, 1872-10-14

highly attractive. We have rarely, If ever, eeen
60 much sensible household information brought
within the limits OF tho same volume. =
THE NORMAL MUSICAL HANDBOOK. By GEosoE
r. Roo7. George F. Root Sons, Chicago.
This little work purports to be . book Of in
struction and reference for teachers OF notation,
Toice-cultnre, harmony, and church music, IN
the purpose Of the author. It contains very
full, yet concise, statsments of elementary
principles, short lectures and devices for the use
Of teachers, full methods for singing classes,
the mode Of teaching elementary harmony and
composition, and q dictionary which furnishes
at once definitions and an index. The latter
part Of the work is the only one that is not true
to its promise; it is claimed to be spronounc-
ing, but it does not contain clue to the pro-
nunciations Of many Words which are pul ely
professional when used in English sentences.
For instance; we are not told whether or not
we should sound the Last letter in the word
Andante.
Apart from this, the work Is full OF attraction
to ons who wishes to know how to teach music
successfully, as it is not only full without pro-
li1ity. and very suggestive, but is also sharply
critical, defining meanings and positions with d
clossness Of style thnt will well repay q perusal,
even by those who do not wish to be thorough IN
music. This, because it will widen out the mind
citation Of the powers aud capacities Of words
and phrases, and tend to improve Ills logic
Those who know the author, and know Of lis
lifelong labors in the effort to popularize
music, would expect irst~class work from his
pen; but even they will bo disappointed lin
finding it much better than anticipated. We
may add that this was the first musical work
published in Chicago after the Fire.
THE GLORY, and TIE HOUR OF PRAIsE,-By
GEORGE F. hoor and TIE EsoNG-TREE.-By P F.
RL1sR,-both published By George T. Root 1 Sons,
Chicago. ="
These are al collections Of vocal music which
will meet With q wido patronage. The two first
named arc "sacred music. The "Song-Tree II
the music having been composed dat different times
by Mr. Bliss or his wife. AL three have been
published in Chicago SINCE the Fire Of but little
more than year ago.
WAITING RACE: Novan. By EomUsp YArEs.
Co., Chicago:
The publishers have thrown tlis york upon
the market, hoping that it will have ready sale
because she author is now in America. Without
special urging, it is difficult to SEQ why it should
have any sale at al. It is in Mr. Yates worst
manner, and has even less than the ordinary in
terest attaching to one OF his books. It belongs
to the category Of novels Of society, and the so
clety introduced ls bad enough in all conscience.
The heroine is Of The Darlington family, q hot
blooded race, as prone to Righteousness es the
sparks to fly upward. The faint is in the blood,
and ineradicable. It is physically impossible
that there should be a virtuous Darlington.
Given. female Darlington: and Illicit love fol-
epTs. as Eur Sngey as circle from stated tate
blurred shadows Of humanity, so thoroughly
lnalpid that they are unable even
to aWallen q transitory interest in the reader.
There is no breadth OF conception in the story,
dialogue, no depth in the passion, no imtgina-
tire coloring anywhere. The personnges troop
Istlessly across the scene, nlopping and moving,
and uttering the stalest frippery Of talk, as the
author crooks his finger. The action passes
don, and at Nice. Three ladies' Of the Daring
ton blood are introduced, all Of whom ara s:boau-
tiful e1ceedingly," and all faithless wives. The
last, who IL the loveliest and most eccentric,
transcends the limited managerial ability even
Of tho author, and has her brains dashed out
against lamp-pont, in default Of more humane
and Convenient means Of taking of. Mr.. Yates
seems never to have had the benefit OF classical
education, il such 9 fact is deducible from the
for the deficiency by tawdry embroidery Of
conoquia1 French. Na hear much Of the
alle-a-nnnger and ,nenage Of certain houses,
the ansouciGnce Of certain characters; the
heroine il ,usee and entetce, but succeeds
IN establishing ; sort Of can1arade,'ie between
herself and another; she is engaged, but is not
kura OF herself until the marrying is afiche,
and i guilty Of many an esclandre. And SO
Mr. Yates goes on all through phrtse-book,
sns ee aSc5 b has s lying eh hin ibsg ae g!sb
ia coarse and needlessly addicted to slang. One
Of the Darlington ladies is made to pull up be-
fore somo moral obstacle as ''clumsily as m
elephant 1T u wire-fence j. and some OF his el-
square yard" Il he had said by the square
mile, it would have been equally pertinent, and
quite ~ witty. His jests chow the diInmest |
phosPhorescence Of real humor, and bis society
e only the yellow, gaseous ecunn that some~ |
times 1oats over the deeper social pool. II he |
nothing batter f1 {03a mt m fifHn g11af1
1ribbls as ne find in 'sThe Waiting Race" the |
sooner he ceases to write, and his publishers on
his aide the water to reproduce the better will
1enizena Of the world Of letters be satisfied.
1 soUTH-sEA DAy-DREAM
Alfred Domett, the hero of Robert Browning's !
u WarlnE. has published the fruit Of his thirty |
odd years Of self-imposed exile, in the shape OF !
poem Of eighteen thousand verses, under the |
itle: Ranolf and Amohia; South-Sea Day. |
Dream" Tho long story is half-autob tobiographi~
al, half-fanciful. Ranolf is Scotchman, cu1-
ursd and young, Who, weary Of the tameness OF
everyday life, yields to the rowing fit that almost
masters every man at some time OF his life, and ]
disappears from Great Britain to reappear in
ser Zealand. His rescue OF Amohia, daughter
t the great chief Tengi-Moana, or s'Wailing
orthwith into frat-class savage society. A di-
ression gives us Ranofs theological yieHs. and
1e find that he has studied and compared all |
ysteus, and NOW believes only in
God, and the general ominancs Of good.
Taugi-Mosna's cheory creed is aleo sketched.
he "Wailing Sea" has given up his belief in
1an's eating man but refuses to believe in To-
bet, despite the missionaries vivid portraitrres
that place:
nee, when jealous teacher from the North
he tsrrorx Of hix creed had thundered fortl,-
nfolded with keen Lest, and fond desire
0 save his hesrers from 20 sad fate,
III pleasant faith in everlasting fire,
nd painted al tho pangs the damned await
hio horror blRnched the cheeks Of half the crowd,
ID T.ng roarad with laughter long and loud:
hst Hall Of theirs, ha said, might be q place
and fitting for the white mans race;
o Maori wEs half bad enough to he
oorned to no horrible destiny.
He for hh part would have nought to do
'ith any Atua, whether false or true,
Tho could delight his direst foe to See
he victim Of ouch nonstEou8 cruelty. !
nd when he learnt what adverse eex prevailed,
nd how the others doctrines they asaaied,
[c held his hnnd out, with the fingers SPREAD
So many Ways to heaven you teach, !" he said:
When you hare n1ed the right one and none doubt
it,
will then be time for me to think about it,"
In = conversation something like that re-
3rded in the opening of Morris Fs Earthly
aradise," the different beliefs Of Old England
It'll |