The New York Herald Newspaper, February 24, 1879, Page 5

LITERATURE, A History of Philosophy from the Ma- terialistic Standpoint. ‘ TRAVELS IN ASIA. The Bedouins of Mesopotamia, the Land of Midian. AN §—NGL:'SH SPORTING PARSON. Shakespeariana, Heredity, Nov- els and Book Chat, A NEW HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY. The “Library of Contemporary Science” is an im- portant enterprise undertaken in Paris two years ago with the object of furnishing ® series of text books on all the chief sciences, which should accu- rately reflect the conclusions of the younger school of “advanced thinkers’ The first three volumes, “Biology,” by Dr. Charles Letourneai nthropol- ogy,” by Dr, Paul Topinard, ana “The Science of Language,” by Abel Hovelacque, have been some time before the public and have met with great suc- cess. They have becn translated into English and published by Chapman & Hall, in London, and by Messrs. J. B. Lippingott & Co., of Philadelphia. To this series is now added a fourth voluine, ‘Philos- ophy, Historical and Critical," by André Lefévre, trauslated by A. H. Keane, B. A., who prefaces the work with an introduction of his own, in which he takes issue with nearly all the distinotivo features of his author's teachings. Whether this method of presenting within the sanyg covers “the poison and the antidote’ is a good one may well be questioned, but in the present instance it can do no harm. As Mr, Keane shows, the doc- trines of M. Lefdvre, though of the advanced ma- terialistic type, are not a whit more dangerous or subversive of established opinions than scores of works by prominent British scientists, and it is too late now to attempt to suppress any novel doctrine by ignoring it. For purposes of refutation it is rather to be desired that every such doctrine should be put in its strongest form before the public. André Lefévre, the author of this remarkable book, isa man of forty-five years of age, who has made a considerable mark in French literature, He is o leading contributor to learned periodicals, has published several volumes of poems, including translations of Lucretius and of Indian philosophical works, and issued in 1877 a remarkable book on “ Re- ligions and Mythologies Compared.” The present yol- ‘ume will undoubtedly take rank as the ablest presen- tation of the history of philosophy from the materi- alistic standpoint, M. Lefévre has been a diligent student of the ancient, medimval and modern philoso. Phies, and has here depicted them all in a view of striking originality, far removed from the conven- tionalities of ordinary text bo@ks. His summary of the Greck philosophies is eminently readable, and contains views that will prove novel to the best in- formed student. His fierce attack upon Augustine and the Augustinian scheme of religious philosophy, which he identifies with Catholicism, has at least the merit of frankness and lucidity. The Middle Ages rtceive but scant admiration from this thorough- going opponent of Holy Church. In modern times he grows appreciative and eloquent over Spinoza, Bacon and Locke, whom he nevertheless vigorously criticises, and displays unwonted severity in dealing with the great names of Descartes, Malobranche and Leibnits. Berkeley is unsparingly ridiculed, while Voltaire, Diderot, Hume and Condillac are treated with great respect. His special aversion is the German school of Kant, Fichte, Schelt- ing and Hegel, which he demolishes without mercy, denying it tho faintest semblance of reason. Nor is his admiration of Victor Cousin, Roger-Collard ana the other founders of French “‘ofti- cial philosophy” much greater. The modern Pessim- istic school of Schopenhauer and Hartmann is re- garded as of slight importance. Of the philosophers of the present century Auguste Comte, seems to en- joy the highest place in his esteecm, and the pages devoted to the “Positive Philosophy” are among the most appreciative in the book. Yot M. Letévre be- comes satirical in treating of the “pathological period” in the later life of Comte, when he abandoned his own earlier and better teachings and descended to the vulgar rdle of founder of a new and impossible religion. “So far is positivism,” says he, “from being the final philosophy that all it has invented has already perished. Its sound and durable ele- ments, whatever gives it a vivifying power, all that the present age has retained of it, must be credited to the experimental method. * * * In a word, miterialism is the soul of positivism, as the com- mon enemy of both has not failed to perceive.” In a brief “Second Part,” M. Lefévre has given his own reconstruction of modern philosophy, from the extreme physical and materialistic standpoint. This portion of the book is extremely valuable as a synopsis of the views in question, and is written with abundant learning. ‘THE BEDOUINS OF THE EUPHRATES—THE PLAGUE AT BAGDAD. A fresh book of travel is always a delight to the general reader, and when the regiougtraversed is one historically interesting; but long undescribed, the interest is increased. We have had some interesting books upou Mesopotamia within the last thirty years, ‘but of the historic river Kuphrates, about whose willey 80 much is heard ut present us a fature rail- road route to India, nothing of any note has been written from information gained on the spot for many years. Lady Annie Blunt’s journal, to which her husband hes added some intorosting chapters, aud which the Harpers publish, has for title the “Bedouins of the Epphrates.” It is tho result of a Journey begun at Scanderoon in December, 1877, and describes a march to Aleppo, thence to the Euphrates, along whose banks they desoonded as far as Seyla- wiyeh, whence they departed for Bagdad, on tho ‘Tigris. On their way down the famous river they passed through El Uz, the city of Job, and Hitt, the tity of the Hittites, where Lady Blunt amusingly Donjectures Nowh built bis Ark, on account of the pitch springs flowing in the neigh- borhood, Arriving at Bagdad they found everything in decadence in the city of caliphe and its prospects no whit bettered by the then recent vigorous attempts of Midhat Pacha to introduce modern improvements. It is recorded, however, to his credit, that he made no money while in office there, They found the plague in Bagdad, too, aud although it was not then unusually virtlent, What Lady@lunt writes of it will be of interest just ‘pow, when the fell disease threatens Europe from Knseia, whither it has been carried from Armenia:— Besides her loss of trade dad has been desper- Btoly treated by the eaee Bes Colville, the resi- deut physician here, has Fair me many particulars on this subject which T think will be new to the ple of England. ‘The first great visitation of the wes in 1774, when, if we can believe the rec- ords preserved at the