New-York tribune., 1870-04-26

at that period it could be preserved LOT the "ii'
had not passed wholly out of the mood 'na. oon''i
sympathize with his earliest performances
recommendation TO the volume that IL hiS ho. '.,"
revised recently. fresh revision wouiu pio'ao"
have spoiled it by modern Improvements A' - -
il will meet a wide desire and will fill place Which
no other volume of its kind is fitted so well 10 occupy
In these times. when there is 20 much hurryihg
TO and fro and such increase of knowledge respect
ing the earth and it's inhabiants, books OF IaNei
rapidlv supersede one another, and lew Gan rea-
sonably look for lasting popularity or long me-
Rut among these few will be found Mr.. Taylors
For. though not calculated to satisfy an eXachng
scientific demand the part OF natnraiists e'hoio
gsts or specialists of any kind, they convey very
LARGE amount of the sort of information that
most people need, and very many wish
TO have They are by no means superficial,
tbough they cover so much surface Mr. Taylor is
a conscientious traveller. He travels always with
purpose and usually it is purpose that interests
others as much as himself. He has never been an
der or n vagrant; never one of the luxurious vaga-
bonds who 90 abroad to escape tedlum OF care OF
duty at home never of the spendthrlfts OF
money! time, and opportunity, who having one or
all of these GOOD things in abundance, cast about LOT
a means of wasting them for the most pleasure ana
the least advantage He has from the start been an
earnest man who was in search of knowledge more
than of entertainment, and valued his opportunities
for the good they were to bring. He felt the travel
ers responsibility for accuracy and completeness; ne
studied that he ght be prepared to go; he studled
as he went; he studied on his return. lie availed
himself of every occasion that presented ltse1 10 un
derstand the character Of the people he visited the
institutions the customs the literature and language
the arts the public and private life and he trained
himself with great care to tell what he saw with pre-
cison clearness. and simplicity. These qnalites
give to his books general interest and permanent
value
And vet their popularity is as surprising as IL IS
encouraging For they not, in the ordinary
sense of the te brilliant they deal In none OF the
magnificent generalzatiOns that fascinae the unwary
and impose upon the ignorant; they make no pre-
tense TO exhaustive thoroughness they are literal
in the statement of fact sober in the drawing OF IN
ferences temperate in description. judicous In com
ment modest in criticism. Mr.. Taylor is an artist OF
the preraphaelitc oTder-cool, direct and ullmagna
tive. but patient and exact laying on his colors
tonch by touch and trusting to the total effect 1or
his impressions of truth. That our people like to
buy and read such books his is encouraging as IN
dicating love of information rather than fond
ness for amusement. There is in them good deal
that is entertaing, but good deal more that is
enlarginng and improving to the mind. MIR. Taylor
has done his share in the work of making men
broader and more cosmopolitan in their views of
other lands and people, and thus lifting them ont OF
the sphere of local interests and preudlces