Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-04
{, IL 4 Il Y.

TnE tkn EAGLE; A PoEM OF THE SOUTH ~
A. b. Meek, New York, Appleton " Co.--iia're''
Magazine contains tue following notice oil tiils no"
publication:
oThis is a spirited historical poem by a Southern
writer, founded OH lncidents in the Creek war :"
1913. The hero of the story Is the celeoraieu lLu.I"
Chief from whom the poem takes It's name, W. W."
is said to have been pre-. eminent among our aooriI.
nal tribes for his e%lOquence and yalor. lie W q ~.
principal leader Of the Creek lndlans III =" "m
| which succeeded the massacre at tort Mltnni'' WIZ
nearly five hundred persons lost their lves. - ="
Of sanruinary battles cnsued, which almost depopu'
lated the nation. The writer has selected some VI ~
most striking incidents Of this struggle as tue 'h"'o =.
rails for poetical composition, and has succeeoeu ~ -
clothing them in graceful verse. The measure 10
principally octosyllabic, but its "fatal facility has MOI
seduced the author into incidence or carelessneSs' anu
his frequent vivid pictures of nature exhibit al eHsl.
able power of accurate description. We know OLE"
more faithful delineations Of Southern scenery ina.
are given in many passages of this poem. The plot
ia one of varied interest, and is well sustained through
out, though it exhibits the nobler elements OF the IN.
dim character in a more favorable light than Is ol'eH
verified by history
LECTURES ON EyGLIsH History AND TRAGIC
PorrRY, AS ILLUSTRATED BY SHAKESPEARE. ny
Henry Reed. late Professor in the University OF
Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Parry & Mcmillan
Received from j. w. Randolph. These lectures
were listened 10 VIII ueiSHt "
ting audiences. They have passed through tnreo eu'
lions in this country, and are repuoiisheo Ill "te"'
Britain. The editor remarks in his Preface no"
the idea of using Shakspeare's plays, IN Loru Daeoh
phrase, as Historic spectabilis', ID developed 'he III
dulgent reader must determine, bearing in mlno
throughout, that the drama is not used merely as d
mode OF illustrating historical records or Tightening
their gravity, not as q means OF entertainment anu
relief, but as an instrument of deep philosophy IN
combining two great departments OF human thouSh'
and knowledge too often ASSOCIATED"
THE Otp HoMEsTEAD: BY Mrs. Ann 5. STE
pHEN., New York-Bruce IL B~rother-heceiVed
from MIR. A. Morris.-We extract from the Albion tue
following notice Of Mrs. Stephens last work. ltshowf
thar the authoress has made a decided leap in the es'
timation Of that somewhat severe and ncompro
missing critic
1.-THE Old Homestead is a work Of remarkable
power, and must rank very far above Fashion and
Famine Like that artificial mosaic OF lie, 1t deals
with extremes; butthe contrasts are less strained and
extravagant, whilst the delinention of character at'
fords proof Of much closer communing with nature.
Through the first half of its pages, we have in it
q terrible story Of wrong and woe endured IN this city
OF New York. This suffering and this abuse are part
ly owing To the advice and distress that seem to be i'll
digenous and inevitable in crowded communities;
partly to the dagrant corruption OF tho municipal au.
