600 " Mexico ;" and " Mexican Illustrations" [JUNE, 



that he does not want money ; and that, if he did, those who offer him the 

 most liberal terms know best that he could take out of his mine double the 

 amount of any thing- that they could give, in less time than they would them- 

 selves require to raise the money." 



For a continuation, at great length, of similar facts, which almost lead 

 us to distrust the possible sanity (upon the subject of mining) of every 

 man who is familiar with them, we must refer our readers to the book 

 itself which, notwithstanding its extent, will repay the labour of 



Serusal. Those who read it can scarcely help perceiving, that mining- 

 ke gaming is- a trade which will always be carried on even though, in 

 the aggregate it should be carried on at a loss. The prizes held out are 

 enormous; the means by which they are attained (when they are 

 attained) simple and rapid ; and the blanks (the losers cut their throats) 

 we do not hear of. Taking into account, however, all the difficulty 

 of judging coolly, Mr. Ward, as we have before said, does come to the 

 conclusion, that a steady average profit is to be made upon mining 

 speculations; and the facts by which he supports this assertion un- 

 doubtedly have very considerable weight. 



For the merits, as to composition, of the two works under our notice, 

 we have already sufficiently discussed these in the course of our extracts. 

 Mr. Ward's book is a little heavy, from its extent ; but the subject is 

 an important one; and the same information could scarcely be con- 

 veyed in less compass. Its political views are frequently free and 

 comprehensive ; and the tone of its discussion always temperate and 

 guarded. The " Personal Narrative " abounds rather too much with 

 anecdotes of the writer's family and domestic arrangements : but much 

 of it will be read with entertainment, and with profit to any future 

 traveller who may have occasion to tread in the author's footsteps. 



Mr. Beaufoy's light volume may serve as a pleasant introduction to 

 the graver and heavier work. It directs our attention to objects; and 

 we refer to Mr. Ward's to be more fully satisfied upon them. In manner, 

 it is often flippant, and, in conclusion, very often wrong; but always 

 bold and lively ; and we very often laugh at the author's hits, if we now 

 and then are as much amused with his blunders. There is only one fault, 

 in Mr. Beaufoy, which, although it occurs in no violent degree, yet even 

 as it stands is such as we cannot easily pardon, and which would not 

 have presented itself for our condemnation, if Mr. B. had shewn his 

 work to any friend of well regulated taste or naturally correct judg- 

 ment. There are, here and there, in the book, matters dilated upon in 

 detail, which would have been better very generally described and 

 briefly handled ; and occasionally some attempts at wit, which would 

 have been a great deal better left unattempted altogether. All that it is 

 necessary to say upon any subject, there are modes of saying without 

 the slightest offence to propriety ; and lapses from this discretion are 

 merely so much evidence that the writer either wilfully transgresses, 

 or fails to be familiar with those observances which good society 

 (properly so designated) demands. This fault is the less excusable, as 

 far as it goes, on the part of Mr. Beaufoy, because he can be enter- 

 taining (if he is not very profound), without being objectionable at all ; 

 and because the abstraction of two or three pages, of no value, from 

 his work would leave it just as amusing as it is, arid free from objection 

 altogether, 



