n. "Above all the historical records of other nations," says he,
"the Hindoos have brought forth the best evidence of the highest
antiquity, and the earliest civilization. Therefore the supposition of
those may be correct, who presume that man's first abode was somewhere
in the neighborhood of the Himalaya mountains, which are the most
stupendous on the globe."

The two remaining numbers devoted to Ancient History, will bring us
down to A. D. 476. The author dedicates his work to M. A. Thiers, as
the "orator, statesman, historian, and friend of liberty."

* * * * *

_Lectures on Shakspeare. By H. N. Hudson. New York:
Baker & Scribner_. 2 _vols_. 12_mo_.

We suppose that few of our readers are unacquainted with Mr. Hudson,
the lecturer on Shakspeare, and the writer of various brilliant and
powerful articles in the American Review. The lectures which compose
the present volume have been delivered, at various times, in the
principal cities of the Union, and have everywhere been welcomed as
productions of the highest merit in one of the most difficult
departments of critical art. The author has delayed the publication
until the present time, in order that they might be subjected to
repeated revision, and every opinion they contain cautiously scanned.
Many of the lectures have been re-written a dozen times; and probably
few books of the size ever published in the country, have been the
slow product of so much toil of analysis and research. Almost every
sentence gives evidence of being shaped in the "forge and
working-house of thought." All questions which rise naturally in the
progress of the work are sturdily met and answered, however great may
be their demand on the intellect or the time of the author. Every
thing considered, subtilty, depth, force, brilliancy, comprehension,
we know of no work of criticism ever produced in the United States
which equals the present, either in refinement and profundity of
thought, or splendor and intensity of expression. Indeed, none of our
critics have devoted so much time as Mr. Hudson to one subject, or
been content to confine themselves so rigidly to the central sun of
our English literary system. We doubt, also, if there be any work on
Shakspeare, produced on the other side of the Atlantic, which is so
complete as the present in all which relates to Shakspeare's mind and
characters. It not only comprehends the highest results of Shaksperian
criticism,