thorltles and the consequent perverslon OF puo'ic
charity. On these latter points, it may be supposed,
from recent developments, that exaggcratIon Ia I'M
possible. Still, we really were glad that, before read
ing Mrs. Stephens narrowing picture OF the WEES
lie of the poor Of this city with disease and destltu-
tion, we had read her brief preface, wherein she states
that many Of the grosser evils laid bare by her pen
have been remedied since the imagined date oil her
tale. II is well that this is so, and that the fact
should be generally known; for with the exception OF
the late accounts OF the Russian hospital at Sc
bastopol, wherein the sick aud wounded child
rem OF the Car were abandoned TO the flames by their
fathers representative, We scarcely remember any
thing, in real life or in fiction, moro awful than the
view hero given of the bellevue Hospital, its inmates,
and it's administration, during the prevalence OF SHIP
fever"
The LIFE AND WORKS OF GOETHE, WITH
SKETCHES OF HIS AGE AND CONTEMPORARIES,
FROM PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED SOURCES -
BY G. II. Lewes, 10 two volumes- Boston Ticknor
& Eields-Received from j. MISUNDERSTANDING
the group Of German writers who have won universal
admiration, Goethe stands foremost. BE has been
called the Shakespeare of Germany-but il we do not
dispute the title it is only because Germany never
produced q Shakespeare, or q poet whose torch would
not burn dim before the nll.dszzling light Of the un-
appruachable British Bard. Goethe's life is no less
ITCH III lUClucUts llldu lie "oihs oIu nv iDAo"HSH
per.onages whose histories are associated with bis,
lend additional interest TO his biography. No life
which has yet been published of the German poe.
can compare with that Of Mr.. Lewes. He has gath
cred his materials from n vast field and has combined
them with cUnsumnate skill. With his philosophy
do not always agree: we arc not of opinion that
eeaius and domcsticUy are antagouistic-bu as a his
torian. we nre forced to yield him the highest praise
His work will dou btless enjoy a wide popularity
Bits OF BLARNEY: BY X. Sheldon Mackeusie,
Editor Of the Life of Curran, etc.-N. York-Redfield
Received from j. Woodhouse.-Thi entertaining
volume contains a host Of humorous Irish legends
recollections of eccentric characters and sketches of
the two great Irish leaders, Grattan and O'Connell.-
The author writes from personal knowledge and with
infinite humor.
The NIGHTINGALE, OR KIND act IsNEvsR LOST.
FROM the German Of Christoph Schmid, author Of
the Easter Eggs. New York: Dana Il Co.-Receiv.
cd from J. Woodhouse. This is Il tale Of the Russian
war forty years ago, and beautifully illustrated.
charming book for youth, Illustrative of the great
truth "cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many
days thou shalt find liz"
IMPRESSIONS OF ESGLASD, OR SKETCHES OF ESo
LrsH SCENERY AyD SOCIETY. BY A.. Cleveland Coke
Rector of Grace Church, Baltimore. Dana y Co.,
New York. Received from J. Woodhouse.-A por-
ton of these sketches were originally contributed to
the New York Church journal. They are a record
of the memorable year 1851. They made a deep i'm
preston on the public, and were largely circulated
and much lauded. Mr.. Coke writes with great pow
er-he seizes the most important incidents OF his
tour, and paints them graphically without pausing
to fret and fume over the petty annoyances which
travellers must encounter, and upon which the mar
rutors Of travels usually discant at large. This book
cannot fail to communicate pleasure combined with
instruction.
Our CHURCH Music. A book for Pastors and
the people. BY Richard Storrs Willis. New York;
Dana 81 Co. Received from j. Woodhonse.-This
Guodecimo of one hundred and fifty pages, ia from
the pen of the editor of the Musical World-a peri.
odical of Justly high standing. 1t is easy to perceive
that an intense and genuine love for the holy art oil
sacred music, and a powerful consciousness OF whnt
church music IL the present day, and what 1t should
be, have originated this careful examination OF the
subject. II is handled with much skill, taste and
dclicacy. We trust the book will perform its use,
and work q reform in church music. 1t cannot be
read without profit.
The NATURE OF Evil CONSIDERED BY A LET
TER TO THE REV. EDWARD BEEcHER, d. D., Au-
THOR OF THE CONFLICT OF AGES. BY Henry
James. Published by Appleton 4 Co., New York
Received from Woodhouse j Co. - quote from
the Tribune n paragraph which docs Justice to this re-
markabIe volume
Apart from the rare argumentative viSor and the
exceeding rhetorical skill which characterize all the
productions of Henry James, the present work will
challenge the interest OF lovers OF theological discus
sion, by lie weighty d~ogmatic contents, and the living
transcript which it offers Of the religious progress OF
ths writer. Even those who are not readily attracted