must put all their old manuscript to press, thinking possibly that their stronger intellectual offspring will help to bear the infirmities of the weaker.. It is a blunder which has marred not a few literary reputations. The lecturer has mistaken the courteous wish of some interested auditor, that he would print what had just pleased a charitable assembly of not over critical people, for a verdict of permanent value upon his discourse-a very great non sequitur, not unfrequently. He has a lecture here on the art of lecturing, and a vindication of this as an emphatically important adjunct of modern, Christian civilization. We do not see, however, such an illustration of this position in his pages, as to feel very powerfully convinced of the point which he argues. Not that we particularly take exception to the general run of his opinions: but they have neither a freshness or a weight which greatly commends them to regard.

10.-Life and Times of Joseph Warren. By RICHARD FrothingHAM. 8vo. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. 1865.

THIS portly octavo is occupied mostly with the local history, in and around Boston, of about ten years immediately preceding the outbreak of our Revolutionary war. Dr. Warren's life is the centre around which this large amount of material is grouped. It travels over a much frequented road, in its more popular details; consequently, it it difficult to gather up any considerable amount of fresh interest. But those were stirring times, when Faneuil Hall and the Old South Church rang with the harangues of the Sons of Liberty : -the pulpit of the latter got so used to this sort of eloquence in those days, from civilians as well as the clergy, that it has not lost the habit yet. It is curious to read the accounts of the popular enthusiasm of that date, in this old city: "Garrets were crowded with patriots; mechanics and lawyers, porters and clergymen, huddled promiscuously into them; their decisions were oracular; and from thence they poured out their midnight reveries. They soon determined to form an independent empire." So writes a contemporary Tory.

This memoir is too much loaded with documents to be sought after by the patrons of our circulating libraries. It is better adapted to the shelves of our Historical and University Societies, and to the private collections of gentlemen of wealth and literary tastes. The distinguished subject of it is well portrayed in the impulsive yet deep-seated patriotism which has marked him out so prominently the leaders of that revolution. His worth to the cause of freedom lay not so much in what he did, as in the personal enthu

among

siasm which he threw into the work. He set others a high example which they followed; especially, he fired the young men of this region with an ardor in the resistance of foreign tyranny, which bore rich fruit in the war which came after. Warren was the Theodore Winthrop of that struggle for nationality-perhaps we had better said, its Colonel Ellsworth. The fame of these men does not spring from such elaborate books as this, nor is it increased by them. Fortunately, the expense of book-making is too great to give much encouragement to this voluminous style of life-writing, except of the few master spirits of their age.

11.-The Life of Abraham Lincoln. By J. G. HOLLAND, Member of the Massachusetts Historical Society. 8vo. Springfield: Gurdon Bill. 1866.

THE purpose of this memoir is to delineate the personal character rather than the official life of Mr. Lincoln. Leaving to others the more elaborate historical view of the stirring times thus recounted, the present biographer keeps his eye on the individual development of his illustrious subject, turning the material in his hand, from whatever quarter gathered, to this main design. In this he has achieved a good success. Writing in full sympathy with his theme, he throws a warm coloring over his work, which, however, does not go beyond the measure of truthful eulogy. The book is full of fascination. Its earlier chapters read like a romance. The picture of Western life and adventure is perfect, as we know by long and intimate experience. The later narrative of Mr. Lincoln's successful career is careful and graphic. The author's subject controls him, and bears him along on its deep current, not as on a holiday voyage, but one of most serious import. Yet his pages are everywhere sprinkled with the irrepressible facetiousness of the inexhaustible story-teller. If this was a weakness in Mr. Lincoln's character, it gave him a magnetic popularity in his younger days, helped him largely to the power which he afterwards used so benevolently, and certainly made his perplexed and burdened presidency much less chafing than otherwise it must have been. This biography comes nearer to meeting the popular want on this subject, than any other life of Mr. Lincoln yet issued. The worst part of the volume is its paper, which is of the dingy, muddy tinge usually put into books that are sold about the country by agents, at enormous prices. We heartily join in the wishexpressed by several of our contemporaries, of late, that the bookpeddling business, which is a great nuisance, might be stopped; but our hope is not equal to our wish.

12.-Grant and Sherman; Their Campaigns and Generals. By Hon. J. T. HEADLEY, Author of, etc., etc., etc. Comprising an Authentic Account of Battles and Sieges, Adventures and Incidents, including Biographies of the Prominent Generals who brought to a triumphant close the Great Rebellion of 1861-1865. Sold only by subscription. 8vo. New York: E. B. Treat & Co. 1865.

"THERE are men that will make you books and turn them loose into the world with as much despatch as they would do a dish of fritters." But what would the Knight of La Mancha have said, had he lived amid the deluge of our war literature? What with biographies of every brass buttoned official who had a private secretary, or hopes to be governor, and special narratives of almost every affair which smelt of powder, the griddle shows no signs of speedily cooling off. We would like to remind these prolific writers of the wise remark of the same military critic: "I have also reason to believe, Mr. Bachelor, that to compile a history, or write any book whatsoever, is a more difficult task than men imagine. There is need of a vast judgment and a ripe understanding": very different work this, from that of Don Quixote's painter, "who, being asked what he painted, answered, 'as it may suit'; and when he had scrawled out a misshapen cock, was forced to write underneath, in Gothic letters, This is a cock." We must be allowed to say, that the title page, which we here give in part, without, however, all its emphatic typography, ridiculously reminds us of the chef-d'œuvre of the aforesaid "painter of Ubeda."

