New-York tribune., 1902-01-07

Amazonia is the name given 20 the northeast
ern region of Brazil, comprising the two States
Of Para and the Amazonas. OF this vast terri
tory nearly six times as large as France. and
nearly equal to one-third Of Europe in area,
Baron de Santa-Anna Merry has written an elao-
crate and detailed account in his book. The
Land of the Amazons" (5. p Dutton Coz, of
which the second edition. translated by George
Humphrey is now issued. The author is a native
OF Brazil. and his work is lat once an appeal
and a homage rendered by his gratitude to the
province which has deigned to intrust him Off
cially with the mission Of making known 10 Eu-
rope her admirable resources" He has accom-
pIished his task with the utmost thoroughness,
and with more than even the most enthusiastic
travellers admiration. Briefly discussing the
early history of the country. he takes up the
geographical features and physical aspects. the
fauna and fora and the mineral resources; then
he treats of the inhabitants their political his
tory and present organization, their social lfe
their Industries. art and education, and finally
their relations with foreigners.
The author is concerned to dispel the prejudice
against the healthfulness Of Amazonia; the eli
mate is excellent and perfectly salubrious and
with a very much more moderate temperature
than is generally supposed" Fevers are en-
demic only on the northern estuary of the great
no ferocious or gigantic animals-he will Tive in
the company of the last representatives of the
tertiary age"-the sloth. the armadillo, the tapir
and the river COW: and among all sorts of ami
mails he will make many acquaintances
AS for plants. ARE not all the marvels of vege-
tation exhausted. 1t were, in that immense
hothouse OF the valley Of the Amazon? Is there
a country that can rival this Brazilian region in
the riches, the grandeur. brilliancy ano utility
of its vegetable products%' Making due allow
ance for a vivacious Southern temperament and
an ardent patriotism. it seems indeed as II
Baron de Nery's description makes good the
Implication of his question.
The government of the twenty States Of Bra
gil under the constitution Of 1895, has much in
common with that OF the United States, and as
regards bureaucracy, observes Baron de Merry,
with a sigh, I'VE have reason TO envy any Of
the best organized States Of Europe" The peo-
pie live in comfort, in spacious houses suitable
TO accommodate large families-the Weather
classes indeed luxuriousy: and Agassiz. who
noted the absence of champagne and of ice at
a banquet Manaos IF he could but come to
life again, would be surprised TO find two manu-
factories of artificial ice at Manaos and the best
brands OF champagne drunk at all the ban
quets" Agriculture is neglected because of the
fabulous riches obtainable from the exploitation
of the forests. but the government is making
every effort to encourage 1t; manufacturing is in
the same case. There free schools, though
education is not compulsory. and the State of
Amazonas devotes a tenth OF its funds TO their
support. Baron de Merry writes with an easy
expansiveness and high optimism. He is un-
sparing of his words and OF his Latin quota
tons and his book might be curtared TO its
considerable advantage by the omission OF some
of its rhetorical beauties. But IL is a storehouse
OF facts entertainingly presented. and II the
woud-be emigrant of effete Europe does not
Immediately post off 10 the land of the Amazons
upon reading this book II Will not be the fault
OF its accomplished author.
The picturesque history and present vastness
and variety OF New-Yorl, in it's outward aspect
as well as in the life and work and amusements
OF its people afford endless material for the
makers Of books. One OF the most elaborate Of
such books. compiled by E. Ide Zeisoft, is
The New Metropolis" ID. Appleton & Coz. II
Is a big volume. of nearly seven hundred pages:
its name implies il is devoted to the greater
New-York. and the boroughs of Brooklyn, The
Bronx. Queens and Richmond figure fully in it's
pages. The pictorial element is the most i'm
portant, perhaps in the book, though the de-