The New York Herald Newspaper, January 20, 1879, Page 8

8 LITERATURE. Latest Biographies--Sydney Dobell, Rob- ert Dick and Samuel Johnson. pe SAAS THE BRITISH een. STAGE, Travelling by System—A Geologist's Guide Book—Winter Resorts. Local American Iistories---Brazil---Voiee and Action---Coal---The Telegraph. —--+— LIFE OF SYDNEY DOBELL, The life of Syduey Doboll was singularly unevent- ful, yet an English writer has managed to make two large volumes out of it that are full of interest. The work is devoted principally to the circumstances at- tendant on the mental development of Dobell. As the editor of these volumes says, the personality of Sydney Dobell so far transcends the outward results of his literary activity that it seems more than usually desirable to attempt some record of his ca- weer. Sydney Thompson Dobell was born April 5, 1824, &t Cranbrook, Kent, England, His father was a hide merchant, but a man of sone literary ability as well, And was distinguished for his inborn refinement and culture, His ancestors on both sides were of strong religious faith, and his mother’s father was the founder of a primitive Christian church in London. Bydney was regarded by both his parents as having 8 special and almost apostolic mission. He was are. markably precocious child, and his precocity was over- stimulated. At the age of four he began making rhymes and at seven he kept a commonplace book. Before he was twelve he wrote sonnets tothe girl who ultimately became his wife. About this time he entered as aclerk in his father's count- ing house at Cheltenham, a business utterly distaste- ful to him, but which he followed conscientiously. Outside of business hours he received lessons in French, Latin and Greek, studied law and wrote poetry. From the busy counting house he used to go @own into the country to visit at the home of his Deloved. He was a passionate lover of the country, as proven in his poems, in one of which he sings the delights of a village life:-— A village home, a village home, With a village stream and tree, ‘Where the hearts are clean and the graves are green, Oh, a village home for me! ‘The terrible strain upon his mental faculties told upon aconstitution never robust, and he had to lay aside pen and books and retire to the green fields he loved. At the age of twenty he marriel Miss Emily Fordham, his first and only love. Worldly prospects were not brilliant on either side, though be had enough to keep them from want. His literary activity began in the year 1849 ina lovely old house at the foot of the Cotswold Hills, where he lived five of the pleasantest years of his life. “The Roman” was finished and ‘Balder” chiefly written and a good deal of other literary work done during his residence at “Coxhorne;” but business was not neglected for literature, which, it was always an arti- cle of his creed, should never be adopted as a bread- winning profession. In writing to a friend he says:— Poetry should roll from the heart as tears from the eyes—unbidden, and only then.” The publication of “The Roman” brought him at once into notice, and he was flatteringly received by the critics. Among other kind letters he received one from Mazzini, in which he says:—"You have written about Rome as I would had I been born a poet. Dobell was a warm admirer of Charlotte Bronté before the world at large had come to acknowledge her genius, and he wrote an appreciative article in the Palladium on Currer Bell, which is reprinted in this biography. Miss Bronté wrote to her friend Harriet Martineau after reading it and her letter is published here, In it she says:— Did Mr. Dobell possess Prince Ali's ivory tube, and could he with its aid see Currer Lell ‘sometimes mending a stocking or making a pie in the kitchen of an old parsonage house in the obscurest of York- shire villages, I am afraid the young poet would “fold his silver wings” over his offended eyes and desire to recall his fervid words, * * * Mr. Dobell tells me to wait and wait. Iwill. Were I dependent on my exertions for my daily bread I think I would rather hire myself out again as a governess than write against the grain or out of the mood. Iam net like you, who have no bad days, I have bad days, weeks, aye, and bad mouths! Later on she writes to Mr, Dobell himself :— Your letter is very kind, your offered friendship yery welcome; but first you must understand me. ‘You say Lam very young. No; I dare kay f people still call me “young” by courtesy, but really lam not, and young I no longer consider inyself, Ifeel sure you Inust be some years my junior, because it is evident you still view life from a point I have long out-trav- @lled, 1 believe there is morning light for you inthe World, a morning feeling of strength, enterprise and courage. Lam a journeyer at noon-tide, desirous of some rest already, and with the dim still time of afternoon in prospect. You think chiefly what is to ‘be done and won in life; I, what is to be suffered. ‘The fullness, expanse aud delight of existence glad- den your mind; its brevity and uncertainty impress mine, Yet this dissimilarity does not, 1 think: pre- yeut us from being friends, and very true friends, too. If ever we meet you must regard me as a grave sort of elder sister. In another letter she says:— ‘Thackeray and Rachel have been the two pointa of attraction for me in town—the one being a human creature, great, interesting and sometimes good aud Kind; the other, I know uot what, I think a demon. 1 saw ber in “Adrienne Lecouvreur” and in “Camilla.” In the last character I shall never forget hor—she willcome to me in sleepless nights, again and yet agaia. Piends cau hate, scorn, rave, writhe aud agonize as she does, not mere men and women, I neither lo estecm nor adinire this strange being; Dut (if Tcould bear the high mental stimulus so long) Iwould go every night for three mouths to wateh and study its » aaitearasions, The working out of Dobeil’s character is graphi- tally portrayed in these two volumes, the latter of which is devoted mainly to correspondence &nd the Bumbering of his virtues which, the writer says, “give the epitome of his life.” Certainly he was a model man and a thoughtful writer, and those who know him only as the author of that pathetic poem “Tommy ’s Dead,” will find the perusal of these volumes well worth their while. Dobeil died in August, 1874, in his forty-first yeur, aud was buried iu the Painswick Cemetery. THE LIVE O¥ ROBERT DICK, “Robert Dick, Baker, of Thurso, Geologist and Botanist,” by Samuel Smiles, LL. D. (New York, Harper & Brothers, 1879), is a volume for which a wide popularity may safely be predicted. Dr. Smiles as made a specialty of the portrayal of the pictur- tsque incidents of self-education, and his works, “Self-Help” and “Lives of the Engineers,” have be- tome classic