This flamboyant beginning may not be the author's fault: from the half dozen pages of most fulsome publishers' puffs by which it is flanked, we presume it also may have been gotten up by them with an eye to business. An author who falls into such hands is to be pitied, if he cares for anything but his percentage. The book itself is only of ephemeral value. Mr. Headley has a turn for battle scenes. His style dashes along like a cavalry rider, or oftener, perhaps, makes one think of those impossible equestrian statues poised on the terminus of a stiff tail as if just ready to vault over the Alps. It was unfortunate probably that we looked through his pages soon after reading General Grant's Report to Congress, the other day. Writing like that ought to stop this inundation of half-baked "fritters." There is a profuse sprinkling of tolerable pictures and portraits in this thick, large type volume, which will make it look worth its three or four dollars to its rural subscribers.

We will add a word or two more to what was said in the last notice, about the books published for canvassing agents. In nine

cases out of ten they are a cheat as to the amount of work and material given for the prices demanded. Thick, cheap paper, coarse type, immense spacing, and broad fragments of blank pages, are made to swell the bulk of what could easily be put into half the size. For this the purchaser pays so as to yield enormous profits to somebody. If the substance of what is thus paid for were of a high literary order, it would be better. But the actual fact is much like sticking a lighted candle into a hot candlestick—a ruinous consumption at both ends.

13.-Companion Poets for the People: ROBERT BROWNING, O. W. HOLMES, W. C. BRYANT. Vols. IV., V., VI. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1865.

THE publishers have found enough that is intelligible and, in a sense, popular in Browning's works, to make up this addition to their nice little series of poets, for universal circulation. This son of the Muses is eccentric, brilliant, orphic, metaphysical, rich in a weird sort of cutting, Mephistophelian irony. He carries it to the very verge of the impious sometimes, in expression, as in the

"There's a great text in Galatians."

Yet he does not seem to mean to be wicked in this daring; rather you detect some sharp hit which he would give to something which to him, at least, appears worthy of death-whether it is, however, may admit of a doubt. Then there is another side to himan almost womanly tenderness which gushes up, here and there, with indescribable beauty. This little volume will endear Mr. Browning to many who have not ventured before to form the acquaintance of so wizard-like a genius.

Dr. Holmes laughs and jests and fidgets through these "Humorous Poems" of his contribution. He is funny, yet if he should venture to be even as funny as he could, we don't think the stars would be shaken down by the laughter. He has at least the trick of the poetical game, and at long intervals shows symptoms of a true poet's heart. But he is not much to our taste in prose or poetry. Smartness commands a quick market, but there is not much immortality in it.

The clear, breezy, stalwart spirit of Bryant is in striking contrast with each of the former poets. He breathes the bracing air, and sings his song with a ringing note, as free from morbid humors as the lark which carols at heaven's gate. He is so true to nature and the human heart in its healthy moods, that his most familiar poems never can tire. Here are the best of his shorter pieces. We look into their faces as of old friends, and welcome them in this neat at

tire. Bryant's reputation is a growing one. He has struck the chords which, once vibrating, will vibrate forever.

The illustrations in this series are not of a very satisfying order. In these volumes, these given to Bryant's verses are the best. The pictorial inspirations of Dr. Holmes' muse are mostly such extravaganzas as make hideous the pages of our comic newspapers. There is a prodigious wood-cut revival just now going on in Boston. We hope some genuine artistic improvement will come out of it. But honestly, we think this series of poets would be worth more without than with the whole of the pictures. Some of them are pleasing; but less considerably than one half. We think it was the "Autocrat" who once, in a prospectus for some magazine or serial tale, protested loudly against being "illustrated." Pity that he, at least, had not renewed his protest and held to it, in this instance.

14.-Personal Reminiscences of the Life and Times of Gardiner Spring. 2 vols. New York: Charles Scribner & Co. 1866. [Boston: Lee & Shepard.]

FEW authors succeed in biography: fewer still in autobiographyso the critics have adjudged. It does not help the latter kind of authorship that it is ordinarily deferred to old age. Fourscore years do not leave the retentiveness of memory, or the mental vivacity needed to give such memoirs the requisite degree of variety, versatility, delicacy of drawing and toning. They are apt to be meagre, dry, stiff. As a specimen of writing one's own life, we think this attempt no exception to the general rule of failures. But these volumes are to only a small extent autobiographical. They are mostly occupied with discussions of ecclesiastical and social questions to which the last half century has given rise, and with which Dr. Spring has been more or less connected. This gives much historical interest and value to the work. The writer thus passes under review the theological controversy between the Taste and Exercise men; the revival era in the American churches; Missions domestic and foreign; the Andover Seminary, in which episode the original compromise of its founders undergoes an elucidation that clearly shows where and for what ends this institution was started, and by obvious inference, throws light on the present relation of its influence to those primeval objects of its creation, in which Dr. Spring's father was active and prominent. Other topics are, the Hopkinsian and New Haven theologies; the rupture in the Presbyterian church; the Southern Rebellion, in the General Assembly, and out of it; and a variety of other topics of a general nature. Dr. Spring handles all these matters in the direct and positive style of one who has been accustomed to be deferred to as a