ications without creating an incongruous feeling. The
dedication is as honorable to the poet as to the painter. Had all
dedications been occasioned by such feelings as gave birth to this, these
graceful and fitting tributes of affection and gratitude would never have
dwindled away to the cold and scanty lines, like an epitaph on a charity
tomb-stone, in which they appear, when they appear at all, in most modern
books.

THIRTY YEARS PASSED AMONG THE PLAYERS IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.
Interspersed with Anecdotes and Reminiscences of a Variety of Persons
connected with the Drama during the Theatrical Life of JOE COWELL,
Comedian. Written by himself. In one volume, pp. 103. New-York: HARPER
AND BROTHERS.

Of all the pages in English memoirs, none are so rich in humor and various
observation as those devoted to the players. CARLYLE somewhere says, that
the _only_ good biographies are those of actors; and he gives for a reason
their want of respectability! Being 'vagabonds' by law in England, the
truth of their histories he tells us is not varnished over by delicate
omissions. The first branch of this assumption is certainly true, whatever
cause may be at the bottom of it; and Mr. COWELL, in the very entertaining
volume before us, has added another proof of the correctness of Herr
TEUFELSDROeCKH'S flattering conclusions. His narrative is rambling,
various, instructive, and amusing. He plunges at once _in medias res_; and
being in himself an epitome of his class; of their successes, excitements,
reverses and depressions; he paints as he goes along a most graphic
picture of the life of an actor. We shall follow his own desultory method;
and proceed without farther prelude to select here and there a 'bit' from
his well-filled 'budget of fun.' Let us open it with this common portrait
of a vain querulous, complaining Thespian, who is never appreciated, never
rewarded:

'I was seated in the reading-room of the hotel, thinking away the
half hour before dinner, when my attention was attracted by a
singularly-looking man. He was dressed in a green coat,
brass-buttoned close up to the neck, light gray, approaching to
blue, elastic pantaloons, white cotton stockings, dress shoes,
with more riband employed to fasten them than was either useful or
ornamental; a hat, smaller than those usually worn, placed rather
on one side of a head of dark curly hair; fine black eyes, and
what altogether w