Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-07-02
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class of individuals the author treats. We
would specially recommend this book to
dyspeptic aud other lowspirited persons,
but would caution impetuous young ladies
against turning street corners loo sudden
ly with umbrellas held at an angle of thir-
ty degrees, like the charming heroine of
this story; for umbrellas, however uner-
rlngly aimed, are not warranted to play
the part of Cupid's arrow and pierce the
hearts of unfortunate young men while
punching out their eyes, as in the present
instance.
One of the happiest attempts at book
making which has ever come to our notice
is the series of "LITTLE CLASSICS" which
James II. Osgood Il Co. now have in hand.
These little volumes, which are exquisite
ly printed and handsomely bound in con-
venient pocket size, present a collection of
the very choicest short tales and sketches
TO be found in our literature, classified I'M
der separate titles-as Exile, Tragedy, Life,
Romance, Comedy, Childhood, etc. The
twelfth and concluding volume of the prose
series is entitled "Fortune," and contains
Poe's "Gold Bug" Samuel Lovers "Fairy-
Finder" Maria Edgeworth's "Murad the
Unlucky," Il. L. Hale's "Children of the
Public" John Banims "Rival Dreamers,"
and Hawthorne's "Threefold Destiny"
Nothing could be more charming or con-
venient for summer reading than are these
Lille Classics, and whoever wants TO read
the best story which any one of our great
est authors has written, has only TO Sc
lect the volume which contains it, or still
Letter, take the whole series. The price is
only sl.OO each.-The prose volumes are to
be followed by series containing seec-
tons of the best English poetry. The first
volume, now before us, is under the title of
Narrative Poems," and evinces the same
exquisite taste and nice discrimination
which has been shown in the prose series.
Among the familiar selections which it
contains we note Goldsmith's deserted
Village" Coleridge's "Ancient Mariner"
Carol line Notions "Bingen on the Rhine"
Poe's "Raven," Hoods Haunted House,"
Burns's "Tam OShanter," besides numer-
Gus others Of equal merit.
Nearly all of our readers are familiar
with the prose writings of Elizabeth Stuart
Phelps, but of Miss Phelps poetry, they
ha We probably seen less. We have before
us, however, a volume of her poems, Just
published by James r. Osgood & Co., and
appropriately called "Poetic Studies" The
volume comprises something like forty
poems, and all of them seem 10 us 10 be
very good. In several of them, and espe-
cially the opening one-"That never was
on Land or Sea''-we are somehow irresist-
IDLY reminded of Jean Ingelow-not that
either the style or the sentiment is like
Miss Ingelow's, but because at the heart OF
both these women there is manifestly q liv-
ing, throbbing pain, which can never in
this world be quite stilled. Miss Phelpss
poems embrace variety of subjects, and,
almost without exception, they are helpful
and restful; they show genuine depth Of
feeling which wins and soothes the heart,
and which makes the volume such an one
as thoughtful person likes TO take up in
an hour OF WEAKNESS and quiet meditation.
If we were 20 select the gem of the whole
collection we think it would be this tender,
trustful "EVening Prayer"
Take unto Thyself O Father!
This fode day Of thine,
This weary day Of mine.
Its ragged corners cut me yet.
o, still the jar and fret!
Fatherl do not forget
That am tired
With this day Of thine.
Breathe thy pure breath, watching Father!
On this marred day of thine,
This erring day OF mine.
Wash it white of stain and spot,
o, cleanse its every blotl
Reproachful Eyesl remember moi
That have grieved thee
on this day Of thine!
The publications of Roberts Brothers
Boston, have been unusually varied and
select this year. Among their recent nov
els we would par ticularly notice "VictoI
Ia Tourclte," by Broad Churchman. This
novel treats of young French gentleman
who, while studying for orders in his own
country, becomes convinced that, although
Cath Ollie in the true sense of the word, he
cannot subscribe to the dogmas in the Ro-
man church, believing them, far from be-
ing essential to salvation, to be the cause Of
all dissension and schism in the church
He finally decides to come to this country,
hoping to find here field of labor where
he may teach the doctrines of Christ as re-
vealed to him by the evangelists. On ship
board he falls in with some educated and
refined people belonging to different relig
ious denominations, and it is here that sew
eral discussions take place, giving rise Il
to the following chapters: Cdtholicity dnt
~ LII. |t,fI aJ,
Cdtholicity and Unitdridnism Cdtholicit,
and CdlUinism Cdtholcity and Material
ism. These subjects are treated with much
freedom and power, the principal disput
ants, besides Victor Ia Tourette, being
Catholic priest, Mr.. Wlnslow, a professo
of Harvard University and a Unitarian
Mr.. Deschamps, keen French lawyer
and Romanist by birth, although in re
alty decld edly sceptical upon religious
matters. Victor la Tourette finds the Epis
copal church more nearly in harmony witt
his ideas than any other, but its narrow
ness and bigotry at this period Qs0O) near
ly prevent him from entering it. All his
struggles and trials are very forcibly de
picted, but the plot of the story, although
in many respects well drawn, is vastly in
feror to what constitutes the real merit O
the book. The whole tendency of III
book is to liberalize the church and f
cause its members TO lean more upon Chris
and less upon dOgmas. 1t will be rea
with pleasure and profit by all true church
men.
A RAMBLING STORY, published by Rol
erts Brothers, is very entertaining book
and written in tho usual easy style whic