The Republican journal., 1869-01-07

terSpersed on every page With pictures OF pco-
pie and scenes he saw by the way. The letters
are so gracefully and Familiarity written, with
none of the stilted dates, statistics and dry de-
tails so tiresome in books of travel, and the
sketches are SO beautiful, so characteristic and
suggestive, that it is very charming book,
printed as 1t is in most perfect style, and bound
in the green which is so prevailing and favor
tie a color. AS to the books whose attraction
is reading matter alone, their name is legion.
The poetical clement seems to be prominent,
as we have new volumes by Longfelow, Low
ell, Whittier and Browning, u perfect shower
of brilliant stars; and last but hardly least,
perhaps, Lucy Larcom's poems, which Whit
tier and other lovers of song speak of as pos
sessing great merit, are simple, sweet and
fresh as any that have appeared of late ON
the threshold of this magic realm Of poesy
stands Hawthorne, whose books are poems in
themselves, If wanting the rhyme. His ''Pas-
sages from American Note books" which has
lately been compiled and published, Is one of
| the books one feels that he must own, and re-
gard as a real friend. Hawthorne's searching
observation, his droll, vivid imaination, his
er of description, end his pure and exquisite
language, give it value few books OF the kind
possess, and communicate to his pictures of
scenery, narratives of Incidents and descrip-
tioDs of men, motives and things, a charm
which only genius can bestow. book of Eu-
ropean travel by DR.. Peabody, of Cambridge,
written in the authors quiet, scholarly style,
ahd "a Journey in Brazil by Mrs. A9asss,
are both very agreeable media through which
TO visit foreign lands, whose manners, customs
and appearance may easily become perfectly
familiar to us if we read the many books of
foreign travel with which the store libraries
| abound.
| The fireside books are as usual so many and
80 various that in choosing among them one
is overwhelmed with an FFenabqrras De yicheSStS'
and while admiring, stands helplessiy wonder
| ing who could have written them all. Oliver
Optic, in whom boys delight, is energetic rs
ever, and the Dotty Dimple and Little Prudy
stories are continued, much to the JOY of ladies
aged six and whereabouts, while books with
such allurng titles as ''Miss Lilys Voyage
round the World, ''The Little Gipsey," THE
Flower and the Star" and ''Handsome is that
Handsome does" make one ''would that he
were boy again"
For those who soar above and beyond Eng
lish literature alone, there is no lack of for
egn books among them some Japanese books,
quantity Illustrated, some of which, relating to
gymnastic exercises, show remarkable muscu-
lar de alopment among the japanese.
Apropos of Christmas presents, | hear of one
intensely practical gentleman, who distributed
horse car tickets, umbrellas and postage stamps
among his family and friends, for holiday gifts
an attention by no means undesirable.
The New Year was ushered in with the
snow storm of the season thus far, which con
tinued with great industry all through the
day. The result large q body of snow
as seriously to impede the progress Of railroad
trains cause milk men and other public bene-
factors to be much behind their usual hour of
arriving and what is more to the point, has
made very good sleighing, which, as the first
of the season, is amply improved by many
drivers Of equpages with gay robes and tnk-
ling bells.
The fashion of making New Years calls, so
extensively observed by the Gothamites, has
not yet become general here, but is slowly oh
taining favor one OF social Institutions
and was somewhat practiced on New Years
day, Notwithstanding the storm.
Eighteen hundred and sixty eight IS gone,
but has left behind it the results of what u free
and industrious people can do to promote
their country's happiness and honor. As we
remember the sad New Years days that dawn
ed upon US all only within few short years,
when holidays seemed mockery ana we
trembled to think what the coming year might
bring forth, it is pleasant to contrast that time
Of darkness and peril with the peace which
now again reigns over the land. And this is
what we must all think, as the bells ring in the
New Year:
Ring out false pride in place ard blood
The civic Islander and the spite;
King in the love OF truth and right.
Ring In the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold
Ring out the thousand of old,
Ring in the Thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant and free,
The larger heart, the kinder hand,
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that Is to be-"