The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-05
TIL E RE VIE w .

n u n u = w.
The White Hills, their Legends, Landscape and Poetry.
BY Thomas Sisrr King. With sky illustrations Bos
Crosby, Nichols Co.
"The object of this volume" says the au-
thor, &c is to direct attention to the noble land.
scapes that lie along the routes by which the
White Mountains are now approached by tour
lists, many Of which are still unknown to travel
lers; to help persons appreciate landscape
more adequately, and to associate with the
principal scenes poetic passages which illus
trate either the permanent character of the
views, or some peculiar aspects in which the
author Of the book has seen them"
All this the author has accomplished, and
more. By thousands who are familiar with the
scenes he has described, the book will be ca
gerly read, and to the appreoative his word
pictures will bring back more wildly than the
pencil of the artist the grand old mountains,
with their giant forests,
"Moored in the rifted rock"
the quiet lakes, and swift-rushing rivers, and
Ginning waterfalls, and all the beautiful garni-
ture of birch, and maple, and alder, and deli
cate fern, and soft MOSES, and, above all, the
delicious air, the true elixir of life. What q
pleasure it must be to write such book
1t is quite impossible that among so
many objects claiming the authors attention,
some should not be sighted or overlooked
And we therefore suggest that there is not
sufficient prominence given TO the " Cascades"
formed by branch of the Pemigewasset river,
which flows down the mountain ridge on the
west side of the valley, and joins the main
stream belo,o the Basin. In this stream are
two cascades, equal to any in the White Noun
tains. The first, as you ascend, falls over a
ledge of granite full sixty feet, into deep pool
beneath. The second, about half mile above,
has perpendicular fall of more than forty
feet. The stream has worn for itself q rocky
channel in the solid granite of the mountain.
No words of ours can give any conception of
ITS exquisite beauty.
In the space of about two miles may be seen
every conceivable form of flowing water. 1t
gdes down the smooth rock with arrowy swift
ness, waltzes in eddies, and tumbes over lodges,
and curls in a thousand silver threads among
the boulders, hollows for itself miniature basins
in the solid granite, and, slyy gliding into hid.
den assures, comes bubbling out and taking
breath for a moment in quiet pool, goes
flashing on down the mountain side.
Our author speaks of the lack of water in the
White Mountain range. If this be true, we
should make the most of what there is, and
he has not done justice to Profile Lake, lying
at the foot of Profile Mountain. He alludes
to it only once, as point from which Eagle
Cliff may be seen to advantage. 1t lies just
beneath the ".Great Stone Face" and is known
to the people of the neighborhood as The
Old Mans Looking Glass name rendered
peculiarly appropriate by its location, and its
clear placid waters, framed in soft tufts of
birch and alder. Although of very moderate
size, mere mountain tarn, it is about twice
as large as Rydal Water, so celebrated in Eng.
land, and we should say it is twice as beautiful
too; but, as we confess to an honest prejudice in
favor of everything pertaining to the White
Mountains, we cannot be fair judge. 1t is
quite impossible, in the limits of a newspaper
review, to do justice to this book. Mr.. King
has an artists eye and poets heart; and in
the prairies Of the West, and under the burn
ing sun of the South, many hearts will thrill
as these pages recall the homes of childhood,
Or the happy scenes of summer rambles in years
long departed.
The Fool of Quality or, The History of Henry, Earl
Mo'eland. By Henry Brooke, Esq With Bograph
iaol PrefIce, by Rev. Charles Kingsley. Two vols.
pp 400 $40 New York: Derb, Jackson. For sale
By Pulp So'omons, Washington, ID. c.
1t is now many years since we first read the
Fool Of Quality. In our parish library, this
book was one of the few works of fiction al
lowed place; and it was almost worn out when
our turn came to pore over its pages. 1t ther
appeared in FIVE volumes, and was London
copy. We presume this is the first American
edition of one of the most remarkable works o.
the last century. The author, Henry Brooke
was the pupil of Sheridan the elder, the pei
friend of Pope and Swift, and subsequently o.
Pitt, Earl of Chatham,) and a favorite of the
then Prince of Wales--one who held the frs
rank with the first men of bis age, and, in the
language of Pope, this minion of Fortune was
Jet unspoiled by all her caresses."
This work, written by such man, and Of
the last century, is remarkable for its piety and
~ pathos. There are many questions discussed
which interfere with the progress of the story,
but these all give worth and power to the work
So highly did Wesley approve of this book
that he brought out an edition somewhat re
duced; which he designed for the especial edi
hcaton of his followers. Wesley, then in his
seventy-6th year, said of it, that it was one
OF the most beautiful pictures that ever was
drawn in the world; the strokes are so deli
catey fine, the touches so easy, natural, and
affecting, that know not one who can survey
""ith fearless eyes, unless he has heart o.
stone" And Charles Kingsley, in his interest
ing Introduction of this new edition, says Of
MN who shall read these volumes, now restored
" the public, che will regard at least with pa