The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-18

REVIEw OF VIEW BOOKS

There are Thousand indications that the
classics will not in the future maintain the
same ascendancy that they have from the re-
vival of learning almost to the present time;
not that there is any danger of the study of
classical literature falling into absolute neg
lect, for although it may be in great mea-
sure superseded as mere educator, it will be
treasured, just as are the works of antique
art, for its own great worth, and as q standard
of taste and means of culture. There is no
doubt, however, that the study of the
classics in the original will be confined
to comparatively small circle of scholars;
but whatever may be the neglect into which
they may fall, the subjects of which they
treat have been SO incorporated into our
own literature that a certain amount of
acquaintance with them will be necessary to
every reader of books who wishes to read in
telligently. For the benefit of such as have
not the time or perhaps not the inclination,
to study the classic authors, the neat series
of hand-books entitled "Ancient Classics for
English Readers" edited by Rev. w. Lucas
Collins, M. A., and published by ~ b. Lip
pincott & Co., will be found to contain just
the kind of information that is needed. We
have before us abstracts of Homer's 'Iliad'
and "Odyssey," prepared by the editor, and
Caesar, prepared by Anthony Trollope.
These books give in a concise shape the
story told by the respective authors whom
they represent, together with the passages
from the best translations as specimens of
their style and while they may not be salts
factory to scholars, they will be appreciated
by ordinary readers, who will be able to
gather from them just the kind of knowledge
of the poets, philosophers, historians, and
dramatists of Greece and Rome that is neces-
sary to q proper understanding of the allu-
sions constantly made to them by English
writers. Of the projected series, "Homer,"
''Herodotus," and "Cesar" have already been
issued and these will be followed by ''Virgil,'
''Horaoe," "Eschuylus," ''Sophocles," Sci
cero, "Aristophanes, 'Juvenal, and others.
-"The Feminine Soul" by Elizabeth
Strut, published by Henry H. and t. w.
Garter, is book that will scarcely suit the
advanced ideas of the female reformers of
this day, most of whom appear to have a
standing grievance against the Almighty be-
cause He did not make them men, and against
the masculine portion of the human race be-
cause they are incapable of assuming some
of the most important duties that have by
Providence been delegated to the sex femi-
nine, and are therefore obliged to content
themselves with such comparatively insignif-
cant privileges as voting and earning bread
and butter for their families. Miss Strut is
of the opinion that the feminine soul as
well as the feminine body is cast in a
different mould from that of the mascu-
line, and that as a natural consequence the
abilities, tastes, feelings, and aspirations of
women must be different from those of men,
While the spheres of action of the two sexes
are in some respects widely divergent, one is
nevertheless quite as important as the other,
and according to Miss Struts view of the
case, woman with mission will accomplish
the object of her creation better by not for
getting that she is woman than by attempt
ing to usurp the prerogatiyes of masculinity
The book contains many sound and sensible
ideas and some thoughts upon marriage and
feminine duties that are worthy of the atten-
tion of the class of readers to which they are
particularly addressed. Received from j. B.
Lippincott & Co.
II. B. Peterson & Brothers send us 'fAunt
Margaret's Trouble" very pleasantly writ
ten story by the daughter of Charles Dickens,
which originally appeared in AR the Year
Round, and which has achieved considerable
popularity.
Part 80 of ''Zell's Popular Encyclopedia
brings the work down to the title Milford"
In the article "Medici" a great mistake is
made in styling the monument upon which
are placed Michael Angeles statues of Night
and Day and the famous u PenSierOsO the
tomb of Lorenzo the Magnificent. One of
our contemporaries, in correcting the error
of the editor of the Encyclopedias" few days
ago, also made mistake in stating that the
statue of ''the man thinking" represented
Lorenzo II, Duke of Urbino, grandson of
Lorenzo the Magnificent, and father of Cathe-
rine de Medici. The fact is that the statue
in question represents Giuliano de Medici,
Duke of Nemours, and son of Lorenzo the
Magnificent, while the statue above the
figures of Morning and Evening is that of
Lorenzo II. We refer the editors of ''Zell's
Encyclopedias" and all others interested, to
Herman Grimm's 'Life of Michael Angelo, 4"
where the mistake of Vasari and others with
regard to the statues in question is explained
and corrected
The September numbers of Arthurs
Home Magazine and The ChGldren's Hour
are nicely illustrated, and are filed with
entertaining reading for old and young. Re
ceived from Turner q Co.
The Ladys Friend for September, which