able, but among the other important historical works were: Mr. Froude's "History of the Tudors; " Vaughan's "Revolutions in English History; "the Calendars of State Papers collected and arranged by Mrs. Everett Greene, Mr. W. N. Sainsbury, and others, the former referring to the time of Charles II.; "Annals of the Wars of the Eighteenth Century," by Hon. Sir Edward Cust; "Domestic Annals of Scotland, 1688-1745," by Robert Chambers; a large class of historic biographies and correspondence of persons either themselves eminent, or associating with persons of distinction; among these were Lord Colchester's "Diaries and Correspondence; " Mrs. Delany's (Mary Granville) "Autobiography and Correspondence," containing reminiscences of George III. and Queen Charlotte; Lord Stanhope's "Life of William Pitt; " Dr. Doran's "Memoir of Queen Adelaide;" J. S. Watson's "Life of Porson;" "Autobiography of Miss Cornelia Knight, Lady Companion to the Princess Charlotte; " "Life of Mrs. Cameron ; ""Life and Letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu," by W. M. Thomas (vol. II.); Miss Strickland's "Bachelor Kings of England; " Napier's "Life of Sir Charles Napier; ""Memoir of the Life and Times of A. De Tocqueville; " Dr. Thomas Somerville's "My own Life and Times, 1741-1814;" T. Macknight's "Life and Times of Edmund Burke;" Burton's "Lectures on Archbishop Cranmer : "Martha W. Freer's "Henry IV. and Marie di Medici; " Froude's republication of "The Pilgrim; a Dialogue relative to the conduct of Henry VIII.," by a Welshman, named Thomas, contemporary of that king; Dean Ramsay's second series of "Reminiscences of Scottish Life and Character; " Lord Brougham's "History of England under the House of Lancaster; " Rev. B. W. Savile's "Introduction of Christianity into Britain." Besides these there were monographs, such as "Arminius; a History of the German People," by the late Thomas Smith; "Malta under the Phoenicians, Knights, and English," by W. Tullock; "Private Diary of General Sir Robert Wilson, 18121814; "History of Manchester;" "Secret History of France under Louis XV.; " Muir's Life of Mahomet; Dicey's "Memoir of Count Cavour;" J. Hepworth Dixon's "Life of Francis Bacon; " Ellis'" Armenian Origin of the Etruscans; "Black's "Guide to Surrey; MacFarlan and Thompson's "Comprehensive History of England; "Rev. P. Jones' "History of the Ojibway Indians; ""The Twelve Great Battles of England, from Hastings to Waterloo;" Pearson's "Early and Middle Ages of England; " J. Goldwin Smith's "Irish History and Irish Character; " G. Smith's "History of Wesleyan Methodism; "the "Memoirs of Joseph Alleine, Samuel Drew, &c.; " Mrs. Jane Williams' "Literary Women of England;" an anonymous but wretchedly compiled volume of "Contemporary Biography," and George Coutie's "Annals of Eminent Living Men," also belong to this department.

In the department of belles-lettres the year was remarkably prolific; all the English novelists of high reputation have furnished their quota of fiction. Mr. Dickens' "Great Expectations" was received with much favor; Mr. Thackeray's "Lovell, the Widower," first published in the "Cornhill Magazine," enhanced his popularity; "George Eliot" (Miss Evans) followed her "Mill on the Floss" by "Silas Marner, the Weaver of Raveloe," a tale of great power; Shirley Brooks published "The Silver Cord;" the Trollope brothers, "Framley Parsonage," and "La Beata; " Mrs. Henry Wood, "East Lynne; " Wilkie Collins, "Hide and Seek;" Walter Thornbury "Cross Country;" W. G. Wills "Notice to Quit; " J. F. Corkran, "East and West, or Once upon a Time; " Edward Copping, "The Home of Rosefield; " Garth Rivers, "Miss Gwynne of Woodford;" Mary C. Hume, "The Wedding Guests, or the Happiness of Life;" Philip Ireton, "The Broken Troth," a tale of village life in Tuscany, from the Italian; J. Blagden, "Agnes Tremorne; "John Saunders, "The Shadow in the House; "Holme Lee," "Legends from Fairy Laud; " Mr. E. Peacock, "Gryll Grange; " F. C. Armstrong, "The Frigate and the Lugger, a Nautical Romance." Several anonymous novels of merit appeared during the year; among them were "Memoirs of an Unknown Life; "My Heart's in the Highlands; Tilbury Nogo, or Passages in the Life of an Unsuccessful Man; "The Anchoret of Montserrat; and "Wild Dayrell, a biography of a Gentleman Exile."

