The New York herald., 1874-11-16
NEW BOOKS.
Philosophy, Mythology, Nature and
Legend.
MANLY BEAUTY AND STRENGTH

Tux SCOTTISH PHILOSOPHY, GEOGRAPHICAL. Ex.
PosrTORY, CRITICAL, FROM HUTCHINSON TO hAhiL-
TON. BY James McCosn. LID. D. d. Robert
Carter 4 Brothera
Whatever the learned President Of the College
OF New Jersey undertakes is pretty sure to De wei
and faithfully executed. Scholars have long
wanted just such a compilation as this large
volume OF over four hundred pages contains, and
win hereafter save themselves the trouble oflook-
ing over q whole alcove to get at the history OF
Scotch philosophy and their theories OF motive
and action. Or. McCosh is . very careful student,
giving TO the work In hand that patient labor
which Is always mystery to Americans. and
spending time enough to DO well and thoroughly
whatever he sets himself to accomplish. He Is
peculiarly fitted for this task oeing himself
Scotchman, and, as he says In his preface, 'in
thorough sympathy with the characteristic senti-
ments OF my native landn We have SO long
listened to the forms Of philosophy represented Dy
Coleridge. Kant, Cousin, Hegel and Comte that
we are more than half inclined to materialisuc
psychology. As an Offset to this Dr.. McCosh lays
before succinct account OF the greatest Scotch
thinkers. with enough of their peculiarttes to en-
able US to understand their theories for which
every student will give him thanks.
The man, he tells US, who exercised the
largest innuence over the Scottish mind was Lord
who was the friend OF Locke. His first fruits are
to be found, not in Carmichael, who has been re-
garded as the founder OF the Scottish school, but
In Francis Hutcheson. He then runs through the
progress OF thought from the beginning OF the
eighteenth century to our own day. Altogether,
the book is valuable contribution TO the sturdier
kind OF American literature. IL Is written In a
spirit OF fairness which will at once commend 1t
TO the student, and II Is invaluable as book o.!
reference.
NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, THE AMERICAN WHALE.
MAN. BY William NJ. Davis Harper u Brothers.
This Is Q book which Will have many readers
1t Is written in q pleasant conversational STYLE
and on a subject which is always attractive. IT
traces the history OF our whale fishery from 'ye
5th day OF ye 4th month, 1872, which was memo
rab!e day in the annals OF antucket to the pres
ent time, and gives very readable account OF
personal adventure during a four years. cruise In
the Pacific. 1t has the taste Of salt water all
through 1t, ana its comments on sailors and their
life Is not only amusing cut instructive. The au-
thor gives thoroughly characteristic anecdote Of
SAILORS dream of wealth and It's privileges IN the
following words:-
"When that port Is made, and Lam safely an
chored and rich and all that kind OF thing, and can
do as please, am g0in' to ship bosin-mate from
the biggest seventy-four in Uncle Sans blessed
navy. ana III rive him silver call and his duty
shall be to pipe all hands at eight bells -four A. N.Y.
in the morning, and to rap handspike agin the
mahogany Qnlaid with whale ivory door Of my
stateroom, and rouse me out with, 'Starbo.a-r-d
watch, a-n-o-y-oyp Then I'll sing out, Watch be
blowedv and go to sleep again. WHAT'S the gain
OF bein' rich II you can't blow the starboard watch
at eight bellsr"
His treatment of the land sharks which infest
10 npx,
severe and very just and his plea for larger SYM
pathy toward our mercantile marine is timely The
story Is interspersed with anecdotes OF the sperm
whale, such as his means OF communication with
his Fellows. though they may be miles away when
he Is struck and with yarns which are spun In the
iorecastle, and with the various incidents OF q
four years. trip, which make the book exceedingly
pleasant reading, while at the same time 1t gives
much valuable Information.
THE MuTNY OF THE BOUNTY. BY J. Barrow, F.
X. 8. London: William Tegg.
THE HISTORY OF A SHIP From HER CRADLE TO
Her GRAVE. William Tegg Co.. London.
Both OF these volumes run in the line OF thought
indicated by the preceding critique. The nrst
contains detailed account of the mutlny on
board the Bounty, with which our readers nave
been more or less familiar for years. 1t is very
well written, however and gives faithful picture
OF the Sandwich Islands in the days OF Captain
Cook. The account OF an attempt OF the savages
TO board and capture the vessel is well told, Is
also the story OF the unheardof suerings OF Lieu
tenant Bligh and his seventeen companions In the
voyage OF over 1000 miles in an open boat The
book is illustrated, and Will repay perusaL The
them the name OF every kind of vessel and OF
every rope and line on fall rigged ship. 1t would
not be amlss for some OF our amateur yachtsmen,
who have not yet learned to command their own
craft to make o private study OF this volume.
Our Corinthian salts, who put their lives in peril
amid the currents and blasts OF Southwest Spit or
venture beyond the point OF the Hook In moderate
weather will derive great benefit from careful
perusa OF this work. 1t will be found Invaluable
by all who are taking their drsr draught of salt
water.
PRAIRIE AND FOREST. By Parker Gilmore. Harper
d Brothers.
This is an unusually readable book OF travels in
search OF pleasure and sport. Mr.. Gilmore seems
to have had plenty of leisure on his hands, which
he employed In lettering from one part Of the
planet to another with hi trout rod and his gun.
He did not shoot or fsh as an all absorbing busi-
ness but enjoyed to his full the magnificent
scenery through which ne passed, and descrip-
tion OF which he gives In this volume. II one has
any love for the single handed rod or the rifle
he viii be refreshed, after q hard days work In
Wall street or In the once. by taking up this book
and running over the exploits OF Its author In the
woods OF Maine and in the heart of the Rocky
Mountains. The following extract contains fine
picture in worthy frame, and Will give an idea
OF Mr.. Gllmore's way OF telling . story
But look therel what 10 thats A distant cloud
OF dust Buffalo for thousand, and advancing
toward where the hunters are stationed. Row Is
the wlndf is inquired. One vets his dnger with
his saliva and holds 1t up. In few moments the
position Is declared untenabe, and both vaulting
on their horses, hurry on to get more to leeward,
availtng themselves OF q swell in the prairie to
keep perdu Having marked wen the direction In
which the herd is advancing, keeping as mucn
out OF sight as possible, scarcely speaking word,
and then not louder than whisper, the distance
between the hunters and game ID rapidly dimin-
ished. From the nature OF the ground no longer
can they remain hid, 80 taking their
aud in few strides what sight
Is before theml Cows, bulls and calves, all inter-
mingled, forming struggling drove OF thousands
heading in the same direction and feeding as they
progress occasionally this harmony OF action IS
disturbed. Two ragged, clumsy looking, veteran
bulls approach eacn other; perhaps they have
mn fnrrr for aoutv via