Journal of the Texan Expedition against Meir. By Gen. THOMAS J. GREEN. New York: Harper & Brothers.

As to this book, we must confess there are many reservations to be made. When regarded in a critical sense, and as contrasted with the literary standards of the day, its position is a very dubious one. So far as any ornation of style which could pretend to verge upon excellence is concerned it is absurd; for it has absolutely nothing of such graces to recommend it. But as a bare and unpretending recital-if it were only consistently so-of incidents in themselves intensely tragic and abundantly exciting, the book is interesting. It would have been to a singular degree more so, but for the constant intrusion, on the part of the author, of a determination not only to prove himself a fine writer and elegant scholar, but as well a Texan Hero in his own person. He does not pause at this last climax even, but insists on being recognized in his own narrative as the very Bayard of Texan heroes. These two wretched dandyisms greatly mar the spirit

and effect of the book. "General Green of the Texan Army," is made the head of this offending against Mexico-the centre and circumference of all that is chivalric, impetuous and stern that occurred throughout the whole of its eventful consequences. General Green having, by whatever accident, reached New York first, and

earliest placed his MSS. in the hands of publishers, has the first to say with regard to the affair, and is determined that the claims of said General Green shall be fully set forth in advance. There is something closely verging upon the bare-faced pertinacity of a barber's puff, in the spirit with which this point is set forth. But the truth is, we know this Gen. Green to be a gallant man-quite capable of doing all he represents himself as doing-and we find a partial excuse for this bluff ill-savored egotism in the rugged independence of forms, and plain-speaking impulsiveness, peculiar to his associations and adopted country. With all that may be offensive to ears polite in its tone, we are glad to recognize the book, in the main, as original and purely Texan.

Nobody but a Texan could have written it, and no other than Texan life would have given rise to its incidents. When the General forgets that he must be a fine writer or is the hero of the story, he is a graphic, off-hand and pleasant narrator. He talks like a Texan himself then, and his characters are true Texans, with all the strength of ready, desperate passions, and cool fantastic daring.

An example in point we will extractpremising that after the successful charge of the Texan prisoners upon their guards at Salado-their escape and final recapture -an order for them to be decimated was received from that bloody Santa Anna. The passages are touching, and give a favorable idea of the bold and generous qualities of these adventurers.

"The decimation took place by the drawing of black and white beans from a small earthen mug. The white ones signified exemption, and the black death. One hundred and fifty-nine white beans were placed in the bottom of the mug, and seventeen black ones placed upon the top of them. The beans were not stirred, and had so

slight a shake that it was perfectly clear they had not been mixed together. Such was their anxiety to execute Captain Cameron, and perhaps the balance of the officers, that first Cameron, and afterwards they, were made to draw a bean each from the mug in this condition.

"He said, with his usual coolness, 'Well, boys, we have to draw, let's be at it;' so saying, he thrust his hand into the mug, and drew out a white bean. Next came Colonel Wm. F. Wilson, who was chained to him; then Capt. Wm. Ryan, and then Judge F. M. Gibson, all of whom drew white beans. Next came Capt. Eastland, who drew the first black one, and then came their beans with that manly dignity and the balance of the men. They all drew firmness which showed them superior to their condition. Some of lighter temper jested over the bloody tragedy. One would another would say that this is the tallest say, Boys, this beats raffling all to pieces;' gambling scrape I ever was in,' and such like remarks. None showed change of countenance; and as the black beans failed to depress, so did the white fail to elate. The knocking off the irons from the unfortunate alone told who they were. Poor Robert Beard, who lay upon the ground hsted from his forced marches and sufr by exceedingly ill, and nearly exferings, called his brother William, who was bringing him a cup of water, and said,

Brother, if you draw a black bean, I'll take your place; I want to die.' The brother, with overwhelming anguish, said, "No! I will keep my own place; I am stronger, and better able to die than you.' These noble youths both drew clear, but soon after died, leaving this last Roman legacy to their venerable parents in Texas. Several of the Mexican officers who officiated in this cruel violation of their country's faith, expressed great dissatisfaction thereat, and some wept bitterly. Soon after, the fated were placed in a separate court-yard, where, about dark, they were executed.

"Poer Major Cocke, when he first drew the fatal bean, held it up between his forefinger and thumb, and with a smile of contempt, said, Boys, I told you so; I never failed in my life to draw a prize;' and then he said to Judge Gibson, Well, Judge, say to my friends that I died in grace. The Judge, much affected at this last parting, showed it from his tears. The major replied, They only rob me of forty years.'

