The Portland daily press., 1873-03-22

| new magazines TO find those on which was
the stamp of Leigh Hunts bright fancy and
| ripe thought-not less than theirs will be the
pleasure of his readers of to-day, to whom
these essays come-their wit and wisdom
ever fresh, and their merit proved and mel
lowed by time. There is vigor and richness
IN the wishing Cap Papers," mingled with
much knowledge of the world, and Of Lon
don In particular-keensighted though very
Tolerant comment upon social topics, and
genuine, sweet, natural humor. The ele-
gance and force OF the authors style, and
the very minute, distinct and graphic man
ner in which he presents to the readers mind
the scenes that he describes, cannot fail of
| general appreciation; and countless and
nameless felicities of thought and wording
| are everywhere noticeable. The compiler of
| this volume deserves much praise for the
taste, care and faithful, loving Lbor evidently
bestowed upon his grateful task.
Published by Lee & Shepard. For sale by
Loring, Short & Harmon. v
PARTINGToNIAN PATCHWORK: p. B. Shiia-
Der. .. = = -
l 1t is trite remark that there Is no
duller reading than a collection of Jokes:
TO this we add-there is nothing In liz.
erature more uncomp. omisingly sad, more
adapted to reconcile the reader to leaving
a world in which it was printed - than
volume like the one before us. It Is
dreary to the last degree to read a book, pro-
fessedly funny, in which there is nothing atp,
all laughab.e, except the obvious but wholly
unintentional comicality of its utter failure
to be what it proposed. 1t is, however, very p
remarkable that in 800 pages there should be
80 little to suggest smilc-and we congratu-
late the author on its total immunity from .
everything which might detract from the sol
emnlty OF any occasion. Mrs. Parting'on Is
modernized and vulgarized imitation of
Mrs. Malaprop, to whom the original ''de-
rangement of epitaphs' is due. Although
the less unrefned of these paragraphs might
DO well enough as an occasional newspaper
squib, we really see no necessity for infict-
ing upon the public volume of this sort. It
is collection of futile commonplaces, whose
principal distinction is the total absence of
anything like genuine wit or genial hu-
NOR. Such painful puns, such successful
aspirations toward total nothingness,-it
is rarely the critics lot to meet. As
for the "unambitous inkstand," we hold
that an author has no right to use such, to
ssk indulgence on the score of carelessness.
We con.end that some worthy aim should
everywhere be proposed, some good ambition
steadily held in view. By this, we do not at
all mean to say that every work-what-
ever form it may have, whether poem,
novel, or essay,--should embody some
particular th' ory or convey some point of
scientific information; but if an authors in
tention be to amuse merely, his entire pow
ers for the time being should be devoted to
writing something that shall afford refined
and agreeable diversion, and be, in its own
way, perfect. Anything short of writer's
best intention and endeavor, is an insult to
his public. We speak thus seriously-not be-
cause the volume before US calls for especial
| notice-but because so much false humor,
| sturidly and coarsely expressed Is found in
the publications of the present day. Not
only are such writings harmful in our own
country, but they also cross the seas, and are
there, to certain degree, received as typical
Of American wit, whose accepted exponents
should be, and are here among cultivated
re ders, such as the keen, thoughtful and
polished sentences of Dr. Holmes, or the
clear, elegant and brilliant words of Charles
D. Warner. sVr EsFH 9.
s'Partingtonian Patchwork Is published
by Lee & Shepard, Boston. For sale here by
Loring, Short and Harmon. ''3II -
THE JUBILEE SINGERS OF FISK UNivERsI-
TY. By G. d. Pike; with illustrations
from photographs BY Black. -a -. r-
This books gives an account of the meas
ures which have been taken to elevate the
condition of the cclored people of the south
ern States; and no one who has at heart the
| good of this oppressed people can fail to be
interested in its pages. The first chapters
are devoted to descriptions of Fisk Universi-
| ty and similar institutions, while the others
cor tain the personal history Of some of the
jubilee singers, accompanied by their por-
traits; and an account of the very successful
concert tour by means of which $50, 900 were
realized for the building fund of their Uni
versity. In the appendix to the volume win
be found some of their songs, which are ex-
ceedingly quaint and unique. The words
and music are well fitted to each other, and
have a singular wildness and originality.
Musicians win observe that In these songs
the fourth and seventh degrees of the scale
are omitted; as is also the case in Scottish
music and IN some of the modes of the an
cient Greeks. This fact seems suggestive
one; and how far our present system of
tonality is removed from the purely natural
and uncultivated is matter in which music
al scientists may find rvom for investiea-
ton. -ailoa'a,l
"The Jubilee Singers of Fisk University"
Is published by Lee and Shepard. For sale
by Loring, Short and Harmon.
HANDBOOK OF SOCIAL ECONOMY: OR THE
WoRKER's A. B. c.: BY Edmund About.
In this compact volume Of 2s4 pages NJ.
About gives singularly clear, brilliant and
ingenious resume Of the principles Of social
economy as applied to the problems Of every
day existence; translating the maxims Of sac.
ants and statesmen into their corresponding
terms of actual and common application.
The chapters on ''Sayings and Capital
Strikes and Cooperation" will be found )
exceedingly reasonable and solid. N. Abouts' e
style is lively, suggestive and epigrammatic;
and with French tact he contrives to array
facts and figures with grace not their own,
but derived from his piquant language and
illustration. Such a work as the present,
viii be of the greatest benefit, both to labor
ers and capitalists-in showing by the most
ineligible means their mutual dependence
and identity of interest. The English trans
lation is spirited and easy. i,fr- --r l- .r.
Published by D. Appleton & Co. For sale
by Bailey & Noyes. D. 4s 2
1 rsoi