The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-29
LITERATURE.

PHENOMENA. From the French OF Zurcher and
Margoile. BY William Lakeland. illustrated with
York ID. Appl ton co.
On subjects more scientific and consequently more
useful this, the second volume In the series, ID
worthy place In the Library OF wonders.n The
volume contains twelve chapters, devoted to "Me.
teors, Aerolltes, Storms aud Atmospheric Pheno-
mena, each OF which Is entertaining as could 90
desired. There Is much these subjects that the
careful perusal OF them opens almost endless field
for reflection and study. The various phenomena Of
Nature, mysterious to the ignorant, become SIM.
pie matter Of course" to those acquainted with ber
laws. We no longer feel alarmed AT thunder storms
ana whirwlnd5; displays or meteoss cease 10 excite
superstitl0us wonder. In this book there 10
everything to incite the reader to closer
acquaintance with these phenomena. Every chap
Ter fountain OF instruction. The tnird and fourth
ore especially TO be OommenI led Tor their accounts
OF kan. Snow and Ha' and "Pnenomena OF the
GLACIERS" Ponderous volumes are admirably con-
densed ID these chapters. Another which should not
be overioo&ed, Is devoted to "Dust IN the Amos
pnere-Dry Fogs,n and Is most instructive. In fact
the volume Is throughout OF character calling Tor
the highest encomums. 1t Is written in an excel
lent style, IS profusey ana handsomely ILLUSTRATED
and, III point OF mechanlcai work, is admirable
whether so considered for the sake OF the clear read
able type or for the handsome budding Of red and
gold.
HER MAJEsTY's TOWER By William Hepwortn
Dixon Second Series. Philadelphia: j. b. LIP
pncOtt Co.
This volume of Mr.. DIxon's account Of the Tower
VI Louuou IL, III our uuBeiHnL lar superior 10 tno
first, which, In the main, was confned to q narra-
tive OF lacts with which most readers were already
acquainted. In this second series we are given thu
history OF the famous plots and conspirac,es
during the reign OF James H. which eliminated
in the preparation TO blow up the KING and
Parliament, commonly known as the "Gunpowder
Plot" We have here, for the first time, connected
story, with all the links complete. We are shown
how Cecil and the two Towards afterwards Earls
OF Suffolk and Northampton sold the honor Of their
country for CASH to Spain, working upon the mind Of
the miserable egotist OF king to further their dis
honorable ambition. The ruin OF the learned Sir
Waiter Raleigh AMI that OF the noble ana chyalr0ui
Lord Grey, 10y these schemes tod with great
minuteneSs. In references To the "Gunpowder Plotu
Mr. Dixon lakes the view held by all II era minded
historians, that IL was the work OF few English
Ca.hoiic Zeaots on their own respon sibility and
unaidsd and uncountenanced at Rome The I'M
nlense INJURY " did to the Catholic faitn after .Ay
Hawkes. arrest and the publication OF the con Z
spiracy must have been perceived by all aware Of
the plot, save by the enthusiasts whose zeal rendered
them biind to the consequences. From beginning
to end the account given here OF this important
event the history OF England Is graphic and ex.
citing. We are inclined to demur TO Mr. Dixon's
omission to distinctly acqut Ann Vaux and Helen
BrooksDy OF all criminal intercourse with Father
non, explicitly denied the truth OF all the
reports when had been spread abroad re-
ever, That the conduct OF the priest made him re-
sponsible for all the scandal HIS intercourse with
OF history, ana has only been paraeled In later
days Dy the case OF Lord George Gordon and his
beautiful Jewess attendant, whose reputation hap
ply escaped the ISLANDERS which DESTROYED that OF
Ann vaux and that OF her sister Helen.
the measures adopted to destroy the Catholic
peers including the heroic Percy, VINO dlsdained 10
beg his llfo of the King narrated with numerous
new facts Continuing, we have the sad story OF
victim OF that "learnedn monarch,s jealousy and
tyranny. purer, tenderer creature than this
unhappy princess never lived. Her passionate love
NIL n m ptn his loua IN
difference towards her when he discovered that the
marriage would moi advance his fortunes; his safe
thought to the fond woman, who, when recaptured.
