Critical Notices [pp. 242-280]

1852.] Critical Notices. 273
N\Tere Mr. Simmons, even now, to break through old habits of cornposition, and look more within himself, for his inspiration, we have
no doubt that he would achieve successes very far beyond any of
those which have hitherto distinguished his career.
The Book of Ballacts. (Redileld.) Edited by Box GAULTIER.
These are rich specimens of rare foolery; bold, audacious imitations; full of impudence and fun; broad, dashing, pert, plausible;
showing up the best of the English bards, in the costumes of Punch
and Judy, and ma king the gravest of the in play the oddest sort of
antics, in a travesty of their favourite manners. Boa Gaultier is
ridiculous, with a grace; and absurd, with the most delightful gravity. Even where he blunders, he does it with so much composure,
confidence and assurance, with such a wagging of his bells, and
such a ludicrous lifting of his ears, and such an impudent leer, and
such liquorish lollings out of tongue, that you forgive the wretch
for his fooleries, in regard to his utter independence of censure, and
clap your hands at his pranks, even where they betray his deformities. lie has certainly wonderful dexterity in seizing upon the cxternals of the great masters of English verse. With the American
he is not so successful, for the reason simply, that, John Bull-like,
he despises our performances. llis errors, in respect to us, are the
result of his contempt: as the gentleman is apt to address the
inferior as Smith, when his name is really Snooks; and calls the
servant ~ohn or Tom, indiscriminately, knowing that he will answer
to any call.
~a~miztie the Toltec, and the Cavaliers of the Cross. By ~W.
W. Fosnicx. Cincinnati: Moore & Anderson. A wild and extravagant legend of the conquest of Mexico, bv an author whom
we suppose to be breaking his lance, for the first time, in the fields
of fiction. lie shows talent, invention, and a just sense of the
picturesque; but he lacks study, a judicious disposition of his material, the care which gradually developes the event, good taste, and
a presiding judgment. The subject of the conquest of Mexico is a
very dangerous one. It leaves nothing to-it so far exceeds-invention. Bird's novels-Calav~r and the Infidel-are also obstades
to the future writer.
Prize Address, for the opening of the Roman Amphitheatre, Mobile, Ala. By A. B. MEEK, Esq. 1852. Mr. Meek has suffered
the public, out of his immediate precincts, to lose sight of him for
-some time past. This is to be regretted, and he is not undeserving
censure for it. We remember him as one of the most promising
of the young writers of Alabama, in prose and verse; possessing a
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