The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-08

| apprehended by the ordinary Intellect
We were not surprised, alter the above, 70 ind
that Mr.. Fairfield regards genius and disease as
! akin. He tells blandy that the geniuses OF
history have all been the victims OF hereditary
neurosis OF the dormant SORT. Mohammed was
subject to epileptic frances; Robesperre was the
victim or nervous disorder; swedenbcsg was
troubled in the same way. the matter with Scott.
Dickens, Poe, Hawthorne and Victor Hugo was 80
laryated form OF nervous peTVersion." The truth
Is, there Is nothing nall so sweet IN lie as an
attack OF epilepsy. To be o genius one must De
the victim OF nervous perverslon. IL you have
small quantity Of hereditary neurosis in your sJs-
TEN your future is secure; but II you are healthy,
then you are doomed.
We have read this little book with interest, but
without accepting one statement IN ten. The
author may nave arrived at scientific explana-
ton OF the phenomena OF modern Splrtualism,
but let Us pray that ne has not done so, for the
explanation Is so much worse than Sputuasm
and so much harder 70 understand that we should
fear fatal cerebral excitation as the result
THE ISLAND OF FIRE. By Rev. r. O. Headley. Bos-
ton; Lee Shepard.
great deal has been said about Iceland lately,
and the expedition TO the millennial jubilee OF
last August has awakened new interest in a
spot which one shivers 20 think or but which
seems to be heated by an inexhaustible amount OF
combustion, which uses Hecla as kind OF CHM
ney through which 70 emit It's smoke ana cinders.
Mr.. Headley's book IS very evidently hasiy pro-
duction. and not the result OF long-contlnued and
patient study. One gets the impression that 10
was written, not so much because the subject lay
heavily on the authors heart and must be put
into print even at pecunlary loss, bnt rather be-
cause the times suggested THAI some such book
would ma 4 ready sale. liz VIII not, therefore,
have any especial value work OF reference,
hut viii mn w suh a nv pv
TO the general reading pubic pleasantly written
account OF an island which is surrounded by ro-
nance and icebergs.
BY the way, can IL be possible that the rabulated
thermomstric changes are given correctly py Mr..
Headleyf Have We not always said, from our
youth up, We shivered In the coolest day OF the
season, 'as cold Icelandp And mas not lee
lana been The synonym for the superlative degree
OF coldS Have we not imagined the citizens or
that far.of realm bundled up in lurs, while their
blood slowly congealed, ana the mercury In the
thermometer iroze solid : Well. we have thrown
away large quantity OF sympathy Iceland en-
Joys a January temperature higher than our New
Workers have had during the last month. Mr.
Headley says:-
SO extravagant are the ideas or many or the
climate that We copy page rom a journal OF tho
year 1870 which gives the daily temperature or
weather Tor the month OF January OF one OF the
seyerest winters ever known on the island, when
not be seen from the ops OF The highest accessible
mountains.
Then follows for January record or IA degraes,
FOR January q az degrees, &C. These were the two
warmest days Of the montn; while on the 2Sth the
mercury fell to degrees which was the coolest
day OF the season. During most OF the month the
mercury stood at &c and 81 above zero, degree or
cold which can easily be endured with a good
oyercoat. Il Is little curious that We New
months Or January ana February for the ordinary
Janaaries and Februarles OF Iceland. and that Uis
year. al least, we have suffered more with bitter
cold than our far-on uelghOors generally 40 az the
same season. IL was not because OF the cold
there, pat rather the poverty az the SOL, that the
unfriendly Danes used ~ say, "God made the rest
Of the world. but the deyi made Iceland.n
The Is and contains about 40 900 square miles OF
territory, tnrceIourths Of which remain an untn-
hablted solitude. Here the thunder or convul-
slons and OF tue Tall OF the avalanche, with the
war Of the ravens wing, are the only SOUNDS
that breaS the silence Of o smoking waste OF
mountains, cnasms, caverns, lakes and rivers.
In 500 FlokI Raiua, descendant OF the founder
or Norway, was seized Win desire 70 emigrate
to Iceland. 10 gathered MS family and nocks
together, and embarked But, accustomed "a no
was to roughiDg H. his brave heart sank within
him during the second winter Of his stay, and.
thoroughly homesick, ne started for fatheTland.
He called the nhospltaole spot Island, whicn In
nIs Own tongue was Iceland
In $40 iagolf, threatened with vengeance by the
kindred Or a man wnom he nad slain. spent
winter 10 Iceland and liked II so well t0at his
return TO Norway ne raised colony Tor the pur-
pose Of a permanent settlement Of the island. His
enterprise was success, and IA the course OF 100
years Iceland was q nourishing Republic. with ia
ND ia Il wxdr
trial by jury.
Tne pictures or domestic life which Mr.. Headley
presents are very attractive. These far OF islam.
ders seem 20 have just Dotsons concerning the
important condi iona 81 social order. They are a
people of happy temperament hardy in body,
thoroughly courageous, and nospltable to a
degree. Everybody must have al education IN
Iceland. Tue school year IL nom Octooer 10 the
cnd or May, ana during that term compulsory
education is enforced.
We nave enjoyed TINS booE and commend 1t to
the good will or our readers.
MANUFACTURES AXIS ~ ANCIENT TINES BY
James Napier, r.. X. :. f., &C. &C. London:
Hamilton Adams 70.
lhis Is an interesting and instructive book.
While It's author Is not a scoOar OF the rarer Sort
he Is 50 emlnently practical and 50 painstaking
with the topic he Is discussing that you follow MN
without suspicion ana become biassed In favor
or bis deductions. Mr.. Napier has mad many
years experience IN matters relating to metal
lurgy, and has evidently gwen great deal of
careful study to those passages OF scripture IN
which the various metals mentioned. Bs
first chapter u on gold and silver. and we confess
% very strong temptation 20 break the com
mancment waich forbids coyetouspess, when he
describes the vast quantities Of these precious
metals which apparently could be had for the
asking IN tue ancient time. Row It makes tue
ordinary North American heart beat with envy
to read mat ut Is tradNionaiy related
init when the Pnunlclans VISITED spain
they loHrd the silver 10 such abundance mat they
not only loaded their ships to tie waters edge,
but mace tneI common utensils aud even anchors
Of tnis metals Tank OF silver ground tackle for
h modern yacht Aud the luscious consciousness
~ standing az he tiilcr Of taree.nasted coastng