The New York Herald Newspaper, April 8, 1875, Page 14

14 THE BOOK WORLD. Deneve almost anything, but don’t ask so much of us a8 that. It ws too fearfully scientific to be apprehended by the ordinary intellect, We wgre not surprised, aiter the above, to Ond that Mr. Fatrfleld regards genius and disease as akin, He tells us biandly that the geniuses. of history have all been the victims of hereditary |For of the dormant sort, Mohammed was . . oe Trying to Explain the Spiritual Hembug Scientifically. subject to epileptic trances; Robesplerre was the victim of nervous disorder; Swedenbosg was troubled in the same way. The matter with Scott, Dickens, Poe, Hawthorne and Victor Hugo was “a larvated form of nervous perversion.” The truth 1s, there is nothing half so sweet in life as an attack of epilepsy. To be a genius one must be the victim of nervous perversion. if you huve @ small quantity of hereaitary neurosis in your sys- tem your future is secure; busif you are healthy, then you are doomed. We have read this little book with interest, but without accepting one statement in ten, The @ulnor may have arrived at @ setentitle explana- tion of the phenomena of modern Spiritualism, but let us pray that he has not done xo, for the explanation is $0 much worse than Spiritualism end 60 much harder to understand that we shoulda fear a fatal cerebral excitation as the result. ‘THE ISLAND OF Fins. By Rev, P. O, Headley, ton: Lee & Shepard, A great deal has heen said about Iceland lately, and the expedition to the millennial jubiice of last August has awakened a new interest ina spot which one shivers to think of, but which seems to be heated by an inexhaustible amount of combustion, which uses Hecia as a kind of chim- ney through which to emit its smoxe and cinders, Mr. Headley’s book is very evidently a hasty pro- duction, and not the result of long-continued and patient study. One gets the Impression that It was written, not so much because the sutjoct lay heavily on the author’s heart and must be pnt into print, even at a pecuniary loss, pnt rather be- cause the times suggested that some such book would find a ready sale. It will not, therefore, have any especial value asa work oI reference, but will undoubtedly subserve a purpose by giving to the general reading pubiic a pleasantly written account of an island witich is sarrounded by ro- mance and icebergs. By the way, can it be possible that the tabulated thermometric changes are given correctly by Mr, Headiey? Have we not always gaid, from our youth up, as We siivered in Lhe coldest day of the Season, ‘as cold as Iceland?” And nas not Ice- jana been Lhe synonym for the superlative degree of colat Have we not imagined the citizens of that far.of realm bandled up in turs, while their blood slowly congealed, and the mercury in the thermometer {roz: solid ? Well, we have thrown away siarge quantity of sympathy. Iceland en- Joys a January temperature niguer than our New Yorkers have bad during the lust month, Mr, Headley says:~ So extravagant are the ideas of many of the citmate that we Copy a page irom a journal of the year 1810, Which gives the dally temperature of weather for the mouth Of January of one ot the severest winters ever Kuowa on the island, when lcebergs 80 beleaguered If that the open Bea could Dot be seen from the tops Of the mighest accessibio moun tains, Then ‘ollows for January 1 a record of 44 degracs, for January 2, 43degrees, &c, These were the two warmest days of the mouth; while on the 28th tue mercury fell to 8 degrees, which waa the coldest day of the season, During most of the mouth the mercury stood at 3€ und 37 above zero, a degree of cold which can easily be endured with a good overcoat, Jt i8 @ iittie curious that we New Yorkers would be the gainers by excuanging our moutns of January and February for ihe ordinary Januaries and Februaries of Iceland, and that this yeur, at least, we have suffered more with pitrer coid than our far-olf selyhvors generally do at the same season. It was not because of the cold there, but rather the poverty of the soll, that the unfriendly Danes used to say, “God made the rest of the world, but the devi! made Iceland.” The isiand contains about 49,000 square miles of territory, three-fourths of which remain an unin- habited solitude, Here the thunder of conval- sions and of the fall of the avalanche, with the woir ol the raveo's wing, are the only sounds that break the siience of a smoking waste of mountains, chasms, caverns, lakes and rivers. In 866 Floki Rafua, a descendant of the founder of Norway, Was Seized Wiha des.re to emigrate to iceland, He. gathered his family and flocks together, andembarked, But, accustomed es ho was to roughing it, his brave heart sank within him during the second winter of his stay, and, thoroughly homesick, he started for fatherland. He called the imhospitavle spot Isiand, waicn in bis own tongue was Icoland, In 80 ingolf, threatenea with veugeance by the kindred of a man whom he had siain, spent a winter in Iceland and !iked 1t so well taat on his return to Norway he raised @ colony for the pur- pose Of a permanent settiement of the island, His enterprise Was a success, 40d in the course of 100 years Iceland was a flourishing Republic, witn ita Aithing, or general assembly, aud ite Kvidr, or THE ISLAND OF FIRE the Precious Metals Amon Ancients. THE LOST GOSPELS. Growls and Chats About Re- cent Fiction. Bos- A BUNCH OF NOVELS DISSECTED. “fen Years WITH Spiairval Mevroms. By Francis Gerry Fuirfielu. D. Appleton & Co. We have been lead by an increasing curiosity to acquaint ourselves with everything that can be Classified as the literature of Spiritualism. With equal avidity and ardor we have read volume after volume against aud volume alter volame lor the new idnaticism, Itia nota little remarkaple that a phase of faith which afew years ago was known only a3 an intermittent fever of past his- tory should claim its millions of adherents, and these not among the poor and illiterate only, but also among the rich and refined, This phenome- non of rapid growth has not yet been satisfactorily explained. It would seem to a casual observer that there must needs be more than mere chica- nery in a theory which Is upheld py