Residency, nearly the whole a gong eh | the city perished. ‘two millions are aid to have died poly epee but that seme | a e vince as well as the towns. Anyhow the population of has never numbered more than souls since. Thirty youre later, in 1804, aud again nearly thirty years After that, the plague returned. In 1831, 100,000 perished in the town, and the waste is now Stated at from 80,000 to 100,000 in all. Of there 18,000 are Jews, 2,000 Armenian Christians, 4,000 Turks, Porsians und Indians (Hindoos), and the rost Mussuiman Arabs, The plague existed more or less continu: since 186%, much as smallpox ox- ists in London, It is felt most severoly by the Jow whose houses are overcrowded and dirtily kept, Colville does not consider it a truo epidemic—that to ay a disease comiuunicated by air; nor yot it infectious in the ordinary sense, Ho consides that itcaunot be hae by passing or brushis Against infected people in streets, as is © qouly supposed, Dut thut it attaches itself to houses wud districts, It would be very foolish to frequent a Piague-stricken house and dangerous to sieop in one. Itereeps from house to house, being intro- duced into new ones by — intected persons bss com into thom. The dirtier the house the mote lable it fs to the disease, for which reuwon, a4 I have sald, the Jewish quarter NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1879.-TRIPLE SHEET. suffers more gonerally than the rest. A European, living ina well tered house, runs very little risk, unless the infection ts brought home by his servants, The Bedouins are entirely free trom it, and in this the playue is im striking contrast with the cholera, which makes no distinction between town and coun- try. About fifty per ceut of those attacked die. The | plague first shows itseif by a little tever which con- tinues for acouple of days, and then by a glandular swelling on the groin or ay! aap later by high fever, delirium and collapse. It the swelling suppurates the pationt recovers; if not, on the fifth or sixth day he dies. ‘There is no known remedy, but, like many Qurengen, Dr, Colville is of the opinion that it is dying out., Facts do not appear to bear out the Doctor’s opinion. The real object of the book being to visit the independent Bedouin tribes of Mesopotamia, the greater part of the bouk is given up to the story of their difficulties in reaching first the great tribe of the Shammar, who hold the desert country east of the Euphrates, and the Anazeh, who carry the lance and drive their flocks of camels up and down the desert west of the Euphrates, These nomads, their tent Life, their pride of blood, their heroes, their wars and their pastimes are well described, seen as they are with a friendly eye. Lady Blunt's enthusiasm for the real blue-blooded vagabonds from Arabia is amusing. In her husband's share of the work much industry is shown ia gathering facts. His chapter on the Arab horse will especially interest lovers of the noble animal, The book is illustrated and there is a map of the country traversed. ‘THE LAND OF MIDIAN. The indefatigable explorer, Captain Richard F, Burton, has just published in two weighty volumes the results of his recent visit to the Land of Midian, (C. Regan Paul & Co.) The expedition of which Cap- tain Burton writes is the second sent out by Ismail I, Khedive of Egypt. During the four months be- tween December 19, 1877, and April 20, 1878, the officers employed covered some 2,500 miles by sea and land, of which 600, ‘uot including by-paths,”” were mapped and planned. The author refers to his gold mines of Midia as but the forerunner of the present work, which he foresaw would be atale of discovery and adventure. The purpose of this re- cent expedition was to conclude the labors begun during the spring of 1877 in @ mining country al- most forgotten. Its primary objevt, therefore, was mineralogical, and twenty-five tons of specimens were brought back to Cairo and inspected by ex- perts from South Africa, Australia and California— all recognized metalliferous rocks, They also brought notices and specimens of several deposits of sulphur, of a turquoise mine behind Zibo, of salt and saltpetre, and vast deposits of gypsum, sources of wealth that Captain Burton thinks the’ nineteenth century {s not likely to leave wasted and nnoworked, In geography the principal discoveries were tho identification of ruined cities mentioned by Ptolemy and the “Harrahs,” or Plutonic centres scattered ovor the seaboard and the interior. In the pursuit of archwological,subjeots the expedition visited, de- scribed and surveyed eighteen ruins of cities and towns, some of considerable extent, in North Midian, besides seeing or hearing of some twenty large “Mashghal,” apparently the ateliers of vagrant gypsy gangs. The sketches and maps of this expe- dition, to the gxtent of several hundred, have been embodied in a large album by order of the Kiedive. At Maghdir Shu’aby they found 259’ coins of silver and copper which date from the first century B. C. and the first century A.D. A number of stone im- plements of rude workmanship, illustrating the min- ing industry of the country, were also found. All who are familiar with Captain Burton’s writings will know that this work is no dry collection of scientific facts. He writes in a manner to interest the most ‘unscientific, aud the two volumes sbound with aneo- dote and adventure, BEV. “JACK” RUSSELL, AN ENGLISH SPORTING PARSON. A book with a fox running to cover, a steg’s head anda horn embossed upon it, does not suggest the biography of a parson, but such is the one lying bo- fore us embellished in this manner. The illustra- tions of sporting life that occur throughout the volume are also unsuggestive of the holy calling of its subject. The Rev. John Russell, better known as “Jack,” whose memoir is published by Richard Bentley & Son, is well known in England as a sport- ing parson, as was his father before him. At the time of the writing of this book, November, 1878, Mr. Russell was in his eighty-third year, and still followed the hounds, From the time when ho was a lad at school he showed himself to be a muscular Christian by thrashing the bully of his class, a boy twice his size, Young Russell kept ferrets when the other boys kept rabbits, and it was not long before he had « pack of hounds. He was not very studious, but when put upon his mettle could do as well asany boy. His teacher scolded him roundly for shirking his studies, so he went to work and carried off the prize, which was a purse of £30, All of this he at once spent for a hunter, which he bought of a clergyman, but which, nevertheluss, proved to be a sorry bargain. When at Oxford he was distinguished as an athlete rather than as a student, bui he man- aged to get through and afterward to take a theo- logical course. He was full of fun, but never