in many languages. His last work prior to tho present one was ou a kindred subject, giving the biography of 4 stil! living Scoteh naturalist, the shoemaker, Thomas Edward, who has become quite Scelebrity and hus been placed beyond the risk of suffering by 4 well merited pension, In the present instance Dr. Smiles’ hero is a still more remarkable ian, who died twelve years ago, so that his biography cannot be considered as premature, Lhe career of Robert Dick was one that well deserved to be nar- rated, and Dr. Siuiles has rendered good service in compiling from the scanty memorauda at his dis posal this very readablo and interesting volume, Robert D the hero of this volume, was born at Tullibody, Cle unanshire, Seotiand, in January, ISL1, and settled at Cuithnoss, as a journey- man baker, iu the summer of 1540, ‘Thurso is the portherumost town of Creat Britain, within sight of Orkney, aud only a short distance from the green mounds which mark the sito of John o’ Groat's house. The village and port was chiefly indebted for its prosperity to 4 on sbrated wan, Sit John Sin- clair, born in ‘Thu Castle in 1754, who became widely known as @selontific agriculturist and statis ticiau, and carried on an extended correspondence on wrivuilural subjects with General ington, @ (act of which De, Siniles is a ignorant, though the letters exchanged ave throe times been printed, once in an engraved facsimile. Miss Guth. NEW YORK HKEKALD, MONDAY, JANUARY i +§ known as authors, were his children, Robert Dick became so versed in the geology, min- eralogy, palwontology and botany of that bleak, wild Norse region that he was able to instruct the Director of the Geological Survey, Sir Roderick Murchison, on important points, as was handsomely avowed by that scientist in 9 Presi- dential discourse at the Leeds meeting of the British Association in 1858, Dick wax 4 constant correspond- ent of the late Hugh Miller, with whom he had wany points im common, He was of a reserved disposi- tion, averse to Bewspaper renown and to all assump- tions of scientific prominence, and died almost un- noticed at Thurso, December 24, 1866. Trne, his death was sympathetically referred to by Sir Rod- erick Murchison in the preface to new edition of his “Siluria,” but the British public does not readily tuke note of incidental reference, and it was left to Dr. Smiles, after the lapse of years, to place this remarkable career in the light in which it will surely be regarded vy the future historian of science, The book is well illustrated and written in a most sympathetic and appreciative spirit. SAMUEL JOHNSON. E.'T. Mason has edited for Harper & Brothers a kaleidoscopic sort of a volume, which the editor states in bis preface is designed to give a clearer view of Dr, Johnson than is to be found in Boswell. Says the editor:—tPhe materials for a highly interesting and valuable study of Johnson might be gathered withont resorting to Boswell.” Yet he hus sand- wiched copious extracts from the remarkable “life” by this writer between most of the quotations from other authorities. The plan of the work is not alto- gether good. ‘Tho editor has quoted from other writers amply enough to show that an original book conld have been made of such material, and he has missed his opportunity of giving distinctive originality to his work by making it merely a kind of olla podrida, with a very familiar and antiquated flavor of the re- nowned Boswell. The work serves a useful purpose, however, in giving to the casual reader an epitome of Dr. Johnson's life that can nowhere else be found in so condensed and available a form. The store of anecdotes recounted within the pages of the book would furnish the editor of Harper's “Drawer” with appropriate material for a long time to come. Here is @ specimen:—‘It was near the close of his life that two young Indies, who were warm admirers of his works, but had never seen himself, went to Bolt Court, and, asking if he was at home, were shown up stairs where he was writing. He laid down his pen on their entrance, and, as they stood before him, one of the females repeated a speech of some length, pre- viously prepared for the occasion. It was an enthu- siastic effusion, and, when the speaker had finished, she panted for her idol’s reply. What was her mor- tification when all he said was, “Fiddle-dedee, my dear!"’ ‘The book has topical headings and a complete and well arranged index. BRITISH ACTORS AND ACTRESSES. An American reprint by Roberts Brothers, of Bos- ton, of the original English edition of Mr. Charles E. Pascoe’s new book reaches us. It is styled “The Dramatic List: A Record of the Principal Perform- ances of Living Actors and Actresses, of the British Stage, with Criticisms from Contemporary Journals.”” The plan is an admirable one, and as the criti- cismg are mostly from journals of repute- tion, like the Athenaum, London Times or Daily News, they have certain authority that makes them valuable, The list is pretty extensive, but it is to be regretted that tho living dramatic authors were not included. As it is, only such as are also actors have a place in the book. For instance, while we have biographies of Dion Boucicault, H. J. Byron and Henry T. Craven, there is no place given to Burnand, Gilbert or Wills. Burlesque actresses are given, but not opéra bouffe singers, that being the point, we suppose, at which Mr. Pascoe drew the line. Not, however, to say too much of its omissions, the book will be of interest to students of the drama in the criticisms on plays which have outlived slighting notices or have dropped into oblivion despite high sounding prophecies of immortality, You can sce what was thought of “London Assurance’ when it was produced in 1841, when, in response to tumultuous calls for the author, Mr. Lee Morton (Mr. Boucicault) ‘‘was led forward eyeing the enthusiastic multitudé with considerable nervousness.” You can trace the artistic growth of such @ man as Henry Irving from playing minor parts in s provincial theatre to the pinnacle of dramatic art in London. VOICE AND ACTION. Professor J. E, Frobisher, long known asa teacher of elocution, has published a new and improved edi- tion of his system of the culture of voice and action (Ivison, Blakeman & Co.), which has been a standard work in its especial sphere during the past ten years. ‘The art of reading has, during the last lustrum, at- tracted very general public attention, and s work at once comprehensive and practical, like Mr. Frobish- er’s manual, merits serious consideration. There exists unquestionably a greater amount of charla- tanism in connection with the art of elo- cution than in any other department of art that can be named. Within the past few years the, number of misguided young persons who have come before the public to claim