Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-19
RECENT LITERATURE.
TIE LIFE OF CICERO, BY TRoLLopE-
THOUGHTS AND THINKERS.
A Century of Dishonor- sight-Longfellow
The Goodale verses-New Novels
The History of Greece.

The LIFE OF CIcgRe. In two volumes. By Anthony
Trollope New York Harper Bros. San Fran
cisco: A. L. Bancroft & Co. Svo, muslin PIP.
345 each.
Trollope had this task suggested by the
earlier volumes OF Merivale's History OF
the Romans Under the Empire" He says
his book springs from love for the man and
heartfelt admiration of his virtues. Trollope,
while moving in the verdict which admits
Cicero's intellect aud industry, takes issue
with scholars as to his patriotism, courage and
sincerity. He finds the great orator and
rhetorician to have been in advance of the
dead intellectualities Of Roman life, to have
stepped out into moral perceptions, natural
affections, domesticity, philanthropy-to
have loved his neighbor as himself. Trollope
takes open issue with Macaulay, who pro-
nounced him as at the head Of minds of the
second order; with Dean bferivale, who
thought him only once or twice, and
for a moment only, real power in
the State; with Forsyth, who pronounced
him insincere; with Froude, who found lit
tie to praise and nearly all to censure. He
inyeighs bitterly against the insufhciency of
the evidence on which the Encyclopedia
Britannica charges that Cicero was open to
be bought in the time of the first triumvirate
So on through the list Mr.. Trollope takes
issue with the leading scholars and writers,
and this indicates the scope and trend of the
volumes before us, which delineate the literary
man, as well as the politician whose faults
he admits, bat whose overshadowing virtues
he so much admires. He admits Cicero to
have been ambitious too human to have been
perfect often INSCRIPTIONS in his ambition
loving husband and father great in speak
& !, 10 rk,xr ap1 al, lttia in
speaking of himself; wonderfully honest in
money matters, for his times in words not
always equally trustworthy busy-body
possessed of military ardor, he painted to be o
leader ia triumphs; one who suffered and
did not deem it unmanly to proclaim his
agony; man with story fraught
with pathos, tragedy, energy, and
success man who stepped out from the
mass aud went beyond his time; so like
Christian that the essential difference can
hardly be seen; a man who taught and prac.
ticed Christ'5 doctrine, before Christ, to love
Others as ourselves believer in ole SUI
preme God, and in life forever in some
heaven. He was man thoroughly human
10 all his strength and all his weaknesses /; o
man whose character must be known in order
that the chief charm of his letters may be
appreciated. These are, in brief, the texts
of Mr. Trollope's volumes, the allegations ne
sets out to prove. His work is the most
scholarly production that has come from his
pen, and its vigor, depth, analytical power
and purity of diction places Trollope much
above the literary l5vel on which he has here
tofore moved. The closing chapter Is devoted
to the religion of Cicero. The author says:
Cicero no doubt WAS pagan, but he has not
written as pagans write did he act as pagans
acted 1t was easier for thoughtful man, and
pleasanter for thoughtless to believe in nothing
than in Jupiter and Juno, Mars and Venus. Cicero
did not come at all as a teacher He never recog-
nized the possibility OF teaching men religion, or
probably the necessity; but he did see the way to
so much of truth to perceive there was heaven,
and the way to must be found in good deeds here
on earth, and that the good deeds required OF him
would be kindness to others.
THE EASIEST WAY IN HOUSEKEEPING AND COOKING.
Adapted to Domestic Use or Study in Glasses.
BY Helen Campbell, late Superintendent OF the
Raleigh IN. CO Cooking School. New York :
Fords, Howard Hub. Sacramento W. A. &
G. S. Houghton. l6mo 81
Mrs. Campbell has demonstrated that there
is room for " another cook book" Speaking
of the many books of this kind, she says:
year Of somewhat exceptional experience
involved in building up several cooking schools in
new locality demanding the most thorough and
minute system to assure their success and perma-
uence-showed the inadequacies Of any existing hand
books and the necessities to be met in making
nav one. Thus the present book has twofold
character and not only represents the ordinary re-
ceipt cook book, disable in any part OF the couu-
try and covering all household needs but covers the
question naturally arising in every lesson given, aud
ending in the most necessary points IN household
science.
She then goes on to show why certain ex-
cellent books are not suitable for her purposes
in starting at the foundation and building up
in the minds of the readers an intelligent
knowledge of the principles of bodily lie
and it's sustenance by home comforts and
wholesome. reIishful food She treats of the
situation and arrangement of the house !;
ventilation, drainage and water supply daily
routine of work fires, lights and utensils !;
washing food and health condiments and
beverages, etc. She then takes up market
ing and cooking, and gives several hundred
excellent practical recipes and hints from the
cookery of other nations. These are not of
the high-spiced order, nor yet after the To-
cent dinner and 5-cent-meal-for-25-peop
style. One of the striking features of the
book will be heartily appreciated by house.
wives, and that is that Mrs. Campbell
the reader to act in this or that
according to TASTE" or according to
judgment" blind expressions which have led
thousands of women to throw nearly as many
cook books to the floor in an agony of dis
appointment and chagrin. On the contrary,
she specifies in each case what to do and tells
how to do it, for which let all womankind
bless Mrs. CampbelPs good sense. The
Household Hints" the proportional
Tables" for cooking meats, fish and vege-
tables, the List of Utensils" Hints to
Teachers" Tables of Lessons, Questions
for Examination" List of Authorities
and Index of Topics" are all excellent.
And so we approve of this book, which does
not pretend to point the paved road to success,
but gives the easiest way as the best and
makes much useful knowledge an open door
for the average family.
BRITISH THOUGHTS AND THINKERS. By George S.
Morris, A. NJ. Chicago: s. c. Griggs & Co. limo;
81 rs.
Professor Morris is Lecturer on Philosophy
in the Johns Hopkins University, and is
known to scholars especially for his transla-
ton of Ueberwegs History of Philosophy.
In these Introductory studies, critical,
biographical and philosophical, he treats in
twelve chapters Of the General Philosoph-
ical Attitude of the English Mind" ME
dieval Anticipations of the Modern English
Mind" John of Salisbury, Roger Bacon,
Duns Scotus William of Ocean; s. En-
glishmen of the Renaissance Edmund
Spenser, Sir John Davies, Richard Hooker;n
" William Shakespeare, Poet-Philosopher;"'
Francis Bacon. IhOmaS HODDeS,
/" John Locke" !. George Berkeley" David
Hume" "Sir William Hamilton" John
Stuart Mill" and Herbert Spencer"
The statement of these subjects shows at
once the exhaustive scope of the work. In
the selection of topics he has exercised rare
Judgment, as the names chosen represent
leaders of thought and style as types of de-
velopment. Professor Morris, with his rare
scholarship, his long philosophical study and
his intimate acquaintance with the soul of
English literature, could not but present
work of this character with strongest
attractions to the literary student.
It is an Introductory work inviting to re-
Elective and systematic study. His own brief
and modest expression concerning the volume
should be quoted :" hope, by the express
zion of deliberate and reasoned opinions, to
have pointed the way to correct views con-
corning the essential nature and value Of the
most conspicuous current of abstract thought
in the English language"