The record-union., 1892-10-26
new PUBLICATIONS.

"Blaclz Beetles in Amber is a collec-
ton of satirical poems and shorter
rhymes by Ambrose Bierce, the caustic
California writer. No one win deny the
genius of Mr.. Bierce. He is phenomenal
in the reach Of his fancy, and his imagin
alton is more than fertile. 1t is, however,
in the caustic, critical, and ottenest
harShly unjust, that ne is greatest. The
sting of his lash is none the less severe
that it falls so frequently where least de-
served, and burns insO the souls of those
who have not meriIed it. The truth he
does not appear to have searched out
when there was apparent or suggested
charge that gave him text for lainpOon-
ing some unfortunate. The satire of Alr.
Bierce, brilliant, incisive and marvel
! ously witty as it is, loses force because il
so direct, personal, and, to put 1t mildly,
course. Possessed OF a wonderful VOcaD-
ulary of two-edged words, and an inn
agination more than fertile, and blessed
with true poetic perception and capacity,
he still prefers to build his fame upon
foundation Of crueities that has not
enough of justifiabIe timber revealed i'll
the pages before lis to commend the vol
ume to the consideration of selt-respect-
ing readers. There may be men and
women upon whose hands time hangs so
| heavily that they will find interest in
reading this collection of wit, that is so
sadly handicapped by vulgarity. Here is
writer OF una quesuOned genius; a brilli-
ant wit, poet, and man of wonderful!
literary resource whose volume diScloses.
If it Is To be taken as the measure of his
best work, that his highest achievements
have been activities in the gutter OF vui-
gar cruelty. We admire the brilliancy,
the genius and the sparkling wit Of the
author of the collection in this volume.
but abhor the coarse-grain and remorse-
less edge of his satire. 1t is, after all. not
a polished blade welded by knightly
hand, but a bludgeon in the grasp of
mercilessness. The Beetles in this vol
ume have mostly appeared in print in
Journals III San Francisco Of the day. Col
lected here they have been, Mr.. Bierce
assures us, as considerably revised. They
will have most interest for those who
take pleasure in seeing the lash laid on
the shoulders of people they know.
San Francisco and New York.
1.-The Two Republics, or Rome and the
United States" is the title of a gO0-pare
volume by Alonzo T. Jones. 1t is sketch
OF the history of Rome, its rise and fall;
OF the laws and religion of the Jews, the
rise of Constantine, the founding Of the
Roman Catholic Church, its relation to
politics, and finally, a rapid glance of re-
liglOus and political events down to the
separation Of church and State. Much Of
the latter part of the work is devoted to
proofs that Sunday, as we have it, is not
the proper day OF rest, and that
Saturday, as we Know it. is Sun
day laws are handled without gloves.
and many instances given of their inius-
tlce and cruelty. 1t is a laboriOus work.
The author has certainly been a diligent
reader and is unquestonably an origi-
nal thinker and a vigorous writer His
strongest contention Is for absolute free
dom of mind, and nowhere does he find
the approach to this desirable condition
so near as in the United States. Sunday
legislation is traced through all history
in which it has had any part, and the
author proves very conclusively that it
has ever and always been failure. The
book is from the Pacific Press Publishing
Company, Oakland. Cal. A fine portrait
OF the author serves as frOntispiece, and
many good wood engravings here and
there illustrate great events in the history
of the Christian religion.
Home Treatment for Diseases of
Women and Some Favorite Prescrip-
tiOns" is the title of an illustrated work
by DR.. John A. Miller, graduate of the
Medical Department of the University of
California, and holding credentials from
the Universities of Berlin and Heidel-
berg. 1t is published for the author. Il37
Geary street. San Francisco, who saws.
astonishing ignorance displayed and the
antiquated ideas entertained upon oues-
tionS of health and disease by most per-
sons with whom | came in professional
contact, even by those who We're accom-
plished in other subjects OF a scholastic
and scientific nature. The practical inn
pOrtance OF the subject naturally led me
to the consideration of diseases that are
essentially intlammatory, for over rs per
cent. of all diseases of women are of an
inflammatory nature. In this respect the
book differs from other works on similar
subjects. In discussing this class of
diseases have aimed to present a treatise
simple in style, and easily understood by
the casual reader. While l have endeay-
ored to impart strictly scientific informa-
ton, / have tried to impart it in familiar
language, avoiding the use of technical
terms as far as possible, and carefully de-
filming them when their use became. in
dispensable."
A new edition of ''Leah, or the For
saken," by DR.. S. Mosenthal. is opnor-
tunely issued by T.. B. Peterson IL
Brothers, Philadelphia, in their 25-cent
series. 1t deals in mastery style with a
subject that is engaging the attention Of
the civilized world, and shows that the
prosecutions to which the Jewish people
are being subjected in certain countries is
by no means new. The Character Of
purity and love, and in the dramatic YER
sion has been made famous by Miss Bate
man, Sara Bernhardt and other queens of
the stage.
1.-The Tableau, or Heaven as Repub-
lic'' is by John George Schwahn of 344
South Olive street, Los Angeles. 1t is an
assault upon the Christian religion. Bib
lical traditions and history, miracles, etc.
and also upon organized society as we
have it. 1t is a demand for a system of
perfect equality in society and the distri-
button OF the results of labor. 1t is an
odd productions; singular mixture of
fact, fancy and odd philosophy. 1t is
crude in arrangement and unscholarly in
dictiOn.
"An American Statesman-the Works
and Words of James G.. Blaine" is the
title of a large volume by Professor
Willis Fletcher Johnson, author of the
Life of Sherman" stanley and His
Adventures" etc. 1t is freely and hand
somely illustrated and contains MANY
fine portraits of leading Americans. So
far as we have been able to examine il.
the book appears to be accurate, fair and
full. Its attitude toward Mr.. Blaine Is
friendly, but it is not effusively partisan
A. r. Keller & Co., Philadelphia. pub
fishers.
''Transplanted Shame" is the title of a
small volume that purports to have been
written by minister. doctor. a LAWYER
and a society leader, all of New York. II