The New York herald., 1869-06-13
ERATURE.



York: George Routledge Sons. 1869.
An aristocratic lady, shopping one day, wearied
the unfortunate clerk with her objections to every
piece OF goods he placed before her. At length she
inquired Tor something that common people do not
wear" Annoyed by her manner. the Knight OF the
yardstck retired for few moments, and on return
ing threw bale OF bagglng before her. saying
MADAM, here Is something common people do not
wear" She was, no doubt deeply offended at his
rudeness, yet who can say that she was not served
rights Now, this lady was member OF that good
society which the Countess Of Eight Asterisks writes
| ora society, by the way, which comprises about
one fve-hundredth OF the total population OF
Great Britain ana the United States. Still
| its excluslveness, refinement, polish, elegance
and esprit make thankful for q work
which teaches US how to behave, how to ride, how
| to eat, drink, &c.
| To begin wiih the Countess OF Eight Asterisks
| gives very pleasant account OF the customs II
'good society," from the days OF william the Con-
| Queror TO the present time; then follow few OBJ
servati0ns regarding the arrangement OF lady's
house and the management of servants" by which
| we learn that "suit tables, covered with little
snepherdesses IN Dresden China, and little chaets,
carved IN wood, are deusion aud snare'' for
| ceptton rooms, and that 1t Is highly desirable
| "nufiy knitted things and gaudy pieces Of
woodwork should be abolished by act of Parlia-
ment." Further on we are In formed that lit is not
permissible TO leave ones chair in order to get
the fire." How Will this apply in Alaskan The art
OF cOnversing well should be acquired. Nothing
could give US greater regret than to know English
'ladies pride themselves on the saucy Clique with
which they adopt certain Americansms." :" Bad, bad,
very bad. scandal is the least excusable Of all
conversational vugartes" and probably that is the
reason why is frequently indulged In. "Red seal
inadmigaitle.
and waters must never be used" which is strong
argument IN favor OF gum We pass over, not un-
dersanding IL, the mysteries OF ladies' toilet, and
turn to the chapter devoted to "the gentlemen's
toilet" The first important thing Is nas. ..Long
OF man receive special attention. "Long hair says
the Countess Of Eight AsIersks 's never INDUCED
should be fautless. ECONOMY in gloves Is an In.
suit to society,"" Good heavens, how society must
suner mo gentleman afford to wear shabby
clotfes." we have known gentlemen who could
not a1ord 70 wear any other kind; but that
fact does not make the Countess less cor
rect. We cannot however, agree with her opinion
that III there IL one thing In this world about which
we can entertain any degree OF moral centainty 1t
true that u large number Of persons are always mo-
rally certain they cannot pay their taiOrs bills.
debts" ~ wil my lord," he answers; ''but tell me
where can borrow the money!" We must confess
can heed the Instructions of the Countess to the
enect that "a gentleman, In riding, as In walking
gives the lady the wall" Suppose there are two
walls or suppose there are no walls, what then
At evening parties gentleman should be careful
what comic songs he sings. '.At an evening party
given expressly In honor Of distinguished lady or
colorn the Countess "once heard thoughtless ANA
telr dash into the broadly comic, but terribly appro
pirate Niger song Of sally Come Up.'" The
attention Of radical paper, which shall
be nameless Is called TO the fact tnat the Countess
spells the popular name OF the African with two
"g's." At ball "yOung gentlemen are earnestly
advised not to limit their conversation to remarks
on the weather and the heat Of the room" This is
old hn1u nnfo ofxnrnv fr,fa Ew.v t,a
one naturally turns to the edbles. at Is impossi-
hle," says the Countess ito over estimate the i'm
impossible, In fact. "vea Is almost uneatable II the
lemon has been forgotten" We have seen it almost all
eaten before the lemon was thought or It gratifying
American canvasback ducks are considered "rare
deicacies." Persons In moderate circumstances (say
pensive dinner parties. Let the dinner be economic
but the same time OF the very best quality. Fish
table. Don't eat nsh with knife, don't PICK your
teeth with the fork, don't pour your coffee from
the cup into the saucer don't swallow hot soup
don't On the subject OF marriages the Countess OF
Eight AsterisKs announces that "nothing black Is
necion upon equal rights. When on visit at coun-
try house gentleman who, during the morning
chat WITH the ad1es IL an ntnIeraha e mouse an1
Sooner than become that, he had better retire to
the billiard room and practise cannons by himself"
quotation from the poem THAT ladies' OF the Dest SO.
ciety" read Byrons "Don JUAN" doubtless with all
must be scrupuousy guarded against;n certainly
they must, as soon as we know wnat 'politer vu.
gartsm Is Snlffng, snuiiiing, expect0ratIng must
never be performed in society under any considera.
tton." Suppose gentleman has cold or chews
tobacco. what shall he do! The Countess thinks
gentleman should learn boxing scientifically, and
quotes approvngly the saying, "To knock man
down Is never good manners, but there is way OF
method by means 0f which the man knocked down
can act gracefully.
We have quoted enough of this book to give the
:, Z nj
as guide TO propriety OF behavior in socety-that
Is being Intended for small, exclusive circle, It's
teaching could not, from the very nature OF things
be Of service to the great mass OF American readers
We all remember the English nobeman who hear
ing during the Irish famine that the people could
not get bread wondered why they did not obtain the
same Kind OF cakes that he was served win for break
fast. We really believe this book to be written by
countess and born onen at that; for IL Is the most
impractcabe thing we have read OF the kind There
are some good hints, II Is true; some excellent ad.
vice and much that would benefit tue reader But
while We cannot praise II as good for Instruction
we do not hesitate to recommend Il as the most tho
roughly entertaining OF books. No recent publlca-
ton has gwen half the amusement that this has
THE SoS or MAN. Discourses on the humanity OF
Jesus Christ. by Frank Coun, ID. De- Minister OF
the National church OF Geneva. Translated with
the sanction OF the author. Philadelphia: Claxton
Remsen HaiIelHnger.
We doubt II all Christian sects will agree with
every doctrine expounded in these discourses or SER
mons, for even doctors do not disagree more radi.
cally IN their opinions than do preachers In their
interpretations OF Scripture But II we cannot
coincide with all that said can at least admire
the able, earnest manner in which DIR. Coun tells OF
the humanity Of the Saviour. We have seldom read
printed sermons with greater pleasure than we have
these. They simple In their language, earnest In
tone and thoroughly Christian. There Is no
extrnneous matter In them; the subject Is
kept strictly In view by the preacher, who
never tires with prolixity. although he Is
graphic and minute. Another admirable feature In
these discourses Is the absence OF any attacks
upon other religions while arguing from the religious
standpoint OF tue antnor. On the whole this book
Is worthy OF being read by theological students and
Others Interested IN religious literature IL IL excel
lenty translated and Is admirably printed and
bound.
PHYSICAL SURVEY OF VIRGINIA. Her Geographical
Position Its Commercial Advantages and National
Importance Preliminary Report. by NJ r. Maury
ILL., d., &C. Second edition. New York: ID Van
Nostrand. 1869.
Had the people OF Virginia and OF the South and