Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-07-09

4no pook ~ well prlnteu dhu pouuu, duu
bears on Its cover puzzling picture in gilt,
which the reader eventually learns from the
interior represents the grave Of a native
chief in Timor-laut; a prau-shaped coffin
erected upon scaffolding at low water
mark, the coffin enveloped IN calico and
bearing on its lid, besides flags and other
paraphernalia, figures Of men playing
gongs, shooting guns and gesticulating
wildly to brighten evil Influences away
from the body Of the dead.
Mr.. Forbes was an interchangeable botanist,
entomologist and ornithologist, and as he
describes his "flnds" with scrupulous care,
his narrative will prove more Interesting to
students in these particular fields than TO
the multitude who do not know moth
from butterfly or a rhododendron from a
hollyhoek. But, travelling as MIR. Forbes
did through regions seldom visited by
white men, he has gathered considerable
information also for the general reader,
who is amazed to learn at the outset
that he possessed the rare and enviable
privilege of immunity from musquito bites.
A few men seem to be specially favored In
this way; it is we'll known that there are
those who are absolutely exempt from the
stings Of bees. Mr., Forbes is compelled to
admit, however, that he found In the
swarms of little red ants which inhabit a
singular excrescence on a certain Java
plant, enemies which drove him out of his
clothes in quick time on the occasion OF his
| first encountering them.
The second and third chapters of his
| book are devoted to careful description
of the little Cocos-Keeling Islands, TO the
| southwest of Java, and an account OF the
| changes, Typographical and otherwise
| which had taken place In the group since
| the visit OF the late Charles Darwin In 1886
| Explorations in Java come next, where the
author was fortunate enough to find a
| spider whose powers of mtmicry deceived
| his practiced eye. He subsequently hap
pened upon another specimen OF the same
spider In Sumatra, which he did not re-
cognize, although gazing intently at it,until
| he had touched the insect with his finger.
| The account of his acquisition OF the Malay
language is brief and interesting.
Between myself and my boys (attend-
ants)," he writes, "for time the most
| ludicrously eomprehended sign language
was carried on, till their speech, who's
sentences to my unaccustomed ears seemed
| composed of but one continuous word of in
Vulnerable uncouth syllables, began to
shape itself into distinguishable elements,
when to my afnazement as III some obstruc-
| ton had been suddenly removed from my
ears, comprehended them as If had been
brought up among them. Before many
weeks were over l could converse in the
Malay tongue with an amount OF freedom
that surprised me-"
Very entertaining Is that portion of the
work devoted to the Island ofTimor, where
the naturalist found the most promising
hunting grounds shut off from him by the
"luli," akin to the taboo" OF the south
Pacific isles. Over regions protected by
this mystic superstition nota flower or twig
or blade of grass might be plueked by the
botanist nor an insect Melted by the natur-
alist an exilsperating state of affairs
against which on one occasion he re-
beled with some success. More curious
still he found the burial customs of the ma
tiyes Upon the death of anyone the be-
reaved family, If unable to make burial
feast properly beiltting the rank of the de-
ceased, is required to postpone the funeral
until the time comes when il can afford 10
give funeral with all the honors. Such II
funeral often consumes the Accommodations
Of years and reduces the givers to poverty.
In some places Mr.. Forbes found the bodies
of several former members of a family sus-
pended under a shelter in tree tops where
they had hung for 90 or 30 years because
their relatives could not afford them n
burial befltting their former rank,
We receive the book from q. +. Thomas
& Co.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF HENRY TAYLOR
1SO6-lS75.
"SmaH sands the mountain, moments make III
pedr
| And trifles lNep YOUNG.
In two volumes. New York. Harper 4 Brother,
Franklin Square, 1885.
The first impression given by this book /.
| of n case of thorough mastery of wha
Goethe calls ''the art Of living" Wei
ordered, cleariudging, self-restrained, Si
| Horny Taylor seems Of that serene order
| who never make practical, personal mis-
takes. Not, however, that he boasts of this
His book is distinguished, indeed, by |
rarer quality than modesty-a virtue opel
to the most indifferent and lazy but insteat
Of this, by clear and reliable judgment o
self This, indeed, almost raises him to tn
| grand pattern. His errors in political judg
| ment, his social shortcomings, his failures
| want of popularity and tact, his undu
| parental anXietieS are unhesitatingl
narrated. Spite Of all these, and probabl
by reason Of his extremely logical letters
| which, in consideration of his correspoi
dents, he ayows that he wrote with ear
and deliberation, one gets the idea that 81
Henry Taylor might have enjoyed muc
more noted success been indeed, almos
anything he pleased. His one telling sue
cess, Philip Van Arthhilde,n was achieved !;
"a. After that, he never won the ear of til
public to any great extent. Yet his life wa
Il series of small successes and IL gent
fountain Of Astounding happiness. A
about 40, he married into the family
Spring Rices.
He is one more illustration of the excelel
fostering quality of the English civil servit
in nursing up men of letters. To ii he clun
forty-eight years, to the excellent satisfat
ton, il seems, of all concerned. Politici
questions, which touched his employ in til
colonial offices, as the slavery question
Jamaica, revolt and penal codes, he treats j
terse letters to his superiors. His tenor wa
| conservative, repressiye, almost autocratii
| Consequently some of his views are IL littl
grating.
Those upon America are particularly 81
To this old gentleman of S5, 1t is almost ii
credible that, even rs individuals we, thu
is the best of us, should have outgrown tn
blatant spread-eagle Fourth of Julyp eriot
At the beginning of the late war he though
we could still serve excellent uses as g
frghtful example," He still looks for on
not distant ACKNOWLEDGMENT. AS to any az
cessien of territory his views are strikingl
in accord with those of President Clevt
land. Indeed, his long colonial experienc
led him rather to deprecate that the sll
never could set upon the British empire
OF Canada, in particular, he thought
might he extremely well rid.
The contemporaries of such life are,
course, of prime interest. Wordsworth an
: Southcy shared Il most affectionate regart
OF the unappreciated Aubrey De We're, hi
championship is enthusiastic. Tennyson
sneiallya grumblE subject to uniting III
; OF gloom. Carlyle was grotesquely inte
esting. Gladstone, he thinks, decidedly Ia
high above the level of those he is boun
to serve. OF Melbourne, Wellington, Pee
Sir james Stephen and others, his talk
r;lcy and pointed. Received through @.
Thomas 4 Co.
L