Chapter IV: The Captive Free (4)

This is another of Putnam’s admirable publications, the first of a series on popular science, and similar in form to his “Semi-Monthly Library.” The present volume contains two hundred pages, is elegantly printed, and is sold at the low price of twenty-five cents, which is cheapening the solar system beyond all precedent. The volume is succinctly and clearly written, and contains the latest “news from the empyrean.” The only defect we have noticed is in the account given of the discovery of Neptune. The author appears to be ignorant of the important connection which Professor Pierce, of Harvard University, has established with this new planet. He did not, it is true, discover it; but he demonstrated that the planet which was discovered was not the planet which Le Verrier was seeking.

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_The Diplomacy of the Revolution: an Historical Study. By
William Henry Trescott. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1 vol.
12mo._

In this small volume we have a great deal of matter, which is both interesting and new. The author has studied the subject thoroughly, and exhibits many important transactions in the Revolution in a new light. He has gained access to a number of unpublished documents, and has used them with intelligence and discrimination.

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_Eleven Weeks in Europe, and What May be Seen in that Time. By
James Freeman Clarke. Boston: Ticknor, Reed & Fields. 1 vol.
18mo._

This is a thick volume of three hundred pages, giving an animated account of a flying visit to England and the Continent of Europe. The author is a thoughtful and intelligent tourist, who understood beforehand what he wanted to see, and knew where he could find it. His volume is accordingly crammed with interesting matter relating to famous cities, public buildings, and works of art, and conveys fresh and original impressions of them all.

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The Harpers have published the second volume of their edition of _Burns_, edited with great care by Robert Chambers, and containing his letters and poems in the order in which they are written. It is, in fact, a biography of Burns, illustrated by his works, and will probably be the most popular edition in the market, as it undoubtedly is the cheapest and the most perfect. The same publishers have issued Part 19 of Mayhew’s _London Labor and London Poor_, a work which is full of important information gleaned at first hand. It promises to be the most complete book of the kind ever printed. Its revelations of poverty, disease, and vice, sound “bad as truth.”

_Lossing’s “Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution,”_ has also reached its 22d number, and will be completed in two or three more. If we consider the beauty of its typography and illustrations, this work must be admitted to be one of the cheapest ever issued. Its matter is intensely interesting to all who are interested in the history of the country.

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The Harpers of New York have published, in addition to the works we have noticed—

“_The Two Families_,” a novel by the author of Rose Douglass. In one volume.

“_Courtesy, Manners and Habits. By George Winfred Hervey_.” A volume in which the principles of Christian politeness are enforced with much good sense and considerable force and brilliancy.

“_Ivar; or, The Skjuts-Boy; a Romance_,” translated from the Swedish by Professor A. L. Krause. An interesting and attractive number of the Library of Select Novels.

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_The Cavaliers of England, or The Times of the Revolutions of
1642 and 1688. By Henry William Herbert. New York: Redfield. 1
vol. 12mo._

This volume is composed of four exciting tales illustrative of English history, and are in every way worthy of Mr. Herbert’s powerful and vivid genius. In pictorial faculty, in the disposition and creation of incidents, in the delineation of the passions, and, especially, in the unwearied fire and movement of the style, these stimulating stories are among the best which the press has given forth for a long period.

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_An Exposition of Some of the Laws of the Latin Grammar. By
Gessner Harrison, M. D. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1 vol.
12mo._

The work of a ripe scholar, this volume is an important aid to all students of the Latin language desirous of comprehending the general doctrines of its etymology, its inflectional forms, and its syntax. It is not intended to supersede the common grammars, but to be their complement. The author is professor of the ancient languages in the University of Virginia.

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_Collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. No. 3.
Philadelphia: John Penington._

This valuable work, in which are duly chronicled the researches of the Society, is issued in very excellent style; printed with bold, clear type, upon white, fine paper. The number before us contains, Extracts from Letters of John Quincy Adams—Letters of Thomas Jefferson—History of Moorland, by W. J. Buck—and some valuable Memoranda from the Journal of Henry M. Muhlenberg, D. D. The friends of the Society, and all interested in preserving the records of the past from oblivion, should encourage the circulation of the work.

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_The Illustrated Old Saint Paul’s. By W. Harrison Ainsworth.
Embellished with spirited Engravings. Philadelphia: T. B.
Peterson._

Mr. Ainsworth is not a writer in whose productions we have heretofore seen any thing to admire, but the volume before us is written with much ability, and is far less exceptionable than many of his works. The era of the story is that of “The Great Plague of 1665,” and powerfully depicts the horrors of the time. There are two love scenes of marked interest interwoven with the narrative, which give it all the fascination of one of Dumas’s most powerful romances. As virtue is rewarded and vice in some degree punished, the moral of the work will meet the requirements of novel readers.

