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learned: Fish-eating peoples and persons will also, pretty certainly, widen the circle of have not been the greatest of the earth ; the his fame. But the old admirers will miss a facts contradict your theory. They might beauty and fragrance that bas come to them perhaps add, in the analogical way of reason- in all of their dear poet's previous utterances, ing, that so very phosphoric a creature ought and will listen in vain for the music that to be comparatively intelligent, whereas "cod- floated with Evangeline upon the swift fish” is a synonym for a stupid person. Nor river and the still lagoons, as she went are the elephant and the dog-the most intel- vainly seeking her lost lover; to which Hiawaligent beasts-fish-eaters.

tha paddled his canoe, and Minnehaha, in her A middle conclusion is safest. Eating fish beauty, walked around the cornfields drawing will not alone make a Napoleon, a Shakspeare, the magic-circle with her feet; and the new nor an Ericsson. But fish is good to eat, is

admirers that this volume will enlist will be of great and increasing value as an article enlisted, if we are not greatly mistaken, not of provision, and fish-culture, just beginning because it is poetical, but because it is into be a business in the United States, prom- teresting. Interesting it certainly is. It ises to be one of much usefulness and im- could hardly help being that, dealing as it portance.

does with two of the most interesting phases Mr. Norris' book is a condensed, clear and of early New-England life. But we do not well-told account of the substance of doings think it is a whit more interesting than would hitherto in what may be called the manufac- be a simple prose account of the Quaker perfare of fish, of what may be done in the same, secution and the witchcraft delusion. The and how to do it. Mr. Norris is a sprightly prose of Hawthorne, dealing with the same and clear-headed writer, and has succeeded in facts, and certainly as true to their spirit, is making both a useful and a readable book. not only much more interesting but much

more poetical. And Upham's “History of Smoking and Drinking. By James Pap- Salem Witchcraft,” in its naked simplicity of tos. Boston (Ticknor & Fields). This stout statement, is far more thrilling, makes the little pamphlet consists of Mr. Parton's three flesh creep and the teeth chatter, as this articles on Smoking, Drinking, and Inebriate story of “Giles Corey of the Salem Farms Asylums, reprinted in neat style from the does not. Indeed, if this poem of LongAilantic. Mr. Parton is a brilliant and sen- fellow's shall stimulate its readers to procure sible writer. He is right in his opposition to and read Upham's noble historic estimate of the dirty trick of using tobocco, and the bad that fearful time, it will do a great deal. habit of using liquor. He has here con- We only wish that the story of the early structed arguments against them which are Massachusetts Quakers, their singularities forcible, pungent, and entertaining.

and their distresses, had been as well and as We fear that his confident predictions impartially written. of temperance to come, are more rose-colored We hardly know why it is that Longfellow than the prospect actually warrants. Yet has failed to make his treatment of these he is a welcome auxiliary to the force themes so unpoetical. It is not that they are that fights on the right side. His bright dramatic in their form; for the “Golden and pointed style is no less useful, for in- Legend" was that, and, unless “ Evangeline" stance, than the solider and colder scientific is superior to the “Golden Legend,” not one statements of Dr. Griscom, whose little tract of his longer poems can be reckoned so. It on the use of tobacco has been received with is not that these poems are in blank-verse. so much favor that an enlarged edition of it The “Spanish Student " was in blank-verse, is to be issued, with an essay on the chemistry and was as poetic and as melodious as his of the cigar. Perhaps by-and-by some clean- most perfect rhymes. Certain would be mouthed poet will fall into line with essayist admirers have affected admiration for the and doctor of medicine. Thus far, we be- bold simplicity of these poems as suited to lieve, all the poets have been on the dirty the boldness of the times. But the “Courtside, of the tobacco question at least.

ship of Miles Standish" dealt with the same

period, and was not bold nor unpoetic. LONGFELLOW'S Ncu-England Tragedies For one thing, Mr. Longfellow's motive in will, of course, be read by all his old ad- writing these two dramas seems to have mirers—and, thank Heaven! they are many; been too exclusively didactic. They are for, to admire Longfellow bespeaks' a certain meant to teach toleration, and they do it. tenderness of heart if nothing more-and it But, for a successful poem, the didactic motive

seasons,

are

is not enough. Poetry without beauty is but pompous airs of wealthy conceit, relieved by very slightly modified prose. Mr. Longfellow the undershading of respectable tenementrepeatedly shows great ingenuity in turning life. With commendable taste, the author into verse the language of the Bible and the ignores the descriptions of squalor and vice, literal sayings of his characters; but the the writers of American society-novels usually effect is more unique than beautiful.

