Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-06-02
1lahhniar & 1onrral.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1875.
New Publications.

| observatiOn among Nhht are becoming tue most
interesting parts Of the Old World, and promise
to be the most fruitful and profitable fields Of
study yet opened TO investigators. To give Us
full title the work embraces sketches Of the ruins
Of Palmyra, Nlncvah, Babylon and Persepolis,
with some notes on India and the Cashmeran
Himalayas The author aud his brother, the late
Henry NJ Myers, were joint authors OF the his.
tory OF the first Williams College expedition Ia
South America, which was published few years
ago under the title, Lie and Nature Under The
Tropics. After two journeys TO South America,
undertaken with scientific aims, the brothers un-
dertook the Journey described in the present book.
They went not as mere tourists nor yet as ex-
plorers, but as students, 70 study carefully what
had been brought TO light by various explorers,
and those things which are visible TO those who
know how to look and what to look for. A pleas
ant and satisfactory work 1t is, with graphic de-
scriptions OF the ruins Of the ancient cities, pic
turesque descriptions Of the country and scenery,
and accounts Of the character and condition Of the
people. For sale at Phinneys.
roHro sr,,pus nv Tlizabeth Stuart Phelps author Of
"The Oates Alar.' ete. Boston James Il. Ossood Co
Miss Phelps is poet We would need only to
quote poem or two from this volume to convince
Never Was on Sea or Land, "a Question, -
"Good-by," ," The Difference" A Dead Lily, "
but we might mention every one of the forty
poems In the volume, and name the best one every
time There Is a waver Of pain running through
the most Of them, asthough the heart were broken
and were trying to console itself by saying sad
and beautiful things but they all breathe the soul
Of poetry as though lips unseen and voices un-
heard had prompted the author at her Studies.
Theyare mainly brief; that tof Petronilla il the
longest; but we incline to say that the best are
among the briefer ones Whether Il is the expe-
rience which they voice, or the genius which they
prove the author gifted with, that makes her a
poet, we know not Either would seem to have
expressed itself only In the pathetic, yearning
spirit which breathes from most Of the pages.
They are heart-songs, many Of which have been
sung before through the press, and whose beauty
merits the more durable form that is here given II.
The volume can be procured at Phinney's
orr NExr-DooE Ngfcuron. Winter Ia Mexioo. BY Oil
bert Haven. Harper Brothers, New Nork city.
We have here Bishop IIavens record Of a winter
in Mexico Perhaps it would astonish almost any
well-lniorned person, II he sat down to review
himself, to find how little he knows about this
Of the country is only incidentally woven into this
narrative 1t Is rather with It's present condition,
its social and religious state, and with all those
points Of interes, with which an intelligent OBJ
server would naturally deal that be has both en-
ployed his pen and interested the reader Con
siderable portions Of the book, we believe have
appeared in print before, but they merit this more
enduring form The Catholic Protestant condition
lie duly attended 10 Mr. Haven is a genial, pleas
ant and vigorous writer, and when he undertakes
70 tell anything he doesn't consent to make II o 5
than interesting. He has done that In the present
case He is n keen observer, not only Of the beau
tful and picturesque in nature but Of the eccentric
and interesting In manners and life That he
kept his eyes open during his comparatively brief
stay in our neighbor republic is evident from the
fact that he has been able to write book as
agreeable and full Of information as the present
in which the social and domestic habits, the re-
ligious condition and customs. and the physical
surroundings Of the heterogeneous people who
dwell to the south Of rs, are described with ready
pen. The accompanying illustrations are as nota-
Die for excellence as for number. Phinney has it.
LoseEvtrr. BY John Gardner, NJ u. WI. Cm & Co.
Boston
and in perspicuous and plain manner, the au-
thor's views concerning the means Of prolonging
life after middle age. In the outset, DR. Gardner
distinctly states that historical evidence fails TO
prove that any person has yet reached the age Of
one hundred and five years. lie regards the
stories of the great age Of Parr, Jenkyns, and
those worthless, simply as myths, aud disposes of
the case Of Methusaleh and his compeers as to be
reckoned among miracles" DIR. Gardner evil
IDENTITY believes, as many beside him do also, that
in this rapid age there is too strong disposition
among younger persons TO crowd off the stage
those individuals who have passed middle life
that instead Of being urged to attend to and re-
move besetting bodily ailments and weaknesses,
elderly people are toe often advised to resign
themselves to the natural consequences of age
and many Of them die untimely Of diseases
which might have been avoided, kept back, or
cured altogether, had proper measures been taken
in time Surely, person who has gained wisdom
by years and experience, is quite as valuable to
the world as one who as yet knows nothing, and
has all his experiments 10 make, but the common
practice sustains just the opposite theory. DR..
Gardner thinks that long life is a matter more
within our control than we have been apt TO sup
crease in future times This is good news foI
those who have found this world worth living in
and the book deserves To be- as it doubtless will
be, widely and apprecatyely read by grand
mothers and grandiathes, and those who value
and love them. For sale at Wilders.
SHORT HisroRy oF THR EsoIisH PEOPLE By J. X
| oxford Win maps and tables New York Harper
Brothers.
We have had good many histories of Englisl
kings and English conquests We now have
history Of the English people, and it is good one
The author would not write a poor one His pro
fessional business for several years has familiar
ized him with his subject, and this has been aug
mented not only by familiarity with the people
themselves, but by close and critical application o
every item OF knowledge and experience, II,
deals principally with the triumphs of peace
go The butchery OF men by their fellow-men" " IL
thinks has formed the basis OF enough Englisl
historical literature. He has tried in his work Il
restore /" to their places among the achievement
of Englishmen the Faerie Queene and the No
yum Organum. Thus one may get an idea o
what this history is. We do not believe an.
candid reader will be disappointed in it. The Eng
lish press has almost invariably welcomed and ap
| pauucu II. IL hecinh 10 DC incttlus Us NucrcrNcs
like reception in this country Phinney has IT,
MoHAnNEp AND MoHANNEDANIss Harper Brother
New York.
This volume OF about four hundred pages cor
tains four lectures delivered at the Royal Institu
ton OF Great Britain, year ago, by R. Boswort
Smith, to which is added an appendix containin
the late Emanuel Deutsch's celebrated article o
Islam The author does not lay claim to origina
research in Oriental scholarship or TO specis
originality Of any sort; but, availing himself q
the best helps within his reach, has striyen to il
yestgate his subject candidly and present it fair,
lie does not choose to designate Mohammed a
''impostor" but thinks it every way better to er
deayor to estimate his character and his work al
preciativey The writer's style is agreeable, an
his general treatment Of the subject commendabl'
That he appreciates at its full value the distinctly
difference between Mohammedanism and Christ
anity is more than we would say, For sale
Phnney's.
A vrRy timely publication, in this centennii
era, is the History Of The battle Of Bunker
tBreeds) Hiu, on june II, i775, by George !
Ellis, d. d. This is q graphic and complete ma
ratiye Of the event which is to be shortly con
memorated with so much enthusiasm. II is wri
| ten after careful stndv of the suhiact In oil a