Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-16

the country. The author acknowledges the
help received from Mr.. Eastlake's book in the
matter of illustrations. These are generally
alike in these two books, otherwise they are,
except as to some general characteristics, quite
dissInilar. Both in regard TO the value
of art education and the system of instruction
to be adopted in obtaining it Mr.. Smiths studies
and experience qualify him to speak with au-
thority, and his good sense and thorough knowl-
edge of his subject are everywhere visible, His
book is written in clear and attractive style, is
amply illustrated, and deserves TO be read by all
who have or wish to have an intelligent interest
in educational matters. Grout & Putnam have
it,
HINTS ON HOUSEHOLD TASTE TX FURNI-
TURE, UPHOLSTERY, AND OTHER DETAILS, by
Charles L. Eastlake. Boston: James R. osgood
& Co. Mr.. Eastlake is generally considered
good authority in matters of art, and hints from
such source should be, and to a certain eX-
tent, are valuable. His book is certainly very
attractive. He illustrates his subject with many
woodcuts of medieval furniture, and of his own
designs, examples of early Italian patterns for
wall papers, examples of modern parquetry
floors, table ware, Venetian glass, &c. His
manner of writing is plain and simple, and
many of his notions excellent; but, if we may
venture to criticize so great an authority, we
think him somewhat TOO prone to see beauty
only in one style, namely, the medieval, and
too ready to reject everything modern simply
because it is purely modern, and not copied
from the antique. Thus an extension dining
table is an abomination in his eyes, and he will
not admit that it has even the advantage
of convenience, prefering TO it square
table with flaps that can be raised
when desired, although everybody must
know that the latter both looks and is more
insecure than the former, against which Mr..
Eastlake's great objection is its apparent inse-
curity. The tables which he recommends are
ponderous affairs of two inch oak plank, mounted
on square posts, larger than those which go
into many house frames nowadays, or on
heavy trestles, and containing altogether tim
Der enough for a small cottage. Grace and
lightnesS in furniture he absolutely rejects; the
only forms he can tolerate are bulky and angu
lar. The word elegance is not found in his yo-
cabulaIy except as a term of reproach. He
comedies so much to modern prejudice as to iu-
troduce among his designs an iron bedstead,
which is, of course, a comparatively slender
structure, but he is not satisfied until he has
placed over it a canopy from which depend
heavy curtains with thick folds reaching the
ground Some of his canons Of taste seem to
US by no means indisputable, and they are pro-
pounded and applied with an arrogance that is
far from conciliatory. The American editor,
Mr.. Perkins, does not assent TO all Mr.. East
lakes propositions, and his notes are often val
liable. The book is for sale by Grout & Put
nam.
"a SUMMERS ROMANCE" BY Mary Healy
author Of "Lakeville," etc. Here we have the
story of young English governess, left by the
death of her employer alone and friendless.
She is in Italy, and there she resolves to remain
for time, making holiday, and hoping to find
under the beautiful, sunny skies of Capri, the
the rest and peace which, in her sad life, she
has only dreamed of. But there comes to her a
lover, then days of teverish unrest, then a little
taste of great happiness, and then sorrowful
DEATH The story is told with considerable
power and strength of expression, but the
ending is so unsatisfactory as to nearly spoil
the whole. For sale by Grout & Putnam.
CALIFORNIA For HEALTH, PLEASURE AND
RESIDENCE; A Book for Travellers and Settlers,
by Charles Nordhoff. New York: Harper &
Brothers. We can recommend this book as
valuable and interesting to others besides the
Travellers and settlers" for whom it is special
y intended, Portions of it have appeared in
Harper's Magazine, the Tribune and the Eve
ming Post, but much new matter has been added,
and the whole gathered into a handsome and
very readable book. There are many lustra-
tions, several maps, and an appendix with tables
oftemperature in Clareus, (Switzerland) Aiken,
| Is. Carolina and San Bernardino and Anaheim,
| California;, with letter from a consumptive
"who has experienced remarkable relief in
southern California" The first part OF the book
| is devoted TO "a plain ana detailed statement of
| the routes across the continent, of the sights
| of California, table of expenses" &c.
| There is also a chapter which certainly de-
| serves attention, on health resorts for nvalids.
The remainder of the book is devoted TO accounts
of the agricultural and fruit culture of southern
California, a region almost unknown; but
which, Shy reason of its rich soil, cheap lands
and healthful climate, deserves the attention
of farmers looking for homes" Mr. Nordhoff
vouches for the accuracy of his statistics, and,
though it seems almost as if there could hardly
be so delightful a climate on earth as he de-
scribes, that of some parts of California we are
ready to believe and almost ready to make an
immediate start for this paradise, Grout and
Putnam have this book for sale.
l..
New York; Harper & Brothers. Mr., Mast in
| dulges in all manner of drolleres in the illus.
| trations of this almanac, beginning with the
frontispiece, in which old Father Time is repre-
scented as having discarded his scythe, and
adopted in its stead steam moving machine,
on which he sits at ease, as 1t cuts down men
and their works. The calendars for the several
mouths are headed with grotesque cuts repre-
senting national pecularities broadly carica-
| tured, AMI following these come extracts from
Dickens, Mark Twain, Eli Perkins and other
humolists, illustrated in Nast's inimitable
STYLE. The usual astronomical and other in
formation, finds place also. Grout & Putnam
have it,
Town GEOLOGY, by the Rev. Charles Kings
ley, canon of Chester, Published by D. Apple
ton Co., New York. MIR. Kingsley gives
rather an odd title to his book, but on the whole
happy one. In it he discourses on geology,
treating his subject in popular way, and maxi
| ing what he has TO say entirely comprehensive
to any one who may choose to apply his COM
mon sense to the matte in hand. The book
opens WITH long preface, in which the author
urges upon young men the study of geology,
because at is perhaps the simplest and easiest of
all physical sciences because il requires less pre-
yious knowledge of other sciences; and because
it is especially the poor mans science" The
heads of chapters are; "1he Soil of the Field, /"
The Pebbles in the Street." "The Stones in
the Wal" "The Coal in the Fire." "The Lime
in the Mortar" "The States on the Roof"
These papers were originally delivered to the
young men of Chester, England, and are in the
familiar style Of a conversational lecturer; they
are instructive and entirely free from dullness.
They are especially adapted, Of course, to the
audience for which they were prepared, but by no
means devoid of interest Or profit for the dwell
ers in other towns than old Chester. For sale
here by Sanford 8 Co.
The DOVE IN THE Eagles Nest, by the
author of "The Heir of Redcliffe," &C. This
story seems to us Miss Yonge's masterpiece.