'Witnessing the sight Of that dire disaster, Out began to laugh Missis, maid, and master. Such a merry peal, 'Specially Miss Peg's was (As the glass of ale Trickling down my legs was) That the joyful sound Of that ringing laughter Echoed in my ears Many a long day after. 'Such a silver peal! In the meadows listening. You who've heard the bells Ringing to a christening; You who ever heard Caradori pretty, Smiling like an angel Singing 'Giovinetti,' Fancy Peggy's laugh, Sweet and clear and cheerful, At my pantaloons With half-a-pint of beer full!' We repeat, the 'Irish Sketch-Book' is a _capital_ work, and cannot fail of very general popularity. The author possesses a delicate appreciation of the beautiful, as well as a lively perception of the ridiculous; a felicitous combination of faculties, since the union of fine taste and strong humor seldom takes place in the same individual. 'MISERIES OF HUMAN LIFE.'--Some twenty-five years ago, a work in two or three volumes, under this title, was republished in this city from an English edition. One of these volumes lies before us; and if it be a fair representative of its companions, an American publisher would not find it amiss to put forth a new issue of the book; for it abounds in keen satire, playful wit, and pleasant humor. We have segregated from its numerous divisions a few passages for the entertainment of our readers. A good deal of what is termed 'criticism' upon works of art has lately been expended in this meridian upon an undiscerning and unheeding public; yet we propose to add to the amount, by copying the remarks of one Mr. NED TESTY upon an exhibition of paintings and statuary, similar, we may suppose, to the annual collections of our 'National Academy of Design;' similar, certainly, in many of the points touched upon by the critic. After a consideration of the Landscapes, 'with their meagre subjects, lying perspective, and timid handling; their frittered lights, lumpy shadows, indigo skies, and saffron sands; their forward back-grounds, and backward fore-grounds; with trees and meadows carefully colored from an emerald, and water of such an hue and surface, that forgetting for a moment the season represented, one looks narrowly after the _skaters_!'--after a discussion of these, _en masse_, we are favored with the subjoined 'hits' at a particular '_Family Piece_:'