The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-09-28
Literature.

GEORGE RIPLEY. By Octavius Brooks
rockingham, author of Characterization in
New England etc. This is the fourth volume
of the American Men of Letters series. 1t con-
Germs a man who, though he wrote 10 book and
| was less known to the general public than his
merits deserved, welded a great influence in
American literature. How many know of him
otherthan as the literary editor of the New York
| Tribune. whose columns We're for thirty years
| enriched by contributions from his pen: Yet
the story of his whole life is full of interest and
deserving of study. George Ripley was born in
Greenfield, Mass, i'll 1902. and was the young
| est but one of ten children. lie entered Har-
ward University in 1919, and was an excellent
scholar, graduating III 1923 first in his class.
The three following years he devoted to the
study Of theology, and on leaving Cambridge
i'll 1896 was ordained pastor of a Unitarian so
ciety, in Boston, gathered expressly for him. He
married the following year Miss Sophia Willard
Dana, of Cambridge. "Thcse," says the biog-
rapher, Were the palmy days of Unitarianism.'
Mr.. Ripley continued in the ministry until 1871.
in which year he joined the Brook Farm As
sociation for Education and Agriculture" be-
came one OF its officers and took upon himself
many of the burdens of that unfortunate eX-
pertinent. George Ripleys literary activity
began early" says Mr. rockingham, land was
from the first directed to the deepest problems.
For a short period he edited the Christian Reg
| lster, which, in his hands. was all that it was
designed TO be, an organ of liberal views in the
ology." In 1910. in connection with Ralph
Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller. Mr.
| Ripley established The Dial" Il monthly
magazine for religion, literature and art Of
which he was the resident editor in Boston
until his removal to Brook Farm in lS4l
His career rs IL journalist began in 1919, when
he removed to New York and became ..litcr-
ary assistant in the office of the Tribune. His
work was of the hardest and pay of the small
est. Beginning with s. per week. it was not
until Sept, 1851, that his salary was advanced
to so per week. In 1871. and from that time
until his death he was paid SO per week for his
services. While engaged on the Tribune. Mr.
Ripley contributed to a large number of other
newspapers, as well as to the leading maga-
zines. was il ''reader" for Harper x Bros. one
of the editors of the New American CyrIope-
pen and influence felt in many WAYS. Sorrow
came to him in his toll, as it comes to most of U.s.
but his later years We're bright and cheerful, and
if he did not win fame it was not because he did
not deserve it. but because his mode>ty stood in
the way He died two years ago, and it is said
OF hiln III recent newspaper article:
The church in which he once preached has
been swept away by fire, and It's site is given
over to trade; Brook Farm is but Il dreamy
memory; the files of newspapers and maya
zines are the unopcning graves of his later
work; the Cyclop;edia keeps his memory green
ON leaves which no one reads, and yet he at
tanned the aim towards which his whole life
was directed, the enlightenment and elevation
OF manhood
The present biography will. however, cause It
fuller recognition OF the life work of the ,lc-
parted journalist than was Nouchsafed hinl
While living, and bring him into closer com
panion>hip with the admirers of his literary
achievements. The choice of Il biographcr was
certainly happy one, and the volume is cspc-
cialv interesting for its Brook Farm rcminS-
cences and lis account of the palmy days of
Boston tnitarianiSm The volumes Of this
series are Is mo. Of $50 to 300 pages each taste
fully bound. and are sold at Il uniform price of
Sl.23 each, for which they will be sent post
paid to any address. IIoughton Mitilin 4 co.,
publishers, Boston.
The MARCH no THE SEA. FRANKLIN tNp
NASHVILLE BY Jacob u. Cox l.. l.. H.. lltc
maior-gcncral commanding twcnty-third army
corps, author Of "Atanta" This i, the tenth
volume Of the Campaigns of the Civil ar
series, and three volumes the eighth, cel cntll
and twelfth now i'll preparation for early
publication. will complete the series. The
present volume depicts the March to the Sea
from the beginning to the surrender of John
son, and with the preceding volume by the
same author completes the story of one of the
most important portions Of the war. The
readers of ''Atana' need not he told that Gen.
Cox, as 4 military historian, is both graphic and
accurate, and that he has made the most of the
limits assigned him. In the preface he says
The class of readers which has been most in
the authors mind in preparing the two vol
umcS assigned him in the series, is that which
includes the surviving officers and men who
served i'll the late war. His aim has been to
supplement their present knowledge by the
facts which are within the reach of recent re-
search, and to give unity and symmetry to the
history Of the campaigns here told, by rXamin-
ing each in the light of the plans and purposes
of the leaders on both sides" Ten maps from
official surveys. supplement the excellent his
torical work of the author. The volumes OF
this series are sold at Il uniform price of 81 90
and are sent postpaid on receipt of price by the
publishers, Charles >cribncrS Sons, 1i} and -
Broadway, New York.
OUK WILD INDIANS. BY Col. Richard Try ng
Dodge, L. ;. Army ad-de-camp to Gen. Sher-
man. This volume embodies the result of OBJ
scrvation and study during thirty-threc years
spent among the Indians on our western
frontiers. II is dedicated by permission. to
William Tecumseh Sherman, General of the
Army Of the United States. who contributes
an Introduction in which he recommends the
book ito the military student and to the read
ing public, as by far the best description cNtant
OF the habits, manners, customs, uSagcS, cerc-
monies, etc. of the Am, rican Indian as he now
is" TO such an endorsement nothing need
De added; but something should be said of the
superior manner in which the work has been
presented by the publishers. There are four
chromo-llthograph plates of great interest
and beauty, five steel engraved portraits. and
numerous wood engrayings of more than aver
age merit. The paper. binding and prcsSwori>
show good material and good workmanship.
The work is sold only by subscription. a. u.
| Worthngton q Co., publishers. Hartford. Ct.
DOCTOR BEN. Another Round Robin. ana
in this one the author has something to say to
the reader, Of Il tantalizing nature, and then
wells his identity behind the non Dc plume of
| DcmocrituS Junior. 1t goes without the say
ing that u charming and romantic love story
will be found III the pages of this book we
always expect Il love-story with our Round
Robin, and are not disappointed the
author has IN object aside from this romance,
which is, he tells us, TO help strong and healthy
men and women to Il kindlier and trucr idea of
a great and unfortunate body of their fellow
creatures, viz, the insane. And so we are
given an insane hero, and much of the stor,
goes on in an insane asylum, which shows us