ment, and with a full knowledge of its difficulties. Though it has occupied no inconsiderable portion of the attention of the profession in England, we are not aware that it has called out any discussion, which, for general completeness, can compare with the present. Mr. Johnes's treatise on this subject is one of the most interesting works on law-reform which has appeared, and is written in a style which shows the scholar, as well as the lawyer; but the view, which he has presented, though in greater space, has not the thorough character of Mr. Cushing's tract.

6.

- An Introduction to the Latin Language. By SAMUEL WILLARD, A. A. S., Author of "The Franklin Primer," "The Popular Reader," &c. Boston. Hilliard, Gray, & Co. 1835. 12mo. pp. 226.

Ir gives us pleasure to recommend this Latin Grammar to all who are desirous of introducing their pupils to the Latin language in a pleasant as well as a thorough manner. We say pleasant, not because we believe in the magic power of those gay toys by which learning and philosophy are to be insinuated into the young mind, almost without its being conscious of it ; but because we do think it important, that the first steps in any department of learning should not be the most difficult. A child should certainly be taught that he cannot become a good scholar without labor; but it is not necessary that he should be frightened at the outset, in order to his perception of this wholesome truth. We tell him, when we conduct him to the hill-side, that it is "laborious indeed at the first ascent"; he may be sure that he cannot fold his arms, and be carried to the summit in a carriage, or a rail-way car; but he may thank those, who, like Dr. Willard, have cut steps in the green turf, here and there, to assist the young and the feeble. We think, then, that the elements of a language or a science should be conveyed in as agrecable a manner as is consistent with a good understanding of them. The love of the pursuit will by degrees bring a love of the labor necessary to farther progress; but, unless children find some pleasure in the beginning of the race, they will not run on vigorously; they must be enticed at first, as Sir Philip Sidney says savage nations must be, otherwise great promises of much knowledge will little persuade them that know not the fruits of knowledge."

66

Those of our readers, who, in their early days, committed to memory the Latin Grammar from beginning to end, "Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody," before they began to

practise upon it in translation, have probably some recollection of the unpleasant process, and will remember what a sinking of the heart accompanied their first attempts to put light and order into a Latin sentence, when they began to construe, with their heads full of the rules of syntax, and the forms of tenses and cases; - all well remembered, but remembered as a confused mass, because they had not put them in practice while they were learning them. The children of the present day need not know any thing of these troubles, if they begin the study of Latin with Willard's "Introduction," and follow his directions in using it.

It is divided into three parts, not including the Vocabulary at the end of the book. Part First contains the principles and forms of grammar, arranged in short sections. Part Second consists of praxes, or exercises in translating and parsing, arranged in sections to correspond with the first; and Part Third, of notes and illustrations of these praxes. The arrangement of the forms and rules is of course essentially different from that of the Grammars in general use. Instead of beginning with nouns, and going through all the declensions, next taking up one part of speech. after another, and exhausting it, and then proceeding to learn all the rules of syntax in a mass, as is the common mode, the pupil is taught, in the first section of this little work, the forms of the first declension of nouns, those of the indicative present of the first conjugation of verbs, and of the indicative present of the irregular verb sum, and a few rules of syntax. The corresponding section in the second part, which is to be studied in connexion with the first, consists of Latin sentences in which the forms and rules already learned are exemplified, and every thing carefully excluded which might involve a more extended knowledge of the grammar of the language. The second section leads the pupil a little farther on; the second of the praxes is an illustration of it; and so on, till he has become prepared for extracts from the classics, which form the more advanced praxes. The author happily describes his plan in his sensible and modest Preface.

"The principles and forms of grammar, once familiar in word and application, are infallible and prompt interpreters of every correct sentence; or, to vary the figure, they are so many appropriate keys to the sense. Of these keys the Latin language requires several hundreds, if not thousands, to open the numberless apartments of her treasury and cabinet. The old method [that of banishing the study of the grammar at first] puts the whole at once into the hands of the tyro, and requires him at every moment to guess out the one, which may be suited to his present purpose. In the opposite method, the instructer keeps the keys in his own hand, and often leaves the pupil to stand a long time idle at the door for want of some one to open it for him. In the method proposed, the teacher will give him a small

number of these keys at a time, to apply by his own ingenuity, till he has learned the ready application of all. The last, which corresponds to the gradual process, in which the principles of arithmetic and geometry are taught and applied, will be found exemplified, as I hope, in the following pages." - pp. 3, 4.

The execution of this book is admirable. Teachers will thank the author for having used so clear and so simple a mode of expression, as to make oral explanations almost unnecessary. To arrange and select the praxis upon each section, so as to exclude from it every word involving a principle not yet explained to the learner, and yet to present a series of neat sentences at first, and then of elegant and interesting extracts from classic authors, required an amount of care and labor which can hardly be appreciated by those who enjoy the benefit of them; and a discriminating mind and good taste are visible throughout the work. There are some faults in the mechanical details of the book. For instance, the Latin words introduced into English sentences are not indicated by italics, nor in any way distinguished from their neighbours, the vernaculars; but we believe this occasions less confusion and inconvenience to young learners, than we might at first suppose. A Latin word, to a child, or a person unacquainted with the language, is as unlike the English ones by its side, (though in the same type,) as the countenance of a stranger is unlike the "old familiar faces" of his family; and though they may be "dressed all alike, with black crape over their faces," his eye has an instinctive power of distinguishing the unknown from the familiar, and he is not so much puzzled and embarrassed as we might fear he would be.

