Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-10-31

We can safely predict that this publication
will be one of the curosities OF our litera ture
If Mr.. Smms does his work faithfully, and
gives us every phase as well as every variety Of
this" war poetry" the historian and the politi
cian csn proftably study the volume, while per-
sons of literary tastes will find in it much matter
for amusing if net for serious contemplg-
ton.
CHARACTER AND CHARACTERISTIC MEN By
Edwin P. Whipplc. Boston: Ticknor &
Fields, publishers.
Mr.. Whippie has for many years enjoyed
the reputat ton of being one Of the most clear
and vigorous American esseyists. His COZ
tributions to cur literature have been mostly
in the form Of lectures or essays printed IN
our popular magazines. The articles in this
volume, the author says, were written at
various times, and without any view to their
connected publ cation but they all more or
less iii ustrate the idea Of the nature, growth,
aud influence OF character. The titles of
thee essays IS follows: Character Ec-
centric Character; IetelIectual Character !;
Heroic Character The American Mind The
English Mind Thackersy Nathaniel Haw
thorne Eiward Everett; Thomas S1arr
kiag; Agassiz, and Washington and the
Principles of the Revolution.
These were orlS naIly prepared as lectures,
or as Contributions TO Rarper's Monthly, and
the CO ollection In book form Is en after hong b t
ethgr of the publishers CT OF Mr.. W nipple.
They, however, possess merits go much above
the ordinary Level OF nsgazire literature Sc
10 oessrve preservation IN this form. Mr..
Wbipple's style, both Of thought and ex
preston, makes him most readable author
lie gives the reader hi precise idea, ami in
the shortest phrase. lie is concentrated and
pungeut, while he is never obscure or dul H.
lie seeIns 10 possess that rare and most happy
faculty, either ior writer or a tpeaker. OF
usng IN sentercs Or al axiom, the best
thins ever said By his predecessor or any topic
he Is discussing, ami his quotations ere there
fore always opposite, and never tedious or
peiantic. There cGn be NO ques tion that he
ie IA most brilliant Of our ess ,yists, whether
We regard ths perfection Of his - K, or the
unfolding OF hIs idsl. No writer excel7 him
il polished artithesjs, il appositenrss Of illus
t-ation, or in perfsc; cl,aruess of exp =sion ,
while no oue certainly gives the reader a
kesuer intellectual delight.
From the thou ghtful ana felic.tous ess avs
"a " Haroio Character. we copy shat portion.
which treats u
TUE HEKoIsE or THE SAINT.
The heroisln u he saint, the 4st H. IL con
81 icrll here, exceeds alI her heroiam in
dcp.a, intensity, preheasIyrness, e.eva-
tiOn and vision. Ine hero-s0ldler, he hero
patriot, the hero-relYriuer, each - great by
i2t4raIrg vne ii, Z from the sum Of things,
ana thr0HiDg his whole energies INTO It's
req 4 ..i3a {; tut the hHI3 saint views al!
thl..7 ID relation - their centre ard eource.
II brings iu rhe al %; God, and ~ urce tie
highest earthly obl5ccs sWIitly rccede 70 their
proper distance, aud dWindle 10 the real
dimensions. But shis he osm though II
EXHIBITS Duman nature repO5ing on an all
inclusive idea, the ngEuest that the heart
can conceive, OF the mind cimly grope for on
the vanishing edges OF Intelligence, Is still
not herolsm eagerly coveted or warmly aI-
proved. Ii = recorded Of Saint Theresa, that,
after she had become old and poor in the ser
vice Of the Lord, and mad only two soGs left
Vi al her possessions, she sat down 10 n1edi-
ta,e. =. Theresa and two sous,' she said
ARE nothing out theresa, two sous and
Coz are all things on which Pierre Leroux
max . the blttcr comment To The young
bucks Cf Paris, Theresa, young and hand
come, anu worth but two sous would be little
and Theresa, twO sous G. I'd God, would be
/ still less -
The mental phenomena implied in the acts
or recorded IN the writings of the heroes VI
/ religion are OF 20 grand and transcendent .
/ character that one can hardly have patience
! With MIR w oTldly Wiseman The worthy
/ gentleman who writes history, and explains
the problems Of netephy SIC, when, with
MS knowing K, ne disposes of TIE whole
mater by scue trash about ianaticsm end
Glsordered ina gination. N9w glory, country
humanity are realities only 10 those who love
them and the all pretending reality The
saint seeks and adores, Is but a faint ssar,
"P.nnacled dim in tie Intense insns."
to the wIsect Of the worIdlIngs. By what
right does &c Sit Ia critical Judgment ON the
saints and martyrs, when his point OF view IL
earth, and their point OF view is beaven
Religious heIolsn, indeed, IN the gradual
groW5n from TengIOus sentiment, Is a feeling
before II Is !dea but what the heart wishes
the lIInI soon dlscscns and the marvellous
exgerieDc which visit the Consciousness oi
the saint ere logical results OF the gr.vitation
ot lis iatuIe to rs source, and are IS vallo
d. osner f4c.s OF immediate perception. Once
rJ,.sei, t.Is d4vinIzlug sentiment kIndles the
Whole solid mass Of his being with It's
penetrating and purifying fire; carries his
thoughts, Al &c IONS, passions, TO higher levels
OF character converts faith into sight So
that Il last th5 my s:eries OF the supernatural
world are partially unroiied 10 hs eager gaze
- catches gii;n pses ct gtorie5 almost too
bright f0r Ihe aching senee 10 bear ; dscerne
right, trutiI, benefceuce. justice as raoIa;ione
from one awful low lluess and sees
.Aro1nl Hz ihr, ne the sanetities Of heaven
sIaBd .hick stars; and from his sight receives
Bsatitude pas; utteranee,'
Filled ana stirIed with these wondrous visions
Which o'erinfcrn his terenent Of eIay,'
be becomes q soldier OF the cbivalry of spirit
patriot OF the heavenly kingdom the true
"piigrlm Of eternity buIdened beneath the
weight of his rapture, until 1t finds expression
IN those electric deeds whose shock Is felt al
/ over the earth amazlng lime itself with a
/ th,ili from Eternity. The still, deep ecstacy
which imparadsss hi spirit can but ImpeE-
! fectly ally itself with human language, though
| it occasionally escapes along his written page
! IN fisfut gscaIas OF celestial lightning, touch
lus suc.. words a . jOF,' Gn0 ~ sweetness,
4 and " rcst" with uneaFihly significance
! - p:rter.atarai INTENSITY 0i meaning; but
/ cae full po.eer o! this awful Lsauty of holi
hess is Only &c n and fes Ia the virtues il
| crea es 10 the felicity with which it srane
mule5 caieIGItles i1to OCCASION ior the exercis'
/ of neg graces OF character IN the sufene 81
/ Of Its glance INTO the occult secrets Oh lie
/ i'll the solid patience whica exhausts all th'
ingenuity Ct persecution III The InsIepIG
I rneexneSS ~ bich victorious over the QcepDtI