The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-01
He VIEW.

Henry M Field, author OF The lnsh ConfedeTates
and the Rebellion of 1882 New York Sheldon &
Company. 1850 For sale by William BalIanyne
Washington, d. C.
here brought together volume of twenty
one chapters, part of which were published, we
think, as letters from Europe in that journal
They are easy and sketchy, and retain still in
great degree the characteristics they bore as
adapted for their purpose when so written.
Others of the chapters also, we believe, are new,
and are now for the first time given to the
reader. The whole make up nearly three hun
dred neatly printed pages. 1t is not, he says,
intended as Grand Tour" "a Hand-b
of Foreign Travel, but it is a set Of Pictures,
"a mere Portfolio of Sketches by the Way
side" familiar in style" a." Of fragmentary
and unpretending character" and "Summer
Pictures partly because they were taken at
that season of the year, but still more as
token of that cheerful light in which he has
looked upon countries and men.
The volume is dedicated to his " companion
on this tour" his wife, native of France, re-
visiting with him scenes of former years. The
latter portion of the title might lead captious
critic to pick quarrel with the author, when,
on opening the book, he finds that it is not till
after voyage across the ocean, short stay in
England, a visit to Normandy, Paris, Holland
Hanover, and Hamburger, embracing one hun
dred and forty pages, nearly one-half, he lights
on the heading of Denmark" Possibly a
portion of the title, however, may have been
struck out after being prefxed, and so the APP
parent incongruity or deception can easily be
accounted for; but these first nine chapters
could not be readily spared, as they touch upon
some of the most interesting objects brought to
the readers notice.
Mr.. Field has looked at men and things with
the eye of journalist, man of genial feeling,
Christian, and minister of the Gospel, and so
we have blending together of the expressed
emotions natural to one so conditioned. He.
does not mingle in the gay and fashionable life
of Europe mere idler, or another "chiel,
taking his notes." and giving his sympathies
out into the whirl of wasted time, and come
home to sigh over hours of giddy pleasure
Manly and frank in his likes and dislikes, he
speaks his mind and though hurriedly passing
on, yet penetrates in his observation beyond
the surface, prompt to recognise natural and
moral beauty wherever it falls under his view.
The incidents, and the way in which they are
introduced, the freedom alike from "blarney,"
cant" or cynicism, and the evident qualiGca-
ton of happy man, which shoots it's light
across these pages, make them pleasant read
ing, and fit them to be popular. We doubt not
they will be found in the hands of many, both
in their summer excursions and hereafter, of
others by the Preside at home
The Angel of the Iceberg and other Stories illustrating
great Moral Truths. Designed chiefly for the Young
By John Todd. Northampton Bridgeman a Childs .
New York Sheldon & Co. 1879 For sale by Will
liam Bsllsniyne, Washington, d. C.
No child who has read any of Mr.. Todd's
books will thank us for telling him or her how
well he knows how to awaken the interest of
the young. We here meet him on new field,
among good and bad spirits, giants, elves, and
various alegorical personages who sometimes
in verse or more sober prose mingle in their
watch and toll, and in sober or joyous, satiric
or comic, mood, stalk or fit along, leaving
are thirteen stories, unequal in length as well
as in merit. Two or three of the earliest in the
volume we think the happiest executed. Some
of the others seem to us less easily wrought
out, and now and then there is slip of the
pen, and slight want of accuracy in the
gathering up of the accessories of the natural
scenery, and in clear exhibition of the truth
yelled under the emblem. No one, however,
but person wont from long habit almost
unwittiugly to detect such discrepancies, will
probably observe them. Many bright eyes
will sparkle with delight to read of "Ice-Melt-
err" "Uncle Nib," "Dillabel," " Day Lily"
" Old Mahogany Tree" 3" Little Mufta," "Tim-
othy Tuttle and the Little Imps," " Capeneem,
the Golden handed" and /" Little Sunbeam"
And those two pretty pictures, too, lend yet
farther attraction to make the book favorite
One could almost wish to be child again, to
enjoy pleasure so far less within reach years
ago.
Tee Bible the Levsnt; the Life and Letters of the
Rev. c. N. Fighter, Agent of the American Bible So
ciety in the Levant BY Samuel Irenaeus Prime. New
York Sheldon accompany. 1859 For sale by Will
liam Ballanyne, Washington, ID. C.
This volume is but the sketch of a life which
should have been more fully drawn out Mr.
Fighter was evidently young man of no com
mon promise, and we have seen it stated, on
good authority, that materials could have been
secured which would have given far higher
interest in many respects to the biography. The
author is the well-known editor of the New
York Observer, and the book is marked more
or less by his peculisrities as a writer The
rough notes of the subject ofthe memoir show his
thorough selfdiscipline and business character.
as well as keen relish for the beauties ofnature
crowned with an earnest devotedness to the
cause of his Master. His soiourn in Constan-
tinople and in the Crimea during the Russian
war, and the tour of exploration to the region
of Nineyeh, among the Koords, and on the
banks of the Tgris, bear evidence of what he
might have done had he lived. He was ne.
culiarly fitted for his work, for he seems to have
won the love and respect of all where he went.
This account makes us the more regret that
greater care and research as to the years of his
education has not been given to the prepare
tion OF the volume. 1t bears marks of haste
also, or oversight, in the numerous mistakes as
TO the names of places well known, and which
person so conversant as the author, in his con.