Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-17

erdl sheridan IN his WrlunS-ln Drlef, II IS
that of perfect frankness and remarkable
simplicity. The General in writing his
memoirs made no concealments, he ex-
cused none of his errors; without being
bosstful, he spoke of himself as he believed
justice entitled him to be credited. The
reader of the graphic story OF his life is
impressed wlh the perfect iruthfulness of
the man ana his sensitiveness TO injustice.
OF his poraries he speaks kindly, but
with the same frankness and perfect reliance
upon the faith he expects the reader to have
in him. In all respects these memoirs
are attractive. They do not possess high
literary merit, the General evidently not
having attempted fine writing, but there
are here and there rare touches OF humor
and some of the more romantic episodes
OF his eyentful life are described with po-
etic grace, while some of the greater bat
ties in which he engaged are depicted
with an enthusiasm and yigor that
makes the readers heart beat more
quickly, and his cheeks to flush with
martial interest One of the especially
charming things about General Sheridan's
memoirs is his avoidance of technical mil
itary terms. Anyone, however little he
has of military knowledge, is made to un-
derstand clearly just how the battles were
fought, ana how all the details of the hot
test contests were carried out. We predict
for General Sheridan's autobiography a
very large sale, and that the public verdict
pronounced upon it will be one of loving
approval and acknowledgment that the
volumes constitute Invaluable chapters in
the nation's history.
From The Bancroft Company, San Fran
cisco, we have Poor's Manual of Rail-
roads for 1885," by Henry V. Poor,
and published by H. V. and Il. w.
Poor, 20 Wall street, New York.
1t is wholly unnecessary to speak
| extendedly of the work, since il is so
! familiar to the public by reason of its many
issues, extending over period of twenty
years. The present volume is supplement-
ed by directory of railway officials in the
! United States and Canada, it being the
third annual number of that work. There
are 1876 pages in this issue OF the Manual, +"
exclusive Of the advertising pages. The
work is up TO the high standard set for it
! by its proprietors. 1t has, besides the
usual exhaustive statistical matter. series
OF maps, a new map of a novel and most
useful order, showing by colored lines the
track laid in each of the years 1856 and
1887, and between January 1st and June
30th, 1888. 1t is our purpose to refer to
the showings of the text Of this invaluable
work in editorial comment
The American Catholic Quarterly Re-
| view for the third quarter of 1883 is at
hand. Among its contents are these pa
pers: The Relative Influence of Pagan
ism and Christianity on Human Slavery,
by Cardinal Gibbons; Myths of the
Dark Ages" by Professor Charles G.
Herbermann, Phi. D.; The London Poor, ~
by Arthur F. Marshall, B. A. (Oxon);
The Diocese of Quebec Under Early
| British Rule, by D. a. O'Sullivan, LII. d.
(LavaD; The Church and the French
Revolution, by Mgr. Bernard O'Reilly, D.
D.. Angels and Ministers of Grace" by
| NJ; Wanted-A New Text. book" by
John Culinary Shea, LII. D.; The Suppress
sion of the Jesuits by Pope Clement XIV, ~
by a. l.. R " Religion and the Messiah,
by I. F. NJ; Impressions of Life in vi
emma" by Frederick st. George Mivart
"Alesssndro Manzoni," by K. r. l.; etc.
Hardy & Mahoney, Philadelphia.
The most pretentious and largest volume
we remember TO have seen, devoted to the
interests of young readers, is the large
book issued by Estes & Lauriat Boston, in
royal octave form, entitled Great Grand
mothers Girls in New Mexico, 1670-16S0. -
1t is by Elizabeth W. Champney, author of
the Nassar Girls series. There are over
100 full-page illustrations and the volume
embraces $50 full pages. 1t is not brilliant
in color nor rich in adoTnment, but, what
is better, it has wealth of information in
its pages concerning the people of Arizona,
New and Old Mexico, and by historic
! flights takes the young reader also to Spain
and Portugal. The text is in the attractive
form of tale, and it is well and interest
ingly told, with sustained interest, the nee
essary friction in no wise detracting from
its substantial value. Muslin and boards.
! 81 80.
The "Zig.Zig" series of Young peoples
holiday books has for years been one of the
most popular OF issues, and the name OF
! the author, Hezekiah Butterworth, is a
household word in all American reading
families where there are children. Estes &
Lauriat, Boston, have just issued the vol
ume for 1885, entitled, "Zig-Zag JOURNEYS in
the Antipodes." 1t is illustrated finely and
with profuse hberality. 1t is filled with fas-
cinatiDg stories of adventure and recital OF
some of the most weird and fantastic of old
tales of sea and land, but withal has in it
q great deal of useful information concern
| ing strange countries. In board covers
with paper illumination it sells at 81 70.
From Samuel Carson & Co., San Fran
cisco, we have received a child's book, one
of J. T. Trowbridge's capital works, en-
titled "a Start In Life" press of Lee &
| Sheppard, Boston, cloth, 81 There are
but few writers who so well understand
how to address themselves to juvenile read
ers. The story of the book before US.
which glance at the hrst page lead Us to
full reading is one of the most attractive
| imaginable and concerns the adventures of
fine spirited, courageous and honest bov,
who went out from tyranny at home 10
carve his way in the western wllds of New
York, when Buffalo was but village and
Rochester q mere settlement.
Ern,,, The Co., H..
cisco, we have received History of
| Greece" by Evelyn Abbott, NJ. A., IL d.
of Baliol College. 1t is from the press of,
G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York. 1t is evi-
IDENTIFY history of Grecian civilization
rather than of the details of conquest and
subjection. The author says the work is
| intended for readers who are acquainted
with the outlines of the subject and have
some knowledge of the Greek language.
From The Bancroft Company, San Fran
cisco, we have a neat little volume from
the press of G. P. Putnam's Sons, New
York and London, entitled tQuick Cook
| ing, Book of Culinary Heresies for the
Busy Wives and Mothers of the Land, by
Practical Suggestions" which opens the
volume, gives some apparently very sensi-
bic advice of an economic character OF
the receipts We have no knowledge.
From Estes & Lauriat. Boston, we have
the annual volume of THE Knockabout
Club series by F. A. 0ber 1t is of travel
and adventure in the Antilles. The illus
trations are seventy-six in number and are
handsomely executed wood plates 1t very
simply, and certainly very pleasantly tells
young readers Of the romance, history and
geography and civilization of equatorial re-
gions. and the lands of the Caribbean Sea.
1t sells in board covers at 81 80.
The English Magazine" for November
| macmillan & Co., n. ", is at hand. It is
the second number of a new volume and is
| fully up to the level of the aim of the edi-
tors as evidenced by previous numbers. A
notably interesting and romantic illustrated
paper is the conclusion of THE Morte
i l-Ll- 4.