We cannot dismiss the work without mentioning its peculiar suitableness for fireside instruction; as parents, who may have long ceased to attend to the study of Latin, will, in the use of this volume, find a pleasant refreshment of their own knowledge, and be sure of laying, in the minds of their children, a sound foundation for farther attainments.

7.

- Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital for the Year 1837. Boston. James Loring. 1838. 8vo. pp. 30.

THIS Report presents a gratifying view of the condition and usefulness of each department of the Hospital. It is highly creditable, that gentlemen busily engaged, as are most of the Trustees, in the active concerns of life, should be found willing to devote their time and attention with so much fidelity and zeal

to the care of a public institution. That they have done it also with ability and wisdom, is evinced by the prosperous condition of the charity. Much of this prosperity is doubtless owing to the unwearied assiduity of the successive Boards of Trustees. The monthly meetings of the Board, with the weekly visits of committees, since they have never degenerated into matters of form, not only serve the purpose of transacting the necessary business, but are a constant incitement to every one connected with the institution, to perform his duty with the like faithfulness. The Massachusetts General Hospital embraces two departments, distinct from each other, but under the management of the same Board of Trustees, and supported by the same general fund; the Hospital for the sick and wounded, in Boston, and the McLean Asylum for the Insane, in Charlestown. From the Report of the Superintendent of the Hospital it appears, that the whole number of patients admitted during the year 1837 was 440; 213 of whom were free patients, and 25 more paid board but a part of the time. To those who are regarded as pay patients, the institution may justly be considered as performing, only in a somewhat lower degree, a work of charity, since, independently of all the outlay of capital, the weekly charge for board &c. to much the greater part, is much less than the weekly cost. The number discharged during the year was 453, 358 of whom are reported as "well," "much relieved,” or “relieved"; only 32 died. The "Analysis of patients," exhibiting their several trades and employments, would furnish a topic for some general reflections, but we must refrain from offering them at present.

The Asylum for the Insane admitted, during the year, 120 patients; and 105 were discharged. Of these, 72 are reported as "recovered," and 13 as "much improved," and "improved." It is worthy of observation, that the term "cured," which commonly appears conspicuously in similar reports, is not used in either of these. The medical officers in both institutions seem to have modestly abstained from claiming the favorable termination of so many cases as the fruit of their labors, though it cannot be doubted that it might be so claimed with as much justice as in most similar instances. We like these terms better, and are glad to see them introduced by so high authority. The young practitioner may be excused for ascribing to his first prescription the cure of the patient. But a little experience only is sufficient to teach him, that other agencies besides his own have much to do with the result; and he soon learns to regard it as much more consonant to his real share in the matter, to say that the man recovered, than that he was cured.

two chapters on the different kinds of food, f man. We are thus prepared for the discussi or the disorders of digestion."

A description of dyspepsy, by a history of perhaps necessary to the completeness of a tre and may in many cases be useful. But we w invalids to meditate on their own symptoms, with the book, to find out whether they are dy they have any doubts on this subject, they ha their physician at once, and let him draw out and put them upon its remedy. Few men, practised physicians, have command enough phantasies, to weigh correctly the value of th tions, or even to distinguish in all cases bet physical, and those which have only a lighter existence.

The

No such qualification is needed in regar which follow, on the causes of dyspepsy. Th sense, and abound in salutary cautions. considered in detail, and with a sufficient deg copy a part of the remarks on "The abuse of Dr. Sweetser regards as a frequent cause of t

"The injudicious use of medicine is doubtless little injury to the human constitution. As all act to disturb the natural movements of life, they are ed to before inquiring whether the end will warr other words, whether the evil they are designed serious, than what they themselves will probably be remembered, too, that nature of herself is ful removal of trifling and incidental difficulties; or only negative aid, that is, the avoidance of all in proper diet, exposure, &c. to her recuperative effo

"Few habits are more adverse to the welfare than that of applying to medicine for every slight d necessity for it growing with its use, it is oftentin the very evils it is intended to remedy. Thus, i disturbance of the stomach and bowels, we call in emetics, cathartics, or stimulants, those organs, ac so speak, to depend on foreign aid, will in a meas themselves of their own energies under embarrass ical as well as the moral powers should be edu degree of self-dependence. But active medicines in a more positive manner, operating as local irrita various sympathetic derangements in the system.

"There has ever existed a class of nervous whom a pain, or an ache, or the least ailment can h the pill-box or essence-bottle is called into requ quite amusing, often, to hear them expressing their