recognition ar readers, with no knowledge of the principles of artis- tic elocution whatever, may be counted by thou- sands, and, perhaps, throughout the country, by tens of thousands. It serves asacheap method of obtaining @ certain amount of recognition not pro- curable by any other means, and the ephemeral honors of these platform exhibitions are, therefore, zealously courted. Ageneral diffusion of the ideas promuigated by Professor Frobisher would render most of such in- flictions upon the public impossible, for the public would be enabled to judge for itself, by a fixed standard, of the measure of artistic excellence of such aspirants for elocutionary fame, most of whom are the veriest bores imaginabie, There exi: unques- tionably the need for @ radical reform in the elocu- tion of many clergymen, lawyers and actors, who owe it to their hearers to cultivate the art of speak- ing. Such # reform may not be accomplished by the putting forth of a book full of such valuable infor- mation as “Voice and Action,” but it is a step in the right direction, and the work will certainly serve &@ purpose in pointing out the possibilities casily within the grasp of the conscientious student of clo- cution. The book is not without its defects, the principal of which is the author's absolute deference to the theories of Barber and Rush. His own theories indicate that he understands the voice much better than these antiquated exponents of vocal culture, and in his next edition he would do well to eliminate some of the quotations froin these authors. Typo- graphically the book looks as if it had been through the wars. BRAZIL AND THE BRALILIANS, A ninth edition of the important work on Brazil, by the Rev. James C. Fletcher and Rev. D, P, Kidder, which was first published in 1857, has been issued by Little, Brown & Co., of Boston. A respoctable amount of original matter has been added to the book, bringing it historically down to date, while ex- tonsive data in regurd to the commerce of Brazil down to the beginning of 1878 renders it additionally valuable, All the old features of the itineracy through the great Eimpire have been preserved, and though an outirely new work would have been preferable, this edition of a work which, whatever its occasional narrowness of view, has enjoyed twenty years popu- larity is welcome just now. Our traders, merchants and manutacturers who need information concerning this great market which the United States should aim to supply instead of allowing England almost undisputed control will find a good deal to assist them in thie volume. In view, however, of the at- tention which is now directed to the trade of South America it would seem worth while to have # work treating the matter exhaustively «pecially prepared. Many new illus- trations are added to this edition of Messrs. Flotchor aud Kidder’s book. It is suggestive to compare the portrait of the “great hearted ruler,” Don Pedro Li, taken from « photograph during his journey in Butope two years ago, with that which prefaced the original work in 1867, and Which represented the Em- peror in his twenty-eighth your. The latter is re- tained. Some interesting facts concerning Gomez, the Brazilian musical composer, are given, which @xine Ginclaiy wud Avoudeacon Joka Sinuluir, wel | will prove iutorvsting, and, indeed, as much as poss, sible has beon done to make the old book of con- temporary value. HISTORY OF COAL, “Coal: Its History and Uses,"’ by Professors Green, Miall, Thorpe, Ricker and Marshall (London, Mac- millan & Co,, 1878), is a handsome volume of 363 pages, which originated in @ bequest made a few years ago by a Dr. Gilchrist for the adyancement of technical education in Yorkshire, In 1877 Dr. Car- penter, the Secretary of the Gilchrist Educational ‘Trust, suggested to the professors of the Yorkshire College, at Leeds, the delivery of a course of lectures on some subject intimately connected with the everyday interests of the working poople of York- shire. ‘his suggestion led to the association of the tive professors above named in the useful enterprise of presenting the great subject of ‘Coal,” under its leading aspects, each professor delivering two lec- tures last winter at Leeds and at Keighley, and the series has now been given to the pub- lic under the editorship of Professor Thorpe. The task undertaken by the five gentlemen has been thoroughly well performed, and their volume probably presents the best existing monograph upon the subject within the compass of a single volume, There is material here which will interest almost every one who cares at all for science or for economic problems. While all the lectures are excellent, those which deal with fossil plants and animals, with chemistry and motive power are deserving of especial commendations, It is scarcely possible so to divide the subject that none of the lectures should touch upon each other's peculiar field, and accordingly Professor Green, in his lucid exposition of the geology of coal, found himself impelled to say a good deal about the fossil plants and animals of the coal measures. This is so attractive and so extensive a subject that no reader will regret the fact, Professor Miall goes back to the beginning of geologic time, groups the carbon- iferous or coal-bearing system into its four classes of rocks, sandstone, shale or bind, limestone and coal and under-clay, and diseu ses them in order, He shows the formation of the first three classes by the action of water, the'limeston, being composed of the hard parts of marine animals Life is thus seen to have chronologically preceded some of the hardest and most solid portions of the earth’s crust—a con- clusion as striking as it is unquestionable, The character of the tropical vegetation, which, in carly carboniferous times, overspread the nearby jungles of Northern England, and the nature of thecataclysm which converted the vegetal accumulations of cen- turies into coal is pointed out with great clearness. Professor Miall begins his lecture on coal plants by pointing out the difficulty of classifying fosail plants, and rebuking the haste of some scientists to name and identify on insufficient evidence all there mains of carboniferous vegetation, Hence has sprung a plentiful train of inferences, especially upon climates and upon the succession of life on the earth, which more conservative modern students re- ject. The paleontologist of the present day aims not at the multiplication and classification of species, but at working out in detail the structure of a few types, or of one. Acting upon this wise precaution Professor Miall confines himself chiefly to two groups only of the coal measure plants—the calamites and the lepidendroid trees, including sigillaria, His chief special au- thority is the invaluable series