The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-03
notices OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

q the Warrington family, which occupies, think
rather unprohtably, eighteen pages Of the volume It
may grakfy false pride the part Of some Of his de-
scendan but add nothing the glory and fame Of
the Father Of his Country to trace his pedigree up
William do Hertburn, obscure Norman knight, owing
feudal service to Bishop PAlatne OF Durham. The
stynology Of the arises from the exchange by
Hsrtburn Of the village which he held In fee from the
Bishsp for the and village of wessynson from
whence the modern Of the family is derived The
first volume brings down the events OF Washington's
life to the summer Of 1775
OF the manner in which the biographer's task is In
other respects fulfilled cannot speak in terms OF too
high commentator In the careful and judcious seec
ton of the vast Of materials accessible to him. in
the cautious balancing OF doubtful and conflicting autho
rifles and in just and impartial estimate OF his heros
character he has united all the conditions which the
Importance Of the subject called for Judging from the
portion Of the work sefors the noblest test-
mental that has yet been erected to washingtons
memory.
The engraved portrait illustrating the present volume
is from the original picture in the of Charles
Augustus Davis ESQ., Of this city It has expression
Of bengnty and cheerfuness which most of the other
lkenesses that We have seen want.
ERNEST GREY, OR THE SINS OF SocrErY-T. w. Strong
The novelist, days, takes the work Of the social
reformer ON his hands Modern fiction is but an insi
ious guise for the enforcement Of phosophc truths
the illustration OF phlanthropic theories. Although
these efforts not always dictated by the soundest
Judgment executed in the happiest taste, they all
contribute something towards the progress Of humanity
We are therefore, always ready to hail with cordial
welcome any accession to the great cause which
is the object and daily of the Newspaper press to
promote.
OF different stamp and character from the Hot Corn
class Of fctions, it only necessary to peruse few
pages Of the work before to become impressed with
the earnesness Of purpose and phsnthopc zeal OF the
authoress She writes out Of the fulness Of her heart
and she requires exaggeraon of the horrors to which
the poor exposed to excite sympathies and
list interest The power displayed in this
tale Of owly ife is derived from It's very simplicity
and truthfulness 1t brings wildly home to us,
in their true colors, the manifold crimes
(for by less term they be deaiguate) Of which
society in its turn guilty towards its erring members
The object of the tale Notwithstanding its compre-
hensvs ttie Is however, mainly confined to the ustra
ton of the runous effects of present system of
prison discipline which, instead of endeavouring to
reform, only tends to stu further demoraze the un-
happy prisoner by the evil associations to which it
exposes him. There Is unfortunately but too much
truth in this pton 1t needs great effort of
descriptive power to portray to in sufficiently
strong colors evils which daily forcing themselves
upon attention. The difficulty is, however, to find
remedy. Until different shades of cuipability be
nicely defined, and the whole Of a minals
career laid BARE there will STILL Notwithstanding all
efforts be much for the philanthroptst to greve at.
Apart from its moral purpose, the story is one of
great interest It is powerfully written and though in
respects defective in construction ii arrests
attention from the force and rapdity of it's STYLE
and the breadth Of its general views
questions Of social reforra As first literary essay
~rd hat too ~. horl q,
remarkable production The illustrations of the book
are rather of superior character.
BILL SMITH ABROAD. c. Derby This charming
little volume Of travelling impressions belongs class
OF works Of which press is fortunately becoming
prolific and which afford gratifying evidence of the i'm
provement which has of late years taken place in the
literary taste of this country. American travellers In
Europe, like European travellers in America formerly
could not leave behind them the bgotry Of old assoca
dons. open their eyes and their ears to the moral
bearing and significance Of what they witnessed abroad
Extended intercourse and greater familiarity with other
countries, through the medium of books and higher
order Of instruction than formerly impaired to
youthful minds, have greatly modified this state of
Kings. The works of travel that have of late years
issued from the American press, display in general
hberety Of feeling and OF readiness to do justice to
what Is excellent in the institutions of other countries
which cedable to the good and good taste of
American travellers and which contrast avorably with
the scurrility and ingratitude OF most OF the Eng
hsh writer's who have visited this country But
not only spirit, bu: in style, do we find
q marked improvement in this department Of ltera
ture The thirst for scribbing which formerly induced
every tourist TO publsh his impressions without refer
ence to his ability describe them, has fortunately
worked out its This subjects being out BY
repetition the Traveller must be able to impart
freshness and originality to them by qualities inherent
to his mind, to induce publisher to run the ha
zaId OF accepting them 1t to this necessity that
Of the liveiest and most agreeable Of the
cent publications that have issued from press Mo-
Germ writers have discovered that while there nothing
under the sun, there is much Of literary wealth
that stn remains undeveoped under the old familiar
tracks Of the great highways Of travel.
One of the favorable specimens Of this class
of publications IL at have seen, is the amusing and
unpretending little volume the title OF which heads
this notice II contains but little that Ia really new
and yet possesses all the charms Of novelty. Written
by of corre,t taste AID cultivated mind 1t lays
claim only to the merit OF rejecting the peculiar
light Of her views aud facts that have
pied the pens and the imanatons of hundreds of other
WRITER'S and it is her peculiar Of handling those
trte subjects that constitutes all the interest Of her
book. Let take for instance, the following humor-
GUS description Of Of her fellow passengers the
voyage out
A party Of young gentlemen from the South and
Wes-some proposing be stuc ents in Paris others
pleasure bent-messed together, and consumed great
quantities of ia very merry way. Their dinner
began half past four and ended at midnight there
abouts We generally notified OF the breaking up,
Of the company always made an attempt to climb
into the machinery, and WAS repulsed with loud out
cries. while another descending into the cabin invaria
bly, turned to the right instead Of to the left which
brought him to the state Of dyspeptc old gen.
tlemsn, and o pitched battle the consequ ence,
which disturbed the entire community before peace
could be proclaimed These bearers OF des
patches the by-by their great good nature and fine
ow Of sprits did TO epven the passage than all
the others together. There resisting their
tnual jokes, and lively, rafting conversation.
Mrs. T., the celebrated Misunderstanding, as you
know, siroled the earth, and slone German savan,
who had entire state to himself-the boat
not crowdedwith the upper berth and every corner,
indeed full OF geological specimens who kept diving
down and bringing up startling, whene, yer he could get