The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-04-14
LITERATURE.
Racks.

Appendix, containing, amonS Ceno. n.y. me ii''
lion. Series of March Routes, Compiled from
Russian Work, 12mo., PIP. 4o3, New York
Harpcr 4 Bros. Chicago: Jansen, McClurg d
Go. Ottawa: Osman & Hapeman Price -.
The author is an officer in the British Royal
Horse Guards, and, instead of spending his an
mail Through in soft dallauce in metropolitan
society, like most of his fellows, finds it more
eonsonant to his nature to devote his vacations
10 seeking those dangers and excitements which,
in "thesc piping times of peace" are denied him
in the army He seems to haye tried Central
Africa but apparently finding the country too
not and dull, was almost in despair when MS
eye caught paragraph in London paper stat
ing that foreigners were not allowed to travel In
Russian Asia. 1t was just such challenge as
he was in the humor to accept and he fastened
at once to London to prepare for an Overland
trip to Khiva, the very heart and centre OF Rus
sian aggression in Asia.
II was Nov. 3Oth when he was ready to start on
his Journey Now it may have been necessary
10 90 to st. Petersburg to get .hc needed pass
ports for such o journey, but it is hard to say,
and the author fails to tell us why in midwin,er
he should choose such route as that by way Of
Moscow and Orcnburg, across the bleak Russian
steppes north of Azof and thus on to Khiva,
when certainly q much more agreeable route
was open to him by way Of Syria and Persia. But
in spite Of abundant assurances at ST. Peters
burg and Moscow that the attempt to reach his
destination by that route in winter was sheer
desperation and almost certain death, such warn
ninGs were only an additional stimulus, and he
pushed forward with only the more determine
iion TO win. The trip, now on horseback, now
with slcdgcs, now on foot-amid all kinds OF pri-
yations-now shivering in an inhospitabe Rus.
sian inn, now buried in SHOWS or struggling
with broken Ice in crossing strcams-thc Their
mometer ranging most OF the time from zero to
10 below--was however successfully made, and
Hhiva was reached in the beginning of Fcbru.
arg. lie remained there several weeks, looking
ut things with his British eyes wide open and
MS British prejudice against everything Russian
keen as pointers scent, until the Russian OIL.
eials Htimated to him that he had probably seen
enough, and 1t was time he resumed his journey
homeward, BY ne route he had CONF. The return
trip was made in better weather, with fewer pr
yations, and in much shorter time.
The narrative OF such a journey, it is needless
70 say, is crowned with incidents, some thrilling
others amusing, but all full Of interest If one
half of the world is mainly occupied in finding
out how the other halflyes, an immense amount
Of that curiosity can be gratifcd in finding out
how Russians live in a country that mankind In
general know as little about as Central Africa.
without much pretcnslon to literary elegance,
Capt: Burnaby writes in pleasant yvacious
RI
words. Several excellent maps accompany the
work and materially enhance It's value.
SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS or LORD
MACAULAY. Edited with Occasional Notes by
GEORGE OTrO TRRyELYAN, NJ L, Svo., PIP.
Az. New York: Harper IL Bros. Chicago;
Jansen, MCClurg IL Co. Ottawa: Osman d
Hapcman. Price $50
Mr.. Otto Trcyelyan, who has placed lhc world
under obligations by writing charming biogra-
phy Of his uncle, Lord Macaulay, increases The
debt by presenting this selection from his writ.
ings. As an essayist and sketch writer Macaulay
had no peer In his time. His writings abound
in sketches, portraits, descriptions OF battles
and siegcs and iclnca,ons Of other great scenes
and events which, though forming part of a
grand whole, are complete in themselves and
suffer nothing by being detached from the con.
text. There is hardly another writer fiom
whom such selections could be made without
doing injustice to the author. In the volume
before Us the scissors, Gas editors are won't to
say) have been used with great Judgment and
;hc result is volume of rare interest and value.
illinois LEGISLATIVE MANUAL for Both General
Assembly, 1871 and 1873, Springfield, H.: NJ.
G. Tously Il Co.
The volume contains, within POO closely and |
handsomely printed large octave nonparcil
pages, certainly all the information that can be
asked for within such space, and really all that
Is wanted In any handbook Of its kind We
have tables of postage, foreign and inland, Ia.
oies Of population Of all the principal countries |
and cities Of the globe, as well as Of states and
cities Of our own country, and counties, cities |
and villages Of our own state. Then we have |
some 1900 Biographies, including all the prcsi. !
dents and notable men Of the nation as well rs |
notable politicians Of the state, governors, mem
bcrs OF the legislature. &c. Then the constiu-
non Of the L. 5. and States Of I!lnas, are given,
with succinct history Of the state, aud |
sketches Of its charitable and other public in
sltutons, colleges, seminarics dc, All these,
and thousand other things are given, in addi- |
lion to what would constitute the ordinary Blue |
Book OF the S,ate-a list OF all its officers, their
date of appointment, residence, and pay, a legis-
alive gaide, rules of the two houses &c.
The labor Of compilation must have been
enormous, yet it appears to have been admirably
cone, and SO far as our examination has gone,
with rare and most commendablc accuracy.
HADcAr VIOLET. Novel. BY WILLIAM
BLACK, Author Of THE Strange Adventures of
aPhaeton," The Monarch Of Mncng Love,
"A Princess pi Thule" "Klmeny," DC. New
York; Harper Bros Chicago Jansen, Me.
Ginrg " Co. Ottawa Osman ~ Hapeman.
Price 20 cents.
. There are few living writer's of fiction more
popular than William Black. There is no mawk
sh sentimentality about him or stralning after
The sensational. His plots are no 7iolent strain
On credulity, aud his charatcrs are so natural,
life-like and lovable that it is hard to persuade
one that they are not phogTaphs Of living origi.
Sinals. Where can we find better character