drag in to give effect to their high lights of The volume would have been still more in- fashion and extravagance. It is one of the teresting if copious notes could have been most carefully prepared novels of New York added. The action is, for the most part, life which has been sent out for two or three familiar ground to the student of Colonial

There is sufficient plot in it for a history; but there are some things on which serial of the highest sensational style. The he would like to be informed. Was there German tutor, who has been admitted to the such a feud between John Endicott and his friendship of several homes, and is successively son as we have here represented ? From the betrothed to two beautiful girls, elopes with disposition made of his property by the the most trusting, carrying off the jewels of father (Upham, vol. i. p. 75), it would seem his employer, and turns out a real baron who that there was not. It would further appear has been forced to fily his native country on by the poem that John Endicott, jr., was in account of his crimes, and is an adventurer love with Edith Christison. But as John of the most unscrupulous sort. The weaving Endicott, jr., was married in 1663, and died of this plot among strands of humor borrowed before his wife, in 1668, the poet has not, from the airs of the newly rich, and the comwe trust, without warrant, injured his fair icalities of inner life, evolves a story readfame. The chronology of the John Endicott able, pleasing, and in its passages of sincere poem seems to us unneccessarily wild. In sentiment, worthy of even higher praise. “Giles Corey " we see no good reason why It must be said, however, that greater the Indian girl, Tituba, should be introduced freedom of style would have brought out the so frequently and to so little purpose, when, sense captivatingly. The cbaracters in fact, during the whole action of the drama, charming enough to bave been allowed more she was lying in Boston jail, from which she individuality. One misses the racy turns and was finally sold to pay charges. Cotton elisions of New York speech; the least Mather should have been painted in much possible touch of well-bred slang - there is darker colors. There is some ground for such a thing in use, from the professor's chair supposing that he was at the root of the to the mother's Boston rocker-would gire whole trouble; and if he was not, he found life to the careful speeches of the lovely it most congenial to his taste, and fairly Cameron family. Fancy a boy of thirteen, rollicked in it, till his terrible excesses out- under the influence of strong excitement, sayraged even the little common sense there was ing to his sister, “There is one thing which in the community. Upon the whole, we you may rely on in my character, and that is, trust that neither of these subjects will here my devotion to the interests of those I love. be dropped, but that, with the help of Mr. I am but a boy in years; but I feel as much Longfellow's failure, even some lesser poet called upon to protect the honor of the may take advantage of their striking situa- women of my family, as if I were older ! " tions and poetic atmosphere, and achieve an Now, probably, the youth would have said, honorable distinction as the poet of the per

with clenched hand, “If I like a person, I secuted Quakers and the victims of the most stick to 'em, and if any body goes to meddle terrible delusion that ever cursed God's chil. with you girls, I'll knock him over to Jersey." dren.

The author who drew the mirth-provoking

character of old Grizzle has no need to hamToo True: A Story of To-Day. Reprinted per his dramatis persone with euch speeches from “Putnam's Magazine" (Putnam & Son). as the one quoted. Neither plot, variety of character, nor inci- But there are passages of sentiment and of dent are wanting to give interest to this judiciously brief description which reveal the story, as the readers of “Vaga” for the band of a poet as the author of this book. last year well know. The slides of the stereo- The home-life of the Camerons, the dreamscope show the charming home life of the life of Elizabeth, the passion of Milla, are really cultivated American family, the amus- themes on which he has expended his finest ing ignorance and real good nature of the touches. What a perfumed paragraph is this: Dewly rich, contrasted with a few of the “In the morning shie awoke, with lids like

