The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-29

LEAvEs," BY MISS WILLIS.
TFrc m the Georgia University Magazine
We have selected the ab5ve mentioned four WORKS
for few critical remarks, not only because they
have gained great POPULARITY but also because tney
have received from Us careful examanaslon.
The number offered for perusal 10 large and our
life IL very short or should probably introduco
to our rate ., " Mss Minnie Myrtle" or Mrs, Lee
Heatz." or Miss Ellen Louise Chandler" or, last
ly, " Mrs. Harriet b. Stowe" Pray, excuse %,
ladies' we cannot att. nd to all ct once; perhaps II
time TO come, you too, may hear from US. In tno
meanwhile, sbould we offend In ths following 10
marks, shall console ourselves with the reneceon
that ours Is not the first persimmon pole which has
raised row Oh her COST.
Since the days of wit:hcraft, such utterly incon-
preheDsble folly has never ragged among rs. Never
ia his maddest moments, did old Cotton Mather''
arpear 60 much like 70 H. as does the Americas Of
the present day, in his crazy Worship Of Female
Authors" Let Q publication Of the most ordinary
stamp, make Its tearance, sanctioned BY the sg-
nature OF woman's hano and 1t Il devouHed with -
much avidity as Divine revelaHon-aye, with Q
great deal more avidity than the only Divine reve-
laton We have ever bad. Be the subject wnes Is
msy-polemical or polti al, domestic or historical,
religious or Deistical--ths depssved appetite q 2
de uded public will enjoy It ALL The fastest
style is denomnate simplicity" the most extra
vsgant nonsense dubbed "sprightlinc0," the vfleee
sent ment called knowledge Of human nature"
and the most utter vuigarity yclept Sterling wit"
Oh the length. the breadth, the height, the depth
Of bumbug! Where may our stated senses be undin-
ned BY it's presence Where ere, may eyes never rsst
bleezes OF morning float uninterrupted By
the folds Of irs banner Tell rs, ye stars,
for there would we make our dwelling pIa q, and
consien to the merry OF oblivion's waters the
recollection of the annals OF humbug and of female
authors. But our zeal Iatter blinds our poteness;
have kept these fair ai lies TOO long, anticipa
ting the vercict OF critical majesty.
"Queechy," Miss WethereL's bansling, stands
first upon our list. Whatever may be our opinion
Of her ability, we must yield to tne authorizes the
credit Of no evil intent. However little good there
her book. Some people may say, then, that she de-
serves no blame; this is great mistake. Something
more IL required of en author than the msre abb
ience OF i'll; there must be presence Of good. man
him, but he will die for lack Of sustsnance.
We have ploughed through "Queecby," from
cover to cover. and we fnd It all-saw dust.
We meet with intermnable array Of fat
common place incidents, which hear no interest
In themselves, nor moal in their tendencies.
little girl attracts the notice Of young mamie
goes out and tbrasbes hickory nuts of the trees for
her; she says and does such things as prococious
little gi,ls generally say and do-if our memory DO
not trescberous, she cries over misused dog, which
q cruel youth had beaten-she has her litte ups
misfortune overtakes them, she performs prodi9ies
OF things by way Of assistance playing Jack Of
all Iraces and, contrary TO the old saw, Is good ct
ALL too finally true 70 poesio Justice, she marries
on merry as q marriage bell" Well, and what's the
objection to all this There s in fact, little point
10 the book that !. is fitting in the dark TO found an
objection. We object to the insipdty the stsensss,
the utter vacuisy If thought and sentiment, which
mark its every page. We al the time seeking for
come subs lance OF which this mass Of folly Ia the
shadow. When We are through we have read Of .
very nice little girl, AMI some very nice young
man, but we canno. No ne an original idea which
hos been cleaned from this trackless wilderness
of nonsense We cannot say that single thing
has been learned, or sogle principle illustrated,
which nigh, not rave been better learned or more
clearly exemplifed in the most superficial Observa-
ton OF every day life. With this opinion of the
Miss wethersi Probably Intends itI the perasnl Of
children. It will give the tste for reading, and
present views Of practical life, which, though all
around 1t, q child would never notice. But, that
grown men and women should be flying into costa
cies, and Comparing peurile story to our best
standard works, IL, We do contend, utter and un-
paIdonable humbuggery.
