The New York herald., 1873-09-10
LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.

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LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.
L. D. ROBERTSON, OF New York, will publish
"Song and Scenery; or, q Summer Ramble in
Scotland, by James O. Moffat" Professor Monst Is
well known as the author OF life Of Chalmers,
work on Esthetics, etc.
PROFESSOR c. 8. HENRY, d. D. will shortly pub
lish, through Mr.. Whitaker, OF New York. an orig
inal work entitled "AbOut Men and Things Papers
from My Study Table Drawer.n
A COLLECTED EDITION Of the poems OF Charles
Fenno Honmann (the brilliant writer whose intel
lect has suffered disastrous ecilpse) win shortly be
edited by his son, and brought out by Porter 4
Coates. OF Philadelphia.
JAMES hULREN, OF PoughKeepsie. will print
'Facts and Hints in Regard to Plumbing" We
don't know Of any subject which more needs letting
little light into 1t than the plumbing business,
as managed or mismanaged in our principal
cities.
GOETHE LITERATURE has had recent valuable
accession in the shape OF one large volume OF the
correspondence OF Goethe with william von Hum
boldt and two volumes OF Correspondence on
Natural Science" embracing letters with multi
tude ofmore or less known scientists.
THE AMERICAN CYCLoPAEDIA, edited by George
Ripley and Charles A. Dana, vol l., D. Appleton
Co. Is the first issue OF q revised edition OF the
New American Cyclop9dia the wide circulation OF
which entities it to the character Of truly
national work. slight notice which appeared In
our columns a short time since we find, upon fur.
ther examination does insufficient justice to the
evident care, thoroughness and ability evinced in
its preparation well as to its remarkable merits
as q book of general reference for American
readers. AS Is clear from the long array of names
which follows the preface, the foremost scientific
men are contributors on their own favOrite SUBJ
jects, while all Others are treated by writer's who
have made their respective matters speciality.
1t was to be expected that the ripper
experience Of the editors and their associates
would produce q work distinguished by q
greater unity OF treatment, and that they would
avail themselves Of the new sources OF information
laid open by the recent discoveries and progress Of
science. This is abundantly manifest in this first
volume. The numerous and beautiful illustrations,
which form one OF It's most attractive features,
have not crowded out any one single article of
real interest, while the reader will be surprised to
see so many useful additions to former articles
and very many new ones Of great Importance. Such
are the articles Acoustics" "Aeronautics,"
"Agassiz''" "Air Pumps" Alabama" "Alaska, -
american Wines" "Arizona," "Armor,"
"Army,' "Artesian Wells" "Artiery," &c. These
treated. as they are, thoroughly, and illustrated
without care Of expense, are only few Of the
many improvements which promise to make the
| "American Cyclopedia" superior to anything Of
| the kind hitherto undertaken.
THE "OUTLINEs OF GERMAN LITERATURE of
| Messrs. Gosticx and Harrison, is a capital con-
| densation and epltome of both the ancient and
modern literary history OF Germany, with brief no.
tices and specimens OF every writer OF any note.
Mr. RUSKINs latest work is to be six lectures,
delivered at Oxford. on the ROBIN, the swallow,
the chough the lark, the swan, and the sea gull.
1t will make an Illustrated volume and will cost
guinea.
THE MUTUAL APPRECIATION of poets is manifested
in the fact that Matthew Arnold refers to Byron
"a country gentleman, with no ideas" while Rob.
ert Browning calls the author OF 'Don Juann "a
nat1sh.n Even the Spectator speaks OF Byron's
passionate or sublime thoughts Cheaply exc
cuted.n
THE Spectator, in reviewing Mr.. Henry Black
burns lost book, 1.-THE Harz Mountains" !" finds that
he is more satisfactory as artist than as an
author. "His pencil is humorous, graceful, accu-
rate and refined. There is genuine humor in his
drawings, not merely whimsicalty; whereas in his
writings there is more whimsicality than humor."
"LETTRRs FROM JAMAICA" just out in London is
the anonymous production Of highly sensible
writer He gives the following among Others, as
specimens of Jamaica negro proverbs:-
Alligator lay egg, but HIM no Iow
Dragging riber neber drown somebody.
Cock roach neber in de right before fowl.
Shut mout' no catch fly.
Goramity no lub ugly.
Neber make goat trustee for breadnut tree.
AMONG RECENT TRANsLATIoNs OF French novels
is "The Cross OF Berry; or rene's Lovers by T.
Gautier, Jules soudeau and Madame DE Grardin,
which Porter & Coates OF Philadelphia will soon
ISSUE
THAT STERLING OLD BOOK of thoughts and prin-
ciples Montesquieu's esprit of Laws" Is to be
brought ou. by Robert Clarke 4 Co., Cincinnati, in
two Volumes
WHAT THE MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY have un.
dertakcn to prove in book by the learned Leonard
Woods d. D.. is that the coast of Maine was settled
much earlier than Massachusetts.