"Poor Torrey, quite a youth, but in spirit a giant, said that he was perfectly willing to meet his fate; that for the glory of his country he had fought, and for her glory he was willing to die; and turning to the officer, said, After the battle of San Jacinto, my family took one of prisoner youths, raised and educated him, and this is our requital.'

"Edward Este spoke of his fate with the coolest indifference, and said that he would rather be shot than dragged along in this manner. Cash said, 'Well, they murdered my brother with Colonel Fannin, and they are about to murder me.'

"J. L. Jones said to the interpreter, Tell the officer to look upon men who are not afraid to die for their country.'

"They one and all invoked their country to do both them and herself justice. Capt. Cameron, in taking his leave of these brave men, and particularly of Turnbull, a brother Scotchman, with whom he had been in many dangers, wept bitterly, and implored the officers to execute him and spare his men.

"Just previous to the firing they were bound together with cords, and their eyes being bandaged, they were set upon a log near the wall, with their backs to their executioners. They all begged the officer to shoot them in front, and at a short distance; that they were not afraid to look death in the face.' This he refused; and to make his cruelty as refined as possible, fired at several paces, and continued the firing from ten to twelve minutes, lacer. ating and mangling these heroes in a manner too horrible for description.

"During the martyrdom of these nove patriots, the main body of our men were separated from them by a stone wall of some fifteen feet high, and heard their last

agonized groans with feelings of which it would be mockery to attempt the description. The next morning, as they were marched on the road to Mexico, they passed the mangled bodies of their dead comrades, whose bones now lie bleaching upon the plains of Salado, a perishing remembrance of exalted patriotism, but a lasting one of the infamy of their President, Sam Houston, who caused them to be executed as robbers and mauraders upon Mexico"

Sparks's American Biography. Vol. XVI. Second Series, Vol. VI. Boston: LITTLE & BROWN. 1845.

The sixteenth volume of this valuable series of minute biographies of persons eminent in our history, contains three unusually interesting sketches, and of characters as unlike in qualities and course of life as could well be selected.

The first is a succinct narrative of the life and services of Ezra Stiles, President of Yale College from 1788 to 1795. It is from the pen of Professor Kingsley, of Yale College, and is drawn up with the facility, clearness, apt brevity, and command of strong, pure English, for which the writings of Mr. Kingsley have always been remarkable. The character is worthy of the biographer. President Stiles was one of the most distinguished men whom this country produced in the eighteenth century. He was a true son of New England-more liberal, indeed, in his religious sympathy than were most of the Puritan Fathers, but a simple and firm defender of Scripture faith, and especially a firm champion for colonial liberty. "A more constant and devoted friend," says Chancellor Kent, in his Phi Beta Kappa oration, (at New Haven, 1831,)" to the Revolution and independence of his country, never existed. He had anticipated it as early as 1760: and his whole soul was enlisted in favor of every measure, which gradually led on to the formation and establishment of the American Union." A confirmation of this early prescience and anxiety as to the destiny of the American colonies, may be found in his public addresses, and letters to foreign correspondents, written many years before the Revolution. In literary and scientific attainments he was among the foremost men of his times. His foreign correspondence, on various subjects, was very extensive. He was a friend of Dr. Franklin's, through whom he obtained a diploma from the University of Edinburgh. "In comparatively a short time," says Prof. Kingsley, "he read, and gained a good knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Chaldee of, the Old Testament and the Targums, and made no inconsiderable propress in Syriac and Arabic. tions of the Talmud, dipped into the Per

He read por

The Autobiography of Vittorio Alfieri, the Tragic Poet. Translated by C. EDWARDS LESTER. No. V. Medici Series of Italian Prose. New York: Paine & Burgess. The Biography of this remarkable man -written by himself-is quite as peculiar and original in every sense as his own character. It is the model for books of the sort. Full of magnanimous frankness, it as boldly and unhesitatingly unveils to us the individual in all the harsh and rugged fierceness of his animality, as in the delicate and womanly tenderness of his fitful and wayward nature. There is no disguise even when the revelations are debasing to humanity. Though from the general laxity of Italian morals, many things are exhibited which are, to us, absolutely shocking, yet they are necessary to the two-fold purpose of the book-to give us insight of the Poet and a knowledge of Italian manners-of the times in which his vehement and masterful character was formed. His wonderful Tragedies fired the hearts of all Europe, and are as singular in power-as wild above rule or art-as was his individual nature.

