The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-15

ing 10 those who are not fond of abstract rea-
soning; but the greater part of the work is of a
cast to be read with profit and interest by any
one who will take the trouble to think. The
subjects of which he treats are among the high
est that can occupy the thoughts of man: A
view of the Divine Government; the phenome..
ma of the mind; the actual world, physical and
moral; the relation of Gods providence to mans
nature and character; the principles on which
He proceeds in His dealings with His fallen
creatures; and the means He takes to awaken
discipline, and restore him to himself-these
are so praiseworthy as to call forth the energies
OF that intellect which is urged by command
ing desire to promote His glory.
To say that Professor McCosh has made only
most useful book-though this might satisfy
an honest wish to do wel-would be to with
hold from him part of the praise which is his
due. He has given US volume which meets
the wants of many a reflective mind. In an age
so rife with the more refined species of nfdel
lty-when Pantheistic and Atheistic philosophy,
though SO widely apart in seeming, yet tend to
the same end, to dethrone the God of the Bible
and find in the unstable and ever-restless minds
OF the present time so much to captivate-it is
well to have rigorous effort like this put forth,
to recall the thoughts to the bearing of the
great facts of the human constitution, and the
operations of the mind and the world to the
Creator, Preserver, moral Governor, and Re-
deemer of mankind.
The style of the book is clear and vigorous,
at times it rises to eloquent impressiveness, and
ever bears the marks of earnest faith and sim
cere dealing with his fellow-men. Different
classes of readers will probably treat it differ
emily. Those who but skim work. and give
not an hour to patient reflection, may catch it
up, and, if they chance to light certain pages,
find even their attention chained for time to
the illustrations and attractive rendering of
facts it contains; or, if on some others of closer
argument and analysis, throw it down, and pro-
nounce it dull and heavy. 1t will leave its i'm
press, however, on the domain of thought, and
help to make future acquisitions more easy S.
TIE LADY THE WEST; or, the Gold Seekers. Written
for the great American nation by John Ballou Gin
cinnat: Printed for the author by Moore, Wilstach
| Keys, Overend. 1855.
|
not feel obliged to notice. If we are honest in
our expression of opinion, we know we may
offend, and possibly, too may undesignedly
seem harsh in judgments to some whose
fault is rather in the lack of perception to dis.
cover they are not meant for authors, than
wilful perversion of their moderate abilities to
instruct the public. With good intentions, it
is not every one who can execute their designs
The writer of the volume before us can hardly
however, plead any such Inconsistencies as
reason for violation Of propriety, in the case of
his publication. His preface, while somewhat
deprecatingly presenting himself to his read
ers, admits that it had been better, had his book
been rewritten and revised by some one more
gifted but "being much pressed" as he says,
" for time," I" and knowing that my nation is
an indulgent friend to book, especially when
it has been written for the purpose of social re-
form, 1 publish it, trusting shall receive pity
for my weakness, rather than contempt for my
presumption"
Here, then, is his avowed object for the
purpose Of social REFORM" How has he exc
cuted it :? We have neither pity nor contempt,
but we rather feel something like indignant re-
Duke for the plea he sets up to palm upon the
reading public volume so marked by vulgari-
ty, and, what is worse, so bad in its moral bear
ing. What kind of social reform is the author
aiming at 1t would seem from some parts
of the work that one object is to rebuke the
spirit which has risen against foreigners. Had
this been done by keen discoverer of human
nature, and one well read in the manner of APP
plying truth, it might have been useful but of
this book, as the vehicle of argument, or COM
mendatlon of any cause, its advocates might
well say, I" If such be our friends, save us from
them!" But the book will sell. 1t may be so
and we do feel pity for those who are beguiled
by the title, and may be led to spend their
money for a production which is such libel
| on womanhood
| We do not say that there are not portions of
it which may be truthful and which may be
read with degree of interest, as presenting
phases of life that are, no doubt, sometimes
| found among the ten thousand checkered scenes
| of mans dwelling on earth. Such may, no doubt,
be the case with portions of the overland jour
ney to California. Yet, here, we can scarcely
| believe there are not, too, exaggerations-too
| high drawn pictures, based on partial SEM
| blances of actual occurrence. So, as to life in
California-that world within world-a chaos
| Of all sorts of elements thrown together, and
ever and anon heaving up, from the seething
pot of an excited society, much that is disgust
ing and abhorrent. The characters portrayed,
| the scenes presented, may we'll be believed to
have sometimes actually passed before the mar
rator's eye. Similar statements in soberer dress,
as well as in the array of fiction, have before
been brought to the public view newspapers
have chronicled the crimes and the indignant
retribution by which they have been punished,
and the state of unsettled manners and morals
have been the theme in many a form. Our
condemnation is not only that the author gives
so large share Of his book to them, but that
he has done it in such manner as almost to
seem apologist for them. While we object
to the book, as below mediocrity in literary
character, marked my mannerisms and sins
against propriety of language and grammar, as
utterly deficient in artistic power or skill, we
have deeper condemnation to urge. The
| moral is positively bad. Not protesting
Christian hardly is introduced but as hypo-
crite, the only ministers of the Gospel are cold
hearted and unfeeling every old maid is de-
formed, Grabbed creature; some of the heroes
are gamblers and proaigates. There is plenti.
| ful snrinklinu of nrofa no lapo,oco A. c. -.