The New York herald., 1870-08-30
LITERATURE.



Critcisms Of New Books.
CoNsTITuTIoNAL VIEW OF THE LATE WAR BE-
TWEEN THE STATES. BY Alexander II. Stevens.
In two volumes. Vol. H. Philadelphia &C.: Ma
tional Publishing Company.
1t was not to be expected that Mr.. Stephens would
write book on our recent civil war containing
views agreeable TO the opinions on the
merits OF the contest held by the great
mass OF Northern men. His prominent po-
sltion under the Confederate government woula
II no other considerations mad intervened have pre-
vented his viewing 1t from the same standpoint that
we do. But his work Is undeniably the most Impair
ta and dgnined OF oil the books written by South
ern authors on the subject since the war began and
s as deserving OF perusal as 1t is calculated to In
crease the reputation OF Mr.. Stephens It's princi-
pal merits are the clear, unimpassioned arguments,
the manifest endeav0r to deal with the question
under discussion strictly constitutional grounds
and to defend and even eulogise the cause OF the
South without indugtng in coarse and useless as
perities- Mr. Stephens does not pretend to give q
history OF the war. We have no accounts OF battles
anu details OF campaigns In either of the volumes.
Confined to an inquiry into the origin and
cause OF the conflict, he has merely referred
10 military events as the result OF such
origin and cause. There Is much force and
no little truth in many things that he writes. An
impartial reviewer OF tie OF our late war viii
doubtless discover that the politicians OF the North
were much 70 blame In assalllng the institutions OF
the SOUTH which, believing them jeopardized by the
success Of the republican party, Influenced the
Southerners to revolt The truth of this we admit;
but the conclusions OF Mr. stephens contest. At
the same time we repeat that his work is that
can be read with the deepest interest by those
who differ widely from him in the sentiments he
therein gives expression to.
Translated
French by Mrs. s. X. Urbinu. Boston: Lee IL
Shepard.
We have here most Interesting work. which
should be read 10y all who desire to possess know
iedge OF the great masters OF II gives BRIEF
yet admirable, sketches Of the OF the most
eminent OF painters, sculptors and engravers be-
ginning as tar back Pnidas and ending with
Callot the engraver, An introductory chapter con-
tanning an essay the fine arts describing archi-
lecture, painting and engraving, together with
their several schools and their progress, is not the
least valuable part OF the work, The histories OF
such men an Michael Angelo, Canova, Leo
nardO da Vnci, Titan, Raphael, Cofreglo
Murllio Rubens, Rembrandt Salvator Rosa
anu Other great artists must always possess
absorbing interest to the intelligent reader No
new facts are stated regarding their careers In fact
the work does not pretend to give minute details OF
their lives which could not be contained in small
or opportunity to the separate biographies OF
these artists, the book before Will enable them 10
learn all that Il Of real value concerning their genius
and works. We heartily commend "The Princes OF
Art" to the public.
LIFE or CHARLES DICKENS. BY r. shelton Mac.
kenzie, LID, with portrait and autograph. Phil
adelphla: L. B. Peterson Il rotaers.
Thls is the third biography Of the great novelist OF
England which has been pubshed In book form
Since his death. II is full IN details and graphic In
style, and merits praise As in all other histories OF
his life, the bulk Of tho Is devoted to descrlp-
tons and reviews OF mis- writings. Comparatively
little OF his personal life given, and as we know
that this could not have been barren OF interesting
incident. we shall be compelled to wait, as we re-
marked few days ago, until Mr.. Forster, his ini
mate friend, publishes the bogra Apply he Is said TO be
writing. before we shall become well acquainted with
the social career OF Dickens But OF the book before
u.s. we repeat that II well written and Is interesting
throughout In spite OF here ana there little display
| or egotsm on the part OF the author. This, how.
ever, is pardonable enough under the circumstances
although 1t would have been better had Dr. Mac
kenzie suppressed it, We commend the book to the
| public.
| COMPENDIUM OF TIE HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC
CIpRCH hy Rev. Theodore Noethen. Baltimore:
| JObn Murphy * Co.
|
to the schism or Luther literally that OF the Catno
lie Church. and since the Reformation the career of
the Catholic Church, though NOT exclusively that OF
Christianity has taken up great part of religion
that ts records cannot fail to impress the mind with
sense of its Importance In this book we have the
annals OF the Church from the commencement OF
the Christian era to the Ecumenical Council OF the
Vatican" which recently decreed the dogma OF In.
faibllity. The combats OF the Church. her persecu-
ton by pagans, her victories over her oppressors
and her conflicts with 'heresy and scandar are all
narrated In clear, agreeable style. II not to
be expected that events which happened during
period OF over egh cen hundred years could be fully
detailed in six hui ired small pages out the admir-.
able condensation Of such events lras enabled the
compiler to omit nothing OF the slightest importance
In the wonderful and, In many respects, romantic
history OF the Catholic Church.