The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-29
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.


FREAKs OF FORTUNE, AND MAXI OR BREAK. BY
Oliver Optic. Published by Lee q Shepard,
Boston. Philadelphs agent: q. w. Pltcner,
No. S08 C0esnut street.
The writer OF these stories has obtained much
popularity with large circle of juvenile read.
ers, and his object is to inculcate good moral
and religious principles by presenting then in
shape that will attract rather than repel the
class to which they are addressed. 1t Is not
every one who knows how to lay on with skill
the sugar coating Of the pill which the young
sters are expected TO swal low, and those who
succeed in doing so are entitled to credit ac-
cordingly. Oliver Optics style is not the best,
and he seems inclined to instruct more by
precept than by example. SO far from cons
derng any apology necessary for the intro
duction of exciting adventures and Incl
dents in such stories as those under notice
at present, we think that therein consists their
chief merit. The craving OF boys for books Of
adventure is natural and healthy feeling,
which, within proper bounds, should be en-.
couraged; and the more of such books the
better, we say, so long as they are good and
wholesome in tone. Boys are generally pretty
good critics. and the object of the writer might
be accomplished better by drawing such charac-
ters as "Uncle Nathan" and "Levi Fairfield" as
bad or good, than by telling the reader that they
ere so IN as many words. This is the great
defect in Oliver Optics writings: he does not
drdlc characters, and the consequence is that
his examples of perfect morality and total de-
plavi,y Go not make the same impression that
they would If the writer was a better artist.
Dickens does not take the trouble to say that
"Quilp" is a mean, contemplate little brute, but
we understand his intentions well enough; AMI
n DIR uu lie hi hOra
much as grown readers, while at the same time
it stimulates the intellect in a style that Oliver
Optics portraitures never can do. Those who
devote themselves to the task of writing for the
young have a great responsibility on their
shoulders, and the best work that they can turn
out will never be too good. We wish sincerely
that the list of really able authors of jlvenile
books could be largely increased; and while we
believe that much better stories than those of
Oliver Optic might be written, we are not dis
posed to criticize them too closely, because we
believe that they in great measure accomplish
the purpose of the author in combining amuse-
ment with instruction, aud iu interesting his
readers.
TALES OF ALGERIA. Tran slated from the "veloce'
OF AlexaL DIRE Dumas, by Richard Meade Bache.
Published by Claxton, Remsen, d Haifel-.
finger.
Mr.. Blche has selected from Dumas "veloce"
such portions as he thinks will be nterest ting to
American readers. The sketches of Agerine
life, manners, customs, aud adventures con-
tanned in this volume were written by Dumas
, while on cruise in the French corvette Veloce,
and they appear to have been dashed off on the
spur OF the moment, in that free but graphic
style for which the greas French novelist is
famous. Mr.. Bache has preserved the spirit of
the original in his translation, but further cur
tailmens might have been made without ser-
ously diminishing the interest of the book.
From A. Winch, authors az enJ, NO. 5U5
Chestnut street, we have received the exit of
Calioan and shylock," by which title appears to
be meant the exit OF religion, morality, and
common sense. The author has undertaken to
grapple with the great social questions Of the
day, and has failed as many more able men
before him have done, to find satisfactory
solution for the difficulties that perplex HIM
He indeed does attempt solution, but most
right-thinklng and coo-head ed persons will be
apt 10 consider his remedies worse than the
diseases they pretend TO cure.