New-York tribune., 1879-04-29
poses of literature in the blended delight end instruc


WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. l2mo. pp s44
Roberts Brothers
The border land in the South of England,
between the Of the primitive backwoods OF tue
island and the great OF rural civilization ia
here portrayed lively colors by skfu master OF
picturesdue description the author Of The Game
keeper at Home" OF the most agreeable WORKS on
popular natural history and English country he III re
cent literature The described retain the quaint
simplicity OF past The habits Of bird OF ahnai
have scarcely been touched by modern progress Inc
nightingale yearly returns TO her former haunts almost
I'D TO the very houses of the metropolis few hours
tourney leads the wood and stream where the natives
sti pass Wild free life amid the fresh sotudes OF ma
ture The most striking feature In the hapits
OF these animals is their Joy In lne indceu
this is the case, says the wrier, with almost
all birds and four-footed living things in freedom.
may IL in every motion: in 'he lissom bound
Of the hare the playful leap of the rabbit the song that
the lark and the finch must sing the soft loving co"o
the dove in the hawthorn the blackbrd ruilng out Ills
feathers rail. The sense OF living-the CONSCIOUS
Of seeing and eengs manifesty intense IN thein
ALL and is IN itself exquisite pleasure. Their appe
tes fresh they rush to the banquet spread
by Mother Earth with gusto that Luculus never knew
in the midst Of his artistic gluttony they dlnK from
the stream with dainty sips though It were richest
wine. Watch the birds in the Spring the pairs dance
from bough bough and know not how to express their
wild happiness The rejOces In the swiftness oths
limbs, his nostrils sniff the air his strong sinews
spurn the earth; like arrow from bow
he shoots up tho steep hill that we must
Chamber slowly, haltng halfway to breathe"
The authors sketches of the rural population the cot
tages and farmhouses less graphic than his pic
lures OF animal life in the forest The wneelwrght the
busiest man In the place Tie not only makes and nends
wagons and Wheels but is ready 10 turn his hand
TO almost every other kind Of carpenerDg The black
smith is Of course important character, and usually
has plenty TO do. He at first troubled with the new
tangled machines but has learned to keep them In
good repair His fame for hOrseshoeng sprea far and
near, and gentlemen living Ill market towns send out
to him to be shod The tinker is often man
of substance spite of his yagrant habits owning two or
small cottages built out OF his savings by the VII
lage He has capital trade when he does not
drink travelling from door to door and mending up the
old pots pans his small portable anvil, with two
or three yeowhaired children of the cotagers inenty
watching the mysteries of the craft The village cob
bier is si institution, supplying the labOrers with
huge TOn-clad boots that Will keep ont the damp, and
are to he had Of the regular trade. The annual
auction the farm is exciting affair The young
stock whether sheep or pigs, short-homs for which
the farm specially famous and sometimes tue stand
ing crops since the introduction Of steam plOughs
and artificial manurcs, disposed Of In this way.
In either the auctoneer is called in dinner Is
prepared and everybody who likes TO como is welcome
II there happens to be great barn near the homestead
it usually used for the dinner The marques has yet
TO be invented which Will keep ont hundersorm-that
common interruption of country meetngs-lke an old
barn. But barns not always available, and tent is
then essential. Though the spot may be lonely and
several miles from town or station large number of
persons are be there and It is auction OF
sheep cattle with pedigree, many OF them viii be
have from the other end OF the Kingdom,
and sometimes agents present from America or the
colonies. Much time is consumed IN examination OF
the STOCK and then the dinner begnt least two hours
later than was announced But th& little pecniarity is
well understood by all interested TO cause no in
convenience Scarcely any ale is TO be II s there
if asked for but the great majority now G.ink sherry
The way in which this wine has suppanted the old
fashioned October ale is remarkable and noticeable
sign OF the times. At home the farmer may sul have
his foamng ing, but whenever farmers congregate to
gcther on occasions like this sherry is the favore.
When calling at the inns In the towns on market days
much business is transacted at the inns-spirits
usually taken, that ale longer the characteristic
country liquor. With the sherry cigars handed
round-another change. II Is true the elderly stick
TO their long clay pipes and IL is observable that some
the younger after awhile 20 back the yard Of clay
but on the whole the cigar is now the proper thing"
The authors of the bucoc ways Of the country
folk though often surpassed by descriptions Of similar
lnd.in the American magazines, syery pleasant reading
But the peculiar charm of his books to be found in its
familiar sketches Of animal life, its fine suggestions Of
natural scenery and its heartfelt sympathy with every
living form of creative power 1t is OF course thor
Whites delightful Natural History Of Selborne," and
other Engsa works of similar character presents
great attractions to the lovers Of nature everywhere
THE SECRET OF. SUCCESS; or How GET on IN
can eduon edited by p. G. II. g. p. Putnan's sons
The wisdom of Solomon, Benjamin Frank
lnand stephen Girard is here concentrated in pract
cal essay the art Of getting through the world with
out starvation aud without discredit. Mr.. Davenport
Adams, whose for some time past has been rather
prominently before The public, Is an English literary
worker Of great industry, limited for the most part
commonplace matters, with 10 remarkable gift Of seec
ton or organization hut the compiler OF
less valuable manuals which have attained certain
degree of popular In the present work, which
shows American copyright and bears the initials of
American editor although 1t does not appear how far it
differs the original edition, frequent reference is
made TO American celebrities and numerous quotations
are given from the writings of American authors The
secret of success which it forth is of Iniracu-
lous or mysterious character. To do your duty the
station 10 which it has pleased God to call you solves
the whole problem. This is not bad doctrine or
bad morals. The lesson is enforced by a plenty
of opposite examples and striking illustrations.
Some OF the rules which the author lays
down are rather novel, but III spite of that
show sound practical Thus he sagey descans
the maxim: Never find fault with your tools" To do
this he asserts the infallibe sign of bad workman
Real talent makes OF whatever lies nearest at hand
Faraday mastered the Of electricity with old
bottle. Sir HumplTy Davy threw light on the laws OF
chemistry by rude instruments OF Ills cOntrvance.
Ferguson calculated the distance Of the stars with
handful Of glass beads threaded string Watts first
model OF the steam-cn2ine made out Of old
syringe Benjamin West took his first brushes from a
cats tail. DR.. WollastOns laboratory old tea
tray, which held a few wach-glasses, bow-pipe, a
small balance, and GOzen test papers. Clifford worked
out his carly mathematical problems small scraps Of
leather which he beat smOOt-eDough To be used tab
lets. Dr.. Black detected latent heat with PAL OF
water aud a couple OF thermometers, and George S.e-
phenson mastered the rules OF arithmetic with bit Of