are told by Malte-Brun, that the name and idea of talismans are derived from the mountain Telesme, in Persia, between Khorasan and Irak-Adjemi; which is so covered with black sand, that it is said often to seem to be of a new form. This conjecture is a little supported by the supposition of the Arabs, that some of the most highly wrought talismans are placed on lofty mountains. Such is the talisman on the loadstone mountain, by which the vessel of prince Agib, in the story of the third Calendar, is destroyed. When the ship approaches the fatal place, the pilot informs the crew that the iron work would fly out, and the vessel go to pieces. This takes place, and all are lost but prince Agib. He swims to the foot of the mountain, which rises almost perpendicularly from the ocean, except just where he lands. At that point there is a flight of steps cut in the rock, leading to the summit. He ascends and finds a dome, under which are a man and horse of bronze, with a piece of lead on the man's breast, engraved with certain talismanic characters. In obedience to a dream, he digs under his feet, and finds a bow and three leaden arrows. He shoots them at the horseman, who falls into the sea; the horse also falls, and is buried in the place whence the arrows were taken. The sea gradually swells to the top of the hill, and a boat appears at a great distance. The dream had directed him to embark in it, and had cautioned him against pronouncing the name of Allah, promising a safe return home if he obeyed. The boat is of brass, and is rowed by a brazen man. Agib, when near the end of his journey, unfortunately exclaims, "Allah be praised;" the brazen boat immediately sunk, and he was abandoned to further adventures. We have repeated this account, under a conviction that few have read it since their early youth; and because we consider it as describing the finest specimen of the Eastern talismans of which we ever recollect to have read. There is much grandeur in the idea of the solitary and destructive mountain, and the circumstances attending the dissolution of the charm are wild and interesting. Talismans were usually of a less elaborate construction; consisting of rings or gems, engraven with cabalistic words. Some enabled their owner to command the world of spirits; others were merely amulets, or preservatives against evil. Whoever had them in his possession, was for the time master of their virtues, which underwent no change, however they were transferred.

There is little fresh information on the subject of the Eastern superstitions, to be derived from the newly translated tales contained in the last volume of Dr. Scott's edition of the Arabian Nights. Our ideas of the Arab fictions would have been much higher, had we not seen this addition to our former store. The stories of "Mazin of Khorasan," and of the "Sultan of Hind,"

are much better than the others, and are equal to any, except the very best, of the old collection. In the remainder of the new translation there is no point; the wonders are borrowed from the former tales; the characters are insipid; and set phrases are repeated with a tiresome frequency. The ancient vigour of the people, both in intellect and in moral sentiment, seems to have been lost when these new romances were composed. Cunning is generally represented as successful, without regard to the character of him who employs it, or the dishonest means he uses to accomplish his end. The wise men arrive at their conclusions by extraordinary and false processes of reasoning. Dr. Scott says, in his Notes, that some of the tales were so indecent, that he had to omit them; but this is said to be the case with some of those forming the original collection. So far as we may judge from the English version, they are written in a correct style, but exhibit few passages bearing the trace of genius. Even where for a while they rise above the ordinary strain of the narrative, they soon fall back again to common place. From one instance of this we felt real vexation; for at first it seemed as if we had found a passage which would repay the disappointment occasioned by the rest of the volume. When Mazin of Khorasan explores the realms of the genii in search of his wife, after passing through numberless dangers, he succeeds in defrauding three brothers of three talismans, by which he accomplishes, in a few days, a journey which otherwise would have required centuries. He arrives at the borders of a vast ocean, across which he sees his place of destination, the islands of Waak al Waak, "whose mountains appeared at the distance of a fiery red, like the sky gilded by the beams of the setting sun." But when Mazin reaches the islands, he meets nothing to correspond with the interesting ideas we have formed of them. The description gradually rises in interest till he comes to this place, where there is the finest scope for original and wild conceptions; then it becomes tame, and all is spoilt by the transition from strength to weakness. In justice, however, to this tale, we must admit that it contains some well written passages. Dr. Scott deserves the thanks of the literary world for his pains in translating these additional tales, though they have little intrinsic value. All accessions to our knowledge are useful; and not the least so are those which afford new themes for the meditative mind, when it dwells upon the gradual decay of a great national literature.

Nothing more need be said of the best tales of the Arabian Nights, in which number we include all of the former translation, except that we regard them as we believe they are viewed by every one. We consider them as powerful delineations of national character, seen through a veil of delicately wrought fic

tion. Taken collectively, they form as it were a gallery of living pictures, where we may see the Saracens portrayed in every variety of their nature. In some, we are presented with the incidents of ordinary life, the manners of artisans and men of business, drawn in an accurate, satisfactory, but not vulgar manner. Again, we see the interior of palaces, converse with emperors and viziers, or gaze on the "enshrined beauties," the daughters of kings, and rivals of the celestial Houries. Looking at others, we find displayed the terrors of the supernatural world, surrounded with the varying landscapes, the never-dying verdure, and sun-bright domes of Fairy land. Combining description, poetry, eloquence, philosophy, religion, and romance, the Arabian Nights are fitted better than any other work to exhibit the Saracen literature to the other nations of the world.

