New-York tribune., 1873-03-17
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

RosroN March 15-" Old aud New y is very
much in the habit OF dropping into politics In the
Introduction the April number it discusses the recent
Congressional imbroglio, ana then ardently defends
oakes Ames. who is prophet not without honor In lis
own neghborhood;
observe that the principal scapegoat Is Mr.. Oakes
Ames who, every one knew, owned stocks, and with
cannot help asking whether this public wrath Of stain
less press edited by Gaahads and Bayards would have
aimed at him and the rest II they had all come out
bankrups OF course their guilt would have been the
same know that the men who have mosey,dnS , men @
aud would not touch their stocks and bOnds. NoW,
like 10 that Mr.. Ames, who ~ as honest anu
honorable gentleman as am apt 10 meet with, seems
to me 10 be censured in Congress- because, on ihe
whole the public meant to have victim. GrahlIg Grai
that you find that In staggering along under the weight
of the greatest enterprise ever yet carried TO nc
more steadily, stn he is man just as ngy pd on
by those who know him as he was the day ne sbiDE
TINS enterprise; and that Is saying great deal 'S %
a. becomes Massachusetts, man 10 say u IO-uaHS; H;
whether the use that has been OF the session VIII
send on the whole better type OF men into Congress
think doubtful; perhaps II VIII leave inore ioo '0
for letter-wrers
In tho fortbcom,pc ppnher Mr. Fred b. Perkins takes
denarture and gives the opening chapters OF
novel, which he entities scropc; Or The Lost Library.
III promises 10 be interesting; at least II mas plenty o
the material interest IN the members vaTousiy Dorh
and reared and widely scattered, OF an old family
who are drawn together by their mutual interest
An a disputed inheritance. We have an En-
grsh "swell" an American mOneyed man,
sehOlar and a beautiful delicate-looKng glrl, WIN
clearly cut features, sensitive lips fearless eyes, goou
deal of musical abty-a dgnhed, proud gracefui lady,
who you are led TO suspect jusbeore tthe instanen
closes has been stealing what police detective de-
seribes as small passe lace from jerks Irainors
Her father meets the accusation with eountenance
more in sorrow than anger, and we are left in de-
hghtfnl and tantalzing uncertainty as to what 1t all
means worthy of Wilkie Collins.
Another serial, commenced in this number. is " MY
Time. and What I've Done With It," by F. c. Burnand,
who wrote Happy Thought Hail." and my Health
aud who we have faith TO believe, cannot be dull IL ne
would A. II. Louis writes Concerning Language ana
Cold and pcrsuades that the political and interna-
tonaI destiuies Of mankind bOundtup with seien-
tinc linguistic study. He defines barbarsm as " the
contempt and neglect Of language our own or that OF
other peoples contempt aud neglect that are heavily
punished IN the long run, by inevitable vulgarism IN
private, and weakness IN national life. M H. Hinckley
treats pleasant account OF Country sights ana
Sounds say of Spring frogs and birds-which
gives you somewhat of the thrill you feel when the rst
robio comes, you see the earliest violet shy ana
sweet by the waysde In an article on The Abuse OF
Reading" j. p Quincy says true word and good word
for newi . ipers as a means OF culture.
Doubt any ones good who speaks scornfuly OF
newspapers There much in them that is trhing and,
perhaps, demorazng; but in the pest OF them, nov now
umes on NY shelves, among them an Ohyet Cicero and
folio Shakespeare; but would save my newspaper
that contain much sound thought, good English good
sense, and important knowledge II you ask for VIII
School for Scandal with something from my seTapboOk
some mischief which it is important should be Here
full reports OF lectures on history by Hedge pOery
Lowell science by Agassiz aud Tynda Here are NILS
York admirers and Mr.. Greeleys reply TO them. You
will find cOpious extracts giving the heart OF the best
modern books and intelligent summaries OF the systems
they advocate. Here occasional sermons into which
leading American dVlnes nave put tnelr most earheet
thought. Here vigorous expressions OF the best
political intelligence clipped from the leaders OF the pest
crisp criticisms OF bundering political work from lndig-
nant citizens whose daily duty has brought them face TO
face with aPsurdlues oI ieslsauon' lake tne pest
newspapers by all means-as many OF them as you
reading matter for granted Some of 1t is good for
body Of 1t is good for somebody; but only small
nents, if wisely chosen If you are interested in the
investigation of any political su9lect-a9d every AmeI
viii tnd IN almost every NEWSPAPER an Illustration @ & Of
scribe 70 few rstcass newspapers that may read
at home with the scissors IN your hand than 10 glance
a score Of them In public readlngrOOm
MI Perkins also talks about newspapers, in The Ex-
amiuer" He maintains that spite of their claims TO
teach lead aud govern they must needs represent
pretty nearly, the opinions and manners Of those who
buy them. On this head he says:
AnexceIeut illustration of this doctrine arises from
comparison OF two New York papers-THE TRIBUNE aud
The Herald that s as conducted while Their founders
aud a weekly But The Weekly Herald was almost moth
ing: very few OF our readers probably, have ever seen
although its daily far from being as insignificant as
The Heralds weekly The reason was simply, that & dnt
days sufficient unto the evil thereof was certain TO
p @ % ana to @ 'ef pa5s nothing G the se
weekly Of Its hzz would barely last l1i,, while
not edited for NewYOrk City. Many and many
time have editorials been printed in II which were
directly oppose to the interests Of the paper as New
York Cts paper But when, at the end OF the week,
THE WEEKLY TRIBUNE was made up, these same arti-
North. Mr. Greeeys likes and dislikes, his ways of
thinking and of arguing happened to Just suit great
many farmers and working-men throughout the North,
who could take and read weekly paper, but who had
npith for the daily. This the
suenoy OF Mr. Greeley and OF The TRIBUNE; ana what
NewYOrk City thought relatively VI no Importance.
Mr. Perkins says that there has never been such
period Of newspaper prosperity the present. and TO
prove IT, THE TRIBUNE shares quoted during
the war at five or six thousand dollars, and
ten thousand.
Among the other interesting articles in the April
Der OF Old and New" timely by +. S. Fiske,
on "Spain a Republic" and a charming story called
"Murrays Little Sister," by Frederic W. Loring. whose
early loss deplore afresh every time
his signature There is plenty of good in "Old
and New" 1t does not "lesk information" Mark
Twain says be does-for information is "it, princ-
palIy." as Artemus Ward described his
position In the family circle. 1t has numerous and ex
oeeDt essays, historical papers, and good serials
but fewer short stories than its competitors and some
times fOrgets its pOetical department entirely 1t
doubtless due to the frivoy Of my mind that it
to me Like dinner all rOasts. 1t IS the
best fare in the world yet ungratefu epcure has
been known TO miss the variety Of the
tr6es the lightDess OF the whipped sylla-
bubs, the inspiration Of the champagne frappe But
gravity belongs 10 Boston, where standard OF decOrum
answers instead Of fixed creed. Why do all true
Bostonians gravitate naturally toward Untariaism 2"
asked clergyman Of another lately by way of solemn
ooDuudrnm. why" was the answer, because having
been Boston they cannot conceive 1t necessary