vicious and while he did not refuse a toast he has never been considered a drinking man. When he accepted a charge he did not neglect the ordinary duties ex- pected of a clergyman, and when he married he chose a wife with a pedigree as long as his favorite hunter and a lady who never refused a ditch or a four-barred gate, Apropos of jumping, @ very remarkable story is told of one of Parson Jack's friends, a Mr. Harris. He was returning from a fox huut when his progress was momentarily arrested by discovering that a bridge in his road, consisting of four arches, was under repair; four of those were only partially finished, while the space intended for the centre arch was left entirely open, the river running rapidly some fourteen feet below. Mr. Harris was on a Foxbury mere, and a perfect hunter. He rode over the hur- dies that fenced off the bridge, then giving the mare her head she felt cautiously for a sure foothold amid the broken masonry, and, collecting herself, jumped to the top of the first arch and then on to the second, paused a moment on the brink of the centre arch as if measuring the exact width of the chasm, then rose coolly and collectedly and cleared itatabound. The two remaining arches were easily topped; then came the hurdles, and away! When Russell was in his seventy-ninth year he hunted all one week through bad weather, and on the aiternoon of the sixth day he looked at his watch and found it was two o'clock. Bidding his friends goodby ho then turned his horse's head homeward and never quitted the saddle, with the ex- ception of changing his horse midway, till he reached his own stable door at eleven o'clock in the evening, having ridden a distance of seventy miles, He then dined heartily, slept well and the next day, to crown his week's work, performed three full services in his parish, His bishop frequently expostulated with him on his hunting tastes, but Russell, who was unable to see, if ho endeavored conscientiously to perform his duty, that ho was either going himself or leading his flock astray by indulging in his favorite recrea- tion, withstood the bishop's monitions firmly but respectfully, When his favorite hunters died he had their skins taken off and tanned and then made into chair coverings, their legs avd hoofs forming the legs of the chairs. ‘Three chairs of this‘sort adorned his dining room. In 1873 Mr. Russell visited the Prince of Wales at Sandringham. He preached the Christ- mas sermon berore the royal couple and opened the ball on New Year's Eve with the Princess of Wales. It is eaid he addressed her as “my dear,” but this he dontes, He remained ten days at Sandringham, where he was an honored guest, Mr. Russell is, we be- Heve, still alive, as full of fire and enthusiasm for the chase as he was fifty years ago. If he is a sample of the British sporting patson they must be noble fellows, AN AMERICAN STUDY OF HAMLE?'R CHARACTER, To the long list of studious people wio have wrestied with the problem presented by the char- acter of Hamlet must now beadded Mr, Josoph Wat- son, of Newport, already favorably known as an en- thusiastio student of Shakespeare, In a small brochure, printed for private cixeulation, he has em- bodied his thoughts om the central figure of that absorbing tragedy. Mr. Watson sets out to disprove what has so often and in such high places been as- sorted—namely, that Hamlet was really insane and that he oven lost ight of his duty and purpose to avenge his father’s murder. On no one historical eharacter within tho last three hundred years has the same amount of speculation been made as upon this purely poetical creation, and such is the mystery tinue, the last word being only said when the last copy of the tragedy has disappeared, | It is now, we think, clearly established that the origina] source from which the Shakespearian story was derived, if not directly at least through a ime- dium that preserved the main lines of the original, was the Davish chronicles of Saxo Grammaticus, and there the insanity of the rude Hamlet is ex- pressly put down as feigned. Indeed, as carefully noted by Mr. Watson, it is equally strongly laid down by Hamlet himself that his putting on of the “antic disposition” is of set purpose, and Mr. Wal- gon sets himselt to prove that at no time was this the cover to a real insanity, as so stoutly maintained by experts in lunacy and others. In the third act alone ‘Mr. Watson finds five trying situations which should disprove the allegation:—First, with the players; second, with Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guilden- stern; third, alone; fourth, with Horatio; fifth, with the royal forces (whom it is his evident pur- pose to deceive), wherein he immediately puts on an “antic disposition” and reassumes his mad character. ‘These points are all well taken, and his demonstra- tion is admirable that in the interview with the ghost the spiritual belief of the age, the preparation before- hand and the manner of meeting the epparition were all calculated to temper the shock of such an appari- tion even to so sensitive @ mind as Hamlet's, On this, as upon the much more debatable ground of Hamlet's will power, Mr, Watson considers that “it is because of Hamlet's vast superiority in intellect, wis- dom and godlinesg that the critics of two and a half centuries have been baffled.” The Germans, led by Goethe, are mostly agreed in looking at the preseribed vengeance as “a great deed laid upon a soul unequal tothe performance of it.” He halts, turns aside, loses his purposo in idea) speculation or cireum- stance, and is finally led to consummate it by acci- dent. From this view Mr. Watson totally and, we think, too eagerly dissents. It cannot for a moment be denied, on a reading of the tragedy, that Hamlet ia conscious of irresolution that makes him ‘peak, like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of his cause,” thut drives him to contemplate suicide rather than kill the king, and that, turned back from that, ke seos how momentous enterprises “turn awry and lose the name of action.” It is in this very debating quality that the weird charm of Hamlet consists, Were he to slay the king at once, without parley or preamble, we should haye little better than a Bowery drama, Still with this important reservafion Mr. Watson eserves credit for pointing out succinctly the trace of continued purpose in three distinct attempts upon the king’s life; certainly he successfully de- fends Hamlet from the extreme opinion of the Ger- man critic, Hermann Ulrici, that the events “are not brought about by his own free volition or according to his own intention.’’ Inthe frst attempt, where the king is at his prayers, he spares him lest he might send him to heaven and picturing “his tather suffer- ing the torments of hell,” which Mr. Watson obvi- ously confounds with purgatory, the post-inortem state which the ghost describes. In the second at- tempt he kills Polonius by mistake, but as inteation it must count. In the third attempt he succeeds, and Mr. Watson bends his energies to showing that there is a distinct and sans purpose in the killing. It is pleasant to record these efforts in the serious study ot Shakespeare, in which, as in other walks, America is taking her place in the world of letters. In this connection tt may not be uninteresting to quote the tweltth century story of Saxo Grammati- cus which formed the groundwork of Shakespeare’s tragedy:— The Danish King, Roderich, had set the two vali- ant brothers, Erveudil and Fengo, to rule over Jut- land. The elder of the two brothers bad done signal service to the king by slaying his enemy, Kollir, in @ green meadow, and bad been rewarded by the | per monarch with the gift of his daughter, rutha, Some time atterward Fepgo slew his brother and took Gerutha to wife. He then threat- ened to kill the young Hamlet, son to the murdered Ervendil; but the prince iaagaged to avert his fate by feigning madness, so that it was not thought worth while to molest bim. In process of time, however, the tyrant aj re to have ed his mind, tor we find him sending the yor prince on @ visit to the King of Britain, in the company of two persons, the bearers of @ staff upon which certain Runic characters had been traced to the effect that the British king was to put his guest to death. During the voyage Hamlet de- ciphered the mysterious writing and changed it in such 4 manner that on their arrival at their place of destination the two gentlemen of his escort were at once killed, while he himself was solemnly wedded to the “king’s daughter. He then threw off the mask of madness and returned to Jutlana with a quantity of gorse present from his father-in-law. For se- curity the treasure was secreted within two hollow staves, in accordance with"a practice of which we find many examples in other legends of early date. Hamlet now prepares to carry ont his long matured scheme of revenge. He takes his mother into his confidence; the nobles of the court are invited to a grand feast and all wade to ply the cup with such vigor that they one after the other tall under the table, and in this position are secured in the meshes of w stout yet, woven for the purpose by Hamlet limeeif. The ‘prince then slaughters his wicked uncle, sets himself upon the throne and with his British wife rujes tor pe years very happily over the warlike folks of Jutlan ROLFY’S “ROMEO AND JULIET.” Mr. William J. Rolfe has added “Romeo and Juliet” to his editions of Shakespeare’s plays, and continues to exhibit the judicious arrangement which has characterized his previous contributions to Shakespearean literature. That the work is in- tended for the use of schools has led Mr, Rolfe to ex- purgate the text in a slight degree, his plea on this point being as strong as it could be made; but with the full text within almost everybody’s reach it scems a work of super-refincment after all. His in- troductory chapter on the source of the plot is clear and concise. On the play itself he quotes the com- ments of Schlegel, Coleridge, Mrs. Jameson, Phi- laréte Charles, Maginn aud Dawden. The notes are copious and luminous, showing, a8 in other plays, a familiarity with tho body of Shakespearean exegesis. Harpers are the publishers. COOK ON HEREDITY. The fifth volume of the series of Boston Monday lectures, delivered at Tremont Temple by Mr. Joseph Cook, bas been issued from the Riverside Press by Messrs, Houghton, Osgood & Co., under the title of “Heredity, with Preludes on Current Events.” The volume has ail the characteristic qualities of its pre- decessors, which is equivalent to saying that it suc- cessfully combines presumptuous dogmatism with a very slight and inaccurate knowledge of the elements of the subject in hand. To point outa tithe of the material errors found in this volume would Fequire much greater space than we can afford, but one or two specimens must be given. Inthe first prelude, on “Schools for the American Indian,” Mr. Cook speaks of “60,000 Cherokees,” and asserts that “in 1864 the number of schools among the Indians was only eighty-nine,” when reference to any cyclopmdia or to the reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs of twenty years ago would have shown that the Cherokees never numbered even 20,000, and thet there were several hundreds of Indian schools even before the civil war, Mr. Cook's knowledge of classical archmology can be inferred trom his unhesitating belicé in the discovery by Schliemann of the tomb of Agamemnon (Preinde IL), and his treatment of that discovery as showing that “Homer is found to be not ao myth, but « person in whom even a Gladstone can believe as a reality.” Is Mr. Cook ignorant that for twonty years Mr. Gladstone has been the foremost and almost only English ohampion of the indiv- uality of Homer? Mr, Cook tilts triumphantly againet Maudsley, Harrison, Darwin, Bastian, ‘lyndall, Huxley and Haeckel, but does not hesitate to quote as an indisputable fact any novelty put forth by any of them which can bevonstrued in favor of his own views, Upon the subject of heredity his ignorance is all the nore lamentable, because a really good book On this theme would meet a great public need. Mr. Cook has properly no views of his own, but presents us with a crude selection from those of his favorite, Hormaun Lotee, combined with some facts from Gal- ton and Beale. His leading position is the material- istic character of the human soul, which he holds to be a nebulous sort of entity permeating the body and separable from it at death, The spirit he does not dotine, but gonsiders it distinet from the soul. Wheu he eseays a definition of his own, he makes sad work, as when he lays down “seven principal laws ef hore edity,” the third of which is “collateral heredity,” occurring “when the child resembles an uncle or aunt, or some one of ils relatives out of the regular line of descent!” NOVELS AND STORIES, In “Sybil Brotherton” (T, BD. Peterson & Bros.) Mra, BE. D, EB. N. Southworth is up to her usual standard, She tells a taleof unfortunate love in that hifalutin | Surrounding it that speculation ie likely to eou- | language for which she is conspicugus, Her heroine is a pious young woman, and loves a pious young ! man; but their love did not rum as smoothly as greased wheels, Sybil deems it best not to marry her lover after all, and writes to him: ‘Mr. Living- ston, I have decided. We must write no more. Let un Ocean of Silence and distance freeze up between us. Let us die to each other. Sybil.” And so it ended after 168 pages. “Firebrands” is the title of a temperance tale, by Julia McNair Wright, published by the National ‘Temperance Society. The