New-York tribune., 1868-03-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


TuR cRPAT Fyt1ptrrov. WITH CONTINENTAL SKETCHES,
PRACTICAL AND HUMOROUS By Howard fAlsoN AiI'oiD'
limo W. 40. liulS hougbtOh
If the purpose of books of travel is to show
off the talents Of their authors instead OF giving
faithful description of foreign scenes, TINS volume
must be deemed singular success. Mr.. Arnold en-
titles his work the Great Exhibition but II Is chiefly
devoted to the exhibition of himself. We look
Through its pages in vain for simple and unaffected
statement of the experience of the writer abroad
The novelties of foreign lands appear TO interest MN
only as they afford materials FOR gliterng decama
ton lie has no anxiety to impart information whi1h
may be of service to future travellers but Is eagerly
intent on displaying his own powers oi humorous
md lively narrative to the best advantage NooCC"-
sion escapes his pen which can give him pretehse
for nelodramatic writing. If the subject Is uoo
meager OF trivial to call forth the expression Oh gen
aine wit he never hesitates 10 employ nashy mn
tation He is evidently conscious that ne j. hothhB
if not brilliant and hence there Is no end ol ihe
sham CRYSTALS and paste diamonds and pearls OF nSh
scales. which he palms off upon his readers II we
must choose between the perpetual heai-llghtnng
eorTuscaOns of this writer, and the Nand common
2aces of Col Forney commend us 70 the latteI. Ills
affectations commence even with the preface, the
name of which he daintly sinks in the title " On
ideal of preface in a vein of absurd rhetoric, instead
of giving civA introduction to his book. preface
we are informed, is "a literary Chameleon some
times "a conciliatory puff then verbal will o
the wsp that will lead deeper into the bog I'LL
further progress is barred by the gull of vacancy
Again it is trap for the woalI;' or "a brilliant
soap-bubble to tantalize the foOish;' or guide
board . an cpit8ph y "a arequiem' OF " a culogy.
II rs also the Care CdRem at the dooroi the kennel
In the present instance, it may serve rs the
flourish of tTumpets TO announce victory
or like flying MamolUkes, 10 cover retreat
with clouds Of glitterng dust" This "pother
of words will prepare the reader for avalanche of
turgid splendors, of which he viii find an over
whelming abundance in the course Of the volume
A single example of the authors ambitious tuN OF
language we take from the chapter in which he treats
the thread-bare theme of life on shp-board TO
find that sleep no longer the gentle thing beloved
from pole TO pole but the offspring of aSphyXla ana
the parent of cramps contOrtions, and Writings as
of a doomed body in coffin; dreams Of fearful i'm
port and phantom horrors, necessarily hunting each
other in wild unrest through the distracted brain to
attempt to rise, and vibrate to and fro like hen
new lighted on the perous edge of a lofty fence on
a gusty day; to nibble a dreary cracker in abiect
wretchedness, like a rat in a hole, furtiyey looking
about as if even that might be snatched from you,
and then to contend with Neptune for the privilege
of retaining even that dubious treat to hover over
dish of oatmeal porTidge and smack ones lips, and
make much Of it, and thank the gods for It, as for
trufed turkey roast pig; in the morning to groan
Would that Btcher or night were come; at evening
TO abuse the memory of Christopher Columbus, and
ferventy wish that he had been content 10 stay at
home and comb the tangled eeryescence Of innocent
sheep, instead of devOting himself TO the discovery
of three thousand miles Of seasckness to stretch out
leg to relieve the pain in ones thigh or an arm to
mitigate the torture in ones back, TO sprawl like
lobster and distribute the agony, expand ones self
like crab to throw it off, to perceive ones voice re-
anced to the faintest intmation of dying zephyr;
80 whisper TO the steward Give me some drink,
Ttinius, as a sick girl -whero shall we look for the
cheerful soul that can extract a crumb of com
fort from such woes as these ?" Such gushes of POM
POus inanity are not unfrequent IN the volume. to
which the most exquisite performances Of Mr Jen-
kins will not entitle him to hold the candle.