, 1874-02-22

su0oe Jea1e, ue Iaooltu uAlu 70 perfect scheme
for the extinction Of Slavery. Meantime, be
titled his stony farm in New Britain With his
own hands, and, in summer, did most Of the
writing devolving upon him, Sin his shirt
sleeves, on the head OF lme-cask in hts barn.
pen and hoe alternating through tho lay" lie
bad acquired no property in all his life past
His time and toi! had been given to the humane
cauacs which lie served. only SO much beng re-
served a. would secuEe him the actual neces-
sa1ies OF life At times he had reduced his
eattng-expenscs to 1G cents day. thai be nigh.
mako the lightest possible drau.ht upon tho
funds supporting the opjec's he had st heart.
In 1860, Mr. BurTitl WAS appointed Consular
Agent for the United States at Birmingham
aod held the position four years. The munii-
cent annual allowance for the Agency wss s, 500,
and tho expenses 81 00-leaying $500 for the
incumbent to grow rich upon. But the Office
afforded him facilities for literary work Of con-
genial sort, which made it valuable to him.
During his various sojourns in England, Nr.
Bur11tt made extended pedestrian tours, travers~
ing the island from end to end, and picking up
on his way all tho Information accessible, par-
uculazly regarding agriculture and tho manage
mont OF model farms and dairies. Everywhere,
and at al! times, be WAS busy as the bee gather
himself.
In 1870 he returned to America, aud took up
bis residence on the old farm in New Britain,
with the intention Of employing the residue Of
his DAYS IN quiet aud studious pursuits; aud
ment OF weli-oarned repose, hla autobiography
leaves him.
It is uot 80 much for the importance Of the
work which Dir. Burfitt has accomplished, or for
any especial renown which be has Won, that his
Life lmpresses us, but for the rare and nob.e
tEaits OF bis character-bis wonderful industry,
energy, nnseltlshness, anl si:nplcity. With all
that he has done to educate himself and benefit
bis fellows, he II, to tho last sugie-hearted and
unassuming, content to rest in the evening Of
his days with none OF the rewards Of successful
men. It is one OF tho beautiful lives that em-
bollish human history.
Lectures by tho Rev. E. d. Maurice.
TIE FRIENDSHIP, OF BOOKS AND OTHER
LECTURES. By the Eey.F. D. MAURICE. Edited
WITH preface By I. HuaHEs, Il. C.. London Mac
milan T. Co.
As twas profitable thing to come in contact
with alr. Maurice personally, to observe bis con-
duct and listen to his conversation, so it ia
to read his writings into which he put his
best sell. h1r. Maurice did nothing slightly or
superhcially. The whole weight Of his feeling
and principle went into whatever work ho under
took. Lecturing constituted an important part
OF his hfe'B labor, and he delivered vast num-
Der OF addresses. in all parta of England, to all
Classes Of people, From those which are gath
cred into tho present co1lcction,-if we have no
previous knowledge OF his habit,-we may know
that into every one he infused all the learning
and thought he could command. The most was
made Of each opportunity, to quicken md
deepen the minds OF his hearers. No subject
was touched which he did not expand, and show
new avenues leading up to or out of it. His
reverent and sympathetio spirit enabled him to
elicit from the most commonplace topics subtle
and vo'uminous meanings aud uses. However
much theme may have been discussed BEFORE
k1A had AfTrr~3 81 yyrf tive
some ray Of light to shed upon it, some original
suggestion to increase its value.
But the worth OF his discourses is not confined
to their subject-1natter. It lies almost o. much
in the instrument through which he conveys his
communications as IN the communications them
selves. It is not often that an authors style
mirrors his character go truly,-that his language
so perfectly reflects his mind. Immediately
there is the feeling that We are in communication
with the man, not more By what ho says than by
earnest words botray corresponding traits in his
nature, and also teach, by their truth and trans
pa1ency, new idea OF their own aanctity-
There are thirteen lectures in tho volume be-
fore us. Tho first is named in its title, and the
others treat Words, Books, The Use and Abuse
Of Newspapers, Christian Civilization, English
History, Milton, Milton Considered As = School
master, Sponsors ''Fairio Qucene," Edmund
Burke, Acquisition, Illumination. and Cntics.
Attractive titles all Of them, and 30 handled that
they ever deepen in interest.
In discussing books llr. Maurice holds that
such as are genuine aro living ihinga, invested
With tho personality Of their author, and are,
therefore, to be cherished as friends, their vir-
tues loved and their faults mournod and for
gven3 as when thoy disGgure a baloyed human
being. Niebuhr eaid Of Cicero, that he knew
his faults well rs anybody, but that he felt as
much grioved when people spoke Of them al il
he were his brotner. When VIC regard 1l1 good
books with this reverence, they will do their
w1rlf 1pna In %-f,N
have lived through all history, and, By thoir
Weakness as well Us greatness, warn us from CT
rors and guide us 10 the right and tho true.
In Tho lecture upon Newspapers, L few Of their
indirect uses arc wisely pointed out the uses
OF Advertisements, for instance,-aside from
their obvious p,rpose,-n broadening our
knowledge OF our fcllow-crcatureB, discloalng
their lackings and their havings, and how the
one fits to tho other, and both form great bond
Of society. Among the abuses of newspapers
arc cur suffering tue greed OF news to mako ut
ter gosaips OF uH, and getting tho habit OF turn
ing our thinking orer to editorial wsiteEs.
The spirit is the Same in all the lectures !; |
serions and kindly, softening tho heart whlo
stimulating the mind It do.pens our venega-
lion for the writer, and for everything else thst
ia human.
vyilkie Collins American Novel.
TIE DEAD ALIVE. by TILz1z CotLrs. Fully |
illustrated. Bo7ton: Shepard Gill.
Only it's authorship entities thla story to nleu-
tion. tits based upon a trial which actually oc-
cured in Vermont early In the present century.
Two brothers we're arraigned for the murder Of I
4 man who had myaterious1y disappeared. All !
the circumstances tended to convict the accusod. |
Finally, to savo himself. one Of tue brothers
swore that tho other had committed the murder,
md that he had witnessed the deed. Under the
weight Of such convincing testimony, the guilty
one confessed his crime in ell its details. At
his stage OF tho trial, the missing man suddenly
alive and well, from some out-of-tle- |
Tay prowl ho had taken OF his own accord
Mr. Collins had in these facts excellent ma
terial for rst-class fiction, and 1t is absolutely
to see how he has wasted it. From !
ais clumsy work, ono would not suspect him OF |
\ jot OF literary talent. Perhaps it il good |
hing to know how stupid smart people can be !
sometimes.
Errora in Pronunciation.
7RoNOuNCIEG HANDBOOK OF WORDS OFTEN
MIsPIsOSOUfCED, AND OF WORDS As TO |
LOWED Dy H1cHAnD SouL8 and Looa1s J. CAMP-
DELL Boaton: Leo Shepard.
They who arc ecrupulous in orthospy will |
70 apt to bavc Webster's or Worcester's Un-
Ibridged, which would seem to render this little
manual euperfuous. But it is small, cheap, and
,asy to handle, can be tucked 10 the pocket for