chapter from which the story takes its title is rather sensational; otherwise the book is earnest and not without interest for young people, Mr. Frederic Locker has made a pleasant little book out of his “Patchwork.” Like the patchwork quilts of our grandmothers; each patch is signed by the maker’s name, The book is made up, without any rule, of clippings from newspapers, with comments by Mir, Locker; selected poems, boumots and the like, picked up at random, Everywhere that Mr. Locker has heard a good story he has made a note of it, either with pencil and paper or mentally. Oue of the stories he heard while in 4 Turkish bath, aud having no writing materials with him, he was obliged to trust to his memory, If the reader finds any story incorrectly told he hopes he will think it was the one‘heard at such disadvantage. American writers and American jokes are frequently drawn upon, and go a great way toward making a very bright little volume. (Scribner & Welford.) THE MULTITUDINOUS 8EAS. The author of a recent volume “Appletons” Handy Volume Series” launches the first volume of is reminiscent experiences on the broad expanse of Dine ocean with something of the turgid formality that the callow collegian brings to his first thesis in & competitive examination. But, barring half & dozen pages of sentimental effusiveness, the book proves an exceptionally agreeable volume of narrative, with which is mingled a slender vein of the scientific, not too obtrusively welded to the lighter substratum through which it runs, The author is evidently thoroughly at home with his subject, and scattered throughout the book are some special points of valuable information with which many readers are probably unfamiliar. Among other things it is stated that oil spreading upon a sea inastorm has an astonishing effect in preventing the wind from tearing the waves into foam. Fishing vessels, especially whalers, often ride easier in a yale on account of the oil which has saturated the wood and ships have repeatedly been saved by allowing & minute stream of oil to trickle over the side. It is aptly suggested that ships carrying passengers, especially ocean steamers, might well be com- pelled by law to carry @ cask or two of oil, to be used for this purpose during a hurricane. The author, Mr. 8. G. W. Benjamin, maintains that there is no longer any doubt as to the advantage of this means of safety. It saves a vessel from being strained or taking heavy seas on board, and lessens the dangers of foundering. “It is only a fulse and pitiful economy,” he says, “that interferes with its use.” Among several instances that might be men- tioned the author quotes as an example to the point an experience of the captain of the cutter which sup- plied the lighthouses of Nova Scotia. Once his cutter was overtaken by a tremendous biow near St, Paul's Rock, and he only kept her atloat by breaking in the heads of ten ofl casks lashed on deck intended for the lighthouse there. Every sea that came on board took off with it some of the ofl, which smoothed the waves around for several minutes and eased the laboring of the ship sufficiently to avert the impend- ing wreck. Mr. Bonjamin’s book is illustrated—we can hardly say embellished—with several wood en- gravings, which may have been resuscitated trom some prehistoric geography. Fortunately each of these is accompanied by descriptive text explaining the significance of the cuts. There are not enough of these, however, to detract materially from the genuine worth of the book, “THE DISTURBING ELEMENT.” It is difficult to understand how theauthor of “The ‘Heir of Redcliffe’ and ‘‘Heartsease” could have taken pen in hand to write so trivial piece of fiction as “Tho Disturbing Element’ in “Chronicles of the Blue Bell Society.” It 1s possible, in tact probable, though, that she was desirous of showing her powers in a lighter vein than that in which she has ordinarily written, and that, envying F.C. Burnand’s laurels in his peculiar sphere of humor, she threw down the gauntlet as competitor for a few of his bay leaves from the hand of Momus. If so, her at- tempt cannot be pronounced a “happy thought.” ‘There is too much solemnity in her lightest moods. The product of her work in this book is neither flesh, fish nor fowl, and barring some good characterizations aud @ few oases of senti- ment, which the author always delineates truly, there is nothing in particular in the book. A number of enthusiastic young English ladies, in- spired, perhaps, by reading a stray copy of the Bos- ton Daily Advertiser, in some morbid moment form a society for mutual improvement, something after the manner of the Saturday Morning Club in which Boston delights, and while refraining from the tra- ditional blue stockings that startle the staid prome- naders of the Hub upon inclement days, the mom- bers frame a title vaguely suggestive of notional Bos- ton—viz., the “Blue Bell Society.” Burnaad in his wildest moments never rang the changes ona diluted and far-fetched pun as Miss Yonge does upon her “bells” and her ‘disturbing element’ throughout the book. The latter is, it goes without saying, one of the genus monster, & some- what inoffensive young man, who has known better days, but, reduced in fortune, finds his way among the “Blue Bells” as an instructor. He passes through the usual vicissitudes of the im- poverished hero of the conventional romance, gets his arm broken by @ drunken rival and is sent home to his beloved in about as used up @ condition as Mark Twain's ‘‘Aurelia’s Unfortunate Young Man,” but, unlike Twain’s kaleidoscopic character, he rallies, and, with returning health, fiuds fortune smiling golden showers upon him and his suit. He “sounds a pwan from the bells” by marrying the “pluc-bottle” or “wild hyacinth” member, breaks up the society, and the curtain falls upon the triumph of the “disturbing element,” to the slow music of a panegyric on love and woman's duty. ““PHE WOKNOUT SHOE.” On the minstrel stage there is a well known old song with an interminable number of verses, whose refrain runs to the words, “A big broad hat, with a big broad rim, all bound round with # woollen string.” It is impossible to read the opening verses of the small volume of “sentimontal poems,” by J, E. Diekenga (C. R. Barns, St. Louis), without recall- ing the absurd effect produced by this song. The first two verses are aé follows: ‘There was a man with a yreat big hat, Who wrote some things about this and (hat; And among the thipgs that he once did do, He wrote &@ tule of a wornout shoe. He wrote this tale with a wornout pen, Aud his groat big hat had a wornout brim, And he wrote away in a wornout chair, On @ wornout desk, with @ wornout air, “His great big hat had a wornovt brim? Is this flat barglary? Or was Mr. Dickenga the author of the famous Ethiopian song and