The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-25
NEW BOOKS.
nrief Reviews OF Important nnd Interest-
ing New Publication.

In Brown Studies; or, Camp Fires and
Morals" by the Rev. DR.. George n. Hepworth
az. =. Dutton & CO.., we have been particularly
impressed by the chapter entitled Logs and
Love- This is a chapter overlooking with the
authors characteristic and admirable refec-
tlons and mUralizations. What Is more ex-
auisite or more stimulating" he asks, than
an ideal day in october ~ or course, nothing
Is. An ideal day Is what may be called a per-
feet evidence and manifestation, and the cir
cumstancc that It should occur in October Is
nothing whatever against II. Being ideal. 1t
could gain nothing by occurring either In June
or In January. This Is plain enough. and the
Doctor very sensibly does not trouble him
self to answer his own question. As he
sat on his little veranda in the after
noon, looking at the gorgeous scenery at
the other end OF an Adirondack lake,
he tells us his heart grew very mellow and his
love Of nature dcepcncd. The original impress
sions occurred to him that the waters of the
lake looked like molten gold and that the
naples on the hillsides were all ablRze with
color. II was so impressed by the spectacle"
he says, " that, do what | could, the tears would
come. and when / said to myself. They tell me
that this Is only the rude portico OF n House so
much moro beautiful that 1t could not have
been made with hands, I felt a certain ~ecstat!c
longing after the other life" The reader may
fancy that he detects n shade OF melancholy In
this, but such is not really the case. Autumn
is not to me a season of depression, " the Doctor
goes on to say. " would not call these the
melancholy days. tho saddest OF the year rs
Bryant did. On the contrary, they lncite to
action; they stir the imagination; they
furnish you with unspeakable beauty in
which to revel." Nature. the Doctor continues,
Is about to retire to rest, but presently she will
arouse herself. He illustrates the idea with
new and characteristic imagination. when the
strong man." he says, "on the evening of some
day in which he has done grand and noble
work. slips off his clothes and lies down TO re-
frcshing sleep. | cannot look on his rugged face
with any painful emotions. The sleep brings
renewal of viGor. He will wake in the morning
with n giants strength ard go on with his task.
Let him rest. l say, aud while he rests I nurse
my pride In his achievements" This should 10
encouraging to nature; it should be n warrant
to her to continue in the habits which
she has established for herself. Besides, II is
exceedingly stimulating reading. what" the
Doctor inquiries a little further on. gives us
more pleasure than a rowing imagination ~ We
can think Of nothing at the moment. 1t is GER
tainiy easy to understand the feeling which
leads the Doctor to add: Let it be n fancy. IL
you will have it so. but let me assure you that II
gives me good cheer. and that is more than
much of your cold science can DO" Presently
Venus lighted her fires in the west, and il was
too chilly to sit on the veranda. The Doctor
went in and had his own fire lighted. At this
point the chapter heading begins to have perth
nence. The Doctor sat by the blazing logs and
reflected upon the subject OF love. II recalled"
he says, that evening under the starlight
when She and l were together. We were by tho
seashore listening to the waves as they sang
along the beach. l hardly know how it zane
about, but | told Her all. She listened without
a word, though l felt her arm tremble rs it lay
on mine. That gave me courage, and the story
of my love fell from my lips with n kind Of de-
licious anguish. For months | had gazed at Her
from aiar. but dared not hope to possess the
kohinoor." We are unable to find any explana- |
ton of who this person was. She is probably n
sort of shadow introduced in the chapter to
modify tho hilarity OF the Doctors autumn
feeling. But her suggestions are not per-
mitted to be entirely melancholy. The Doctor
goes on about her. Il lived,' he says. lin
the most exquisite misery. and would
not have parted with it for an African
diamond mine. There is no such blissful
agony as that which love bestows. My soul had
been tortured by doubts and fears; ii scared to
cCstacy and fell to despair: It spent this hour In
heaven and that hour in hell: 1t was racked and
torn by imaginary sights. But on that starlit
night, when only the waves could hear what
was said, and when with n wild impulse | took
Her to my heart with u burning kiss, / knew
that nv previous sorrows only increased my
present happiness. and was q thousand times
grateful for every wretched moment | had
passed" There is no moro about her.
The hired man comes in and stirs tho
fire. and the chapter concludes with n
little story about a couple called Jack and
Tecney. From so much of an outline it will be
seen that Logs and Love" is q remarkable
essay, n little tantalizing, no doubt, in its cIe-
ment If sustained mystery, but entirely salts
flying in Its reflections on nature. Some of the
other chapters are entitled why Do We
Marry 2" Families in Boxes" and DO Flow
ers Have Souls ~ 1t pleascs us to say the best
word for them all.
Mr.. A. S. Martin has produced a book ION
Parody that promises to he useful and that
certainly is interesting. The idea of making
such n book was suggested to Mr.. Martin by the
difficulty that he himself experienced in find
ing anything in the libraries to assist him in
certain casual researches into this subject.
This is a short historical and critical sketch
supplemented by n generous number of notable
and curious Illustrations. II will be priced for
its unusual character. for the odd PAROLES con-
tained in it. and for the learning and skill with
which Mr.. Martin has illuminated his subject.
"Lucius q. &. Lamar, His Life, Times, and
Speeches." BY Edward Mayes. IL. D., is pub
lishrd by Barbee Smith, Nashville. Tenn. 1t
Is n fitting memorial of the statesman, soldier,
and Judge. the man whom the South looked on
as an INSPIRED paciilcator."
1.-THE Red Book for 1896" compiled by f. l..
Murlin. is published by James b. Lyon of AL
bany. 1t is a curious collection OF important
and irrelevant things. the irrelevant things be-
ing treated. as a rule. with more consideration
than the important. 1t is not even up to date in
its irrelevancy.
THE Electrical and Street Railway Direc-
tory" published by the w. J.. Johnston Co.,
contains lists of electric light and power sta
tions. OF isolated plants, and OF practically all
companies and firms using electricity or dealing
In electrical goods" 1t is remarkably COM
plete. valuable TO n person connected with
electrical work, and interesting to an "out.
slider" as showing the Importance o. electricity
in everyday life. Such n book was not needed
Ave years ago; the absolute need Of it now
causes its publication.
A second edition of THE Handbook of Naval