The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-25
Reviews of New Books.

Not the less interesting because 1t s not for sale
and because the number OF persons who will read this
work will be limited to select few Is this third
annual Report OF the Metropolitan Board OF Health
1t Is really very valuable edition to what might be
appropriately termed the hyglenlc history OF New
York. The facts including full accounts OF the pro-
gress or suppression OF disease in the various parts
Of the district, the causes which induce disease,
health statistics and also everything relating to the
registration Of marriages and births which comprise
Its contents are most interesting. From partial
census OF this city Is believed that the population
numbers but little less than 100000. A census of
the Seventeenth ward was made by the Sanitary
Company Of the Metropolitan Police which showed
whom a. ole were children under five years Of age
It Is singular fact that four years ago Mr.
being but little over 10000 great part Of the
report is taken up by q thorough examination, or
o. s ae as Wa 1 e SO
coored plates illustrate the character OF tn disease
in It's various stages. The Health Board appears to
have made very dlltgent and prasewOrthy efforts to
the maady that infected the nerds, and In the re-
facts and figures. Going back to that part Of the
report which treats Of the population we ascertain
mat although much mas been zone towards Obtain
and Births there s still much neglected on the part
Of clergymen, physicians and midwives. In New
York there were 1852 births registered during the
year ending September 3d. 1885, but the report shows
from statistics that this number does not represent
number born. The census Of 1855 showed the aver.
age number Of births IN the city to have then been
@ ave ns 20 be s from the
OF Vital Statistics attributes this, gross dis
actual humber born to the fact that one nalf the
mothers are attended in accouchment by "the CON-
to house visitation as the best means OF arriving at
the correct figures: We have space only to notice
another subject The still births in the city OF New
| York for the year ending December 81, 1868, was
$780, or total Of 1882 per cent OF the whole num-
on Q" New rR ga (
| double the ratio Of still births recorded In any
civilized country. On this subject DR.. Harris very
| truly says:-
Doubtless Of the ghouike destroyers fetal life
are s,nrchng their purses and pa%perng che most peril
States frai Woman g the metropolis
S her s 81 % 81 Ua
maori Of the mothers homes cheered
Which as ali other religious teachers should that L
| is mortal sin to destroy infant life
The first part of this Is rather Obscurely written,
but the sentence contains great zeal OF truth. On
the whole, we doubt II more instructive and inter.
esting official report has been published this year
than the one before us.
LECTURES AND ESSAYS ON IRISH AND OTHER SUB.
JEoTs. BY Henry Cues. New York: d. e. J.
SadlIer n Co. 1869.
The collecting Of these lectures and ESSAYS and
their publication in book form was happy thought
esting reading. One Of the best lectures is on 1re.
land and the Irish in 1857 Others, ON "Daniel
O'Connen' 'Irish Emigration" 'Irish Character
Mental and Moral" aud Catholic Art and Protestant
fui perusal, we can speak highly OF. The Others
were merely glanced over but they all appear to be
written In the same agreeable STYLE whether taken
separately together these lectures are much above
ordinary merit. They are all upon subjects IN which
the public feel an interest more less. The Ian.
elevated ana the style admirable We have no hest.
tatioa In recommending the book as really worth
reading
Magazine Notices.
Ha,pe,'s Ne,o Monthly for August Is full OF de-
ligntfui summer reading. The number opens with
an article entitled pictures Of the Japanese" the
statements contained therein being chieny taken
from "Our Life In Japan" and abounds In curious
and interesting Information. "The New Theory Of
Heatn Ii well written and instructive contribution.
South Coast Sauntering in England Is continued.
All OF these papers are proiusely illustrated: "A
osn WY weather.
s an admirable article on most interesting subject.
Tns e paw aF
Education" slavery In Paaces,r "a Peep at Fin
land" "Reminiscences Of Oxford University Dor
Timothy" me EDITORS Easy Chair" is not quite
so spicy and entertaining as 1t usually 49, but Is new
by the editor to the late Henry !. Raymond
LippinOotps Magax,ne.-For light, agreeable sum.
mer reading we recommend this number Of Ltpptn'
ott Anthony Troilope's new novel, 'sThe Vicar
Of Builhampton," Is continued. Joseph 3eferso n,
the actor Is made the subject Of very laudatory
| ticle. IAN Adventure on the snow, is readable
tiny" prepares the AMERICAN mind for the coming
IN ac the ee West naaS arc H.
pelago. rs II Gospel Of Peace ?" treats OF those
short, excepting new story called "Magdalena.,
Qn the whole THIS magazine 10 live publication, and
| deserves the popularity 1t has won.
On,oard Captain Reid's magazine, continues to
| exhibit evidences OF Improvement. Nearly every
article in this number Will be found interesting.
The "Transt OF Venus'' Is very well written but is
the cause OF the most comeal anachronism we have
seen for q long time. An illustration represents
David Rltenhouse In 17e9 observing the transit OF
the planet IN the sunlight under an umbrella. The
joke lies In the fact that at the date mentioned
brelas had only been recently introduced in Europe,
ever, this Is small matter the mistake being con.
fined TO the Illustration and not extending to the ar
Board Bockader.H IA Beautiful Ghost the "Tn ui
| Boys Of Ireland" ION Board a Blockade Runneru
and treatise on croquet are among the best pa
| to read 0nca,d. Captain Reid Is laDorng hard to
make his publication tlrst class magazine, on
since he has opened It's columns 10 oil writers Its
| contents have improved greatly.
The Eclectic Magazine OF Foreign literature u.s. as
usual. admirable. The most noticeable of Its con.
tents are 1.-THE Religious Wars Of Francen earth.
quakes." "The Secret OF the North Pole" very en-
| tertalning paper from 81. Paups Magazine, "Open-
| Ing OF the Albert NYanza,n "wallenstein and his
Times and "The Central Asian Question:. The
editor contributes an interesting sketch OF Professor
| Huxley, portrait OF whom embelllshes tpis mum
| Der. All the papers In the Eclectic are culled
IRON the foreign periodicals and the or5nte de "a
creme OF them The first article, on ..The Religious
entertaining II not the most truthful OF papers We
| have read for some time.
BEack,oood's Egt,9buroh Mdgasine.-Thc July num-
Der Of this popular British monthly contains IRE
collections OF Lord Byron" "sketches In Polynesia
The Fus," "Morrs' Poems," "a New Theory o
Earthquakes and volcanoesu and two continued
stores-"A Year aud q Dayv and "A Story OF Eulcn
berg" The last article v the magazine " entlued