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_The University Speaker: A Collection of Pieces designed for
College Exercises in Declamation and Recitation. By William
Russel. Boston: James Monroe & Co._

This is a very complete and able work by a competent hand, filled with appropriate suggestions on appropriate passages, designed for the practice of Elocution. The work is admirably printed, and is dedicated to Dr. James Rush of this city.

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=THE AZTEC CHILDREN.=

_Their probable Origin and peculiar Physical and Mental Developments; together with other Physiological Facts, connected with their History and Singular Appearance._

=BY AUSTRALIS.=

The two extraordinary and interesting beings known as the “Aztec Children,” have for some considerable time been exhibited in the city of New York, where thousands with an intense and excited interest have sought to gratify their curiosity as to the probable origin and history of these wonderful representatives of ancient Adam.

They have recently been removed from the great metropolis of the United States to the paternal city of the ever memorable and benevolent Penn, where they cannot fail to excite in the bosom of every enlightened freeman and philanthropist, the same lively interest as to their peculiar relations to the great family of man, and their claims to the sympathy and interest of their fellow beings.

It is not the purpose of the author of this sketch to recur to the account furnished by Mr. Stevens in his travels in Central America, which constitutes the source and foundation upon which many of the facts connected with the expedition of Velasquez rest, and from which interesting portions of the history of these children are framed. The admirable work of Mr. Stevens (particularly the account which he gives of the wonderful remains which were brought to his view by the intelligent padre of Santa Cruz del Quiche) furnishes strong ground for the belief of the actual existence of the idolatrous city of Iximaya. His description of the descendants of the ancient sacerdotal order of the Aztec guardians of the once flourishing temples of that people not unknown to Cortez and Alvarado, would seem to indicate a race answering in no remote degree to the present physical construction and appearance of the Aztec children. It is asserted by Velasquez, one of the principal conductors of the expedition which resulted in the capture and flight of these wonderful children, that they constitute a portion of the descendants of the ancient and peculiar order of priesthood called Kaanas, which it was distinctly asserted in the ancient annals of Iximaya had accompanied the first migration of this people from the Assyrian plains. “Their peculiar and strongly distinctive lineaments, it is now perfectly well ascertained, are to be traced in many of the sculptured monuments of the Central American ruins, and were found still more abundantly on those of Iximaya. Forbidden, by inviolably sacred laws, from intermarrying with any persons but those of their own caste, they had here dwindled down, in the course of many centuries, to a few insignificant individuals, diminutive in stature, and imbecile in intellect.” Such is the language of the conductors of the enterprise referred to—such the probable origin of these extraordinary representations of those who in Scriptural language were “called giants,” now reappearing in what might be justly delineated as miniature editions of humanity—Daguerreotyped specimens of him “who was created a little lower than the angels.”

The origin of these interesting little strangers must, we think, remain for the present involved in an obscurity which time and future discoveries can alone remove. Their history and relation to the community from which they have been removed, and their language, habits and occupations in the scale of rational and intelligent beings, are calculated to excite in no ordinary degree the active and inquisitive mind of the physiologist, the antiquarian and the Christian.

In their unusual diminutiveness as human beings—the singular and striking features which give animation to their countenances, and at times the fixed and unmistakable lines which indicate deep thought and feeling—they are objects of profound interest and intense speculation. To the reflecting and intelligent spectator their presence strikingly recalls the language of the Psalmist—“We are fearfully and wonderfully made.” In contemplating them as a portion of the human family, governed by the general laws of Nature, and subject to the uniform operations of her unchangeable economy, we are nevertheless startled at that apparent degeneracy which, in the deprivation of physical strength and beauty, humbles our own pride while it enlists our sympathy.

These phenomena of the human species, in their personal action, the expression of agreeable features, and in the enjoyment of company and the attentions of the visitors who throng around them, afford no ordinary degree of interest and sympathy. The boy measures about thirty-two inches in height, and the girl twenty-nine. They are finely formed, and delicately fashioned in proportion to the reduced size and natural conformation which distinguish their structures. Their color is of the Spanish, or rather more of the Mexican complexion; the hair black and silken in its appearance, slightly inclined to curl, yet glossy and beautiful. Their features, deprived of that refined and graceful adaptation to regularity and beauty which distinguishes the Anglo-Saxon countenance, are nevertheless interesting. Like the representations of those Aztec heads which Stevens has portrayed, “the top of the forehead to the end of the nose of each of these children is almost straight, bearing an unmistakable resemblance to the features of their idolatrous images. They are gratefully sensible of the caresses and little familiar attentions of visitors, and appear always to be interested in the gambols and amusements of children. To their guardians they manifest every warm attachment, and seem with an intuitive sense of their own helplessness and dependence for protection and security, to regard them with a strong filial affection.”

