New-York tribune., 1872-09-10

around him. =. -. .,., g.. oo, him
within doors for OF the months; better than coun
ellis Of friends TO settle nnaeS9s guesnoSs a Sor in no
lovely manner at unexpected moments. Ana ,sbV whorV
an omen fire viii consider whether he can afford to spend
himself aud family 70 spare his woodlot was o3a
tiles Of porcelain with suggestive devices of the grace
ful hospitaes of the oden time when every n,as ver
sation enhanced by the friendly baze around weh "o
family gathered and paid their devotons 10 ilenuf
Go where will tbOu uely Lar, stay here
Close BY the g;'enSg chimney nd a ih cty residence
for the Winter desirable For recreanon . as
allowance taken from business lelsures as Esh Cor
labors alike enjoyable, and promoung uno i'"' ~
" Book. s.ndes business entertain the light
Aud sleep as undsturbed death the nisstt tta
Ss9 ,S soSSe S1 Ef Sa he hs's sioo:
Than palace, and should thHg Do
Ones bonse should be roomy enough for his tnougn'
for his family and guests honor the cellngs anu YEN
aIitv the hearthstone Ample apartments, charhlhg
landscape and surroundings; THESE nave t.otas
and are not 10 be left out of account Yet without
nobility TO grace them, what were the eosIJ Pi5 or
narlors and marks luxuries and elegancles Wtnl vi
ithont-the handsome house owing its chet beauty W
the occupants the company: one nsrsons $50 beng
he res that grace the edihce, else unfurnished ana
but SNOWY pile Of ostentation and folly, as desolate
within pretentious without. ,,o, IN,
Two '.stn9 5S9ss ,Da nRnsy iStsrSi.1% 9a5nS' OD'
Mr. Alcott makes no Clalul To WIuo io"UI"e Va "
tensiye erudtion. His studies appear to have peen
confined within a limited compass. His tavorle
tbemes relate to the nature AID destiny of man, and
he is most conversant with the writers who have
treated of their spiritual aspects. His mind is sngu-
larlv impressible. A hint from Plato or Plotinus,
although he evidently has "small Latin and less
Greek y ripens in his imagination into harvest OIL
fragrant flowers or dainty fruit. He often shows an
ex0uisite instinct of scholarship, and rare appre-
citation of studious life. His remarks on Literature
sometimes possess the force if not the bnliancy OF
apborisms Thus he says: Freedom from aiialrs
and leisure TO entertain his thoughts, is the
scholars PARADISE Hardly less the deIght In
comparing notes with another in conversation. ohe
does not see his thought distinctly till 1t Is renecteo
in +be image of another's. Personal perspective
gives the distance necessary to bring out It's sgn
canceD Although his nature Is receptive rather
than critical Mr. AlcOtt offers some INSTRUCTIVE
suggestions on the function of true CRITICISM Inc
criticism of admiration" he remarks Is 1ar more
accepable and the likely TO be just than tha'
of censure. Much learning does not make an ac-
complished critic; taste, senslblhty sympathy
ideality. are indispensable. A man OF talent may
apprehend and judge fairly Of works OF MS class
But genius alone comprehends and appreciates tIuS
the works of genius" "Time is the best critic, and
the better for his lnlOleIalCc VI
fortunate for literature that he is thus choice and
exacting. Books like character, are works OF tilne
and must run the gauntlet OF criticism to gain endur
ingcelebrity The best books may sometimes wait LOT
their half century or longer for apprecatve readers
create their readers the few ready to appreciate
these nj their issue being the most enlightened OF
their time and they diuse the light to their circle
of readera The torch of truth thus transmitted
sheds its light over hemispheTes,the globe at last
Several interesting pages of this volume are de-
voted to the portraiture OF certain eminent men
among the authors acquaintance, Emerson, HaW-
thorpe. Wendell Phillips Garrison, and Thoreau, oc
cupying the foreground i'll the personal gallery The
likenesses however, are miniature sketches rather
than full length figures seizing upon isolated 1ea-
lures to the exclusion of complete and harmonious
exhibition of characteristic traits. Indeed the rag
mentary construction of the whole work is among
its most striking qualities but it is inherent In the
plan of the author; and no. one should ind fault
with him because he prefers to show his precious jew
els in SOLITARY brancy rather than in clusters Of
pearls and diamonds. Nor can he claim the merit OF
originality forimany of his sententious utterances.
In FORM they are singularly cleancut often transpa
rent in their crystal lucidity, and blending sug-
pestiveness of thought with purity and refinement
of expression. But they rarely ascend to the pr-
mary sources of truth, or throw new light on the
vital problems of the soul Their substance is the
same that has become familiar to the readers of the
mystic philosophers of England from John Smith
and Henry More to Coleridge. Their movement is
always circular or spiral never III night line
and though there may be intense action there is no
progress Mr. AlcOtt is most felicitous IN his COM
ments on his favOrite authors Breathing congo
nial atmosphere in their presence he catches pOr
ton of their inspiration and rises their wings to
plane of thought and even of occasional eloquence
which he could not have reached by his own
natural strength Hence the tone of his book,
which is made up in part OF liberal eX-
tracts from great writer's of another day. as
well as of the present is refreshing and in fact, de-
lightful The instinct of the honeybee for the most
aromatic herbs is not more certain than his choice
of the most delicious fruits from his masters in prose
and verse His taste in the higher literatufe of En-
gland is of an exquisite stamp, rejecting everything
of trivial or frivolous nature. and finding its SUI
preme satisfactions in the loftest ideals. Mr.. Al
colts lack of sense of humor, it may be remarked
in passing. is something wonderful. The contagious
influence of Emerson and Hawthorne in this re-
spect seems never to have impaired the divine Sc
renity of his repose. His pages betray no symp-
tom of his ever having INDUCED in the cardinal
privilege of humanity spontaneous and cordial
laugh With sincere love of flowers, of trees, of
children, of good and beautiful women the
love of fun has been left out of his COM
position, and never gives human flavor to his
writings. The only instance of approach to
humor that we can recall in this volume is in pas
sage already quoted, where, speaking of the COM
mencement of the seasons, he remarks that " the
date of All Fools Day can hardly fall amiss."
Without commanding the new work before us as
model Of the highest intellectual qualities or as
giving promise of permanent place in the htera-
tnre of the age. we greet it with hearty welcome
as a Characteristic memorial of the ideal and un-