The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-18
LIT ERATURE.
Reviews Of New Books.


scenes in Richm0nd.n Philadelphia, Chicago, St.
Louis and Atlanta National Publishing Company
1869.
No matter what estimate posterity may place upon
this work. It IL certain that Mr. Pollard attaches to 1t
an importance at once SO decided and everlasting az
almost to preclude adverse criticism. II the work
man was alone competent TO Judge Of the merits OF
his work. what q wealth OF genius would not the
world possessl When an author proudly ventures
TO produce work that will not only interest these
present times, but that Will live permanently ana
sssuredy" our critical spirit reads In awe-strcxen
wonder the egotistic utterances and bomDastic
language which characterize TINS impershable mon
ument of ''histOrcal literature" profoundly con-
scious OF the fact that II all our historians were the
equals of MI Pollard in literary style, our histories
would be the most remarkable, II not the most al
mired, Of records.
Whether judged from Northern or from South
ern standpoint this biography must be regarded as
the printed expressions OF the authors personal opn-
ions Of jefferson Davis rather than the calm judgments
OF the historian. In three short chapters, covering
but forty three pages he narrates the career OF M
Davis prior 10 the election OF Lincoln, and then
punges into the events OF the secession war. II We
are to believe all that he tells Us, Mr.. Davis was alb
solute master OF the South from Nav, 1861. to April
1866 and yet he was such an utterly incompetens
ruler that 1t seems wonderful to us how the War
lasted long as 1t did. It was remarkable that MT.
Davis was bitterly prejudiced against every omcer
OF genius In the c0nfederacy. His 1avorltes were
incompetent men recommended by their iulsome
adulaton OF him. Mr.. DAVIS was plant TOOL IN
the hands OF his wife, coarse, "brawny, abebodied
woman" He fell prey TO adventures: "Mlsera-
bic subterfugen ne descended to Tor the purpose
OF shaking OF the responsibilities or failure. In .
word the character Of the exPresident OF the con-
federacy was a combination OF littleness, SIN all
preuulces personal vanity despcabe eg0tls m,
linked with overweenipg ambition, and only re-
deemed oy his literary attanments snca as rev men
hav sad Pollard c0mD6reH
him with RlenZi, but even the puslanimity OF the
Roman tribune becomes respectable beside tine con-
duct OF Mir. DAVIS alter Richmond was uncovered Dy
Lees army. lie escaped from that city with the
ignominy OF obscure mean fugitive, II not posi-
lively IN the character OF deserter." many
weeSsr before he had made preparations to ny.
although on the third page following we are told
slowed his important papers" and Enormously pre-
pared at his house his private ba2gage'-an neon
slstency with his previous preparations TO ny whicn
Inc leading men OF the confederacy come in for
| snare vi Mr. Polard's criticism. The confederate
| Congress was n peculiar STOCK OF snalne;' IL was
| weak and name: IL was "a mere servile appendage
| to an arIstocracy the most supreme OF modern
| times.n lne individual members were arrant
| towards. General d. II. Hill. one OF the most
prominent lieutenant generals IN 1Ae Confederate
Service is described "a Of coarse and brutal
eccentrcItles;n Senator HILL OF Georgia mo relative
| OF the General). as ''weak and servLe;" Governor
Brown OF Georgia as the coarse obese SEP, prince or
q dozen men or respectable abilities III the South,
and the handful there was OF them were all VIZ
ginlans
We do not suppose 1t is necessary to say more for
the purpose OF showing what style OF book Mr. Pol
the belief that posterry will also have to submit to
the punishment OF reading 1t. We dare not dignity
pronounce it history Instead Of its living as monu-
historical literature, we rather Incline to the
opinion that It wlll i've as monument OF mr. Poi
lard's powers OF vituperaton. The author has Ger
tainy exhausted the vocabulary OF our language in
his denuncations Of nearly all the personages whose
names he introduces IN the work. The mldest term
applied Is ''weak;" while "brutal, "servile" ana
| "pusillanmous''are made commonplace expressions
Mr.. Pollard may consider this style OF writing f0rci-
bic; We regard it decidedly bombastic 1t Is very
terrifying, no doubt to weak nerves, but we cannot
And now the most ridiculous feature OF this med-
ley OF abuse Is the pretentiOusness with which his
as biographical, ignoring the inhaled style in which
1t is written possesses but little or no value. We
have read the book through and have failed to and
| the ''curi0ns and extraordinary informaton,n the
hitherto unknown facts connected with the life or
JEFFERSON DAVIS which we were promised In the title
page and preface. There are some lew assertions
made by Mr.. Pollard for the truth Of which he ofers
proofs, and as he also makes assertions IN other
parts OF Inc WORK which We Know 70 De dncorreca ne
statement. On the whole Mr.. Pollard Is not capable
OF writing an impartial biography of Jefr Dayls-at
any he JAILED to write here. That the eX
President OF the confederacy is man OF strong pre-
JUDGES and OF great obstnacy OF character we think
pretty clearly proven and that these characteristics
to extent injured the Of the south, Is by
| no means improbable. But MIR. Pollard must excuse
the brutalr North. he terms her, If she declines
to regard as an mbecile the man who with limited
sources Kept at bay for four long years the greatest
armies ever marshalled In modern days we VIII
not lessen the importance OF the great triumph the
North achieved III suppressing the rebellion by be-
eving Its leader to be, and to have been, but little
better IMAM 1901.
| DICTIONARY OF COMMERCE. AND COMMERCIAL
NAVIGATION BY the late J. R. McCulloch. New
edition. Revised and corrected throughout. New
York: ScriDner, Wexford Co. 1859.
This valuable commercial dictionary is too well
known the mercantile community OF this country
as well that Of Great Britain TO require special
praise from The present edition has been
Wis ed and corrected and additions made TO 1t giving
the latest commercial intelligence. We notice few
errors which should not have been allowed In the
we are arayely assured that lynching has been re.
duced 10 science IN that CITY, although there has
not been man lynched there for twelve years. In
revising the edition this statement ought TO have
been stricken out. However true 1t might have been
twelve or fifteen years ago. there is nothing to war
mistakes In reference to the United States, but they
appear TO have been caused more from carelessness
than from anything else aud do not detract from the
merit of the dictionary. We have not space TO re-
view at length the contents or this ponderous book,
covering. as It's contents do, over 1880 pages. Ii 10
very valuable for reference.
CIPHER. Romance. BY Jane G. Austin New
York: sheldon Company. 1863.
This story was published originally in serial form
in the GdiaLV magazine, and attracted some atten-
ton at the time, although 1t certainly is not the
brilliant work which the publishers claim it to be.
1t is, however very well written, and is quite inter-
esting. We do not know of any American novel
written by woman that we would prefer reading.
But there Is one little subject which we must refer 10
particularly. The authoress is kind OF amalgama~
uonlst. miscegenatonist or whatever elso the term
l.. she mildly declares herself in favor OF an In
termixture OF the races by making one OF her chars
acters marry a woman IN whose veins now the blood
OF African Hear this character confess the fact
TO her husband
"wei then" cried Francis, desperately, shave bs
sas6ed Mrs Rhee, fathers housekeepe
slave whom he bought ut public auction in Savannah
My mother her daughter by the who sold her
Ny father married this free daughter OF his ssve and
bsr child: Neg are yoU contentIn . q. za.s~,--
We cannot Zee how Fergus could help being con,
tent But Is Jane G. Astin aware that the person
OF Francia she made an impossbllity. Did she, or
any other person. ever'know the gr indchild Of
ocioroons We very much fear the learned authoress
never studied the physiology OF the human races.