The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-20
LITERARY CHIT.CHAT.

CURIOSITY OF THE TINES, says the Pau MaU
Gazette, is the elevation, by religious newspaper
OF Mr. Babbage's "Nnth Bridgewater Treatise"
into bulwark against unbelief. The fact Is Bah
bage whose mind was nothing If not mathemati-
Cal, wrote the book as o scientific erpertrnentum
crucis TO show theologians that the Bridgewater
essayists had wholly failed in the great 'lrst
cause" argument from design The book was rev.
erent enough, but logical, and offended the ortho-
dox world by showing that miracles should not be
looked ON as sudden and direct interferences. He
was unsound, tOo on eternal punishment. "Hell,
In those days, had not yet been dismissed with
costs, and it was wrong to hint at anything but
the uLquenchable fire." Now, Babbage suggested
that our punishment may grow out Of the indeh-
rite refinement Of our faculties.
SAYS THE CRISP Saturday Rerieac, upon the
literature and early rising question:
These early risers gain many hours over us
the ..waverey Novels" were ali written before
breakfast. Very good; let them produce their
"waverley Novels But IN is the early birds who
get the worms" Well, for our part, they are well
come TO IL; we don't want worms. In the whole
string OF the virtues major or MINOR cardinal or
otherwise, there is not one about which the pos
SCISSORS are so abominaby conceited as early
rising.
DULNEss STILL REIaNs supreme in the book
publishing trade, and few signs Of FAN activity
have as yet begun to appear.
DUMAS LIFE was a succession OF triumphS and
distresses, almost equal to those OF his adven-
turers. He was perfectly thriftless, extravagant
and foolish IN his expenditure; his money was all
consumed, sometimes twice over, before he had
earned 1t. But he possessed that liberality to
others which is the redeeming feature OF the
prodigal and he loved magni6cence and spent his
money splendidly, with the most lavish and
priacely hospitality. He worked hard, though way
wardly, and by dts and starts. He loved the
grand air and pIetn Jour--words which so well
express the breadth and exuberance OF daylight.
TWAS CURIOUS and inexplcabe judgment OF
Lord Lytton's that Paul de Kock was the FIRST
French novelist OF the age.
"oUIxsTAR," the new novel by the successful
author of .'Blindpits,n Is published by @. p. Put
nam's Sons.
Mr.. wINwooD READE has published, in two vol
unes, an "Airican Sketch Book" which forms a
curious agglomerstion Of stories, adventures, his
tory geography and criticism Still. 1t is full OF
/ interest Like some other writer's, Mr.. Reade dis.
| credits the statements OF Mr.. Du Chailu. When
he was talking TO a company OF native hunters, "a
roar of laughter" he says, followed my an
nouncement that MT. Du Chailu had shot gorillas
himself"
Mr.. WALTER II. PATER, whose "Studies In the
History OF the Renaissance" from very interest
ing reading, might almost pass for disciple OF Mr..
RuskIn in warmth OF imagery and diction; but he
Is at the antipodes to Ruskin In aesthetic doctrine
The literature and art OF the day are running
more and more into what Ruskin calls the degrade
ton OF the renaissance. Poetry painting AND
criticism. the poems and pictures OF Rosett the
passionate word-painting Of swinburne and hi.
host OF imitators-all tell OF a modern renas
sance OF the old renaissance.
NOWHERE OUT or THE ARABIAN Nights na
such 1000 Of story poured through the world a
from the life OF the haf-African Frenchman, Dumas
the Wild lavish, extravagsnt and headlong genius
whose very prodigality has been made an argumen
OF the strangest kind against him.
MRS. AMELIA d. EDWARDS new book on "m
Dolomitesr describes charmingly the compa
atiyely unknown region Of the Southern Tyro
She is eloquent on "Titians country" and artist
should be delighted with her book. which Is wor
derfuuy full Of color.