Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-10
. For the Delaware Inquirer. a-.
Letter from PHILADELPHIA.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 9TH, 1859.
Mr.. Editor The three opening days of De
cember, which, tradition says, point forewarn
ingly to the character of the coming winter
have come and gone; and, without reference I,
the goose's back bone, or any other sign, W,
suppose we can tell what sort of winter W,
are going TO have. Thursday and Friday, thu
first and second, were charming days, mild as
May, with that peculiar haze in the atmosphere
pose we can put down December and January
as merciul months to the poor, and as prom
Using bonntiiul supply Of comfort to such SEN
sitiye creatures as shrink from the harsh usage
of the elements at this usually inclement time
OF the year, of which large class your cores
pondent forms an unimpOrtant unit. But then
February If the same signs be true, will redeem
the old character of the season, for Saturday,
the third of the month, was about as ill-favored
a day AS could be picked ont of the calendar
rough, windy blOwy, rainy, haily, snowy,
sleety, and so forth. Yesterday, the fourth, was
the ditto of all this, and it is good thing that
the signs stop where they do, or we might have
mighty unpromising time for June and July
The city passenger railway system of our
beautiful metropolis il now brought to its ut
most limits fperfectioil, and is conducted upon
so expanded scale as to give Philadelphia
certain prestige that no other city can hope to
attain. The built-up portions of the Keystone
city, as is well known, cover larger area than
any other city in the Union, and it follows that
we require locomotive accommodations and all
others to correspond. Twenty-Five distinct lines
of cars are now in operation, using over 600
cars, some of which are as sumptuous and COM
Portable as miniature parlors. About two hum
bred miles of railway track are laid down in our
streets. 1t is curious fact that the streets on
which the first omnibus was regularly used in
Philadelphia is also the last OH which the cars
were placed.
The news of the death of Washington Irving
has created Il profound grief in our city The
announcement, although somewhat expected,
was as startling and mournful AS though the
distinguished aut. or had been cut of in the
prime of life.
The last number of the ever popular atlantic
Monthly il is esteemed here as the hest ever
issued, and as an earnest of the ability of
the new management to nfuse into it all the
elements of success which has characterized il
hitherto. A purely literary magazine, il pos
sesses the same high aims acknowledged by
Blackwood, Fraser, and the best of the foreign
periodicals.
Messrs. Ticknor h Fields, who now publish
the Atlantic, have just issued new novel by
the veteran and eccentric John Heal, whom
the novel readers will remember as the author
of Seyenty-Six, Logan, Randolph, and other
prominent romauces of that early era. True
Womaahood, the new novel, ia based on the pre-
which the author says he has long
1...,.
thing of the sort, call them what you may--that |
they have right to think and act for them
selves, and take the consequences, as distinct |
beings, and that marriage is not always the |
best thing needful for them" On this thread |
the author has put together IN exceedingly in
story which all should read.
Two interesting books have just been pub
lishcd by George G. Evans, Philadelphia The
first is The Book Of Piuys for Home amusement,
various exercises for Parlor Enter
tainments, AS Acting Charades, Pantomines,
Musical Burlcttas, Tabeaux, Amusing Lee
lures, etc, by Silas s. Steel, Dramatist. The
book is admirably adapted for the purposes of
evening parties, dramatic soirees, school and
lyceum exhibitions, etc.
The other volume is the Budget Of Humorous
POETRY, comprising specimens of the best hui
morous productions Of popular poets, American
and Foreign. Tom Hood, Sake Southey, AL
bert Pike, Charles Leland, w. Z. Aytoun, and |
other favorite names are levied upon and the |
compilation is one over which any one may |
cachinate with right good will. Both these
works may be found in Mr.. Evans catalogue,
which the publisher will mail to any address. |
A new volume by young and rising Phila-
dclphia authoress, Miss MoKeever, is being
widely read here. Many Of your own readers |
will remember The Flounced Robe, and Sun
shine and to them the new tale, Ediths Minis
try will need no introduction. To strangers,
the title of book--a very modest one-will
hardly possess prominence enough to tempt |
them to single it out among more snowy and
volumes, and to SUCH word of re-
commentator may be necessary. We say
make the early acquaintance of Edth's Minis
try or select it as holiday token TO friend.
The publishers OF the preceding volume,
Messrs. Lindsay & Blackiston, Philadelphia,
also issue Poems, BY Rec, Henry Hdrbdugh, au-
thor of . The Sainted Dead" Heavenly Recog-
milton" etc. This neat little volume contains
many exquisite pieces of fancy and feeling,
through all of which runs a deep and abiding
religious motive. Like its predecessors, the
volume will make an appropriate memento Mt
his pleasant season of gift-making and happy
holiday interchanges. 1t should be remem-
iered by your readers.
Yours, very truly, II.