The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-13
OUR BOOK NOTICES

Saxons Is of the most moderate kind; thai
thew are as dull and featureless race a.
exists in this century, and that the less one
has to do with them, the better; but then ht
reouired some nucleus round which to group
such thoughts and fancies as he wished te
ventilate, and Saxony, or rather, DRESDEN,
furnishes as broad field over which to tro'
his hobbies, as any other spot be might nave
chosen. and so the book is called "Saxon
Studies." the unfortunate Saxon being merely
" scapegoat for his savagery." But though
Mr.. Hawthorne evidently holds his subject IN
the most profound contempt. and makes both
himself and his book exceedingly disagree.
able, at times, by his sour cynicism and
harsh criticisms, some of the chapters are to
| the full as charming and entertaining as
others are the reverse. We would especially
mention the two on dresden Diversions
and Sidewalks and Roadways, which are
really delightful reading.
THROUGH AND THROUGH THE TROPICS; Thirty
Thousand Miles of Travel in Oceanica,
Australasia and india. By Frank Vincent,
Jr., author of The Land of the White
Elephant" New York: Harper Il Bros.
New Orleans: r. G. Eyrich.
That MIR. Vincent is good traveller, pos
sessed of those indispensable qualities, energy,
endurance and quickness of observation, both
of men and nature, and that he is q good
writer, capable of conveying to others clear
idea of what he saw and what he means, in
spring his reader with almost the same en-
thusiasm and interest in merely hearing Of
things that he himself felt In actually seeing
them, is abandantly proved in <the Won
derful success of his first venture in
the field of literature, "The Lind of
the While Elephant" one of the most fas-
cinsting works of travel ever issued. The
present volume gives the history Of a trip of
via Cape Horn, thence to the Sandwich
Islands, New Zealand. Calcutta, the Hima-
llyas, through High Asia, down the Indus,
through Hindoostan. The volume will be
found worthy Of its predecessor and of its
author, enhancing his reputation for vigorous
description and intelligent observation.
PAYING INVESTMENT By Annie E. Dicken-
son. Boston: James r. Osgood Il Co. New
Orleans: r. G. Eyrich.
Miss Dickenson's "paying investment is
Rsform-reforms 4" sanitary, educational, So
ciai and Humanitarian" aud the stupendous
task of accomplishing these, God knows,
badly enough needed reforms, is set before
WOMAN as her righttul work, or rather as the
work which she alone can effect. Her words
are calm, earnest and amiable, and her book
may perhaps do great good. Her arguments
are clinched by solid facts, and her views on
most Of the topics she approaches are very
sound The duties implied in citizanehip;
the necessity Of an educational qualification;
our system OF over legislation, are all dis
cussed in language good, strong and true.
Her views on the subject of cooperation are
rather in advance of public opinion, though,
as she truly says, 'the whole march OF civil
rct IL Il
volume, believing, however much its readers
may disagree with her more advanced ideas,
its perusal can not but awaken serious
thought on the grand problems involved in
our present political and social status.
The LIFE AND LETTERS OF JAMES HENLEY
THoRNwELL, D. D. LII. D. By B NJ.
Palmer. D. D., LII. D., Pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, New Orleans, La.
Richmond: Whittet & Shepperson. New
Orleans: (So!d by subscription) A. J.
Witherspoon, 1877 Terpsichore street, and
3S Camp street (ofice South Western Presby-
terian)
The general reader will find in the present
voknme most valuable and interesting speci-
men of biographical literature, the literary
merits of the work being as far above the
average as are the talents and learning of it's
gifted author. Il is, however, to the Presby-
terrain clergy in particular that it will be more
especially welcome, the name of DR.. Thorn
we'll being household word with the ma
jority of the pastors If that determination to.
day, and especially of the younger generation
of preachers, DR.. Thornwell having been for
several years President of the South Carolina
College, and for nearly ten years more pro-
lessor of theology in the Theological Semi
nary at Columbia, s. G.. DR.. Palmers sum-
fr, 81 h. oLo
of DR.. Thornwell in his various public rela-
tons-as an educator, as q philosopher, as a
theologian, as preacher, as presbyter, as a
Christian and as a MANS q mastery speci-
men Of elegant writing.
THRosrLETHwAITE. By Susan Morley, author
Of "Alleen Ferrers" Philadelphia: j. B.
Lippincott & Co. New Orleans: r. G,
Eyrich.
The readers of "Aileen Ferrers will re-
call with pleasure the time spent in the Pc
rusal Of that story, one of the most charm
lngly pure, natural and heightened novels of
last season. Throstlethwaite, from the same
graceful pen, will not disappoint the pleas
urea ole anticipations created by those pleas.
ant memories. To those to whom the name
Of the author is new, wa would say form her
promptly through the medium
Of "Thros ,lethwaite" and "Aileen Ferrers,
both; though the characters introduced in her
new story are cot as numerous as in the |
former, they are such as to deeply interest thu |
reader, who parts from them with regret, as
from living friends, SO natural and hfe-like |
are they, while the merits of the story, with |
Ill the littls incidental circumstances and sur
are presented in so admirable |
manner that one seems to live and move
among them, and awake almost as from |
lream as we turn the last leaf and stumble |
1pon The End"
HALVES. A. Novel By james Payn. New
York: Harper & Bros. New Orleans: R.
G Eyrich.
Rarely has an author risen so rapidly
n public estimation, or with such good
grounds tor new verdict, as JAS. Payn. On
he appearance of his earlier novels he was
promptly and universally ranked as "a popu-
ar writer of third-rAte stories of common
place life, and there the majority of novel
writer's would have remained, content with
iecent mediocrity. Not so with Mr.. Payn,
however; each succeeding novel has been bet