The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-01
Gh Ssbie6.
NEW BOOKS.

...n the systems OF Free ana slave LABOR,
l,.,, Of the actual working of the latter, its
-. and IFS compensations, its domestic, So
' ~, uo,al. economical, and political phenom-
=. are of primary importance to the states
aid moralist; and, in fact, to every man
Jos;rss to act wisely and understandings
the questions growing out of this con-
After all that has been written on both
-:1s. # has been difficult for a sincere seeker
~, -. ,rutb to obtain clear and satisfactory
u doe or the actual results of Slavery, as
,-.lored in the daily life of planters and
-. nor whites, and free blacks. We have
ro,b;ng so we'll calculated to meet this
-, IS "A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SEABoARD
g STATES" by F. A. Olmsted, well known
no author of " Walks and Talks Of an
,,gicga Farmer in England" The author
Tito, without passion or prejudice, and is uni
mile genial and goodhumored. de has the
..,a faculty Of seeing things as they are, undls-
IL and uncolored. His book is daguerre-
,,,,s Of the South. So far as we can Judge,
-. neture is complete. Every phase of South
:, ne and manners is delineated with MI
.,..,.. Of detail which leaves no room for
--.sc, regrets. The story of his rambles,
..;o1nc brightly through the statistical facts
al Dblosophical reflections of the volume, is
.i,,;rably told, that it has more than the in
,,res! Of romance.
II. euioyed rare opportunities for studying
H.. cbaracter of the people of the South, both
l.,o5 and free; and his portraits of travelling
,.,oo,nions and chance acquaintance, of all
oJ.rs aul conditions, are manifestly true to
=, .,;,;,al. The conversations which he re-
I.,as with planters and slaves are never simu-
Ia,cI or imaginary; you are as sure of their
actual occurrence, as if you had listened to
,b.r N the pine barrens of Virginia, on the
...J bal, of the Carolinas, or while steaming
m the Red river. Nothing richer in humor
IAN b. well conceived than his accounts of in
tsrg;rss with negro-drivers, poor whites, and
ros,b.,plken planters, and their shiftless, Stat
,erly housckeepers and helpmates.
While, as We conceive, no candid Southern
-a.l-r can take offence at the authors manner
81 satin, the facts which fell under his obser-
ration, no Anti Slavery man can rise from their
,.r,.al without deeper and more settled alb
.,rqpcc of the balefuI institution, which curses
nj orlg master and slave, but the very soil on
viiA they tread
The volume is published by Dix Edwards,
New York. l2mo PIP. 725. 1t certainly de-
.a-ges. and can scarcely fail of, wide circula-
ton. j. c. W.
aWoIFspEy" is the title Of noticeable
book from the publishing house of Phillips,
Samson. & Co.. Boston. AS work of art, 1t
Is manile.ily open to criticism. The plot is
not particularly ingenious, and its pictures OF
CITY lie and Southern scenes might have been
omitted without any real loss of interest. The
style. often vigorous, terse, and picturesque, Is
sometimes careless and in bad taste, although
never dull or commonplace. Viewed, however,
4, a picture of New England rural life, it has,
nour opinion, few equals in our literature. The
s0ryof the child-hunt in the wild Maine woods,
The winter sleigh rides and singing parties, and
pshbreakngs, in Wolfsden, the intensely
wrought tragedy Of the Blacksmith and his
t4mpe-, and the tender pathos and simple
b.4aiy Of some Of his descriptions Of life and
Nature Indicate the ability of the author to
take a high rank as writer Of fiction. J.G.w.
"EprH HALE" from the same publishers,
is spirited and graphic New England story.
Ii is said to be from the pen Of gifted cores
poalenl Of the Era and we'are glad to learn
that her first essay at book-making is likely to
ie a successful one. J.G.w.
EG0 SoUrHwORTH's admirable Anti-Slave-
ry tale, 80 we'll known to the readers of the
Era under the name of Mark Sutherland, is
Winning golden opinions, in its book form, with
he title Of INDIA" 1t is unquestionably the
finest production of her pen. J.G.w.
GRACE GREENWOOD, always welcome, as
tvrly. earnest writer, who gives her heart as
sell as her fine intellect to her work. has
i-Tyolume from the press of Ticknor & Fields.
Tie Forest Tragedy" is story of great
'f-naiic power, and the minor sketches which
'1aAe up the residue of the book are in the
a.A0f's best manner. Jew.
olr readers, we feel certain, will thank us
@ EALING their attention to Ticknor & Fields's
ies ahd revised edition Of Bayard Taylor's
FoTvS O. iloHE AND TRAVEL. All the ad.
@rable characteristics of the authors prose
% frProduced in these picturesque and most
'ieioas verses. Those suggested by his world
aide rambles have for us a peculiar interest.
ihTr pictures are from Hfe-clear, vivid, ge-
ha- and truthful. They have the breadth,
1e'dom, and resonance, of air, and sky, and
's-an-'he pine forests of Monterey answering
VIZ solemn roll of the Pacifc-the wild Syrian
I''h'ainS and limitless savannas of the West.
ia this volume, as in all the writings of the
~-Aor, one feels the healthful warmth and Wig
olas puisations of a strong, brave, and beau
"ii HE, in which romance and adventure are
tempered by an abiding sense of moral obliga-
hon. and that charity and kindly sympathy
Fi'h human life, in all its phases, which mark
'he travelled gentleman and Christian cosmo-
PoGtan. J.G.w.
'HE ilesRT OF MABEL WARE. Romance. New York
&c. Derby. Cincinnati II. w Derby. Sold by Taylor
Marry, Washington, ID C. PIP. ALI.
Ibls graphic delneation of the workings Of
human heart is the production Of a masters
'and, and is iraught with all the tragic interest
The Scarlet Letter" The characters are
naturally and powerfully drawn and the eye
mat Penetrates the surface of society, rsnds the
'el over the heart, and gazes into its depths,
VII recognise the truthfulness Of the portrait
~'. is the thrilling yet common tale Of sin,
@l I" Certain terrible punishment.