Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-06

/ THE BLOCKADE OF PHALsBURG, by Erck-
man Chatrian, with portraits of the authors and
| Illustrations. New York: Charles Scribner &
| Co. Jew merchant of Phalsburg tells the
story of the siege of that fortress at the close of
the Napoleonic wars, in 1914. With admirable
simplicity and naturalness he describes the re-
treat of the French armies, the enrolment of
citizens for defence, the plundering of the near
villages to provision the town, the gathering of
the besiegers, the long files of men and war ma
terial that day after day streamed through the
mountain passes to overwhelm the emperor on
the plains near Paris, the incidents of the siege,
the nightly bombardment, the measures of de-
fence, the indifference of the few veteran sol
diers, and the misery of the citizens. Aside
from the special purpose of the narrative, to
depict the barbarsm and hideousness of war,
which is most effectively done by the contrast of
the character of its operations with the peaceful
homely life of the simple Alsatians, the book is
capital piece of work for its drawing of the
shrewd yet kindly Jew Moses. He is one of the
most truthfully drawn and life-lille characters
that any writer of romance has produced. The
book is for sale by L. H. Bigelow.
THE YOUNG MECHANIC.-This is an English
work, repubished in New York by G. P. Put
nam 4 Sons in very handsome style. 1t gives
clear and full directions, which boys who have
any natural turn for mechanics can readily un.
derstand, for doing all the common kinds of
joinery and cabinet work. Then follows de-
scription of the turning lathe, and the tools
used in connection with it, instructions for turn
ing in wood or metal, and for making models of
machinery, &C. The whole is illustrated with
numerous cuts representing the tools and imple-
ments described, and diagrams showing how va
rious kinds of work should be DONE As its
title indicates, it is designed chiefly for the use
of boys and young people of mechanical tastes;
but much of it is as well, if not better, adapted
for older amateur mechanics, and the latter part
especially, we imagine, could be read with profit
and pleasure by practical workmen, though the
design has no reference to them. AS the work
is merely reprint from the English edition,
the numerous suggestions, as to where imple-
ments may be purchased to the best advantage,
are not applicable here and probably the same is
true of the prices given, although these have in
some instances been reduced to our currency
For sale here by Sanford & Co.
BENCH AND BAR, by L. J. Bigelow, Counsel
lor at Law. New York: Harper & Brothers.
This is a collection of anecdotes, good, bad and
indifferent, of judges and lawyers. Few of them
are new, but many OF the old are worth preserv-
ing. The traditions of the English bar furnish
some of the best and most of the chief celebrities
among American lawyers have supplied some
thing for these pages. Some amusement may |
be found by dipping into the book here and |
there; but, like other collections of jokes, the |
general impression, if one reads page or two, is
rather dreary. If the author, as is to be pre-
sumed, included nothing which he did not think |
amusing, one cannot help enyying his capacity
for finding entertainment The book is illus
trated with some coarsely executed portraits of
legal wits; one in particular, of Chief Justice
Chase seems to have been taken at an unfortu-
nate moment, when his face wore an idiotic leer,
not we believe habitual with him. L. H. Bige-
low has the book for sale.
INA, by Katharine Valeris. Boston, j. r. Os-
good & Co. This is a story of Italian life. 1t
is eXtravagantly romantic in its plot, incidents
and style. As an example of the latter we are
told, in a description of one of the lead
ing characters, that the same light seemed to
CLEAN from his eyes, HAIR and teeth. We have
not yentured to conjecture the authors mean
ing in this description; but if she had any, her
hero, as she conceived him, must have been a
person of peculiar appearance. The author
seems to have reproduced her impressions de-
rived from an extensive course of novel read
ing, rather than to have written from her own
original resources aided by observation of life
and manners. L. II. Bigelow has it for sale.
DIE MoDENwELT. An Illustrated Magazine
for Fashions and Fancy Work. Published
monthly at Berlin, and republished by S. 7.
Tayor, S91 Canal street, New York. This maya
zine seems to be excellent and practical. There
are numerous illustrations of dresses, fancy
work, ETC., and explanations thereof. A colored
fashion plate, supplement and sheet of pat
terms, numerous patterns of letters and mono
grams, make an attractive feature of the latter.
Altogether worthy of the attention of ladies,
especially since the seat of fashion, as well as OF
political and military power, has been trans
ferred from Paris to the capital of the German
empire.