felt momentary happiness arise from the belief
Tower, where ior SO many months she nrersd w. "a
gentle harmless lunatic-until death came ten
derry a. length ana took her away. combine to form
In marked contrast with the career OF Lady Ara
bella stuart was that OF Lady Frances Howard, q
whom 1t has been said that she was the oveest and
worst woman in England In her time. The cold
blooded manner In which her uncle and mother,
and, though to Q less extent, her IA her. trailcked
with her virtue, and her Transformation into crea-
ture OF veness whose beauty was as fata to herself
as to the Earl OF Somerset facts which the stu.
dent OF history has long been aware Of but interest
IS added to the story as narrated here. Fun details
much fuller than we have seen them bcfore-arc
given OF the manner In which the murder OF over
bury was brought aDout and the denouement IS
quite exciting The book ends with the final release
or the guilty pair and the close OF their lives 'in
poverty, In loneliness, In mutual scorn.r
Whether rs contribution TO literature as an
addition to the history or the reign OF James l., this
book Is deserving OF the most cordial welcome by
the reading public The happy style In which II IS
written gives 1t all the charm OF romance. HIS
torcay IL is most valuable production, Mr.,
Dixon, II Is TO be hoped, win not delay continuing
the series.
onRlsroPnER KENDnIcE. His Life and Adven.
lures. New YORK: q. r. Putnam & Son. s,
so seldom DO we meet with really enjoyable
novel that the perussl OF one s event worthy OF
particular record. We nave n story here which has
the merit Of originality joined to Thoroughly inter.
estlng style. the 'Lfc and Adventures, OF tho
nero wac IL maze TO tell them, are on the whole
very entertaining. IL was queer idea inat. ana o
good one TO introduce chapters IN wlicn the family
OF Christopher critcise the story II progresses.
From Inc moment he runs away from home 10 iiis
marriage after The usual difficulties tI1bulation,
with Esther, the pretty girl In the 'dark green
lana frock,n the attention OF the reader Is re-
tanned. There Ia no deep plot 10 develope, no mys.
teri0us aby 10 explore no tangled threads 70
unravei, wncn ~ something or are something's 20
De thankful or me story tnereSrs so we ans
appreciated for ts novelty and ORIGINALITY !" al
who read It.
Tue INITIALS. A Story OF Modern Life. ny tho
Baroness Tanphmus Philadelphia: L. u. Petsr'
son II Brothers.
Many years ago, when this novel was hiss pup
lished, 1t met with great success ana was pro-
nounced by competent critics ono OF the most
entertaining OF ctons Its reperusal after 80 long
time was source q rea pfs s ~ h eo s.opy
ters are drawn TO nature whicn - moro than can
be SAID for most OF the noyeN OF tnc present day.
The narrative IA entertaining the style smooth AMI
agreeable and the denouement precisely what tho
reader would have desired 10. THIS IS one OF tho
bes, works that Mcssrs. Peterson " Brothers havo
repubsned recently, and. aside from the novels OF
scott Dickens, Thackeray kcafe George Eliot ana
one or two others whose writings must always rank
IN the first places OF English literature os good as
anything that our publishers are presenting to the
public IN mutlfarlous forms aud editions.
A GREEK GRAMMAR FOR BEGINNERS. BY william
Henry waddell. New YORK: Harper Brothers.
In his preface to this little book the author, who
IL Professor OF Ancient Languages In tho University
OF Georgia. says that his work rs an attempt TO bo
precisely what us name notwithstanding more, aud
nothing less. IL In "Greek Grammar Tor 10.
gnnersr We take pleasure In commencing 1t al
OF tho best elementary works hat~eould DO
placed In the hands OF beginner. Its chiei mexlt Is
It's absolute simplicity. Everything OF a charactcr
calculated TO emDarrass the student 10 eliminated,
and the study OF the language necessarily snplined