For the Family Magazine. DEPARTURE OF SUMMER. COMPOSED FOR TWO VOICES, WITH ACCOMPANIMENT OF THE GUITAR, BY FR. F. MILLE LITERARY NOTICES. "The Jubilee of the Constitution."—In our last we briefly noticed the publication, under the above title, of John Q. Adams's discourse before the New York Historical Society, on the occasion of its celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the inauguration of the first President of the United States. It is published by SAMUEL COLMAN, VIII. Astor House, and forms a beautifully executed octavo pamphlet of one hundred and twenty pages. It also contains an account of the festivities of the day, and the speeches, toasts, &c., given at dinner, besides a lithograph representing the old Federal Hall, where the first ceremony of inauguration took place. "Phantasmion, Prince of Palmland:" by Mrs. Henry Nelson Coleridge. 2 vols. 12mo. This beautiful production makes volumes I. and II. of Colman's Library of Romance, edited by Grenville Mellen. For simplicity of thought and purity and beauty of diction, this fairy tale is peerless. It is purely a picture of fancy, wrought with most exquisite skill and taste, and presenting in all their charms the iris-hues of truth and beauty. The authoress is the daughter of the late Samuel T. Coleridge, and well might that genuine poet look, as he did, upon her expanding buds of intellectual promise, and call her his "own dear daughter." She is indeed "his own," for in every line of the prose, in every stanza of the many poetic gems which beautify these volumes, we can see traces of the genius of one of England's best poets. The introductory essay and critical notice of this work, by Mr. Mellen, may, for elegance of style, be con Whoever wishes to become instructed in the history of the formation of our government in all its incipient stages, from the Declaration of Independence till the adoption of the Constitu-sidered a counterpart of the work itself. tion, (thirteen years) will find this pamphlet a valuable source. "John Smith's Letters, with Picters' to match." Here is a The author, in a most lucid and critical manner, shows that our fresh bouquet for the chaplet of Comus, from the graphic pen of Union was formed by a spontaneous action of the whole people, the veritable and original "Jack Downing." These letters for a redress of grievances-that, unable to obtain their object, were addressed to General Morris of the New York Mirror, and the people delegated men to act for them, and send forth to the were published consecutively in that periodical, about the terworld a declaration of independence, and an annunciation that mination of the flare-up on our northeastern boundary last winthe thirteen colonies were formed into one nation-that they ter. Each letter (eight) has a "picter to match," which, for claimed justification for this act, on the broad ground of equal genuine humor, are worthy of the pencil of a Cruikshank. The rights, and that the whole control of government belonged ex- author professes to give his readers the "only authentic history clusively to the people, guided by a moral sense of duty to the extant, of the late war in our disputed territory;" and really, Supreme Ruler of the universe-that this declaration dissolved such a mad farce as Governor Fairfield and Sir John Harvey the connexion between Great Britain and her colonies, and got up, deserves precisely such an historian to record the glo made the latter one distinct nation, and independent for ever-ry. And a poet laureate equal to him who wrote the heroic, that departing from the principles of the Declaration of Independence, a confederacy, without the consent of the people, was formed, inadequate to the just wants of the people-that, for five years, this inefficient form of government was in course of ought to transmit the deeds of valor on "our disputed territopreparation, and for eight years more in operation with a power ry" to posterity, in such immortal verse. scarcely sufficient to keep it in existence-that the ConstituThe HARPERS have just published two new novels from the tion of the United States was founded upon the principles of prolific pen of G. P. R. James, Esq. author of "The Huguethe Declaration of Independence, and in opposition to those of nots," "Richelieu," &c. The first is " Charles Tyrrell, or the the confederacy; the work of the one sovereign people of the Bitter Blood." 2 vols. 12mo. This is a tale of English high Union-and pronounces that Constitution an efficient human life, and although the subject is one which does not command instrument in preserving the political peace of, and securing such vigorous thought and bold diction as his historical romanthe greatest prosperity to, this happy Republic for all time to ces present, yet it is a tale of exciting interest, and abounds. come. In a word, it is a powerful argument against the ex-with much fine writing. It portrays the character of a man tended claims of State sovereignty, and elucidates the grand principles of the Declaration of Independence. Everybody ought to read it. We have also received from Mr. COLMAN, the following new works, just issued from the press : "The Duke of York, with ten thousand men, governed in all his actions by an irritable and uncontrolled temper, permitting his passions to run riot in opposition to his. better judgment, and spreading a moral desolation over his home and family, where the virtues of a sweet-tempered wife, and the innocence of a lovely boy, might, by a proper curb of the temper of the father, have made a “paradise below." "White Sulphur Papers, or Life at the Springs:" by Mark Pencil, Esq. 1 vol. 12mo. This work is a collection of sketch"The Gentleman of the Old School," is the title of the othes, descriptive of the "White Sulphur," and other mineral er volume alluded to. Like " Charles Tyrrell," it is a tale of springs of Virginia; their early discovery; of the society, English high life. Of its merits and moral we cannot speak, amusements, &c., of Visiters; sketches of characters, and not having had time to peruse it; but the name of the author pleasing descriptions of surrounding scenery. "Information," "is a sufficient recommendation to the reader of fiction. says the author, "it has been said, is generally best received "The Universalist Manual, or Book of Prayers" by Menzies when it comes in a pleasing form. In guidance of this passing Rayner. P. PRICE, 130 Fulton street, N. York. This is a new, idea, this book has been written. To meet," he continues, "in and we may add, a very sensible move on the part of the Unia measure, the general wish, so often expressed, for some de-versalists, and we should suppose that they would very generscriptive guide of the localities and attractions of that celebra- ally adopt this book of devotional exercises into, their several ted region of country, this volume has been prepared, without churches. We have always admired the fervent piety which pretence, but the author claims one merit for the book, which is faithfulness of description." The Appendix contains valuable scientific information concerning sulphurous waters in general, and of these springs in particular. "Fauquier Sulphur Springs:" by a Visiter. 