New-York tribune., 1878-03-02

EVENINGS IL THE LIBRARY. by GEoRCr SrEwAET.
IT, l2mo. rp. 2ji. st. John. y. b. T. =. H. Morrow.
The scene Of tins volume is in the we'll
filed liIrary-o Of an 0Dc6nt professor OF literature who
loved read and talk about his favoritc antlors ana
had invited two intelligent young nerhcws to while
ava, a few evenings IN listening 10 his free and easy
discourse On some prominent books and writers of
the day. The "oollouuics divine" mostly deyotes
to the brightest lights of American literature, Including
Emerson, Bryant, Holmes. Longicliow, NIit'iT ana
others for whom the Professor cEcrshcs constitutional
woalncss Gescanting on their merits with De
gree of enthusiasm that Is rarely met with
in those WHO have passed The age of college ulecr-
graduate Indeed he may be said 10 possess rc lect
genius For admiration. H. is not one your co cynical
readers who turns mp his nose Whenever he can sly
fault the other hand he appears 10 he stone blind to
any defects in his favo1itc; them IN tone Of
panegyric which to critical ears has almost the sound or
rhapsody. ccstacos, however may find IN
excuse IL their evident sincerity aud as Emerson asserts
that "evcIy body loves lover" he viii 10 donb make
many friends by his impassOned ardorS even though
they cannot follow all the lengths OF his enthusiasm Not
that bis comments current literature are mere bnHts
Of feeling. lie bcrays cultivated literary taste, Tar
more than ordinary knowledge Of books, aud certain
rstinc; for good writing which enables him usually to
praise III the right place. often to present ssge Ons
which arc both acute and original. Thus OF ThauatOpsiS
he aptly remarks: One finds himself stopping midway
in the poem to inqnre what manner OF youth 1t was
whose knowledge Of human Sind WAS so sensitive and
keen while he was yet One must pause To
take ID the grandeur Of TIE thOuCb which tears through
tho sonorous stauzas The boy OF eighteen writes with
the f;e and grasp OF n man Of iron soal ana
with the lncsive knowledge Of who
had lh,srncd well the lessons Of llfe with the
passage OF the hurrying years" The secret Of
Loug0ws power the hearts Of his readers is tsls
described Away from the and cities in cottage
homes, IN hamiet-, tic sweet singer of Cambridge IS
known and loved. and well-thumlel volumes q bis
poems show how much he is read ard cnoycd. IiIs
audiences are larger than the LauTeates lie Hproais
TO q wider circle His humanity is not broud nut hs
poetry has more soul IN IT, and II reaches the heart
quicker and brings The better nature which is in
man HE songs have been written for the people, for
tie laboring classes who woIk ont IN the fields and TIL
the ground. The songs OF Nature which he has written
are for them and We find his works at ;hcir
fresiies and hard. brown hands turn the leaves" or
all the T. OcssOs heroes, Emerson appears 10 bear Tue
pal simple solution given Of the riddle Of bis
tlle. "Whcu Michael Angelo struck TIE marble block
III historic Florence thrce centuries ago. and i.ure
filed with life sprIng into existence, and ss;OnisEcd
even old Rome itself all the world proc aimed the cings
that great genius born among men. In IA lesser
degree that genius largely into Lmersons copo-
ston His nina is surcharged with it, L, must have
vent II must lud an outgoing channel II ii be true
tnat according TO Rahel tie vOid can be astouished
with the simple truth, then EmtrsOn has long ago accom-
plisicd tins cat lie has asOni6hed the world Tor Tie
simple truth charmlnsly fold, delights the reader OF his
youmiDous works ut every turn" In this straln Of
familiar pretending cAat tneIrofess0r wins the hearts
OF his young proeg6cs love OF good letters and OF
good men, refining their tastes informing their judgments.
aud opnng ROYAL road the study OF literature. His
book affords al excellent introduction 10 the produc
tons OF American genius and culture without the FOR
malIty OF ddactic exposition.