The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-08
LrrERATURN.
RrVIEW or VIEW OKS.

RemSeu ~
This is a careful revision of Professor Up
hams original work. issued many years ago,
and which has been esteemed one OF the best
treatises on mental philosophy, for use as
a school and college textbook, ever issued. Inc
present edition has been subjected to the
careful revision of the author, who has con-
densed in some places and enlarged in others,
until it appears as substantially a new work.
All the results of the latest philosophical inqui
ries have been made use of to render the
work as complete as possible, and in its new
form the treatise will undoubtedly obtain
new lease of favor.
Professor Upham has endeavored to give
lust and dispassionate account of the leading
principles of mental philosophy, availing him
self of the investigations of the different
schools without giving his exclusive adherence
TO any. The work is thus essentially eclectic
in character, and the authors idea has been
TO Law open the truth wherever it is to be
found The rules of inductive philosophi-
zino have been adhered to, and the author has
submitted his conclusions to the subjective
test of his own mental experiences. The en-
deavor throughout has been to make the work
as clear and practical as possible, and it is
therefore admirably adapted for textbook.
From Turner Brothers g. Co. we have
received the fifth and concluding volume of
Fields. Osgood & Co. S 'Household'' edition of
George Eliot, containing "Silas Mariner" and
'Scenes of Clerical Life These last are the
admirable series of sketches that first brought
the author into notice.
Apropos of George Eliot, we have received
a note from Harper q Brothers, suggesting
that injustice has been done them in our re-
marks about the rival editions in course of
publication by their house, and that of Fields,
Osgood & Co., and they request the publica-
tion of the following
efforts having been made in certain quarters to
excite the sympathy and compassion of the public
and the press on account of our issuing, from our
Old plates cheaper and better edition of George
Eiot's novels than the published by Fields Os-
good Co.. we think It proper to say in explanation,
and in reply to the unjust attacks upon us:-
"That we were the first to publish these works in
this country and that for the early sheets thereof we
have paid from time to time in the aggregate the
"HARPER Il BROTHERS,
We are not conscious of having done any
injustice to either party in this controversy,
and we endeavored to sum up the merits of
the rival editions with perfect impartiality.
The card of Harper & Brothers, however,
suggests that it is time for the American
publishers to come to some sort of
definite understanding with each other, so
that these quarrels between rival houses may
cease. We do not know, of course, how
much of the five thousand dollars paid by Har-
per Brothers actually went into the pockets
of the author herself, but in the absence of
q copyright law, it was more than she had
any right to expect, and, according to strict
justice, it would seem that they had claim
upon her to the extent of their gratuity.
English authors have complained bitterly that
they had no protection in this country against
piracy, but they have not always shown a dis
position themselves to act with the most per-
feet fairness. The price paid for advance
sheets is, under the existing arrangement, a
gratuity on the part of the American
publisher, and the moral claim that
this gives him is his only protection. The
English authors, however-and some of the
most prominent of them, like Mr.. Dickens,
at that-have shown no hesitation about sell
ing their works two or three times over to
American houses, or as often as they can find
purchasers; and the publishers, being thus
without even the moral support of the authors
endorsement, have the more excuse for de-
clining to pay anything for English books, if
they are liable at any time to have rival edi-
tions sprung upon them which claim the re-
CARDS of the public from the fact that the
author is interested in the profits. This
method of securing two payments may be all
very pleasant for a time, but it seems very
much like killing the goose that laid the
golden egg. There is, of course, something
to be said upon both sides of this question,
but the various little 'unpleasantnesses" that
have occurred lately between the different
publishers indicate the propriety of a more
definite arrangement than exists at present
The immediate result of this quarrel, how
ever, is to put upon the market good books at
such exceedingly low prices that they are
placed within the reach of all. The public
are therefore the gamers, even if the pub
fishers and authors derive no profit.
Turner Brothers & Co. also send us the
hrst volume of Fields, Osgood & Co. s
Household edition of Thackeray's miscella.
neous works. This contains ''The Memoirs
OF Barry Lyndon" ''The Great Hopparty
Diamond, Novels by Eminent Hands.
''Diary Of G. Jeames de la Pluche, ESQ" and
other minor writings, which are among the
most enjoyable of Thackeray's works He
never wrote anything finer than 'EBarrv Ivn
don" or ''The Great Hoggary Diamond " ant
his sketches and burlesques are in a vein tba
was peculiarly his own and peculiarly in