We have long felt impressed, that the organization of our colleges is defective in this respect. Into many of them the student is received, after having been employed in scraping together a few Greek and Latin words and phrases; yet lamentably ignorant of the literature, structure, and even of the commonest principles of the orthography of his own tongue. Such a chair ought to be established in all our universities, and a certain degree of proficiency in the subjects embraced by it, should be a preliminary to every collegiate attainment. It would be an instructive and delightful study to trace back, as far as possible, the language of Britain to its aboriginal condition, and to follow up the changes impressed upon it, by the Celtic, Gothic, Roman, Saxon, Belgic, Danish, and Norman invaders; the investigation being accompanied with elucidative references to the literature of the different periods. The poetry, romances, and the drama would constitute inquiries of abundant interest and information. To these might be added didactic and rhetorical exercises for improving the student in the practice of writing--not merely accurately, but elegantly and perspicuously. Such a professorship has been wisely established in the University of London; and we trust the new University of New-York will follow the good example. If we may judge, indeed, from the ungrammatical and inelegant Journal of the Convention, an attention to this subject is as much needed there as elsewhere; and were the professorship in the hands of an accomplished individual, it could not fail to improve the literary taste and execution of the community. [Footnote 1: Memoir, Correspondence, &c. Vol. IV. P. 387.] [Footnote 2: Ueber die verfassung und verwaltung deutscher universitaten. Göttingen, 1801-2.] [Footnote 3: Quarterly Review, Vol. XXXVI. P. 229.] ART. II.--_The Life and Times of His Late Majesty, George the Fourth: with Anecdotes of distinguished Persons of the last fifty years._ By the Rev. GEORGE CROLY, A. M. London: 1830.