The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-07
some NEW BOOKS.

EDIsON AND Hrs INVENTIONS. By. J. b. Nc
Clure. From Lathrop " wilkins.
| Mr.. Edison is really wonderful man. His
inventions entitls him to unique and honor
able place In the history OF science No man
of this age has been so successful In obtain
| Ing useful practical results from the abstru-
sest scientific truths. With that curiosity for
personalities which Carlyle and Spencer re-
gard with such different appreciation, the
world always welcomes arv biographical ac-
| count OF great man. For this reason Mr..
| McClure's book will be acceptable to many
readers who will be glad to learn. even from
his uninspired pages, some Interesting partl-
culars In the private life of the great inventor.
Wholly self-educated, and until d few years
ago dependent for his support on his employ
ment as telegraph operator Mr.. Edison
has by his own unaided exertions, raised
himself to the front rank Of living scientists,
aud has perfected inventions which will ever
be considered among the marvels Of human
achievements. Perhaps his most remarkable
characteristic Ia his prodigious industry and
tireless power OF intense and protracted APP
plication. His foreman asserts that during
ten years Mr.. Edison averaged eighteen hours
day Of work. For three consecutive ID onths
he has been known to work the entire dayand
night, excepting from to o'clock In the
OF MI. McClures book, we may ut least say
that 1t Ia adorned with very extraordinary
wood cuts, and that, until q better takes its
place, 1t will to q certain extent repay pernsal.
And its value Ia Increased by detailed eXpla-
nations of the monograph, telephone and
other OF Mr.. Edison's inventions.
LECTURES OF Con. Il. G.. INGERsobb MIS-
TAKES OF MOSES - SKULLS - GHOSTS
HE'LL. From Eyrich.
We do not, in general way, object to free
thinking. A man may, II he likes, free think
to his full satisfaction regardless Of facts ana
regardless Of logic, and we have no DISPOSE
tiOn to trammel this yehemently asserted lib-
erty by requiring him to begin with true
premises and reach conclusions BY correct
reasoning. We are not then, In lined to
quarrel with Col. Ingersoll for not being sulll-
GENTLY acquainted with the facts Of Bible
History nor for his gross mlsconception aud
MISREPRESENTATION Of Christian doctrines
Neither do we specially blame him for reason
ing on principles rejected OF accurate thinkers.
In these matters we have the largest tulera-
tion for the Colonel. But we cannot refrain
from noticing some blemishes In his lectures
that are peculiarly his own. What he intends
for elouueDee almost uniformly lacks tho
humble but useful incident OF inteligibtllty.
and Is O. tawdry, tinsel mass 0f rhetorical
iinery. For example, the following: Gle did
not know that the sun wooed with anorous
kiss the waves Of tho sea, and that, disap
pointed. their vaporous signs changed to teafs
and fell again as rain Ii sheer, bald irrev-
erence Of what other men regard Ms sacred Is
wit, then Col. Ingersoll possesses this quail
ity in high degree Otherwise he is but
endowed with it.. But 1t Is when the
Colonel attempts To be pathetic that he be-
comes most nauseating. Pure and lovely |
women" tender. dimpled hanes." "tb light
rays from the eternal culver Of the sun, and
a few other haekneyed phrases make up the
vocabulary by which the Colonel produces his
pathetic effects
Altogether, we are at q loss to understand
the popularity and influence which Col. In
gersoll has acquired by his lectures He is /
not genuinely earnest; he Is far from earnest;
his language and style are defaced by affecta
ton and slang. His continual effort to pro-
luce pointed effect becomes excessively |