fectation. Clear, sensible, and direct, he never indulges in transcendental hysterics or hides his meanings under a metaphysical mist. An earnest admirer of these great men, he is never their blind panegyrist; loving them frankly and almost reverentially, he is not their idolater. Entirely in sympathy with them, and patiate on their excellences, he still gives his critical and judicial functions full play; and thus his analyses, synopses, and criticisms, and his estimates of the genius of these represent sneer of the censor, are frank, independent, and strictly candid and just. His sketches of Carlyle, Tennyson, and Ruskin are engaging and instructive critical studies, covering the style, structure, intention, and dominant characteristics of their productions, and imparting judicious estimates of their influence upon literature and mankind. with a faculty for mockery that has been rare- | ly excelled for the qualities of lightness and gayety. But all this is alloyed with and so debased by a mixture of unbridled nonsense, uncontrolled license, vulgarity, coarseness, and uncleanness, that "to the general reader, to the young, to woman in all ages, Rabelais is a closed book—for very shame he must be hid-delighting to point out their beauties and exden away." To all delicate and pure minds, notwithstanding his wit and wisdom, his genial jocularity, and his masterly powers as a caricaturist and parodist, he must appear, as he did to Calvin and Luther, to La Bruyère, Féne-ative authors, have nothing of the strut and lou, and Lamartine-simply insupportable and abominable, though veteran scholars and students of man and literature, rendered insensible to his grossness and absurdities by the eager search for the rich gems that are buried beneath them, will not only tolerate his works as a whole, but will be lavish of their admiration of them. Mr. Besant's volume contains all of Rabelais that is desirable for the general reader. Rigorously excluding what is coarse and objectionable, he gives the cream of the story of Gargantua and Pantagruel, Panurge and Friar John, in half a dozen pleasant narrative chapters, in which he analyzes the nature of Rabelais's great novel, and makes us sufficiently well acquainted with its scope and intention. Prefixed to these chapters is a care-indispensable for every student of the early fully prepared life of Rabelais, which is extremely interesting, despite the iconoclastic severity with which Mr. Besant discredits the innumerable coinages of stories and anecdotes by which the true character of Rabelais has been overlaid by credulous or inventive biographers. We have received two little books bearing the name of that ripe scholar Dr. R. P. Keep, of Williston Seminary, and we are sure we are doing good service to all teachers of the classics by recommending them. Dr. Keep is well known for his admirable translation of Autenrieth's Homeric Dictionary-a work which is Greek epics; and his experience in the practical work of teaching in the class-room is a guarantee that any book bearing his name on its title-page will prove valuable to all who are engaged in the work of tuition. The Iliad,10 Books I., II., III., now before us, is an edition by Dr. Keep of the first two books of Homer by Arthur Sedgwick, one of the assistant masters at Rugby, supplemented by Dr. Keep's own annotations on the third book. Dr. Keep, who undertook the work by special arrangement with Mr. Sedgwick, has adopted the English edition for American use by supplying references to the grammars of Hadley and Goodwin, by occasionally introducing important modifications, and by condensing and demand. The notes are models of what schoolbook notes should be-brief but sufficient. The introduction on the vexed question of the authorship of the poems is lively and attract ONE of the most genial and forcible of living British essayists, Mr. Peter Bayne, has collected, under the general title, Lessons from My Masters,' three scholarly studies of Carlyle, Tennyson, and Ruskin. Each study consists of a number of distinct but related essay-like chapters, illustrative of aspects of the literary career of its subject, and giving a historical and critical account of his productions in the order of their publication. Necessarily these sketch-expanding as the needs of the young student es reproduce many interesting personal incidents, but, in the main, what there is in them of a biographical nature relates less to the individual than to his works, and displays the unfolding and characteristics of his intellective, and the sketch of the Homeric dialect adnal and literary rather than of his personal life. In the form of easy, thoughtful, afterdinner talks, Mr. Bayne imparts a large mass of literary ana and information connected with the works of the authors whom he styles his masters, and is particularly full and attractive in his examination and account of their earlier efforts. His style is a fine example of vigorous and manly but unstudied and negligent English. Its charm lies in its masculine simplicity, and its absolute freedom from trick and af • Lessons from My Masters, Carlyle, Tennyson, and Ruskin. English Men of Letters Series." BY PETER BAYNE. 