The New York herald., 1866-09-03
LITERARY NOTICES.
BATTLE PIECES AND ASPECTS OF THE WAR.-B
Herman Melville. Harper Il Bros, New York

Plain be the phrase. not apt the verse,
More ponderu us than nimble.
In PREDATORY note he says:"I SEEM Ia OF these
verses 20 have but placed harp in a window and noted
che contracted airs which wayward winds have played
upon the strings" But Wish direct special auen-
tcn 70 the ''scpplcmcnt" whcfhMr Melville has added
IN obedience TO claim overriding all literary scrupes
claim urged by patriotism not free from solci,udc So
far from spelling the sy ,nmetry Of the book sup
plement completes IT, and converts 1t into what better
than good booknto good and patriotic action. The
writer secs clearly that there h why patriot
ism and narowness should gD together, why'iutci-
lectua impartaty should be confounded with political
trimming, why servceable coiatev red
because not partisan. And therefore, tiu Wow OF tls
Infinite iesrabeness of re-esiablshment, consider
ing that, feeling concerned It depends not
mainly on the temper In which the South regards the
North, but rather conversely. One who was
blind adhorent feels constrained TO submit some
thoughts. counting the indulgence OF his country.
men" We confident that the second sober
thought" of his countrymen will endorse his views. We
welcome these words In scisoD," not only az the
deliberate impartial testimony OF n highly cultivated
individual mind, but hopeful signs OF change In
public opinion and sentiment A few extracts viii show
the audable spirit in which Mr. Melville writes
"Is still waiting for passion spend itscfg
Some Of us concerned because, M yet the South
shows no penitence. But what exactly do mean by
this since down TO tho close Of the she
confessed any for Drawing II, the only penance
left her is that which springs sooly from the OF
discom hturo and since this evidently would be contr
ton ny ypocrcal would bo worthy in us to demand
IL. Certain Is that penitencc In the Of voluntary
numiliaon will be displayed Nor does this
afford lust ground for unresery cd condemnation II s
enough for all practical purposes II the South have
been taught by the terrors Of civil TO feel
that secession like slavery, is against destiny that
both now c buried In grave that her tate "a linked
With ours; and that together comprise the nation.
rs II probable that the grandchildron OF General Grant
vii pursue with rancor, or slnr by sour neglect the
memory OF Stonewall Jackson ~ 'Supposins happy
issue out OF present perpex,es, then in the genera
ton next 10 come, Southcrncrs there Will be- yield ing
allegiance to the Union feeling all their interests bound
up Ia II, and yet chershng unrebnked that Kind Of
feeling FOR the memory OF tho soldiers OF the fallen
confcdeacy that Barns, scott and the Ettr ok Shep
herd ielt for the memory Of the gallant cansmen
ruined through their Ddely TO the stuartsa coiing
whose passion was tempered by tho poetry imbuing H.
aud which IN Do~ise affected their loyalty " the
Georg 8 and which, 1t may be aided, indirectly con-
ributcd excellent things 10 literature Bnt setting thls
view aside, dshonorabe would Il be In the South
sho ing to abandon to shame the memory OF brave
who With signal personal dsntersstsdness warrrd
la her behalf. though from motives We believe 80
dcploraby astrny Patriotism II not basanes., neither
IL IL ,nhumanity The mourners who this sam.
NOR bear flowers 70 the mounds OF tho ymgnian |
aud Georgian dead are In their domestic bereavement
aud proud affection sacred In the Of heaven
those who 40 with similar offerings Of lender grief and
love into the cemceres OF our Northern martyrs and
yet In aspect, how needless TO point the contrast
Chershing such sentiments, !, will hardly occasion
prise that looking the battle pivcos tho fore
going collection have been tempted withdraw
but dramatically and By way Of poetic record. the
passions epithcts Of civil might be conirbui
ing To bitterness which every sensible American must
wish nj end SO, too, with the emotion of victory
reproduced on some pages, aud particularly toward this
close In passing, the author aludss 70 barbaritea
Tor which the Southern people collectively hardly be
held responsible though pcrpetrated by ruians IN their
name But surely other qualities exalted onss-courage
and fortitlde mairhleSs~erc likewise displayed and
arely; and Justly may these DO held the Characteristic
traits and not the former In this vie~ what Northern
writer however patriotic, but revolt from acting
TO the dead Hon, And yet II Is right rejoice
for riumpbs far ~ II may Justly imply an
advance for our whole country and for humanity /
"hsy al have moderAt may all show candor
Though perhaps nothing could ultimately have avcrtsd
the strife, and though treat Of human actions In
deal wholly with second causes, uevsrthcess lot not
cover up or Try TO eIenu.lc what, humanity speaking
is the truth, namely that chose unfrasrnal dsnun.
