The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-26
LITER ATWRE.
REV1E or VIEW BooKs.

cation and tho advent of great numbers of Chi
mes to our shores have attracted the attention
the public in an unusual degree TO the great
empire and it's strange civilization, that has
for SO many years been at once source of
admiration and misunderstanding to Euro
peans and Americans, and the time has ar
rived when thoughtful and carefully con-
sidered work by some writer who is suffi.
ciently familiar with the Chinese habits and
character to give the information that is
needed is a necessity Such a work is 'The
Oldest and the Newest Empire; or, China and
the United States, by William Speer, D. D.,
now in press by S. S. Scranton q Co. of Hart
ford, Conn. Dr. Speer's attention was first
attracted to China by the infamous opium
war carried on by the British in the years 1910
to 1912, and in 1916 he was sent out as a mis-
sionary by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign
Missions, and stationed in the province Of
Canton. In 1852 his knowledge of the
Chinese language, manners, and customs led
to his selection as a missionary among the
emigrants that were pouring into California,
and he was the first to preach the Gospel in
their own language to the Chinese arriving
upon our shores. DIR. Speer has one of the
first requisites for the production of such
work on China and the Chinese as the public
needs at this juncture-a thorough know
ledge of his subject His long residence in
China has inspired him with cordial respect
for the many excellent features of Chinese
civilization, and at the same time with
thorough knowledge of its weaknesses; and in
the preparation of this work he has evidently
endeavored to write with impartiality, and to
convey to his readers as exact an idea as pos
sible of the actual condition Of the Chinese
and their relations with the people of this
country. The subject is treated in all its
branches with great ability, and the argu-
ments of the author in favor of liberal
policy on the part of the Government and
people of the United States towards China
and the Chinese will commend themselves to
the consideration of all thoughtful persons.
DIR. Speer has produced a very interesting
and very valuable work, that will aid mate
rally in extending our knowledge of the
Chinese and their peculiarities, and the lucid
and elegant style in which it is written will
undoubtedly give it great popularity.
From Porter q Coates we have received
the following recent publications by D. Apple
ton & Coz
''The Mothers Rocompense" is the second
volume of the new and uniform edition of
Grace Aguilar's works. This story is a
sequel to 'Home Influence" and it will be
read with much interest by those who have
perused that fascinating narrative. This
edition is neatly gotten up and will make a
handsome appearance on the library shelf. 1t
will be completed in nine volumes, at the low
price of $1'OO per volume.
Caesars Commentaries on the Gallo
War;" edited by Albert Hardness, LII. D.,
Professor in Brown University, is an excel
lent edition of standard Latin textbook.
The notes are iudicious and furnish just the
kind of information the student needs for
overcoming the difficulties of construction
and idiom.
1.-The First Book in Botany, by Eliza A.
Youmans, is an excellent treatise in which
the elements of the science are set forth in o
very plain and understandable manner. The
plan of the book is one that has been tested
by actual experience, and it appears to be
we'll calculated to interest as we'll as instruct
beginners, for whose especial benefit it is
intended.
IA Race for Wife, by Breezie Langton
is a lively and interesting novel of English
ife.
From J. B. Lippincott q Co. we have re-
ceived Part VI Of ''The Universal Pronoun-
cling Dictionary Of Biography and My
thology," edited by j. Thomas, A. NJ, NJ D
This important work has now reached tn,
title 'Touis Bourguet." The value of th
compilation becomes more and more appa
rent as it advances towards completion, ant
it fully sustains the promise made that it shal
be the most complete work of the kind eve
given to the public. DR.. Thomas has be
slowed years of patient labor upon it, and tn
publishers are issuing it in style appropriate
TO its Importance
John Campbell, No. 74O SAMSON street
sends us the third number Of "A History oI
the State of Delaware" by Francis Vincent
This number gives an account of the abori
ginal inhabitants of Delaware, the discover
of the country, and the explorations @
Hendrix Hudson.
From Turner q Co. we have received ia
thirteenth monthly part of AppletoD's J0W,
nal, containing the weekly,numbers for Apri
also our Boy8 and Girls and AppJet0R
JolgnoJ for Saturday, april 30.
Howard Paul's Jokes published b
Loring Boston, is q collection of 'ancier
Josephs' that have had extensive circulatio
in their day, but that still may be able to raj,
laugh in some quarters.
Ja Tljy6nc5,79 "a, E., ;- &, a