L 450° } 
[Dec. 4, 
NEW BOOKS PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER: | 
WITH AN HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL PROEMIUM. 
— 
Authors or 
Publishers, desirous of seeing an early ‘notice of their Works, ure 
requested to transmit copies before the 18th of the Month. 
ae 
Ces readers will he much pleased hy 
the perusal of a Description of the Ruins 
of an Ancient City, discovered near Palenque, 
in the Kingdom of Guatimala, in America, 
translated from the Original Manuscript of 
Captain Don ANTONIO DEL Rio. This 
city vas mentioned in Humboldt’s Travels, 
and one engraving was given of its sculp- 
tural ornaments, but it was not visited by 
that intelligent person. The reality of its 
existence is now éstablished beyond all 
donbt. By this discovery a wide field is 
opened for. curious speculation and in- 
quiry into the history of the ancient inha- 
bitants of America, and the degree of 
civilization to which they had attained. 
This subject will be found to be treated 
upon, though in a highly speculative and 
improbable manner, in a subsequent part 
of this work,—A Critical Investigation and 
Research into the History of the Americans, 
. bg Dr. Paut Fevix Caprera. From 
the idea we can form by the only building 
which is represented in one of the plates, 
we should conceive these structures to 
bear most similarity to the Roman style of 
architecture. The sculptured bas-reliefs 
are precisely of the same nature with the 
Egyptian, except in the contour of the 
human face, which is very remarkable, 
and in all the figures very uolike any na- 
tional physiognomy we are acquainted 
with. The nose is very disproportionate 
to the other featares, and has a most 
decided prominence and rotundity in 
profile. What these figures represent, 
and whence the idea of that peculiarity we 
have just mentioned is taken, forms a cu- 
rious question, which, we believe, can 
never be satisfactorily explained. The 
probability, we should be inclined to say, 
1s, that there was some communication be- 
tween our quarter of the globe and the 
primitive inhabitants of those regions, many 
ages before the zra of Columbus. The 
majority of our readers may be prepossessed 
witha different opinion ; but the perusal of 
this work, and examination of the plates 
which accompany it, will farnish them with 
many reasons for acceding to our view of 
the question. © 
One of the most elegant little works 
we have lately seen, has just proceeded 
from the hands of Mr. ACKERMAN, who 
has exerted upon it all the arts of embel- 
lishment. Itis intended as an ornamental, 
and, at the same time, useful volume, 
which may be peculiarly appropriate to 
present, at the approaching season of the 
year, as a token of friendship or affection. 
The poetical department is executed very 
respectably, by the author of Dr. Syntax 
and other well-known works ; and a num- 
ber of stories are subjoined, for the most 
part translated from the German, which 
possess much merit and beauty. The 
genealogy of European sovereigns, and 
list of diplomatic agents, is very copious, 
and principally taken from the Gotha 
Almanac; and the work concludes with 
the tables of the population of Great 
Britain, formed from the late Census, and 
an account of the population of the prin- 
cipal cities of the world. We recommend 
this pretty publication, with a strong as- 
surance that it is very ingeniously adapted 
to its proposed object. ‘The plates are 
very exquisitely designed and finished, and 
at the beginning of the volume is an en- 
graved wreath of flowers, with a blank for 
a presentation inscription. These flowers 
give the title to the work, which is, Forget 
me not, a Christmas and New Year’s Present’ 
Sor 1823. 
We have expressed our dislike of the 
practice, which has lately 8» much pre- 
vailed, of reprinting those articles of amuse- 
ment which appear in periodical works. 
If the talent displayed, in many of these 
papers, entitled them to the honour of a 
reprint, the highly interesting Confessions 
of an English Opium Eater, certainly merit 
that distinction. The deep knowledge of 
nature, and the fine colouring of this tale, 
have given prevalence to a belief, that 
the scenes pourtrayed are consistent with 
truth; and perhaps we should not be very 
much mistaken, if we assumed that the 
principal ground-work is founded on fact, 
and that fiction has been merely em- 
ployed by a bold and skilful hand to 
heighten the effect. Be that as it may, 
the simplicity of the style, and the ab- 
sorbing interest of the story, render this 
little work almost as delightful in the re- 
perusal, as it was at its original appear- 
ance; and the shape in which it is now 
presented, fits it for its place in the library, 
as one of the most curious and entertain- 
ing tales of the modern day. 
The political economist will find a 
copious and valuable fand of informa- 
tion and instruction, in an elaborate work 
by JosepH Lowe, esq. on The present 
State of England in regard to Agriculture, 
Trade, und Finance, with a Comparison of the 
Prospects of England und Frauce. In this 
very comprehensive range of speculation, 
Mr. Lowe treats the various difficult 
questions which present themselves, with 
much sagacity and impartiality. ‘There is 
every where visible a cool and patient 
spirit 