ciatons continued through years and wh ch at last In
amed 10 deeds that ended In boodshed reciprocal
and that Lad the preponderatng strength and tbs
poet of LIS unlimited lain other side on
might have lain those actions which late
opponents stigmstixe under the OF rebellion A
frankly let own-what IL would be- unbcoomng pa.
rads foreigners conccrued-thst triumph
won not more oy skh and bravery than by superior
resources and crushing numbers that u ~G
triumph, too over peopls for years politically L
msled by designing men, and also by sofne bcnsAtiy
erring men who, from their position could not have
been otherwise than broadly Influential; people who
though indeed they sought TO perpetaats the curss of
slavery, and even extend a. wefe1not the authors of
but less Fortunate not less righteous than vel the
faicd inher,o, people who, having ike origin vith
ourseyos share essentially In whatever worthy qualities
may possess "rbe blacks nthstr infant pupilsgs
freedom, appeal TO the sympshes of every human mind
The paerna gusrd'anshp which for Tho interval SOW
srnment them, prompted equally by
duty and Denevoenee. Yet such kindocss should nos
be allowed 10 exclude kndIinea 20 communities who
stand nearer To Us 10 nature. For the future of the
lreec slaves we well bs concerned but tbs fginr~
of the whole country involving tho future Of the blacks
urge paramount claim upon our anx.ty why IA not
Ia. cessation Of war nov Al length attended with the s~
tied calm ~ peaccy In our natural sJctgfe 10 confirm
the brDeD ~ liberty TO hs blacks let fobesr from
measures of dubious constitutional rghfupess toward
our white or nature % provoke
among otheroi the Ast eYii' entsffn ai1ng hs1ra
toward Ia imagination lot place ourselves
In the unprecedented position of hs S0utbarDs~ther
position regards ,be millions Of ignorant msnsmtsi
slaves IN Their midst fof whom SONS % - noF Ga ~ ths
suffrage Let us be Christians iosaris our tslo~ ~nit"
a. reii plilaaihropss towards The b,aeks our
fellow In all things, and torasds 81, ss sr~ |
enjofned ~ do a. w. would bc done bJ In sls pre- |
cont transition period tor both scss IN tbs south,
les trouble may anrea~onabiy be snilci.
psied; bot let "a not hereafter b. Estn
charge the bistne eUigsyely m any ons 1u0 |
tor ON. rnAiplensnce of Congressional d~oeney IN
the future ~li r-st manly win tbs North Rightly slu
more forbenrsnce be required from the sorfD Than Os
south south. for che serth = rnNt nc is.s oath NJ
fluctuations Of parties not inpfotshiy " ~l anferso
alteration assuming such fgrnl perhaps - no. 70 bar
represeht the popuiaions sieiy o revolt Finally he
declares IN ~ sirt q ogpos0n nos ~ ssy of ehai
sincere ONES they .ssm naurai-ssvltAb,s asrr saa
there they must have sasgestef themselves " many
gns ,lsy nas, have ,sas .s an wth ,ba yss'r -tph
already they have lad sth issiy daas" /"
YorTn's HisrOHY or rHr ssBAT cfvfL Was
IN 7nE uSuGp srArE-PR0s -sl 70 i-ss.
With Illustrations. Van Evrle. Horton Co.,
New York.
This WORK ths publisher. nfarrn ts- public 10 A..
signed % furnish 10 yoeth q oosBsfy osnsd sai
impartial history x the great e.si vs FROM dsno.
crasS standpoint We fear q ,co spon for sny more
candid and impartial history y - vr.tAa fy1 ths
from The dlansuiealy opposite aandpesst A. 81 is~t
. novelty. however, tho art ssd enIy a ne
kind may 10 fair psy, ~ more % les SsspsAbls "a
s~s-or 70 lhe sossbs og bis4or~ /" so-cs~d = fr0n
tbs bisrk rspgbisoan staHfpoiht. vhish have bsen
rushed b'saxh The pres is ~; sEd Indecent h0te II
i vorsr thsn literary o1ssee 70 polDr fhs yosthsui
mind ~mh Efejeaie~a sns ssrbies hi..ors@ frcn any
stand polrt whatsoever nat oDaseenisoas as1ssts of
iks ~slson~ from ali gssfsrs sssh shros <l~s
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