The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-21
BOOK NOTICES.

IHn LIFE AND LETTERS or JAMES GATES PBRCTvAL.
by Julius H. Ward Ticknor Fields, Boston.
II ever poet lived who should be cassed In Horace's
9e'as irritable vatsn it was Percva In boyhood at
college, in his early proclvy suicide In his aena-
ton from friends his neglect Of the medical profess
son for which he was thoroughly educated In his
Payments professional man Of letters In his quar-
res with book publishers in his experiences
paper editor and in his still unsatisfactory expert
ences a. an ONCE holder In his geological surveys Of
Connecticut and Wisconsin, which his high scientific
attanments enabled him 10 make in manner extolled
by the most eminent geoogsts at home and abroad In
his eccentric hermit life at New Haven, through
out his whole life in fine, no exhibited
the sensitive and jealous temperament usually
supposed to BIO peculiar to he irritable tribe OF poets"
But in not few passages Of his verse he also exhibited
the higher characteristics Of poet And poet no
tainly was, endowed with extraordinary powers al
though longer give him the prominence
which General Norris Of tho old New York Mirror, with
universal contemporary assent accorded him by put.
ting him in the central place Of honor plate OF por
traits OF Percival Bryant Sprague, Pierpon Irving
Woodwork, Brooks Pinckney and Fitz Greene Hacck.
Very little OF Percivas poetry commits itself
y: still less Of touches tho heart The light OF fancy,
not that Of imagination, gilds OF his Hottest
rhymes If as glitterng, they cold Ice II is
but fair however to remember that he aimed fidelity
to his high and ordeal Of poetry thing
not to be thrown away upon tho dun and low
realities OF life. It should live only" he de-
clared "wth those feelings and maginations
which are above this world and the anticpaons Of
brighter and better being" We cannot help think.
Ing that not his theory alone. but his imperfect sympa
thcs as we'll precluded him from sphere less super
natural. perhaps and more human than that TO which
he would fain have confined the poet
devoted student OF science and literature an omniy-
orous reader, and capital critic, Mr. Percva
tied TO high rank among the few scholars OF Euro
pcan type of whom American colleges can boast
II Is painful to reflect upon the poverty and isolation
which he condemned not only by his own pccu
liares, but by Tho plentiful lack OF sympathy extended
to him within his contracted circle OF society No
he fed from It with disgust That he was radically
unsocal Is shown by the readiness with which he some
times lavshed the stores of his brilliant conveaou upon
strangers whom he accidentally met In his geological
excursions by the pleasure he in genial companion
ship in Charleston New York and Boston by his adm-
ration Of the beautiful Miss Goodrich OF Berlin and OF
the peerlessly beautiful Miss Emile MarsLall phe late
Mrs Oilsl OF Boston, and by his early love affairs
Philadelphia and In Connecticut II be had been Ike the
poet Gray. fellow of college In English uniyer
sty, or, better STILL II he had been n member Of the
French Academy and had lived Paris the double life
OF man OF the world and OF let,ers his career
might have been happier and successful. Here,
except by Dr. Gilman, OF Chareston Bryant and Fltz
Greene Haleck, OF New York Professors Porter Sill
man and Fowler OF Yale College; Edward Everett,
George Tcknor and DR. Hayward OF Boston 1.-THE names
Of such friends testimony TO his yalue, and few
other associates, no was personally almost unknown.
Many Of his avowed admirers irritated him by
their ignorant and inIudicious batteries. Peter Par
ley Goodrich Who Mr.. Ward remarks, "had no
such nice sense Of propriety PercivM demanded.n
and who was altogether incapable OF comprehending
him, made him quite angry by writing bis life and
prasng him exravagantiy in nm introduction TO a Lon
don edition Of his poems" All well meantn said Per-
c!vai, I" but highly injurious TO me-"
Mr. Wards biography OF Percival Ii rather cumsily
executed but Il Is written In kindly appreciatve
but not extravagantly Mandatory spirit and as il con.
sists chiefly Of the letters Of the poet and Of remns
cences Of him by surviving friends should DO welcome
useful and interesting contribution 10 tho history Of
American literature
the Author Of +" Vernon Grove Carleton, New
York.
Tho author Of this romance Mrs. Caroline H. Glover
NOV Mrs. Jervey, OF South Carolina daughter OF Dr
Gilman her Vernon Grove has met with considera-
bio success and what has been said Of n-.The
phsro Of She book Of refined taste and high cul
turc''-s true OF "Hslcn courtenay." Nevertheless,
tSr caro- VI peEusal OF IL We are boun0 70 ed0 tnai the
authors graceful pen ito borrow phrase from one
Of those absurd "puf" which publishers TOO often send
on printed slip inserted between the nyesyes OF
book,-her "graceeai penn is not yet free from the he
setting sin Of American graceful pens" namely, 6nc
writing Except charming little story within the story
introducing TO pretty and unlucky Annie Lowell and
her family graphic picture OF the humber walks Of
theatrical life In London, the style Is throughout, in
tense, and the incidents extremely improbable. For
these worry reasons perhaps, beien Courcnayn will be
the popular but tho author has slrcsdy evnced
much talent that shall hope to be favored by her
of these days. with lees finely written novel.
PoEMs. BY Elizabeth skers (rlorence Percy.)
Ticknor It Fields, Boston.
"Florsnce Percyp has become popular name with
tho readers Of fugitive poetry. They win recognize many
OF their favores this bue-andgold collection. which
II to be feared however, vii the whole disapponi
them certain originality Ia not lacking In sas lsdys
treatment OF her themes but thesc usually require and
exhibit little thought Her srsns, oflenes asd than CAV,
almost monotonously painys reminding too fire.
qucnty OF the hospital and the battle ted tho ok bed
and the grave Even her fertility OF fancy and her tai
eut for picturesque description enough to exa,
her very high rank In the ney school ., female
poetry headed by urs. Browning.
SERIAL LITgaArrRr.
The October number q the Norrh amoican R,pisc
fTickror Yields, BostoSD contains elaborate ari
&c BY Mr. Parton on Ihe Government Of the City u
New York" ], mus, prove specially interesting 10
Common cogreIl. In an article entitled Tho scward
and yohIson Reaction Mr. Lowell We are glad to notice
reprobaes 'the foolish talk about Impeachment, such
Butler preaching his Western circuit but, Of course
Mr. Lowell mixes wnh his witty remarks some " fool
ish talk" Of his Mr. Curtis, In his article siepben
A. Douglas, rather aesns, him, To think that
Seward s essentially different man from Doueiss
whom he regards Western demagogue and political
inckstsr. Mr. Howell has interesting paper
.Nodern Italian Poets and Professor Evans one on
The Philosophy cfthe Fine Art&"
Er,ry sa,soiav choice selection ~ foreign current
literature and The November NUMBER Of oar Young
FoU, and tho Atlantic Monthly also p1Dilsbed by Ti.s
nor Fields have been received