12mo, pp. 449. New York: Harper and Brothers. mirable for its succinctness and completeness. - 11 The Essential Uses of the Moods in Greek and Latin, set forth in Parallel Arrangement. Boston: Giun and Heath. 1879. it the characteristics of American art, or enable us so intelligently to note the tendencies and weigh the comparative merits of American artists, as such an exhibition of their handiwork as we have in this luxurious volume. We should remark that while the book is principally devoted to painting, an entire chapter is given to sculpture, also illustrated by examples of the work of our best artists in that branch. The engravings, reproducing the examples in both walks of art, are of great excellence, and afford a striking proof of the advanced position that has been achieved by our American engravers. and accuracy the whole doctrine of the Greek | inating it might be, could so effectively exhiband Latin moods. The parallel arrangement adopted is the best to exhibit lucidly the coincidences and divergences of the two classical languages in this department of syntax. Dr. Keep's exposition of the different uses of the moods, in dependent and independent sentences, in oratio obliqua-that stumbling-block | of the beginner-and in the various forms of the conditional sentence, does all that can be done to make the subject easy to the pupil. To beginners in Greek a work like the present is indispensable; in our own experience we always found pupils apt to take over too much of their Latin syntax into their first efforts at Greek composition, especially in cases where the Greek would use the participial construction. We cordially recommend both works. Ir would be difficult to devise a more acceptable gift-book for an intelligent adult than Mr. Waring's Tyrol and the Skirt of the Alps.12 Its typography, paper, and binding are faultless; its engravings are not only finished specimens of American art, but each of them is a graceful study of some characteristic feature of national life, costume, and architecture, or of nature in some of its most picturesque and winning or of its wildest and grandest aspects. Moreover, its intrinsic merits are on a par with its charming exterior, its record of travel and incident is full and vivacious, its descriptions of natural objects and of natural or individual peenliarities are racy and humorous, its reproduction of popular local legends and annals sparkles with variety, and its observations on society and art are thoughtful and genial. Apart from the interest it excites in these respects, and which makes it a pleasant fireside companion, the intending next summer tourist will find it a reliable and suggestive but thoronghly unconventional guide to some of the most picturesque and least hackneyed portions of Europe. A GIFT-BOOK of a graver type, but one around which many tender and many sacred household memories may cluster through long years, is the Rev. Alexander Fletcher's Guide to Family Devotion. This popular and excellent work contains a hymn, a Scripture lesson, appropriate devotional reflections, and a prayer for every morning and evening throughout the year, and also special prayers and hymns for seasons of family joy or sorrow. NOTHING could be fresher, more tender, more buoyant, or more wholesome than Mrs. Craik's Young Mrs. Jardine." It is a charming love story, showing a vivid perception of the glowing sensibilities of youth, and delineates the fancies of "Love's young dream" with warmth | and fidelity. The passion it portrays is not an unregulated and destructive one, but is restrained within the limits of the purest delicacy; the situations are devoid of all theatrical start and display. Nevertheless the passion is none the less real and masterful, nor is the action any the less truly dramatic for its freedom from stagy incidents. The heroine, Silence Jardine, is a beautiful conception, reminding us by its purity and innocence of Spenser's ideal of the Lady Una in his "Faerie