The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-06-15
RooE yefieAS

Book Notices.
The OLD WORLD IGsITs NEwLFA0E.
+Impressions Of Europe n Ie65-s. By
-HENRY W. Fot l.. New York:
HARPER & BROTHERS. Cincinnati: ROE
EXT CLARKE &Go. " =HtHa#.s - ~
This volume Is made up Of letters
written during the last year By Rev.
DR.. Bellows to the LibeeaJ Christian,
a Unitarian paper Of prominence. As
they were written while On the wing;
and are publishedin his absence for
he is still abroad, and without re-
vision, they may contain some mis-
takes the result of hasty impressions,
WHICH would have been corrected by
a more careful observation. But he
has so much real ability. and writes
in such a manly style, that we are al
ways interested in whatever comes
from his pen. Hence these, letters
are to US very pleasant reading, com
priing, as they do, much more than
the usual amount oe information. and
giving a vivid picture Of Europe in
the year of the Great Exposition, as
seen by American eyes-eyss that
were not. at all .dazzled by all the
show and splendor of kings and
courts but that could see
at once what was really
good in the Institutions Of
the Old World, as well as what was
obsolete and deeqyed and ready to
vanish away. Such is the book now
before US. Without a Preface, the
author proceeds at once to report
what he saw, learned, and thought
during his travels in many lands,
Resting a month or two in Paris, to
see the Exposition, he conducts Us
from France through Holland, Swift
zerland, Germany and Austria, tax
ing note of distinguished men and
places, and the varied phases Of a
tionai feeling and religious opinion.
He passes hastily, though not alto
gether, over national scenery, and
brings before US the intellectual and
moral life. of the people with whom
he comes in contact. His most inter
esting chapters,are thosein whichzhe
sketches the personal appearance, the
opinions, or position Of eminent men
whom he met, or whom he was priv
legged to hear. 10. Iy4H.r
As was to be expected, the authors
Unitarian sympathies are very mani
fest throughout the volume, for which.
orthodox readers will make due al
lowance. For many ,ofhis statements
he is dependent on those whei we're ia
full sympathy with his peculiar re-
ligious views, and it Wonld be strange
if the coloring given them was not
due, in repeated Instances, to conFic-
tions based on something of partisan
feeling. Undoubtedly Dr.. Bellows
believes, as he states. that If Pfotes
tantism in any FORM Is to make head
IN France, It must be under some new.
phase Of the Unitarian movement.
He is sincere in speaking Of Pastheurs
Hombres and Fisch, earnest men
of the Orthodox School, as speak
ing and praying with the usual posi-
tiveness and narrowness Of their
tribe but whether they may not
criticise him as sharply as he criticises
them, IS a point not to be settled by a
sentence from his pen. However, we
must acknowledge that in general he
is very fair. Repeatedly he shows
himself capable of approaching the
learning and ability Of orthodox
scholars or preachers with whom he
does not accord in doctrine. and he
applies to what he sees generally the
soundest standard of our American
thought. He carries with him through
Europe, amid scenes quite remote
from republican simplicity, and amid
foreign social habits and literary
usages, the cool judgment and com
mon sense of an American citizen.
May we always travel in such excel
lent company The above criticism,
which we find in an Eastern exchange.
is so mild, and expresses our view of
the book so well. that we adopt it as
our own
EXPLORATION OF THE NILE TRIBU-
TARIES OF ABYSSINIA. by Sir s. w.