The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-31
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS


A THOUSAND MILES WALK ACROSS SoUrH AME-
RIGA. BY Nathaniel N. Bishop. Published
! by Lee Il Shepard, Boston. Philadelphia
1 Agents: J. b. Lippincott & Co.
! This little work Is the record of journey
! on foot for thousand miles across the pampas
of South America and the Andes Mountains,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The
author, young Boston naturalist, at the time
he undertook the trip was only seventeen
years of age, with no knowledge of the Ian
guage OF the country, and with only forty-fve
dollars in his pocket. It certainly showed a
| genuine Yankee courage, perseverance, and
| energy for him not only to accomplish his pur-
pose successfully ia spite of every obstacle,
bat to come home again with five dollars more
money in his pocket than he started out with.
Mr.. Bishops book proves him to be an
acute observer, and his sketches of life
and customs in the almost unknown
| region of Central South America are exceed
ipgly interesting. His style is simple and uu.
affected, and he has not sought to embsllish
the narrative by exaggerating his advantures
so as to make them look more important on
paper than they were in reality, but there is
a freshness and sincerity in all that he relates
| that are peculiarly charming. There is some
irrelevant matter which might be omitted with
advantage, and too much importance is some
times given to details of no particular moment.
We could have wished, too, that Mr.. Bishop
had given a fuller account of his journey
across the Andes. Tie book, however, is one
that we have read with much real interest.
and as the record of the o6diAss ani p,rsS.
'erance OF mere boz, it is infinitely more en-.
'ei'a'ning and worthy of commendation than
~ |sC of the fictitious narratives of adventure
which are continually being issued from the
press for the benefit of Juvenile readers.
THE INSTRUMENT OF ASSOCIATION: A MANUAL or
CURRENCY. By George A. Potter. Pub-
lished by Hurd x Houghton. Philadelphia
Agents: J. b, Lippncott n Co.
Mr.. Potter in this work takes up the knotty
questions of financial policy, and endeavOrs to
| find a satisfactory solution tor the difficulties
in which we have involved ourselves by the
substitution of paper money for coin. Mr..
| Potter thinks that we are in imminent peril
of financial perdition because the national
| laws which regulate the standard value of
money have been defsd, aud that our financial
|
that the only wonder is that we have not, as a
nation, become bankrupt long ago. Mr.. Potter
argues from free-trade standpoint aud he is
confident that he has discovered the true
] stanaard of ualnA far anr lAnal-tAndAra and
national bank notes. Whether his views on
the subject of currency will be accepted by
our fnanciers and legislators remains to ba
seen, but we are afraid that most OF his
theories would be found to be merely theories,
without practical value if they were adopted.
From 7. B. Peterson & Brothers we have
received "Flirtations in Fashionable Life,"
| by Catherine Sinclair. This story is intended,
| to certain extent as satire on the frivolities
| and emptiness Of modern fashionable society
and at the same time to show the value OF
true principles of virtue aud honor above the
false standard of worldly codes and maxims
| From the same house We have received
| "Mabel's Mistake" by Mrs. Ann S. Stephens
This is not the least interesting of Mrs
Stephens many popular stories. The char
acters are well oontrasted, and the plot is de-
veloped with much skill.
The November number of THE RiDerSide
Magazine opens with a sketch entitled "The
| GOverness," by Hans Christian Andersen,
who has been secured as regular contributor.
This delightful writer knows how to throw
a charm about the homelest subjscts aud in
this little essay he grows eloquent on the sub
| ject of Tree Lice, which he poetizas under the
name of "The Greenies.'' The story of
"Peiter, Peter, aud Peer" by the same author,
we commend to the readers Of The RiocrSide
and will not forestall their pleasure by giving
description of it. The present number Of
this magazine is unusually attractive, both in
regard to its literary contents and
its illustrations. The frOntispjece, by Mr..
barley, represents "Gurth' aud "Wamba,"
of ScOtt's novel of "Ivsuhos," aud the same
fine artist also contributes an illustrated
article entitled "Plctures from Switzerland"
The oriental fable of "The Brahmin CALLAHAN
and the Craw Fish" is nicely illustrated by
Mr.. i. B. Bensell The story of 1.-TWO Lives in
One," by Vieux MOustaohe, is continued, also
'Hunter and TOm," by Jacob Abbott. The
other articles are all worth reading, and Mr.
Stephens picture of ''The Quack Doctor" if
the last, is not the least worthy of notice
among the good things which the number
contains. This picture, on a larger scale, will
be printed in colors and distributed az pre-
MUM to all subscribers to the new volume.