a

unclosing lilies, feeling the sunshine before widowed life of tie young countess, is natuthey part; at night, she slept, the leaves of rally not so generally interesting as the first, her soul fast folded over odorous dews of especially as it diffuses that interest over too dreams." And what simple rathos, after many different members of the family. But Milla's flight with an adventurer, in “the whatever objections Protestants may have to sight of the little white bed, soft shelter of the Romanist tendencies of the narrative, it is innocent girlhood ; a glove dropped on the certain that nowhere can we find a sweeter floor, a pair of little slippers scarcely cold picture of the purest and most ideal love, from the warmth of those snall feet." What sanctified by the fiery baptism of sorrow, a lovely image of Milla he conjured up, in her You may call the religious spirit of the book green satin chair, “looking like a water-lily by what name you will, it still retains the among its fresh leaves." It is one of those perfume of love to God and man, which books whose tone is so irreproachable that marks the holiest minds of all faiths. It is the strictest censor can admit it to his family. impossible that a book so full of truth and table, secure that the only visions it leaves beauty can do any thing but good. will be those of purity and final peace. The dark thread of the story is kept under; the Any one fresh from reading Morris' exquirefinement of the Camerons, and the tact of site rendering of the old story of “Psyche the lady artist, Miss Bayles, are uppermost, and Cupid,” will be attracted by the title of brightened with the absurdities of Grizzle a story just published by Leypoldt & Holt, senior, whose highest idea of enjoyment was called A Psyche of To-day, by Mrs. W. 0. that things “seemed like a regular Fourth JENKINS. And there is much to be enjoyed of July, now!” The resignation of Sam to in it, although it is rather too sorrowful for bis various rejections by Miss Elizabeth—“If those who seek unmixed recreation in their ma's satisfied, I am," is comic as a stroke of novels. Poor Regina does not come out of Dickens humor, and the despairing tact with her tribulations quite so fortunately as the which he tries to gain a last interview with Psyche of olden story, and at the end of the her, is overcoming in its simplicity. It is to book it is very doubtful to the reader whether be repeated, that freedom of style alone is she will ever enjoy the love she has at last lacking to make the writer of this book one gained. of the most popular novel-wrights this side of The scene is laid in France, and there are the Atlantic.

people successfully than Mr. Hale. He may with them, his manly acknowledgoient of an even dispute his title with the immortal Bar- error are charming. His naïve confession num. The letters he received from relatives that all his floggings failed to make a certain and friends of “Philip Nolan " were count- boy better, and his confession of his utter less, and some deluded victims even believed incapability of managing a certain stupid in “ My Double.” If having a Double of his boy, are suggestive of a needed progress that own will enable Mr. Hale to write us some will certainly come to one whose heart is so more such stories, we will cheerfully head a essentially right. With all its faults the:e is contribution to provide him with one at the much good in the book, and we cordially public expense.

commend it to all interested in the subject.

LORING, of Boston, bas of late been re- Verily there is a new era in tiris country printing some very charming little novelettes in the literature for children. It is not very and stories in cheap railway form, but in long since all the juvenile books seemed congood, clear type. Of Miss TUCKERAY's ex- ducted on the principle of the definition of quisite Fairy Tales for Grown Folks, and duty“ doing what you don't want to," for the Mrs. Sartoris' Week in a French Country books that were interesting were not conHouse, no one can speak too highly. After sidered good, and the “good ” ones were cerreading the latter, one is astonished at the tainly not interesting. Most Sunday-school impression left on one's mind, of character, books were stories of unnaturally good and and incidents that remain with a fuluess and pious boys and girls, who, however, were completeness seemingly incompatible with the not attractive enough to rouse a desire of imilittle sketch of a book in which they are tation in the youthful breast. presented. It is almost like the old“ Arabian But now we have a different order of things, Nights" story of accidentally releasing genii and books for children are about as varied in from a bottle, and being filled with wonder their scope as those fır grown people. One at the way he expanded. “Medusa, and of the pleasantest books we have read for other Tales," by Mrs. Sartoris, is

od, but

a long time is, Little Women (Roberts Bro's), not equal to the earlier publication, which we the story of four young girls, Meg, Jo, Beth, judge was written last,

and Amy. This is a thoroughly natural and We cannot say much in favor of such charming book, fresh and full of life, and we books from the same publisher as “ Was it a

heartily recommend it to all youn“ people, Ghost ? " the cover of which, we should think, big or little. We gave it to a little girl of would be as far as most people would like to twelve to read, for whose opinion we have inspect. But to compensate, we have Miss great respect, and she pronounced it just the Alcott's Proverb Stories, “ Lucy, or Married

nicest book. “I could read it right through from Pique, Grace Owen's Engagement," three times, and it would be nicer and funnier etc., simple little love stories, which no one every time.” And to our certain knowledge, will be the worse for reading.

she read it twice in one weck, and would

have read it again, had not the book been A Book about Boys. By A. R. IIOPE. carried off. Boston (Roberts Brothers). This book is The Butterfly Hunters, by HELES S. Cowritten by an English teacher, who is evi- XANT (Ticknor & Fields), is one of those books dently young, and whose ideas are in a tran- which combine very pleasantly instruction and sition state. Self-sufficiency and modesty, amusement. We feel, after reading it, strongly conservatism and progress, brutality and ten- tempted to take up the study of Lepidoptera, derness are strangely mingled in this work. though our own experience is, that chasing He believes in flogging, and appears to think butterflies is better than catching them. Still it all right that a brave boy, who is tired of we think all children who live in the country the blubbering and squirming of a cowardly all or part of the year, would do well to read one, should volunteer to take the flogging, the book, and we do not doubt they will and that the teacher should agree to and in- become as thorough devotees of the science fiict this vicarious flogging for the general of hunting butterflies as the children in Mrs. benefit of all youthful spectators. Yet, no