of memoirs published by Professor W. C. Williamson, F. B. 3., in the “Philosophical Transactions” for .1871 and the fol- lowing years. The development of plant life up- ward from cellular protoplasm is shown in a most in- teresting manner and illustrated by cuts of equise- tum, stigmaria, lepidodendra and selaginella, In like manner, in treating of the animals of the coal measures, Professor Miall confines himself among amphibians, chiefly to the interesting extinct order of labyrinthodonts, and among fishes to the ganoids and elasmobranchs. Due credit is given to Professor Richard Owen for his masterly reconstruc- tion of the former order, which is illustrated by comparison with the curious menobranchus now liv- ing in ‘the streams of the Mississippi Valley, and usually known as the ‘hell-bender.”” The proteus and the axoloth are also described, and the archego- saurus is made the basis of classification. Among the fishes ctenodus and ceratodus receive chief attention. The romance of the coal tar products is well told by Professor Thorpe in his portion of the volume, and we remember no more striking exposition of the immense gains to science consequent upon the dis- covery of benzine, anthralene quinone, the aniline dyes, and especially of alizarin, which is justly con- sidered the greatest triumph of theoretical chemistry. The information is brought down to.the past year, and cannot fail to be of the greatest value to all persons engaged in the immense industries bound up with the coal supply. To such persons the lectures of Professor Ricker upon coal as a source of warmth and power and those of Professor Marshall upon ,the future prospects of the coal supply will also be found of absorbing interest. A BOOK FOR SYSTEMATIC TOURISTS AND TRAV- ELLERS. If every traveller utilized his powers of observa- tion in the interest of the sciences the sum of human knowledge would be largely augmented and many important but still unsettled questions would be solved. It is true that, with the facilities now at the disposal of the traveller, in the shape of improved means of transportation, equipments and protection against ordinary and even extraordinary dangers of the journey, the results of travel are becoming con- spicuously useful. Yet much remains to be done in forthulating s programme of observation by which the observation of many will be directed to special objects of interest and so that correct de- ductions may be drawn from comparisons of intelligently conducted investigations. Every voyager sets out with the idea that he will see something worth recording in the course of his journey. This must be so, because we are beginning to lose count of the books written on the personal experiences of travel, Yet there is a singular difficulty to be overcome when one wants to compare observations, and this is due to the lack of # scientific programme de voyage which might be fol- lowed by every one who leaves home, whether on business or pleasure. To supply in a measure this want, and to furnish instructions to those who are not expert, and, we might say, professional observ- ers, M. D. Kaltbranner, member of the Geographical Society of Geneva, has written @ useful book, called the “Manuel du Voyageur,” or traveller’s handbook, ‘The work is from the press of I. Wurster & Co., Zurich, Switzerland, and contains 800 pages, with over three hundred illustrations. ‘The author has dealt with the subject of the jour- ney in a very systematic manner, and leaves little to be desired in his instructions relating to prepara tions. He treats of all the points and plans of ob- servation that are met and can be applied by travel- lers, not omitting practical references to the uses of scientific instruments and the manner of correctly delineating the features of a country. Under the heads of topography, geology (superticial and pro- found), hydrology, climate, soil, flora and fauna, are to be found valuable information relating to the details of each. The inhabitants are treated of under tue heads, populations, races and types, languages and dialects, usages and custome, ideas, faiths and religions, costumes, food, habitations, mode of fe; domestic, social and political organizations; rights and property, industry, commerce, arts and sciences, origin and history. The references are 80 suggestive thata traveller studying M. Kaltbrunner’s book ean- not fail to be struck with ideas of useful observation, no matter whether his journey be brief or extended. Useful tables of meteorological data, weights, meas- ures, &c., are attached in an elaborate appendix. Of the illustrations we can say that they are clear, ap- propriate and exceptionally well executed. ‘To the civil or military explorer this book will prove of great value, because it is unencumbered with matter that could be «pared from its pages and contains so mich that @ traveller wants to know, A GEOLOGIST'S TRAVELLING HANDBOOK, An American “Geologists’ Travelling Handbook and Goological Railway Guide,” by Jamos Mac- furlane, Ph. D., published in a convenient form by D. Appleton & Co,, of New York, supplics a want much felt for a work of this kind. The book is intended as much for those who are not geologists as for those who are well versed in that branch of the study of nature, Descriptive notes of each of the important formations ate to be found in the introductory chap ters, and may be consulted with advantage even by thowe who feel at home among the rovks, Diugse notes, as well as the tabular lists of formations ' throughout the country, are based by the author on Personal surveys, and also on the reports and co- operative statements of State geologists and others desiring to further the cause of science. We find the tables arranged according to States and the chief lines of railroad running through them, Thus each station becomes one marking the extension or ending ofa particular kind of rock, and one can hold this guide book when travelling and trace the changes of formation from one end of the country to the other, As a reliable means of disvovering, where detailed geological maps cannot be reached, the formations that dominate the quality of the soil in any of the regions north, west and south, where emigration may tend, this “American Geological Railway Guide” will be found useful, To those who care for pure science the work will aid as one of reference, some- thing not to be despised even by those who can boast of very retentive memories. AMERICAN WINTER RESORTS. Appleton's “Hand Book of American Winter Re- sorts” is to American tourists and health seckers what Baederker’s admirable guide books are to European travellers. The edition for the present season, just published, comprises descriptive chap- ters upon the Southern States, Minnesota, Colorado, California, the