long the life of man. An immoderate use of ardent and vinous liquors extinguishes life; but small potions of it taken at particular times and seasons is a cordial, which imparts new life and vigor to the system. Early intemper ance usually terminates in death before the man is fifty; and, indeed, excessive pleasures of every kind in early life are peculiarly fatal. Hard-drinkers, though they commence the practice in middle-life seldom attain old age; the few instances, that have existed to the contrary, but serve to prove the truth of the remark.

Temperance in diet and regimen is necessary to preserve long life. Plain, homely repasts, ate only when appetite or hunger dictates, are vastly preferable to all others. I have known gluttons exclaim with horror and indignation against drunkards and tipplers; and yet gluttony is as fatal to life as inebriety. The victims of gluttony are more numerous than people imagine; and it is an evil which those who wish for long life should studiously avoid. Gluttons live for the sakǝ of eating and their "belly is their God."

An easy, mild, and quiet temper prolongs life; but a peevish, fretful, and irritable disposition destroys it. Many who have exceeded the usual term of human life, were remarkable for the mildness of their temper.

Men of all professions, and of most, though not all occupations, have lived long. The neglect of exercise is, perhaps, the greatest error which sedentary persons commit, It should be an object with them not only to increase their exercise, but to devise such as will directly promote their own interest and that of others. They would then have more than one motive to perform it, and of course would do it more effectually. Those whose time is devoted to labor upon lead, tin, and some other minerals are of all occupations engaged in that the most unfavorable to health and long life.

Of literary and professional men, merchants, manufacturers, and mechanics, there appear to be fewer, in proportion to their relative numbers, who have attained longevity, than of the other classes in society.

For most of the diseases to which human nature is incident, the herbs and roots of our country afford a safer and more efficient remedy, than the drugs of the apothecary. Many of those who lived longest were least acquainted with physicians; nature and time, good nursing and attention, relieved them from their complaints. But those who convert their bodies into medicine chests, seldom enjoy health, or live to old age. CINCINNATUS.

July 18, 1823.

Literary Notices.

SOLOMON SOUTHWICK, Esq. of Albany, proposes to publish a poem to be entitled "The Pleasures of Poverty," the price not to exceed 50 cents. Mr. S. has long been known as a writer of considerable merit; and we hope he will receive extensive patronage. The poor should subscribe, for present comfort; and the rich also, for they know not how soon they may want some consolation of the kind.

UNITED STATES LAW JOURNAL AND CIVILIAN'S MAGAZINE.The fourth No. of this valuable miscellany is just received; and contains among other things a review of the first volume of N. H. Reports. The review is quite favorable to the work, and the principal fault to be discovered, is similar to that urged by the writer against some cases in the Reports, that is:-it is too long-occupying no less than 26 close pages. The reviewer says

"With the exception of being now and then a little too long, the cases contained in the volume before us, are well reported; the statements of facts are clear and concise; the arguments of counsel are sparingly given, and the opinions of the judges contain a great deal of good sense, and strong reasoning; and what especially recommends them to us, they are wholly free from all affectation and parade of learning. The judges of New-Hampshire appear to be straight forward business men, and are contented with the possession of knowledge, without idly and ostentatiously displaying it, upon occasions which do not call for it, and where it can be of no possible use."

The reviewer then proceeds to point out the few errors he conceives to be embraced in the work; though he cordially assents to most of the doctrines laid down by the court. These are contained in the cases Thompson vs. Ward, and Peirce et al. vs. Rowe: the reviewer thinks the former would not be good law in England; and this is admitted by the court. But Judge Bell founds the correctness of his opinion upon former practice and immemorial usage in this State. Of the latter, the reviewer holds that compound interest is not legal, though contracted for. That case, if we understand it, does not decide the contrary-though few doubt it might well have done so. These errors, then, are

matters of opinion; and when we discover in the critic some unwary symptoms of ignorance even of the law he undertakes to expound-might we not well doubt the correctness of his opinions on the cases he deems exceptionable? But we have no fault to find with the reviewer: his journal is a very valuable work, and his notice is upon the whole very flattering, and would tend to confirm the good opinion entertained by the profession generally of the New-Hampshire Reports.

A second volume of the Reports will be published by J. B. MOORE and H. GRAY & Co., as soon as consistent with its careful execution. It will contain between 400 and 500 pages, printed in a style superior to that of the first volume.