In the way of essays, the second series of "Recreations of a Country Parson " and "The Country Parson in Town," by Rev. A. K. H. Boyd, and "Hora Subsecivæ, or Spare Hours," by Dr. John Brown, author of "Rab and his Friends," were received with great favor. "Three Lectures on Translating Homer," by Matthew Arnold, show very clearly how the Greek poet should not be translated. The late Mr. S. Leigh Sotheby published, just before his death, an exquisitely illustrated work entitled "Ramblings in Elucidation of the Autograph of Milton;" and Mr. J. R. Wise gratified the lovers of Shakspeare by the publication of an admirable guide-book to Stratford-on-Avon, adorned with some of Linton's best drawings, under the title of "Shakspeare; his Birthplace and Neighborhood." Two translations of Hindoo works deserve notice: Mr. Edward Arnold's "Book of Good Counsels," translated from the Hitopadesa, and Father Beschi's "Adventures of Gooroo Simple and his Five Disciples," a collection of Hindoo satires, illustrated by Alfred Crowquill. Mr. (Dr. ?) J. H. Brenton, in his "Tragedy of Life; Reminiscences of some Phases of Lunacy in a Physician's Practice," worked with considerable success the vein struck many years ago by Samuel Warren in his "Diary of a Physician." Miss Strickland, leaving for awhile the statelier walks of history, gave some pleasant sketches of East

Anglian manners and customs in her "Old Friends and New Acquaintances; " and Mr. Alex. Leighton furnished a second instalment of his "Traditions of Scottish Life."

In the way of poetry, the events of the year were the publication of Alexander Smith's "Edwin of Deira," and, near its close, Tennyson's "Idylls of the King." Among other poems of some merit published during the year were: "Tannhäuser, or the Battle of the Bards," by Neville Temple and Edward Trevor; "Shakspeare's Curse, and other poems; and "Poems, by the author of the Patience of Hope." Mr. Theodore Martin translated with extraordinary skill and elegance the "Poems of Catullus;" Mr. Francis T. Palgrave made an admirable collection of our best lyrics, under the title of "The Golden Treasury of the Best Songs and Lyrical Poems in the English Language;" and Mr. David Irving published an elaborate and valuable "History of Scottish Poetry, from the Middle Ages to the Close of the Seventeenth Century."

The magazine literature of Great Britain had received a new and extraordinary impulse from the success of the "Cornhill Magazine; and prompted by its extraordinary success "Temple Bar," edited by Mr. G. Augustus Sala, and the "St. James Magazine," edited by Mrs. S. C. Hall, were commenced with the year, and both attained an extensive circulation. The "Once a Week," and "All Round the Year," as well as "Good Words,” and several other magazines of the previous year, were issued in monthly parts, and all attained to a high reputation, while MacMillan, Frazer's, "Chambers' Journal," and "Blackwood" abated nothing of their popularity. The leading publishing houses find a magazine necessary to the successful prosecution of their business, and, under the rivalry of competition, pay almost incredible prices to secure contributions from distinguished writers. "Framley Parsonage," certainly not a novel of extraordinary merit, was first published in the "Cornhill Magazine," and Mr. Trollope, without relinquishing his right to the profits of its publication in book-form, received a check of £1,000 for its appearance there. Tennyson's poetry is undoubtedly valuable, but a hundred guineas for a hundred lines, when the author still retains his property in them, is certainly a liberal compensation. The tendency of the time is towards magazine writing, and very few successful novels appear for the first time in bound volumes. The temptation to the serial form of publication is strong, but there is a probability that it will in the end impair the quality of the novels themselves. Interest in a serial novel can hardly be kept up except by the introduction, in each monthly part, of some startling or exciting incident; but this, which adds to its vivacity, as a serial, almost inevitably ruins the effect of the work as a whole. It requires talent as well as tact of the highest order to avoid this danger, and the writers even

