The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-07-10

demands. 1t is written in style popular with
many, but wanting in vigor, precision, and
weight. The title and the name of the, author
(who, however, is not the Mr.. Headley of the
Napoleon books, &C., will secure for it better
circulation than its intrinsic merits could claim.
As to the last book on our list above-Isre-
rina, by George Ssnd-we have only to say,
that while it has all the brilliancy of genius of
the author, whose talents and graphic power
are unquestionsble, it has, too, the sad defects
of her many volumes, the want of morality, or
rather the immortality of whose writings, as a
whole, are such, that no ability as a writer can
deserve to secure the appreciation of those who
believe in the Bible as the Word of God.
Another work, THE EARNEST MAN: OR Me-
SoIRs OF DR.. JUDsoN, from the press of Samp-
son, Phillips, & Co., Boston, not included in the
list above, received from Mr.. Taylor, we reserve
for future notice.
Through Messrs. TAYLOR Il MAURY, we have
lot of books, by different publishers, the titles
of which, as follows, indicate their general
subjects
JAPAN AND AROUND THE WORLD. An Account OF Three
Visits the Japanese Empire, with Sketches of Madei
ra, Cape of Good Hope, Maurtus. Ceyon, Singapore,
China, and Loochoo BY J. w. Spalding of the Uni ed
States Steam Frgste Mississippi, &c. With eight Illus
tratons in Tint Redfeld New York. 1855.
vAssALL MORTON. A Novel. By Francis Parkman au-
thor of History of the Conspiracy of Pontiac &c.
Boston: Phillips, Sampson, & Co. 1856.
THE New AGE OF GOLD; the Life and Adventures of
Robert Dexter Romano. Written by himself Bos-
tom Phillips, Sampson Co. 1856.
LINDA; or the Young Pilot OF the Belle Creole Tale of
Southern Life BY Mrs Caroline Lee Hentz, &c. Phil
adephia: T. B. Peterson. 1855
GLRANIxGs-Some Wholesome Chaff BY Miss A. A.
Goddard New York: d. Appleton & Co. 1856.
An AMERICAN AMONG rHB ORRSrAIs; including an Audi
with the Sultan and Visit the Interior of
Turkish Harem. BY James f. P. Bouldn, NJ ID. Phil
adephia: Lindsay & Blakiston. 1855.
Japan has been a country comparatively un-
known among US, and the expectation of the
whole reading public has been raised, to learn
what new light is to be thrown upon it, as the
results of the late Expedition, under Commo-
dore Perry We fear that, in the main, no great
accessons are to be made to what we possess
in Kaempfer, Siebold, and Titsinghe, and other
voyagers and traders. No doubt, the splendid
and costly volumes to appear by order of Con-
gress will contain valuable information, but
they will be accessible only to a few readers.
Mr.. Spalding's volume of some three hundred
and fifty pages-the first one hundred of which
are occupied in the voyage there, and a portion
of the las part with the voyage home-can tell
us but little of Japan. 1t is only the scatter
;ro not;oao &c q naroon 20 ooro hly s;tuotad 70
observe, and sketching the incidents of the voy
age, and the stay there, while the Treaty was
in progress. Accepted, as thus prepared it is
pleasant addition to the many books of tray
els, and may take its place among them. As
to any higher pretension, it makes none and
can be of no particular value. 1t would, we
think, have been better to have made the arri-
val there his starting point, and filled up his
book wholly with Japan, and whatever could
be condensed in its pages on that most inter
esting country. The plates, of course, add to
the value of the work.
In TassaH Morton, Mr.. Parkman has left the
legendary or historical ground, in which he has
been so successful. But, while he has pro-
duced book that has many fine points, he has
hardly done full justice to himself as a whole.
Some passages are striking. The landscape
views which, cleaning beautifully here and there
on the panorama, he makes to pass before his
reader, are touched by a master hand; and the
characters are also often well drawn. The
story is exciting; the incidents varied; treach-
cry and disappointed affection, with the usual
results, have their share in the plot, which is
skilfully woven. The most effective portion of
the volume is, we think, that part which relates
to Morton's Imprisonment and escape, and the
battle for his life in Tyrol. This is wrought
up finely. Some of the situations and incl
dents of the parties, around whom the interest
of the volume is made to gather, struck us as
wanting in nature. The book will however
have many admirers, and perhaps their judg
ment of its merits will prove to be more accu-
rate than our own, who would prefer to meet
and description of the scenes and traditions of
olden time, and Indian warfare of remoter
period.
Who is Robert DEXTER R0mainee 1t is evil
IDENTIFY nom de plume, and it looks as if not
by trained author. He has ventured on a
difficult path. No one can read the book but
with Robinson Crusoe, that inimitable effort of
Defoe, in his mind. There are, besides, vari.
ETY. of volumes which keep coming up in con-
trast-as Mr.. Porter's Sir Edward Stewards
Narrative, Mr.. Kingsley's Amyas Leigh, not to
mention many others. Another difficulty for
the author Is the fact that he has to trace
out the fortunes of boy and girl, all at once
cast on desert island. aud subjected to trials
of various kinds. The author has gotten along
better than many would have done. He holds
graphic pen, and sketches the scenery and
occurrences of the strange life of his hero and
heroine with skill. The bear part of the story
is amusing, but it does not seem quite natural.
The rhapsod;es which are sprinkled through
the work, and those especially at the close, we
think, might better have been left out, as they
only detrsct from the intended simplicity of the
story. One cannot Lelp feeling, after closing
the volume, how absolutely qnapprosohable
Defce is on his own ground, and how venture
some is any writer who tries to break lance,
as it were, with that doughty old fellow, with
Robinson Crusoe to back him. The remem.
brsnce of tha influence of that book on our
mind, in days agone, almost disquali6es US to
Judge of any work that seems to touch ON the
the same circle of subjects. The New Age of
Gold, however, though ephemeralin its fame, will
help many to hours of pleasant reading, as they
would while away the moments on something
that is recreating and amusing, rather than
solid and instructive.