Queene." The influence of her invincible gentleness and unselfishness to win the enduring love and to steady the character of her highprincipled, but in all matters of practical life and conduct incapable and irresolute, husband, and also to disarm the resentment and conquer the love of his inflexible mother, are delineated by Mrs. Craik with equal tenderness and skill in a narrative which rises in interest with each step of its progress. COMBINING all the typographical excellences that are so conspicuous in the volume just dismissed, Mr. Benjamin's Art in America13 has peenliar attractions for those who love art or take a patriotic interest in the growth and accomplishments of American genius. It is the only volume with which we are familiar that gives a complete historical outline of art in this country, from its beginning prior to the Revolutionary war until the present day-an outline which is the more satisfactory because As a rule the genuine novel-reader prefers the growth of art, and its quality at the vari- to enjoy without previous enlightenment the ons stages of its growth, are illustrated by ex- agreeable surprises by which an ingenious novamples, many of them very rare, from nearly elist contrives to intensify the interest of a all our most eminent painters. No amount of story, and renders small thanks to the officious critical exposition, however keen or discrim-critic who robs it in advance of its freshness 12 Tyrol and the Skirt of the Alps. ING, Jan. Illustrated. 8vo, pp. 171. and Brothers. By GEORGE E. WAR- 13 Art in America. A Critical and Historical Sketch. By S. G. W. BENJAMIN. Illustrated. 8vo, pp. 214. New York: : Harper and Brothers. 14 A Guide to Family Devotion. By Rev. ALEXANDER FLETCHER, D.D. Royal 4to, pp. 776. New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 15 Young Mrs. Jardine. A Novel. By DINAH MARIA CRAIK (Miss MULOCK). "Franklin Square Library." 4to pp. 60. New York: Harper and Brothers. | ers. and flavor by an outline of its plot and inci- | in deliberate defiance of every canon of literdents. Out of deference to this feeling we ary taste.-Miss Phelps has collected in a volshall merely give our general impressions of ume entitled Sealed Orders1 nearly a score of the novels of the month. One of these, Madge her stories that have already appeared in vaDunraven,16 is essentially an Irish tale, although rious periodicals, and whose title is derived the scene is shifted very carly to England, and from the very effective opening tale of the sethe narrative has little of the rollicking aban- ries. Most of these tales are dialect stories ildon of the conventional Irish novel. The char- lustrative of phases of American rural or comacters for whom our sympathies are most keen- mon life. Several are noteworthy for their ly excited are indeed Irish of the Irish in their combined pathos and humor, and all for the tastes and feelings; but the alchemy of love intensity of their narrative and the concentraconverts them to many English and thorough- tion and vividness of their descriptions.-Many ly un-Irish ways, while their Irish virtues ex- readers who have neither the time nor the inert a mellowing influence upon their English clination to encounter the prolonged exciteassociates. The author describes a "Castlements and suspense of a novel, crave relaxation, Rackrent" which is no less dilapidated, and is and find it in the intervals of quiet, cheerful, even more genial in its dilapidation, than Miss and restful reading that are afforded by brief Edgeworth's. The narrative is seasoned with stories. Adapted to this want are seven stoa double love story, several poaching adven-ries which have been collected by Miss Jewett tures, a brace of homicides, and an exciting under the caption Old Friends and New.2o Brief, trial scene. It is, however, less sensational | making no severe exactions upon the time or than might be inferred from these rather start- the feelings, gay without levity, and pure withling incidents. The interest of Mr. Anthony ont prudery or affectation, they are very genial Trollope's Cousin Henry1 depends chiefly upon recreative aids.