France has a corps of young philosophical writers, whose works give evidence of profound thought and research, and of vigorous intellect Among them may be named Ernest Renau, H. Taine, Saint René Taillandier, Edmond Scherer, Jules Simon, Foucher de Careil, Saisset, La Boulaye, Caro, Rondelet, Nourrison, and Jourdain. They are contributors to the leading reviews, the Revue de Deux Mondes, Recue C temporaine, Revue Germanique, and Revue Europeëne, all of which are issued semi-monthly and have a large circulation. Many of them have also published several volumes on theological, political, or social topics, criticism, or art-subjects, and their books, as well as their contributions to the reviews, are exciting a powerful influence upon the reading classes in France.

In science, the French maintained in 1861 their deservedly high reputation. Their geographical and historical works, and their books of travel, are models for the accuracy and extent of the scientific knowledge they exhibit, and are valuable additions to the archives of science.

In fiction and poetry, their record is meagre of works destined to have a permanent repatation. In the department of philosophical romance, MM. Alfred Assolant, Henri Riviere, Erckmann Chatrian, and Jules Noriae enhanced their previously high reputation by their works of the year. Of writers of noves describing social life, MM. Feydeau, Champdenry, and Duranty, Mesdames Louis Figuier and Charles Reybaud, and M'lle du Plessé, are the most prominent. The vile and pernicious fietions which some years since degraded the literature of France, are far less popular now than then, and the taste of the reading public is be coming elevated and purified. The review in France, like the magazine in England, is absorbing the time and labors of the literary class and there are very few works of the lighter class which do not appear at first as feuilletons of one or other of the reviews,

To enumerate even the principal writers of

Germany would be a task far beyond our time or limits; we can merely indicate a few of those who, in the last year, sought to instruct or amuse the public. Of all known countries the literature of Germany is the most extensive and the most varied; and in all the departments of science, art, or belles-lettres, history, biography, or politics, their treatises are more nearly exhaustive than those of any other people. Biography has occupied a considerable share of attention in Germany the past year. Numerous memoirs of Alexander von Humboldt, Karl Ritter, Baron von Stein, Dr. Vogel, and other eminent German scholars have appeared, from the pens of Hauff, Klencke, Wilhelm Baur, &c. Herr Brockhaus, the eminent Leipsic publisher, is issuing in monthly parts an Unsere Zeit, or contemporary biographical lexicon, and extends his researches to eminent men of all nations. In geographical, ethnological, and archæological science, the Germans have no superiors, and the great work, now in progress, of the brothers Schlagentweit, descriptive of their scientific exploration of the region of the Himalaya; the Mittheilungen of A. Petermann, published monthly at Gotha; and the Erdkunde of Berlin, geographical periodicals of the highest value, not less than the works of Sprüner, Sprenger, Ch. Vogel, Barth, Ritter, and Kiepert, are authorities everywhere on questions pertaining to these sciences.

German poetry inclines oftenest to mysticism, and German romance to diffuseness. Schiller is, par excellence, the German poet, and the occurrence of the centenary of his birthday in Nov. 1859, created a poetic furor which increased in volume throughout the year 1861, and the poems of the year were inspired by the recollection of the honors and immortality in store for him who should prove himself the poet of the people. The novelists of Germany now possessing the highest reputation are Gustav Freytag, Otfried Mylius, Paul Heyse, M. Gutzkow, one of whose novels extends to eight volumes, Baron Hackländer, the author of Tannhäuser, Fanny Lewald, Louise Ernesti, Marie Nathusius, Eliza von Moscherosch, Auerbach, and Kompert. In dramatic literature the great names of the year are: Labe, Mosenthal, Melchior Meyer, Max Ring, Hersch, Freytag, Oscar de Redwitz, and Brachvogel.

The death of Heinrich Heine and Justinus Kerner, among the German poets, Bäur among the theologians, and of others of equal celebrity in other departments of literature, has left a void in the literary circles of Germany not easily to be filled.

