The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-03
L1TuRAruRn.
ne VIEW or NEW BOOKS.


rick Spielhagen, translated by Professor
Schele de We're. Published by Leypoldt &
Holt. This is a bulky book of 569 pages, in
continuation of the "Problematic Characters"
OF the same author, which was published
few months ago. The story before us com
mences where the other left OFF, the same
characters are taken up, and the problems of
their lives carried on still further towards
solution. Through Night to Light can only
be properly understood 10y those who have
read its predecessor, and still another book is
necessary to make the story complete. A
novel of this length will dismay some readers
and vet those who have once been interested
in Spielhagen's pages will not be content
until they have followed him to the end. As
a novelist he is undoubtedly the most origi-
nal and profound Of any of our day, and the
subtlety with which he discerns the inmost
springs of human action stamps him rs q rare
and remarkable genius. To the ordinary
reader his writings have a strange fascination.
while to the student they offor abundant food
for speculation and thought. Few novels of
the day are better worth perusal than these.
and they will certainly be appreciated by
lovers Of high class of fiction.
The same house sends us ''Susan Field
ing" by Miss Annie Edwards, published bv
Sheldon & Co. This is a work of much merit
by talented writer. During its publication
serially in The Galday it was read with inte-
rest, and it will well repay perusal in its
completed shape.
Porter & Coates send us "Great Mvste-
ries," by John Neal, and "The Primeval
World of Hebrew Traditions" by Frederic
Henry Hedge. Published by Roberts
Brothers.
The first of these works consists of a couple
of pleasantly written sketches entitled 'Chil-
dren-What are They Good For?" and ''Goodv
Gracious, and the Forget-me-not," which
occupy about one-tbird of the space, and the
rest is filled with "Pickings and Stealinps."
or all the amusing anecdotes about children
that Mr.. Neal has collected during his long
hfe interspersed with appropriate comments.
This is pleasant work to read, as Mr. Neal is
evidently an admirer of children, and he
writes about them as if in love with his
subject.
''The Primeval World of Hebrew Tradi-
tion" is discussion of the narrative of Gene.
sis from point of view of the authors own
establishing. He contends that many of the
statements made about the early history of
the world and its inhabitants are intended
to be allegorical, and that others are merely
records of the traditions that we're current
with the Hebrew in common with other races.
Mr.. Hedge thinks that belief in the scrip
tural truths of the Bible ought not to be-
made dependent on strict logical ANALYSIS
of points that come within the province of
scieree and history. The book is not unin-
teresting, but we fail to see what benefit it
will be to any one, especially as the author is
extremely loose in his style of argument, and
on nearly every page he speaks of the views
he advances as if they were conclusive and
final, whereas he will find plenty of theolo
gians who will pick his book to pieces, and
easily prove his arguments to be fsllacious.
From Turner Brothers 4 Co. we have
received ''The Comic History of the United
States" by John ID. Sherwood, published bv
Fields, Osgood Co. This is not very
funny book, and yet there are doubtless
plenty of persons with the bump of humor
imperfectly developed who will find it vastly
entertaining. Far be it from us to spoil the
enjoyment of any such by proving that the
jokes are no jokes, and we commend it to all
who are likely to take delight in its pages
by stating that it gives genuine sketch of
the history of the United States from a hu-
morous point of view. The facts are all
there, SO that the schoolmasters will have no
cause for complaint, and the fun is thrown in
for those who have a weakness that way
The book is illustrated with some clever
sketches by Arthur Scratchley, which are
quite as amusing as the text.
From Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfnger
we have received the second series of
Clamps, Pitchers, and Trumpets," and ''The
Spanish Barber" by the auther of ''Mary
Powell" published by NJ. w. Dodd. The
first mentioned book is a continuation of the
lectures on the vocation of the preacher
delivered by Rev. Edward Paxton Hood to
the students of Surgeons Pastors College,
in London. The lectures are five in number
and the subjects discussed are ''The Pulpit in
our Age and Time;" "On Arrangement of
Texts by Division;" Concerning Written
and Extemporary Sermons" son Effective
Preaching and the Foundation of Legitimate
Success" and ''On the Mental Tools and
Apparatus Needful for the Pulpit" To each
lecture is appended pulpit monograph" of
celebrated preachers in which are discussed
the merits of Frederic Robertson, Pusey,
Manning, Newman, Spurgeon, the Able
Lacordaire, and Thomas Binney. This work
will be interesting and valuable to clergymen