, 1863-10-08
BOOK NOTICES.


BOOK NOTICES,
TEE PuB11snrRs' FALL C1Rcu1ARs-Er.
citing as the war is, 1t does not absorb ali our
thoughts and energies. We have ret nom
for intellectual and scientific achievement.
and this is one Of the strongest proofs of the
national vitality. Our booksellers, If not
so busy now as in peaceful times are doing a
iafge ano prosperous business. All The great
publishing houses have Issued their fall cir.
cnlara, showing that there is no lack of read.
CTS. and that in the midst Of the tremendous
operations Of Wal, our citizens are still alive
to The necessities, OF intellectual and mora1
culture. Since the war -began.- thousands Of
new books have been issued from our, press,
In the store of 8. G. Griggs 4 Co., in this
city, We saw no less than seven hundred and
fifty thousand volumes; mostly school books,
piled up for. eaIe. Think Of ttat! What
other country in the world could furnish such
sight !? :. and yet this WAS the fall stock Of
only one bookseller, for the supply of only
portion Of the Western Statess We sbould
like to know how many new books hay4 bean
published in Dixie during this war, and how
many school books have been sold and used
in that bright land Of the chlyalry. We will
venture the assertion that not score all
through Secessia have ever asked those negro
aoggers for their suAfages. And as for school
books, they don't use them in. these DAYS,
They have no time for literature o. any sort,
and no money. They want all the paper cur
reney they eau muster, to buy bread witha1.
They hare bullIed Massachusetts, and their
sympathlzers here want to leave her and her
sisters out in the cold But she is not going
to be seryed with that sauce. She has not
only sent her splendid regiments to the war,
bat in spite Of the war, and in spite of the
growing ct the Copperheads against her, she
is continually supplying us all with excellent
good food for the intellect. Here are Ticknor
L Fields, who hare just issued their autumn
list Of books to be published, containing
some Thirty volumes, all the reprints
being. of rare and well established
merit During this month We ara to
have new volume Of poetry, by Whittier,
ard book on Mental Hygiene, By DR.. Ray,
jean Paul's Fruit, Flower, and Thorn Pieces,
and Henry Thoreau's Excursions In Field and
Forest This last book is full Of genuine
thinking and fine ethical passages, written in
tetee and brilliant style. We shall hear no
more from poor Thoreau after this. He has
gone over to the majority. His highest praise
Is that he was Emcrson's friend. He liYed
nearly all his Life in Concord, and died there.
Ills other books are, I" "Walden, or Life In the
Woods" and "a Week up the Concord and
Merrimac Rivers" They are all strongly
masked With the writer's originality and
genius, and are as fresh and sunny as 4 morn
Ing landscape. In November We are to have
new volume Of poems By Robert Browning,
AID new volume of miscel1anfes, second
series, by Emerson; with "Tales Of Way.
side I'm, a-d other poems," by h. ". Long.
fellow.
GALA DATs. By GAIL HAsuL1oN. Boston
Tisknor Fields; Chicago: S. c. Gstggs 4 Co.,
Gall Hamilton is racy, smart, tart, and
sparkling writer. abound!ng with lively repre-
sentations OF lie and character, and new
views Of society and literature. She has
been compared With Fanny Fern, but this
gale would float hundred Fanny Ferns, and
drive them before her like flock Of silly
feathers driven By the Wanton air. Gail Ham
ilton, VIXEN she is not too conscious, and
does not want to be over+sharp and Witty,
can say sensible things in brilliant and
pleasing manner. We hope she Will continue
to preserve the fceGhness Of her early writ.
ipgs, and never take pen In hand unless she
Is moved By the god that prcsides over all
genuine iterature. The less she remembers
Of Fanny Fern, the better it will be for her
reputation. She is u bold and eloqnent
writer, and can afford to be herself, without
aping anybody.
Most Of the pieces in this hook have already
appeared in the pages Of the atlantic .Non&Aly,
a1d viii be familiar to roet Of cur readers.
They are "Gala Days" " A Call to my Coun,
tr5women," "A spasm OF Sense" ssCamfl-
las Concert," "Ched," "slde Chances a.
Harvard Claes Day" "success In Ltfa,''
"Happlest Days" The book Is got up in
the best style Of the art, its contents are "a.
1fed and tull Of life and picture, and very elo.
quently expressed in the choicest English.
METHODS OF STUDY UNNATURAL HISTORY.
By L. AaAss1x. Boeton: Ticknof 4 Fteids
Chicago: s. G. Gr1ggs Co and Jno. Walsh.
1heee mastery and exhaustive papers On
the methods Of study in natural history, are
from the pen Of our highest naturalist, L.
AgaAiz, and have, like the contents of the
Last book, appeared In the IHaatfc lfonthly.
They are well worthy Of the mora permanent
form In which they are now presented to the
public, and they embody the latest results Of
science In the range Of natural inquiry which
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