The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-09 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS.

Wild Sports in the Far West. By Frederick Ger-
staecker. Translated from the German, by H.
Weir. Routledge.
Esperanza; or, The Rome of the Wanderers. By
Anne Bowman. Routledge.
The Story of the Peasant-Boy Philosopher. By
Henry Mayhew. David Bogue.
Leaves from the Diary of an Officer of the Guards.
Chapman and Hall.
A Practical Treatise on the Choice and Cookery of
Fish. By Piscator. Second edition. Longman.
and Co.

First Steps in Economic Botany. By Thomas
Croxeu Archer. Lowel Reeve.

IViid Sports in the Far TVest is an entertaining
narrative of the adventures of a sportsman in North
America. It is translated_ from the German of
Frederick Gerstaecker, by garrison Weir. In the
preface the author says that it was not his original
intention to publish the contents of the diary he
had kept during his travels for the amusement of
his family in Germany. Encouraged, however, by
the interest excited by some extracts published in
the periodicals he undertook to revise and correct
his notes, and to mould them into a continuous
narrative. He has endeavoured to portray faith-
fully both the condition of the settlers and his own
adventures. He warns the sportsman " that many
an adventure that reads admirably on paper is in
reality the reverse of romantic." The book
will be most attractive to this class of readers,
as there are many accounts of encounters
with bears, wolves, panthers, &c. It is ornamented
with tinted illustrations.—Esperanza ; o The
Home of the Wanderers, is also on the subject of
American travellers. It is a story by Anne Bow-
man, the authoress of " Travels of Rolando," of a
family who emigrated to South America, and is a
very. interesting narrative, and will be peculiarly
fascinating to young readers. Another work, of a
more instructive character, also intended for juve-
nile readers, is entitled, The Story of the Peasant-
boy Philosopher, by Henry Mayhew. It is
founded on the early life of Ferguson, the shep-
herd-boy astronomer, and its object is, by connect-
ing scientific information with the story of a boy's
life and efforts to awake in the reader's mind a
desire to pursue the study.—Leaves from the Diary
of an Officer in the Guards, having appeared
in a periodical, are now offered to the public in a
collective form. In the present stirring times of
war the effect is curious to turn to sketches of the
last campaign. They are varied and striking, and
will no doubt meet with a favourable reception...—.
A Practical Treatise on the Choice and Cookery of
Fish contains complete and elaborate directionstfhore
choosing and cooking fish, with remarks upon their
respective qualities. Its object is to supply
instruc-
tions which have been hitherto wanting, as
author searched in vain in six modern cookery
books of the highest merit for something about
The
elatfa ctheto f
wantthis
btheieneratlhietiesseoefontdheeJdiotliion DnporroyN.,es
existed, and that this little volume has satisfactorily
supplied it. First Steps to Economic Botany, by
Thomas Croxen Archer, is_ an abridgment of that
author's work on " Popular Economic Botany,"
iNivlhenicthhahs beenasundertaken
attracted
in iat th much
h notice.
suggestionTh e a bofr
the -
Heads of the Department of Science and Art,
with a view of making the subject available to
pupils of all classes. It is a valuable .and instruc-
tive little work, and gives a concise summary of
the outline of the science.

EXETER HALL.—The members of the Sacred Harmonic
Society recommenced their performances last night, and
with increased prospects of success. Mr. Costa is still at
the bead of affairs as regards the orchestra, which,
whether vocally or instrumentally, is as numerically
strong as it has ever been since be has been invested
with the conductorship. The band and chorus consist
of the itsual 700 performers, including, we are specially
informed by the society, the sixteen double bassel,
which doubtless form a by no means inadequate founda-
tion for such a colossal superstructure. The disposition
of the forces seems to have undergone no change. Mr.
Costa, when he entered the orchestra, was received as
he usually is received upon these occasions—that is, with
all the signs of a large and cordial
season popularity. The hall
was crowded in every part, and the has apparently
opened well.