The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-07
LTTRRATURH.
REL VIEW OF NEW B0OKS.

Relations to Each Other, and to the World,
by Henry @. Peddar, published by Samuel r.
Wells This essay presents some sound aud
sensible ideas in regard to the relations OF the
sexes, which are, however, obscured by
mass of verbiage from which but little mean
ing cen be extracted. The writer, as tar as
we are able to Judge in regard to his mean
ing, endeavors to prove that the distinctions of
sex are spiritual as we'll as material, but so
much of the work is mere words, apparently
written for the purpose of filling up certain
amount of space, that it is difficult to tell
what Mr.. Peddar is driving at and we doubt
whether he has any very clear ideas himself
on the subject he has endeavored to discuss.
ssThe Young Men of the West; or few
practical words of advice to those born IN
poverty and destined to be reared in orphan
age" by L. U. Reavis, also published by
Samuel r. Wells, is pamphlet which pre-
sents some good advice that any young man
in the situations described in the title will do
well to heed. Mr.. Reavis is evidently ''self-
educated man, and his natural good sense is
too often obscured by foolish prejudices, as
when he denounces novels and novel-writers
without making any distinction between good
and bad fiction. Such a sentence as the fol-
lowing is simply silly, 'T care not whether it
be Victor Hugo or the devil that is the author
of o novel-the work is criminal when viewed
from the highest interests of education and
society" We have only to say in reply to
this that good novels, and among them we
include many of Victor Hugo's, are better
worth the attention of the young men of the
West who are anxious to cultivate their lite
rary tastes and increase their stock of valuable
knowledge, than some of the crazy phrenologi-
cal books that Mr.. Reavis so warmly COM
mends to their notice.
Part SO of ''Zell's Popular Encyclopedia
includes the titles between ''Sentential" and
'Smattering." few more numbers will
conclude this valuable work, which has al
ready overrun the limits prescribed at the
commencement of its publication, and then
those who subscribed to it will have the salts
faction of possessing couple of handsome
volumes filled with interesting and valuable
information, at a price that is certainly re-
markably low considering the great merits of
the work. 1t should be remembered that the
supplementary numbers now being issued are
supplied to subscribers gratuitously.
"A new edition of Mr.. William NJ Run
kel's pamphlet on ''The Mint of the United
States" has just been issued by Turner & Co.,
which contains a number of important alte-
rations and improvements. This little work
gives an excellent historical sketch of the
Mint, with full description of the institu-
tion and the manner in which gold, silver,
nickel, and copper are converted into money,
and general readers as well as visitors to the
Mint will find in it much to interest
Tile Aldtne Press for January comes to
us with handsome cover and number of
other improvements that add to its attractive
ness. 1t contains an excellent variety of
reading matter and number of remarkably
fine wood engravings. AS a specimen of
Typography the number before us is one of
the best that has yet been issued.
The January number of Tie PAtLadeLDhta
Photographer gives as its specimen" an ad-
mirable composition" picture entitled ''Re-
turning from the Well, by Robinson & Cher
rill, of London, and it contains a great
variety of matter that will be of interest to
photographers.
From Morris Frank, No. 619 Walnut
street, we have received the January number
of The Iechn0l0gtSt, which presents number
of well-written treatises on engineering, man.
ufacturing, building, and kindred subjects
The O0achnldberS' International Journal
for January touches upon many subjects of
Importance to the coach making fraternity.
The January number of Tile Penn
Monthly presents an improved appearance
outwardly, while its literary contents are up
to the usual standard of excellence.
-''The Souvenir for Christmas, 1870,
presented by the carriers of The EVENING
TELEGRAPH to their patrons is entitled to a
mention among the literary and artistic pub
locations of the day. This pretty little
pamphlet is undoubtedly the most attractive
affair of the kind ever put before the public,
and it will doubtless be preserved with care
In many households 1t consists of fine old
Christmas poem by George Wither, the
merits of which have stood the test of three
centuries. 1t is an excellent description of
an English Christmas in the olden time, and
is one of the best pieces of its class ever
written. The attractions of the poem have
been increased by series of illustrations in
silhouette by our Philadelphia artists, g. F.
and E. B. Bensell. The beautiful silhouettes
Of the German artist Paul Konewka have
had the effect of making this style OF
illustrations popular, but as his
designs are mostly published
in expensive books, they are beyond the
reach of many who have a taste for suct
things. The designs by the Messrs. Bense
are undoubtedly the best that have ever beer
made by any American artist, and thew will