The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-23
THE NEW ORLEANS BULLETIN, SUNDAY, MAY %, 1875.
OUR BOOK TABLE

/
FAMOUS BooKs.-Sketches in the Highways and
| Bywavs of English Literature. By W. Daven.
port Adams. Virtue, Spalding & Co. New
Orleans: Il. G. Eyrich.
In the winnowing OF centuries only very Few
| prrins of literature have been saved from theiI
contemporary dust and chat to still retain q
place upon the modern board, and many Of them
are more remarkable upon the score of curiosity
than Of actual merit. 1t is handful of these
q few chaste and we'll digested criticisms, sufi.
GENTLY full and orthodox in taste to relieve
modern scholars from wading through the musty
pages Of the originals.
| First upon the list is More's Utopia" book
which in its day was regarded in the light OF a
revelation. as q marvel of erudition and states
manship. And so it might have justly been
under condition Of civilization impossible for
us to thoroughly comprehend in this so wonder
fully changed present. Be this as it may, we
now yawn through Utopia in almost mournful
pity at the seeming childishness OF its simplicity,
| the decrepitude of its style and the utter alb
| eurdity Of its logic. In judging of its merits
| wonder usurps the place OF admiration that such
| symptoms of lunacy should ever have been mis-
taken for profound scholarship.
The same is to be said in an equal or less de-
gree OF the other passions OF past ages, herein
also discussed. Sidney romantically incompre-
hensible Arcadia; Fox's dreary Book of Martyrs;
Quarles's Emblems; Ascham's Schoolmaster, etc.
Fortunately, however, our author does not con-
fine himself entirely to these Dead Sea fruits, but
descending to more general and better under
stood terms, discusses from modern standpoint
the merits Of such quaint and lovable, though
still more or less prosy books, such as good old
Pepys's Diary, Addison's Spectator, Steele's Tat
tier, Chesterfields Letters, Elias Essays, etc..
carefully and kindly brushing away the dust OF
generations, and warming into mellow light all
their hidden but fadeless charms. His work,
calculated to aid in creating and cultivating
taste for classical Il erature is worthy of place in
every library, and should be placed in the hands
Of every ef1orescing scholar.
Mr. SMITH; A PART OF HIS LIFE. By L. B. Wal
ford. New York: Henry Holt. New Orleans:
R. G.. Eyrich. Leisure Hour Series. PIP. 365.
charming iittls story remarkable Tor its
LONELINESS both of style and sentiment. Its
plot is very scant, but its characters are exceed
ngly life like and familiar. Little more than a
record Of country life amid the better classes of
society, it's events, which do not rise above such
ordinary occurrences as a dinner party or fir
tation, yet manage to enchain our sympates and
awaken profound Interest. But very few modern
writers of f;tion sufficiently gifted to
achieve so much upon so small an expenditure of
effort, none, in fact, but the keenest analyzers
of life and character. Of such is undoubtedly
the author.
The story, if it can be called one, turns upon
the matrimonial traps set by superabundance
Of pretty spnsters to achieve the matrimonial
conquest of' Mr.. Smith, rich bachelor with q
sudden advent in quiet neighborhood, and is
''dear stalked" by the whole
county. Tbs little tricks and artless traps set
for him, the bats delicately held out by The ang
ling fair ones, and their own chamber conferences
after an evenings campaign, can be read not
only with gusto, but also with great profit and
instruction by all those unwary young men who
are now daily being cajoled and lost through
similar tactics. To that callow brood OF ADDE'S.
ceuts, who yet think angelic wings lay folded
within their ladies' boddices, we recommend "Mr. |
Smith" rs valuable counselor.
WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD Know. By Burt
G. Wilder. Boston Estes Il Lauriat. From |
r. G. Eyrich, 100 Canal street.
Prof. Wilder is well known to the public as the |
Professor Of Comparative Anatomy
and Zoology at Cornell University and also as q |
Lecturer on Physiology, and the author of nu-
merous papers on Natural History and kindred |
topics, read before the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, the American |
Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Boston So
ciety of Natural History, and other learned |
bodies, and publ shed in their proceedings, or in |
the Popular science Monthly, the Atlantic, the |
Galaxy, Scribner's, the Nation, and other JOUR
nails.
The author of the volume before us therefore |
ranks high as authority IN his special field Of
science. ssx..e |
This volume has been prepared with the object
II investing the important subject OF the func-
ion of the reproductive organs" with scientific
interest, in place of the sensual aspect under
which young people are too iabls to gain their
irst impressions of it. It includes only what
avery intelligent human being should know and
thoroughly understand, for ''the knowledge of the
human body belongs to every man, woman aud
;hild, and has no more necessary connection
With pltysic than Wi art, industry, or any Of the
,ther occupations that we do in the body and by
he body"
The false system of concealment and mystery
hitherto advocated has always served to stimu-
ate an impure curiosity, and has too often led to
practices, the source OF untold evils,
which might have been prevented had the young
# both sexes been properly enlightened upon
matters on which SO much of the happiness or
Misery Of lifetime depend. In this volume this
lelicate subject is treated in q plain, straight
onward manner, but in such way rs to eles ate
70 well as enlighten the mind. The book is evil
lently written with an earnest desire to do good,
nd we sincerely commend it to every person of
ommon sense. It is worthy the careful study of
IL who are interested in elevating the intelectu.
l and moral standards of the community.
,R1c-A-BRAc SERIES, VOL VII Personal Remi-
niscencss, by Corneia Knight and Thomas
Raikes. New York Scribner, Armstrong &
Co. From r. G. Eyrich, 49, Canal street.
This volume uf the Bric-a-Bra Series is, in a
manner, companion volume to the "Greville
rsons OF rank and station in English society.
liss Cornelia knight, "lady compa ion" to the
rincess Charlotte Of Wales, the poet-laureate Of
dmiral Nelson, was lady of considerable repu-
alton for extensive learning and manifold ac- /
She was the author of several books written in
lately classical style, and was selected by MIR. ,
lit to superintend the education of the Princess
harlotte, and resided in the royal household at
Windsor for many years. AS q girl, she asso- :
lated with Johnson, Goldsmith, Burke. Rey nolds
nd other celebrities of that age. At the deat
her mother she was left to the care Of Sir
VILLAIN and Lady Hamilton, and accompanied
1em and Nelson to England. The latter part of /
er life was spent in travelling through France,
salY and Germany. Her "reminiscences Of the t