Text: Edgar Allan Poe (?), Literary, Broadway Journal (New York), October 4, 1845, vol. 2, no. 13, p. ???, col. ?

[page 191, column 2, continued:]

Wiley & Putnam's Library of Choice Reading, No. XXIV. Bubbles from the Brunnen of Nassau. By An Old Man.

The Old Man is Sir Francis Head. His bubbles have a sparkle about them which has insured and must insure their popularity. Few books have met with more cordial reception. The author's preface happily conveys the manner of the book:

The writer of this trifling Volume was suddenly sentenced, in the cold evening of his life, to drink the mineral waters of one of the bubbling springs, or brunnen, of Nassau. In his own opinion, his constitution was not worth so troublesome a repair; but being outvoted, he bowed and departed.

On reaching die point of his destination, he found not only water-bibbing — bathing — and ambulation to be the order of the day, [page 192:] but it was moreover insisted upon, that the mind was to be relaxed inversely as the body was to be strengthened. Daring this severe regimen, he was driven to amuse himself in his old age by blowing as he tottled about, a few literary Bubbles. His hasty sketches of whatever chanced for the moment to please either his eye, or his mind, were only made — because he had nothing else in the world to do; and he now offers them to that vast and highly respectable class of people who read from exactly the self-same motive.

The critic must, of course, declare this production to be vain [[—]] empty — light — hollow — superficial .... but it is the nature of Bubbles to be so.

The earth has bubbles, as the water has,

And these are of them.

Macbeth, Act I. Scene 3.