In the sentence beginning, "I have said it may be the spirit of the times, for we see signs of it, alas, in Old England, _but there must be something_," _&c._ Mr. Latrobe has involved himself in a contradiction. By the words, "but there must be something in the political atmosphere of America which is more than ordinarily congenial to" _insubordination_, he implies (although unintentionally) that our natural impulses lead us in this direction--and that these natural impulses are permitted by God, we, at all events, are not permitted to doubt. In the words immediately succeeding those just quoted, he maintains (what is very true) that "_subordination_ was both permitted by God in the natural impulses of the human mind, and ordered in His word." The question thus resolves itself into a matter of _then_ and _now_--of times past and times present--of the days of the patriarchs and of the days of widely disseminated knowledge. The infallibility of the instinct of those natural impulses which led men to obey in the infancy {122} of all things, we have no intention of denying--we must demand the same grace for those natural impulses which prompt men to govern themselves in the senectitude of the world. In the sentence, "Who shall say but that if these bonds are distorted and set aside, the first and the greatest--which binds us in subjection to the law of God--will not also be weakened, if not broken?" the sophistry is evident; and we have only a few words to say in reply. In the first place, the writer has assumed that those bonds are "_distorted_" and "_set aside_" which are merely slackened to an endurable degree. In the second place, the "setting aside" these bonds, (granting them to be set aside) so far from tending to weaken our subjection to the law of God, will the more readily confirm that subjection, inasmuch as our responsibilities to man have been denied, through the conviction of our responsibilities to God, and--to God alone. We recommend "The Rambler" to the earnest attention of our readers. It is the best work on America yet published. Mr. Latrobe is a scholar, a man of intellect and a gentleman. THE SOUTH-WEST. _The South-West. By a Yankee. New York: Published by Harper and Brothers._ This work, from the pen of Professor Ingraham, rivals the book of which we have just been speaking, in degree--although not in quality--of interest. Mr. Latrobe has proved himself a man of the world, an able teacher, and a philosopher. Professor Ingraham is an amusing traveller, full of fun, gossip, and shrewd remark. In all that relates to the "Mechanics of book-writing," the Englishman is immeasurably the superior.