A little work has just issued from the press at Exeter, entitled," A Book for NEW-HAMPSHIRE CHILDREN, in familiar letters from a Father." Its design is to furnish children with a book well calculated to learn them to read-to give them an early taste for reading, by presenting, in the most easy and familiar language, a variety of subjects which will be interesting to them-and to supplant the use of the numer ous foolish story books, which answer no valuable purpose, except to teach children to call words at sight, without understanding their import, and have often the bad effect of giving them a distaste for books of sober and useful knowledge. The acquaintance of the author with the business of instruction, and his deep insight into the human character, qualify him for almost any task; and, having made a good beginning, we hope he may be encouraged to supply other palpable deficiencies in our books of instruction in elementary knowledge.

Now in press, and will be published in a few days by J. B. MOORE," The Genius of Oblivion, and other Original Poems," by a Lady of N. H. Persons holding subscription papers are invited immediately to return them to the publisher.

New School Book.-Mr. Prentiss, Keene, has just published a school book, entitled "Easy Lessons in Reading, for the use of the younger classes in common schools,-by JOSHUA LEAVITT." Its design, which is to provide an intermediate reading book between the Spelling-Book and English or Historical Reader, seems to be a good one; and its confor

mity to the principles of Walker in elocution, &c. is no mean recommendation. As Walker has become the acknowledged standard of English pronunciation, no book should be introduced or used in our schools teaching different principles. The little book before us appears to have been carefully compiled, is very neatly printed, and will, we doubt not, prove very useful.

FOR THE LITERARY JOURNAL.

Strictures on a Review of "The New-Hampshire Agricultural Repository, No. I. Published by the Board of Agriculture. Concord, N. H., J. B. Moore. pp. 135."

Reviews of publications, when executed with ability, have produced good effects. They have exposed errors, which might have been pernicious; and they have inspired writers with a caution, which has improved their style, and suppressed many incorrect opinions, that might, otherwise, have been obtruded upon the public. If authors expect that their productions will undergo a complete analysis, they will be careful of what ingredients they make their composition. After they have made their best efforts, they are unconscious of many defects; and where their errors are exposed to their view by a skilful hand, they receive an important benefit. One, who reviews publications, assumes ground somewhat elevated; and it is justly expected that he will not only be free from the faults which he criminates, but that he be well fortified, in all respects, against the animadversions of those, who may presume to use his liberty. It is justly expected that he will exemplify the rules and principles, which he advocates; exhibit a good model of style; be sound. in his reasoning; and judicious in his remarks. When he is compelled to use in good earnest, the two-edged knife of criticism, it is desirable that he have it well polished; its edge well set; and when he applies it to his subject, he should not be mangled, but enjoy a luxury in feeling the wound.

The writer of this paper was led to this train of remarks by reading a review of the "New-Hampshire Agricultural Repository." This review, though not destitute of compliments on some parts of the work, is on the whole calculated, as far as it has influence, to bring the Agricultural Board of

the State, and their first production into disrepute. For who would have confidence in the theoretical, or practical knowledge of men on husbandry, who are ignorant of the dialect of their own language, and know not the difference between fermented and unfermented manure e; and " have frequented our free schools in vain?" If the writer of the review was not hostile to the existence of the Board, he was very injudicious in aspersing, at this juncture, their first public efforts for the promotion of Agriculture.

The first objection, which appears in the review is against the appendage of "the address of the Rev. Mr. Moore, of Milford, before the county Agricultural Society of Hillsborough." The mind of the writer of the review appears to be much disturbed to find this appendage to the Repository. He expresses a mixture of feelings, which it is unpleasant to witness. He considers it a gross impropriety, and a trespass upon the public money for the Board to defray the expense of printing this excrescence. He protests against it with no small degree of severity for the following reasons, that the address contains moral and religious information; that it possesses only a temporary interest, and, by implication, that it has no more natural connexion with the rest of the book, than "a fourth of July oration" with "a collection of facts and essays on the climate of our country." Whether the author of the address treated "a common topic in a very common manner;" whether it is "well enough in its place;" and ought to be "bound" fast "by itself," are questions of no importance in this place. Were the writers of the Repository Atheists or Deists, and had they offered their publication to a Pagan community, they would have made no moral and religious reflections from their subject, nor attempted to have made any serious impressions upon the minds of the people at large. But it is ardently hoped that the Board never will be composed of men, who consider the great moral and religious principles, which bind man to his fellow beings, and them to their Creator, possessing "only a temporary interest." Let our farmers cultivate their fields in the best manner, become acquainted with the physiology of vegetables, and the component parts of soils, and their adaptation to each other; let them make the greatest possible improvements in their art; but if they are not led seriously to reflect on the connexion of creatures with their Creator, the laws of nature with the author of the universe, and on their final destination, they are but a superior grade of grubworms, which infest the great field of the world.

The writer of the review goes upon the assumption that