204 Monthly Review of Literature. 



was a luxury ; but a very few years have rendered this luxury, as is the case 

 with many others, a positive necessity. In proof of which it may be sufficient 

 to adduce the fact, that a very large edition is sold out ; and previous to the 

 advent of the year which it is intended to illustrate another edition is 

 expected. 



To the professional man or the medical student resident in London, Edin- 

 burgh, or Dublin, the "British Medical Almanack" supplies means for ascertain- 

 ing the existing constitution of his profession, together with a variety of use- 

 ful and instructive information that he could acquire in no other way. To 

 the stranger or the visitor in London, or to the country practitioner, it sup- 

 plies a power of ascertaining the changes which the circling year brings about, 

 and the steps which are taken for the public benefit, as accurately as if he 

 were upon the spot. For those who are acquainted with the labours in the 

 vineyard of the medical advancement, the name of the Editor will be a suffi- 

 cient introduction to this truly elegant little volume. Great and unwearied 

 research is expressed on every page ; and the fullest information on every 

 matter that can concern the profession, either in its Literature, Corporate 

 Bodies, Politics, Hospitals, Institutions, or Statistics, may with certainty be 

 here obtained. In addition to these valuable topics, the Almanack is furnished 

 with a well-arranged Supplement, which contains some excellent original 

 articles on interesting and important subjects. 



POETRY AND FICTION. 

 Sketches by Boz; second series. Post 8vo. pp. 376. Macrone. 



OUR regular subscribers will recollect, that Boz first appeared in London as 

 a contributor to the Monthly. We unite with pleasure in the general con- 

 gratulations and applause that salute him in the high and palmy state of his 

 literary prosperity. We hope it will last ; and we think that it will, for few 

 have so fairly bought their knowledge of the scenes which they depict. Most 

 of his scenes the world at large, the nobodies of every-day life, can applaud 

 and recognise as true " to the curl of a hair ;" of the rest the initiated only 

 can form an opinion. As in the hey-day of youth and folly we have passed 

 through the same ordeal and not without observation though with infinitely 

 less ability to indite it, we may fairly profess a claim to judge of the more 

 profound mysteries of the Bozzian philosophy. 



Boz is a true descendant of Democritus, a regular laughing philosopher, 

 a truly Mercurial gentleman, whose society in person or in books cannot 

 fail of being entertaining and instructive. We hear that he has become a 

 Benedictus but may we hope, that his marital avocations may not sever him 

 from the society of his ancient companions and admirers ? But again, our 

 old friend and co-operator has not only become an author, but a director and 

 fugle-man to other authors ; for here before us lie the " Library of Fiction" 

 edited by Boz ! " Bentky's Miscellany" edited by Boz ! ! " Pickwick 

 Papers/' by Boz!!! Oh, Boz, fie upon thee, thou wouldst monopolize 

 all the fun and every laughing winkle to thyself, and leave not a solitary smile 

 for humbler humorists than thy gigantic self. Well, be it so: thou deservest 

 thy laurels ; and these aching sides scarce recovered from the cachinations 

 caused by the Tulrumble story, and the adventures of the never-dying Pick- 

 wick, must allow thy claims to distinction: and, as the Spaniards say, " mayst 

 thou live a thousand years." 



We are somewhat late in giving our notice of Boz's second series of 

 Sketches ; but better late than never. We have seen the headings of notices 

 by other journalists; but we have studiously abstained from perusing them, 

 lest inadvertently we should retail their opinions as our own. We fear that 

 it will be quite out of our power to furnish our readers with extracts ; nor 

 indeed would it be necessary, as the public has already been deluged with 



