The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-06

which is almost too dazzling to a poor mortal like
myself. to whom it is we'll that moments such as
these BRIEF else the reaction would be destruc-
tive to my peace of mind II altogether fatal to
it," II she think OF no elaborate reply to this
torrent she may smile and say "How absurd you
are!"
There is no circumstance where small talk may be
Of that this writer has neglected to provide for,
and bashful young men and women have only to COM
NIT its lines by heart to make agreeable impression
OH society. The result may be . rather monotonous
IL several students of the book meet at
table. but this is not fatal to display any
versational originality. Tho true plan.
sured. is to converse though was born
cynic and DEVELOPED into simpering idiot-that is
to say. hating inanity with soapeon of scepticsm
is the thing.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN"
Mr.. Charles Godfrey Leland is gentleman
OF considerable literary experience. and
patriot who has done his country some good
service with his pen, but his life of "Abra-
ham Lincoln" which q. P. Putnam's Sons
has just published. is far from being creditabe
work. 1t s written in spirit of hearty admiration
for its subject. but when admiration finds express
sion in print 1t needs more assistance to make 1t
effective than Mr.. Leland has seen fit to give it. The
book apparently written for English readers,
and the author occasionally remembers this. but as
tory and geography. that would be necessary to
American readers, for the first time, about Lincoln.
The chronological sequence of the story is often in
terrupted, and when resumed the dates sometimes
fail to extend to the year. that confusion Is likely
to ensue In the mind OF the reader Mr.. Leland has
tho doubtful taste to make occasional references
not at all necessary to periodical which he edited
during our troublous times. and even to reprint
from the Same magazine poem. the mean
ing of which might effectively DO
stated in prose- Careless expressions abound;
among other instances we note that in Early's IA
nous advance toward Washington he found him.
self confronted by the Sixth regiment. from the Po
tomac army. and the Nineteenth regiment, from
Louisiana the word regiment being substituted for
corps; also that General Dick Taylor. after tho
downfall OF Lee and Jackson. surrendered the Con-
fcderate troops east of the Mississippi instead Of
west. The only time Canby's work is alluded to his
name is spelled Cawley. Worse than careless is the
authors attempt to make the terms democrats"
and "copperheads interchangeable, for this implies
to the foreign reader that the antwar faction con-
tanned all the members Of the great party which did
its full share in the for the preservation of the
Union.
Mr.. Lelsnd's book Is the initial volume of series
called '"rhe New Piutarch." which will include lives
of Victor Emmanuel Richelieu. Charlemagne. Harold
several
other noted characters some of the names Of the
authors being guarantees OF good work.
SARGENT S. PRENTIss.
Charles Scribner's Sons have reissued. in two
volumes. IA Memoir of S. s. Prentss." which was
first published quarter of century ago. The sub
ject of this memoir has seldom been publicly
talked Of in the East since the days when Miburn.
'the blind preacher" used TO I'LL large houses with
his appreciative afectonate lecture upon "The
Thunderer OF the Southwest" South Of the Ohio
River. however. Prentiss' name and fame still
tho talk of those who men before the His
political acumcn. his social qualities and his ready
and brilliant wit gave HIM prominence which any
man might have enved. and had he not been of too
great intellectual stature for partisan his name
would have become widely known as that Of
any of the men who were foremost in national poll
tics in ante-war days No political history OF the
Southwest is complete without frequent mention Of
Prentiss. and the best history Of the man will be
found in the "Memoir." which consists almost en-
tircly of the subjects own letters.
''FTGs AND rHIsTLEs."
In Gigs and Thistles" the author, Albion w.
Tourgee. changes his OF action. moving from
the sunny South to the wild West. 1t 10 called .
representative American novel," and SO it is to
certain extent. The hero not only comes into the
world barefoot. but he COOS shoeless and stocking
less for long time after his arrival. Adverse for
tune does not daunt him. He seizes the wheel by
both his strong young hands aud turns it back. so
that from being ut the bottom he reaches the top.
He practises an attorney. he serves in the war.
and at last reaches that longedfor place to which
every good American aspires-Congress There is
NO lack of incident in this peculiar book Love-
war, politics-alinost everything in the history OF
man. is touched upon. There twenty odd per-
sons who figure moro less conspicuously in the
book, but Markham Churr is the hero and Lizzie
Harper the heroine. There is not much pressing in
this volume. The author evidently enjoys his work
and We should think that he wrote this book as he
did his first, as "a recreation. merely" CFords.
Howard HurlburtJ
''pAnrs AND HALF EUROPE IN 49,"
paris and Half Europe in '7s'' (G. w. Carleton l.
co., is curious book by Henry Morford. 1t is hard
to tell what the author is driving at, whether he
means to make u guide book, q catalogue or a book
Of travels. The first part is written by "My boy
Tommy" then Morford begins and rattles along.
It seems he wrote about the Exposition Of 67 SO he
felt it incumbent upon him in way to write
of that of 10. Like good American, he thinks our
Centennial was much hner than the Paris affair In
tho matter Of ne arts ewelry and the Injuries gen.
orally the latter he thinks the best but as de-
veloping tho resources Of all nations 1t was behind
that OF Philadelphia Vienna. His ..bosom
swells with pride at tho position taken by America
at this worlds fair. although no thinks our country
might have done better. What took for an advcr-
tscment In the front of the book is dedication to
Governor Richard G. Mccormick. in fancy typo doc.
grated by q coat of arms.
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM.
There Is a certain physical instinct which. when
perverted leads its possessor to ascribe impure sig
nihcsncc to almost every human expression and
action. Something Of this sort must be attributed
TO tho book which. both wholly and In fragments,
DR.. Thomas Inman. of London. has published
under the title of ancient Pagan and Modern Chris
tian Symbolism To Mr.. Inmans eye almost every
character or figure used by many Pagan nations In
their worship is symbolic OF generation. In some