, 1874-09-20

than the conquest OF Canada b3 tho British
arms
The history of the strifo by which, France was
made TO code her Canadian Provinces to En-
gland is not narrated. The fact OF the peace Of
17G3 is Simply indicated, and the beneticent re-
suits to Canada summed up in the final para
graphs Fire portraits OF cha1 acter. and graphic
b.;etcles of sceues aud events, abound i'll these,
Us il, ail l1r parkman's pages. and Tempt tue re-
viewer to mako frequent extracts; but the in-
duccment, owin;. to lack OF space, has been re-
niGtoi, :ua tho reader is cent, instead to the
baois Itself. which should baTo place in every
American library of respectable rrcteasloas.
Scottish, Cf4ap-f3ooIzs.
TIE HUMOROUS ClIar-EooEs OF SCOTLAND.
~ Joaa FRASER. Par H. limo. PIP. 23s- New
York: Henry L. Hilton.
For period OF about 200 years, beginning in
the carly part Of ths seventeenth century, tho
only popular literature OF Scotland was printed
III tile form Of tracts called ch:p-books. Tho
term chap ia 3 poryersion OF the word cheap,
aud WAS given to these tracts On account OF
their lor p,ice. They vero printed on the
coarscat paper tl:at would take the impression
of typo, and, in the beginning, in black letter,
but, at Inter day, in the typo now in use
The cheapest wcro sold at penny each,
and generally consisted OF t. single sheet
duodccimo, or q pages, and faupted on tho
t:tlo-pase, by way Of decoration. coarse wood
cut. Tho contents Of the tracts arc ullscclane-
ous,-embracing suggestions Oh theology; Erca
Of heroes and martyrs stories OF g!ants, ghosts,
aud witches; histories in verso; and eongs and
ballads. Thep were cold about the country by
red1crs. or ctlap-mcn (chcaE-rneu>, who Carried
them, along with other small wares, in tho pack
strapped ut their back.
Up to tho closo Of tho last century, the high
WAYS OF Scotland were i'll j most wrotched con-
ditiou. Couyeyaucen. even of the r1dcst
sort. were rare. Of railroads and telc-
chsap post WAS moi yet in c1lst-
encc. the chap-tnaa therefore, who trtdgel
Oh foot from hamlet to hamlet and house TO
house, was everywhere an important and well
come visitors, bringing tho latest news and Eos-
tip together with lis bundle OF chnp-tooks ard
light merchandise for tho accommodation aad
entertainment OF The isolated and ignorant peas
autry. lle diffusion Of higher order OF liter
a.ure has within the past forty years, driven tue
chan-books ont Of tho promi inent markets; still,
i'll nutna parts OF Scotland aud tho north OF
England, they arc yet sold largely ct the cheap
al,d secondhand book stalls.
L: the SECOND part OF his interesting essay on
the c!Iap-books Of Scotland, Dir. Fraser gives
biographical sketch Of Dougal 1rahaul,-ono OF
tbs last and most uo.cd authors OF this sort OF
lterature.- and an alalvsis of some OF the best
known chaiebooks. Graham belonged to tho
humble cls6s for which he wrote, Asld bis books
faithfully reflect the morals and manners OF the
Scottish peasantry of the last century. II is
not an agreeabio picture which they present; for
the rudeaess aud yulsarlty of low life in Scot
land. till within very late day, arc really past
description. It is only from specimens Of tho
popular literature Of u people that tlcir position
in the scale OF civilization can be accurately de-
termtncd. Historians may POINT out with tho
utmost doGnitencss tho traits and habits OF q
natio., in past century, and still tho reader Of
the present decorous and enlightened age will fail
to gain . perfect apprehension Of their case. But
the perusal OF 4 play OF Two, If tho drama was
iu vogue amnrg them : OF T. few OF their folk
songs and fayo.ite Prose woTks,-roTcais tho
whole story OF 4 peoples cllara1tcr aud attain
Incnts.
So with the chap. books OF Scotland Sir Walte-
Scott ami Mo;herwen both wrote in terms OF
high praise Of tho tracts of Graham. The
former once sAd in letter to friend, that they
embraced - unqucs;iouably several coarse, but
c1ccssively y-nlcritoflous. pieces OF popular hu-
MOE. The TurnamsplAe a!ono was sufficient
to entit1e him to immortality. had, in NY carly
1ifo great collection Of these c!ieap-books. and
had zig volumes Of them bought before 1 Was 10
years old. conprchenaing most Of the most taro
and curious OF our popular tracts" But the an
tiquarian aluuc will now turn over these books
with especia! relish. The student OF history MAJ
wade through orc or two for tho sake Of tic
knowledge they beat convoy, but their extreme
cr,lGcness and rank indellcacy VIII eiEectualiy re-
pei tho refined TASTE
Shakespeare.
MACBETH. HAMLET From Hupsos's SCHOOL,
SHAKESPEARE. raier. 4u cents each. Boston dicu
EtotieTy-
Handsome and high-priced editions adorn tho
the eyo of the cpicurean b;bliopLue; but they are
heavy to hold and will not suffer common usage.
roru place on their gildcd cover, stain on their
t- &tta;n {{ou j4l
can 10 more be tolerated in collection Of books
,haa il, lady's wardrobe For everyday wear
MD tear, for absolute utility, give us books in
plain clothes, that will endure the accidents Of
tolerably rough handling and not look diaeraccd
aud abused. but rathcr houored. by the evidences
Of long and hard service. This paper edition Of
Shakespeare is inst the one to have lying about,
any where, under hand, really to be snatciled up
in answer to the passing mood for = few lines
again when the wAim is satisfied. without a
thought as to where it will light, or how long it
may lie in the corner it has dropped into. There
is nothing so comfortable pair OF old shoes,
aud book you are not Rfraid to batter.
Tho text of this edition has been carefully
e1pu1gated, that it may be fit for introduction
into oar schools, aud for the uso Of tho
fastidions reader. 13acl, separate play is pre-
faced With All introduction. and illustrated with
copious notes. by the Rev. II. n. Hudson, OF
NllCsG acknowledged Aulllly Us n E3IAhSHelEEan
it is unnecessary to speak at this ato
,ay. Ks far as OUR observation extends, this il
hc cheapest and !,anuiest form il which the
plays of tho great dr.matist haye been present.
ID to the public
CycIopc,y1a cs American F.it.rnturc.
,YCL0pEDIA or AMERICAN LITERATURE:
FRoN TIL: EARLIEST pEEloD TO THE FRtaEST
DAY. by EvEK1 A. .nd GEonGE L. DurcgIScK.
Edited to Date by n. LAND S1a1oSs- 4to PhiIa-
delphia, New York, enl London: T. Elwooa
Zcli.
The Du5ckincks' '' Encyclopedia Of American
literature WIS first published in 1856, and wns
accepted rs a thorough end adc- |
luate exposition OF the rise and progress OF
American letters. 1t Was supplemented by 3Ir.
:vert L. Duyckinck in 1866 ; but, to Keep paca |
ri:h the rapid growth Of our literature, = new |
ddition Ii again demanded. nIr. Simons has |
undertaken to supply tho deficiencies arising in |
he last eight yc2re and render the work com- |!
,!cte M to date. It il to bo issued in ffty-two |
nrt:s, ut cos: Of so cents per part Tho whole |
riIl form two qunrto volumes. of above ], 900 |
agcs each. The work is brought out in elegant |
lyle. each part being e1nbeIlished with fine |
tecl portrait and sundry wood-cuts.
yTc9tu1iestcr-E1lN Memories.
yc,T0Y7Fs DF WESTMINSTER HAIL. 4 Cor-