Owen and Childs, by Edmonds and Wallace and Qrookes. The book before us, however, proves to the entire satisfaction of the author at least, for we very much doubt the effect of nis arguments on the average reader, that the deduc- Mons Of the gentlemen above named are puerile, and that bis own scientific explanation, by t devious path of neurosis of the dormant sort,’ is the only satisfactory one. If the reader of this Volume accepts the author's estimate of himself he will jeel that he is communtng with one o! the loftiest intellects thathas ever condescended to live among mortals. A writer must be an entire stranger to the rather rare quality of humility or Modesty Who can dispose Ofsuch @ manas faine by a single stroke of his pen, and consign his works to oblivion as “superficial and unthought- fl voinmes,” and who can, in the next breath, ac- cuse Professor Crookes and Alfred R, Wallace of “not @ little scientific blundering in their investl- gat.ons of the phenomena associated with Spirit. Dalism.” Mr. Fairfleld’s voinme fs @ curtosity tn its way. Wt flatly contradicts tie old axiom, “Never solve & mystery by a greater mystery,” for the author fairly revels in the darkness which, with laborious hands, he piles on the subject under considera- | tion, Evidentiy determined that he will, under no conesivabie circumstances, admit that com. munication with another world {s possible, he | accounts (or the paenomena »y such an intricate and devious method of reasoning that you at last conclude in despair that it ts a vast deal easter to swallow Spiritaalism whole, table-tippings, phan- tom hands, maieriaiizations and mediams than to understand his explanation of it What Mr. Fairfield seeks you to believe is, to our mind, in- Quitely more incredibie than anything which the Ditndest devotee of Spiritualism demands. We have no faith whatever in tacse modern mani- festations, and have on more than one occasion exposed the tr ckery of so-called mediums; but the mterpretation of the matter which the autuor Of this volume gives us Is simply the taterpreta- tion of twilight by midnight. In the first piace he admits—something which ‘We do not propose to ourselves unt further in- formed on the subject—all the salient facts on ‘Woicd Spiritualism builds. He does not deny tne so-called phenomena which have excited the curtesity of scholars and unlearned alike. On the ower hand, be adds tue weight of his own per- Bona testimony to the authenticity of some very Startling siatements. He says he bas twice wit- nessed the phenomenon Of a phantom bana writing Messages with a pencil. Let us give the experi- few minutes the medium asked whether any one present had a pencti. 1 (ook a lead pene! irom my vest pocket and beld it iu my band. No pe.son present was within four ject Of the centre table, upon wich ., seve al sheets of ietter per. Pres- | trial by Jury. ently a jumin us vapor appeared hovering - over the peact. It uid not seem to come The pictures of domestic iife which Mr. Headley trom anywhere in the room, but to jorm | presentsare Very attractive. These far off islan- ‘aduaily in its place irom Invisible materiais. | ders seem to have just potions conceruing the Tne nebulary stage had not lasted in excess of two secouls When the lignt began to die ont at tue buse, and a Himy, semi-iransparen' important condi ions of social order, They are a people of happy temperament, hardy in body, = Foren: = <> in tran - thoroughly courageous, and hospitable to a 10. y pula tse. Taki he pencil irom E , my hand, the apparition foated toward the tabie | @earee. Everybody must have #a education in afd Wrote on one Of the joose sheets, ‘i have done | Icciand. Tue school year t# trom Octover to the tug that all presems may Kuow trat Tam & | eng of May, aud during that term compulsory education is en/orced. This was certatsly @ very remarkable ex- . ) OR, perience. fad it happened to an ordinary bnman We have enjoyed this hook, and commend It to the good will of our readers, IN ANCIENT Times, By ‘pier, FP. B.S. B, &c., &e, Londou: Adams & Co, being it Would have afforded conclusive evidence Of the trath of Spiritualism. Wien we ourseives witness anything of the kind we shall stand MANUVACTOURING ARTS dames N Hauiite shoulder to shoulder with the raok aud ‘Tvis i8 an interesting and instructive book, Mie of Spirituausts and begin at once | While its author is not a scooar of the rarer sort, to “fight mit Sigel.’ Buc Mr. Fairfiela was | he is so eminently practical and so painstaking Not £0 afecsed. He thought he could account | with the topic he Is aiscussing that you johow him for the incident on principles thoroughly | without a suspicion and become biassed in favor scientific, He telis us that “the ve-ether pros | of bis deductions. Mr. Napier has had many ceeding from the person of a wediam is suscepi- bie of condensation into 4 nevala, then into a phantom.” Again he says that “this nervo: atmosphere is correlated with light, and suscepti- bie of transiormation into jumunous cloud, into spectral apparitions and other objective phenom. years’ experience 10 matters relating to metal- lurgy, and has evidently given a great deal of careful svady to those passages Of Scripture in which the various metals are meationed, His first chapter 1s on gold and silver, and we coufess toavery strong temptation to break tbe com- ena.” To our minds the explanation is the must | mandment woich forbids covetousness, when he incredible part of the whole matier. deserives the vast quantities of these prectous But the robust logic of the writer ts not dis | meiais which appareatiy could be had for the turbed by a severer test than this. Let us again | askingin tue ancient time, How it makes tue ordinary North American heart beat with envy pa lor sfance given | to read that “it i tradiiionally related hen resiuent tn ‘Ipirti- | that when the Phoulelans visited spain Sde Ol ootee tek ad | they fowad the stiver Im such avunaance that they Plane for a moment, a irom we keys, a8 Mf an Invisible Rand bad | BOtOnty londed thelr ships to the water's edg seept tem, and then ine | insvtument | pnt made thei common utensils aud even anchore Dream’ overt teers wad na uer, Nuetts’ | of thia metal.” Think of