-Two old favorites-Miss Austhe skill and ingenuity with which he works ten's Sense and Sensibility and Mr. Anthony up the incidents of a will case. A "fine old Trollope's The Bertrams22-have been republishEnglish gentleman," who had a chronic habited in the popular "Franklin Square Library," of making wills, after having drafted some half | and in consequence will find many new reada dozen, made one in favor of a nephew for Representing the standards of the romanwhom he had no love, only to render it worth- tic fiction of the past and the present, their less by a later one in favor of a favorite niece, strongly contrasted styles and methods are inwho is the heroine of the story, and whose love teresting for the comparisons of the two schools romance is merely an episode in it. The genu- which they compel, and for the totally different ine will accidentally falls into the hands of the atmospheres into which they take us. Both nephew, who conceals it and enjoys the prop- are strong novels, rich in incident, pure and erty, but is made wretched by the guilty own-elevating in sentiment, and clever in their picership, though he has neither honesty nor resolution enough to make a voluntary restitution. Whether the right at last prevails or not, we shall not reveal, but leave the reader to satisfy his curiosity in Mr. Trollope's characteristically minute and circumstantial narrative.-Charles Reade does not show himself at his best in Christie Johnstone.18 Portions of it are in his best and other portions of it are in his worst style, which is saying a great deal, since we know of no living novelist who writes better or worse than he. His heroine, Christie Johnstone, although of no higher rank than a young Scottish fish-wife, is an original and charming character, beautiful in her wise simplicity, trueheartedness, fearless modesty, and heroism; and several of the subordinate characters, notably Gatty, a painter, in love with Christie, and Saunders, a valet, in love with nobody so much as himself, are artistic portraitures. The movement of the story is delayed and its interest interrupted by long passages of rodomontade, apparently conceived by Mr. Reade 16 Madge Dunraven. A Tale. By the Author of The Queen of Connaught. "Franklin Square Library." 4to, pp. 47. New York: Harper and Brothers. 17 Cousin Henry. A Novel. By ANTHONY TROLLOPE. "Franklin Square Library." 4to, pp. 35. New York: Harper and Brothers. 18 Christie Johnstone. By CHARLES READE. 18mo, pp. 234. New York: D. Appleton and Co. tures of characteristic aspects of the social life and manners of the dissimilar periods in which their actors revolve. THE juveniles this year that have come under our observation have been thoughtfully contrived to foster home affections, to make virtue and knowledge attractive, and to refine and cultivate the mind while they supply it with entertainment. The same thoughtfulness for these ends that presided over their preparation has also shown itself wisely solicitous to adapt their pleasant teachings to every age, from the generous youth well on in his teens to the tender little chick that has just escaped from the shell of infancy. Among the books of this kind our attention is first attracted by a richly illustrated and in all respects exceedingly beautiful quarto of over four hundred pages, which relates the Adrentures of Two Youths in a Journey to Japan and 19 Sealed Orders. By ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS. 16mo, pp. 345. Boston: Houghton, Osgood, and Co. 20 Old Friends and New. By SARAI O. JEWETT. 24mo, pp. 269. Boston: Houghton, Osgood, and Co. 21 Sense and Sensibility. A Novel. By JANE AUSTEN. "Franklin Square Library." 4to, pp. 57. New York: Harper and Brothers. 22 The Bertrams. A Novel. By ANTHONY TROLLOPE, "Franklin Square Library." 4to, pp. 104. New York: Harper and Brothers. youngest reader may apply it, as to the influence of the fairy Industry and her attendant sprites and talismans to cure peevishness and discontent, and to change the wearisome disgust and languor that result from idleness into active happiness and never-failing contentment. China." The journey is made by the lads in | blended, she reads a lesson, so obvious that the company with a veteran traveller, the uncle of one of them, who is thoroughly familiar with the ground they are traversing, and whose mind is a never-failing reservoir of anecdote and captivating information; and the volume is the fresh record of what they saw and of their varied experiences by the way. In a graceful and lively narrative are descriptions of the routes they travelled, the suggestive scenes that passed before their eyes, the countries and cities they visited, the mountains they climbed, the excursions they made, the curious manners and customs they observed, and the impressions that were made upon them by the new-old people with whom they were brought in contact. Interspersed with the record of their sight-seeing and of the incidents and accidents that befell them are stories of adventure and travel, among