MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND Attf. 



Gladiator" (less as what it was than what it represented), turned the marble 

 into man, and endowed it with human affections ; and away over the Apen- 

 nines and over the Alps, away on the wings of irrepressible sympathy, flew 

 his spirit to the banks of the Danube, where, ' with his heart,' were the 

 ' eyes ' of the victim, under the night-fall of death ; for ' there were his young 

 barbarians all at play, and there their Dacian mother.' This is nature ; this 

 is truth. While the conflict continued, the combatant thought of himself 

 only ; he aimed at nothing but victory ; when life and this were lost, his 

 last thoughts, his sole thoughts, would turn to his wife and little children." 

 Throughout the " Lectures," we meet the same intelligent and thoughtful 

 spirit combining, analysing, illustrating, with readiness, perspicuity, and 

 beauty. We could have wished the writer had addressed himself more to 

 the elder English poets though, certainly, that golden field had been well 

 reaped by Hazlitt. We cordially recommend these "Lectures" to those 

 who would fain know what constitutes poetry to those who would fain 

 untie " the hidden soul " of that divinest harmony. To the student they 

 are especially valuable. 



A NEW TREATISE ON CHESS. BY GEORGE WALKER. SECOND EDITION 



ENLARGED AND IMPROVED, LONDON : SHERWOOD & Co. 



SOME twelvemonths since considerable excitement was produced in the 

 chess-playing world, by the appearance of a little work at the very low price 

 of three shillings and sixpence, professing to teach the science of Chess. 

 The high priced authors were all scandalized at this innovation in Chess 

 literature, and of course predicted the failure of the experiment : but the 

 matter at issue was in the hands of an enlightened public, and before the ex- 

 piration of a year the call for a seeond edition has dissipated for ever the 

 golden visions of the authors of guinea octavos in large type. The price of 

 the volume, has now been raised to five shillings and sixpence, but the addi- 

 tional matter, apart from its intrinsic worth, is nearly equal in bulk to the 

 original. That most beautiful opening known by the name of its inventor, 

 Captain Evans, upon which very little has hitherto been written, occupies 

 eleven pages of the work. The analysis has been most carefully made and 

 the best modes of attack are laid down with an air of decision that at once 

 gains the student's confidence, and shews the author to be thoroughly 

 acquainted with his subject. If we were inclined to find fault with Mr. 

 Walker, we should say that he has not shewn us any defence : indeed the in- 

 tention manifest throughout the work is to teach the best methods of attack. 

 But after all, perhaps this is the only sure way to make a good player, for 

 we know practically that one who confines his play to defensive operations 

 seldom if ever improves, and that he who is the most irresistible in his 

 attacks shews also the greatest subtlety and resources in his defence. Where 

 all is good it is difficult to particularize, but we may point attention to the 

 chapters on the Muzio and Bishop's Gambits, as being particularly worthy 

 of commendation. The ends of games with pawns are highly instructive', 

 and the problems very ingenious and entertaining. We have no hesitation 

 in pronouncing this to be not only the best book on Chess that has ever been 

 written, but one which with a little addition would entirely supersede the 

 necessity of other works so far as relates to their practical utility. We 

 allude to those games in which some advantage is given ; and we strenuously 

 recommend Mr. Walker to perfect a future edition of his book, by adding to 

 it the valuable information he possesses on this subject. We have only de- 

 tected one error> which the author we are sure will thank us for pointing out. 

 It occurs in page 101, move 20 ; instead of Kt. or R. takes K. B. P. and wins 

 it should be R takes P. checking for if white take with Kt. black would 

 checkmate. 



