The New York herald., 1877-04-30
LITERATURE.


Mr. Mackenzie's Masonic Cyciopodia Is, without
doubt most complete and practical volume, interest
ing 10 the Mason and the general reader for It's
information covers wide range aud the COM
piier makes number OF dgrcssions from the
the subject There is little pertaining 10 MASONRY
that Is not touched upon in this volume great
many Of the and have been dug out only
by patient labor and whatever there Is In the book
that old is treated OF In such fresh style that has
the ecct OF being told for tho Arst time As the au-
thor says his preface, many collateral matters have
been introduced being OF interest to right compre-
nensou of the scope OF Masonic science While the
crat. with all respect and affection. has received
willing tribute ut the writer's hands, difficulties have
been presented and open, critical spirit allowed;
and If certain legends have been treated with free
method or inquiry IL has ai~sys been essayed to per-
iorm the necessary labor with due respect for tho
superior knowledge OF special points possessed by cx-
pcrts the various systems by which the spirit OF
Masonry has received expression. The writer shows
thorough archaeological and historical research In the
field of his labor which has resulted In making book
which should be In the hands OF every Mason.
IKrsH WIT AND WIspoA. New York: p. NJ Haverty.
Under the above taking title Mr. Haverty has Issued
work that cannot tail be Interesting 10 our Irish
fellow citizens. II is OF those works which
bine the useful and the agreeable, being at once IN
almanac and capital story book. Tho reading matter
has been selected with excellent judgment, and,
though preference s given throughout to entertaining
stories and Incidents the moro solid Information has
not been forgotten. or special interest tho short
historical sketches. both religious and political, which
givo far bcter insight tho character Of the Irish
people than moro lengthy or more profound dissor-
tations could do. person wholly unacquainted with
the past history OF Ireland reading this series OF So
loctons would, when laying down the book possess
fair knowledge Of that interesting country, and this
quality should recommend It strongly 10 IrishAmeri
cans dcsiroas OF obtaining intelligent ideas concerning
tho people from whom they have sprung. Stories Of
old wars are pleasantly relieved BY the pleasant qups
of Curran or the sarcasms OF Swift. But II Is In
ecdotcs the Irish Church that the book is richest,
and whoever takes interest In the wondrous history
OF that Western Church which reiighed tho lamp OF
learning and holiness In Europe will find In the pages
OF Irish Wit and Wisdomn and delightful
reading
MISS NAxcY's PILGRrMAGR: story OF Travel BY
Virginia w. Johnson. New York; Harper l. Bros.
Miss Virginia W. johnson is young American lady
who is still in her twenties, and who improves with
every she wrtcs that by the time she reaches
her thirlies she will have done good work tor the
noveI-rcadng world Miss johnson has spent consid-
erable time abroad, and tho present volume Is
that many Of tho adventures hero related have
been her own experience. We do not for
moment think that Miss Nancy, worthy
woman that she Is, refers Miss Johnson not
so ungalant that Miss Nancy Hawse, who Is the
ideal .schoo marm" is introduced 10 shc stands
beside the buwark Of the that bore her to
foreign land The lie board tho steamer is well
described, and the wrcck Is depicted with graphic
pen. Miss Nancy In London, Paris Rome, Monaco
and other cities is interesting sketch. One can
readily imagine the feelings Of Miss Nancy az the
speudors OF tho Old World opened up before her
inexperienced eyes. There arc two or three love
stories running through tho book, OF which Miss
Nancy's is not tho least interesting.
BESSIE LANG. BY Alice Corkran. New York: Henry
Holt 4 Co.
The past week has not been very prolific in inn
portant books still the publishers mills have ground
out o number that worth reading. Henry Holt
Co have added story to their Leisure Hour
series called ''Besso Lang" and written by Alice
Corkran. This author is TO and Tor that reason
arc the moro surprised at the excellence Of her
work. She has been most fortunate in being intro
duccd In the charmed circles Of the Leisure Hour
scrcs where oil good wheat and whore therc
husks " Bessie Lang" is plain, unvarnished tale Of
q plain unvarnlshed girl, and is very wlnsome in its
simplicity. young man sprains his ankle and
is laid up ut the house OF Dame Mar
tin, "a tall, hale old woman-clean
the elder blossoms that spread their whteness In front
OF windows Her spare skirt Is black and her
chest white linen 'kerchicf Is folded. Not vcsige
OF hair can be under tho cap the fr OF which
forms a frame TO her face. She is just u
woman to be mother OF mep, but she is childess In
the joyous benevolence, in the eager hberay of her
nature she Is the typical mother-the right woman TO
be placed AT tho head OF order OF sisters Of mercy
organizing and dispensing comfort. Here, at Car
beck, not child Is born that Mistress Martin has not
helped into tho world she is nurse every sick and
dying bcd sho has assisted at every baptism In the
village" Dame Martin tells "Bils story" which Is
the story Of Bessie Lang her young guest who in
turn tells the reader The telling took place in the
old DANES .'sandcd kitchen, panellcd with oak; a
dark oak press and clock and wealth Of crockery
about I'M high back chair by tho chimney corner
Dame Martin sits; her ircd cap shines out against
the dark setting. Her spare figure, her thin ami
mated face seem to ut into tho framc-
work that in the nrc light assumes
sombre, homely beauty. She talks in tho broad soft
dialect of Cumberland. favored with Scotch Infections
and terms borrowed from the schoolmasters OF long
ago.n and SO Dame Martin told the story Of Bessie
Lang. What II was. dear reader, you must read the
book learn, for have intention OF deprvng you
of so agreeable u treat.
FROM TRADITIONAL TO RATIONAL FAITH; or, The Way
Came From Baptst 10 Liberal Christianity. BY X.
Andrew Grilln. Boston: Roberts Brothers.
We arc left TO infer, from the title OF Mr.. Grifns
book tina. he does consider that traditional faith
Is rational, al opinion in which he Will find few SYM
pathizcrs outside OF Boston. He says to his Eng
lsh trends who have known him in the ortho-
dox faith, al go my way sorrowfuily, without you
In this world argument language available can
perhaps convince you that God, Christ. atonement
iaith, prayer and the inward life real and holy
10 mo now as when lsbored among you. You cannot
500 this; nor could have seen II few years ago.
stu go the way you eo-trcading the samc spiritual
path you tread The eternal goodness guides us
ALL separated. and walk side by eide, not