well the line of events. The best history of Europe during the French Revolution is Scott's Life of Napoleon. For the American history, as you happen to live at Derry, N. H., I would read Dr. Belknap's History of the State. It is not only a very good book itself, but will give you a pretty good idea of all the States, their story is so much alike. Morton's New England Memorial is a little book and a pleasing account of the Forefathers. Milman's History of the Jews in the Family Library is a very good book.
But what is far more soothing, and never painful, like the history of man, is Natural History in its various parts. The first volume of the American Library of Useful Knowledge (and you must make the Social Library in Derry subscribe for that book) contains Mr. Brougham's Discourse upon the advantage and prospects of Science, which is excellent, and Mr. Herschel's, which is better. The same Mr. Herschel, son of the famous astronomer, is about to publish a discourse on astronomy which is expected with great interest. Then there is a beautiful book on American birds by Mr. Nuttall (N.'s Ornithology) that every one who lives in the country ought to read. I suppose you have read at school Conversations on Chemistry. The Conversations on Vegetable Physiology are just as good. With this class of books I will put the Account of Polar Expeditions, a volume of the Family Library.
I suppose to such a formidable list I must add a novel or two, or you would think me very unkind. So I really hope you will read De Vere by the author of Tremaine, and as much Walter Scott and Miss Edgeworth as you please. For Poetry read Milton; if the Paradise Lost tires you, it is so stately, try the minor Poems. Comus, if the Mythology does not make it sound strange, is a beautiful poem and makes one holy to read it. Read Bryant's poems. I know you will love
