New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TUCKERMAN'S AMERICA AND her COM
hENTATORS.

I'M, Interesting and truly valuable voiume' Inc
plan upon which II Is constructed u eh'r'i! ho'ei
b. its character and demanded for MS successful OK
sot,on no small amount OF patient research bHu IN
ribeeut Discrimination with sound conceptions u
ae nautical and social relations Of tins country, ana
,.plt,va,ed and matureliterary taste IN arranging
n, co,ious materials, the author Grst presents an
,econpt Of the early explorers Of the Western con-
an.nt including the French Catholic missionaries;
Aen follows summary Of later french ana British
uavelers. bringing down tho dates to tho present
.,o.. ,hi. % succeeded by condensed view of the
,ports Of Northern European and italian travellers,
.oeether with notices of American travellers and
sriters, whose productions have contributed to a
mere intimate knowledge Of the institutions and
character OF their own country The work takes a
higher range than that Of mere compilation. Mr..
Cuckeiman occupies the post of a critic and COM
noniatoT o. well as that of narrator. His own
selections which freely introduced, are marked
by soundress Of Judgment, clear insight into the
bearing OF principles and events, ard practical ga
sheity III the estimate Of results and conclusions.
h. autographed point of view, the volume is OF
% ht.le interest. Few writers of any Importance
rn America have escaped the notice of the author.
BON the oblivion into which they had fallen 1t is
. cur,ous study TO compare the observations OF
sriteTs on this country ~ wide intervals OF time,
H. marx their discrepancies and eoincldenees, ana
~ note the signs Of progress which appear al diner-
ant periods; and for researches OF this kind no work
sHoIds more ample facilities, or may be relied on
- h more Trustworthy and agreeable guide than the
present volume.
Some idea Of the wide extent Of the field which
Mr.. Tuekerman invites his readers TO traverse may
be formed from the following statement:
The increase 81 books Of this kind can, perlapt he
realized in striking way than b. comparing tie
kng catalogue Of The present day with the materials
available 10 the inquirer half a century ago. When
Winter bOthan, in 1875 undertook Ia prepare an lt-
tqrical Geographical, Commercial. and Philosophical
View Of tho United St8os'-to meet an ACKNOWLEDGED
Nsn 10 Europe. where 20 many, contemplating emgla
tob Ia America, aDxousy sought for accurate knoWl
edge and often for local and political details ana where
lere existed much msconcepton and such visionary
isas regard TO this conntIyhe cited the following
hrs chief resources for facts and principles Of
history government social conditions and statistics:
The Abb@ RaynsI DR. Franklin. Robertson, Clavigero.
Jefferson Beiknsp Adams Catesby, Morse. Button,
gordon, Ramsay. Bartrain Cox Rush hitehlL Cutler.