In the relations which have placed them together, and in those associations where custom and habit would seem to produce a community of interest and a kindred sympathy, there appears but little affinity.

It is a curious fact, that there is little or no intercourse between these mysterious representatives of a by-gone race. In public they occasionally manifest some little displeasure toward each other in the petty jealousies and interferences in each other’s objects of pleasure or pastime; but, apart from public exhibitions and in the retirement of domestic life, there are wholly absent those natural communications of childhood—the look of kindness, the inquiry of affection, and the remark of innocent and affectionate solicitude. How shall the want of these common and natural associations of social and conventual interests in these children be accounted for? Man, it is true, by his education and acquirements, loses much of the inherent feelings incident to his early training. He can, by strict discipline, escape and defy speculation—elevate or depress himself by the skill and energy of acquired advantages, but it is difficult to stifle or overcome the first and benevolent emotions inspired by a mother’s kindness.

It is impossible to contemplate these retrograde movements of Nature (for such they decidedly are) without acknowledging that an obscurity rests upon them which neither science nor physiology have as yet been able to remove. The facts, the astounding facts are before us—we see and contemplate a reality which baffles inquiry, rejects reason, and bewilders speculation.

The interest which these little beings have excited in the bosoms of the thousands who have seen them in the city of New York, has been unparalleled in the history and production of those natural phenomena which have in this or any other age been presented to the world. Such an exhibition is as instructive as it is wonderful. There is in such a presentation, inculcated a great moral principle, which it is to be feared has been overlooked, and which it behoves the Christian philosopher, as well as the learned physiologist and the distinguished naturalist, to consider. The great question in relation to the Aztec children is, for what purpose have they been made the representatives, before the civilized world and the American republic, of a supposed or unknown race, yet in ignorance, superstition and moral degradation? Are there no moral purposes in the just government of the Deity to be accomplished by such a revelation? If there yet exists such a race as have produced the unnatural disclosures of moral and physical degeneracy so singularly apparent in the development and unnatural organization of these children, it is certainly the duty (it should be the pride) of government, the boast of philosophy, and the glory of religion, to explore, regenerate, and restore such a race to that moral and mental elevation in which man finds his greatest happiness and his noblest employments.

Such a subject commends itself with an absorbing interest to the labors of the statesman and the mind of the patriot, and should find a ready and zealous advocate in the bosom of every intelligent freeman who cultivates the soil of liberty, or in any way desires the glory and happiness of his fellow man.

The moral regeneration of that country, the very ruins of which have acquired such interest from the pen of Stevens—the exploration of its hidden resources, and its re-establishment to its ancient grandeur, renewed by a moral and political regeneration, would outvie the advantages of twenty expeditions for the purpose of improving the commercial condition of the Japanese, or humbling them into unconditional subjection to the power of a superior enemy.

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=GRAHAM’S SMALL-TALK.=

=Held in his idle moments, with his Readers, Correspondents and
Exchanges.=

The Present Volume.—The volume from July to December, just commenced, opens with great promise in the way of an increase of subscribers; and the press from one end of the country to the other gives us the most cheering encouragement in the notices of the July number. When we determined to increase the amount of reading matter—to give our readers 112 pages in every number—we felt assured that the resources at our command, and the intimate acquaintanceship with the taste of our readers which years of editorial efforts on their behalf have given us, would enable us to present a Magazine of far higher literary value than any which had preceded it. Nor were we mistaken. From the first number of the year, the voice of the press and of subscribers, has been emphatic in praise of our new plan. We have gone on adding attractions to the work of various kinds, and trust we have shown a disposition not to be excelled in the general ability and excellence of “Graham” by any competitor or imitator.

Our change, has changed the course of others, and we feel that we shall do no violence to truth in publishing the following notices, selected at random from thousands of similar expressions of appreciation by the American Newspaper Press.

Graham’s Magazine.—This magazine is last in order of reception,
but first in order of merit. It has some very fine
embellishments, and is filled to the brim with the rich
contributions of the best talent in the country. What a
revolution Graham has brought about in the Philadelphia
Monthlies. “Milliner Magazines”—a soubriquet to which they were
justly entitled, for they did little else than record the
changes of fashion, and furnish sickly, mawkish tales for
milliner’s apprentices—is now, applied to them, a misnomer.
From Graham’s the fashion plates are entirely discarded, in the
others they form an unimportant feature; and these magazines are
now filled with reading matter of an entirely different
character—so that where was once “milk for babes” is now “meat
for strong men.” As this is all Graham’s work, we hope he will
have his reward.—_Eastern Mail, N. Y._