sliver ground tackle for FIX feet of 10, Bor did the texumina- | a modern yacht! And the luscious consciousness von Fr t * * | of standing at the tiller of a turee-masted coasting In the course ot the ¢ iollowe “ Gi pitada iu macsans oe eek lowed | vessel, loaded to the water's edge with Ingots of Rova Morician aNd Could Bet possioly have exe- | solid silver, The consequent weaith of some of caced Lie overture; \Ui ol inquiry f ascertaived | tne ancient heroes passes the comprehension of that our as present were acquainted wiih pores + ba tue piece. the Saxon intellect. Haman, the favorite of the How do you suppose Mr. Fairfeid accounts for | Persian King, who was bent oD the destruction of Sli this? Wy, im the simplest way possivie, He | the Jews, quietly said to tae King one day, “it it sayei— | please the sing, let it be written that they may be It was alittle mysterions to me at that date, 1 | @estroyed; | will pay 10,009 talents of silver to the | Confess; bUt ih tue helt of later savesugalion it | bands of those that have charge of the vusiness,* Would hot 4b ail stagger we ii, ater & similar | go uring it Inte the King’s treasures.” Tus is one scanoeé, i should aecer vain 1 hor any other person with & piece drawn Irom & luminous BEvUla; ior, t veither the meaimm | —. ra 2 ane present was acquainted | 0 the first instances of bribery on recora. Haman plano appareytly oy | mast tave had a hot temper, and a very large in- knowing (rom observa- r ton the supertuinan recvilection of previous nn- | CME bay then te cenfif testator se be rp tog presstous appertaibing to states of the | Modern Coinage to AOMething like $15,000,000. Ld Ts 4 should oniy conctude rhat toe | All sis tor the pleasure of butchering the Jews, pediuim bad teard it af some remote & and 7 that it bad Sprung up spouraneousty unace pur The immense quantities Of the precious metals hatural Mervous excitation, which were used im those prodmal days is shown Alter that pothing under heaven can surprise | by the \ollowing passage Irom Herodotus:— ts 1019 80 much harder to believe the statement | And h.. re = vo the temple in Babylon “ t other sheise, Where stands Ja the last parograpa than to secopt the most pre- | tie «od, and near it 18 plac Posverous stories Of the most fanatical medium, twat We canmot ly predict that Mr. Fairiieias’ Do gegen ~ any stress of the imagination it | graine of cweive cubits of solld gold? can be calc ¢ hat, wile generally received a4 | wo wonder it excited the envy Of ail Who saw It, Gatisiactory. To us it seems & marvel that the } Harms Hystaspes Wanted it, but did not dare to Piano should play at ali, and Land went @ large | take it, Xerxes haa’ no such fuotish serupies, for amount of evilence beiore we accept the Jact 49 | be cvnflscated it at once wud siew the priest who true. Butif the time couies when with OU? OWD | stood guard over it. eyes We shali behold that spectacie, bl. will not be w | ‘The abluty of the ancients to work tn precious @atisiactory explanation of the mystery that four | matais ie well proves by tis furtuer extrugs from int the room are acquainted With the OIF | y.@ same writer: “Which the piano powrs out, nor do we ‘hiwk It pos- ‘Thus is the sacred place adorned, and there are fible to account for the puenomenon by saying | also in it muny private afermgs, These ofermus, a it je by indy PAgIIUe Ol stataga, cou. that the woaiem, in some previous Stage. OF Ie ete caps and saered ve mMussy gord, con @xistence (7) had heara the air, and that tt had | BU tuted a proper aint On bie top Deon regroduved by nervaus excitement. We can | Semmes wise) tures woiian stares. a) Joni ter these Coaideabs say, bese tuings were made for 500 talents of guid. And there Was a6 that time o Juno and Rhea, The firat was forty feet high and weiched 1,000 talents, ‘The statue of Khes wes of the same weight: 88 Was sealed on & golden throne, with at each knee and two serpents of aliver, statue 01 Juoo was erect, like tawt Jupiter, weighing $00 talents. She rasped at head with her right fond, and held in her leit, @ sceptre enriched with gems, In the abundant ornaments of the temple was metal enough to pay our national debt, almost, and our only wonder is that we have uot the op- pormnity, like Xerxes, to coin it into eagies, The remaining chapters are on Bronze, Tin, Tron, Dyeing and Noah’s Ark, the last being some- What fanciiul and by no means equal In taterest fo the others, ‘The book is a pleasant one to read, and valuable, not only to the biblical student, in whose behalf it was written, but also to the general scholar, GerrrnG ON In THE Wornp. By Willlam Mathews, LL, D. Chicago: 8, U. Griggs & Co, THE GREAT CONVERSERS AND OraeR Essays, By yaue Matuews, LL. D. Ouicago: 8. U. Griggs These two volumes constitute @ healthy and vigorous contribution to the Jiferature of the day. Ata time when 80 many books of scientific re- search, and such numberiess novels, good, bad and indifferent,- come from the press, it is something of a rehei to get hold of simple, common sense essays like those which Mr. Mathews takes such delight im writing. Tho author’s style is clear and pungent, and his way of putting things is very happy. No young man can read his works without velng ene lightened and encouraged thereby. He 1s warned not to rely upon genius, but to piace dependence on hard and persistent work, He says:—‘Ine enormous labor and preparatory training which men undergo for comparatively low and trivial accomplishments should shame the imdolent and the supine who are engaged in noble pursuits. ATaglion, to insure the agiilty of the eveniag, rehearses her pirouettes again and again, and has to be undressed, sponged and resuscitated ere she is conscious, Handel, the composer, had a harpst- chord, every key of which, by incessant practice, was hollowed like the bowl of agpoon, And yet the cry of most dullards, and of many who are not duliards, 1s, ‘It 1s of no use for me to try to rise; I am not, and never shall be, anybody.’ ” His chapters on Good and Bad Luck, on the Choice of @ Profession, on Self-Reliance, on Money, Its Use and Abuse, are simply admirarle, ‘They are written in conversational style, and every statement and proposition is enforced by plain logic and homely aud ample tiustration. No American can read the essay on “Overwork and Underrest” without being made conseions that it contains a warning for himself, Americans never rust, they always wear. They live at such a ten- sion of all tre faculties that, when they should be “if aud the pedestal aud throne are gold; and, a8 the | tm the prime oj Ile, they have one foot in the grave aud Go to pieces all at o All atouce, ani nothing fies Just as bubbles do wheu they burst. This tendency to rush trengh Ife is well ilius- trated fn the following biographical notice :— Monday, I dabbled In stock operations; ‘Tuesday, owned miidons by aul calculations; Wenersday, my Fitch avente palace began; Thursday, {drove out a spanking bay span; Friday, | gave a magniileent ball; And Saturday smashed into nothing at all. Mr. Matthews ends his essays with these healthy lines from Scbiller:— What shall ! do to be forever known? Thy duty ever! . “This did By many WhO et sleep unknown; mat never, Ne » that they romain saknown us ne "st nor By angel truinps in heaven their praige is blowa— Divine their lob The book is printed in clear type, on rood paper, aud is a credit to the house from wuich it is issaed, Tho other volume, by the game anthor, is called the “Great Conversers,” for no other reason than that ita first essay of forty-three pages is on that subject, itis very pleasantly written aud will be read with interest, The Chapter on epigrams has particularly attracted our attention. {tis a kind of literature which is well described in the follow- ing lines:— The qualities three that in a hee we meet, ait ancpiztam never should rath | i ‘he body should always be lithe and sweet ‘And a stiug should be left in the tail Various exampies of this concentration of wit, satire and sense are given, but none better or more pungent thao the following, written alter .the death of the famous author of “iudjoras,”? While Butler, needy wretch. was yet alive, No generous patrof would a dinner give; Pott, when sarved to death and turned to dust, Presented with a monumental! bust} The poet's tate is here in emblem shown, He asked tor bread, aud he received a stone, Lost AND HosTiLe Gosre.s, By Rev. 8 Baring- Gould, M.A. London: Willams & Norgate, | ‘The investigator who bas spent any time in try- ing to find out the origin of tue gospela and epis- ties wnich make up the New Testawent, and who has surmised that jragments of other perhaps equaly authentic gospels might be discovered among the ruins of the first three centuries, will read this little book With real zest and satisfac tion. It is always pleasant to put yourself into the hands of @ specialist, one who has concen- trated the emergy of years on @ single disputed- point, Tne ecure and critical senolarsbip of Mr. Baring-Goald will not be questioned by any one who is acquainted witn the works that pave previously come from his pen, The enthasiasm with which he enters the domain of fection, tradition and trutn, all jumbled together and making @ chaos feariul to behold, and the perseverance with which he fol lows a trail after he bas once scented it, draws largely on sour respect and coufidence, ‘The differences betweea the apovties who re- mained at Je: usalem to found a Christion Church in the very veart of the Henrew theocracy, and the sturdy apostie to the Gentiles, are made very plain indeed. We have all deen disappointed that there was so little harmony between these two branches of the same spiritual organizatién; but the facts of the case are brought forward wh such care and cogency that we are no longer sur. prised that James and Pavl should have falien into a misunderstanding which oniy the mild and loving spirit of St. John couid briige over, The author traces the origin of the gospel of the Hebrews, the Clementine gospel and what are called the lost Pauline gospels, aud one can hardly suppress & sigh that 80 many invaluable manuscripts should have been lost sight of. Though not to be implicitly reed upon, though embarrassed by traditions and tabies that have little weight, there must baye been much tat let a side hgh@in on the life bota of the apostles and of the Master, The few extracts which are gatnered irom the writings of the carly jathers, passages that are quoted by way of tlustration and attrib uted to these lost gospels, give one a raging aad ungovernable appeil'g jor more. Some of them are #0 contradictory to the spirit of the New Testament that @ Sunday school scholar would see that they are uot genuine, while others are #0 exquisite im semti- Ment and #0 similar to the general style of the Lord that one accepts them without a | question. For instance, Origen quotes tuis paa- sage, probably frou tue gospel of tie Hebrews:— “s aid, ‘For thé suke of the weak I became for the sake of the hung y I hungered; tor the sake of the thirsty 1 thirsted.’” Toiw saymg is #0 peautiful and 0 iustrative of the spirit of our Lord that we are ready to believe in its gen- uiness, Again, these Words are quoted by both Clement and Origen:—“seek those things that are great and littie things Will be added to you; and seek ye heavenly things and the Wings of this world will be added to jou,” The book If of exceeding interest to the theo- logical student and will be read by the ordinary scholar With moro than usual deligat, The style Of the Writer is C.car and forcibie, and one reaas | on and ou, scarce knowing how fast he is travel- ligg, until at last, to his surprise, hy comes to the Word ‘yinis.”” CHATS ABOUT NO VELS. The growler read “Ralph Wilron’s Werrd’? (Menry How & Oo.) trom cover to cover, and tren he ‘aid it dowa, while avmile expressive of both defeat and satisfaction spread Itseli over nia face, | “Phere is nothing to Gnd fauit wite im tuat booK,”” | he said with @ sigh of regret. Knowing whats | | tereibie sacrifice this Concession ust have been | to our Irtend we restrained the Impulse to shout, | “A vietory at last”? ‘Raloh Wittow’s Weird? ta Not, perhaps, a diamond of the fret water, but It | mm parieot Jewel of ita Rin, Ke im Weise by Mra, Alexander, author of “The Wooing 0,” which appeared also in the Letsure Hour serivs. There are very few charactera im the Dook, but these lew are drawn by an artiste’s