1mksy fiten, Barlow, Brisset, and Edwards. The
axhenteity Of of these writer's made them indeed,
osI desirable authorities; but the readerw who recalls
HLei respective woIk Ks will readily perceive how limited
the scope Of such considered illustrating the
tire country. DIR. Belknap wrote Of New Hampshire,
Jefferson of Virginia Bslram Of Florida and q few
sahsr states; RAMSAY, Gordon, Adams and Franklin
fsrnished excellent political information; but Morses
Biography vss quite crude and limited and Brissots
eecount Of America tncturcd With his party views
We need lose sight Of the benefits which early
stoT1os o. authors and naturslists conferred while
fsy recognize tie superior completeness and scientific
insight Of later and better equipped authors DR.. Bel
lIAp il will ever be conceded. stands foremost
primitive local historian snd benign Is bis memory 10
lie ihde.atgabe student OF venerable tie
steeple Of the Old South Church. in Boston was has
study while the founder OF the Massachusetts His
tarica Socicty every explorer Of New-Enga annals
sves him debt Of gratitude yet his description Of the
White Mountains is more valuable for it's early date
shan for these scientific and picturesque aetaIs which
give tnch interest to The botanical researches Of coem
rorsry Authors. The data furnished By Cotssby and
bartram st q charm and use for the ssga~i Who
examines the fora and chhysegy OF Florida and the
fnJonas-notwithsisnaiDg tie splendid work OF Agas-
and there are temporary aspects Of Life at the south
Aoted by PanldiEg which give emphasis 10 tie more
thorough Statistics OF Olnsted
To phOsOp ical reader indeed there are few more
striking Illustrations Of character fhaa tie diverse
trains Of thought, sources Of interest And modes Of
viewing The same subject which books Of travel incl
Sentoy reveal: from uerodotns to humboldt the die
position and idosybcrases OF tbs writers are as appa'
tept re their comparative ability. There w. unoouot
sdty rr, u San the numerous journals letoIf
and trtati,es Of travellers America only few Of
hem have any claim ~ originality, or seem animated
hy vital relations 70 the SUBJECT specimen mere ana
tksre represents entire olass; and TO assiy,s the
whole would be nearisOme; Jet IN ell tIat bear the IN
areas OF discrimination and moral sentlnity there II
evident the Individuality 81 taste ana purpose tbo De-
tnet TO al genuine human work and IN thus point Of
ysT the.o sritingr tosst no common variety: eaeh
author looks az his theme through the ens 10 which BE
VISION 10 habituated; and hence We rave results az
diverse a. medium and tie motive oil the respective
vriters IL accords with Jseyrands political tastes
at TIE sight Of Alexander Hamitonone OF the wlsett
Of the republican egslstos-shonld have been the mos
U+pors6s incident Of his exile IN America; equally
aceordsnt with Amperes literary sentiment was II that
he should find . Dutch gable rs sttrscti1ess Brond
way because il revived the genial huInor oil HvIhgs
fscetous History: ison and Charles Bonhpere teund
he birds French officers The fair Qusiers, English
commercial travellers the manufeNutes. and mFins I'm
ehnb farmers the agriculture, Continental ecssonhts
s prison and educational system Iyell The rocks ard
s.pes Michaux the tIees spcrlsnen tho Western
pans and clerical visitors the kects ond nssions-tbe
bhef ttroction; and while enc pilgrim b'stows his
leaftfet reflections the assOcjauonso OF Monnt
Vernon another has no sympathy for Any sub
ieet bat Hose connected with Slavery this one 10 anus
kpg in humorous syaggeraiou OF ths Connecticut Blue
Lave aud that one e1tiaNagant IN bic repubnean zeni
Scbscco and maple sugar, IntsmperSncs and Prare
kunting reptiles and elections the Whale hsheiy ana
SAe Indians, and morals occupy In most un'
equal proportions. the attention OF oineIeht Srnes an
sciuesr praises sue ingenuity and hraihood while no
bsi,recaies the fragity Of the remarkaDle woOden
kdges in America" editor discourses OF the iniu-
sloe and abuse OF the Press, hoTteuurst specutes
the prospects Of the vine cnure and an economist
en- the destruction Of the fo and tie desuioy sys
sem OF farming. Chambers accustomed 10 oa'ef ioi
tstiu' knowledge for The people describes puuno esAu
kAhMeIts and schools; while hossuihs cOinPsnu IN
fIitkzy l0oks sharply at the "white. red and black
races Of the land and specua,es therefom upon dcmoc-
taoy and It's results; Lady stuart WoTiey enters INTO
tbe sentiment OF the scenery and Miss BIemer into me
cTst for Aistons studio landing and with tie lib
eiality Of scholar and gentleman, eiucidates the
sornny he - psT. l Sas esndidiy Observed In
SSa TOO much rare sport in the West and formed TOO
bhypy eonlugsl tie in America TO have his recol
tcilohs thereof bright and kindly in the record In
enemsn, and Spigarliy. Of philosophical insight and
slalOw mpertiuence n 90 DC traced in these books Of