The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-03-13
Reviews.

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! PHGSIYr ANA OR SKETCHES AND BURLEsoUEs.
BY John Phpn x. Now York: ID. Appleton
& Co. Charleston: John Russell. Price SO
cents.
These sketches have gone through twelve
editions since they were first published
nearly twenty years ago, and the names of
John Phoenix and the San Diego Herald
are familiar in every corner of the land.
There is joyous, rollicking humor in
Phenixiana which is Giferent from the fun
of misspelt words and tortured grammar.
The rising generation should read "John
'.PbeLi1," and the oldsters even can afford
to laugh with him once more.
Turkey, Egypt, Nub.a and tho Holy Land.
By Harry Hardwood Leech. With Portrait
EngraviDgs. New York: D. Appleton
Co. 1869. Charleston: F: John Russell.
The stSeutimentsl IdIer" is something of
q dilettante, and g'ssips his way through
the East, describing, suggesting, dream
ing and adm ring, always alive to the
beauties of nature and art, and always
gracefully tender in his appreciation Of the
poetry of life. There is no dullness in the
book and no villanous smartness. There
is no straining after effect, and yet it is
winningly interesting, from the first page to
the last We know of no book which gives
more vivid picture of the oriental man
ners and customs; nor lave we met with
work which brings more nearly home to
the reader the palaces and the temples, the
splendor and the squalor, the romance and
the wretohedness of the East
HER MAJEsTY's TnwER. By William Hepworth
Dixon New York Harper & Bros. Charles
ton: Holmes.
The history of the famous Tower Of Lon
don epitomizes that of the English court
and people. 1t is at once palace and
fortress, chapel and prison ard sepul-
ohre Its vaults have prolonged the echo
Of the gayest revels and the saddest lamen-
tations. Upon its gray walls many of the
noblest names of England have been traced
with trembling hands. Its worn pavements
and it's plots of turf have been stained and
soaked with the tears of the gentle and the
blood of the brave. Err. Di1on's book
needs no higher commendalion than the
statement that it is worthy of its romantic
theme. It's facts have. been carefully and
laberiously gathered from state papers, as
well as from printed books. 1t overfows
with anecdotes and historic sketches, which
receive the coloring of the authors vivid
enthusiasm and richly decorated style.
| TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE IN TIE TERRITorY OF
ALASKA AND olHEs PARTS OF THE North Pa
CIFIc. BY Frederick Whvmper. Now York:
II lrper & Brothers. Gu rleston: Holmes
| Book House.
II is pleasant to know that we can obtain
recent and authentic information about
Alaska without being obliged to wade
through the Serbonian bog of Mr.. Summers
orstion. The refuse matter which Mr..
Whymper has rejected from his entertaining
narrative would have been spun out into o
congressional folio by the distinguished
senatorial verbosity from Massachusetts.
Alaska is of interest TO everybody, because
it is the last republican investment; it is OF
special interest to the ethnologist who finds
there the unmistak ,ble traces Of the Asiat-
ic migration which originally peopled our
continent. Tnc author gives an interesting
description of the people and the country,
together VITA u map and numerous iiiustra-
lions The readers attention is fixed by the
Wild novelty of the suhjccr, the variety Of
adventure experienced by The author, es
prcially during his explorations on tho
great River Yukon, aud also the freshness
and piquaucy of the style. The volume also
records the observations in British Col
unbiu, California and the eastern coasts
of Siberia aud Ksmcha'ka.
RsySo1p's New P1croR1AL READER, for School:
and Famllies. Columbia, S. C.: Dulhe
CLapm IL. Charleston: Holmes Book House
we have received numbers one and twC
of this excellent and handsome series. The
exercises are graduated, so that the little
pupil is conducted comfortably from the
first letters of the alphabet to the highest
grades ofspelling and reading. The volumes
are beautifully printed aud richly illus,
trated; indeed, there arc no better books OF
the sort. Dr.. Reynolds has found time,
amid the scholastic duties which attach him
to the State University, 10 render real
service to the primary schools Of the South,
and We have no doubt that these pretty
| volumes will have wide circulation.