610 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE. 



book, a rara avis in these days, and that the public is curious about Sir 

 John Ross and about the North Pole. We of course have no objection to 

 the curiosity of the public being gratified ; but we think the easiest 

 plan would have been to have told the public briefly, that the volume 

 contained little or nothing but what it already knew; and that as far as 

 the North Pole is concerned, Captain Ross left the matter as he found 

 it. We should have been much better pleased with the Author, had he 

 employed his time in perfecting his book, rather than in raising subscrip- 

 tions, making public amusements, and guarding his property from the 

 German after-printers ; for we find that after the long delay which has 

 taken place in its publication, the scientific portions are as yet in 

 abeyance. 



The Student, in 2 vols. By the Author of " Eugene Aram," &c. 

 Sauuders and Otley, London. 



THE plan of republishing, in a connected shape, tales, essays, sketches, 

 or papers of other kinds, which have appeared in periodicals, and have there 

 been stamped with public approbation, is, we think, a very good one, and 

 this for several reasons. One of these is, that the reputation of an article 

 in a Magazine is exceedingly ephemeral: it is read, praised, and for- 

 gotten, and is then lost; it does not meet a man in looking over his 

 shelves ; he does not find it in his catalogue, and it is gone for ever. 

 Now this is and has been a misfortune to many sons of genius, to whom 

 the pages of a periodical were the sole introduction to the public. They 

 have written successfully there ; and, pleased with that success, have 

 toiled on, and have found they have been pursuing a shadow or some- 

 thing more unsubstantial than even a shadow. Another reason is, that 

 for want of republications of this kind, a multitude of the most brilliant 

 gems from the pens of our talented men are, in a great measure, lost to 

 themselves and to posterity. 



These remarks naturally flow from looking over Mr. Bulwer's ** Stu- 

 dent : " most of the articles are old acquaintances, with whom we are 

 delighted to meet again mixed with some others, in every way worthy 

 the companionship. Mr. Bulwer is about the most popular writer of the 

 day, and certainly the most copious ; and this because he has chosen for 

 himself a field nearly boundless the human heart in all its phases. He 

 is the prince of minor metaphysics, and displays admirable skill and 

 command of his subject, in depicting our passions and sentiments. There 

 is also considerable subtlety of thought in his writings ; and if he lacks 

 now and then the close reasoning of the logician, we forget it in his easy 

 style and in his power of fixing attention. He glides so gracefully over 

 his difficulties, that we are apt to overlook them. 



It would be idle to select any particular portion of these volumes for 

 particular comment. The differences between Authors and the impressions 

 produced by their works, on the knowledge of the world in men and books, 

 are full of truth. There are some points about others On "The Health and 

 its Consolations" for instance, where there is room for cavil, were we in 

 the temper. " Monos and Diamonos" is a sketch of great force, and is 

 equal to the best productions of the German school of metaphysical 

 writings. We give a portion of it, and, had we room, we would give the 

 whole: 



" So two days passed, and I was alone. On the third I went after my 

 prey the noon was hot, and I was wearied when I returned. I entered 

 my cavern, and behold ! the man lay stretched on my bed. ' Ha, ha !' said 

 he, * here I am ; I was so lonely at home, that I have come to live with 

 you again.' 



