National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

superfluous or unintoresting. Each one
has some peculiar merit, giving us
portrait of our grandest historic character
from some different point Of view, or In
some newer or brighter light, some grave
or more somber shade. The merit Ia not
In the writer's, numerous and as appreolA-
tive or Jealous as they may be- II lies In
tho natural grandeur Of the subject the
extraordinary and epochal character Of tho
times during which Abraham Lincoln
lived, and of which, rs shown In tho pages
now before us, he was great and con.
spicuous part. Mr.. Arnold was n friend
of Lincoln's--an intimate and valued one,
IL would seem. At any rate, no was an
appreciative one, and tho tender touches Of
sympathy, interest, and profound appreci-
alton appear abundantly in these delight
full pages. Ho was member Of congress
du ring tho war of the rebellion; he was
associated with Lincoln at the bar in
Sangammon county, and no partook In
the honorable political machinery which,
in tho anguage Of politics engineered"
tho Lincoln "boom." Conversant with
Lincoln's struggles, aspirations, patience,
and slow, steady development Of oharac-
ter and power, it would DO strange III this
were not found one of the most interest
ing lives of Lincoln yet written. Tho
excellent profile portrait is the best one
ever taken of Mr.. Lincoln, and was Sc
lected, we understand, by Robert t. Linz
coin for this volume. IL represents the
martyred president at his best estate, and
has all the chief characteristics Of that
grand head.
Beyond its intrinsic value as an excel
lent piece Of biographical writing, with
here and there touch Of tautology as to
Lincolp's national fame and sudden rise
to greatness, the history of the slavery
struggle. the rise and spread and arro-
gance of the slave territory propaganda
arc here wildly depicted aud accurately
told. The struggle for supremacy In
Kansas Is worth reading now. When we
sec to what lengths the advocates of
slavery went to accomplish their purpose,
we are astounded ut the moderation of
tho friends Of freedom during twenty.
four years Of power. While our author
is an admirer of Lincoln, II is easy to sec
rs one roads between the lines that
he has no slight notion Of Lincoln's
great competitor, friend, and CO.
adjutor, "The Little Giant" Stephen
A. Douglas. The Lincoln and
Douglass, debate is clearly and dramatic
ally depicted. Mr.. Lincolns fstalistic
notions are shown. Like all truly great
men. he dreamed dreams, saw visions,
and carly in life looked upon himself as
destined to some great work. His fire.
quent disappointments, SO freely and
frankly confessed by him, give n. weird
pathos to the book. We see something
providence, God, fate, whatever his
friends of various theological beliefs
would have us call it--urging him on,
calling to him In the night, leading him
ka. aIa., al l,a 40 aNA cd
path or along the dark and toilsome road.
At % years Of ago he visits New Orleans
and sees slavery In all its hideous out
lines, and it is here that tho old negress
sows the seeds of his greatness aud the
emancipation of her race by predicting
that he would be president aud the negro
would DO free! II was hero that he said
to John Hanks. his companion
sitting his "unsmotherable hates:
by God If / ever get chance
to hit that institution, I'll hit II hard
John" He lived to give the blow. Mr.
Arnold has brought into clear relief Lin
coins merits as a lawyer, as an orator,
aud q debater, points we'll known by hi:
contemporaries and associates, but Otter
obscured by the more brilliant halo which
enshrines him in the hearts of tho Amer.
lean people as their great leader during
race, as the president who preserved the
union. The selections from Linooln'i
writings, speeches, memoranda, and let
ters are all in good taste, and cannot blu
add to the literary reputation of Lincoln
He was q master Of statement, as showI
in the speech on the organization Of the
republican party and the Peoria speech,
both quoted at length in this volume,
model of analysis, sarcasm, and the keen
est irony, thoroughly exposing thu
sophistry. and duplicity of the proslaverJ
and squatter sovereignty pretence, and thu
strength Of the mo slavery in the terri
tories" argument-the smooth pebble
from the brook-with which he smot
the giant full in the forehead.
The biography of Abraham Lincoln 1
the most typical American biography
not for the number Of events or startling
episodes, but for the romantic possibili
ties, for the actual achievements, for tn
good done, the patriotism shown, tn
deep political saeacity, unequaled in GU
history; tho mastery over men, factions
and parties; the triumphs over Difficult
International, social, and domestic-suc
as no other statesman in history, no
even William the Silent, has had place,
upon him. All these things are brought ou
in the present volume, and constitute II
value as real contribution to the Lincol
literature, In typographical appearance
the book 10 excellent. The paper an
type are of the best, the top pages ar
gilt, aud the color 10, fitly, Lincoln green
There are some errors in names, the fault
fpoor proof reading, as, for example, Ash
man for Ashmun, Carter (the head Of GU
District judiciary for Cartier, animus fo
amino revertandi, CARAT for Gerri
Smith. Some errors of fact, too, such O
John Sherman, late distinguish
, speaker of the house Of representatives.
, In the twenty-sixth congress Mr., Shei
man was a formidable candidate for th
speakership and calamity supported, bu
failed of the prize by two or three vote
p A few blemishes like these, all easily col
. reoted, arc the only spots on the othe
wise bright face Of what Is an UNUSUAL
? attractive volume. To do justice to all {
its many excellences would require mol
space than is at our command.
? THE CRUISE OF THE ALICE MAY. By 8.
W. BENJAMIN. New York. ID. Appleton
Co. Washington W. IL. Morrison.
This little paper covered-book is r,
publication of some delightful sketch,
t of cruise In tho gulf of St. Lawren,
and adjacent waters, which originally al
peareu In tne CeHtWB inABalluo' II
n narrative 10 so we'll told and so ably
Illustrated as to justify its reissue in tn
y form.
u ALLAN DARE AND ROBERT lie DIABL
\. BY ADMIRAL PORTER. Parts T. B and
New York d. Appleton IL Co. Washin
v ton: W. II. Morrison.
The last two parts Of Admiral Porter
novel, bound in one, have just come
l. hand, and this tremendous work, trul
, called by its publishers, "a remarkab
u novel," Is now complete. II Is probab
10 the most extraordinary work of flctio
ever given to reading public. If a col
IS plcated and intricate plot, a host of cha
!. acters and a rapid succession Of more al
" moro startling incidents make q go,
Is novel II is undoubtedly good. On b
other hand II characters so numerous
ps TO crowd each other out Of tho mono
II a