The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-13
LITIRARY REVIEWS.


re, doubt not through all ages Que Increasing purpose
And tho thouahs Of are Inclined with The progress
the suns"
History is not a chronological account Of past
events; it is rather q horoscope in which the
future Of nations can he read. From the past by
analcgy we foretell the future. History, like
every other science for writing q narrative
account Of events IN proper manner, IS science
as much as chemistry or botany, has history
ITSELF In tho earlier dawn Of civilization deeds
Of importance increased so rapidly, that
the plan Of oral tradition became impossible
So long as mankind were divided into tribes, With
a patriaichal head to each, the tdling events in
their existence could be retained by descending
from father to son. But when tue great nations
Of the earth we're formed by the coalition of these
numerous tribes, important wars changes Of
mOnarchics, iuvssions and discoveries demanded
that a more permanent and comprehensive re-
cord should be adopted Than that Of memory.
Hence arose our system Of written history,
which, in its intanCy, cOncspORded TO whit Is
now known as a chronological table. Gradually
the science grew, and about the fifteenth century
bad arrived at the opposite CXttn.. A style OF
the utmost pTOiiXi'y succeeded; the mid1teS iu-
d MS were narrated a. large, and tmmcu'e
'uiu- were manufactured ol tue leas. basis Ottact
The FetufmatiOn, however, caused IS new i'm
rC.ua to be given to letters, the dry style Of tue
ancient Chruiicler had new life tur1wu into 10,
md hi tory as read not only by the priests ana
j iati, lut also by the more intelligent Of tue
general public. NUltarc, IN the eighteenth con-
IUIy, Appeared upon the stage, add with uIm
cIHupCu tho manner Of conduc ing tue drama
/ Ut he UCsL An intelligent history flowed ir Jm
ttnCu his pen, Us In rounded numbers he
narrated the daring of tue warrior and the
vi.dOm OF the sage. He had CCuirc q spirit TO
bis work civilization was the breath which yyi-
|. tied the hitherto inanim lte mass and changed
the liicCss body with consistent living Orgtut-
cation. The third era OF history was accomplished
Initiating NOltulre, our country Hora 'e Gree
! ley, has issued a work which rests upon freedom
rs It's foundation. Civiliz ition for the system OF
national advancement in tue eighteenth century
| freedom for the nineteenth; but tJr history Ut
| the world in all ages, Mr.. Philip Smith ha,
accepted the only true criterion by which
| all nations can be reduced % u sttudIrd, ami
their merits and dement's iudgid-tbe UnitV OF
history, irH a Diui,e PyOri8eIce for is goU0rn0r.
To undertake 70 write world's-histOry de
! mauds gigantic amount Of decision Of Cbarac-
ter. lt is a work Of q lifetime. Maclulays hi,-
| tory Of his native land would have been massive
structure, but chrOnicelof all lands or all ages,
| suTp8sses any effort Of modern enterprise. IL de
n,auds vast and comprehensive mind, just
| judgment, llOw Of language, and the most in
! domitable perseverance, Judging from the volume
! before us, VIC should say that Mr.. Smith Is pos
| eCssCd OF these requisites, and that his work will
! be great success.
The first volume, the only one yet published
| comprises universal history, "fcOm tue Creation
| to the rG-estabhshment Of Diony sus the younger,
| in b. G. $685." 1t does not pretend to go into de-
! tail, but al-important events are mentioned, aud
a sufficient length devoted to their consideration.
| Tue whole production Is OF great permlne
value, the want of which has long been felt In the
! Literary world, and which should have its apprO-
| pirate place on the shelf Of every library. When
! finished the work will I'LL eight volumes, and is
| Tor sale, by subscription only, Ut j. IA. Sim0ns',
! No. 80 S. Sixth street.
| QUEENS or SoNG. By Ellen Creathorne Clayton.
| Harper Brothers, New York.
Almost every field of biography has been
thoroughly trayersed, and all its euatic wind
| ings laid before the American people, but Miss
| Clayton, who has discovered now province, and
treated us TO a mcst delightful account OF It's
beauties and ecccntriclties. The lovers of music
in general will hail with joy these ske ches of
the private lives Of those whose sweet voices have
| come 10 us from across the sea.
The work before US is a collection of slight
biographies of the lives Of the most distinguished
| operate singers of the Old World. 1t is writ
| ten in the most pleasing style Of narrative,
| somewhat resembling that of Agnes Strickland,
! and is embellished with beautiful engravngs OF
! the "QuCens Of Song" To lovers of the opera or
Of music should omit to procure the work. II
! will mako Il most beautiful Christmas gfr, and
| will have an extensive circulation.
| THE MYSTERIES OF FLORENCE. BY George Lip
| paTd. I. b. PETERSON, Philadelphia.
A most exciting work, aud one which has great
fascination for the lovers Of dungeons, elixirs,
ard alchemy. 1t will be bought and read by the
masses, and although it possesses no literary
merit above mediocrity, yet the skill with which
! the plot is woven makes il interesting reading 10
! those who are not tastdiOus rs to style.
! MARGARET DENzH's HISTORY. Harper & Bro
| Tiers, New York.
! novel is viewed, by certain class Of our
! citizens, as worthless, if not immoral work,
and the pcrusal of it dscountenanced. This
has been caused by the deterioration of this class
Of literature from its original model. From pure
works of imagination or social narration of
| nature, it has become pamPerer to the passions.
Hence the disTepute into which il has fallen with
| many OF our most respectable citizens. Every
| work, therefore, which tends 70 elevate works
| OF fiction, as class, 70 their original standard,
! should be hailed as q blessing 10 the literary
/ world. "MargaTet Danzips History" is such
/ work. IL is pure in style and contents. most
excellent, moral, yet interesting, thriIliugly Ia
| ieICstiug work. We regret that the RutuOrass
| is unwilling 10 throw aside her UCogtita. She
has won herself reputation.
] How TO GET A FARM AND WHFRB 70 FfSp
| ONE, James Miller, New York. Agent for
! Philadelphia, g. W. Pitcher.
| The work before us is the poor mans work. It
| is not intended for the rich: they have their
money and can buy their farms when theyples
but to the poor man who desires to rise in the
! social scale-whO desires home for himself and
family, and is ready to work 20 obtain ito sucha
man the work appeals for a careful peusal. The
I whole plan OF farming Government land is
| treated IN practical manner; no theory, no
| tayOrite hobby-but q simple explanation of
iacts ana directions for making use OF the expert
! ence OF others. This Is one Of the most desirable
| works which has fdllCn under our notice. Our
1 agricultural community are TOO much neglected
| by our authors; this work fills q void and a
| DOOR which Is needed is always good work.
| We should think that the anonymous author was