LOUISIANA is one of the Southern States of the United States, and is bounded on the west by Texas, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, on the east by the State of Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico, and on the north by Mississippi and Arkansas. This State has no parallel on the face of the globe in the natural advantages which she enjoys for river trade with an interior, extending back directly north 2,000

miles to St. Anthony's Falls; northwestward, 3,000 miles to the very base of the Rocky Mountains; northeastward, through the entire extent of the Ohio valley, 2,500 miles, even into the State of New York; besides innumerable intermediate points in the great valleys of the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee, Cumberland, Red River, and a multitude of tributary streams, which pour the products of fourteen States into her lap; while many more await only the advance of population to add new treasures from tracts roamed by the savage and the buffalo.

The Governor is elected for four years. The Senate consists of 32 members, and the House of Representatives of 97 members, both elected by the people, the former for 4 years, and the latter for 2. The Legislature assembles on the 3d Monday in January. The Governor of the State is Thomas O. Moore, whose term of office expires in January, 1864. Louisiana, including all the territory west of the Mississippi, excepting Texas and New Mexico, and the territory west of the Rocky Mountains, was purchased by President Jefferson in 1803, for the sum of $11,250,000, besides the assumption on the part of the United States of some claims of her citizens against the Government of France.

The authorities of Louisiana were undoubtedly early enlisted in the plans for the secession of the Southern States from the Union, and ready to use all their efforts to secure success. In November, 1860, Governor Moore issued a proclamation for an extra session of the Legis. lature on the 10th of December. The reason requiring this session was thus stated:

Whereas the election of Abraham Lincoln to the office of President of the United States by a sectional and aggressive anti-slavery party, whose hostility to evinced by repeated and long-continued violations of the people and the institutions of the South has been constitutional obligations and fraternal amity, now consummated by this last insult and outrage per petrated at and through the ballot-box, does, in my opinion, as well as that of a large number of citizens of all parties and pursuits, furnish an occasion such as is contemplated by the Constitution; and whereas some of our sister States, aggrieved like ours, are preparing measures for their future security, and for the safety of their institutions and their people, and require us to deliberate upon our own course of action; both patriotism and the necessity of self-preservation uow, therefore, I, Thomas O. Moore, Governor of the State of Louisiana, do hereby convene the Legislature of this State in extra session, and do appoint Monday, the 10th day of December next.

On the day appointed this body met at Baton Rouge, and caused to be prepared an act providing for a State Convention, to be held on the 23d of January, and for the election of delegates. On the next day the act was passed by the Senate and House. In the Senate it was eloquently opposed by Randall Hunt. In the House a strong effort was made to cause the question "Convention or no Convention" to be submitted to a vote of the people. It, however, failed of success. At the same time a military act passed both Houses, which appropriated $500,000

for such purposes, and provided for the appointment of a military commission, the organization and arming of volunteer companies, and for the establishment of military depots. When the bill was on its passage, an amendment was of fered which forbade the purchase of arms in the Northern States. This was lost. A bill was also introduced which provided for the confiscation of all goods arriving from the Northern States after the 1st of January, 1861, and ordering that the proceeds of any sales under such confiscation should be appropriated to the purchase of arms. It failed to pass the Legislature. On the 12th, Wirt Adams, commissioner from Mississippi, was introduced to the Legislature in joint session, and made an address, announcing the action of Mississippi, and asking the cooperation of Louisiana. The speech was eagerly listened to by a crowded audience. On the next day the Legislature adjourned to January 21st.

Friends of secession became active in New Orleans, the great city of the State, as soon as the movement commenced in South Carolina, and the sentiment had gathered so much volume that as early as December 21st a general demonstration of joy was made over the secession of that State. One hundred guns were fired, and the Pelican flag was unfurled. Speeches in favor of secession were made by distinguished citizens, and the Marseillaise hymn and polkas were the only airs played.

