New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-25
BOSTON LITERARY NOTES.
ITOItENUT ~ IIo z tTHItY VI IkV
Rostoek, HeckienbiUg-Sch Oct. -, 1874.

"a REBELS REcoLLECTIoNs "-soUTHERN PATRIOT
IsM-ENGusu sroRY-TELERs-"s STEALING LIKE
NEssEs."
lFRoh REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
BOSTON, Nov 23.-The papers entitled A
Rebels Recolectons" by George Cary EggIestoD, which
have appeared in The Atlantic Monthly during the past
year, are nearly ready for Issue by uurd Hougl-
ton, of the Riverside Press IN the more permanent
form Of a bound volume. The book dedicated to Ell
ward Eggleston, the authors brother. year ago Mr.
G. c. Eggeston published novel, entitled ." A Man Of
Honor; and many Of the critics, in reviewing 1t,
founded the author with his brother Edward. by this
dedication he hopes to avoid similar mistake ON this
occasion and desires to the entire responsibility
of his own political sins ana opinions. For George cary
Eggeson rebel during the War OF the Rebellion
and so has political answer for. Ho tells us, in
his preface, that he submitted to Oliver Johnson the
best original aboitonst" he knew, the question
whether he might write this little volume OF remlns-
cences without fear Of offending excellent people, or
still worse, terminating prejudices that happily were
dying. MI JOhnson's advice was, Wrlte by all means
Prejudice the rstborn Of Ignorance, and IL never out
lives its father The only thing necessary now to the
final burial OF the anmosity existing between the sec
tons is that the North and the South shall learn to know
and understand each other. Anything when contrib
utes this hastens the day OF peace and harmony ana
brotherly love- which every good man longs for" Ia
this spirit Mr. Eggleston has wrten-writen OF things
therefore written picturesquely.
lie makes Of his reader the just request that lac tho
reader will consider himself Confederate for the tme
and regard things from point OF view precisely oppo-
site to the which he has been accustomed. He
wishes us remember that the souherners honestly
believed the right of secession, not merely as reyo-
luiionary but as constitutional right They not only
held that whenever any people finds the Government
under which It is living oppressive suOyersve Of the
ends for which 1t instituted, 1t Is both the right and
the duty OF that people to throw on The Government and
establish q in Its stead but they believed also
that every State Union held under the CODstu
tion the reserved right to withdraw from the. Union
peaceably, at pleasure
Moreover they believed that every mans allegiance
was due his State only and that il only by virtue
of the States continuance III the Union that any acs
anco ut all was due to the General Government.
Patriotism at the South meant simply devotion to ones
State. and devotion to the Union was bnt secondary
obligation, growing out OF the first So that their
soldiers really inspired by the spirit of patriotism
instead OF that OF rebellion and fought and died for their
country cOnscienuously ana as Loyalty any North
soldier of them all.
Ten years have passed since the freshest Of those
graves duS-ten years of peace and Of healing
Grass has grown those countless wounds it is hard
II the man who sleeps under them cannot be remem-
bered at least with justice. Lst try to under
stand them, them In the light of their firm
but fatal faith their own brave but hopeless endcayOr
As TO this clearness OF vision this comprehension
Of those brothers aud then foes,
it worth the while OF all to read this book OF Mr..
Eggesou's. IL VIII entertain too. for bis tale is
vigorously told, and il is tale OF stirring times.
What a curious contrast there is between English
books for children aud American ones The American
story teller TO me TO trust much to the intel
gence Of his youthful audience. lie depends on their
discovering his moral by instinct OF their own, and
iud it necessary point it Moreover,
he thinks that they wise enough to know that the
Old ScOtChman saId 1t is all lees aud does have
his conscience to say az the end OF every para
graph, " This Is all make believe, my dears."
/ led to think OF tins diff renee between the
American and the English methods Of Juvenile story
telling by consideration Of the prOosheets OF Speak
ing Lkenesses" by Christina Rossett, which Roberts
Brothers about TO publish The tales very pref
ty quite worthy Of their author poetess whom poets
loyebl they really amusing IN their constant reit
Grafton OF the fact that Il Pyramus not Pyramus
but Bottom the Weaver" Setting aside this PECULIARLY
which looks ike the tenderness OF conscience into-
Grant OF shaintAe stories wonderfully bright ana
good and will be entertaining TO the small people whom
they please. The pictures with which they
illustrated, by Arthur Hughes, are very clever.
l.. c. NJ.