The Portland daily press., 1874-01-17
'ERMS $500 PER ANNUM IN ADVANCE.

~ mind to whom each letter is addressed.
perhaps consequence OF this that they
u".o all 'ne charm of off.hand epistolary
",i"ns' lou are reading letter from a
wise and friendly counsellor who knows nre-
cisely the difficulties that thwar, v,nr ;n,sI-
iectuai aspirations, and is able to show YOU
how to meet them. Or, you are sittlpo with
select circle of listeners in charmed silence
while the leader Of the coterie pours forth
wit and wisdom, in familiar phrase, and with
copous aDecdotical illustration. And when
you lay down the book you say to yourself
'may live till he writes another"
CoMMoS-SENsE IN RELIGIoS-A SERIES OF Es-
SAYS. By james freeman Clarke. Boslon ia,
r. osgood s. Co.; Portland, Bailey aud Noyes.
Whether common-sense may be trusted as
a guide to religious Beliefs still an open ques-
ton; but even those who reject its leadings
may have some curiosity as to whether 1t
would have led them had they been so rash
as to follow. Men do sometimes find plea
surable excitement In viewing, from their
hardly won security, the dangers they have
escaped. The conclusions, dangerous or 9TH
erwlse, to which commou-sense directly
points are presented in this volume by one
who knows. Dr. Clarke Is best known to
the general public by his popular work on
the Truths and Errors of Orthodoxy and
the readers of that book will readily agree with
US that as an interpreter of common-sense
DR.. Clarke has few equals 1t any. What il
common-sense? "By common-sense we
mean the mode of judgment derived from ex-
perience of this worId-that Is, of Gods
methods in nature and In human life.
A man OF common-sense is man whose
intellect is trained by observation of human
nature and the course of events. This rule OF
judgment is derived from observation of the
working Of Gods laws in this world" The
author does not claim for this criterion ex-
elusive validity, or even superiority among
others. He says expressly, 81 do not UNDER
value other tests In applying this. What does
Scripture say? What does the church say?
What does abstract reason say ?-these ques-
tions are all legitimate. But it may also be
well to supplement these with another meth
cd of investigation, taking from the common
anologdies Of earthly life. Jesus thanked God
that some things, hidden from the wise and
prudent, had been revealed to babes. . -
We may thence infer that he dill not disap-
prove of a common-seuse view of religion"
Such, then, is the authors design; 1t IL
needless to add that he has fulfilled 1t well.
He does not 60 aside from his proposed
course 10 discuss learned questions. but un-
swervngy keeps right on, faithful always to
his design,-to give in simple phrase the yer.
dict of common sense in the mooted points
in theology. The student, seeking light on
abstruse questions, will probably notice the
easy assumption with which perch ,nce the
very matters that interust him most are pass
ed over; it will show him what temptations
the author resisted, in fidelity to his aim.
If he is disappointed he will the more readily
acknowledge the singular merit Of the work
as declaring the voice ofcommon-st nse to the
common understanding. Be it understood
by every one who takes the book in hand
that it does not invite to laborious study, but
to most agreeable and instructive pastime.
The topics treated are precisely those in
which every one is most interested, aud the
mode of treatment is precisely that which
every one may enjoy.
RELIGION AND SCIENCE. series Of Sunday le t.
on the Relation Of Natural aud Revealed Re-
ligi,n, or The Truths Revealed in nature and
Scripture. By Joseph LeConte. Professor of Geol-
oey snd Naiur raj History In the University Cali.
fornia New York: d. Appleton q Co. Portland:
Bsiley & Noyes.
This Is one Of those perfectly scientific
works which one may read at gallop;-a
fact indicative of merit, and of demerit; of
merit, as pertaining to work designed for
general reading, of demerit as pertaining to a
work of science. 1t is characterized by the
faults and the excellencies that commonly
belong to popular extempore lectures on
such subjects. 1t is bright and lively,
"runs on. all fours" and is not more super
fetal than such running must be, of neces-
sty. But though, considering its subject. it
is light reading, e is without levity. There
is no flippancy here, Of scorn. or sneer, or of
no child's play or making up faces. The au-
thor is obviously borne on by an earnest pur-
pose, and he observes toward his opponents
the Difference due from a thinker to thinkers.
Himself Presbyterian he advocates the gen.
eral propositions of that belief, but with free
dom and candor, and with not infrequent
concession to the claims of modern thought.
The author defines his object as can earnest
attempt to reconcile the truths revealed ia
Scripture with those revealed in nature, by
one who has, all bis active life been rever-
ept student OF both.''
SEVEN Historic AGES. By Arthur Gilman, M. A
New York: Hurd s. Houghton. Portland:
Dresser, Mcclellan s. Co. Price sioJ.
This useful little work, by the author Of
"First Steps in English Literature" Is
child's book of history in which the salient
pointf in the history of the world are pre-
sented in manner at once pleasing, easy of
comprehension and calculated to impress
them upon the memory OF a child. The
book in fact consists of series of talks be-
tween father and his children, during
which the children are incited to ask ques-
tions concerning the topics of conversation
which are always historical In the latter
which are those lest worth remembering,
and which alone if committed to memory are
worth many times the price of the book.
The dry facts of history with which 1t Is so
essential that every child should be familiar,
cannot be more pleasantly committed to
memory than by the careful reading of this
admirable little work of Mr.. Gilman's.
GEMS OF ODD FELLOWSHIP, In Prose and Poetry.
Ey Edward P. NOVEL;, P. G formerly editor OF
the american Odd FelloU. Portland: Edward
P. NOVEL;. -t--.-
The is well printed and handsomely
bound volume of 2S3 pages, containing as its
title indicates, the ''life-thoughts'' of the
leading and most talented members of this
influential organization. The work is of
varied, as well as instructive aud entertain
ing character, comprising about two hundred
prose and poetical contributions of high or
der OF merit, refecting decided credi. upon
the scholarly attainments of their authors.
We feel justified in commencing this work
unquestonably the best practical exposition
OF the principles and operations OF the great
fraternity extant-not only to the brethren