Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-09

man WHO Is now an exile at ChlSelhurst. When
the French empire collapsed and the mil-
itary and political predominance of Germany
was established, Mr.. Abbott lost no time in con-
dolence with his late patron, but addressed him
self at once to the business of conciliating the
present arbiter of Europe. Before the terms of
peace were carried into effect he has produced
history of the first great sovereign of Prussia,
the founder of her military renown. 1t is need
less to critcise this performance; the authors
defects and merits as historian are well known,
and are as manifest in this as in his other
works. His style is fluent and entertaining,
but picturesque adjectives and other strong
language drop so readily from his pen that he
often conveys wrong impressions by wandering
from or supplementing his authorities from
MS ownpmaglnation, even where he makes no
distinctly incorrect statements. In the present
work, following closely after historian so
diligent and clear sighted as Carlyle, II was not
to be expected that he would add anything to the
stock of information already accumulated. He
and the English historian write for different
readers, and it is not necessary to compare
them Mr.. Abbott's readers will probably be
much more numerous in this country, which is
not a matter upon which anybody but the
author and his publisher is TO be congratulated.
The book is printed in large, clear type, is pro-
| fusely and well illustrated and handsomely
bound. L. H, Bigelow has it for sale.
SARCHEDoN: A Legend of the Great Queen.
BY G. J. Whyte Melville. New York: D.
Appleton Co. The Great Queen of this story
is Semiramis, and its events, scenes and char
acters are all Assyrian. The author seems quite
imperfectly acquainted with what is really
known of ASsyrian history; and we suspect
the old Assvrians would have regarded the
story with very great astonishment if it could
have been written in their time and in their
language as portrayal of anything Assyrian.
As Mr.. Whyte's story of Assyria, it will be
read bnt he will do well to conine himself to
people, customs, times and forms of life with
which he is better acquainted. For sale at
Bigelow's.
THR STUDENTS ELEMENTS OF GEOLOGY:
By Sir Charles Lyell. We have in this volume
Lyell's Elements of Geology" carefully re-
written, and adapted for use by students who
have not become well Versed in the science. In
this form, the work Is smaller than it was in the
original editions; and yet it seems to us to con-
tain more. II gives all the later results of in
restigation, and the arrangement and illustra-
tons are excellent. 1t is one of the best books
that can be placed in the hands of student
who is making his first steps in geology. Pub
lished by the HarperS and for sale at Bigelow's.
For LACK OF GOLD, a novel by Charles |
Gibbon, has been published by the Harpers. 1t |
shows that the author Is well acquainted with |
the dialect and manners of the Scotch people, |
and has some skill in planning a story. This |
story is readable, although he has contrived to |
make some portions of it little tedious, by at
tempting a delineation of passion somewhat |
beyond his powers. In doing this, he makes |
his hero behave like weuk-minded milksop. |
The story will be read, and in some respects it
is very good.
RECENT DISCUSSIONS IN SCIENCE, PHI
LosoPHT AND MORALS. BY Herbert Spencer,
New York: d. Appleton 6 Co. This small
volume contains seven papers, which, as the pre-
face tells us, " have been drawn from Mr. Spen-
Ger at various times, to correct misapprehen-
sions and misrepresentation of the doctrines of
his system of philosophy" They will be new to
most American readers; and those who desire
to have an intelligent view of this writer's spec
stations will stsdy them carefully. For sale at
Bigelows's.
RESOURCES oP KANSAS, by C. C. Hutchinson,
and published by the author at Topeka. This
book is written with much more literary ability
than is usually displayed in those of its class.
1t gives full, clear and generally correct in
formation on all matters which an actual or
prospective immigrant needs to know, and it ap-
pears to be free from the exaggerations with
which such books are mostly disfgured. A
large number of copies have been purchased by
the state, and intrusted to the governor for dis.
tribution, for the encouragement Of immigra
ton.
The CHATTERBox, for August, is as usual
conspicuous for the clearness and beauty of its
illustrations. The little people cannot fail to
be delighted with them. The reading matter
will also interest children, but in this depart
ment we think, the English magazines do not
excel, if they equal, our own, Pott & Amery,
New York, are the American publishers of the
Chatterbox.
The SUNDAY AT HoMR contains an excel
lent variety of attractive and useful reading,
much of it distinctivey religious in tone.
Among its contributors are some of the best
known clergymen in England, and it Is free
from anything that need offend the prejudices
of any evangelical denomination of Christians.
TIE OVERLAND MONTHLY, for August, has
interesting papers on an early hero of the Paci
Ac coast, the East at Yosemite, stories, sketches
of travel, poems, &c. None of the magazines of
this month excel it In interest.