West Indies and the Sandwich Islands. The book is embellished by numerous illustrations of scenes in these localities, with the addition of maps and such other accompaniments as are to be found in the best works of its class. A BATCH OF BOOKS, ‘The publication of ‘In Paradise,” in Appleton’s collection of foreign authors, aroused no little inter- est in Paul Heyse, the author of that entertaining novel, and has created an audience for anything of his that may be translated into English. Heyse was born in Berlin in 1830, making him now forty- eight years of age. He married a daughter (since dead) of the art critic Kugler, through whom he be- came thoroughly acquainted with artists and artist life, He has passed the greater part of his life in Munich, Besides his original writing he has been sn editor, translator and critic. More than twenty years ago he began to take rank among the best of the minor German poets, He was always, however, a teller of stories. Prose is his most successful field, and his stories soon gained him a high position among German writers. His style is simple, pure and not without force, and he has proved himself a teacher as well as an amuser of the people. The Ap- pletons have just published a volume of his shorter stories. The first of these, “Count Ernest’s Home,” is a study of character, and peculiar character at that. The English woman who wrung her parrot’s neck for screaming from the window day and night the uame of the coy young count must have been more quick tempered than most English women. The next, the “Dead Lake,” is a story of the middle class anda woman who dared. ‘The “Fury” is an Italian story, and “Judith Stern” takes us back to Germany. Each one of those stories, while marked by the characteristics of the writer, has strong individualities anda plot and purpose that ure ingenious and invigorating. «My Guardian,” by Ada Cambridge (D. Appleton & Co.) is the title of a not particularly good and not particularly bad story. There was a difference of twenty years between Daisy, the heroine, aud her guardian. He took her under his protecting care when she was eight and he twenty-cight. He began to love her before she left off short frocks, and by the time she wore a trail he had declared his passion. We have had “A Woman’s Thoughts About Women,” and now Mrs. Hugh L. Brinkley gives us “A Woman’s Thoughts About Men” (Derby Bros. She treats of the dandy, the old beau, the heire: hunter, the nice young man—indeed, she divides man into thirty-six classes, to each of which she devotes achapter. Among the men whom Mrs. Brinkley ab- hors isthe “‘gusher.”” She knew one once; she say: “He was introduced to me on a North River steam- boat. Ere he ended his bow he had commenced to make love.” The style of the book may be judged from this de- scription of a dandy :— Now he waves with his Paris glove a “‘ta ta, ta ta” to some fellow exquisite, and anon, with a jerk aud a twirl and a grin, he removes his silk hat for @ mo- ment from his curled and oiled head to do homage, after the manner of his kind, to some passing belle, and then, with an air as if he had performed the whole duty of man, he wends his winding way on- ward, this paragon of animals, stroking softly and tondly his mustache. “Captain Nelson,” by Samuel Adams Drake (Harper & Brothers), is a tale of colonial days. The scene is laid in Boston, and the time 1688, The author de- scribes the effects of the change of government from King James to William of Orange. He clings closely to facts and displays little imagination. The descrip- tions are historically accurate, and his style is agree- able without being fanciful. His book deserves to take rank among the better class of historical novels, and will, no doubt, command attention from the author's position among New England writers. “The Swamp Doctor's Adventures in the South and West” (T. B. Peterson & Brother) is a condensation of several stirring stories that curdled the young blood of thirty years ago. Mr. Will H. Lowdermilh, editor of the Civitan and Telegraph, of Cumberland, Md., has written an octavo volume of 500 pages (James Auglim), giving a com- plete history of that place from its first discovery, in 1728, when it was known by its Indian name, “Caiuc- tucuc,” to the present day. It contains a full ac- count of Washington's first campaign and the battle of Fort Necessity, a history of Braddock’s expe- dition and of the incidents occurring during the war of the Union. A feature of peculiar interest is the inclusion of copies of General Braddock's orderly books, the originals of which are in the Congres- sional Library, comprising also a copy of a note from General Washington, written upon ® page prefacing the orders of Braddock. The latter indicates, if the printed copy is correct, that the spelling of the “Father of His Country” was not as impeccable as his traditional reputation for veracity. The volume is fully illustrated with lithographs and maps, in. cluding a portrait of General Braddock and pictures of the principal places of iuterest in and about Cum- berland. Mr. John 8. Hittell, one of the Argonauts of "49, has written a history of San Francisco (A. L. Bancroft & Co.), which he has dedicated to his brother pioneers, and which contains some statistics regarding the city and the State that will render the volume valuable for reference. The book, in a literary sense, is inele- gant in style and barren of any descriptive merit, but the author seems to have been well satisfied that he was the man of men to write such a work, and he devotes a considerable part of his preface to the elucidation of this fact. Some of the earlier sections of the book read like the compositions of a schoolboy, but when the writer gets further on into the fleld of his own experiences he warms to his work and writes vigor- ously, if not brilliantly, of his interesting theme, We cannot agree with the writer that he was, all things considered, as competent a selection for the task which he essayed as many others who might have been found within the limits of the Golden State, but there is good material in the book which will, doubtless, serve a good purpose to some future historian, “Drift from York Harbor, Maine,” is the title of a tasteful brochure issued by A. Williams & Co., of Bos- ton, containing twenty-three pooms by George Hough- ton, the more conspicuous of which are “Alongshore” and “Niagara,” both of which show the author's un- doubted gift in description, while all the verses be- speak the hand of an artist, ‘There is nothing espe- ciully original about the poems, and perhaps nothing that the public will: regard with any particular in- terest at this time, but if a writer makes good verses there is certainly no reason why they should not be embalmed in permanent form, and