The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-20
Literal URE.
Reviews of New Books.

hcyfews Oh new BOOKS
CRoQUET A Treatise, with Notes AMI Common
taries BY Captain Mayne Reid: New York, pub
fishing ONCE, l19 Nassau street,
Captain Reid, In writing and publishing this clever
treatise has done the rising generation service
which cannot be repaid. II not so scientific az
bIiards croquet is undoubtedly far more fasoinat-
ing, particularly more SO when your opponent or
partner preferably partner) Is charming young
creature OF eighteen with short walking dress on,
from beneath the skirts OF which peep out pair OF
little feet enoased in number CATERS Not only
to the bucolic mind Is the charm of pretty ankle
irresistible. Even the mOustached and eye-gassed
paIroniZer OF clubs, operas and demnition FAST
horses pay involuntary homage not only to the pedal
extremtes OF feminine humanity, but to every other
charm Of woman and to every wnsome grace which
makes her "a thing OF beauty and JOY for ever.n
Now we pity the taste Of the miserable specimen of
maseulnity who can find pleasure in playing croquet
without lovely woman. And as croquet, 10 be well
played, should be well understood, 1t is essentially
part Of the education OF good society, AS Is the
learning how to dispose OF CHERRY stones at dessert
We, therefore, LOOK upon this treatise Inc hight
OF an absolute necessity Captain Reds thorough
knowledge Of the game has enabled him to explain
its mtrcacies clearly aud deliberately. Several dia-
grams illustrate the correct manner in which the
stakes and bridges are to be placed, and also the
manner in which the game Is TO be PLAYED. The
treatise is minute and exhaustive in Its details ind
Is undoubtedly the best work on the subject thab
has been published IN the United states. 1t de-
serves and will doubtless rank standard author
ity in croquet This helng the season when the
game is played throughout The country, all who de-
sire become familiar with one OF the most grace
full and pleasant OF our social pastnes should get
copy of Captain Reids book, peruse 1t carefully and
afterwards indulge IN a round OF games, the plea
sure OF which will be greatly enhanced by the part-
cipation Of two or three pretty girls
NORA BRADY's Vow, and MONA. THE vEsrAL BY
Mrs. Anna II. Dorsey. Philadelphia: j. b. Lippin-
colt Co. 1859.
Under one cover we have In this book two charm
ingly written and decidedly entertaining stories of
Irish life. The scene OF the first, mora BKady's
Vow" Is laid in modern days and is recommended
the reader by pure almost perfect character in
the person Of the heEolne. The other is a descrip
ton Of lie Ireland In the time Of St. Patrick, when
Christianity and pagansm as represented by the
Druids struggled for ascendancy The story Is very
entertaining and very sad In It's ending so far as the
fate OF its principal character Is concerned. But IL
OF course, winds up with the triumph OF the Chris
tans the Druids. Although there ls a strong
Catholic bias running through both stories 1t Is by no
means obtrusve or offensive, neither can the stories
themselves be regarded as sectarian In any sense OF
the word. On the whole we can recommend the
book as containing very pleasant reading. Messrs.
Lippincott Co. have published IL In handsome
STYLE the paper, printing and Cloth binding being all
admirable.
wEDLoCK; OR, THE RIGHT RELATIONS OF THE
SEXES. BY s. r. Wells New York Samuel K.
Wells, Publisher. 1859.
In this little work Mr.. Wells aims TO teach
humanity how the world would be inefably happy
if men and women were educated to proper
know ledge OF the right relations Of the sexes.
PhrenolOgcally speaking all the misery and unhap-
piness which sometimes accompany married life
ARISE from the husbands and wives not being &C.
quanted with each others bumps before marriage.
Now, the author of this work explains quite salts
factorily what men and women should marry what
kinds of persons they should take for their wives
and husbands and how they can become aware or
the temperaments, &c. of those with whom there Is
probability OF their entering into matrlmony.
Whatever might be thought OF the science OF phre-
nology there is no doubt that many matches which
result unhappily are caused by an incongruty of
dispositions between the parties which could GER
tany have prevented the alliance had either been
aware OF Its existence. Aside from Its phrenoo-
gtca facts and theories the book before us contains
many sensible reflections and gives much good adj
vice which, II taken cannot fail TO add to the stock
OF human happiness.
MISCELLANEOUS.
We have received from Captain Wayne Reid the
frst volume OF coward" embracing numbers
January to June, 1861. The work Is handsomely
bound in green and gold, and VIII make an accepta
Bile present. The contents OF the volume noticed
at the time they were published in the magazine,
and so need not say anything more on that subject.
The price at which the book is sold Is remarkably
low and places 1t within the reach OF almost every
body. r