The Portland daily press., 1869-10-15

Ele,te,.ls Of Astronomy, Is the tltls 81 a new
text hoax for the use Of schools, Summaries and
amIIjes. prepared by the Rev John Davis, for
meFly Professor Of Mathematics and AstronO-
nv in Allegheny City College, and published
by Davis & Woods, Pittsburgh, Pa From the
cursory examination which is an we ara ahle
to give to books Of this kind, we are disposed
to pronounce fayorably upon its claims. Its
ehiei excellence seems to lie in its simpliciiy.
and in the familiar method ia which il illus.
traiss aud explains the principal topics con-
necied with the science Of Astronomy. Its Ian
guage Is level with the comprehension Of the
youthful mind; and il has an excellent feature
IN sort Of glossary Of the les familiar astro-
nomieal words aud phrases. The several tom
les treated are fully illustrated By carefully
prepared engrayings, and the use Ofvarious in
strumenis designed for the purpose OF showing
the movements of the heavenly bodies, is care
fally explained. A brief description Of some
ofthe larger consultations is included in the
volume. (Reeeiyed Of ii. a. Brown & Co. 3
School street Boston, Agents for New Eng
land
From William White & CO., Banner OF
Light office, Boston, We have a good sized
daodeeimo volume, devoted to The Davenport
Brothers, he World Renowned Spiritual Me-
danas: their Biography, and Adventures in
Europe and Anerica. AS the love of the mar
vellous is one of the most strongly developed
impulses of the human mind, and there are
plenty of people who delight in believing what
over seems to them to transcend human COM
prehension, We suppose this account of the IA
nous box-pcrformers will ind plenty of read
ing.
The indefatigable Anlrew jackson Davis
tn apostle of the "Harmonial Philosophy"
has produced another book. He calls it Death
and the 4tter- Life, and it consists of eight eve
ening lectures on scenes, society, social centres
language and life Gin the Summer Land" By
the Summer, land' we suppose Mr. Davis
to mean the abode of spirits after death, he
having constituted himself the chief source of
authentic information as to whatever relates
to that region. We present our readers with
single extract from the present volume. It
is taken at random from the lecture on ''Ulti-
mates in the Summer-Land -
Art comes from the woman side of Nature.
Art reports the most Interior and unfolds the
ultimates of the life of things. Music can new
er be separated from art. Poetry and music
have pu1e affections. Painting is but another
expression OF universal art. Science COM
mences at the right side and works leftward;
art commences in the left side and works right
ward; thus they meet, and interlock, aud sill
ver-chain together in their march ngs. Art
rises spiraly toward heaven, but science con-
tinues horizontally with the earth; with its
eyes upon the stars it rises not for it sees only
solid bodies rejecting light. Art alone inter-
prets the light of the stars and the music to
which all bodies are wedded.''
Perhaps some Of our readers may be able to
discern the meaning of the above; but we con-
fess that it is thing wholly hidden from our
dull comprehension. We have never opened
one of Mr. DAVIS books without being forcibly
remined of The old lady who having borrowed
dictionary to read through, was asked, on re-
turning it, how she liked it, "Ohr' she re-
piled, the words are beautiful, but 1dont think
much of the story" The book is published by
VIM. White, Banner of Light office, Boston.
The Old Farmers almanac, by Robert B
Thomas, for the year 1870, is published and for
sale by Lorng, Short & Harmon, under Fall
mouth Hotel