or Lola Montes is a second Homer--the reading
world may anticipate an interesting, chapter of life. No writer is
better fitted for such a work than so profound a man of the world, and
so keen a painter of character, as Balzac.

"The well-known actress, Mlle. Georges, who was in her prime during
the most remarkable epoch of the century, and was in relations
with the most prominent persons of the Empire, is also preparing a
narrative of her richly varied experiences. Perhaps these attractive
examples may induce Madame Girardin also to bestow her memoirs upon
us, and so the process can be repeated infinitely."

* * * * *

AUTHORS AND BOOKS.

* * * * *

Parke Godwin has just given to the public, through Mr. Putnam, a new
edition of the translation made by himself and some literary friends,
of Goethe's "Autobiography, or Truth and Poetry from My Life." In his
new preface Mr. Godwin exposes one of the most scandalous pieces of
literary imposition that we have ever read of. This translation, with
a few verbal alterations which mar its beauty and lessen its fidelity,
has been reprinted in "Bohn's Standard Library," in London, as an
original English version, in the making of which "the American was of
_occasional use_," &c. Mr. Godwin is one of our best German scholars,
and his discourse last winter on the character and genius of Goethe,
illustrated his thorough appreciation of the Shakspeare of the
Continent, and that affectionate sympathy which is so necessary to
the task of turning an author from one language into another. There
are very few books in modern literature more attractive or more
instructive to educated men than this Autobiography of Goethe, for
which we are indebted to him.

* * * * *

John Randolph is the best subject for a biography, that our political
experience has yet furnished. Who that remembers the long and slender
man of iron, with his scarcely human scorn of nearly all things
beyond his "old Dominion," and his withering wit, never restrained
by any pity, and his passion for destroying all fabrics of policy or
reputation of which he was not himself the architect, but will read
with anticipations of keen interest the announcement of a life of
the eccentric yet great Virginian! Such a work, by the Hon. Hugh
A. Garland, is in the press of the Appletons. We know little of Mr.
Garland's capacities in th