dance, and does he now emorge at last to cast scorn and contumely upon the heartless plagiarists who, while profiting by his genius, have never acknowledged the claime ot the distinguished author even by eo small a tribute as “a line upon the bills?” Let such beware! Diekenga is upon the warpath. He has put on his “wornout shoe” at last. He has, doubtless, armed himself with “Drone on Copy- right,” and before long some one will get lively kick from the “sentimental” shoe. “The Sweet Singer of Michigan” bad better look to her laurels, Missouri is looming up. TATERARY CHIT-CHIT. A Printers’ Congress is to meetat St. Petersburg early in the spring. Violet Fane has a poem in the London World called “The Silent Player. “Poor Yorick” is its subject. When she finishes her moraiizing she says:— 1 don my cloak and clasp @ careless arm, ‘Then drive to supper * * * A “Life of Colonel Aaron Burr,’ with sketchos of his father, Rev. Aaron Burr and his daughter Theo- dosia, reprinted from the “History of the Burr Family,” by Charles Burr Todd, has been issued in paper bindings at @ low price. Its aim is to present in its most favorable Hwht the character of thé man who, ator Benedict Arnold, was regarded during the first halt of the contury, as the typical bad Amer: ican—a man of great abilities directed to unworthy objects. ‘The American News Company publish it. The new number of the Oriental Church Magazine | (quarterly), edited by Bev, Nicholas Bjerring, among | other interesting papers, has one evtitled “Russia and the United States,” a unting tor the tricudship be- | tween the two great nations on tt aud of asimi- | larity in destiny which has led them to exchange | | | | | services when they were most needed, America freed her slaves and Russia liberated Ler serfs. Each has “a colossal territory gnavanteeing to it a splen- did future through the development of its natural resources.” ‘This “necessarily democratizes the subjects of the Empire as well as the citizens of the Republic.” Some aspiring writers on this side of the Atlantic. | having veutured to write two sequels to a short story contributed by Willie Collins to the Spirit of the Times, entitled, the “Mystery of Marmaduke," My. Collins has written hoping thatnobody will credit him with these aforesaid sequels, At the same time he charac- terizes as false “the doubly and trebly damned re- port’ which credited him with completing “Edwin Drood.” He had been asked to do so but refused, An unscrupulous Frenchman, however, has put Mr. Collins’ name to a so-called completion of the un- finished work of Dickens. “ “Bible Stories for Jewish Children” is the title of @ pretty litle volume in easy English, published at the office of the Jewish Mesesenger, which the late M. J. Moses, M. D., wrote to supply “a want long felt” in Hebtew communiti¢s, “The Dance of Séciety,” by William B, De Garmo, published by Brentano, is the latest work of its kind, and in addition to quadrilles and round dances describes 102 figures for the german, besides other elementary matter of a terpsichorean character. Under the weird title, “Adrift on the Black Wild Tide” (Lippincott & Co.), Chaplain Kane, of the United States Navy, gives some strange experiences in dreamland, In one grimly humorous dream he attended his own funeral as a spirit, and, subse- quently when apparently dead from yellow fever in 1863, he had a Bunyanist vision of a sail up the River of Death, He has, he says, been eight times at the gates of death. “Where the gold and silver go” troubled Mr. J. V. C. Smith until he wrote a pamphlet about it for the Atlas series. He throws no light on the matter which will be of use to anybody in New York. NEW BOOKS RECEIVED. ‘he Gold Room and the New York Stock Exchange and Clearing House. By Kinahan Cornwallis, A. 5. Burnes & Co, publishers, Voices from Babylon; or, the Records of Daniel the Prophet. By Joseph A. Seiss, D. D. Porter & Coates, pub- lishors, Philadelphia, Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger, being an Ac- count of Various Observations Made During the Voyage of Her Majesty's Ship Challenger Round the World ix the Years 1872-1576, under the commands of Captain Sir G. 5. Nures, R.N., K. +B. d Captain I. T. Thomson, RN.’ By Hi RS. Mucmillan & Co., publishers, L ‘ork. ‘A History of the Church of England trom the Accession of Henry VIII. to the Silencing of Convocation in the Eighteenth Century. By G. G. Perry, M. A. With an Ap- udix containing a skotch of the history of the Protestant Piseopat Church in the United States of America. By As yboencer, 8. T.D. “Harper & Brothers, publishers, Now Haxper's Half-hour Series.—The Poems of Oliver Gold- smith. The Awakening. A Tale of English Life. By Katharing Mucquoide y A. G. Con-, stuble. Franklin Square Library.—The Last of Her Lima A 1. By the author of St. Olave's, &e. Vi I) By Miss M. E. Braddon. Harper'& Broth Afghanistan. York Evening Express Almanac, Handbook of Statostian’s Manwal and Statistical’ Register, for Merebants aud Agriculturists. 1. BOSTON BOOKS. 5 to this is Louis ©. Tiffany's strong little “Study o { Melos” (315). V. G. stiepevieh's large “Carnival of Venice” (310) is bung so high that its quality cannot be judged of. It seems rather creditable, howeve R. M. Shurtiet’s “Afternoon in September" (822) clarming, aud Willan Magrath’s “Evening” (827) and “Morming” (323) sterling little works, J. near St. Jean de Luz, jay and there is a bold b vould have Leen equally well rendered « LF as y's "A Bit ot male Head’ ( ndeved portrait. is told, seen in Percival de Luce’ ing” } seman von Elten's Stndy from ut’ (45) is good, and T, W. Wood's is careful and pleasing, A. Brenuan is rather startling in his “The Least Impatient” (350). Henry Muhrman’s “Oriel Win- dow at Prague’ (362) is an admirable and thoroughly artustic study, Though there is little to attract one, looking from a ciitical standpoint at H. L, Stevens” “What dat Darken de Hole?" (373) and “Ef dis Tail Cun Off You'll Find what Darken de Holet’ (37%), they teil an amusing sto ‘There ix an uutortunate su: gestion in James Symington’s “Deserted” (3 Mme. de Bruynkop!s “Flemish Interior” (883) ia an admirable work, in the style of Terburg. son Smith's only water color picture, properly speaking, in the galleries, “The Yranconia Moun- tains’’ , is asolid work, in which there is a re- markably good effect of light. ‘Bur Harber, Maine’ J) is a pleasing little exauple of Miss 8. G. Hinek- ley. Walter Crane's desigu, “The Prince and the Dragon’? (417), ud not tar from its de- licious, delivaie littie sketch near Penzance, Corn wall (419), by Henry P.. Smith. Vailey” (437) is prosaic, conventional, but careful, and bas a fine atmospheric effect. Good color is seen inJ. Tugo’s “A Fruitiul Branch” (421). A graceful flower, “Sketch for a Fan" (442), is by Miss L, Fery. A little