hand, Ralph Wilton ts, of course, the hero. He is acolonel in Her Majesty’s service and a man who, though of the world, sowed but a small crop of wild oats and had little to regret in his past life, He is heir to the title of Lord St. George and to the old man’s money If, when he marries, he will chose @ briae from among the flower of the aristocracy, Wilton makes no rash promises for he is very much of the opinion that he will end bis days an old bachelor, L’homme propose et Diew @ispose! In the first chapter he meets his fate in a railroad carriage. The young lady, whom he alterward learns i# a Miss Bila Rivers, 1s the sole occupant of his compartment, and he lends her his plaid to sleep im, They have lttle or no conversation until a smash- up occurs and then the gallant Colonel can do no jess than take the unprotected girl under bis care. Be ascertains toat she ts going to+ Nhe Same part of Scotland in witch his shooting box is situated. Ella is the drawing teacher to the heir of Str Peter Fergusson, a poor deformed boy, who ts de- pendent for his happiness upon her society. Wiiton is tnyited to Sir Peter’s and goes there hoping to meet Ella, not that he cares for her at all, on, noi only she ts pretty and interested him. Sir Peter’s family 18 not one to be too friendly with a person in Elia’s position, so it ts along time pe‘ore Wilton meets her. Alter a while he manages to throw himseli In her way occasionally and finds, to his surprise, that he is im love with the girl. He redsons with himself about it, but to no purpose. She, on the other band, feels nothing but friendship for him, and when he tells bis tale of love she is completely taken by surprise. Even then she has to confess that she is not touched by the divine passion. She talks to bim with the most charming natveté that only fans the fire in his breast to an unquench- able flame, In the end—but why should we tell What Mrs. Alexander tells 80 much better? The plot of this delightul story 1s very slight, it is the well chosen language and perfect naturalness of the book that gives the charm. “TUE RAINBOW CREED,’? “The Ratnbow Creed” (Wiluam F, Gill & Go.) has made the growler himself again, “Yeu call this @ novel ?? he hisses in our ear, “What an idea. ‘?he Anxious Inquirer’ would not be a bad title for it, There is very little sugar coating about this book and one does not have to read far to get the dri(t.”” It is uselesa to interrupt this lrascibie gentieman when be is relieving his mind, | staadard of merit.” so we held our peace till he had done and then quictiy suggested that if he nad read the preface he would have at once seen the atm of the book and save himself an uncalled-for growl, “The Rainbow Creed” calls itself *a story ot the times.” It is hardly @ novel, for it has apous as mucn plot as a tract, It isjust What it professes to be—a means of showing to the world the va- rious creeds of Christian denominations and their uncuristian representatives, Some of the minis- ters described are said to be drawn from the Ite, and as Huberton evidently ufeans boston it must be interesting to the people of that clty to guess which is which, The principal character of the book, Malcolm Lawson, is @ doubting divinity atu- dent, wno becomes reconctied to his calling in the end; but he goes through the vailey of tribulation before he sees the light. The auchor of this vol- ume has taken great precaution to keep his name hidden from pubtlo knowledge, and specala- NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 1875--QUADRUPLE SHEET, pratries! Harry is befriended by an “excellent young man” by the name of Oalveriey, who takes him yacnting and plays mentor tothe boy. Al- though considerable of a prig Caiverley evi- dently means well. To be sure, he talke ike @ tutor to his young friend, but that isa small sin, The'scene where Harry and young Greenfeld are acrift on the Atlantic, the sole occupants of the yacht Alarta, is cleverly painted, It is not often that @ man Cescends from Mr, Hamerton’s height to write a book for boys, and still less often does | he attain the success that is acnieved in “Harry Blount.” “THE BLOSSOMING OF AN ALOE.” The Growler does not think much of “The Blos- soming of an Aloe,’ (Harper & Brothers), but then you know what an unreasonable feliow he is. Mrs, Cashel Hoey’s novel differs very little ‘rom the average novel of the period, except In the fact that 1t is perfectly aweet and clean, Anne Cairnes 1s the heroine and is the only daughter of avery respectable man, who made bis money In trade, She lives ona bit of property adjoining that of Sir Alexander Mervyn, with waose daugh- ter she is very intimate. The daughter gets mar- ried und fades trom signt in the early part of tho book, Old Lady Mervyn is quite fond of Anne, and ne Is as poor as she ts proud she deter- mines to make @ match between tho heiress and her son, Davida Mervyn, ‘‘of ours.” But David has no such thought, The truth is he has a wife already. He married @ poor girl that he loved, but has not yet had tho courage to tel! his mother. Lady Mervyn 1s not @ woman to inspire confidences from @ romantic boy, and the old father 1s in such a delicate state of healtn that the shock would be his deathblow. 80 David buries nis secret deep in his own breast. At one time he determines to tell Anne Cairnes all about It, as she 1s his good iriend and a strong, brave swirl, bot for some reason he postpones the evil day and goes with bis regiment to the Crimea. His wife and baby spend some time near Hastings, where Anne Cairnes meets them and makes a water color sketch of the mother (now clever those English girls are with their brush, to be sure), though she has no idea that the woman, Who goes by the name of Martin, is David’s wi/e, Ab, if sie had only known! Mrs, Martin or Mervyn leaves Hastings and returns to London, where she hears that Dayid has been mortally wounded, and she dies irom the shock, In the meantime Lady Mervyn learns David’s secret and comes down to London to upbraid nig wife, provably, but the poor woman 18 dead before she gets there. Sheggthen hires a woman to take the child and bring hér op asher own. As the woman ts taking tho little Lucy home she ts Killed ina railroad accident, and