The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-18
WASHINGTON. d. G..
Ggs Ssdish.

RgcoILEcTroSs LIFETIME or Men and Things Have
Seen In Series of Familiar Letters 10 a Friend HIS |
iorical Biographical, AnecdOucal, and Descriptive
Bv : G. Goodrich. , vols. New York and Auburn;
Miller, Orion, 4 Mulligan. 1SJ6.
There are few of the readers of the Era, and
certainly none Of them who are, have been, or
had much to do with, children for the last
twenty years, who are not familiar with the
name Of Peter Farley, and with the volumes
that have borne this title. Many, however,
nav not know who Peter is, was, or has been.
Now, the veritable old man, once pictured with
q crutcb, who by his portrait (side view is
seen to be a very handsome-looking individual,
beyond the shady side of fifty, Samuel G.
Goodrich by name, has come forth, in his per-
son. to tell the world about himself, his ances-
tors, kindred, friends, and acquaintance; what
he has seen and what he has not seen, but has
heard. OF course, it is an interesting book
anybody may know that for he is keen OBJ
server Of men and things, and has very good
faculty Of presenting them to others. Some of
the stories do not lose anything in the telling,
and few we are inclined to think, have some
how got fastened to wrong parentage. Our
readers will no doubt recognise portraits of
persons with whom they have been familiar
more so than the author-and instances will
occur to them, as well as to ourselves, in which
the Judgment will be, that had he known his
subjects better, he would have given more
faithful delineation. The work might have
been compressed, as, in not few cases, the
..fo wis q
amply possessed, or which lies, in various forms
and connections, in volumes OF easy access.
The gathering of facts of INTERESTINGLY OF
them new, in reference to characters before
but little known, but who deserve to be better
appreciated, is often suitably performed; and
we are glad TO see such an addition to different
phases of our country's history. The anec-
dotes which are intermingled help to develop
character; the snatches Of poetry, and longer
pieces, render the work yet more attractive;
and, with all the prolixity of certain portions,
it is book that will be read with much pleas
ure by the numerous friends and acquaintance
of the author. There will no doubt be some
variance Of opinion as to the points OF political
reference-such, for instance, as the Hartford
Convention and the character and conduct of
the Federal party before and during the war
of l8l2-but the author has stated his own
views in a frank and manly manner, and has
thrown light on particulars of the general sub
ject; and, in the main, We believe his estimate
of the state of affairs in thsse periods, and of
the men who were then prominent actors, will
be that on which impartial history will settle
down rs the most accurate in point of fact.
The struggles of his literary life, the piracies
he has suffered, and the necessity of proving
himself to be himself, or rather Peter Farley,
is only another cha pier of the annals of sue
cessfh authorship. There are always men
enough who try to wear borrowed plumage,
and we are always glad to see them stripped
Of their ill-gotten guise, az in this case seems
to have been most eflectually done.
The illustrations Of the volumes are in good
style, and rightly are they put in, for book
by this author without pictures would almost
set US to questioning its authenticity. The
sketches of scenery, too, in prose aud poetry,
are pleasing, while the traits of character in
such men az the poets Brainerd and Percival,
aud others, and the history of certain of the
fruits of their genius, and the light so thrown
parts of the literary history of the past, will
be regarded with qualification. Mr.. Goodrich 8
observations are not confined, however, to our
own country. Abroad, too, he has had oppor-
tunites to observe, and we find a pleasant
record of his impressions Of celebrities, then in
the height of their fame, like SCOTT, Jeffrey,
lockhart, Chalmers, in Scotland Brougham,
Eidon, Hannah Moore, &c, in England; while
IN France, he presents Us with some notices OF
Inc Revolution of 1913, and subsequent events,
with the persons who bore part in them.
The volumes are thicker than they would
have been, but for the large type and wide
loaded lines but the author himself, so great
q sufferer in his eyes, we presume, was deter
mined that no one reading his "reminiscences
should have occasion for any complaints on this
score. The work we doubt not will be received
and read by many thousands who cherish kind
recollections of his labors for them and their
children, and desire to know more about him.
And now, all We who have read or heard
about Peter Farley, or who have figured out,
in your imagination, who and what sort of O
he might be, just step into any Of the
bookstores, buy the book, and see for your.
selves.
BEAUusR cHaIs AND MS TINES. Sketches OF French SO
ciety an the Eighteenth Century; from unpublished
Documents By Louis de Lomenie. Translated b!
Henry = Edwards. New York Harper Brothers
81. For sale by Franck Taylor, Washington, ID. C.
No nation is so prolific of Memoirs" rela
Ting to the events of their past history, as tn
French. We could number up from memor,
only, without referring to any catalogue O
such collections, some scores of volumes. Writ
ten, as many of them were, at the period il
which the events transpired, and gathered, a
still larger number have been, from letter
and memoranda of celebrated characters, the
throw much light on the reigns of their mon
archs, and the stirring times of the RepubE