The New York herald., 1870-08-22
LITERATURE,


Criticisms OF New Books.
LIFE. LETTERS, LECTURES AND ADDRESSES OF FRED.
ERIoK W. ROBERTSON, N. A. New York Harper
Brothers.
The very large circulation which this book mas
obtained In England may not be the best recommen-
dation we can give 1t to the public nevertheless Is
proof OF the merits OF the 'Hetcrs lectures and al
dresses" OF the IaIe Mr. Robertson. The biography
itself Is well written and entertaining but the In
terest centres in the productions OF the clergyman
himself These are pure and elevated In language,
finished III STYLE and are all, nearly all. relI-
gion, embracing every topic In any way associated
with the subject. Mr.. Robertson Low Church
man, vigorous opponent OF the "pretensions" OF
Rome and also an opponent Of High Churchisn. His
lectures the Epistes to the Corinthians are full OF
force and logic, ana will amply repay perusal. The
book is in fact interesting throughout and deserves
to be widely read. N
CHARLES DICKENS; THE STORY OF Hrs LIFE. By the
author OF .'The Life OF Thackeray." With nlustra-
tions aud Fac.Similes. New York; ScriDner, We'll
ford Co.
This is by all means the best biography OF the
the great novelist which has appeared in print since
hts death. clear story OF his life Is told from his
birth to the fatal day when he was suddenly struck
down, with details, many OF which we have not
in print before. II Is not, however, an elabo-
rata biography, does the author claim 1t such
but 1t VIII, we have no doubt, be accepted by the
admirers OF Dickens until history OF his career is
written by MIR. Forster, his intimate personal friend
who possesses ampler materials for this work than
any other writer, and who, It is stated will be the
biographer OF his deceased friend. Until this what
we may term authorized work appears the book
before ought to be widely read. II Is written
well. The reviews Of the novels and other writings
OF Dickens are In the NAN just and impartial. We
have read the book through with the deepest In
terest.
TIE WIND IN HIS cIRcUlrs. BY Lieutenant R.
Annit, X. N. London: j. ID. Potter.
We have here a small but very ambitious work.
The author III the arst chapter, endeav0rs to refute
the theory of Maury the atmospheric circulation,
and In the second chapter gives his own theory on
this important subject while in the third he argues
In defence Of his IDEAS Forciby he writes, we
cannot say That his arguments are strong enough to
constitute refutation OF Maury, but they are OF
SUFFICIENT Importance to demand careful conside.
ration. The fourth, nth and sixth chapters are de-
voted to explanations OF monsoons and their forma-
ton, on circular storms and equinoctial gales;
explaining their formation, law or rotation and
progress OF cyclones, the formation OF the seasons,
ana other subjects Of Ike interest and Importance
Out OF batch OF novels before US the first take
up are two volumes containing 'rhe Days OF Brucen
by Grace Aguar. New York: d. Appleton & Coy
This the best OF all her works, and Is undoubtedly
that will live for many years to come. As with
the other volumes In the new and uniform edition
or her writings, these before us are admirably
printed and bound. Not least among their merits Is
| the very low price at which they are Issued.
| very pleasant story is ''The Old Countess -
| translated from the German of Edmund Hdfer, and
| published by Lippincott Co., OF Philadelphia. Ic
is Just the thing while away haf an hour or so by
the seaside or In the mountains or these warm
August days. The translator seems to have per-
formed his part Of the work ably and faithfully.
The title OF the latest novel written by Mrs. Ann
s. stephens is 'Marrled IN Haste" Phiadephia:
I. B. Peterson Brotners.) While the plot is not
very deep the story Is highly sensational ana excit-
ing, and Is sufficiently well written to interest the
reader
Better than the ordinary run of novels "wIdow
Goldsmith's Daughter" by Julie p. Smith (Hart-
ford $. W. Barrowsl would be more acceptable II
It not so long, 1t Is wen written; much ability
manifested in the drawing OF the characters some
OF which admirable portraitures. and the story
itself is interesting. But there is entirely too much
OF 1t. Every author IL not Scott Thackeray q
Dickens or Hugo and none but the work OF genius
can induce most readers TO pcruse novel OF G64
| pages. Occasionally the dialogue In this book Is
amless there too much OF the descriptive In
each chapter. Nevertheless, repeat that ''widow
| Godsmlths Daughter above the average OF
novels, and In crltlcslng fs dement's we nave not
forgotten its merits which are decided Fresh, vi.
vacous and clever, 1t is promise Of really excel
lent American novel.
Among the sensational stories OF the day "Forgiv-
en- at Lasp' ought 70 stand high. Hopeless love,
years or unhappiness, murder and arson and other
things calculated TO work up the sympathies Of hu-
manity, combine to make the book exciting to say
the least Of 1t. Lippncott Co., OF Philadelphia are
| the publishers.
| To those who desire to keep on hand a stock OF
| witty paragraphs "Prenticania; Or Wit and Humor
| in Paragraphs" philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen Il
Horeldnger, is just the thing to get The book con-
talns 800 pages full or the admirable ots OF the
late George d. Prentice, Of the Louisville Journal.
whose reputation Is great that need say nothing
more in commentator Of tho book than the mere
announcement OF its author. biographical sketch
OF Mr. Prentice, well written and interesting takes
| up the first Jwenty-ei2ht pages