The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-12-13
LITERATURE.
Books


In view Of the high favor with which the pub,
lie had received his previous two Volumes it was
but natural that Judge eaton should feel encour-
aged to collect together other of his writings,
presenting many points OF equal merit, and give
them to the public in a separate volume. Hence
the very neat octave Of 800 pages OF "Niscelan.
les " before us, 1t opens with sundry addresses
delivered by the Judge ofoccssions Of special
interest, such as his retiring from the bench; on
the death Of Lincoln, in response to resolutions
Of the bar; on the death Of Gen. Wallace, on a
similar occasion; on the Growth Of the Law, an
address delivered at Hamilton College, &c, dc
Then come various scientific papers--On the
Origin Of the Prarics; On the American Cervus ;
The Wild Turkey; Some Points connected with
the Vital Statistics Of the Hawaiian Island, &c.
All these papers are marked by the Judges
peculiarly Of close, accurate observation and
shrewd insight, in that respect often Of the high
est scientific Importance SO much as to have
attracted the attention Of scientists like Darwin
and Herbert Spencer These are followed by Let
tiers from Low Latiudes, a series written by the
Judge in the winter OF 1872 while on trip to
Cuba and along the Gulf coast Of Ala bama, Flori-
da, &c, and published in the Ottawa FREE
TRADER. Some Of these letters, relating par
ticularly to the political condition Of Cuba, its
local administration and customs regulations as
affecting the commercial interests OF the United
States, were Of such a character ~ at the time
to attract wide attention. and are still interesting
and instructive. The volume closes with O
couple of papers, In one Of which the Judge IN.
dulges in some very ingenus specuatiOns on
the origin OF the Yosemite Valley, and in the
other some equally shrcwd surmiscs in regard to
and lively descriptions of the Pctrfcd Forests of
California. While in his scientific papers the
Judge carefully avoids terms and phrases that
would be only confusing to the unscicntfc
reader, so in the rest Of his papers he maintains
that simple, familiar style and air Of pleasant
BON hon.m.ie that mark all his writings, thus Civ
ing us in his "Miscellanies" book as agreea.
bic as profitable to read
EuRPIDEs BY j, r. Mchaney, A. NJ, fellow Of
Trinity College and Professor of History in the
University Of Dublin. New York: ID. Apple
ton Il Co. Chicago Jansen, McClurg II Co.
Ottawa: Osman ~ lIapeman. Price GO cents
This little book takes its place in the Apple
toms series Of classical writer's edited by John
Richard Greene. 1t forms a volume Of about $50
closely printed l2mo pages, neatly bound lin
muslin.
Euripidcs was the father OF Greek tragedy,
plays that have served as models for two thou
sand years and have not yet been surpassed
Though he lived in the dim, distant past-his
birth occurring $50 years before Christ-we
know about Ms much--or As little-of his per
sona history MS Of that Of Shakespeare, alone
worthy to be named by his side Yet his history
spans period of nearly eighty years, the most
lustrous in the annals OF Greece. 1t opens with
the great Persian invasion and the battle Of
The barbnric' tide sweeps over
lonia like II hurricane. Athens is laid in ruins
the battles Of Salamis, Plataea, Mycale, &c,
succeed, until finally the last Of the Persian in
cursion is wiped out in the victory of Cmon at
EurymedOn Then came the rebuilding Of Ath- |
ems, from means generously contributed by her
grateful allies. No nation in any age made such
strides IN art, literature, science and philosophy
as Athens made in the next fifty years. II was
in this generation that Phidius wrought, Hero |
dotus wrote history, Prodicus and Protagorns
lectured, Socrates preached in the streets Perices
Aristophuncs the stage. They had AN average
audience of 10000 to cater TO- the most critical
and eXacting the world ever saw. To succeed |
was fame and fortune-to fail disgrace and ruin. |
Never before or since was genius nut to such
tension, and never before or since produced II such
results. Our biogropher catches the spirit Of the |
theme and following Euripidcs through his
struggles presents him crowned with bays
YOUNG Mrs. JARpINR. A novel BY the author
Of John Halifax" "GentmRn," &c New |
York: Harper Il Brothers. Chicago: Jansen,
hcClurg " Co. Ottawa; Osman II llape- |
man. Price tl.25.
This is the story that for half a dozen of
months past was running through Hnpers
hdgdTins in which it first saw the light 1t is |
written in that pleasing style which marks all
he writings Of Miss Mulock, who is confessedlv
me Of the most popular AS she is one Of the most |
voluminous novelists Of the day OF course |
lalf the world has already read the story in |
Hdyper's and passed Judgment upon II, so that |
NC need only remark that while Young Mrs. |
Iardine is Every nice ndced"-wcarying no one |
~ complicated, long drawn out plot nor offend. |
ng any aesthetic taste, ii is no such novel as
= John Halifax" or dozen others of the forty |
odd novels Of its gifted author.
LETTERS FROM A CAT. Published by her Mistress |
for the Benefit of all Cats aud the Amusement ,
Of Little Children. BY II. H., author Of
"Nelys Silver Mine" With Illustrations |
Boston: Roberts Brothers. Chicago: Jan
sen, McClurg ~ Co. Ottawa: OsmGn II llape- |
man. Price 81 p.
4Esop, Hans Christen Anderson, and other
ery clever writers have abundanty testified that
ats, chickens, geese, swans, foxes, wolves, and
many other animals can talk, and we don't see
Why they can't as well write. Indeed, that cat
an write letters, and very amusing ones too, We
AVE proof positive in the very handsome vol
'me before us As n holiday present for four
" five year old we can imagine no book more
kelly to give entire satisfaction.