Mr. Lester says in his dedication, "You well know Alfieri has been called I Poeta intraducibile.' His Autobiography, too, is the most untranslateable of all his works." That the Poems and Dramas of Alfieri, from the peculiarity of his style, and the idiosyncracy of his character poured into and through whatever he wrote, can never be adequately rendered into another tongue, we are very well aware; but that his Autobiography or any other of his prose works, is still more "untranslateable" than

his plays, we do not believe, because such are never the relative difficulties between rendering the prose and verse of any foreign writer. From the character of the man, however, the obstacles in the way of siderable; and credit is due, generally, for a satisfactory version of this work are conthe manner in which they have been overcome. There are some uncalled for and inelegant examples of "I'll," and "didn't” for I will," three sentences we noticed, involved and "did not," and two or awkward, if not ungrammatical. But we could not help feeling both regret and displeasure, that the general excellence of his translation should not have appeared in the very few pages of Mr. L.'s own writing. His introductory remarks are written with extreme carelessness. In the space of one half page there are no less than three unpardonable blunders in grammar. First:

"Voltaire, foul with idle gallantries, had converted the heroes of Rome and Greece into so many Louis XIV., with powdered wigs, full of despotic notions, &c."

If used in that place at all, though awkward at the best, it should read "Louises the Fourteenth." In the very next sentence, we have

"In Italy, Martelli had tried to shake off the yoke of servile imitation of Greeks and Romans, and had put upon his neck a more shameful one, that of France, from whom too he had even borrowed their fastidious cadence of verse."

French," instead of "France"Here it should plainly be either "the instead of " their." In the fifth sentence -or "her" after this, we have :—

"The exciting and the terrible, which are so grand and so awful in every movement of Shakspeare's Macbeth and Alfieri's Saul, was as much beyond the conception, as the painting of Maffei, Martelli, and Conti."

is wrong; or rather, "are" is right, and
In this passage, either "are" or "was"
"was" should be "were" to correspond
according, at least, to certain old English
rules.
Literature" to be somewhat more careful;
We beg the " Introducer of Italian
for we do hail this effort to make the works
of these noble writers known to our coun-
trymen with great interest, and are quite
unwilling to have the enterprise marred
by any defects.

Ar the moment when the XXIXth Congress is about for the first time to assemble, and when the aspect of our public affairs is troubled and portentous, it cannot be misplaced nor ill-timed, that we should devote some space to the consideration of the position and duties, in its present relation to the country, of the Whig Party.

Of that party it is not needful for us to speak in praise. Identified with it in opinions, aims and hopes, eulogy at our hands could hardly claim the merit of impartiality. Moreover, the office we desire to discharge is not that of a flatterer, who will see no faults,

"Altho' they were as huge as high Olympus,"

but of an earnest, faithful friend, whose aim it is rather to serve than to please; and who, as one standing without the immediate vortex of the great political whirlpool, is in a condition to discern more accurately than those within its eddying sweep, the drift and tendency of the struggling elements.

The result of the Presidential election, so contrary to the expectations and so disastrous to the hopes of the Whig party, seemed for, a time to stun and overwhelm them. The candidates they had put forth were so eminent in talents and in public service-the issues upon which they went into the contest addressed themselves so strongly to the

interests and intelligence of the country, and there was such apparent want of unity and cohesion among their opponents-that success appeared all but inevitable.

The rally, the discipline, and the unscrupulous arts of party, overthrew all these well-founded hopes, and placed in the highest seats of the government, two individuals, whom not one in ten of those who voted for them, if they had been acting on a question where their own individual interests were chiefly concerned, would have hesitated to postpone to their unsuccessful competitors.

The battle was fought and lost; and now in a minority, so far as official returns may be relied on, in the nationin a minority in both houses of Congress-in a minority in the Legislatures of the States-and without a representative in any prominent official station under the Federal Government-the Whig party has, in the country, none other than a MORAL POWER.

That, however, is a great power-and, as it is wielded, will be more or less felt for good or for evil.

Among the great public issues of the recent contest, the Annexation of Texas, and the Tariff of '42, were most prominent; and, paradoxical as it may sound, both these were affirmed-although the one was supported, and the other was seemingly opposed, by the successful party,