Conant's book. more eloquent words have ever been written, Another book belonging to the same than the author utters in this very book class, but suited to quite young children, is, against brutality to boys. Ilis warm enthu- What Makes We Grow, or, Walks and Talks siasm for the young, bis hearty sympathy with Amy Dudley. This is a very pretty re

print fro:n the English cdition, by Putnamn & reputation of that eminent house for taste Son, and in the conversations between a and judgment. One of these is a really mother and her little daughter, a great deal charming presentation of that established of useful information is imparted to the favorite, the Christmas Carol, by Dickens, youthful reader on physiology, gently admin- with twenty-five new designs by Eytinge, istered on the principle of a sugar-coated pill. engraved on wood. These designs are all Any thing that will interest children in physi- good, and some of them are superlatively so. ology and hygiene should be encouraged; for Any author may be well satisfied when his it is a study that ought to be made as attract- theme is translated by the artist's pencil as ive as possible.

truthfully and delicately as Mr. Eytinge has

done his part in this voluine. The press part The Bird, a translation from the French of the volume is unusually excellent in all of MICHELET, published by T. Nel on & Sons, respects. Another, from the same publishers, London and New York, is an exquisite speci

is a new edition of Dr. J. W. Paler's men of book-making. It is beautifully printed, “Poetry of Compliment and Courtship”-a and enriched with 210 illustrations by Gia- comprehensive and tasteful selection of verse, comelli, the artist to whom we owe the dainty old and new; more or less relating to the nevermarginal illustrations in Doré's Bible. These tirir.g theme of love, courtship, and marriage. engravings are gems of their kind, and fitly To ornament this book the publishers have adorn the poetry of the text. “The Bird” chosen some of the exquisite little vignettes is no dry treatise of natural history, but engraved on steel by the American Banka glowing rhapsody, full of that artistic Note Co. to adorn bank-notes. The new feeling and poetic exaltation which distin- order of national currency having displaced guishes the style of Michelet. The book, these bits of artistic skill, they find a worthy might almost be called the apotheosis of the

use in Dr. Palmer's book; for we seldom see Bird, to whom the author endeavors to re

such

gems in the same space, or indeed in any store the soul that philosophers have denied space. it. The translator's work has been done with a most laudable spirit of fidelity to the

The Flower and the Star, and other stories

for Children, written and illustrated by W.J. original, and he (or she) has enriched the text with copious explanatory notes, which

Linton, comes from the same house. Mr. greatly increases its value to the unscientific

Linton is the eminent English wood-engraver reader. The book, Michelet tells us, is the

who has recently taken up his residence in product of home-studies with his wife, and is

this country, and who appears to know how one of three; “La Mer” and “L'Insecte"

to use his pen as well as pencil.

We can but note, in a line, the announcecompleting the trilogy. May Messrs. Nelson

ment that Mr. Ticknor retires from this disbe inspired to give us the others in as beautiful a form as this ! "The Bird” is not a

tinguished firm, which is hereafter to be book for a matter-of-fact person. It cannot

known as Fields, Osgood & Co. Mr. Ticknor's be measured by any rule and line of criticism,

name, so long made honorable by his late but should be read in a flush of poetic fervor,

father, will be greatly missed from the rolls as it was written. Don't sit down to it after

of the “ Trade.” The “reconstructed" firm reading “Darwin's Variation of Species," for

is not likely to secede from its long and prosinstance, but wait till you are penetrated

perous union with the domains of judicious

and tasteful enterprise. with the airy capricios of the mocking-bird, or all in sympathy with the busy chattering

Mr. W. D. Howells' Poem - No Love of the sparrows as they dart through the

Lost : a Romance of Travel, in this number fading trees; and when you feel that birds

of our Magazine, is also issued simultaneously are a sort of animate, winged poems, read

by the publishers in a handsome little volume L'Oiseau," and be thankful.

-nicely printed and illustrated. We need

only say of the poem, that in this pretty ['p to the time this number is made up, the shape it ought to meet with great acceptance annual crop of ornamental “gift-books " as an inexpensive and elegant til-bit to give to had only begun to appear in the market. a lady-friend. Few, we imagine, will fail to Two or three bearing the popular trade-mark like the quaint and delicate humor and grace of Ticknor & Fields fully sustain the of this little romance in hexameters.

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