New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-17

entitled Les h0ines dOccideHt-The western
Monks. from st. Benedict to NJ. Bernard. These
are two volumes of magnificent historical 0ratcns,
or historical sermons; an enthusiastic, but not in
discriminate laudatioD of the European political
cal and religious state in the middle ages; euogy
OF monachism and of the early monks and PERMITS
whose sanity aureOles, through the magni-
ly,ng mist OF time by the warm light OF Imagination,
81 ine with new and glorious splendor in the fires
of MOntaelnbcrt's eloquence. Hand grnades
and sky-rockets petards and Roman candles,
lance thrusts and flashing sword strokes aud
downright blows from polished battle-ax, are
cast out dashed out right and left at the revolution,
and at Louis Veuilot and at Louis Napoleon and at
monachsm and monks themselves of later degen-
crate age. AL modern aud ancient arms, strangely
mingled, are GOOD in the hands Of this jealous,
knightly, priestly, parliamentary academlcal, mid
dle-aged, modern, independent volunteer formally
enlisted under the banners of infallbe authority and
of Freedom Imagine Garibaldl in violet stockings
and a red hair-shirt charging for Francis l. with
lance in rest and an improved Colts pistol IN MS
girde; imagine the Rev. Thomas Hill Illuminating
horn books for the of students III Anuoch 'oi-
lege: imagine Robert Fulton getting his eulogy on
sc0w-boas struck off ut steam press; imagine Mr.
Rarey "witchng the world with noble horsemah-
shin. on Cruisers back, with hs face 10 the tan
On the purely literary side, Les Homes dOcc'-
dent is n masterpiece, and singularly captivating 10
any reader whose attention is not distracted ny MS
pIeiudces Nor is il all wanting III historical truth
ard political wisdom. As 10 the hrst point an
ardent but sincere adInirer Of mOnachlsm, winch
from the simple fact of its wide prevalence and long
existence must il is evident, have had its base in
great human want that il more less satisfactorily
met is quite as likely to rightly appreciate It's real
essence and worth, an ardent and sincere detes-
ter of il. Not only the most readable, but on the
whole the most faithful biographies are those
where the biOeraphers have fallen IN love" with
their subject Ii would be- unjust not 10 add, that
no one. within rational limits, has spoken more
severely than does MOntalembcrt of the later de-
gcncracy and corruption of monks and monasterles;
and that he is no advocate OF restoration oil
ancient monachism in our time and State.
Fipuier's fourth and closing volume of L'HiStoire
du MrtiHou1 dams le Temps MOderne, treats OF
risky tables and other furniture OF mediums ana
spirits 1t is not necessary 10 relterate what was
said of bis method of treating the interesting class
Of subjects coming under the general title OF hls
work, on occasion of the appearance of It's earlier
volumes. He is q Baconian physician and natural
ist Apart from any value his book may have, as
furnishing an explanation by physical laws of curl
Gus phenomena, It has "a considerable merit Tor
tie excellent clcarness and order of its statement
of these phenomena. Volume fourth for example
opens with history Of Caghostro, his wonder
words and works, which for tie two excelect
passes any other account ! have ever seen
Of that prince OF thaumaturgy. Folks who do not
"bcleve in Hume" will be entertained and encour
aged in their unbelef by reading this story of his
predecessor and superior. Those, on the con-
traIy, who do believe in Hume and humio-
mates. and the higher agency OF hobgOb-
Inns. and approximations generally aud yet
aIe not fallen of into manaced free-thinking, but
hold with fear and trembling their high respect for
the devil and all his works-will ugubrlously enjoy
an octave volume fresh last week from the Partisan
press. It's title is, La Magic au dir-Eeu1ieme
S.ecIe, etc.-Magic in the Nineteenth Century, its
agents It's truth, It's satisfies, by GougenO des Nous
seaux, author of DItu ct les DieUL-GOd and the
Gods. NJ des MousseauX is knightly aud noble, a
Icpitinist and does moi believe in all the good old
tines, GOOD old dogmas, lola Nick" aud whatever
else is reputable from age. The gist of the book
which is anything but stupid One-expressed in
brefest formula is: THE Devil is in it." j have
only read half its pages; Judging OF the rest from
| them, from previous knowledge Of similar super
| naturalist tleOricians, and from the opinion OF
Father Ventura, who has read all of them, aud
EXPRESSED his views about them in letter ad-
dleesed TO the author, which occupies the prelim-
inaIy tho of them; wherein, among other good things
the celebrated preacher and eXgenera of the order
Of the Theatins writes these -" Satan, said Vol
a. taire, is Christianity; no Satan no Chrstiansm.
a. 1t may, then be affirmed that the masterwOrh of
" Satan is to have succeeded in getting himself de-
"nied. To demonstrate the existence of Satan is 10
reestablish one of the fundamental dogmas which
are the bases of Christianity, and wanting which
q" it is only u word. Such are the thoughts sug-
gested to me at first by the perusal Of your work,
80 Magic IN tie &lAth Century, etc.' But magic,
- mesmerism, magnetism, sprltisn, hypnOtism, are
nothing else than Satanism- -. You have treated
your subject in a mastery manner. Your vast
knowledge YOUR immense crudtion, make evi.
all fbaf
memorable logic demonstrates their supernatural
quality, and their demOniacal character" and SO
OH.
Ihave Only room left for titles Of a few other no.
| ticeabe books: Historic POtttque des Pdpes-l'O-
tical History of the Popes, by p. Lanfrey, l vol.
| l9mo; La Suicide Politique en- France--Po,itica
Suicide in France. treated physioogcally and psy-
cholCpicaly, by DR.. Dies Etangs; Historic dc la Mae
son de Sdcoie-HistOry OF the House of Savoy, Il
hstoricO-p political pamphlet in defense Of Victor
Emanuers Italian mission by former CORE
spOndent Of The TRIBUNE, the Princess Christine
| IIyulce de BelgiOiOsO, rather enthusiastic than
| argumentatiye; Documents It Pieces AathentiqReS
documents ard authentic writings left by Dan
| iel MANN, translated into French and anno-
| tated IN 2 vols SNO; a complement 10 Henri
| Martins Life of the President of the Venetian
| Republic, the best and greatest that modern Italy,
not to say the cOtempOraneOus world has produced;
| Dor Jeunes Files Letrcs-Two l-teraryish Young
Ladies, two Chinese porcelain blue stockings, one
| Of the standard Chinese novels, Chinese curiosity
| with learned and entertaining preface by the
| translator, Stanisas Julien, acadeuicial and Pro
fessOr Of Chinese Language and Literature in the
| School of Living Eastern Languages.
Jumping now many books that should not be left
unmentioned, we come TO Edmund About's Rome
! COnhnpOraine Ii is the continuation and compile
ton OF feuilletOn begun in the Bonear three years
ago. and interrupted at the request Of the Papal
Nunc0 here. Hehad better let il 60 on. Ii would