itis given out that the child is kilied also. Lady Mervyn feels like @ murderess tor @ time, but she soon shakes off that uncomfortable feeling. ould think she migat feel like one,’ says the Growler. Anne Calrnes, who, by the way, is the aloo, nurses the fire in her breast and settles herseif down to the life ofan old maid. She knows noth- ing of David's early marriage, Instead of petting @ parrot or & Cat she takes the orphaned caughter of Mra, Allen—an oid pensioner of hers—to bring up, which 18 a much more sensible plan. Fivteen years nave dragged by, and David—now sir Divid—resurns home from India, bringing Cyril Westland, Anne’s nephew, back with him, Cyril at once falls im Jove with Miss Allen, who is @ singularly beautijul girl, and asks her hand of bis aunt Anne. Anne puts nim off until se can consult Sir David. The two old foiks tion is rife on the subject. In the meantime the book is widely read and variously commented upon. In general outline it is simtiar to “Victor Latourette,” but it has not the itterary ability of that book, Itis not, however, without @ certain offuandedness that always insures popularity, “SONGS OF OUR YOUTH”? Our talented Youn? friend, Misa Sotto Voce, is quite enthusiastic over Miss Muloch’s new de; art- ure, She kept us by the piano for a whole eyen- ing while sue sung through the “Songs of Oar Youth” (Harper & Bros.). Miss Voce said tuat Miss Clara Louise Keliogg bad sung “Summer Wind,” “Tne Sky at Night,” “To the North Wind’ and “Pretty Polly Oliver,” and pronounced them superior music. Our young friend was fortunate evongh to hear the distinguisied prima donna in private, a privilege only accordé¢d to a select few. The songs mentioned are all Swedish, excepp “Pretty Po ly Oliver,” which ts old English. Tho collection is selected with great taste, so Jar as the Music goes, but tho words are often very orai- nary. “fhe Sky at Night’? ig almost equal to Schaumann. The music ls simple and passionate, but itis bard to sing with the right expression, for the words do not mean anything. Taken asa whole the volume iva treasare. The songs are of a vastly higher order than one is apt to ffnd in song books. Those from the Swedish are the bear. They are quaint aod original, ana will be a vatua- bie acquisitioa to the music of sue day. “RICH MEDWAY.” : «Rich Medway” (G. W. Carleton & Oo.) is & tale of American ilfe among everyday sort of people, The scene 13 laid partly In New York and partly in Connecticut. Rich Medway is the nero anda pretty nice sort of fe'low, popolar among his own a8 well as the fairer sex. He is rather divided in his mind between two young ladies, Miss Vesta Heath and Miss Shattuck. Not knowing which is the most pleased with his atrentions ne is turnea by @ straw and proposes to one, whom he im- agines rejects him. Taen be trics No. 2, and she tells bim that sues already married, This is some- what of a damper, bat he does not break nis heart about it. No. 1 im the meantime goes to Burope, where she stays jor three years, Tere are @ number of cnaractera introduced into the book of more or less interest. Jack Hil- tonand Kitty Medway are a jolly coupie, even alter they become man asa wife. Vesta Heath, the heroine, is@ young lady who travels on her intellee® You snould hear her discussing the poets, Rich, who makes no pretensions to liter- ary tasces, asks ber ju an off-nand way if sne likes Tennyson, to whic! reples that she does not; “many people like an author who happens to be Jamous, and be being Poet Laureate and, naving attained to the bighest round of the ladder of fame, finds plenty to fall down and wor- ship bim, These considerations do not weigh with me at all.” Her lover is said to have expressed great admiration for the honesty and indepen- de! of her opinion, The young lady, encour- aged by ber listener’s attention, continues: do not think he ts to be compared to Scotr, Moore, Byron, &c., of the past, or Owen Meredith and our own Longfellow, Bryant or Holland, of the pres- eut. Ihave read much poetry, aucicut and moa- ern, and eajoy it a8 I do no other form Of jitera- ture; bot there ts bothing tn Tennyson that fads “an answering chore In my heart. Some of his pest sentiments are spoiled by unmasical repetitions, me tO amount to nothing at all.” Mer lover is a little awed by thi talk, and ventures to say, very lady woulla’s dare to say that of the popu+ Jay, mack admired Tennyson.” “Possibly; out 1 have read mach and thought more, aad eaunot cousent to confine my opinions go the received Such frankness is charming in Oboe $0 young, and the lover is duly impressed, Will think for hom in time to come, The svory 18 made interesting by local allusions, for it 18 always pleasant to be able to recall the scenes one reads about. “SUARRY BLOUNT,? Good books for boys are so rare nowadays that we hail with delignt Philip Gubert Mamerton’s “flarry Blount” (Roberts Brothers), an aavance copy of which Hes before us Story book writing ts hardly in Mr. Bamerton’s tine and this Volume bas more faults shan those writes for “growa ups. However, tts tone ts healthy and qmet and the stylo aturactive, Harry Blount 8a very Wawaa boy, neitver@ saint nor amnner. His sdveutures om land and sea are not impossible and are very graphically jold, Mr. Mamertou's artistic touch is readiy recognized, | Sometimes he gets beyond the depth of {the average boy, but nob olten enough | to be disagreeable, Harpy goes to school, ag every ¢ivilized boy should, but does not hurt himeelf With study. ike Wook be prefers i@ the book of | ature; (hat he stadies well, Boating, hunting, ba play: ny amusement that can be had jn | the open air be is masier of, How such a boy Could Gniay ® tomy over same ol ane Wertern ond he has writtea #0 mach that really seems to | He likes a giri who thinks for nerself, aud possiviy | talk the matter over and Apne tells him what the dying Mr&, Alle old her—viz., that Mary {8 not her daughter, but that she picked her up, a baby crawling among the rains of wrecked railroad train, filteem years before. Anne tells ail this to Sir David and shows him a ring that was tied around the chiid’s neck, David looks at it and says, ‘That wag my wile’s ring; and then be explains his early marriage to Aune, and