these seem worthy of a better dress than the paper covers in which thoy aro put forth, To their Half Hour Series, which now ineludes nearly one hundred pocket volumes of good reading, Harper & Brothers have just added “A Primer of Spanish Litoratare,” which is a multum in parvo of the history of Spanish literature from its rise in the twelfth century to the present time. This is the seventh of the historical primers published in the series, to which it forms a conveniont aud interest- ing addition. Of all the books of the season not one has a name more besutiful or more suggestive than the one now before us. “Golden Thoughts on Mother, Home and Heaven,” published by EB, B. Treat. of New York, di is but uisir to way, however, tiat the 20, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET. volume is not unworthy of the name it bears, It is not an original book, but it is better than original books usually are, for it is a collection of approved literary gems—of the choicest things which have been spoken or written in prose or in verse on these choicest of all theuses—Mother, Home and Heaven. Over three hundred authors have been laid under contribution, and the selections have been made with excellent taste, The Appletons have begun the publication of a series of ‘Health Primers” which, though written in England, are worthy of the careful attention of Amer- jeans, ‘The initial volume is on “Exercise and Train- by C. H. Rulfe, M. D., and contains suggestions which will improve the physical tone of any reader who will follow them, The second “Primer” of the series is entitled “Alcohol: Its Use and Abuse," and should be read by every one who talks for or against total abstinence, or has personal reasons for under- standing the physical effects of the use of alcoholic liquors, LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. Henry Holt & Go. will publish Mrs, Kemble’s “Records of a Girlhood,” in one volume, during the present month, Frothingham’s “Life of Gerrit Smith,” notwith- standing the abuse it has received, has passed into a second edition, Francis Le Goff’s “Lite of Thiers,” translated by Theodore Stanton, is announced by G. P. Putnam’s Sohs. The same firm also announce a volume on “Ethies,”’ by President John Bascom, of the Univer- sity of Wisconsin; “The Currency of the Country, by the Hon. Carl Schurz, being No. 11 of the “ nomic Monographs,” and “The Currency Question, from a Southern point of view, by Robert W. Hughes, United States Judge of the Eastern district of Virginia. Lockwood & Brooks, of Boston, have a little book on “Dress,” by Miss Abby W. May. ‘The authoress is of opinion that if the majority of women should enter heaven their first question would be, not ‘Where is our Lord?” but, “‘What do they wear here?” The February number of Scrilmer's Monthly con- tains papers on the “Great Famine in Brazil,” by Mr. H. H. Smith; the “Haunts and Homes of the Poet Emerson,” a “Symposium on the Chinese Question,” the “Ule Club at Play,” # “Disquisition on Aerial Navigation,”’ by Stedman, the poet, &c. St. Nicholas is made lively by contributions from Captain Mayne leid—always the children’s fa yorite—Professor D. 8. Jordan, of Wisconsin, who will tell the “Story of a Stone;"’ a paper on “Violins and Violin Players;” the beginning of a serial story for girls, by Mrs. Susan Coolidge, and other equally interesting articles. NEW BOOKS RECEIVED. Tho Speaking Telephone, Electric Light and Other Re- cent Electrical Inventions, By George B, Prescott, with illustrations. D. Appleton & Co,. publi jew York. Appleton’s Mlustrated Hand-Book of an Winter Resorts; tor Tourists and Invalids. With maps. Revi for season of 1878-'79._D. Appleton & Co., publishers. Health Priters. Exercise and ‘Train! By C. HL. Ralfe, M.D. Alcohol: Its Use and Abuse. By W. 8. Greenfield. ‘D. Appleton & Co., publishers, ‘ules from the German of Paul Heyse. “D. Appleton & oy ishers. My Guardian. By Ada Cambridge. Illustrated by Frank Dickeoo. D. Appleton & Co.. publisher New and Original Theories of the Great Physical Forces. By Henry Ruymond Rogers, M. D. Published by tho on, His Words and His Ways, What be |, what he did and whut mon thought and spoke con- Edited by E. F. Mason. Harper & Brothers, cerning him. publishers, New York. Robert Dick, eens Thurso, Geologist and Botanist. By Sainuel Smiles, LL.D. Withw portrait and numerous Mustrutions. | Harper & Brothers, publishors. Hurper's Library of American ‘Fiction—Captain Nolson. A Romance of Colonial Days, By Samuel Adams Drako. Harper's Hali-Hour Series—The Vicar of Wakefield. A Tale, By Oliver Goldsmith. A Primer of Spanish Litera- ture. By Hejen 8. Conant. ‘A Now and Practical System of the Culture of Voice and, Action, and a Complote Anulysis of the Human Passions, with an Appondix of Readings and Recitations, Designe: for public speakers, teachers und students. By Protessor J. E. Frobisher, 4 edition, Ivison, Blakemnun Taylor & Co., New York. : honography, A method of short, swift, scientific and easy ulphabetic writing. By James Richardson, Har- rown & Blorstadt, publishers, New York. ‘The Dramatic List. A Record of the principal perform- ances of living actors and actrosses of the British stage, With criticisins from contemporary journals. Compiled and edited by Charles Eyre Pascoe.” Roberts Brothers, publishers, Boston. Brazil wud: the Bragilians Portrayod in Historical and Descriptive Sketches. By Rev. JamosC. Fletcher and Roy. idder, D.D, Mlustrated. Little, Brown & Co., pub- of Spiritual Songs, with Music for the Church wir, Selected and arranged by Ret rlos 8. Robinson, D. D, Scribner & Co., publial L’Art Kevue. Hebdomudaire Illustree. A. teur, From J. W. Bouton, 706 Broadway, New York. Bradstreet’s Commercinl Reports, Einbracing the bank- manufacturers and othors in the United a. Vol. 44—January, blishing Company, BOSTON BOOKS, “(MONALDINI'S NIECE”—THE NEW NO NAME SERIES—ANNOUNCEMENTS, Bosron, Jan. 18, 1879/ ‘The new series of No Name novels begins to-day with “Signor Monaldini’s Niece,” a story so curiously diferent from its predecessors in the series that it might have been written in another world. It prob- ably was written, or at least planned, on another continent, for the author deals with the scenes and sounds of Italy as one who is familiar with them, and paints her Italians like one who is used to such models, The style is more like that of Miss Brew- ster’s “St. Martin’s Summer” than that of any other novelist, and the hero and heroine are divided, as were Luigi Luini and Venetia, by a previous mar- riage. ‘Che spirit of the two books is similar, too, each showing the same deep reverence for religion, and cach displaying that lofty admiration of solf- denial which has almost disappeared from the modern novel. There is # curious likeness in tho