puintiag, whicn nts “Fernando Mi. randa, Rug Dealer, Morocco" (438), is one of the best works in the exhibition. Yhe figure is thoroughly well drawn, strongly painted, and tho coloring ia good.” Henry Farrer’s “Gctober” (156) isf true? in color and , but too tull of seratehy lines, One sees his etching needle in all his water color work. Near this are noted Hugh Newell's “Country Life—In the Field” (493), aud “Country Lite—The Dinner Horn” (457), both pleasing figures. A. Brennan’s lorge “Going Down to Skate” (455) is an anus half burlesque production. ‘There is excellent work in Fy 8. Church’s Home, Sweet Home” (462), though ft if muddy in color. We finally leave the corridor with a pleasing impression lett by Agnes D. Abbatt's “In the Month of Roses” (463), and her “Hollyhocks of New England” (472) ‘The display of etchings ‘contributed by the meme bers of the ing Club, of this city, forms oue of juief-attractions of the northwest room, which ia devoted to the s in black and white, Our suvall band of etchers show steady improvement in the management of theiretchiny needles and acid baths, RK. Swain Gifford dvaws weil away to the front this year, followed by Henry Farrer and J. M, Falconer, ‘The best example of Mi. Gifflord’s work is the little plate “Nonquitt” (501), which has a freedom found in no other etching in the display, and isa study Whistler might w be’ proud of. Mr. Gifford his not beon equally successful in his rtmouth Salt Works” (477), sho’ good work in “The Hayrick’’ (479), and is heavy in line in the second state of his te “On the Lagoon, Venice” (484). ‘The etchings which represent Henry Farrer this year ave decidedly unequal in quality; evince a spe- cial aptitude for the rendition of softly diffused light; are well drawn, well selected as to subject, but show often an unincaning brutality of line and crudity of treatmeat in parts whore the utmost del- icaey of both should prevail. As an illustration of this, note the low lying cumuli in the sky of hia otherwise admirable landscape (497). In his frame (499) we see a fine effect of light, and a strong! houdted forewater on the marine in the upper left hand corner °(485) is un excelient exemple of hia work. If James D. Sinillie would remember that tho etcher’s needle is not the engraver’s toolhe would do more pieusing and artistic work. The plates which represent him this year, “Pollard Wiliows’* 478), ‘“Hayricke” (4 edars by Moon- ight’ (488) and “Cedars” i careful in drawing, but hard and i lime. The most ambitious, the upright “Cedars by Moonlight,” is interesting, full of admirable work, but hard in etiect. J. M. Fulconers has done so well s king in value of A GAMEXEEPER ON ‘‘1IPS’—DULNESS IN NEW PUBLICATIONS, Boston, Féb, 22, 1879. The announcements for next week include only one book, “The Gamekeeper at Home,” which Rob- erts Brothers will publish. It is anonymous, unless the initials “R. J." signed to its preface furnish some key to the writer’s name. It is divided into nine chapters, in which the author describes the gamekeeper himself, his family, his friends, bis enc- mies, his following of dumb creatures and the ani- mals that he hunts, and also a great many bits of pretty and graphic description of woodland sights and sounds. 1 is pleasant to read and may be used as a key to English hunting novels, which are caviare to the general in America, where the untravelled man hardly knows a view halloo from a ferret. One little disquisition of the gsmekeeper's on tips may be interesting :— “Gentlemen is very curious in tips,” he says, “and there ain't nothing so difficult as to know what's coming. Most in general them as be the biggest guns, and what you think would come out hand- some, chucks you @ crown and no more; and them as you know ‘ain’t much go in the way of money slips a sovereign into your fist, There's a deal iu the way of giving it, too, as perhaps you wouldn't think. Some gents does it as much 4s to say they’re much obliged to you for kindly taking it. Some does it as if they were chucking & bone toadog. Que pla where I was, the governor were the haughtiest man as ever you see. When the shooting was doue—atter agreat purty—you never kuowed whether he were pleased or not; he never took uo more notice of you than if you were atree. But I found him out arter a time or two. You had to walk close behind him, as if you were a spaniel, and by and by be wouid sli his hand round behind his back—without a word, mind—and you bad to take what was in it, and never touch your hat or so much as “Chank you, sir.’ It were always a five pound note, if the shooting had been good; but it never seemed to come so sweet as if he'd done it to your face.”” The only new book announced is “Cobwebs,” by Elizabeth G. Goodrich, the author of “Children’s Opera.” The volume is a clever mixture of simple verse and pretty melodies, intended for juvenile use. Lee & Shepard are its publishers. FINE ARTS, WATER COLOR EXHIBITION—FIFTH AND CON- CLUDING NOTICE—THE CORRIDOR AND BLACK AND WHITE ROOM. Being hung in the corridor at the exhibitions which are heid at the Academy of Design has come to be regarded as an admission on suilerance-—an equivalent to saying, “We will admit you to the se vauts’ hall, but not to the drawing rooms.” The result has been that this part of the Academy has usually contained an artistic hodge-podge, very poorly spiced by occasional works of some merit. At the present exhibition of the Water Color Society this ts far from being the case, and @ nusber of ex- cellent works are to be found there. The hanging of nearly all the flower pieces together and in that place is a bad arrangement, however. ‘The most prominent object in the corridor is John Lafarge’s noble Scriptural cartoon of his painting on the walls of Trinity Church, Boston, “Nicodemus said unio him, ‘How can these things be’’—St. John, iii., 9" (892), which shows the results of pro- found and receptive study ot drawings by the old masters. Under this is hung @ trame containing tour “Landscape Studies v4), by Charles H. Miller, which are somewhat clever, but hard and coarse in treatment. About these are four drawings by J. Frank Currier, “Snuset’’ (390), “In June” (391), “Sunset” (395) and “Sunset Among the Willows, (096), whigh are among the most incomprehensible of his productions. Far be It from us to deny tliat Mr. Currier has talent, but judgment he has not These studies may be valuable memoranda, full of suggestion to himself and others when shown in his studio, but they are not the sort of material he should send to public exhibition. As far as they go, and if one goes far enough of, they undoubtedly contain possibili ties. Probably Mr. Currier did not intend that the drawings he has sent should bo given the amount of serious consideration which has been accorded them. If this iv the case let tim carry his