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

revered and loved, it is not pity, but a deeper
feeling Of disgust and condemnation, which he
deserves from every friend of the Truth. Ar
elaborate attempt to show that the wretched
3 tissues of human fabrication, below regard
even, propounded as the literary products o.
i, such exalted intellects as Bacon, Newton, and
others, long since Dead the mere agglome
ration of mesmeric influences or some unde
|, veloped vagaries of the minds operations
bolstered up by table tippings, and movings
knockings &C.. that these nondescript fan
cies are equal or superior to that "cloth o!
gold" on which are inwrought, in Heavens
unfading hues, pictures of the human heart
and of the world to come-God's plan and
providence, redemption and its issues-such an
attempt, seriously undertaken, and put forth
; in scores of pages, with the hope that any sane
and candid man can accept its claims, savors
of an arrogance and selfconceit (if it be not
the bewilderment of a crazed brain) that all the
previous reputation of its author cannot save
from the condemnation Of its merits. A poor de-
delusiOn! Would that We could hope it may not
prove a fatal one, and that having so long and
steadily rejected the light as the days and years
in which God has blessed him have come and
gone, his has not become the case of one of
those on whom are sent "strong decisions, that
they might believe lie," and so hereafter by
his own unhappy experience prove the truth of
the very revelation he has so CONTEMPORARY
spurned and vilfed We fear no such attack
on the Book of God. We fear only that, cast
ing it so far from him, and cropping on in the
dark, deceived and lost, he may not be alone
in his wretched efforts, but be, too, the means
to ruin the souls of others, less gifted, relying
on his reputation, to accredit their rejection Of
the great salvation. 1t is only in warning that
we would notice a book marked with such Gre
dulity, sophistry, bold assertion, and undis
guised infdelity.
SAINT GlLpAs or the Three Paths. By Julia Kavenagh
Boston, Whiuemore, Miles, & Hall. l556. For sale by
Taylor Msury, Washington, d. C.
Without claiming the character of religious
tale, there is fine moral strain carried through
this little volume. The lessons of prudence
and of kindly feeling are taught by happy Illus
trations, and children, and youth, and grown
people, may learn that events may often occur,
rendering those higher-born and better furnish
ed with this worlds substance, dependent on
the better sense and practical skill of others in
humber life. Miss Kavenagh's former works
have made the reading public already SO we'll
acquainted with her style and manner of telling
story, that we need hardly say it is interesting
in a high degree, and many boy and girl will
lay down this book, after they come to an end,
with regret that it ends so soon, and fully of
the same opinion, as to its authors method, we
have just expressed. TIE book is got up in a
neat manner, end with very pretty plates. We
notice, as a slight iuadverteuce of the artist,
that though Frederic lost one of his sabots, aud
dltions, yet both are represented Immediately
after as full dressed as before. A closer read
ing would have given more truthful portrait
ure.
THE MoRMoNs AT HOME; with Incidents of Travel
from Missouri TO California, 1929 In Series OF
Letters BY Mrs. G. B. Ferris New York: Dix * Ed
wards. lS56
The wife Of the late United States Secretary
for Utah has given an insight into the internal
condition of the Mormon Community at the
West. A woman probably would hardly ven
ture to give in detail the picture of things as
they in that cage Of unclean birds, but
enough is shown, even in what she can mention
with outspoken candor, and in the darker hints
Of what she cannot TELL of the evils Of the reign
of Brigham Young and bis fellow apostles, with
their polygamy, and subsection of their people
to their vile creed, to leave no room for doubt
that there is trouble ahead, when the question
shall sr;se as to the admission of Utah as q
State into this Union,
Ii is sad record Of human weakness, of the
attempt of poor, Ignorant undertaking to in.
grove on the Bible; and the wonder is, how any
man, that has any faculty to appreciate the
sublimity and beauty Of the Word of God,
should be contented to accept such G tissue Of
nonsense end rant as the Mormon Bible. But
that human nature loves to be deceived, and
whatever rsy minister to its evil passions, we
could hardly account for it,
Mrs. Ferris's work makes no pFetenEiops to
literary merit. She tells her facts plainly, and
the reader will mainly be interested in the
work, we think, because her letters are the
simple record of what transpired in her journey
and abode there, where, By her position, she
seems to have enjoyed some advantages of
Judging, and, without any attempts at exagge-
ration, presents the results of her daily obser-
walton.
FoIIA; a Tale of Modern Rome. BY Edmund About
Boston: Whitemore, Niles, Hall 1856 For sale by
Taylor Msury, Washington, d. C.
A story neatly told, embracing many incl
dents peculiar to Italian, or at least continental
life. 1t is picture of a heart that where Il
has fastened it clings, though breaking soon
and all the while; the old adage verified" the
course of true love never did RIM smooth" The
style is remarkably clear and easy, and however
exciting at times is the subject, no attempt is
made to render the language so-a happy con-
trast, in this respect, to some of our most ex-
tensive fiction mongers. We cannot, however,
place Foila with all its merits alongside of
Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield, as some critic
in the London Atheneuna seems disposed to do.
1t is pleasing tale-nothing more; displaying
no peculiar genius Of invention, arrangement,
or plot. 1t processes, we judge, to be founded
partly on fact and such facts, we doubt not are
not out of the way in modern Rome, though it
dates back, we are told, some eighteen years.
The external appearance of the volume indi-
Gates the care of the publishers.
The AMERICAN GRAPE GROWERS GUIDE intended especial
IN for the American Climate Being prac,ic treatise
On the Cultivation of the Grape Vine, &C. with plan.
n