The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-06-16
AN OLD NEW BOOK.

So MRS. :. n. ~hIfIt
We have almost finished the perusal Of
aLuw edition Of very old work which
we have read many times before, as many
indeed az We are years old, but with new
interest, pleasure and profit each time.
The present volume, published by the
author, and distributed free IF cost, y is
beautifully bound in green and gold, ana
magni6cently illustrated in colors. These
illustrations indeed form one II the many
wonderful features u lie work, and have
long served, and doubtless will long CON
tinue to serve as models for the artists Of
ali climes. For originality Of conception,
exquisite dehcacy and harmony Of colorlng,
and skillful blending Of light and shade,
they have never been eNcelled by the work
Of any painter, ancient or modern.
Nor is the other matter contained in the
work in any way inferior to these illustra-
tions, either in its variety, which is almost
infinite, or in its beauty, excellence and
usefulness; and still perhaps there are
writings that are absolutely new in the
present edition, as compared with former
ones, there Is still as many changes and Inn
provements in arrangement that We seem
70 discover new beauties upon every leaf
that We turn. and the whole work has the
effect Of succession If delightful sur
prises, notwithstanding that We have read
1t so many times before.
It's sermons inspire With the STRONGEST
desire to begin new and better life, to
turn over Hetr itat, as it were, and they
so enforce the doctrines Of the resurrection
that they carry conviction to the hearts IF
many an unbeliever, whom even the truths
of holy writ have failed to reach.
Its love tales are not the mere creations
Of romancer's brain, but the faithful rec
ord of more than woman's constancy and
devotion, though drawn from the every
day life Of class with whose habits, pecu-
liarities and even language We are not as
familiar with as We might he.
Its poems and songs are from the same
source, and are more beautiful and inspi-
ring than any other penned by mortal poet.
Upon the very first page We find the rob
ms" song, not, dear reader, one Of the
five hundred with that title, that you may
have seen in the various newspapers this
spring, nor indeed is it set to any written
words, but the real live, ringing, inspiring
notes of the real live bird and now,
you will have guessed that my wonderf III
book is "SPRING, and ere this reaches
you will have read it through, and taken
up its succeeding volume, SUMNER.
That too will be filled with beautiful pic
lures, richer in hue, holder Of outline and
with far stronger contrasts Of light and
shade but beautiful as they may be they
still lack the tender, spiritual grace that
the pencil Of spring alone can impart.
1t will have its sermons but they will
breathe more Of the practical and pTosaic
than the spiritual They will point rather
to the rewards that in this life wait upon
industry and perseverance, and the failures
sure to overtake idolence, but will be less
strong to awaken in our hearts purer and
higher aspirations. Nor will they impress
us SO powerfully with belief in the pos
sibility of future life, as do the mira
cles wrought by spring, when vegetation
bursting from the icy bonds in which death
has held it through the winter, springs to
life at its touch, and the seemingly hfeless
seed, that we bury from our sight in the
ground, quickened by the same magic
power, leaves there its outward and visible
covering, and comes forth each after its
kind, to put on the garments of a new and
more glorious life.
1t will have its songs and its love stories,
but the one, like the effort Of the profess
sional singer, will inspire US rather with
admiration for the brilliant performer
than with sympathy for his theme, while
the other will, for the most part, be but
an uninteresting chronicle of the cares and |
trials of maturer married life. They will |
lack the delightful charm that belongs only
to the romance of youth. And so we
might continue the contrast with each sue
ceeding volume. Autumn, even winter,
will each have its peculiar beauties and
excellencies, but none will compare with
this whose last page we have now reached,
and we see summer taking its place with
something of the regretful feeling with
which we mark the years of our children
merging into those Of manhood and wo-
manhood and as we wished then 20 that
we might keep them always young" so
now We say ''would that we might keep
the year always young, apd continue for
twelvemonth to read only the delightful
pages Of this charming rejuven"t'ng new
book Of spring"