Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-20

elimination between messages is liable to work
forfeiture of the cable company's charter. 1t
can hardly fail to destroy all confidence in the
integrity of its management. Mr.. Field Ger
tainly appears to very little advantage in the
published correspondence on the subject.
LIFE AND LETTERS OF HUGH MILLER, by
Peter Bayne. Published aud for sale by Gould
and Lincoln, Boston. This book, despite its in
fated and vicious style, and the authors imper-
feet acquaintance and sympathy with Hugh
Miller's scientific pursuits, has much interest
and value. Its subject was man of remark
able qualities. He was the son of poor Scotch
fisherman, and, while a boy, was wilful and
undisciplned, making apparently very little
use of the scanty educational opportunities
within his reach. In his youth he was appren-
ticed to a stone mason, and earned his living
for some years in that employment. AT this
time his attention was directed TO the
strange forms exposed by the quarry
men at their work in the heart of the
rock, and his mind thus received an i'm
pulse which determined the general course of
his after life. The science of geology became
his favorite study, and he pursued it with such
success as to take a high rank among the scien-
tiic men of his time. As a writer he is best
| known by his books on geology and kindred
subjects, and by his photographed work,
''My Schools and Schoolmasters." These were
written in an admirably strong, clear and graphic
style; they have been extensively read, both in
this country and Great Britain, and have proba-
bly, had more to do with awakening and spread
ing the popular interest in natural science,
especially geology, than almost any other agen-
cy. Besides his labors as a student and author,
Hugh Miller was for years the editor
of an influential journal, and wrote for
it with great ability, taking an earnest
and effective part in the religious and political
controversies which agitated Scotland in his
day. His death by his own hand in fit of
temporary insanity, induced by excessive men
tai labor, was an event of melancholy interest
to both hemispheres. We cannot say very much
in praise of theiexecution of this biography. 1t
contains, however, some facts not previously
known and the letters, of which there are very
many, are full of interest. In selecting these
from probably large mass of correspondence,
for Hugh Miller was an interchangeable letter
writer, we are willing to believe that the bio
grarher was judicious.
CONDENSED NOVELS. By Bret Harte. Bos-
ton: ]. R. 0sgood & Co. These travesties of
the popular novelists are sometimes very anus
ing Some of them owe their point to a broad
caricature of some trick of style or some peculi-
arity of plot or incident, while others are very
skillful and close limitations of the burlesqued
author in his subrler as well as more obvious
characteristics of thought and style. "The
Haunted Man." after Dickens, is perhaps the
best. The book is for sale by L. H. Bigelow.
BREAD-WINNERs, by Lady of Boston; pub.
lished in Boston, by Nichols & Hall. We have
not yet found time TO read this story carefully;
but have read enough to see that the author has
thought and observed, before writing. 1t por-
trays the life and experiences Of shop girls,
judging by what we have read, and deserves to
find large circle of readers. We may speak
of it again.
PIKE COUNTY BALLADS" is the title of
volume of poems by John Hay, just published
by James R. 0sgood & Co. The first piece in
the volume Little Brooches" has been much
circulated; and the same publishers have issued
this and "Jim Bludso," in thin "picture
book" with illustrations by S. Eytinge, Jr.
The "other poems" in the book are classed as
"Wanderlieder" and New and Old" For sale
at Bigelow's.
S. R. WELLS, New York, las published a
work by Geo. H. Taylor, NJ. D., entitled 'Paraly-
sis, and other Affections of the Nerves; their
cure by vibratory and special movements"
The book shows that DIR. Taylor has studied his
subject For sale at Bigelows.
ZELL's POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA, and Uni
Versal Dictionary, is completed with No. SO,
which has now reached us. There can be no
question in regard to the value of this work.
The editor has done his task well, and the pub
Usher has taken care to have it well printed on
good paper. The work when bound makes two
large quarto volumes. Its place, as book of
reference, is on the shelf for such books be-
tween the Dictionary and Encyclopedia; and in
that place, it will be found very useful.
THE EDINBURGH REVIEW, for April, repub-
lished in New York, by the Leonard Scott Pub
fishing Company, contains ten articles Of
course, the "recent war" is studied; and the
German Empire gets attention. The articles
b0Slu W Us Dtllcl IMAM AtlSj VI lulCJ DSSu uSual
with this quarterly.
The WESTMINSTER REVIEW, containing an
excellent variety of articles, one of which is
noticed in another place, has reached us. 1t is
very good A "Note" in this number contains
a letter from d. d. Field New York, written to
set this quarterly right in the matter of Fisk,
Gould, Judge Barnard, Field and Erieism gener-
ally. Mr.. Field appears to think this matter
cannot be understood without his assistance,
which is bad mistake Something had been
printed in the Westminster which he wishes to
have understood as he directs; but no uneasy
struggling of this kind can remove the fact that
his connection with Fisk, Gould, and Erie, has
compromised his reputation.
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, for June, has ar
ticles by Wilson Flagg, Lucy Larcom, Caroline
Chesebro, John G. Whittier, Clarence King, and
other good writers. The whispering Gallery"
No. 6, is devoted to Charles Dickens, and more
on the same topic is promised for next month";
We must not omit to say that this number has,
also, "a Virginian in New England, rhirty-6Ve
Years Ago, No. ""
"0UR YOUNG Folks, for June, is out with
three additional chapters of "Jack Hazard, and
other good things that will be read. The con-
ductOrs of this magazine manifestly know how
to make it what it should be.
ScRIBSER's MONTHLY, for June, has second
illustrated article on the "Wonders of the yell
lowstone." The other illustrated articles are
Lights and Shadows of the War in France;
'Three Leaves from Story" Emperor VIII
liam's Mother" "Leipsic and its Fair" "The
Illinois and St. Louis Bridge" and "Wilfrid
Cumbermede'' continued. 1t is in all respects
an excellent number
"GooD WORDS" AND "GooD WORDS FOR THE
YOUNG" repubIished by j. B. Lippincott & Co.,
Philadelphia, have reached us. The former be-
gins new story, by Katharine Saunders, en-
titled "High Hills" and continues "The Syl-
vesters " and the papers of Hawthorne. GOOD
Words for the Young" is unusually good, as its
readers will be likely to admit.
The COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS GUIDE Book,
prepared by L. P. Bracket, NJ. D., and publish
ed in New York by H. Dayton 6 Co., contains
large amount of statistical information such
as the class indica ted rnnat have %, oond,o4