The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-28
LITERARY NOTICES.


We took up the book, just to read enough for
fair notice, but forgot ourselves in the mar
rative, and followed it to its close, without
stopping to criticize. Too often, the laws
of probability are violated; the sentimental
is rather exaggerated; characters striking
enough in themselves, are introduced, which
you are sure could not exist in the localities
mentioned, and there is a divergence from the
true philosophy of human nature; but you
shut your eyes to all these defects, and give
yourself up to the fascinating interest of the
story. The author is endowed with large
constructive faculty, and more than ordi-
nary capacity to stir the deeper and better
feelings of our nature. The book has far more
merit than some others Of the same class
which have been moro loudly heralded
WALDEN. By Henry D. Thoreau. Boston Tick.
nor, Reed Fields For sale by Taylor Maury,
Washington, D. c.
In its narrative, this book is unique, in its
philosophy quite Emersonian. Il is marked
by genius of a certain order, but just as strong
ly, by pride Of intellect. 1t contains many
acute observations on the follies of mankind,
but enough of such follies to show that its
author has his full share of the infrmities of
human nature, without being conscious of it.
By precept and example he clearly shows how
very little is absolutely necessary to the SUBJ
s:stence Of mas, what Robinson Crusoe
life he may lead in Massachusetts, how little
labor he need perform, if he will but reduce
his wants to the philosophical standard, and
how much time he may then have for mcdita-
ton and study. To 90 out and squat, all
alone, by pretty pond in the woods, dig, lay
the foundation of little cabin, and put
it up, with borrowed tools, furnish it, raise
corn, beans, and potatoes, and do ones own
cooking, hermit like, so that the total cost of
the whole building, furnishing, purchasing ne
cessaries, and living for eight months, shall
not exceed forty or fifty dollars, may do for an
experiment, by a highly civilized man, with
Yankee versatility, who has had the full bene-
fit of the best civilization of the age All men
are not cup to" everything. But if they
were, if they all had the universal genius of
the Yankee nation" how long would they
remain civilized, by squatting upon solitary
duck ponds, eschewing matrimony, casting off
all ties of family, each one setting his wits to
work to see how little he could do with. and
how much Of that little he could himself ac-
complish? At the end of eight months, Mr..
Thoreau might remain a Eliminating philoso-
pher, but he would have few but Illuminating
animals to write books for.
Bat, with all its extravagances, its sophisms,
and its intellectual pride, the book is acute
and suggestive and contains passages of great
beauty.
wESsLEY. Boston: Published and for sale as
above.
We understand this story is from the pen of
Edmund Quincy. No one who is familiar with
the unrelenting one-ideaism and the passion
for sarcasm and unsparing objurgation, dis
played by that keen writer in the columns OF
the Anti-SIaUery Standard and Liberator,
would suspect him of being the author of this
dashing genial, exhilaratng little story, which,
as he truly says, has no particular moral in it.
There must be more sunshine in the tenn
permanent of Mr.. Quincy than we had given
him credit for.
PERIscoPIcs: or, Current Subjects Extemporane-
ously Treated. By William Elder. New York
J. C. Derby.
Our readers know DR.. Elder They have
often been delighted with his original views Of
things, and his style of talking about them, a
style all his own. The Doctor has become
an author; in other words, has made, from
the numerous articles he has furnished to
| newspapers and magazines, selection which
| he has put within the lids of a book, printed
by Derby, very neatly, on fine white paper and
in clear type. Many of these articles-shall
we say the best ?-have appeared from time to
| time in the columns of the Era, and our read
ers on meeting them again, will be refreshed
as with the faces of old acquaintance. The
contents are classified under the general heads,
Characters and Tales" Slashy," Fancy u
"Politico- Economical" and Religious"
Speaking phrenologically, DR.. Elder has
large Comparison, Ideality, language and
Mirthfulness, and considerable amount OF
Causality. He is at once metaphysical, ana.
logical, and imaginative; and his imagination
at times suggests analogies which can hardly
stand the test of severe logic. Were he less
metaphysical, he would be a writer of fiction
or, were he less imaginative, he would be a
disciple of Kant. He is a man of ideas, mol
facts. In this volume you will look in vain fol
careful researches into facts for difficult tables
of statistics. You will find pleasant satire
odd conceits, original thoughts, striking forms
of expression, refined and broad generaliza-
| tions, but very little of what the world calls
practical. If VIC had had the making up Of
the volume, we would have left out nearly al
that comes under the general heads Slashy >
and Fancy" the subjects for the most part
being of temporary interest, and furnishing
occasion merely for light comments, piquant a
the time but deriving much of their peril
nence from circumstances that have passed by
The man who writes in the newspapers with
o view to influence current affairs, may show
more intellectual power and resources than
MANY book maker, and produce more per-
manent good; but some of his best efforts are
60 linked with what is transient and local
although embodying enduring truth, that they
will not bear reproduction. This is precisely
true Of some of Dr. Elders most effective artl
cles. This much can and ought to be said Of
our author, that there are very few newspaper
and magazine writers who, out of the same
amount of material, could select 80 much that
is worthy of being preserved in book.
GAM EDEN or, Pictures of Cuba Boston j. P