them being exhilarating whaling stories, and stories of sea and land wonders, graphic accounts of the curiosities of art they witnessed, and interesting observations anent the amusements, social customs, business methods, and institutions of the remarkable people among whom they sojourned. The book is literally kaleidoscopic in its variety, and brimful of instruction and entertainment. BELONGING to the class of stories for children which rely upon their purely human interest for their attractiveness, and which aim through the influence of example and sympathy to touch the feelings and inspire the conduct of their young readers, are four wholesome tales which unobtrusively teach the virtues of self-denial, self-control, helpfulness, consideration for others, and a spirit of forbearance and humanity. These are respectively entitled Belle and the Boys, by Mrs. CORBIN (Jansen, McClurg, and Co., Chicago); Room for One More, by MARY THACHER HIGGINSON (Lee and Shepard, Boston); Eyebright, by SUSAN COOLIDGE (Roberts Brothers, Boston); and a new volume of Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag (Roberts Brothers, Boston), containing a baker's dozen of Miss ALCOTT's bright stories.- Mrs. DODGE'S delightful story of life in Holland, Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates, is too well known to need a formal introduction at this time, but we may express our pleasure at its republication (Charles Scribner's Sons) in a form so cheap as to make it accessible to thousands of young folk to whom it has been denied hitherto.-No words of commendation can be too hearty for a delightfully improbable and genially gossiping little book from the graceful pen of "H. H.," entitled Letters from a Cat (Roberts Brothers), which tells all about cat life and loves and tribulations, and purports to have been published by Tabby's little mistress for the benefit of all cats and the amuse MR. BUTTERWORTH's Zigzag Journeys in Europe is another book of travels, in which the travellers are a class of American school-boys who go on a vacation tour to Europe with their teacher. Some of them in his company, and others by themselves, travel by rail or afoot, as they are moved by their inclinations, to all the principal places in Great Britain, France, and Belgium, lingering at points of historic or romantic interest, and listening to or reciting stories illustrating the legendary or real events connected with or suggested by them. The descriptions of the countries visit-ment of little children. ed, and the accounts of their people and objects of interest, are very vivacious; and the OUR American boys and girls who have addvolume, besides affording constant entertain-ed the collection of postage-stamps to their ment, has a substantial value for the outline of history which it incorporates with the lighter incidents of travel. 23 The Boy Travellers in the Far East. Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Japan and China. Illnstrated. By THOMAS W. KNOX. 4to, pp. 421. New York: Harper and Brothers. 24 Zigzag Journeys in Europe. Vacation Rambles in Historic Lands. By HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH. 4to, pp. 311. Boston: Estes and Lauriat. 25 The Princess Idleways. A Fairy Story. By Mrs. W. traditional pastimes of hoops and marbles, dolls and baby-houses, will scarcely recognize their new amusement by the hard name of 'Philately," with which it has been christened. Still, we can assure them they will not find it any less pleasant as a recreation or more difficult to master on that account. It is as easy and as engaging as ever, and forms an intelligent in-door amusement at least as harmless and more instructive than many of their old-time diversions. We are therefore disposed to cordially welcome a volume26 which is a comprehensive collection of all the facts connected with the issue of government postage-stamps, illustrated by nearly fifteen hundred fac-simile engravings of all that have been issued to this date. 26 A Revised List of Postage-Stamps and Stamped EnJ. HAYS. Illustrated. 16mo, pp. 124. New York: Har-velopes of all Nations. Edited by J. WALTER SCOTT. 