The Portland daily press., 1876-07-22
Recent Publications.

A. Hammond, NJ. ID. New York: g. P. Putnam,s
Sons. For sale by Loring, Short g. Harmon.
This book is dedicated ito all, few, though
they be, who are free from superstition" IT,
however, only those to whom it is inscribed {
peruse IL, 1t Will have far less extensive cir
cuiatlon than its many excellencies entitle it
| to; for though we find few exemplification1
OF the grosser phases of superstition among
| the better classes in the community, there still
remain the fag-ends of old foolish notions
"nich crop out often in most unexpected quar-
'ers' one man, who is sensible on most every.
tning else, has an unconquerable aversion to
Tue commencement of an undertaking on Fri
oay; another, who scouts this idea. declines
10 De one OF thirteen at table, and is panic-
stricken If lookiDg-glass is broken in the fam.
lily. Hundreds of people are Just trifie dis
turoed at getting their first sight of the new
moon over the left shoulder, though they would
hesitate to acknowledge such weakness; and
other hundreds, while ashamed to admit il. ex-
pcnence little thrill of pleasure at finding
that they have unconsciously slipped on their
stockings inside out or have inadvertently done
any other thing which is included in their cat
egory of lucky omeus.
There is a very large body of people how
ever, who, untrammeed by'such childish IDEAS
have not yet dIvested the. slyes of NOR
subtle, though not less wejta and dangeron
superstitions. They are %. ned tn accent
supernatural explanation
which cannot be at once a
physical causes. They do
entertain the formerly univer
asphyxia Of men who descen,
due to malevolent spirits who
invade their subterranean dive
mon which the Anglo-Saxons
nothing but gas to us; but thel
occurrences which the populat
the agency of spirits, although
long had for them an adequate ex.
1t is to give wide publicity t
that this book has been written.
not simply skeptie in spiritualist
he is a confirmed unbelever. He
thing like disrespectful criticism O
religious beliefs, but takes especial
state that the emotional variety is not
under this head; for to him as to most
ful physicians "the outpouring of the Spr
God" is only another name and bias
nous one-for the prominent display o
symptoms of certain nervous diseases, SUI
epilepsy, catalepsy, hysteria and insanity
large professional experience in the tres
OF these and kindred affections, and his
sive reading of the literature of the
nave admirably fitted him for the task
ne has undertaken. The various metI
so-called spiritual manifestations are
cred in detail, and it is showa that fral
lucinatlon, Illusion and legerdemain
ciently account for the vast majority
The minute description of cases
of these points are SO graphical
whether one is prejudiced for
particular explanation of such
not help being interested and
to stop short of the last page
has begun the volume.
With all the praise which wei
| upon this book, there is one
author which we feel bound to
though he inveighs mostveheme
deceit practised by "curing me
that if an educated ply
reason to think that
will probably effect the cur
duty to use it instead of
which, like two-edged sword
ways at once" No doubt it IS
patient who needs no medicats
ored water than any active dose
ment ofDr. Hammond's impli
Clan is under the necessity of gi
togive medicine in every caseo
is by no means true. There is
alent idea that the only way o,
ber is through drug shop, SSESx
cious notion could hardly be SSacelved. L..
result of it, most people, wits \ ach' confidence
in dio0 pnct;o oh; =
rance can give, resort to the medicine chest
whenever theie is the slightest ailment, proba-
bly, aggravating much more frequently than
relieving the difficulty.
Almost every man trusts himself to be his
| own physician, aid thus is very sure to have
fool for patient. Medicine, like the sur
| geon's knife. when properly managed is pow
| erful for good, but in the hands of incompe-
| tency, is still more capable of harm, and per-
| son who has not scientific knowledge of such
| things would be about as justi6able in attempt
| ing serious surgical operation, as in giving or
| swallowing an active medicine without the ad-
vice of physician. Every medical man un-
| derstands this, and has constant occasion to
deplore the harmful effects of ill-advised self
| dosing; but it must be admitted that very
many doctors throw away golden opportuni-
| ties Of educating their patients out of their
false views, and even, as in this instance, con-
firm them in their errors, by administering in
ert substances under the guse of medicines,
when they ought to frankly tell the patient
that he needs no dosing whatever BY pursu-
| ing the latter course, they would cease 10
| port the idea that pharmaceutical preparati
| are the only remedies, and, by altogether
nouncing the bread-pill fraud, could with
consistency denounce the dishonesty of
| quacks who play on the credulity of the
| age citizen to the manifest detriment o.
health and his pocket. F.H.G
/ HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERr
FROM THE DISCOVERY oE THE CONTINENT.
| George Bancroft. Vol. VI. Boston: Little
Brown s. Co. Portland, Loring, Short & Har-
| mon.
| The present volume completes Mr.. Bancroits
Centenary edition of his history. During the
progress of its publication its praises have
been sounded upon all sides. As each volume
has appeared the care of the anthor In his
work of revision has become more aad more
manifest, and the artistic effort of the pub
fishers has also been the subjec. of favorable
comment. Although we miss the prefaces.
/ poIttdGp Wiuo udrSins3 iOOI uOteS anu teXJ
embellishments of the old ten volume edition,
all that is most valuable and essential remains.
| What has been omitted is Of little value ex-
cept to specialists. The six new volumes as
they stand upon the shelf do not appear quiz
as formidable an undertaking as tho ten som
bre volumes of old acquaintance. and viii
probably oftener be taken down upon this ac
count. There is yet to be found considerable
of that style of writing in vogue half cen.
tury ago, that in the hands of Macaulay was
eloquence and elsewhere, with but few excep-
tions, was bombast. This was a fault especial
| ly of the early volumes of the old edition that
was gradually exterminated, until In the tenth
volume that appeared about two years ago,
scarcely trace of it was to be found. In the
first volumes of the present edition the author
found it difficult to eradicate all traces of this
style, but the task has grown easier toward the
end and this sixth volume is but little changed
from the original AT the close of the volume