sentiments expressed in “St. Martin’s Summer” and in “Signor Monaldini’s Niece” concerning a love which must always remain unsatisfied, Says one of the characters in the former book :— 1 think a love which is prevented by oppositions of sonie kind from tangible, from taking posi- tive form and shape, is to a highly intellestual crea- ture the most pertect incarnation of love. Love that reaches its consummation in this state of being is apt not to survive its own peculiar season, but love which is altogether pure and holy, such ‘as this of Venetia and Luigt, which angels might witness and fovl and which is tree from all_ mortal soil, is immor- tal, and if those to whom is given this divine grace remain true to the gift they will already have in their possession a sweet mysterious blossom which has come trembling down into their hearts trom a purer sphere, in whose celestial soil they shall fiud the roots of that delightful tree which bears fruit and flower and no thorn. re In the new No Name the heroine says to the hero at the meoting which sho means shall be their last: — Do you not know that there is a sadness and pain sweeter than is most pleasure? I would not give the win I have, knowing you, for any doy I could haye Raa, not having known you. Isometimes think that suffering is a better possession than delight, You can hold a sweet pain ail your life, and it may be asa shield between you and every other trouble; but pleasure may escape at any moment. See what pre- cious thoughts I can cherish. Ishall say, I know that he loved me tenderly and he,knew that he was all to me, and that I shall not change toward him, though we should never meet again. I shall say, we were to- gether a little while, meaning no harm, and as soon as we saw that ill would come of it we separated, and it is woll with us. Every day and night my thoughts will turn toward you, blessing you, and t! part of the heavens over your dwelling will seem to me the 18% New York, place whore the sun rises, * * * Do not you see. ilippo mio, that thers will be few married people in the world so perfectly united as we shall be? We shall have entered on the spiritual life. No misun- Gavetan sing | can come between us, We shall live in the region beyond the clouds, It may be that this resemblance is a mere coinci. dence, but it is interesting even if that be the case, ‘The new book relates the story of Camilla Monaldini, usually called De Monserrat, and her lover Don Filippo, who has a wife when he meets her, and whose acquaintance with her is constantly prevented from becoming intimate by the plots of her guardian and the restraints of Italian etiquette, The love that lwughs at lockemiths brings the two together after a time; but they infringe some of the laws that hedge about Italian women and her uncle threatens to turn her trom his house, She gives Filippo @ last inter- view, and just after she has uttered a few words bid- ding him decide what is best for hor she is swept away from him and pluaged into a deep pool beside which they have been sitting, She rises to the surfaco of the water in « few min- utes, but apparently dead, and nothing avails to restore her. Don Filippo watches beside her the night before het burtal, and just before the Frati come to bear her away he receives « telegram saying that his wife is dead, ‘Cho mockory of a freedom that comes an hour too late strikes to his heart. He fails by the sido of Camilla’s bier and kisses her for the She comes to life, however, like other eroines, ‘The only announcements aro Ballantine's “Mid- hight Marches Thi ough Persia,” from Lee & Shepard, and “Easter Hymns,” a collection of translations from Greek, Latin and several modern languages, be- | Sides the best Koglish hymus, FINE ARTS. — PICTURES IN THE MAGAZINES. The midwinter number of Scribner's Monthly (February) is rich in illustrations, which in the main are of excellent quality, The alter ations of the cover suitable to the season have been made by ¥£. 8. Church, A young wo- man coming through the snow, carrying firewood and blowing her fingers, and a crow ou a twig are the designs, The number opens with a fine portrait of Emerson, by Wyatt Haton, which is engraved in a masterly manner by Thomas Cole. The illustra- tions to the article “The Tile Club at Play,” by tho members of that artistic and jovial body, aro, as a whole, admirable. We note C, S. Reinhart’s “The Tile Club and the Milliner of Bridgehampton,’ acollection of fair portraits of the members; Wim- bredge's neat little drawing of “Castle Conklin;" Swain Gifford’s vigorous and picturesque “Morning at Jesse Conkling’s;”’ Abboy’s artistic “The Griffin at Work;”’ Quartley’s admirable “Sod Fisher's Hut on Captroe Island” and “A Catch of Menhaden,” in which the sloop, boat and the figures are finely drawn and the swell of the water well rendered; Abbey's comical, ‘Procession O’Donovan’s striking traits, modelled in clay, of “The Chestnut;” “John Howard Payne's Sweetheart,” and of the poet himself when a boy: Swain Gifford’s “Oid Winamilt at Bridgehampton,” and his broadly given “The Beach at Easthampton; Walter Paris’ delicate little drawing, ‘An Old Whaling Station; Hopkinson Smith's ‘Home, Sweet Home,” and Latfan’s—from the really sublime to the equatly ridiculous, In the next article John Bolles a ood Dorésque drawing. Homer Martin makes his lébut as an dilnstrator in the present number, in his drawings to ‘he Homes and Haunts of Emerson.” ‘There is fine feeling in his ‘Oid Manse," ‘The Alcott House,” and in “Walden Pond.” We would suggest some consideration of porspeetive to Francis La- throp in his interiors. ‘The Left Hand Room of the Old Manso,” by Riordan, is av admirable draw- ing, well engraved, Tho illustrations to Allan CG, Redwood’s article are excellent; the drawing by the author, “Muster of Company ©,” being as good as some of the French military pictures, It is finely strations in Harper's Magazine for February show a decided and commendable advance from those of previous months. James C. Beard has done ex- er ingly well in his cuts to the opening article on “Lhe ‘Treasures of the Deep.’ ‘Lhe best are “Cleo- atra Dissolving the Pearl,” the excellont ‘“M. jaquin’s Experunent,” “Ambergis” and “Narwhal and Walrus.” The skill of the draughtsman and tne knowledge of the naturalist are combined. Three drawings by Samuel Colman add much to the attrac- tions of “Rambles in the South of France.” E. A, Abbey illustrates humorously the poem ‘Our ‘Trav- elled Parson.” {wo drawings by U. 8; Reinhart are given with the “‘Moonshiner's” story—‘I Have Lost My Way, Miss,” and “Oh! No, No! Father! Father! Do Not Fire!’’