8vo, per and Brothers. pp. 414. New York: Scott and Co. Ο POLITICAL Herr Von Koeller was elected President of the Lower House of the Prussian Diet October 30. Dr. Friedberg has been appointed Prussian Minister of Justice. An official report to the French government shows that 3065 Communists have been amnestied. About 1000 remain excluded. A bill for the abolition of slavery in Cuba was read in the Spanish Senate November 5, providing for the gradual liberation of slaves, according to age, until 1890, when all are to be set free. From 1880, $100,000 will be charged on the Cuban budget for defraying the expenses of emancipation. The sum of $350 will be paid to the owners for each slave. UR Record is closed on the 22d of November. Elections were held November 4 in eleven States, with the following results: Massachusetts-John D. Long (Republican), elected Governor by a plurality of 14,000 votes. Connecticut-State Senators, 9 Republicans and 2 Democrats. New York-Alonzo B. Cornell (Republican), Governor, by a plurality of about 38,000; Republicans claim the rest of the ticket, except Howard Soule for State Engineer; Senate, 25 Republicans, 7 Democrats, and Assembly, 93 Republicans and 35 Democrats. New Jersey-Republicans elected 36 Assemblymen out of 60, and 12 Senators out of 21. Pennsylvania-Samuel Butler (Republican), State Treasurer, plurality of 58,000. Maryland-William T. Hamilton (Democrat), Governor, over 22,000 plurality. Virginia-the debt-payers elected a majority of their candidates in the State Legislature. Wisconsin-three days out from New Bedford, MassachuRepublicans elected Governor and majority of setts. Fifteen lives lost. Legislature by 25,000 plurality. Minnesota -John S. Pillsbury (Republican), Governor, 15,000 plurality. Nebraska Republicans elected Supreme Judge by 15,000 majority, and Regents of the State University by 10,000 majority. Mississippi-Democratic majority. The official count of the California election in September shows that Mr. Perkins (Republican) had a plurality of 20,318, and the Republican Congressmen a plurality of 26,760. In Iowa the returns from ninety-seven ont of ninety-nine counties give Gear (Republican) a plurality of 69,030. The official count of the Ohio election in October gives Foster (Republican) a plurality of 17,129. In the republic of Hayti General Salomon was proclaimed President October 23. DISASTERS. October 28.-Schooner Petrel wrecked when November 2.-Fire-damp explosion, Mill Creek Colliery, sixteen miles from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Five men killed. November 7.-Steamer Champion in collision with English ship Lady Octaria off Delaware Capes. Sank immediately. Thirty lives lost. November 17.-Three dredges, two derricks, and seven scows sunk on Lake Ontario, near Oswego. Nine persons drowned. November 18.-Explosion in deep tunnel on railroad from San José to Santa Cruz. Thirty Chinamen killed. October 18.-Steamer Nuevo Pajaro del Oceano burned in Bahama Straits. Forty lives lost. November 4.-Steamer Arizona, Guion Line, ran headlong on a huge iceberg while crossThe Louisiana Republican State Conventioning the northern edge of the Newfoundland met in New Orleans October 20, and nominated Taylor Beattie for Governor, and James M. Gillespie for Lieutenant-Governor. Ex-Governor Henry P. Baldwin, of Detroit, has been appointed United States Senator from Michigan, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Chandler. The decrease in the public debt of the United States for October was $10,352,000. The Auditor of the Treasury for the Postoffice Department reports the net cost of the postal service during the fiscal year ending 30th of June last $3,031,455, or about $1,600,000 less than the deficit of the previous year. The total revenues were $30,041,982, and expenses $33,073,437. Banks. A water-tight bulk-head saved her from utter destruction. No lives lost. November 18.-News of sinking of former Confederate cruiser Shenandoah off island of Socotra, Indian Ocean. Most of crew drowned. November 20.-Iron steamer Pallas foundered off Heimskerk. Thirty lives lost. OBITUARY. October 31.-At Farmington, Maine, Rev. Jacob Abbott, aged seventy-six years.-At Garden City, Long Island, General Joseph Hooker, aged sixty-six years. November 1.-In Chicago, Illinois, Zachariah Chandler, United States Senator from Michigan, aged sixty-six years. The Canadian Legislature was prorogued November 11.-In Baltimore, Maryland, RearOctober 31, and a new government was sworn Admiral A. H. Kilty, aged seventy-three years. in, as follows: Premier, and Minister of Public October 29.-At St. Andrews, Scotland, John Works, Mr. Chapleau; Treasurer, Mr. Robert-Blackwood, senior partner in the firm of Willson; President of the Council, Dr. Ross; At-iam Blackwood and Sons, aged sixty-one years. torney-General, Mr. Loranger; Solicitor-Gener- October 31.-In London, England, John Baldal, Mr. Lynch; Minister of Crown Lands, Mr. win Buckstone, comedian, aged seventy-seven Flynn; Provincial Secretary, Mr. Paquet. years. |