The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-05

1
as ne was earnest in the unwearied attentions
he gave to the sick and dying in the hospitals
where he prayed with and minstered to the
temporal and spiritual necessities of those
under his charge. Well might scalding tears
| drop from the eyes of veterans, when they re
membered his worth, and felt that such a min
istering angel of sympathy had gone from
among them. Their letters to his stricken
mother and sisters are precious testimonies to
wnat ne was while their companion, friend, and
leader; and it lets US into a scene behind the
pomp and circumstance of battle, to see here
as now often might it be, could we see all that
Is known, the private griefs of bleeding hearts.
and how much is lost to country, to the world,
and to the church of Christ, when thus prema-
tureiy the flower most lovely is SO rudely cut
down by the red hand of War. Who should
not long that the time may soon be when ma.
ton shall not lift up sword against nation, nei-
Their shall they learn war any more" Yet we
could wish, that so long as there are battle.
helds' and right must struggle against wrong
and might, the same spirit Of needed prepare.
ton, the same high resolve to do his duty. and
trust in his God, might actuate every officer
and soldier. We commend this volume most
earnestly to all who have chosen the profession
OF arms, if they would see how much radiance ia
thrown around Christian hero, and with what
fragrance of blessedness the memory of a
devoted follower of the Saviour may be en-
balmed, even where we might least look for it.
IN the camp, and amid all the noxious exhala
tons OF the long continued SIEGE The sweet
and thoughtful portrait of the youthful officer.
bending over his Bible, hardly would lead us
to expect the daring and chivalrous cheer and
rush into the conflict where he lost his life ::
and yet true bravery is better learned by ODE
dience to God and preparation to meet Him at
his bar, than by any other course of training.
1t Is the Christian soldier who makes the hero
most to be relied on where the success de-
ponds on the God of battles.
TREATISE on ARITHMETIC THEORETICAL AND PRAcrc.1.
BY Elias Loomis Ii. d., &c. New York: Harer &
Brothers. 1856 For sale by Franck Taylor Washing
ton, d. c.
FROM the cursory examination we have been
able to make Of this book, we Judge it we'll
adapted to schools. Its authors known repu.
tatlon, too, as a mathematical scholar and
teacher as well as the numerous testimonies of
instructors, and the fact that his works have
been adopted in many of our colleges as text
books, leave no room for doubt. 1t is of con-
venient size, embracing the various rules and
methods necessary to give a good knowledge
OF the important science of Arithmetic, and
well-chosen examples for practice The ex-
plantations are clear and easy, the language
precise and to the point; and we doubt not,
books on this subject, Prof Looms . m ntary
will be regarded, wherever known, as claiming
its share of public favor.
The ELEMENTS OF NATURAL PHuosoPHY copiously Illus
trated by familiar experiments and containing descrp-
tons OF instruments with directions for using designed
for the use OF Schools and Academies BY A. w
Sprague, A. NJ. With 2SOEngravings Boston: Phillips
Sampson, & Co 1856. For sale by Gray & Ballantyne
Washington, D G.
When we look back to the days of our own
childhood, and compare the facilities of the
present generation with those of that day, in
reference to school books on science, we can
not help feeling that vastly more ought to be
expected from the youth now in a course of
education than heretofore. There is indeed no
rayal way to learning, no course of study that
can dispense with application on the part of
the pupil. The best of masters will little avail,
if his scholars are idle or inattentive; they can
be blockheads now; and if they hope to be rid
of study, because the books are easier, they
will find themselves mistaken Still the same
amount of labor properly applied may be pro.
ductive of greater advances in education, be-
cause many of the difficulties which impeded
progress at the outset have been removed. No
class of books of science are fs;rer illustra-
ton of these remarks than the elementary works
of Philosophy. The continued discoveries A.
light, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism, and
the new branches added through the applica.
tons and developments of these sciences, make
a volume on Natural Philosophy now wholly
different from what it was a quarter of GEN.
fury or more since. The book before us has
been highly commended, and, we doubt not,
Justly. 1t comprises, in the compass of mod
crate duodecimo, an calculation of the various
branches of science to which it relates. The
illustrations are numerous and we'll prepared,
their lettering distinct, embracing the demon
STATIONS and descriptions of instruments or
apparatus required. The style is such as It's
design requires. The author has clear ideas,
and knows how to express them well. Expert
ence in teaching qualities him to adapt him
self to the minds of beginners, and without ma
king his book mere A C work, or Prim-
er of Science, he has furnished enough of plain,
simple elementary instruction, to meet the
wants of those who come to the study to lay
hold of the earlier rudiments of philosophy,
and thence go forward to fair progress in the
Of its different branches. 1t is well
printed, and, what is likewise important in a
school book, stoutly put together. We COM
mend 1t to teachers and families, as valuable
compend for their use.
AMERICAN FEMALE EDUCATION. WHAT and by whom
A Lecture by r. w. Cushman, A. NJ, Principal Of the
Mount Vernon Ladies' School, Boston. Boston: John
P. Jeweu L Co
1t is not the size of book that constitutes
its value. A few pages, like this pamphlet of
some u pages l8mo, may embody more prac-
teal instruction than many heavy tome.
Mr.. Cushmau's lecture was delivered before
the Columbian Association of Teachers, at the
Smithsonian Institution in this city. He was
we'll known as a successful teacher here of
female boarding school. Having had occasion
to observe the undue confidence of Protestants
in the education of nunneries, and made female
education the subject of careful thought, he