The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-24
LITERATURE.



Preachers, from the Fourth Century OF the CHRIS
tan Era 70 the Present Time. by Thomas jack
son. M. A. New YORK: Virtue lorsten
To those who have read Mr Disrae,s "ouriosities
or Literature" (and how many educated persons
have notA this volume WIN be doubly welcome. 1t
Is publication tse contents OF which can be desig
mated fascinating, without exsggeraung their
merits. In his preface the author. who IS prcoen-
dairy OF 81. Paups cathedral and rector Of Stoke
Newington. London, explains that 'the present
volume las been comptsed VITA the view OF : =
directing the thoughts or preachers 90 the modes by
which their predecessors have Interested and
benefited mankndn We have no doubt their
perusa will materially benefit the preachers or the
present day. whose sermons, AZ rule, are iull
OF tlresome patitudes But IL IS Tor the
general reader that we are more particularly con.
cernei, and we can promise him real intellectual
treat In the perusal OF these pages. Mr.. Jackson's
forty years dlligent reading OF sermons, and. we
suppose. also. or the lives or eminent preachers
have not been wasted The memorabilia are admit
rabe reading and the anecdotes are animated, and
olten spicy and humorous. The extracts given from
sermons, placed as tney are IN juxtap0slton here,
exhibit, with startling distinetness the superiority
OF the preachers'Oi the early and middle ages over
those OF the present day. VINO can read Jae bril-
liant passages culled from the sermons ana ora
uons OF ST. Carysostom, St. Bernard, oliver Mail
lard Massllon, Fulgento. Farel, Esprit Fiechier,
Bourdal0ne and most OF Others ana not perceive
che decadeAce2 Another fact 20 he noted 10 this
book IL che utterly different styles of the Anglo.
saxon ana French, German and italian preachers,
The FIRST though profound, argumentatlve and
pous, were COO frequently dull and p0nderous IN
Their style or eloquence, Wbue tne latter,
though often extrayagant were ever lively,
brilliant ana Interesting. or course tuere were
exceptions TO the rule, az IN all cases. Occasionally
an English or scottish preacher 1ourlshed whose
oratorY was OF the most dazzling character. and
among eminent French, German and Italian minis
ters were some whose great depth OF learning made
their sermons lrghtuy duh or dreadfully obscure,
when gave rise TO the saying OF huguenot minis
rer.-'He has two wonderful atErLbutes-he Is lnylsI.
Die all the week that he may be tncompTehenslble
on sundays
There is hardly page IN ths book witch does not
contain matter OF lWey interest 20 the reader. The
anecdotes related are full OF hunor ana pungency
Preachers OF all countries, both in Europe and
America, are included IN che compilation. Alto
getler we can recommend tue volume as being OF
more Jban ordinary interest.
DEArH AND rHE AFTER LIFE, Eight Evening Lee.
lures gu the Summer land. by Andrew Jackson
bay.ss Aisq voice from James Victor Wilson.
sasC enlarged edition. Boston Wuilam White
90 49, ~. Il. & IN
or all the absurdtes which have held their little
Aonr 90 the stage OF life Spirtuasln IL the most
grotesque, and AZ the same time, forced the con.
junction may appear the most sublime. Whether Mr..
Davis be The dupe of a morbid Imagination, whether
he be III league with the devil or whether he be q
knave perhaps something OF ALI 1t Is certain that
he Is OF the grand priests and apostles an ism
whose power and influence greater tnan Is gener.
ally imagined The book before us Is q republication
Of one OF Mr.. DAVIS WORKS, and most OF the con
tents our readers ere doubtless familiar with
Vivid, graphic, full OF eXuberant fancy Astounding
Ia poetic Imagery, IL Is the queeresL of all mental
efforts. That we are asked seriously TO believe all
the author writes is the height OF its sublm,y.
Unfortunately all the fools aud weak minded women
are not dead yet and these can be influenced by
just such pgl,9sophasers ~ Mr paws, whose theo.
.ogy is the Iaaasscss CT .is Weak We receive his
aCc0u,t5 OF visits 10 tho 'Sprt WOtld,H aud tue
remarkable scenes and incidents or that delightful
ana, with the necessary nunDer OF mental ro5ery1-
tion5. However, lei rs give the book its due;
merely to read, II Is OF curious interest Mr. Davis
argument i very poor he cannot persuade us that
he has visited the summer Land or aeid converse
with tue spirit or James Victor Wilson or that OF
any other man but lie Is q ready fluent writer mis-
style - agreeable ana MS language earnes, and eie
vated 10 tone.
AMERIcAN CATTLE; Their History Rrendiug and
Management ny Lewis +. Allen. New York:
Iaiut0r Brothers Il Co.
This work is on subject OF vast importance to a
considerable portion OF our population. Indeed,
there Is not owner or cattle who Is not interested
10 II. cursory glance over the pages of the vol.
ume inCnes US TO strongly recommend its perusal.
Mr. Allen seems TO have thoroughly exhausted his
subject and to have written a book which deserves
the rank OF 4 standard authority Gu cattle. Many
OF the chapters are not only highly instructive but
are hlghly Interesting.
THE WORKS or DANIEL DEFoE: Carefully Selected
from the Most Authentic sources with life on
the Author. &C. Brooklyn anu New York. VIM
W. SWayne.
Ever dear 30 the heart OF Anglo-Saxons and Anglo
Americans will Robinson Crusos be ami, as logical
sequence ever read will Defoes works be- The vol.
ume before us contains all OF his writings including
This ~ another OF the cheap publications OF Swayne
tue price being remarkably low.