1 vol. 18mo. This little volume is a younger, or rather a smaller half-brother of the former, and like it, contains a general description of the character, scenery, society, etcetera, of the Virginia Springs. It is made up of a series of letters, addressed to a gentleman of New England, and contains an engraved view of the Fauquier Springs, and the mansion and other buildings for the accom modation of visiters. pervades every sentence of the Book of Common Prayer, used by the Episcopal church, and been convinced of the utility of such a manual, which enables the whole congregation to unite, in one solemn voice, their supplications and thanksgivings. The work in question is partly compiled from the service of the Episcopal church, of which the author was formerly minister; and all the responses, a part of the service to which many object as a species of mummery, are, like those of the Episcopal service, the language of Holy Writ. The work also contains the collection of Hymns used by the Universalists. We deem it a valuable book for those of that denomination especially. [For the Family Magazine.] A DAY ON THE ERIE CANAL. READER! has it ever been your fortune, good or evil, (for the incidents and modes of travel are variously estimated,) to glide quietly along the green banks of the Mohawk on a bright and balmy day in summer, in one of those slow-and sure travelling conveyances, a canal-boat, at the rate of four miles per hour, including the ups and downs of lock transits? If not, and you are a man of leisure or a woman of pleasure-a beau or a belle, and have taste and smell for fruits and flowers in Nature's bowers, hie away to old Gotham of the North, speed over the pine barren as fast as le voiture à vapeur will carry you, and seat yourself quietly upon the clean deck of a packet-boat, and my word for it, you will never repent having turned your back on railroad agents, and cut the company of a host of hurrying mortals who seem to think that the whole charm of travelling consists in speed. Let them rush on, and believe me, if they have left the dust and confusion of cities to breathe the pure mountain air and seek happiness in country rambles, you will overtake the coy beauty much sooner with the four-mile speed of the canal-boat, than they will with theirs of thirty miles per hour. This advice is wholly gratuitous, but is the conviction of recent experience. Babel-confusion of the depot, were all forgotten in the calm scene around us. The murmur of brooks, the singing of birds, the ploughboy's whistle and the merry laugh of children, the cool zephyr and the perfumes of meadows and unfolding flowers, threw around us a charm of pleasure calculated to make the misanthrope love life and his fellows, and the coldest stoic to become an enthusiast. There are few sections of our country more beautiful, or hallowed by more associations connected with valor and patriotism of other times, than the valley of the Mohawk from Schenectady to Little Falls; and every village which has sprung up, like cities of the magi, along the canal where recently the wild Indian chased the panther and the deer, has its neighborhood legend, transmitted from sire to son, and its truth established by repeated narration. And you can scarcely express your admiration of some visible precipice or ravine, or look with wonder upon some dilapidated structure of the last century, without hearing some curious and often "ower true" tale from captain, helmsman, or cook. In truth, the shrewd ones among these navigators of the "ditch," are speaking histories of this delightful valley, and when in particular good humor, you may read them with pleasure from "morning's sun till dine." "With a rose on her cheek, Such, fortunately, were the crew of our boat, It was a delightful morning in July, cloudless and hence, taking the passengers-some Dutch and breezy, that we crossed the pine barren from and Yankee emigrants, four middle-aged gentleAlbany to Schenectady, and ere the sun had sip-men, two intelligent young men, three wives, an ped the dew from the meadows, we descended old maid, and a sweet, fair-haired maiden, the inclined plane into the rich valley of the Mohawk. The sudden transition from the monotonous scene of dwarf pines and sand-hills, to smi- in connexion with the crew, and a charity pasling verdure, lofty forest trees, and fields of wa-senger, (a wild son of the forest,) we had a very ving grain, enriched and beautified by a noble select company, and I resolved to make the day a stream, swollen by a hundred tributaries from pleasurable one. the north and west, operated like magic upon our After a half hour's chit-chat in the cabin with spirits, depressed as they were by a night's con- my fellow-passengers, to ascertain into what so finement upon a shelf in a steamboat's cabin. All ciety I had fallen, I mounted the deck, which pre was bustle and confusion, and our ears were as-sented more the appearance of a "liner" than a sailed from every side with "To Davis's, sir?"-packet. Yielding to the necessity of making the "Take railroad, sir ?"-"Take your baggage, most of a "lean trip," (for the railroad takes nearly ma'am?"-Fine packet, Eclipse, few passengers, all passengers,) our boat "freighted" likewise, good berths, fast traveller"—and a thousand un- and instead of the high deck strewn with passen mentionable oaths and retorts courteous and dis-gers' baggage, as in days "lang syne," there were courteous among the rabble of porters, waiters, bags, boxes and barrels, in abundance; yet they boatmen, and railroad and stage runners. With a Titan grasp I held my carpet-bag, and elbowing my way through the crowd, jumped on board the nearest and most comfortable looking packet, and in less than ten minutes the rider cracked his whip and we glided noiselessly away across the plain, toward the blue hills that bounded the western horizon. The everlasting cataract roar of the steamboat wheels, the quick breathings and solemn roll of the locomotive and train, and the all served as seats, or as divans for a siesta, could any one close his eyes upon the moving panorama around us. We had measured the plain, and were stealing along the margin of a green wood, whose shade was grateful, for the sun was rapidly ascending to the meridian. The group on deck was interesting, and so disposed, as to present to the eye of a limner something picturesque. There was a descendant of the Pilgrim fathers, a representative of the race of Van Twiller, a son of the |