The moveme had now commenced in earnest. The influence and efforts of New Orleans were expected to carry the rest of the State. Only four days later a mass meeting was held to ratify the nomination of the "Southern Rights" candidates, as they were called, for the Convention. It was the largest assemblage of all parties ever held in the city. Speeches were made by prominent citizens advocating immediate secession amid unbounded enthusiasm. The Southern Marseillaise was again sung as the banner of the State was raised, with reiterated and prolonged cheers for South Carolina and Louisiana. A citizen of eminence in the southern part of the State, writing upon the condition of affairs at this time, thus says:

"In our section the excitement is confined to the politicians, the people generally being borne along with the current, and feeling the natural disposition of sustaining their section. I think that ninety-nine out of every hundred of the people sincerely hope that some plan will yet be devised to heal up the dissensions, and to settle our difficulties to the satisfaction of both the North and South; and a combined effort will be made to bring about such a result, even after the States withdraw from the Union."

A State Convention was early called, and the vote in New Orleans for members was close enough to defeat a portion of the secession candidates. The city was entitled to twenty "representative delegates" and five "senatorial delegates." The "immediate secessionists"

succeeded in electing all of the latter class and fifteen of the former, whilst the "cooperationists" obtained five of the "representative delegates." The majority of the secessionists for the senatorial delegates was about 350. The number of votes polled was little upwards of 8,000, being less than one-half the voters regis tered in the city.

Their success, however, was regarded as sufficient to be made the occasion of great rejoicing. This election took place on the 8th of January. On the next day three separate military organizations departed to take p session of Forts Jackson and St. Philip at the mouths of the Mississippi, and also the arsenal at Baton Rouge.

On the 13th the United States revenue cutter Lewis Cass was seized by a military compary at Algiers, opposite New Orleans. The ved was laid up and undergoing repairs. Her armsment, consisting of one long 24-pounder and six 8-pounder carronades, with a large quantity of cannon-balls, powder, and other military stores, had been placed in the Belleville Iron Works, an extensive and unoccupied brick building.

About the same time the barracks below the city, which had been for several months ce cupied as a marine hospital, were taken pos session of in the name of the State of Louisiana. They contained at the time 216 invalids and convalescent patients. The collector at New Orleans was required to remove the conva cents immediately, and the sick as soon as practicable. The reason assigned for this a by the State authorities was that they wanted the buildings for quarters for their own troops. (See FORTS, &c.)

The Legislature of the State assembled at Baton Rouge on the 21st of January, and the Governor in his message represented the finances of the State to be in a flourishing condition, with a surplus in the Treasury.

On the 24th the State Convention met at the same place and organized. A committee of 15 was ordered to report an ordinance of secession. Over the capital waved a flag with 15 stars On the 26th the ordinance of secession w adopted by a vote of ayes 113, noes 17. The following is the ordinance:

An ordinance to dissolve the union between the State of

Louisiana and other States united with her mum the compact entitled "The Constitution of the Unavá States of America."

We, the people of the State of Louisiana, in e vention assembled, do declare and ordain, and t hereby declared and ordained, that the ord rare passed by us in Convention on the 22d day of Novem ber, in the year 1811, whereby the Constitution of the United States of America, and the amendments cế sà i Constitution, were adopted, and all laws and ord. ces by which the State of Louisiana became a mezzet of the Federal Union, be, and the same are bereby, re pealed and abrogated; and that the union now s sisting between Louisiana and other States, under the name of the United States of America," is berese dissolved.

We do further declare and ordain, that the State of Louisiana hereby resumes all rights and powers h tofore delegated to the Government of the Und

States of America; that her citizens are absolved from all allegiance to said Government; and that she is in full possession and exercise of all those rights of sor: ereignty which appertain to a free and independent State.

We do further declare and ordain, that all rights ac. quired and vested under the Constitution of the United States, or any act of Congress, or treaty, or under any law of this State and not incompatible with this ordinance, shall remain in force, and have the same effect as if this ordinance had not been passed.

The undersigned hereby certified that the above ordinance is a true copy of the original ordinance adopted this day by the Convention of the State of

Louisiana.

Given under my hand and the great seal of Louisiana, at Baton Rouge, this 26th day of the month of January, in the year of our Lord, 1861. [L. S.] A. MOUTON, President of the Convention, J. THOMAS WHEAT, Secretary of the Convention.

