New-York daily tribune., 1861-11-08

not fail 10 exert q sanitary lnhuenCo Oh tnc puonc
mind. and they are commended to attention as
well by their yivacity Of manner, as the import
ance of their views.
CECIL DREENIE. BY THEODORE WINTHROP Boston,;
1loknoT zelda 1861. l2mo. TP. 35O
This is q novel by the laie Major Winthrop, who,
80 early in the present war; fell by the hands OF the
rebels in the fight at Great Bethel. A peculiar in
terest ever attaches itself to posthumous works and
throws around them light Of the sun in the hazy
Autumn days. The atmosphere OF Cecil Dreeme'
aids this sOftened effect and is in GDe harmony with
IL. The plot of the book is 90 very simple, and the
persons of the drama are 80 few that sketch Of tho
story can give no jntt idea of the novel ITSELF The
scene is laid in NewYork and the local allutions are
not at all obscnrod by the changed nomenclature OF
the localities introduced IL brief the plot runs thus
Robert Byng, young nan just returned from q
long residence abroad, takes the apartments Of
friend who is about leaving the city forsOme months
these apatments being in the University building on
one of the public squares; he has an acquaintance
who 10 magnetic power Of will unites aD evil dis
position, and has baegnl influence on all with
whom he connects himself. This acquaintance,
Densdetb has "A room in the University which be
uominalIs g place for storing supernumerary
personal property. In another chamber in the same
building Is quiet young artist, Cecil DIecme, wAm
one evening Mr. Byng finds apparently in a dying
state, but whom be causes TO revive, and for whom
he conceives warm friendship. Another intimate
friend is a strong, healthy fellow, named Churm.
Shortly after coming TO the city, Byny his
quaiDiaDce with q wealthy family, by name Denman.
L. a.. -. -. l.
were two sistsrs-Emma end Cara the latter was
placed by her mother, dying, under the care and
protection Of Churm ust mentioned; lie went abroad
and during bis absence Densdeth determined to
marry Clara she rebelled against him, and called Oh
ber guardian for aid he wrote, urging her not to
consent; the letter was suppressed, sad Others Of
directly opposite tone were forged. The marriage
was decided oB and the time for the union has
tened Just before it was 10 have taken place Clara
disappeared and drOwEed woman was found n the
river identified sc tie afiianced Of Densdetb, aud
buried. When Byng renewed biz acquaintance with
;hc Denusn family comprising then only Emma and
her father the former was still mourning the loss Of
her sister Byng attracted toward her, was rapidly
advancing TO the point when he was ready "a. &c
knowledge his love, when he suddenly discovered
that she wss crminally under the influence of Dens.
deth; while suffering from this blow, Cecil Dreeme,
the yeung artist, mysei!ously disappeared, and ii
was by a mere accident made known that DeDsdeth
had caused him 10 be taken 10 private mad-bouse.
Al ,lis iunctuFe tool Of this villain had exposed
some of bis misdeeds showing that the woman
whose drowned body was found was not CLARA Den
man, but that the latter was probably alive. Bypg,
Churn and Towner, the wretched tool mentioned
go in all bsste to the mad.hou.e; there
Towner kills Densdetb sflerwsrd dDinQ himself;
Cecil Drseme is found and sufra our 10 be Clara
Denman; and toe whole pesty return to the city. !
There Byng receives a note from Emma Denmau,
which tells him taa, she. convinced that be has dis
covered her S,lt, hss killed herself In the chamber
Of DeDsSeth, adjoining his own in the University
bu'.ding Byug and Clara 1t once enter this apart
ment, and find tie sser indeed dead. THUS ends the
book.
The novel interests rather es . series Of pictures
than az ectednsrratiye; for, although the scene
is laid IN Sow-York the atmosphere Of the book is
not metropolitan nor has it tie local color necessary
to make L, as tale, artiSticsy excellent. The
characters arc vigorouSy skeched in outline, the in
cdents are full OF life, though few, and tho descrp.
tions are vivid. The chapter wherein is described
the visi to the nadhouse is perhaps the most dra-
matte of all and those n which Byng first discovers
the young artist, Cecil Dreeme, show TO advantage
the cultivation aud delicacy Of the anthors mind.
lie undoubtedly projected his inner self upon the
pages Of bis book, and those who knew him inti-
ms,ey will easily recognize the evidences Of bis Pc
culisr tastss. The work throughout spsrklos with
bright points similar TO those which formed marked
q feature Of bis well-knowD magazine articles, and
there Is perpetual fteshness Of style winch never
degenerstes into mannor;sIn. The readers Of Cecil
Dreeue" viii be enable to repress sincere regret
that death, although 20 ohonorsble, shoudhave thus
early stifencd the hand which with such rare promise
used the pen. a biographical sketch Of Major Win
throp written with exquisite feeling by Mr. q. w.
Curtis, prefaces the story.
THE LAST TRAVELS OF IDA pYEIRFER. rrss.l.ted
sy Il. w. DpLcxxr. Limo. pp. 2ai. Hsspes BTo.hszs
The present volume, which brings 70 eIoss the
popular narratives Of the renowned female traveller
has been prepared by her son from the papers which
she left at the time Of her death, and s chiefly de.
voted 70 an account Of her visit to Maurus and Med
saascar Her notices Of personal experience and ad'
venture, although eyDcing no uncommon acuieness
or depth, arc usually lively and entertaining. often
npating sorpe curious fragments Of information and
always betrsying genial spirit, and rare honesty Of
purpose. The biographical sketch, with which the
volume il introduced exhibits tho adventurous Ida
8. an early age, as the subject Of singular whims and
fances taking DO interest in the ordinary pursuits
Of her sex, and affecting the MANNERS aud habits, az
well az the costume, Of boy. disappointment in
love increased her eiTac tendencies, and in order to
escsoe the mrortmiiies Of her mother who insisted