Graham for July, surpasses any thing in its line that has come
under our observation. It is well filled with the choicest of
reading matter and some beautiful embellishments. Graham never
brags about his Magazine, but he is always sure to rival every
attempt, no matter by whom made, to throw him in the shade; he
seems to know just what the ladies want, and he sees that they
have it.—_Lansingburg Gazette._

Nothing but enterprise and untiring energy could produce such a
Magazine—and these Graham possesses. Bear in mind that while
some publishers give 112 pages of reading matter now and then,
(beginning and end of a volume) Graham gives 112 pages every
month.—_Gazette, Ellicott Mills, Md._

Graham’s Magazine for July was duly received. It is the very
best Magazine published in the United States. It cannot fail to
suit all kinds of readers. _American, Albion, N. Y._

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J. K. Mitchell.—The Masonic Mirror for June contains a capital likeness of Doctor John K. Mitchell, R. W. Jr. Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Pa. The many friends of this eminent gentleman will be gratified with this delicate testimony. Dr. Mitchell is too well known as an able medical and literary man to require eulogy at our hands. His popularity as an able speaker and writer, and as a polished, refined gentleman, is second to that of no man among us, and his manly and unselfish stand for the principles to which he is attached, have endeared him to the people. The publishers could not have made a selection better calculated to attract attention and subscription to the work.

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“Knick Knacks.”—Our friend Clark of the Knickerbocker, has in the press of the Appletons, a volume under the above title, embracing the best of the many good things which for years have filled his Editor’s Table and Gossip. That the volume will be readable and popular we have assurance from the avidity with which even his monthly jottings down are looked for. With “the cream of the correspondence,” as Tony Lumpkin says, we shall have a feast of rare wit, with quips and jokes cracking like almonds at the desert of a grand dinner. We bespeak an early copy of the first edition of 10,000.

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=Transcriber’s Notes:=

Archaic spellings and hyphenation have been retained. Punctuation has been corrected without note. Other errors have been corrected as noted below. For illustrations, some caption text may be missing or incomplete due to condition of the originals used for preparation of the ebook.

Page 120, wonderful too see how ==> wonderful to see how Page 126, supplied by Flamtsead ==> supplied by Flamstead Page 126, the satelites round ==> the satellites round Page 130, seventh a moon later ==> seventh moon later Page 163, des lieus si doux ==> des lieux si doux Page 163, copse of chinquepins ==> copse of chinquapins Page 167, Mem. Anne Stowe ==> Mme. Anne Stowe Page 168, buy a gold-field ==> buy a gold field Page 176, _Sqaulus zygæna_ numbers ==> _Squalus zygæna_ numbers Page 177, M. Lacepede, who seems ==> M. Lacepède, who seems Page 179, The knights of Espãna ==> The knights of España Page 180, On the steamer—dampschiff ==> On the steamer—_dampfschiff_ Page 181, It it is one of ==> It is one of Page 181, Turn were they would ==> Turn where they would Page 182, Hermann Weinsoffer ==> Herman Weinsoffer Page 187, a nose rather aqueline ==> a nose rather aquiline Page 187, type of a young frontierman ==> type of a young frontiersman Page 189, The mother’s called their ==> The mothers called their Page 189, gathering at Fieldings ==> gathering at Fielding’s Page 190, slaken his pace ==> slacken his pace Page 191, of the Mississipi ==> of the Mississippi Page 194, maintaing the same course ==> maintaining the same course Page 195, these were decidely ignorant ==> these were decidedly ignorant Page 196, fast as psssible ==> fast as possible Page 198, and walkingly swiftly ==> and walking swiftly Page 199, were upon his trick ==> were upon his track Page 202, groupes of flowers ==> groups of flowers Page 205, Thackary, the flagellator ==> Thackeray, the flagellator Page 206, bran-new-Sunday-silk ==> brand-new-Sunday-silk Page 206, draggled as Mary Mulvaney ==> draggled as Mary Mulvany Page 207, Any think looks well ==> Any thing looks well Page 207, for cloaks are not Bloomer ==> for cloaks are not Bloomers Page 208, recognized as repectable ==> recognized as respectable Page 212, the turban and hiack ==> the turban and haick Page 212, sheeted up in their hiacks ==> sheeted up in their haicks Page 213, frail daughters of Irsael ==> frail daughters of Israel Page 213, handkerchief coquetishly ==> handkerchief coquettishly Page 213, with massive candelebra ==> with massive candelabra Page 213, eve of the eight day ==> eve of the eighth day Page 214, There are no bridemaids ==> There are no bridesmaids Page 218, wha it is like ==> what it is like Page 218, these big istone. ==> these big stones. Page 235, and is every ready ==> and is ever ready