Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-07

NEW BOOK ~,
thor Of " Visits to Remarkable Places" &C. From
the third London edition, corrected and revised In
two volumes Philadelphia Perry s. Mcmillan sus-
oessors to A. Hart 1854. limo, PIP. 376.
The gifted wife of the author Of these volumes has done
80 much to illustrate the of HowIrr and render
familiar TO the public that any literary entertainments
50 announced would pass current without other endorse
ment or accommodation. The subject is possessing
80 much Of interest In ITSELF especially those in our
country who derive their descent from the land Of Milton
ana that in the hands Of the common
writer, would not fail to be attractive The charm is
Of course greatly enhanced and the interest in it pro-
poruona.eiy extended when treated by capable
Of doing justice this writer has proved himself to be-
There perhaps country in the world that can bear
favorable comparison with England in the comforts
conveniences and elegances OF her rural homes In
deed except the English there is no IN which
there is to be found word equivalent In ali respects 10
the meaning accustomed to attach In the s;mnle
term home There is something in the sound Of it that
awakens all agreeable associations; and the epthet rural
seems so peculiarly to belong to it that we NAV almost
say the one term loses half its proper Specification sepa
rated from the other II Is in the country onv thai
are blessed with the full sweetness Of the thousand
naneless domestic pleasures and enjoyments embodied
In the term 1t is in those rural homes that England il
SO favored 1t is true And occasionally in the United
States some fortunate citizen of the descent
who through oil the vcissudes Of property incident Ia
the nature of political institutions has been happy
enough to retain possession of the domc in which he
and his foreahers from its foundation were born and
around which successive have added improve
ments until II has been made all that wealth and taste
could accomplish; but still there is wanting the one asso-
citation which nothing supply but the history events
long past.
The authors style is easy and agreeable at times even
poetcal and his descriptions of visits to many spots with
which English authors and poets have rendered us am-
liar are exceedingly graphic and entertaining. The
reader seems to be with him in prpra persona he
ders Amnesty Hall and gazes with him upon the
lovely place of Mary Chaworth or crossing to New
stead fingers with melancholy interest amid the scenes
where her gifted but Inflated lover caught his first
inspirations.
The first or three chapters will perhaps cause the
American reader to smile at the very partial amor aic
that gows in every line, but further perusal will con-
vince him that this Partially has blinded the author
and luxury of merry England he deplores with real
earnestness the rapid increase Of crime in her manufac
turing districts and the almost british ignorance often
found in some of her loveliest g nooks."
But it is not only the rural life Of Englands own IA
vored children that the author describes. The "owly
matched cottage" has it's own peculiar though humber
joys; and even while he aments that many Of the
beautiful old CUSTOMS the hearty old customs the poet
cal old customs gone he nevertheless tells Of many
village festival still enjoyed with all the ardor and fresh
ness Of its first celebration.
1t may be thought by perhaps that this descrip
ton of rural life in England only those who are
enjoying it, and yet it is certainly without interest
even to our plain farmers and Planters Of whom
have at least begun to realize the fact that taste and
republican principles and that architectural beauty in
the construction of these homes does necessarily nd
cate reasonable leaning towards the "pomp and cir
cumstance Of monarchcal Governments; or that the
exclusion OF these advantages does not always
smaller expenditure Of what is said to be the idol Of
Yankee hearts. the !" almighty DOLLAR
The work will be found for sale at the bookstore Of
FRANcK TAYLOR.
The Spirit RAppER an autobiography by o. A. BRows-
SON. Boston Published by Little, Brown & Coaacuu
vol, PIP. 402. Sold by TAYLOR MAuRY, Washington.
Mr. BRowNsos has laid before the public work of great
interest and learning He says of it, in his preface
There is no fiction in it save its machinery. What
given as fact is fact at least is regarded by the
author The facts narrated strictly analogous facts
have either seen myself or given on what regard
ample evidence"
AS it impossible to wink this subject out Of sght
thousands upon thousands engaged heart and soul
in the hope of lifting the marble veil from the face Of the
isis it is worthy of the highest intellect to the
aud unlearned Of the dangert health and body
well as the safety Of the SOUL attending the prosecution
Of these inquiries
Much harm, Mr. Brownson thinks has been done by
telling these spiritists that all is
mere Imagination fraud These people know it is not
50. They know they knaves that they practice
trckery, and have wish deceive be deceived
They not conscious of any dishonest intentions and
they have reason to think that they less intei
gent less sharpsghted than they who abuse them as
mposters rdicule them dupes.
He thinks the of these people is in their expca
ton of the phenomena, and not in asserting its reality
The true ways concede the facts courede even their
mysterious andsuperhuman character and then explain
70 them their principle and origin and show them that
hey proceed not from good angels when apparent
y they are pure and unobjectionable
The views taken by Mr. Brownson those of the Rev.
Mr. Samson, of this city, in his little book entitled To
DAMosIoN noticed in this paper at the time of its pub
ication, book full of learning and timely warning