook, with an energy and diligence of application, that no dangers or difficulties could divert from its object. In his disposition, he was kind, affectionate, humane, and charitable. Punctilious in his notions of honor, incorruptible in his integrity, no mean or sordid feeling ever found even a momentary habitation in his bosom, which was emphatically the abiding-place of every noble, generous, and manly virtue. As a naval commander, in peace or war, in the strife, or serenity of the elements, he had no superior, for prudence, skill, or courage. In the face of an enemy, entire self-possession, heroic daring, and fearless intrepidity, were his acknowledged characteristics "But, the battle once ended-" the conquered foe found in him a sympathizing brother, a kind and tender nurse, ready to pour the healing balsam into the wounds he had made, whether of the body or spirit. In the cause of suffering humanity, at all times, and under all circumstances, his heart, his hand, and his purse, were alike ready to extend the relief of sympathy, service, and money. The meanest beggar never appealed to his charity in vain. He was a patriot, in the noblest sense of the term, in principle, sentiment, and conduct. As a friend, he was zealous, sincere, and faithful; as a neighbor, kind, obliging, and social; as a companion, frank, cheerful, and entertaining. In his family circle, he was beloved with entire devotion-a fact which, in itself, constitutes the highest eulogy that could be pronounced on his character, in the several relations of domestic life. Those who had once served under his command-strict as he was in the enforcement of the most rigid discipline and subordination-were always ready to offer their services a second time, and to look upon their acceptance as a proud distinction. His inferiors and dependants, of every class, revered and loved him with a sincerity of attachment that nothing but death could have dissolved. The Literary Remains of John G. C. Brainard, with a Sketch of his Life. By J. G. Whittier. poem. The reputation of Brainard, in some measure resembles that of Charles Wolf, who has won immortality by a single His productions are frequently merely on a level with the thousands which are written for similar purposes; but in a few of them are the elements of a deep and glorious inspiration. If he had lived, every thing might have been hoped from him; but now, his fame must rest on a few scattered and careless fragments, thrown off in an idle or a listless hour, and full of imperfections and inaccuracies too slight not to have been easily amended, and yet too serious not to be great blemishes. The memoir, prefixed to this collection, is from the pen of a gentleman who has already derived considerable reputation from his efforts in the way of poetry. We do not think his prose so creditable to him. It is a little singular, that, notwithstanding so many of the mental qualities requisite to the production of good poetry, are equally requisite for good prose, that so many have failed in the one who have been eminently successful in the other. A writer of verse, when he condescends to prose, is apt to be altogether so fine as to be unintelligible for even Byron tells us, and, though jestingly, truly, that he does not altogether understand himself when he undertakes to be "very fine." As to the collection of illustrations on the eleventh page of the memoir, in respect to the esteemed unfitness of men of genius for the common pursuits of life, we find a similar paragraph in similar language, in a clever article in the ninth volume of Blackwood's Magazine. We will be fair with the author and quote the parallel passages : "Locke, whose metaphysical discoveries are equalled only by those of Newton in the mate rial universe, was accounted unfit even for a physician. Akenside lived unrespected in his native town, and his poetical reputation was injurious to his profession. Blackstone and Lord Mansfield bade farewell to the muses when they betook themselves seriously to the law. Darwin prudently concealed his poetry, until his medical reputation was established. Home published Douglas, and lost, by so doing, the pastoral care of his parish. Memoir, p. 11. "The immortal Locke, from looking on our internal conformation with too philosophical an eye, was accounted too great a blockhead to be a physician. Akenside attracted neither respect nor admiration in his native town, while his reputation as a poet was a barrier, which all the strenuous efforts he made in his professional career were insufficient to overcome. strong shared the same fate. Blackstone, when he betook himself to the study of law, was obliged to bid farewell to the muse; so fared it with Lord Mansfield, of whom Pope says, Arm "How sweet an Ovid was in Murray lost!" Darwin, with more unpoetical prudence, concealed his studies till his medical reputation was established; and Home was deprived of the pastoral care of his parish, for daring to compose one of the noblest and most beautiful tragedies in the English language." Blackwood's Magazine, Vol. 1x, p. 176. The coincidence is trifling, and it attracted our attention merely by a slight circumstance connected with it. We had just been reading the memoir, and were quite pleased by the familiarity with literary history, which the apparent readiness and aptness of these references, in support of an incidental remark seemed to indicate. On closing the volume, we accidentally picked up an odd number of Blackwood, and, opening at random, looked through an article on 66 Vulgar Prejudices against Literature." Here we found this facility of literary illustration quite explained. We are almost ashamed of having noticed it; for after all it is but a small mat ter. And, besides, we stand in fear of that passage of Sir Walter, which says, "It is a favorite theme of laborious dullness to trace out such coincidences, because they appear to reduce genius of the highest order to the usual standard of humanity, and to bring the author nearer to a level with his critics." 99.66 The best poems of Brainard are too well known to require quotations. We will merely allude to "The Deep," "To the Dead," "The Sea Bird's Song," 'Epithalamium," ," "The Fall of Niagara," "The Lament for Long Tom," and the verses to the memory of Brown. The humorous scraps interspersed through the volume are quite amusing, and, if we can judge from newspaper circulation, have been very popular. "The Captain," we believe, goes the rounds annually; "The Robber" is exceedingly clever; but the lit tle sonnet to the Sea Serpent seems as apropos to the present time as any thing in the volume: SONNET TO THE SEA-SERPENT. Welter upon the waters, mighty one-And stretch thee in the ocean's trough of brine; Turn thy wet scales up to the wind and sun, And toss the billow from thy flashing fin; Heave thy deep breathings to the ocean's din, And bound upon its ridges in thy pride; Or dive down to its lowest depths, and in The caverns where its unknown monsters hide, Measure thy length beneath the gulf-stream tide- Or rest thee on the navel of that sea Where, floating on the Maelstrom, abide The krakens, sheltering under Norway's lee; But go not to Nahant, lest men should swear You are a great deal bigger than you are. We feel bound, before parting with this volume, to give the proof-reader a rap over the knuckles. We should think it the duty of a respectable publisher to dismiss from his employment, any lad over ten years of age, who could not set types more correctly with his eyes shut. There is, on a fair average, a typographical error on every page. The Etymological Encyclopædia of Technical Words and Phrases used in the Arts and Sciences, and of Many Words in Common Use, with Popular Quotations from Foreign Languages and their Translations. From the best authorities. By D. J. Browne, Author of the Sylva Americana, Editor of the Naturalist, &c. Though there is much truth in the trite adage that a great book is a great evil, it by no means follows that a small book is a small evil. We beg Mr. Browne not to imagine that we intend any sinister allusion in this remark. The Encyclopædia is a little volume of about 250 pages, the design of which is very fully explained in the title page which we have given above. Let no one for a moment doubt the utility of such an undertaking, after reading the emphatic quotation from the distinguished Erimshaw, which we meet with at the commencement of the preface: "Few Sciences are more worthy of acquirement than Etymology." In the second paragraph of this philosophic preface, we have a striking mark of etymological acumen, which must at once place Mr. Browne at the very summit of etymological eminence. He is able to discover" a vestige of the primeval state" of Adam, "in the propriety of many of the names imposed on things, even in modern languages." All disposition to be querulous is at once put to rest by the home-thrust, "was it a clear proof of the wisdom conferred on our common parent, that he gave names |