after putting two and two together they decide toat Mary, whose geal name 1a Lucy, is his child. Father and daughter have a meeting, which is not described, to the Growier’s disappointment, who confesses that he likes to be in at the finding of the straw- berry mark. What is more natural than that, after the good example set them by Oyril and Lacy, Sir David ana Anne sbould clasp hangs over the wasted years? The aloc was a iong time in blossoming, but at last it blossomed as the rose. “VALENTINE AND HIS BROTHER.” “Tne Story of Valentine and His Brother” (Harper & Bros.) is, in our opinion, the best novel toat Mrv, Oliphant nas pot forth. it bas more strength aud originality than is usaally found in her works, The plot ts not particuiuriy startling. You see very soon how it is all going vo tarn out, Iv isin the character drawing thas tne attraction les. We do not think that there is a really poor character in the book. It ts a wonderiully consis- tent story. Each person is tree to himself, Mary Percival is, perhaps, not quite natural; yet upon second thought there are women like her, thougn they are not interesting. She was only a wreck; her le had beea robbed of its sweetness by Richard Ross, “{c is not often that a novelist can approach #0 near to the sensational without touching upon at, It would have been *o casy for Mra. O.iphant to bave made ber story melodramatic. She bad all the material at band; yet she arose superior to the temptation,” says the Growier, who has not been quite himself of late. ‘The gypay woman, Forest Myra, gives the color to the book. itis a little singular bow a man who developed as did Richard Ross could ever have done so impulsive a thing as was bis marriage with the gypay girl, Whether bo would hav: coutinued to love her if she had been satisGed to have passed ber 1i@ with bim in tho realms of civilization is a question. The book does not pre- tend to explain how the singuiar marriage came about; it only deals witn its resuite—Valentine and his brotuer. The description of poor Myra’s entrance into the village la the rain, with ber two boys clinging to her gown, her struggle with her- self as to which of the two she should resign to his noble grandparents, ie very pathetic. But there is nothing 1 the book more béautWui than the love of old Lord and Lay Eskside for their vagrant grand- child, who ts brought to their door in the peiting rain. Row many high-bora dames would have bugged the little ‘ellow in all his mad and wet to their shining satin bosoms ? As the little Vai grew in strength and beauty the old folks lived thotr ivfe over again. But the father was not so well pleased, He hod set aside the memory of his boy- hood’s love ana devoted himsell to the collection of old china and the study of diplomacy, Val was a novie boy and grew into a noble man. There was just enongh gypsy dlood im him to give him areiien, And Dick, the boy who stayed with bis tramp mother, be had less of the gypyy in him than bad Vai, but he was none the less dear tothe woman (ortnat. It was a day of days for ner when her poor Dick and her rich, handsome | Val met at Eton—one as a vagrant and the other ae a lord’s grandsou. How hard it mst have heen to her not to fold him in het arms again! No, | she conquered the longings of ner beart and watched him from afar, And how Dick toved the generous icilow who paid nim #0 well for keeping bis boat; litte did he tnivk that toey were twin brothers. What @ beautifal picture the gypsy mother made a4 sbe stood om the river bank straiming ber great, viack eves alter her gentie- man 600, and how her heart went out to Dick, who had been with ber in ali hor wanderings! It was hard for the tramp womaa to settle herself down and live under aroof, but she did it jor Dick's sake and to be vear her other.boy. Of course the truih comes to light at last; bat how quietiy they all take it! Tiere ts no scene, ‘The gypay Womae's heart boats wildiy under ner brown skin; but she bas been expecting this end, and does not faint wien it comes. It is the most of & surprive to the two boys; bus they also take it quietly, The eiegant and Hon, Mx, Boss avknowl- edges his wife before tue worid; vat does not profess to love ber nor she him, Bach looks upon the other a8 @ creature of another species—some- thing to be avutded. Kichara behaves the best, | tor be is @ courtier. Thev alt go mto Seotiand to | the vid place at Eskside, Myra ia never happy | agaia, The stately old house smothers her, Lord | and Lady Sskside are kinduess itself; but thelr attentions oppress her, One day she is missed | from the house, Hey doys go in search of her, and | find herlying, weak and exsausted, ander the 1 ees 1 hoe force, Sue smiled jual nea on tie <4, two and then lost consciousness, They carried her home and she died while they stood beside her bed. : FRENCH LITERATURE, SOUVENIRS DE L’HoTal ps VILLE DE Panis, by, M. Charles Merrnan, ig a work of high interest, Dublished under the auspices of M, Plon, Tha author was formerly Secretary General to tha Prefecture of the Seine, and his book 1s enrlehod with a map of Paris on which the late Dmperor Napoleon traced with bis own hands the turthey improvements in the city whica he contemplated when his career was cut short, Some of M. Merr« man’s recolleciiona are extremely curious, H@ tells, for instance, how the provisional govern. ment of 1843 had to issue @ procl..nation ona morning reinstating the old major domo of the Hotel de Ville before tradesmen would give theny eredit for a breakfast; how Louis Napoteon, whem President, tried in vain to borrow a tew thousand franca, and at length told the officers of his own household that he was literally reduced to $2 how Marshal Bugeaud, french \ike, embraced My Odillon Barrot when the jatter was disposed to cede the Premiership to him; bow M. Thiers was frightened at the thought that if he became Pres~ ident he should have vo Wear a military Unitorm, and many other choice anecdo‘es. HISTOIRE DE L’ANGLETERRE, depuis la mort da la Reine Anne jusqu’ a nos jours. Var H. Reyuald, Librairie Germer Balliiere. M. Reynald is a distinguished professor in the Faculty of Letters of Aix. In the compass of 360 pages he has given an admirable sketch of Eng lan