The New York herald., 1874-09-28
LIT E R A T u R E.
Autumn Books from Ameri-
can Presses.
BAYARD TAYL0R's TRAGEDY.
History, Travel, Poetry, Adven-
ture and Fiction.
LIFE ON A WHALESHIP
HISTORY AND PoLIIICs.

HISTORY AND PoLuiCs.
The great and just fame OF Prescott receives no
better than the honors paid to his WORKS
and memory lime, which deals 80 narshiy Win
Siterary immo taity, has added 10 the reputation
OF this consc entious and brave historian; ana we
have renewed evidence OF this 10 the new EDITION
OF philip H. the first volume OF which comes 10
US from ]. Is. Lii pincott CO.. PnbaueiPhia' ihis
edition is in popular iorm anu is printeu Win
good type on clear wnite paper, with fine, In
yttinQ open page, and that great comfort TO the
.readinp soul an elaborate table OF contents
lt nossesses the advantage OF being edited by
John Foster Kirk, well known to scholarly men as
tne author VI Life OF Charles the Bold" one OF
The best elucdatons that now exists OF the history
OF Burgundy and the rise OF that ancient and re-
nowned section OF the French Empire. Mr.. Q.
Edwards Lester through the United States Publish
in1 COMPANY sends us "Tue Life and Public Ser
vices OF Charles Sumnerr-a handsome COM
prehensIve volume. This work shows evi-
dence OF ha'ty preparation, and might
be more htly described as memorial
tribute 10 sumners Jane tnan an exact estl-
mate OF his character and WORK. One OF the ms
fortunes OF our public life ID America, as leading
10 insincerity anu rashness OF judgment, Is TINS
tendency TO build monuments to our dead as an
expression of grief and not as a manifestation OF
our lust, cold praise. Mr.. sumner VIII always
hold marked place in our history-nOt with the
Washingtons, The Jerersons or the Lincoins,
perhaps but with the Adamses. the Clays and the
Stewards. Apart. however, from the personal
biography OF sumner, the book OF Mr.. Lester con-
tains ABUNDANT aud useful material Tor proper
comprehension OF those strange and, even now,
almost forgotten days, when the war was waged
against slavery. Tlis time is passing away. The
great gulf of the war makes all dim that lies
beyond, aud we rail to see the dimness the true
measure Of the men and their time. There Is a
eent.e and delicate alIusion to the domestic in
1elicities OF sumner more TO be noted now, when
the country is distressed with the wretched bus-
ness in Brooklyn. Mr.. Lester lntImates that mar
riage destroyed the personal social freedom
necessary 10 the complete development OF
Summers nature. 'It Is not only possible he
says, "but we constantly notice instances where
the highest powers Tor achievement In learning,
in exploration and discovery, and In many other
nelds of III effort brought In 10 play or the
good OF mankind that we should never have
heard OF IL such capacities and endowments had
been engrossed In tue endearments OF love and
the sweet charities OF home. 1t IS altogether out
Of the question Tor any man 10 do iull justice to
the absorbing cares OF married lie, filing all its
duties completely and generously, to find time for
uOus oSSt suiOuS q os Shy sotA6 StSS'
Love is exactlng, and the instances are very rare
in which women have been willing to waive de-
votion to themss selves that their husbands mlRn,
accomplish some great purpose.r Mr.. Lester for
tines this dlsagreeable position with auusion to
Socrates and Milton and Columbus, whose wives
do not seem to nave been all that could be desret
In the way OF amiaoity. Sumner, according tC
Mr.. Lester, was animated by two loves-the love
for his mother, which was 'pure, beautiful, en-
crossing ~ and the other for his fellow man. Al
together. Mr.. Lester has given US satisfactory
aud useful book and he deserves our best thanks
lor his abors.
Robert G. lngersoll, OF Peoria, Illinois, sends US
ssThe Gods and other Lectures" This volume il
dedicated 'to Eva A. InGersoll, a woman without
superstltion,u and is a course OF five lectures on
ssTne Godsn .Humoodt," Thomas Paine," "lndi-
yidualtyn ana 'sHeretcs and Heresies." We
should nier tnat Mr. lngersoll Is an eccentric per-
son, who prints his book al his own expense and
that he means TO do his part toward rearranging
the universe. We find ourselves overwhelmed
with phrases like these -'Each nation has created
god, and the god has always resembied his
creators" zach god was intensely patriotic,
and detesred all nations but his own" "Few
nations have been so poor as 10 have but one
god.p AS Tor the God OF the Christians, Mr.. Inger
sol regards Him as ''an infinite nend," and the
olDicy HOIllolc, asiVCtouoy ouu hio Wv u
work Is TO throw reason upon the worlds BRAIN
as ''kng OF kings, and god OF gods" Coming tt
Humboldt we do not hnd one useful fact from Mr.
lngersol only O wild rhapsody OF ignorance and
crude rne torlc. The lecture on Paine Is no better
Paine Ia OF the CURIOUS characters OF ouI
history, and waCever wall do Tor him the work o.
Carlyle for MIabe4u or oil Macauiay for Machia
velli will add a great contribution TO our know-
edge. Mr.. Inge soil raves about MIN, but utterly
fails 10 comprehend either his higher or his lower
nature. A more utterly worthless book We have
not read for long time, and we make this refer
ence to 1t to show the pauclty and helplessness o.
the war upon religion and society.
BAYARD TAYLoR's TRAGEDY.
James K. osgood d Co. send US ''Tne Prophet
hTragedy," by Bayard Taylor. Anything IRON
the pen oil this most distinguished and accom-
pushed author must be regarded as an addition Il
American literature-a literary event In itself
We have read this tragedy with interest ant
pleasure. The first act is laid In New Engant
State, the remaining four acts in western State
David starr Is a Mormon prophet, and We gatbe
his character ON this song, which he sings as h
comes upon the scene:-
II one 70 yonder mountain saith
be cast INTO The sea
AMI doubtth not filled with faith
rSe mount removed shall be.
Though iqye ls hrst yet iaith is chief
Lord, beleve' help Thou mine unbelief
David receives what he regards as gifts @
miracles and prophecy he becomes an outcas
foun of