New Publications [pp. 854-860]

New Publications. 859
human being." Though we cannot be- "The St. Elmos who start off as
gin too soon to teach our children truth, scoundrels always remain so —Miss
it is not necessary or well to plunge Evans to the contrary notwithstandtheir young minds into all the misre- ing." The chapters on the "Maiden
presentations, discussions, and conten- Aunt" and the "Tenor" are good, and
tions of the past. fashionable weddings, the fashionable
minister, and petroleum and shoddy, are
well handled. The book has generally
WILEY'S E~ocuvIoN AND ORATORY; a sound, wholesome tone, is straight GIVING A THOROUGH TREATISE ON forward in its dealing with sham and
THE ART OF READING AND SPEAK- humbug, and possesses withal a dash
ING. Containing numerous and of the spirit of the Pottphar PaAers and
choice Selections, etc. By Charles a Ilavor of the A atocrat oft/te Breakfast A. Wiley, Teacher of Elocution. Table that make one feel as if among
New York: Clark & Maynard, 5 old friends.
Barclay street. Chicago: S. C.
Griggs & Co.
This seems a practical text-book of SYBARIS AND OTHER HOMES. By
elocution, and contains useful hints on Edward E. Hale. i6mo, pp. 206.
-Boston: Fields, Osgood & Co.
vocal culture. A few typographical
errors slightly mar the appearance of The purpose of this little book is to
the book, and a lack of perfect taste in show how town and city life ought to
the choice of pieces for declamation, be arranged, how far certain experiespecially in the " Humorous Selec- ments in improved social arrangements
tions," detracts from but does not de- have succeeded, and how the poor are
stroy its value. compelled to live and die in the crowd ed tenements of our great metropolises,
LETTERS OF PEREGRINE P~cKLE. By such as Boston and other continental
George P. Upton. Chicago: Western capitals. The solid chunks of wisdom
News Company. which Mr. Hale has to impart on these
subjects are conveyed in the pleasant
We can safely compliment the author disguise of short stories-in the telling
-on many features of his pleasant book, of which he has very few rivals among
but not on his selection of a nom de American authors. The narrative of
plttnte. And this little phrase reminds "My Visit to Sybaris" is a p~culia4y
us that we are grateful to him for writ- happy specimen of his aptitude for that
ing it correctly when be uses it, and for vraisemblance which is so important a
rising superior to the ordinary news- part of a good fiction.
paper French of nomme de plume, esprit
dt' corps, etc. etc. At the same time Mas. GERALD'S NIEcE. A Novel, by
we decidedly object to his saying, (p. Lady Georgiana Fullerton. New
104,) "Everyil~ing is so blase'," because York: Appletons.
in French the person, and not the thing,
becomes blas6. Of course, it was not Lady Georgiana Fullerton's novels
Mn Upton's fault that the Chicago are most of them productions of consiprinter had no accented 6 in case. En- derable merit. Their great fault lias
th?65eJ, be will permit us to remark, been too much intensity of passion, a
is a wretched vulgarism, and we have quality which has been subdued suffiour doubts about a thing that "would ciently in the present novel to satisfy
go a great ways." our critical judgment, without detracting
Mr. Upton is right in praising Jeffer- from the vividness and warmth of conson's Rip van Winkle. It is a per- ception and style so hig~y appreciated
sonation as deserving of praise as the by the novel-reader. Those who want
wre~hed dramatic version he renders is an exciting story to read, which is full of
of blame. He is also right in saying, originality, and which abounds both in