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 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND ART. 



THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL FOR 1835. LONDON: CHURTON, 1834. 



OP all the Annuals, past, present, and to come, commend us to the one 

 before us. Nothing can be more exquisite than what is technically termed 

 the " getting up" of this volume ; and the letter-press, from the pen of the 

 Rev. Hobart Gaunter, is at once instructive and agreeable. 



It is, we perceive, the intention of the proprietors to continue this 

 work in yearly volumes, every three forming a distinct series. The Annual 

 of last year described Madras ; the present is occupied by Calcutta; and 

 the third will describe Bombay. 



The real worth of anything 'consists in its intrinsic value. Subjected to 

 this test, how few of the " gilded toys," called Annuals, would be permitted 

 to retain their splendid binding, and their unmeaning and miscellaneous 

 plates ! We do not desire to see so much fugitive literature clapt into a 

 rainbow-jacket, and impeded in its course to oblivion ; but a book of po- 

 pular pretensions, whether in the illustration of history, or the advance- 

 ment of polite literature. We would be elevated, delighted, or instructed ; 

 and not merely amused ; in a word, to speak in commercial phrase, we 

 would have " a good article." 



Mr. Gaunter has executed his portion of the book in a very satisfactory 

 manner. We are glad to perceive that he has not been led away by the 

 magnificence of his materials from that simplicity and straight-forward- 

 ness of style, which a more ambitious author might perhaps have deemed 

 appropriate, if not indispensable. We must confess that we are too far 

 north to relish these Oriental vagaries of language ; and we are content to 

 be led where 



"the gorgeous East/with richest hand, 



Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold," 



without insisting that our conductor shall undergo the painful contortions 

 of an Indian juggler. 



The plates, which are twenty-two in number, are from drawings by 

 Daniell. The subjects are varied and well-chosen, and they have been 

 engraved in the very first style of the art. The name of Daniell is a suf- 

 ficient guarantee of their fidelity and truth ; arid, at the same time, a satis- 

 factory assurance of their excellence. 



We are reluctantly compelled to postpone our notices of the annuals till 

 next month, when we intend to devote some space to them. " Friendship's 

 Offering" and " The Forget Me Not" are among the best, and Miss Sheri- 

 dan's " Comic Offering" maintains its reputation among the side-shakers. 



FRENCH CHIT CHAT. BY J. N. VHILAND. MATCHETT, NORWICH. 



THIS is a very useful work, and will be found deserving of the most un- 

 qualified praise. A series of phraseological exercises in the French lan- 

 guage will be most beneficial to the student in the midway of his progress, 

 and will amply reward the pains of a serious attention ; if more advanced, 

 they will furnish entertaining and instructive themes to occupy his leisure 

 hours. The French charades, the explanatory dictionary, and addenda of 

 idioms, are likewise highly valuable. We earnestly hope, therefore, that 

 this work will meet with encouragement in private families and schools, 

 commensurate with its merits; and to them we confidently recommend it. 