Next comes The Lofty and Lowry" by Miss Nc
ILtosh. The lady frankly acknowledges that the
book was never cOmmehcsd with the same purpose
with which IL was endet. Originally inven lei as
an every day tale OF "Fathul aud Fsitb)ess Love-
the materials were reclst, and moulded into the
shape Of an answer to Uncle Toms q sbin;' and
precious poor answer at that Su Ia q combination
Of iaultess and faulty m n, and o. perfect and inn
perfect womep surely never existed elsewhere than
in the hotbed Of q wopan's ina giuatiou. As IN
advocate Of the institution of slavery l. il liable to
certain objections, the main Of which H. il never
touches the subject. IL is very sentimental, very
fiji OF ex'ravagan e, very destitute OF any common
sSIse, and, as matter Of course, very silly, and
very muon calculated t, turn the heads of boardiog
: hool.we beg ten thousand pardans- female col.
lege girls.
The LsmpHgbter" is & book of far betar quail
~ tran either OF the above, bat still by means
deserves the enormous circulation 1t has attaioed-
sixty i've thousand copies Ia three months, we be-
iieve. 1t has an undue allowance of mix and
water in its com position, ard we occasicDally get
wofullJ worried with puerils babbe but there Is
stratum cf sound sense OF the bottom, which makes
us think the auiboress capable OF better things We
are OF the opinion, b. tIe wsy, that the manner in
which the young w,m8D lost her eyes Is rather
forced and unr atuFal, and hat the inordiDate re-
morse OF her lover for what vas purely accidental
is strained. Asregards the interest of the plot we
consider it disjolDted. The characters are all well
enough in their way, but tey don't lit one another
exactly. The author seems to have been in some
what OF quandary how to dispose Of this afore-
mennont q blind young woman, and appears to have
married her ia order to get her out Of the way.
But, with all this, 1t is very fair second rate
story.
Last, but not least cones miss Fanny Fern.r
We are in good deal Of treridstion wnile penning
this for the lady has the reputation Of being pug.
the Mesrs Editors" to prohibit the northern cir
cnlation Of this number Of the G. U. n, lest Il
should meet her eye, and we suffer an attack, "vi
Ct oTn'is" Howe yer, here goes when the arti-
cles over this fictitious signature first appeared RI.
NOR ascribed them to a masculine hand. For the
honor Of our SEX we felt ashamed but, for TIE me-.
nor mSo,y Of our graodmother, we were glad 70 know
snci: stun. The reflection was q vain one; Miss
Willis IN the fair Tree from which These dainty
Leaves" lnttsr. Oh rare combination-oh! I'M
exampled prodPy-he'e Is the slang of tho news
boy, without bis wit-tLe vulgarity Of the horse
jockey without his honesty, aud the malice
Of chambermsid without her ignorance to ex-
cuse it. She is one Ct the strong mind.
ed" she has cast down the gauntlet, Ia the
amoag them to take Il up. SIZE is the grea' Quiz
cite Champion of ,nans rights. Sae Is, In snort,
q buld, forward, masculine wonin. Her book is an
ifdsx Of herself; sbourdiny in vulgarisms, chara.-
terizco BY BliDgsgste, seasoned with personal bit.
tsiness, and pointed by falsehood, it will stand,
while it does stand q memorable monument OF
Il male folly and American gullibility. We most
ba icslIy except this from the before mentioned
class Of books, which d. neither harm good. II
has OF one reseeuing quality. The manner Is bad,
the matter 10 bad the sentiments such as would
call q blush to Lucy Stones cheek. and the style
l. ro.ll dae.~... hnnAlA 49, L.. n