—the former a graceful and the latter a strong piece of work, ‘The tront.spiece to’ St. Nikolas for February is 8 good engraving of Jan ‘Verhas’ charming child pic- ture, “Helping Mother,” Frederick Dielman has a very Bere drawing in the story, ‘‘Eyebright,” which lacks, however, cleanness of outline. ‘The in- cident which Kelly illustrates in “‘An Adventure at Last’? would seem to have taken place near an clec- tric light. Alfred Fredericks has a couple of draw- ings in the story ‘Humpty Dudget's Tower.” ‘“Jot- tings versus Doings” is illustrated by some drawings by Jessie Curtis, of which “Not in the Journal” is char ming, both in execution and sentiment. very of ye bas-relict por. STUDIO NOTES. J. G. Brown has nearly finished his “German Band,” to which allusion was mado some weeks ago. ‘The faces of the five men are well individualized, the figures naturally posed and the shabby costumes carefully rendered. A boy and girl and a bootblack stand staring up atthe musicians. Another canvas of a little bootblack, with his hands in his pockets, his box slung from his arm, leaning smiling against » dead wall, is good, Dayid Johuson has on an easel a scene from Catnip Island, on a lake near Greenwich, Conn. The low, vocky cliffs of granite are solidly and well painted, ‘There is good atmosphere and a luminous sky. Robert U. Minor has finished one of those late sum- mer effects, tull of delicate greens and yellows in the foliage and grasses, which he has lately commenced to paint, It is a scene on the headwaters of the Hud- oe He has also a subtle little sunset in Keene ‘alley. A.'T, Bricher has completed for the Artists’ Fund exhibition a ‘Windy Day Off Cushing's Island.”” H. A. Ferguson is at work on a view of the Ducal Palace and the oining. buildings, from the circle of the Riva Schiavoni, in Venice. In his studio there is acureful rendition of # picturesque point on the Vis Mala, in which the rock work is most admirably drawn. “ William Sartain has started for the Academy exhi- bition a scene in an Arab school. He will be repre- sented at the Water Color Society by “An Arab Cate” and a street scene in Aigiers. J. B. Bristol will senu to the Academy a view in the Franconia Mountain region of New Hampshire. H, W. Robbins is wor! ing on a “Brook near Castles ton, Vt.,”” which is for the Water Color Society. PICTURE GALLERY NOTES, Among the latest additions to the gallery at M. Knoedler & Co.'s is @ landscape and sheep by Charles Jacques, “The Approaching Storm.” It shows a stretch of rolling moorland, with a clump of trees in the middle distance, a storm sky rapidly approach- ing and a flock of sheep with their keeper crossing a path, The picture is remarkable for its perspective, the exquisite harmony of grayish tones, the admirably disposed sheep massed about the shepherd, with atew halting in their march tora last nibble at the grass; the passage of half light in the middle distance, the bright sunlight striking here and there on the foreground and the sheep, and the trees shivering under the rise ing wind. A new picture by Joe Jefferson, the actor, is a river sunrise, which can hurdly be said to be an advance from the canvas which he exhibited some time ago in the gallery. In view of the prevailing interest in the work of Munkacsy, whose “Blind Milton Dictating ‘Paradise Lost’ to His Daughters’ will soon adorn the collec. tion at the Lenox Library, there have been placed in the gallery his picture of the early and unwilling riser—@ shoomaker's apprentice—noticed some time ago, and “The Washerwomen”—a landscape with figures, The latter is a striking, bold and effective piece of work, crude, though in passages very real in color, and decidedly original in treatment His “Making Hay” is on the line above. Lar. ‘The last quarterly volume of L'Art has been ro ceived through J. W. Bouton. Among the etchings are Cecil Lawson's “‘Strayed—A Moonlight Pastoral,” by J, Park; Velasquez’s celebrated “Les Fileuses,” in the Museo du Prado at Madrid, superbly rendered by Milius; the Jatter’s plate after Antonio More's “Mary Tudor;” Alfred Stoyens’ “Les Visiteuses," by Mongin; ‘A Haarlem,” drawn and etched by Maxime Lalanne—a vigorous plate, simple and effective in line; ‘Lhe Prince of Wales,” a fine example of Walt- ner’s skill; his admirable plates after Millais’ “Mme. Bischoffsheim’” and “A Yeoman of tho Guard;” Rubeus’ central and side panels of the “Altar of St. Ildefonso of Toledo,” by that master etcher, William Unger; Rubens’ “Boreas Carrying off Orithyie,” by Sonnenletter—superb in line and its rendition of the modelling and flesh tones, and Franz Hals’ “Portrait of Michacl de Wasl,” by Achille Gilbert. Among the full-page woodcuts ughton’s “Green ves Among the Sere,” by Swain; V. G. Gilbert's “La Marchande de Volailles,”” by Maurand; Burnand’s ‘Village Oven,” by Méaulle; Simon Durand’s “fhe Wounded Chile by Edm Yon; Alfred — Stevens’ delicious “Lhe Japanese Mask,” by the same, and his “The Sphinx,” by; Smeeton an Tilly. ‘The photo-engravings and woodcuts in the text are numerous and often excellent. The chict defect is the tendency to coarseness in execution in some of the cuts. The initial letters, by Frangois Ehrmann, are an admirable feature. Tho greater part of the text is devoted to art at the late ibi~ tion, and among the writers are Philippe Burty, J. Comyns Carr, Madrazo, Charles Tardiou, Eugeno Veron, Violiet le Duc, Emile Soldi and Edmond saint Raymond. ‘The illustrated article on the American art display, which is in this yolume, bas been written about, HOME ART NOTES, ‘This year’s exhibition of the Water Color Society promises to be unusually interesting. Chase, Shire law, Muhrman, Beekwirth, Brennan, Bium ant others, of the painters recently returned from abroad will be represented, It is expected that a number of heads by Currier, of Munich, will arrive in time to be hung. General di Cesnola, on the 15th inst., opened the course of lectures at the Yale Art School by his ine erestit discourse on “Cyprus.” ‘The audience finest the city affords.” ‘The Baltimore Art Loan Exhibition will open af the Peabody Institute, in the new art galleries, on iN 4. Seventy-five per cent of the net proceeds will be applicd by the trustees to the purchase of paintings for the Institute, a preterence to be given to pictures by American artis Miss Durfee has been appointed the New York it and ae —. Ne meres. hun it the productiqns of New Yor inters. athe “private view” of the Artists’ Fund Exhibition will take place at the Leavitt Art Gullerics to-morrow ing. “Viweehtms , of Cincinnati, whose Venetian scenes attracted attention at the first exhibition of the Socie ety of American Artists, will soon open @ studio in ‘ity. ithe Gorotins Art Association, which was organized in 1857, and whose proceedings the war interrupted, Mee he relt the artist, has an interesting paper john It. on % vat wenkey in the February nuinber of e ee Meadville (Pa.) Loan Exhibition opened on the 16th inst,