history during a century and a half of her cous stitutional existence. The events which led ta the independence of the United States are sum marized with especial care, though it 1s needless to say that American (as well as English) nanes give M. Reyuald a good dazu) of trouble, Thas anold’ familiar name has to be guessed under the designa- tion of “Banker's Hill.” Silas Deane is honored with an additional “s,” and Rutledge with a com- plimentary “‘d.” Again, it is strange to And the “author stating, that George III. named as Secre~ tary for the Colontes “a distinguished officer, Lord Sackville, who had assumed some tiine since ther title of Lord Germaine.” Lord George Sackville, (such was his proper style) was chiefly “distin, guished” for his disgraceial conduct at Minden, Having changed his name, be was now Lord George Germaiue, though subsequently createa Viscount Sackville, not without murmurs among Uhe poers at the elevation to their order of & man, who had incorred the stigma of cowardice. BOOKS RECEIVED. FROM SENATOR PATTERSON, WASHINGTON, D. 0, Acts and Kesolutious of the United States of America Passed at the First Session ef the Forty~ third Congress. ‘ Annual Keport of the Citef of the Bureau of Sta! tistics, Commerce and Navigation, 1873, United States Geological Survey of Montana, Idano, Wyoming and Utab, 1872, Hayden, Report of Explorations and Surveys for a Sbip Canal, Isthmus of Darien, Navy Department. Message and Documents, 1873-74, . Commercial Relations, 1873, FROM D. APPLETON & CO., NEW YORK. Astronomy. By J. Rambosson, Heredity; a Psychological Study of Its Phonome, ena, Laws, Causes and Consequences. From the French of Th. Ribot. Natural History of Man. By A. De Quatrefages, Science of Music. By Sedley Taylor. , What is Music? L. L. Rice. FROM JAMES MULLER & CO., NEW YORK A History of the Four Georges. By Samuel M, Scnmucker, Thinks-I-To-Mysells Comico Tale. The Romance of a Poor Young Man. Feuilet. ‘The Eptenrean, By Thomas Moore. Drawing for Young Chiidren, FROM WARPRR BROTHERS, NEW YORK ‘The Story of Valentine and His Brother, By Afra, Oiuphant. Love's Victory. By B, L. Farjeon,’ PROM G. P. PUTNAM'S SON, NEW YORK. The Maintenance of Heaith, By J. Milner Foibergul, PROM J. A. MIGER, NEW YORK. The Men of 48. By Colonel James F. McGee. PROM P. O'SUBA, NEW YORK, Criterion; or, How to Detect Error and Arrive atTrath., By Rev, J. Baimers. FROM SHELDON & 00, NEW YORK, Types and Emblems. A collection of sermons, By ©, B. Spurgeon. PROM &. P. DUTTON & CO., NEW YORK, ‘The Parting Words of Adolph Monod to Mig Friends aod the Churcn. THE DE&PAR' @ Serio-Ludrico, Tragica+ Ry Octavé, 8, FIRE COMMISSIONTRS, Ata meeting of the Fire Commissioners yester day, Foreman Joseph GriMta, of Engine Company No. 9, was transferred to the command of the new steamboat Willam F, Havemeyer, now in process of cons'ruction at Cainden, N. J., and intended to cruise about the water front of the city for the protection of the wharves and shipping, a daty now periormed by the Faller. Tne new boat will be completed in two or t weeks. Mr, Griffith has been for.some time in Cam superinten ding her constraction, and she will be adorably dited jor the duties required of her, Bewjamin C, Bamp- lon Was appointed her engineer, Foreman Krv, of Engine Company No. 23, was transierret to No. 9 to till the Vacdacy cause by tue appointigent of Fureman Grillita, THR PARK COMMISSIONERS . held their regular meeting yesterday, but nothing beyond the route business connected with main- tenance was transacted. The Commission is patiently waiting the action of the Legisiatare, in order thatit may enable it to carry out the works by law placed within iis charge, and to- ward which itis now unable todo anything for want of the required funds. President Stebuias esterday Stuted to the HERALD representative, That ine means at their disposal was Never 40 limited, being barely eqnaito maintain, and of course notiiug could be done in the way of cons siraction, At tie sume time tue demand for labor Was hever #0 great, large numbers of peapie being in @ sudferiug Coudition through enforced idieness, Meentime the necessary arrangements are being made to place the parks and ower piaces under their control in thorough order, CHARITIES AND CORRECTION, At the meeting of the Commissioners of Charb ties aud Correction held y iny the Invitattos of Manager Samuel MH. Hurd, the philanthropic munager of Birnum’s Hippodrome, to the children on Raadail’s Island to attend « periormance at thas place of amusement, was considered and accepted ior Friday aiternoon vext. Tne eniidren, nambering some 600, will be brought to the foot y-Sixth street on that Gay by the steamer whence the older boys Will march to tae Hippodrome, walle the giris and smatier children Of voUn sexes WIL be Carried ta Wagons belonging tw departinent. Commiesiouer Brennan offered the ivlluwing resolution, watch wau adopted — Regul ved, Board be ani are hereby ex ato Mr, Hurd nager of Baynun’s Mippodrome, for his generous davitation to the children ut the thanks of of Hanaui’s land to witness the performance in Uiat evreus om Pred. allernown eae MEETING OF POLICE BOARD, The Board of Police Commissioners held a short Kossion yesterday afternvon, transacting umun- portant routine business, The fojiowing were appointed patrolmen:— Emil stag, Jovn rrai James Kiela, Aivert heed, Vite Keis @ad Jawes Ready. A communicalion Was received from the Chiet Engineer of tac Saottary Board reporting the condition Of the boliers of the Ponce VOXt Se: the seme having been revaired ant @ resotutio: ordering steam to be again osed on ib was adopied, SI. PATRICK'S GRAVE. (From the Pali Mali Gazette, March 26.) We are informed that Mr, Mulholland, a largo landed proprietor im tue neighborhood of Down. patrick, Ireland, 15 about to erect in that city @ Mentorial to commemorate the good deeds per- | formed by the patron amat of ireland, St. Patrick, Mr. Heory Ficunell drew attention some time siuce to the wiagracelai condition 1a whieh the reputed grave of the saint Was Kept, and suggested, | that @ puole saoseript ou showd be raised With the view ot OF ng ® suitacie monnment, It | we uuderatand. Mr, Mulbvilaud’sateauen tO | the Whale Gost Of Khe Work. ‘