It is to be regretted that these Tales are deficient in descriptions of the times before Mohammed. The scenes are laid either with a fabulous date, or at an era immediately preceding their composition, and after the conquest of Persia. Not one of them can properly be called a historical romance. It may be, however, that such exist amongst the innumerable fictions preserved in the Oriental popular traditions. If the agitations which are at present disturbing Turkey, should eventuate in the spread of Christianity over that empire, there will be great facilities for obtaining all the prose and poetry of the Saracens, which some day may become as familiar to us as those of any European people.

ART. III.A Grammar of the Latin Language, for the use of Colleges and Seminaries. From the German of C. G. Lumpt. New-York: 1829.

It is apparent to those who observe the state of classical education, that a time is approaching, if it has not already appeared, in which the intrinsic value of classical studies, and their relative importance as the foundation of liberal discipline, will pass a most rigorous examination, which, we rely with implicit confidence on our enlightened age, will terminate in a complete victory of classical education; but at the same time, contribute not a little to enlarge and purify the views of the public with respect to this important subject, and to improve the method of this species of education itself.

It appears to us, as if there had not always prevailed that rea

diness of entering upon a close scrutiny of this subject, which it is desirable should prevail; nay, it almost seems as if there existed a hidden fear that such an examination might end to the disadvantage of classical education. The cause of classical studies is, in this respect, precisely the same as that of Christianity or any other important truth, either scientific or moral, intended to expand the mind, and ameliorate the condition of man. A strange awe formerly prevented men from examining the truth of Christianity, as if eternal truth, revealed in the religion of Christ, could be found false in its innermost germe. It is true, that such examinations may be, and indeed have been, carried on in a spirit little suited to the sublimity of the subject, but such critics, whether divines or philosophers, have not shaken the foundation on which our hope rests, but evinced only their own perversity in denying a due respect to that, the falsehood of which is yet to be proved. They have not only not moved a single stone of the foundation, but, on the contrary, afforded numerous and striking proofs of its solidity.

Thus it is with classical studies. It ought to be matter of rejoicing, rather than apprehension, that the spirit of inquiry has been directed to this quarter. If these studies really are, and really perform what their advocates assert them to be and to perform, an examination, so far from impairing their value, will only set it forth to greater advantage.

We are happy to see that a great step has been made towards this desirable end. One of our oldest and most respectable learned institutions has sent forth a report equally honourable to the gentlemen who defended their cause with so much ability, and to the institution which subjected its measures to the scrutiny of the public. In such a mode of proceeding, science and literature can never be the losers, but will confirm their followers in their attachment, and thin the ranks of their adversaries. We wish to hear of others, either institutions or individuals, taking up arms in defence of the subject in question, or in an honourable opposition to it; not that it should be done more ably, but because life is so busy, and so small a portion of the public take a lively interest in this subject, that it requires reiterated appeals in order to make an impression on the pre-occupied minds of the majo

rity.

It is not our intention, at this time, to enter on this discussion; we shall suppose the question to be decided in favour of classical studies, both as to their own value, and as to their importance, considering them as the foundation of all liberal education, and now go a step farther, and speak of the best mode of pursuing these studies. It may be, we shall thus contribute something to facilitate the decision of the question. For we are aware that many honest and sensible men, who are not

able, on account of their different education and pursuits in life, to form an opinion as to the value of classical education itself, by comparing the expense of time, labour, and money, with the results, arrive at a conclusion not at all in its favour. By a very pardonable mistake, they confound the method of communicating the knowledge with the knowledge itself; and seeing that so many have spent much time and labour on these studies, without deriving any palpable advantage from them, they pass judgment against the studies themselves. The duty devolves on all the patrons of classical education, especially on all schools and teachers, to wrench this argument from the hands of their adversaries, by constantly improving their method, and thus, by facts, always the most overwhelming arguments, to convince the opponents of the injustice of their accusations.

We shall contribute our small share to the attainment of this great end, with all proper humility, and with a due consideration of the many impediments, which arise from peculiar circumstances, but especially from the youth of this country, where, of course, the practical arts and sciences are of prior importance, and have been, and will yet for some time be, in the way of a more rapid improvement. Yet we intend to speak with freedom and fearlessness, conscious that our object is the advancement of humanity in the highest sense of the word. It is not our intention to disparage the merits of former methods, or those yet in use; we disclaim any such intention once for all; but we start from the supposition that knowledge is not stationary, but continually advancing, and likewise the method of acquiring it. To deny that the science of philology has advanced within the last twenty or thirty years, would betray great ignorance; we need only mention Heyne, F. A. Wolf, Hermann, Creuzer, and consider in what condition they found, and in what they left or will leave it. Many of them have not only produced new views of single parts of antiquity and its writers, but have created new sciences, as the Symbolic of Creuzer, and Metric of Hermann; which need only to be named, to silence at once any doubts as to the advancement of the science of antiquity, and with it, of the necessary advancement of the method of communicating it.

Before we enter upon the discussion of the subject, we must re mark that we shall confine ourselves to the method of studying the Latin language, not because we are of opinion that this study should be pursued apart from that of the Greek language, but because the occasion of this article, and the publication of the work which we have placed at the head of it, naturally lead us to begin with the Latin language, and our limits oblige us to confine ourselves to it. Although we have several important