CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S JOURNIES TO THE POLAR SEAS*.
LITERARY SPECTATOR.
FRom a quarter where it could least have been expected, an example has been set of preferring to accommodate the wants of the intelligent .many, rather than the wealthy few. Into how many families, into the hands of how many ardent youths, will this little jewel of a book penetrate, where the bulky quartos which first recorded the adventures and sufferings and discoveries of Captain FRANKLIN, could never by any possible chance make their way. Mr. MURRAY has the distinguished honour of first making the sacrifice of selling a work of four guineas in price for twenty shillings ; and that too in a form, whether for commodiousness of size, beauty of type, paper, or engraving, we should positively prefer to the larger and more ambitious publication. The voyages or journies of FRANKLIN are well chosen for the commencement of an admirable plan : they combine that mixture of instruction and interest which has exalted the modern book of travels to the highest rank of literature. They are full of danger and difficulty, of obstacles nobly overcome, of sufferings patiently and piously borne ; they communicate new views of nature both by pencil and pen ; and the heroes of the story are persons of such courage, such amiability, such tried fortitude, such thorough constancy in scenes that try pour human nature to the very utmost stretch, that it is impossible for either young person or old to read their story with- out eagerness, or without improvement, or without admiration. We may challenge the whole circle of this charming class of publications to produce scenes of more breathless interest, of a more edifying character, than the narrative of FRANKLIN'S sojourn at Fort _t•;nterprise, or than RICHARDSON'S account of the last days of poor Lieutenant Hoop.
If instead of novels of trash, too often—of souvenirs composed of the most ephemeral productions, containing little entertainment, less instruction, none of which make an impression of a week upon the mind of the reader—we could persuade good people to exchange as presents, and store in their little libraries such works as this, we should look upon ourselves as so far the benefaotors of our countrymen: as far as an ardent wish can go, we must claim the merit of so much patriotism. Next to the Travels of MuNoo PARK, let all persons who wish for a month of happy winter evenings, place the Polar Journies of FRANKLIN.
We are glad, very glad, that Mr. MURRAY is proceeding with this plan: we observe a list at the end of the book, of similar pub- lications of great merit in point of subject; of the execution we shall have to speak hereafter.
* Journey to the Shores of the Polar Sca, in 1819-20-21-22, with a Brief Account of the Second Journey in I825-26-27. Ey John Franklin, Capt. R.N. F.R.S. and Commander of the Expedition. -I vols, with plates. London, 1820. Murray.
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