Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-19
OUR BOOK TABLE.
NEW observation-disclosures OF
sHaKESPEARE.
On Reading-Thomas Carlyle History OF
the Civil War-Books for Chill
drsn-country By-waYs.

| teenth Corps; in 1862, Lieutenant Colonel of the
| Twentieth Ohio commanding the regiment al
| the Tennessee. New York: Charles Scribner's
| Sons. San Francisco A. L. Bancroft Co.
| vols 12mo, with maps; 81 each
The two volumes are the first of series Of
nine. These are TO follow in this order
"The Peninsula" by Alexander S. Webb,
Ii. D.; Assistant Chief of Artillery, Army
of the Potomac, 1S6l-62; General command
| ing Second Division, Second Corps; Chief
of Staff. Army of the Potomac. etc.
The fourth, "The Army Under Pope,
by John c. Ropes, member of the Military
Society Of Massachusetts, "The Antietam
| and Fredericksburg, by Francis Winthrop
Paifrey, late Colonel Twentieth Massachu.
setts Infantry, and Brevet Brigadier-Genersl
United States Volunteers. "Chancellors-
vile and Gettysburg" by Abner Doubleday.
late BreYet Msjor-General United States
Army, and Major General United States
Volunteers. "1he Army of the Cumber-
land" BY Henry NJ. Cist Brevet Brig9adier-
General United States Volunteers; Assistant
Adiutant-G General on the staff of Major
General Rosecrans and the staff of Major
General Thomas, and Corresponding Secre-
tary of the Society of the Army Of the Cum
beriand. ssThe Campaign of Atlanta" by
the Hon. Jacob d. Cox, Ex-Governor
of Ohio, late Secretary of the In
tarior of the United States, and Major
General United States Volunteers. etc.
.'The March to the Sea-" by the Hon. Jacob
D. Cox. 1.-THE Campaigns of Grant in Vir-
ginia," by Andrew A. Humphreys, Brisadier-
General and Bievet Major-General, u. S. A: !:
late Chief Engineer; Chief of staff. Army
Of the Potomac, 1S63-64 General command
ing Second Corps, etc. The Mississippi" !"
and one other volume will complete the series
hau fhl1l r0ylG
iuto detail that readers may hays an adequate
idea of the men, and the opportunities they
enjoyed, who are to write the works of the
series, for no one wishes to enter upon TAX.
ing of volumes thus issued without consider
ing the possible worth and value of all the
volumes of the series. So far as the two
volumes at hand are concerned, We
are pleased with them, and especially
with the work of Mr.. Nicolay, whose
personal observation and long Investigation
peculiarly fitted him for the work His
labors were aided by the recent publication
of both the Union and Confederate official
war records, disclosing vast mass of mis-
torical data, which Mr.. Nicolay well knew
how to appreciate and avail of. We believe
he has written conscientiously, and that
while his little volume will be attacked from
several quarters, it will stand the final
test of history. The other volume is less
attractive TO the general reader, as it deals
with minute military details. The main
source of General Forces information was
official reports Of battles and operations-the
same that are to appear in the series Of
Military Reports" now in preparation by
Colonel Scott. Chief of the War Records
Office in the War Department.
AND How SHALL READ THEM? By Noah Porter,
D. D., ILL., d. New York: Charles Scribner5
Sons.
The contents of this volume grew out of a
lecture delivered by DIR. Porter, President of
Yale College, written several years ago and
which was frequently delivered. Originally
he addressed himself to the wants of younger
and older persons who might be in a condi-
ton to be pro6ted by few practical sugges-
tions from well known authors. The didsctic
form aud manner of the lecture has been
wisely retained, as allowing greater condensa-
ton and directness, and as more appropriate
to the position of teacher and counselor.
Useful suggestions have not been omitted,
even though to many they might seem
commonplace. The illustrations given
are usually from authors who are sup
posed to be familiar to the reader. The
wants of those beginning TO read seem to
have been especially considered, while those
who are more or less familiar with books snd
practised in reading have not been wholly
overlooked The work will thus be found
one OF value to all. Professor Porter consid-
ers what makes a book, what constitutes read
ing how to read, attention in reading, how
to read with interest and effect, the
| relations of reader and author, the influence
of books and reading on the opinions and
principles, the moral influence of books and
reading. the reading of fiction, imaginative
literature, the religious character and intiu-
ence of books and reading, q Christian liter
| ature, history and historical reading, how to
read history, novels and novel reading, poetry
and poets, books of science newspapers and
periodicals, etc., etc.
| SHAKESPEARE: Critical Study of His Mind and
| Art By Edward Dowden, LID. New York :
| Harper & Bros. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft
Il Co.
This is an Syo volume of nearly 400 pages.
| 1t is critical work of much interest. 1t
would be pleasing, did space permit, to entsr
| into consideration of Professor Dowden's
analysis of the art of Shakespeare. In this,
the third edition, he insists, the statements
Julius Ce ,ar" lies in point OF time be.
side Hamlet" and that the former was
probably complete before Hamlet" was
written, or at least before it assumed its
latest form. As to Hamlet" he holds as
is held concerning Goethes Faust" that
| it has to do with almost the whole or
deeper parts of the poets life up to the date
| of its creation. This much may be said of
Professor Dowden's work in the absence of
analytical examination, that his diction is
scholarly, his method direct, his style chaste
and crate, and that his work has received the
approval of distinguished Shakespearean
scholars in England, Germany, France and
our own country. In this volume, let us
| add in conclusion, the effort is to connect
the study of Shakespeares works with an in
ouiry after the personality of the writer,
and to observe, as far as is possible, in its
several stages, the growth of his intellect and
character from youth to full maturity. In
these respects DR.. Dowden's work is distin-
guished from the mass of preceding criti-
cisms of the great bard.
THOMAS CARLYLE. By Moncure D. Conway. New
York Harper & Bros. San Francisco A. l..
| Bancroft & Co. One vol, Svo.
Mr.. Conway visited England in 1868, and
bore from Emerson a letter of introduction
| to Thos. Carlyle, which secured for him a
gracious reception from the man whom Pro-
| fessor Porter Whose work is noticed above)
described as one who impregnated whatever
he wrote with large infusion of his opinions
as the Prophet of Discomfort and Antagonism
| towards whatever the age, which he despises.
sees fit to honor. Mr.. Conway says that he
| was admitted to the circle OF Carlyle, his
wife and friends, and in it he often eat and
often too as the only guest. He shared Car
| lyle's walks and rides, and thus became al
most an intimate. He adds:
| This little book which l now send out to the
| world was veritably written by Carlyle himself.
These pages faithfully follow impressions made by
| his own word and spirit upon my mind during an
| intercourse OF many years. have written
| out my notes and my memories with the man still
| vividy before me, and, it were, still speaking
and must venture to add, it is man l can by nc
means identify with any image that can be built uI
out Of his " "reminiscences" do not wish to ideal
ize Carlyle but cannot admit that the outcres of
broken heart should be accepted as the mans true
voice, or that measurements Of men and memorie:
through burning tears should be recorded 3;
characteristic Of his heart or judgment.
Mr.. Conways work will be found to repay
for the reading. 1t goes into the home life
from boYhood to manhood, of Carlyle, an6
the spirit of the great critic is reflected or