The aspect of New Orleans at the time of the passage of this ordinance is thus reported:

"Every thing in this city appears to be in rapid progress towards a war establishment. Trade is at a stand still; the importation of merchandise has almost entirely ceased; the warehouses of the Federal Government are everywhere literally glutted with bonded goods; the banks are remorselessly curtailing their discounts; ordinary creditors are endeavoring by all means short of legal pressure to lessen the liabilities of their debtors; stores and manufactories, traders, and mechanics are diminishing their expenses by the discharge of hands, and, save the office-holders, an influential, wealthy, and important body, electorally considered, everybody looks dubious and bewildered, not knowing what to expect or what may happen. The proceedings at Baton Rouge will take no one by surprise. The Legislature is engaged in spending money profusely, and the Convention is engaged in laying down a broad foundation for the erection of a monstrous superstructure of debt."

In the Convention on the 31st, a resolution was offered to instruct the delegates to the Montgomery Convention, who had been previously appointed, to resist any attempt to reopen the African slave trade. This was laid on the table by a vote of 83 to 28. Mr. Walker, of New Orleans, then offered a resolution, declaring that the foregoing vote was not the sense of the Convention, but that it did not consider it to be proper to bind their delegates by instructions upon this or any other point. After an exciting debate the resolution was passed.

On the same day, the United States Mint and Custom House at New Orleans were quietly taken possession of by the State authorities, and the oath was subsequently administered to the officials under the ordinance. In the mint was $118,311, and in the sub-Treasury $483,984. A draft of the United States for $300,000 was presented soon after, which the sub-Treasurer refused to pay, saying that "the money in his custody was no longer the property of the United States, but of the Republic of Louisiana."

An ordinance was soon passed, however, authorizing the payment of all drafts drawn by disbursing officers in the regular course of disbursement out of funds standing to the credit of said officers respectively, provided the same did not exceed $306,592. Also all drafts of the United States drawn prior to the passage of the ordinance of secession, provided the same did not exceed $146,226. The sum of $31,164, standing to the credit of the Postoffice Department, was allowed to remain subject to its draft.

About this time a special agent, appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury at Washington, to secure the revenue cutters McClelland and Lewis Cass from seizure by the authorities of Louisiana, arrived at New Orleans. found the captain of the McClelland after a long search, and delivered to him the following order:

He

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 29, 1861.

SIR: You are hereby directed to get the United States revenue cutter McClelland, now lying here, New York, where you will await the further instrucunder weigh immediately, and proceed with her to tions of the Secretary of the Treasury. For my authority to make this order, you are referred to the letter of the Secretary, dated the 19th inst., and handed you personally by me. Very respectfully, WM. HEMPHILL JONES,

Special Agent. To Capt. J. G. BRESHWOOD, commanding U. S. revenue cutter Robert McClelland.

To this letter, Captain Breshwood replied as follows:

U. S. REVENUE CUTTER ROBERT MCCLELLAND, NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 29, 1861. SIR: Your letter, with one of the 19th of January from the Hon. Secretary of the Treasury, I have duly received, and in reply refuse to obey the order. I am, sir, your obedient servant,

JOHN G. BRESHWOOD, Captain. To WM. HEMPHILL JONES, Esq., Special Agent. The special agent, W. H. Jones, then sent by telegraph a despatch to Secretary Dix, as follows:

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 29, 1861.

Hon. J. A. Dix, Secretary of Treasury:

Captain Breshwood has refused positively in writing, to obey any instructions of the Department. In this I acts by his advice. What must I do? am sure he is sustained by the Collector, and believe

W. H. JONES, Special Agent returned the following answer: To this despatch Secretary Dix immediately

W. Hemphill Jones, New Orleans:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Jan. 29, 1861.

Tell Lieutenant Caldwell to arrest Captain Breshwood, assume command of the cutter, and obey the order through you. If Captain Breshwood, after arrest, ter, tell Lieutenant Caldwell to consider him as a mutineer, and treat him accordingly. If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot.

undertakes to interfere with the command of the cut

JOHN A. DIX, Secretary of the Treasury. This despatch from Secretary Dix was not received. It probably was withheld from the agent. His further proceedings are thus stated in his report to the Secretary of the Treasury:

Believing that Captain Breshwood would not have