Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-23
OUR BOOK TABLE.
TEE LATE MAGAZINES = SELECTIONS
Prom NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Beauty in the Bouse-Ancient History
Slaves of Farts-Law Publications
Minerals AID Stocks-Etc.

They were Married is the title of TIE
last romance from the pens of Walter Besant
aud james Rice L. ia 8 pleasant novel, not
deep, NOT thrilling, bus very compsnionable.
1t is issued in cheap and couvenien. form il
Loyell's library series, by the John W. Lowell
Company, New York.
Professor Asa Mahen has issued treatise
on " Mental Philosophy" when is published
by s. G. Grigge & Co, Chicago. It is in.
tended TO furnish guides for college classes.
academies and high schools, and it is clsimed
for it that it is complete system Oh mental
science. We have not been able TO accord
to this work the time that is its
due, for it is not merely to be read, but to be
studied. However, the examination given It
leads Us to the conclusion that it is well
adapted to the purposes stated. Most works
OF this character have been too volumInous
for the student in the seminary aud high
schools, and tie great mass of them treat of
but one department of the mind-the intel.
lect. In Professor Mahan's work he has Ger.
tainly given US a book thaS presents a suf.
ficientiy ample and clear circulation of the
whole subject, yet it ia concise, aud will not
discourage or overburdep. Those who enter
upon a study of this octave volume. if they
will first ard thoroughly master the prelinl-
mary defuitiOns and calculations, will pass
through the other portions of the work with
pleasure IS well as profit.
From Henry Carey Baird & Co, Philadel-
phia. we have THE Practical Steam EnEi.
neer's Guide in the construction and manage
ment aud design Of stationary, portable and
steam fre-ensines, steam pumps, boilers, in.
jectors, governors, indicators, etc." Il is by
Emory Edwards, author of "A Catechism
Of the Marine Steam Eugiue," etc. 1t is
rated at 81 80, and is a large octave, which
the publishers announce they will mail at
their oEn cost to any part Of the world. Thus
much OF detail, because we bellows there are
very many engineers, fremen and steam
users who will be desirous of possessing this
admirable work. Iscomes Endorsed by the best
authority ard has been published in England,
and met with the heartiest reception. Il is
illustrated by 1l9 clear and excellent epgrav.
ihgs. The evidences adducsd il favor of this
work warrant the judgment that it viii
prove TO engineers and hremsn book Of
valuable reference, and those who own or
use steam. power it will enable to exercise az.
intelligent supervision over it and those whom
they employ TO manage it, Lis undeniable
that very many who run steam engines are
men Of rather limited education. For such
book of this character must be written in
very plain language, and this is just what
Mr.. Edwards has doDe-he has employed no
symbols beyond their comprehension.
For private reading, as well as for use as
manual for instruction, 2. V. n. Myers has
presented to the public an octave volume
bearing the title "Outlines of AnCient His
tory" from the earliest times to the fall of
the western Roman empire, A. d. 476. 1t is
from the press of Harper & Bros, New York,
and is for sale by A. l.. Bancroft l. Co., San
Francisco. Manuals of history that are
placed in the hands of students are too often
dry and embarrassing because of the method
of treatment They are too often mere in.
ventoriss of events, and hence fail to awaken
proper interest in what should be one Of the
most engaging of studies. Often, when this
fault is avoided 10 the attempt to make the
narrative interesting, the perspective Is found
70 be false and misleading in the effort to
compress the history of the earliest times into
s. small space. The avoidance of these errors
seems 20 have been the aim of the author of
the volume under notice-and that he has
had fair measure of success, those who ex-
anime his book with care will be lead to con.
feds. For instance, in this introduction to
what should folow-full reading-he has
avoided too much consideration Of dynastic
and political annals. He has preferred to let
chronological rather than chronological meth
ods govern. In the latter system all the
streams that go to make up the histori-
cal river are treated ut the same time
that is to say, the effort is to bring them all
along together, by constantly going back and
bringing up the connections. In the ethnolo-
gical method, however, the system is to trace
separately each tributary from its source to
its union with the main stream. The author
has acted upon another idea also. and that is
that, as be expresses it, "the character and
work of Moses, Scion, or Lycurgus,
have bsen far more potent elements in the
formation of the complex product that We
call civilization, and are therefore more Wor-
thy of place in our thoughts, as students of
a growing humanity, than the petty wRrs and
intrieues of kings and emperors, whose only
claim upon our attention is that the accidents
OF history have MADE them titled personages."
We are pleased with the authors work, and
can recommend it to be placed in the hands
of frat readers Of hissory-by which we do
not mean, however, mere juveniles, but those
who are preparing FOR serious study of
ancient history, and those who are SO circum-
scribsd by time and circumstance that they
must be content with condensation and
Treatise.
Decidedly one Of the most attractive novels
we have read in these latter DAYS is FROM the
psn of Emile GsboIiau, and is published by
Estes & Lauriat, Boston. Il is entitled
The Slaves of Paris L. is complete un.
yelling of the system OF blsckmaiIag that is
practiced by certain classes in Parissput in
q
plot of the most intricate character. But the
novelist at no time 80 involves the resder as
to le-san the interest, or to confuse or weary
the understanding. Gaborisu IS at ones one
of the most adroit and most tantaliziug of
novelists. He wins the attention, and before
the reader is well aware of it he has him in
terested in the most intricate of mazes, that
calls for all the thought and consideration of
the reader, snd that does not allow him to
speculate in the least IS to the probable out
come OF the story. Withal, he is critical,
and his powers of snslysi5 of human motives
show him 60 be student of men, and leads
one to believe shat he would make an admir-
able detective. It cannot be considered an
objection that he prefers 60 deal with the
lowest types-they exist. They are vital
factors in our social system, and he presents
them in their strongest lights and deepest
shadows, and ii they are at times revolving
they are none the less true to the originals.
Among modern French writer's we know of
none more fruitful, vigorous or interesting
than Gaboriap. This is also to be said OF
him there is not iue-hoHever low the
character pictured OF however vile the sub
ject treated-but may be read without a shock
TO modesty or blush. The book is for sale
by Bancroft & Co., San Francisco.
Mis-. T. W. Dewing was the author of
neat and very interesting little volume re-
Gently. entitled Beauty in Dress" We
noted it at the time with much favor. Mrs
Dewipg has now given US, however, book of
far grester value, and which should be in the
hands of every housewife IN the land. It is
entitled 4" Beauty in the Household" If the
reader is not convinced by the text, or sees in
his or her experience reason to disagree with
the author, yet the volume will be found
full of suggestion, and in the discussion of
the subject there ia profit But we incline to
the belief that Mrs. Dewing has given the
matter much consideration, and that she has
presented book that will meet tine expert
ence and Judgment of the great mass Of pee
pie who have established homes. II there is
criticism to be made, the ground for it will
be found in the fact that she hiss not given
sufficient attention to the modest hone-the
home Of few dollars. The book ia for sale by
Bancroft & Co, San Francisco. ard is from
the press of Harper & Bros, New York.
"The Californian for October is at hand
- w.