Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-27
New Publications.


OF NeIgtbor JackwoOt,' :. Father Bright
hopes, etc" Boston Ticknor & Flelda.
This novel seems to be written to show some
of the phenomena OF spIrlrualism, as well as the
Natural passions ard incidents of everyday life.
Tne hero Guy Bennington, a wild, reckless
youth, falls IN love with the sweet, tender, af-
feotlonate Lucy Arlyn. His father, man of
fierce and irritable temper, made worse by reme-
dlless disease, opposes the marriage and threatens
10 dIsnherit Guy. The lovers are, however,
seer tIy married. After this Guy becomes ae-
quainted with come spirtualists especially with
Il female one called Christina, and this acqualnt-
ance leads him to engage IN money-dIgSIng, ana
to neglect Lucy. This part of the romance
deals with spirituaiism both IN Its repulsive and
attractive phases,-attractivo IN Christina, but
repulsIve 10 tho other parties-and is, we think,
rather tlresome and dreary reading. Some OF
Guys spiritual companions, failing TO find
money by digging, murder a man for his gold,
and Guy suspected of the crime and put on
.rIai iOr it. The evidence is very much against
him. the real murderer being the principal wit
ness, but Christina. under spiritual influence,
oJnfronts the witness, and he breaks down in
ing to escape from the court room. As he is
dying he confesses the murder and Guy is OF
course triumphantly acquitted. Lucy's father
comes back from California with much gold,
and GUYS father Gies before he modifies his will
to disinherit bis SOD. Guy and Lucy who have
been somewhat estranged on account of Chris
tina - influence over Guy, are happily recon-
cilet, and her cha lacter-which has suffered
considerably, as the marriage was not known
comes out bright, and everything is generally
lovely at the close, virtue being rewarded and
scheming zehshness punished.
A critic says OF the work
=. The elevatng character of some phenomena,
aud the dangerous tendencies of others; their
eff upon social and domestic relation5-the
absurd fanatic, the human vampire the sincere
reformer-are all portrayed with an unspariDg
aud impartial hand. -
We have not been able to see the eleyating
character of any Of the phenomena of spiritual
ism as described IN this book and doubt
whether the author intended that his work
should inculcate respect for any phase Of the
delusion. although he makes his hero tolerably
good in spite OF his evil associations. Certainly
every ctler member of the - spiritual circle -
is shown Il be cheat and impostor, or some
thing worse
There IL considerable graphic power Of descrip
ton manifested in this fiction, and the story Is
IN many parts feliciuously tod, while the com
mon lite Of parts Of New England Is fJrc-
cibly sketched IN /, doubt. Natural scenery
Is portrayed with asy and graceful pen, and
the sutlor seems quite at home when picturiDg
the outer world tie s not, however, quite so
happy in his portraItu1e Of character, nor 90
pleasing the incidents and dialogues in the
pro gress Of the story The writer has been too
careless in his IMPOSITION in many parts OF the
story, ana gives much space to the descrip
tIOn Of trhingly ludIcrous Incidents and many
pages Of the story occupied with minute
accounts of incidents too trivial to find place
anywhere except 10 the local columns Of sensa-
tiUnaI daily newspaper. The reader has less
patience with such passages because the book
abounds with evidence that Mr.. Trow bridge can
write much better, and does write much better
generally.
Messrs. TIcknor i Fields have done their work
we'll, and the volume handsomely published,
its fair pages and attractive binding inviting
attention.
TIE ATLANTIC MONTHLY FOR APRIL is selson-
ably issued Contents; Last Days Of Walter
Savage Landor Ny Annual Were they Crick-
cts Madam Waldoboroughs Carriage Pas
sages from Hawthorne's Note Books Sainte
Beuva De Spiridione EpiscoEo; A Struggle
for Shelter DIR. Johns Killed at the Ford
The Late Insurrection in Jamaica the Chimney
Corner for 1866; The President and Congress
Griffith Gaunt-or Jealousy.
We make room for Mr.. Longfellow's poem
entire:
KILLED FORD.
He IS dead, the b.autiful youth,
The heart Of honor, the tongue of truth
He, light u all,
Whose voice blithe a bugIe call,
Whom all eyes followed consent,
The cheer Of whose laugh and whose pleasant worp
flushed AL murmurs of Jiscontent.
Only last night, rode along,
Down the dark Of the mountain gap,
To visit the picket guard at the ford,
Little dreaming Of any mishsp,
He humming the words of old
- Two red he had his cap
And smother he bore at the point of his sword
sudden whistIing ball
Came of the wood and still
Something heard in the dark kness fall,
And for moment my blood grew chill;
spske a whisper, he who speaks
In room where ',me one is lying dead
But he made answer TO what said.
We jfted him up his saddle again,
And through the miresand the and the rain
Carried him back silent camp,
And lad him a. If asleep o his bed
And by the light of surgeons lamp
The white upon his cheeks,
And just his heart blood
nd I in. . how far nd fact
That fatai bullet went speeding forth
Till 1t reached town in the distant North,
Till 1t reached house q a sunny street,
ThI it reached a heart that ceased 0 beat
Without "a nurmur without
AID q bell toIied that far town,
For one who had passed to crown-
And The neighbOrs wondered that sne should die
Blackr0o0d for February is on our table
Contents: What will the Government Do ,
Sir Brook Fossbroke Memoirs of the Confed-
War for Independence; Visit to the