, 1872-10-20

THE ATLANTIC,
In the Atlantic Monthly for November, the
Poet at the Breakfast-Tablo approaches the end
Of his talkative repast. Very few. of the thous-
ands Of admirers that DR.. Holmes won by the
unique and charming humor OF the Autocrat at
the Breakfast-Table, which WAS supplemented
By the Professor at the same table, do not regret
that he sho1ld have followed in similar vein
with this latter effort, of which We might think
better If We had not first read the others.
Harriet Prescott spoHord, Rose Terry. F. Logic
Robertson, Celia Thaxter, and Louisa Bushnell
contribute the poetry Of the month.
There is oue short story, F" A Dinner Part "
80 clever that it is too short, in which learned
burglar, an impossible combination of culinary
culture with depredatory skill, and detectives Of
impossible acutenoss, are the chief characters.
James Parton combines his ssLife Of Jeffer-
son" with chapter entitled "Jefferson's Re-
turn from France in 1789;' in which he tells
how much his five years residence in Paris had
done to make him swift, COOL adroit, thorough
1y-trained Minister, and to rid him, by contact
with people like Lafayette, the Duke of Dorset,
Madame de Stael, Baron Grimm, Of his colonial
notions and habits. Jefferson WAS in Paris at
the supreme moment Of the Revolution OF 1789.
and Parton gives an interesting sketch of the
scenes Jefferson Witnessed, in some Of which he
WAS indirectly participant. The article leaves
him in 81 Maiden lane, New York, where he be-
gan, on his return, to attack the accumulated
business OF his Office Of Secretary State.
Thesccond, andconcluding portion Of Guests
Confession" by H. James, Jr., and the s'Comedy
of Terrors," are the continued stories.
Professor John Fiske's Primeral Ghost
World - is very realab1e paper On the genesis
Of myths, in which he solyes popular supersti-
tions and myths by referring them back to tho
mental process by which the original myth
maker speaks of natural objects as il they were
animated persons rs, for instance, some Of the
Genii Of tho Arabian Nights are shown to be
water-apouts or NhirlinS simoons. Professor
Fiske has made, in mythology at large, m in
vestigation similar in purpose to that UNDER
taken more minutely by Karl Blind in Germanic
mythology.
'sA Prodigal in Tahite" gives the not very
thrilling adventures Of scape- grace in the Gar
den Of the Pacific the recital Of which is the thin
coating with which the hungry reader is induced
to assimilate much interesting information con-
cerning life in that island.
Reviews in the usual admirable style OF the
Atlantic, in which, by the way, Morleys ';Vol-
taire" is styled the most important English
literary work Of the year,-comments On Art,
Music, and Politics, close this excellent number.
THE GALAXY.
The Gdldry contains several pleasant short
stories of which "Saved from the Mormous will
attract most attention.
Seven collections Of verses are given; among
them, one by T. Buchanan Read, which is not
above Reads standard; and one by an anony~
w~13,r 1, $,,l; ~ md
his ss Sunrise on the A1ps" forth without = pat
ronynic.
The heavy articles are Albert Rhodes "The
Dutch at Home" which is tolerably weighty,
like ita subject; DeForest's "Gregory VII,
King Of Kings,'' on whom he places the respon-
sibility OF d hundred battles, and the loss Of two
million lives; NJ. E. ". SIS Venice" town
with which magazine readers are somewhat
familiar; and Carl Bensons "Publishers and
Authors," which is the shortest and heaviest Of
all.
Two essays of real interest are: "Are Amer
leans Lcas Healthy than Europeans 2" by S. 6.
Young; and 'sThe King Of Terors Discrowned,"
by Junius Henri Browne. Alr. Young thinks
that the Americans are less heu1thy, as people,
than Europeans; in fact, he considers us " ex-
cep.ional1y unhealthy" Europeans, in the mat
ter Of sleepiug heating, lighting, drainage, food,
exercise, and recreation, are shown to be far su-
perior to their degenerate cis-Atlantic brethren.
But the principal reason for our weakness is the
peculiar unhea1thiness Of American women.
One Of the causes Of this is the premature age
at which they become wives and mothers. Ger
man physicians, he says, agree that women do
not attain their full growth until after
20 yeara Of age, and German physicians
are infalliblo authorities, as every one knows,
on the constitutions Of American women. An
other cause Of the physical imbeciity OF Ameri-
can femininity is, that American women are in
the habit, in the morning, of nttiring themselves
in white skirts, which, Of course, render promo
nades and exercise out Of the question. Al
though a careless writer, Alr. Young gives
very interesting paper; and, if his account Of
the care which English ladies' take OF their
physical health encourage only few Of our
city-nurtured women, who keep indoors to 5aye
their compilations, to seek greater beauty in
open-air exercise, he will be forgiven the cruelty
with which he has dispelled our fervent belief
TINT VIC were not only the biggest, but the
healthiest nation on the footstool.
Junius Henri Browne, who, while war-corTe-
spondent, saw about dozen men die, every day,
shows conclusiTely that Death has no terrors for
the dying. Polsons produce stupor, which
passes into oblivion. To be killed outright bya
gun-shot wound is easy. Death by falling from
height is unattended by a single throe. "of
falls Of this kind, have had my ahare," " says
Mr.. Browne. Freezing to death is positively
pleasant; and Frenchmen, in search of amuse-
ment, are known to be hsbitually hanging them
selves,- careful instructions being given to their
Wallets as to the precise moment for cutting them
down to prevent the final extinction Of the vital
spark. Nobody but Mr.. Browne would have
dared to put the rider Of the ssPale Horse" on
the pleasant and aociabio footing Of rather de-
sirable visitor. His paper is exceedingly well
written, nbounds in apt illustration and vivid
"Reminiscences, and is convincing as far as it con-
Germs the dissolution Of IS Arte1nus Ward used
to say, "any other man,.
THE NORTH AMERICAN.
The North american Reuie,o for October
begins with the last part Of Karl Hillebrands
paper on "Hcrder." His preceding chapter
brought Herder down to his meeting with
March II, 17T0 and &hia obor,{ar 1nrtTo tf1a