New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-12

that nor. delightful Of forms-the purely converss.
t;onal Talk our autbor accurately defines as one OF
the 6ne ay,s I'd b.s evidently chosen it the most
sHc;,ons medium for sBg what be wishes 70 say
10 nj. its very smtnde being prec,ed oy simple yet
chsrmipgly appropriate setting ~ circamsfances.
What be has had long in his mind, be delivers TO
the worlds everyday Dicrocosm-s boarding. house
AT the breakfast table Of which meet some Line or
I. n persons in them,eyes admirable representatives
of tie average irtelGgences encountered in daily me-
None Of them except the professional rufian OF the
neigh boring tneater," (xho utt&rs only hackneyed
quotatn and then disappears foIever oouhl peshsps
be omitted. or thess equally subtle and kindly de-
hpeators Of character shall spt * presently They
are rot mere buckets to use simile OF Chryle
for the {" Autocrst 20 pump into.
The canvas being thus comprehensive It /. marvel
ous to find how much the artist hss crowded into H.
Eagerly and sppyeciatirgly IS We pernsed the PAGES
during serial publication, only careful survey OF the
book ss whole gave Us correct idsa OF its scope
and-almoet urity. Lcok the nine PACED index
of the little volume, reminding az, oy the oy, OF tnst
Of Burton's Anaiony Of Melancholy ana ADMIRE tne
mir gly compounded yet 80 heslthfnl, taat while the
nicert appetite of th0fe who feed on the dALties
that ere Bred in book is gI6t6sd their intellectual
,rd moral constitutions are strengthened by indal'
geLce. ,e
Think Of living" sad Goethe. Whatever Of hie
and It's tremendous realities, DIR. Holmes, IN his
qusdrnpe capacity of pcet thinker, annt9Gist, ana
lecturer, bas gsrnered up-being steep.d in It az
WIT. wisdom, poetry, philosophy, humor, I'll are here,
snd-best Of sl-loviDg assertion Of humanity every
wlere.
The article cor tains much pore in the same strain,
and winds up with wholly inimtsble climax. " DR..
Holmes has written book real book, worthy to be
placed on the same shelf with Erasmuss ColOques,
Lntbers 'Tsbe-Talk,' Burton's Anatomy and
Soutbey's Doctor. He is as candid as Montagne, as
kindly as Lamb, as witty as Sydney Smith, as much
lover Of fun though not az much Of poet, as Hood.
We may ssy Of bis little volume as the Cbourneur IN
Sues Mysteries of Paris does Of the Harlequin
placed before him at the Tspis-frsnc Dieu ct der'
what dish what glorious dish it is regular om-
nibus there is something in it to everybodys taste.
Those who lik fat can have it; so can they who Ike
lean as well ss those who prefer sugar and those who
choose pepper Sucb books do more than smuse, they
instruct and elevate humanity
HYMNS or THE AGES With an Introduction BY the Rev.
Ed. HvyTNcToS, d. d. svo. PIP. Sl Phillips, Samp-
sonkCo.
The collection Of .acred poetry presented in this
volume is intended rather ss manual OF devotional
reading than for choral in the services OF public
worship Aiming at the expression Of univers relig-
ious experience the editors have not been restricted
to limited rarge Of sources, but havs sought their
materials in the poetry Of the ancient days OF the
church. well In the sacred lyrics OF more recent
date, Copious selections have been made from the
"Lyra Catbolica," and the "Lyra Germanica, many
of which will probably be new to most readers Of the
volume. Their character is described in glowing
passage from the preface by the Rev. Professor Hunt
ington of Cambridge. From the whole vast range
of Christian thought experience aud imagination,
therefore from the fresh melodies lifted In the morn
inz air of Chr.tan ages-rom that long line Of con-
tad M bapk IN
days q Constantine among the lofty strains Of
Ambrose and Jerome and their strong fellow believers,
where the sanctty Of centuries wrought, like an
invisible aroma into the very substance and structure
of the verses that would seem az if some prophetic
sep,e of their immortality had breathed in ths men
tba, wrote tbem,-from the secret cells and the high
cathedral Of the Continental worship, where scholar
ship and art, and power joined with piey TO raise the
Lauds and Gorias, the Maths and vespers, the Sc
quences and the Choral Harmonies of sgorgeously
appointed Praife-from the purer literature of Old
England, embracing the tender and earnest numbers
of Ssuthwell, and Crashaw and Habipgtop, and
multitude better known beside voices Of Faith
are ri tverenty gathered into their perfect harmony
The volume is issued in style Of chasts beauty,
and is well adapted to adorn the center.t,be.
COUNTRY YsCHooL-HoUsEs. By JANIS JoHoNsor tvo.,
rp. 22o Ivison Phnney
The Inconvenience growing out Of the absurd con-
structon and arrangement of schoOl-houses in many
rural districts scarcely be imagined by those who
are familiar eny with the costly and ample accommo-
dations in our cities and large villages Attention has,
indeed been called to the subject by the protests of
sunen educators, like Mr.. Horace Mann, and Mr..
Henry Barnard the valuable works Of the last named
gentleman on School. House Architecture, present
ing almost complete spitome Of all that was known
concerning school the time Of its publication
TIE purpose of Mr. JohOnnotis to give stil more sys'
ttmatic exposition of the subject and especially to ap.
ply the principles of common as well az Of archi.
tectura science to the construction Of country school
hOuses. Hi, description Of the prescnt condition OF
many Of these time honored institutions is not little
Startling but he suggests the remedy, in al cases,
which will effectuay meet tie evil. His volume cen.
tans clear exposition Of the prnepesto be observed
in school architecture together with plans adapted 20
the de ands of country districts and all the details Of
building estimates, bills Of material and labor, and
other points Of importance to the direction OF building
committees. Copous illustrations are given from de-
signs by competent artist The work commends
itsefto the attention Of school districts by the COM
pleteress Of its details, and it, emIenty practical
character.
SOUTHERN EXPERIENCES.