work further if he expects appreciation. Though the color is bad in his “Roadside Scone’ (400), which hangs on the same wall, it has much suggestion im ii, and is at least understandadle, which cannot be said ot “Beechwood Interior’ (636). Nothing could point our moral better than the landscapes by Winslow Homer, which have been admixably hung @ose to Mr. Cur work, Mr. Homer's “October” (387 Yak Trees” (88), “Corn” (401), “Girl aud Boat” (408) and his very admirable “Willows (44) are distinctly “impressions” and excellent works, and not “intentions,” as somebody has weil entitled Mr. Currier’s contributions. Jn this connection may be also noted Mr. Homer's "Old House’ (356), a strong landscape, with, what seoms to as, inapposite reds in cows and foliage, and hie tender “A Rainy Day” (807). ‘Taking up the other works in the corridor as they are catalogued, we first ud worthy of note a little still life “Study from Nature” (814) by Louis BE. Delius, which would do hire credit if there were not | 60 much Dulcky work about i. Ju devided coutras in his frame (510) that we can only testify our appre- ciation once more. George H. Siniliie is represen: by a neat little plate, “Florida Pines’ (401) and A, H. Baldwin by some clever bits in frame (459). Leaving tho etchings wo note, onthe same wall with thei, an admirable pair of pencil studies by Henry Muhrman, “A Suuny Day -Old Mill in Bavaria” (486) and “At Boulogne” (498). The frame (806) catalogued “Etchings,” by A. W. Warren, seems to contain photographs of pen and ink sketches. Roberts Blum's “Naiveté” (509) is un adinirable piece of work, and A, Brennan's “Genevieve Ward as Queen Eliza- beth” is a powerful reproduction of a photograph. “Abandoned’’ RF. Zogbaum’s (521) has well told story. ‘Twilight, Spruce Creek, Me.” (527), dows credit to Vv. §. Anthony,. Bradford’s “Oove” (531) is « vigorous pencil sketel b J.G. Brown. He has also one of a boy ot git ‘Tho frames 539, h : orks, in charcoal. Houge 2 Vandyke” looks much tun at that master. Wyatt 's of his portraits of Longe ) and Bryant (591), whie ‘as if sho had been p Eaton sends the or}; fellow (547 a red in Seribuer 8, G. Jacobides’ “Boy Taking a Thorn from His Foot’** isa fine nude study, which belongs to the Art Stue dent’s League. There is a good deai of strength shown in Maria R. Oakey’s liar charcoal study, “Minuet in a French Garde Acouple of drawings in pencil of women's heeds (593) by James Syming- ton are xdmirabie in every w: Scattered here and there over the walis of this room are many frames containing originals of engravings and proofs which it is interesting to compare with cach other. They are not written about in detail, as most of them have been noted on their appearance in the HOME ART NOTES. Tho Art Interchange for ‘the 19th inst. contains ® good design by Piton. Pittsburg still glories in its Loan Exhibition. ‘The Syracuse Loan Exhibition, which opened on the 12th inst., is said to be a great success. The Ontago School of Art asks the government of the province for an increased appropriation. Kaemmerer’s large canvas, “The Croquet Party,’” containing about twenty figures, has been bought by 8. A. Cole, the well known St, Louis collector, and is now on its way from the artist’s studio to that city. Mr, Cole also owns Leiebvre’s superb “La Cigale,” which will be remembered as a member of the Lathain collection, which was sold last winter, aud a replica by Clairin of his portrait of Sarsh Bernhardt and ker dog which gave rise toa well known mot, The thirty pictures which William H. Vanderbilt ru and ordered on his late trip and hich he has been lately exhibiting to his guests, a «i to cost him on an average $5,000 each, Me paid this amount for Erakine Nicol's “tent Day,”* whieh he bought recently from F. O. Day, of St. Louis. For Meissouier's “The Ordinance he bought in Paris aud which came from the Crabbe collection of brussels, he gave $25,000, His large Detaillo’s “Lhe Aunbulance Corps” cost him $4,000; his five igure Palmavol two girls fishing, from the Universal $4,000, aud a “Fiorent Willems, Exhibition, double thet amount, The Sock an Artists will probably hold the private view of its second exhibition ou the evening of the th prox. Ail depends, however, upon the time the piccures arrive, which ave sent by American artists Low abroad. Wyatt Eaton has, we are sorry to say, been obliged to resign his place os teacher of drawing wt tie Cooper Union Art School. His place bas been taken by S. A. Douglas Volk. of Chicago, # sun of the well known seulptor. Munaacsy’s ‘Milton Dictating Paradise Lost,” which isto add to the attractions of the Lenox Library, is now being ealibited in Vienna, trom whence {t goes to Berlin and thou to Loudon. J. H. Dolph lately sold his centennial picture, “Re- turn from the Pasture,” to E. R. Livermore tor §9U0, FOREIGN NEWS, J. L, Sargent, the talented Americaypupil of Caro lus Duran, will sead @ portrait of bis master to the next Saioa. Legros bas lately finished an etched portraitof Str Frederick Leighion and @ smaller oue of Valentine Prinsep. Lincola, England, is to have a Fine Art Mugeuns, ‘The German government is to ask the Reichstag to vote 4 sum of money for the parchase of a building in Lome to be used os & howe for German art stu: dents. It will probably be the Casa Bartholdy, Somebody has by gving Burne Jones’ name to drawings, aud he naturaly weites tu the Alkenewn and Academy about tt, R. Belt has completed his statue of Lord Byro, he "Nativnal Memorial.” A Belyiau echool of tine arts is to be founded in Rome, under the manageinent of M. Portagls. Clim, Bavaria, is to hold an exhibition of much in+ ter iMustrating the history of printing aud wood engraving. Gustave Doré, who was made @ chevalier in 1864, oy been raised to the rank of offiver of the Legion of ouor. Che Musée dos Antiques at Paris has acquired some ‘Tashgra statuettes (rom the same sowree as those im JOUER. The International Art Exhibition at Mapich will open on July 20 iastead of July 1, as originally prov ti posed. This is done to secnre the most recent ‘reveh aut Boigian works whieh will have been ex- hibited at th ‘Taat closes on June a2, aml exe hibitors there ond in works at Muweh until duly 15. Other contributors must keep to Murch Ji and May SL, tho dates already announced The Munich foundry willcast (he German national Monument, which has been desigtted by Professor Schuiling, of Vresden, aud will be erected in the Nieder yon on the Rhine. On a pedeas ‘our metros in height stands a figure of Germania, pointing, with hand uplifted, to the ime erial erown, the symbol of German unity. The gure, which is highly praised, is ten metres high, There is some difficulty about the funds, whieh will by a collection in every German town, The ; the monument has already teaghed Lyi fiazes ana $00,000 wwgce eremeauin