The New York herald., 1874-10-26
General LifArafura-

well directed effort on the part OF those who have
devoted their talents and lives TO the promotion
OF education, to cultivate a love Tor the English
classics, deserves the commentator and support
OF the newspaper press We therefore take
pleasure In calling attention to the nrst OF a series
OF volumes prepared by Professor Homer 3.
| Sprague. and Just published by J. w. Schermer.
horn Co., which aims to supply want in school
literature. The volume before us, whose typo
graphical appearance Is attractive, contains
brief statement OF the Renealogy OF the English
language, admirable suggestions for expressive
reading, and copious pathological criticisms
selections from Chaucer Spenser and Mil
ton, Shakespeare's Macbeth and Bunyan's
immortal dream, together with condensed
and well written biographies OF these illustrlous
lights In the Ornament OF letters. We are informed
In the preface tnat the succeeding volumes, like
the present, will be devoted to the development OF
the English language ana to awakening an inter-
est In its critical study. In the third volume
system OF rhetoric will be deduced from the pas
sages examined, and the concluding volume VIII
contain classification or the authors quoted aud
review OF the whole field OF English literature.
ANCESTRAL NAMES IN AMERICA.
J.. W. Barton sends US sumptuOus volume, rich
with all the advantages OF type, presswork and
paper called the "Original lists Of persons OF
quality, emgrants, religious exles, political
rebels. serving men sold Tor term OF years, ap-
prentces, children stolen, maidens pressed.
and others who went from Great Britain
to the American plantations In the years
between 1000 and 100. BY John Cam
den Hotten." Mr.. Hotten explains tnat these
records are taken from original manuscript pre-
served in:the State paper department OF the Pub
lie Record once In London, and it embraces the
names Of the emgrant ancestors Of many thou
SANDS or American families. As a contribution to
| <ha
value. 1t Is clumsily DONE and is rather mess OF
Information thrown together than digested with
any useful purpose We have. however, papers
that must be of great value to those
who understand how TO dig In dust.oag and ind
the true COAL There IS register OF the names OF
all the passengers from LOndon for the year 1885,
embracing the voyage OF flty-three vessels. There
are lists OF the living and dead in Virginia In 1928
some OF these names are odd and others are
familiar. Ebedmelech Gastrell lived at the College
Land. We see also Roger Preston, Nicholas Bayley
Barnard Jackson Randall HOwlett, Ann Ashley
Richard Atkins. John Smith, william Tyler, Ann
Atkinson, John Jefferson, John Harrington, Edward
Marshall, Elizabeth Garnett F. Aason, W. Epps
Mary Madison. widow "who came in The stars.'
John Pryor was arrested as q rebel In Monmouth's
rebellion and sent out in 1885. 10 Bland took the
oatns OF conformity and sailed to become the
founder OF his family In Virginia.
| FAMOUS NAMES.
| 1t is curious to note the names that nave since
become famous In our history. or the Prest-
dents we find no Washington. There are
many Adamses and one John Jefferson, who
came over In the Bona Nova In 1925. obtaining
25o acres Of land at the mouth OF the Chicka-
hominy and was probably not without his In
! nuence in producing the Declaration OF Inde
pendence. We find Captain Isaac Madison at
! Sherion Hundred Island-twenry different fami-
lies OF Jackson, ten OF Harrison and i've Of Tyler
Zachary Taylor, aged Jwenty-seven, arrived in
! 1885, and In the same ship was E. Lincoln. We
! have Peirces and Johnsons In any quantity and a
Zeth Graunt, eventually Grant, who came In 1881.
We find no trace OF the ancestry Of Monroe, Van
Buren, Polk, Fillmore or Buchanan. We see no evil
dence OF the house OF Greeley. Sumner does ap-
pear nor Calhoun. There are a dozen websters and
only one Clay. John sherman came in the early
day TO do his part toward conquering Georgia.
The Lees began to noursh early IN Virginia. as we
note dozen families OF the name. We see also
Emerson, Parker, Phillips and Everett, but no
Whittier Hawthorne. Longfellow. Thoreau or
Holiness The family Of Smith began early to
assert its predomnance-as we meet more tnan
sixty families bearing that useful and highly cele
brated name. Mr.. Hotten's book Is full OF oppor
tunties Tor curious study, and will be welcome
to those who are curious IN knowing what we
were in the beginning. and what brought Cs here
THE LETTERS OF PROSPER MEBIMEE.
Richard Henry StOddard has performed real.
! service to literature IN his ingenious compilation
OF bric-a-brac series. the fourth volume OF which
| comes to us from Scrbner. These books are
printed neatly. with attractive bindings, and are
sold Tor 81 so. We have had no books from The
Il press for some time SO well worth the money.
They introduce US to famous authors and tell US
In an hour as much good as the average mind cares
scholar the insatiate deliver into books, but it
forms good reading habits aud shapes the mind
| toward higher appreciation OF all that is vau-
able In literature. 1t was work like this that
made Charles knight so famous and useful man,
and Mr.. Sroddard deserves to be Congratulated
upon having added new feature to our
literature. The volume before US, the
fourth OF the series, embraces the letters OF
Prosper Mermee, with chapters OF the recollec-
tions OF Lamartine and George Sand. 1t IS sngu-
lar how little we find worth recolecting in the
recollecttons Of Lamartine. He was sentiment
tast and rhetorician, French Lord Byron with
tendencies to holy orders. Born IN 1890, we have
few lurid glimpses OF the French Revolution. In
those times the wages OF women servants were
thirty francs year, something more than SIX
dollars, 'six yards Of unbleached linen for Shifts"
two pairs OF wooden Shoes petticoat,
and q dollar for a New Years present.
He tells us how he descended the
crater OF vesuvius with Humboldt. There is a
strange story OF the King Louis XVIII, being
| wheeled In triumphal progress through the gal
leries OF the Louvre to enjoy the works OF art,
Lamartine pushing the chair, the progress taking
four hours and an amusing narrative OF how he
waited for whole morning on the roadside, near
Lake Leman, to see Nine. De Stael pass which
she did In a carriage with Mme Recamier. The
most instructive part o! this book is devoted to
Merimee. This keen observer seems to have had
some Of the qualities OF Roche .oucauld and VOL
taire. We are constantly discovering the oddes,
phrases, cynical axioms-thus :-"Frankness is not
desirable to woman" LAS u rule. never select
woman Tor o confdant" 'Nothing Is more
common than to do evil for the very
pleasure OF It," "A woman who wears blue