Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-11-07
LITERARY BOSTON,


NAT AulhofS ana publishers are Dong.
BosToN, Nov B.
Just at present writing they are for the
most part wondering which side they
ought to hedge and which to bet ON, ir-
respective Of their individual preferences.
The consequence is a dcarth of book news,
although luckily not Of books.
Osgood a. co., have published DR.. Sc
vier,-Dr Severe according to phuuctics,
which has been running for 50 long in the
CCutITU Every one likes Cable it
would be strange if they did not. But his
dialect is about the first that this depOn-
ent ever ran across that absolutely has
to be spoken to he Ineligible. Speak 1t,
with a lazy drawl, and soft, luxurious
voice and it is full of meaning but try to
read it without that little preliminary,
training, and two to one you will get hope
lessly muddled before you ultimately
swing into a comprehendng state of mind.
Is life so full of sadness as Gable 50 de-
/ lights to paint 1t is a question that
comes home to many, whose own ways
are hard and joyless, and who take up
books to forget and be drawn out of their
own surroundings. Is it so hard for
man to make living as Richling found
it? And yet he was not helpless. But
the ways of novels are various, and this
tells its tale, of sun and sorrow like
photograph of two mems lives in which,
after all, the sun came out uppermost in
spite of work, and life, and death, and
those spirits that come after to haunt the
friends that do not 90 with us which men
call memories.
ID. Lothrop and Co., have published a
new edition of Arthur Gilman's History
of the American People, very fully illus
trated Gilman is quite well known as a
historian by this time, There are people
to whom a well written history is As tas-
. chatting as Il novel, besides being several
times more valuable and for such a. de-
sire to possess a suCCinct epitOme of the
stirring events that our continent has
seen since Columbus discovered us said
discovery accounting, according 10 Ger
tain Italian lady, for the ease with which
Americans acquire her language think
this book is well adapted to their wants.
Nowadays, people are beginning to de-
mand books for their own library of more
intrinsic value than the average novel.
Fiction can be had in any quantity around
the corner, straight or diluted according
to taste, and to whether it is circulating
library or a neghbOr but for One's own
shelf over their table something of more
solid appearance is demanded since that
shelf is likely to be considered rs the in
deX to the owners mind
Another book which the Iothrops have
just issued follows the same idea How
they went To Europe by Margaret sid
ney. 1t is the record Of a little club of
girls, with boy or two thrown IN to keep
them company club that didn't 20 in
the ordinary way. but stayed at home and
went in spirit with lectures and stereopti-
con, and ultimately went IN the flesh also.
This is really good book for young folks.
1t has a motive back of 1t that Is yet kept
back too far to spoil the suEar-cOatng,
and yet not impair its usefulness not an
easy thing to do by the way. 1t is bright,
and illustrated.
Chats" by g. Hamlen, issued by Lee
& Shepard, is another bright book as
short and snappy as the same would indi
cate. Chats about this and that short,
pithy essays, little moral and physical lee
lures brim full of solid wisdom that every
one knows il they stop to think and no
one ever does stop long enough for. 1t is
as full OF bright sayings as chapter of
Josh Billings, one of which struck me as
being quite to the point, to wit "kero-
sene seems to have been inVentedt to widen
careless persons field of uselessness.'
Many an insurance agent would say amen
to that. Another book Just published by
the same firm is a new and improved Rob
= inson Crusoe, entitled perseverance Is
= land, by Douglas Frazar in which the
hero is something of a genius and machin-
ist and with the aid of compendium
of useful arts and sciences which he
saved from the wreck succeeds in farlng
4 far better than Defoe's hero, discovers
p iron, makes powder, mines, buildsa smelt-
: er, rolling mill and ultimately an iron,
p submarine boat run by goat power, with
e which he goes exploring in true Jules
Verne style, solving the great sea-serpent
e question by staying one, service for
. which the scientific world cannot be sui
f ficiently grateful. His science is more
probable than Jules Verne, but it lacks
: the thrill of good fight with ye sal
: wages, as all his elaborate preparations
T. for attack are needless since none ever
come. The finding OF the skeleton, treas
f ure, and MSS. of the pirate captain is
= break in harmony, also, which the book
= would be better without But ii is an in
T. genious thing nevertheless This brings
me to the last and best book out, "iu-
\ man Intercourse by Philip Gilbert Ham
writing OF art or men, 10 me Hamerton is
. always delightful. And here we have
twenty six essays in his most interesting
style on Independence passionate
Love" "Companionship in Marriage"
{ Family ties" Fathers and Sons"
? rights OF the Guest, PRIESTS and Wo-
; men," "Genteel ignorance and other
r. subjects of everyday Importance. There
| is breath through Hamerton's words
D that is redolent of sympathy, as though
l. he had been dipped in StyX flowing with
4 the milk of human kindness, Achilles
q like, and used his armOr for the defence OF
q other men. He points out errors, not
: with the bitter pen of IA cync, nor with
t lofty, Olympan statclineSs above the
. clouds that surround poor humanity, but
i rather with the hand of one who has been
n in such surroundings, and found his way
= outside of difficulties with effort In his
Z chapters on fathers and sons he uncon-
i sciOusly exposes to view a number of
traits more often in England than Amcri-
q ca, but well worthy of consideration 10y
q any father who is the possessOr of such n
|, troublesome bit of property as lively,
actiye-miuded boy, whose opinions are inn
!, bibed from influences prevalent in \. ID.
n 1854, instead of lS'}4 The closing words
n of the chapter are worth remembering.
: 1.-THE best satisfaction for a father is to de
: serve and receive loyal and unfailing re
e spect from his son. No, this is not quite
| the best, not quite the supreme satisfac
: tion of paternity Shall | reveal the Sc
: cret that lies in silence at the very bottom
/, of the hearts of all worthy and honorable