ART. XX. Literary Notices. 1. A Historical Sketch of the Town of Hanover, Mass., with Family Genealogies. By John S. Barry, author of " Records of the Stetson Family." Boston: Published for the author by Samuel G. Drake, &c. &c. 1853. 8vo. pp. 448. NOTWITHSTANDING the narrow limits, in point of territory, to which this account is necessarily confined, we have found the work quite interesting. The history of one of our oldest towns, when written as Mr. Barry has written that of Hanover, becomes very suggestive, besides furnishing materials for history on a broader scale. The settlement of such a town, its early privations, difficulties, and struggles, its simple manners and ways of doing business in former times, its youth, the fortunes of its several families, the progressive changes through which it has passed, and its ancient landmarks still recognizable beneath its present features, all these topics are pregnant with instruction in human life and society. The work is one of the best that we have seen of the kind. It embraces the Natural History of the town, as well as its civil, ecclesiastical, educational, military, industrial, and moral history. 2. A History of Greece. From the earliest times to the Roman Conquest. With Supplementary Chapters on the History of Literature and Art. By William Smith, LL. D. Editor of the Dictionaries of "Greek and Roman Antiquities," "Biography and Mythology," and "Geography." Illustrated by One Hundred Engravings on Wood. Boston: Jenks, Hickling and Swan. 1854. 12mo. pp. xxvii. 632. To those who would read, or study, the History of Greece, but who have not time to master the numerous volumes of Grote, we heartily recommend Dr. Smith's work. It is by far the best compend of the subject that we have seen; well arranged; sufficiently full in its details to bring the state of things and course of affairs into plain view; revealing the principles that underlay the transactions; and perspicuous in its narative, though not distinguished by elegance of style. The completeness of its plan is worthy of special notice. It exhibits not only the public men and the public enterprizes, but it also lays open the life of the people, their social forms, the Grecian mind as well as the Grecian politics, the various and successive constitutions of government, and the progress in arts and literature. The wood-cuts, illustrating remarkable places, battles, architecture, manufactures, statuary, &c. add to the facilities for understanding the whole. It is worthy of the reputation which the author had already acquired as Editor of a series of the most valuable Dictionaries of Classical Antiquities, that we have in the English language. His present work is founded on Grote's, whose conclusions he generally adopts, without entering into the numerous discussions which that author introduces. It may gratify the reader to learn Dr. Smith's judgement of Grote's History. He observes, "it is not too much to say that his work forms as great an epoch in the study of the History of Greece, as Niebuhr's has done in the study of the history of Rome, and that Mr. Grote's contributions to historical science are the most valuable that have been made within the present generation. As my own studies have led me over the same ground as Mr. Grote, I have carefully weighed his opinions and tested his statements, by a reference to his authorities; and in almost all cases I have been compelled to adopt bis conclusions, even where they were in opposition to generally received opinions and prejudices, as for instance, in his views respecting the legendary history of Greece, the legislation of Lycurgus, the object of Ostracism, the general working of the Athenian constitution, and the character of the Sophists." 3. Review of the Conflict of Ages. By Edward Beecher, D. D.: and an Exhibition of the Gospel Harmony. By Sylvanus Cobb, Editor of the Christian Freeman, &c. &c. Boston: Published by the author. 1854. 16mo. pp. 208. We see not how the force of argument and illustration which we have here, can be resisted by a mind in the position that Dr. Beecher holds. We doubt not that he will give it a candid consideration. To us the reasoning seems to meet him precisely where he stands, to make it perfectly plain that the solution which he proposes of the difficulties in the old theology, is no solution, besides being gratuitous and even absurd, and to open before him the only way of consistency in the Scripture doctrine of universal reconciliation as the end of Christ's mediatorial office. Mr. Cobb writes, as he always writes, with great simplicity of diction, with directness of address; but clearly, and with perfect fairness. We do not attempt an analysis of the work; for we trust that our readers have already become familiar with it, either in its present book-form, or in the columns of the "Christian Freeman," where it first appeared. 4. The Recalled; in Voices of the Past, and Poems of the Ideal. By Jane Ermina Locke. Second Edition. Boston and Cambridge: James Munroe & Co. 1854. When we remember that books of poems address themselves to no party, and commonly gain a more tardy introduction to the reading public than most other works, the fact that the second editon of the book whose title page is given above was immediately called for upon the publication of the first, indicates an unusual degree of merit. Mrs. Locke has been long known by her poetic contributions to various periodicals, and the rare talents she has thus exhibited will cause her more elaborate efforts to be warmly welcomed by a discriminating public. The book before us is divided into three parts,-Voices of the Past; Passages from Life; and Poems of the Ideal; besides a Rhymed Eulogy on Daniel Webster, at once the most extended and the ablest effort of all. It manifests greater strength of imagination, more varied learning, and greater poetic dignity, than aught else which the volume contains. In many parts of the work, Mrs. L. indulges in variations of measure in successive lines, not conformable to any rule, which would hardly be sanctioned by the standard poets; though it must be confessed that some of the most honored names of our own day have practically claimed such liberties as falling within the poet's prerogatives. There are not a few poems in this volume which flow as sweetly as music itself; and taken together they manifest a versatility of talent, a purity and dignity of thought, and a power of emotion, which are transcended by no female poet of our time. The exceedingly favorable reviews which the work has already elicited, are but an earnest of its destined popularity with the lovers of polite literature. M. 5. The Russo-Turkish Campaigns of 1828 and 1829, with a View of the East. By Colonel Chesney, R. A. With an Appendix containing the Diplomatic Correspondence between the four powers, and the Secret Correspondence between the Russian and English governments. With Maps. Redfield. New York. 1854. The Russian Shores of the Black Sea in the Autumn of 1852, with a voyage down the Volga, and a tour through the country of the Don Cossacks. By Lawrence Oliphant. Redfield. New York. 1854. A Year with the Turks, or Sketches of Travel in the European and Asiatic Dominions of the Sultan. By Warington W. Smyth, M. A. Redfield. New York. 1854. The enterprising publisher has certainly put the reading public under grateful obligations, in furnishing them, in the three volumes whose title pages are given above, such ample information, on the great topic of the day" the Eastern Question." In the volume first named, we have what may properly be termed, an introduction to the topic of the existing war difficulty between Russia and Turkey. The antecedents of the northern invader, as detailed by the author, show clearly enough, that it is something besides regard for the interests of the Greek Church that has led him to involve Europe in the calamities of war. The work by Oliphant is one of the most entertaining we ever read. His deep-rooted dislike of everything Russian is saved from all acrimony by a rich fund of humor, which enlivens every paragraph. His good sense, and his keen powers of observation, prevent his evident prejudice against the Russian people from doing them serious injustice. Besides he gives facts, from which every reader can draw his own inference. His readers will have good reason to distrust the pretension of the great warlike resources, which Russian craft is so anxious to have the world credit. Oliphant had the very best opportunities for looking into the internal affairs of the great empire; and if his facts are to be credited-and we can have no reason to distrust them-the efficiency of the empire, as a war-making power, bears no manner of proportion to its population and its bulk of territory. The pages of Smyth are less vivid than those of Oliphant; yet in some particulars, his work has the greater merit. We think he has compressed more information into his little volume, than the flowing style of Oliphant admitted of. Smyth's sympathies have been moved by the unquestionable wrongs of the Turks; and we think his narrative is influenced by an undue partiality for that people. His work, however, is very acceptable, giving, as it does, information that can come from no other source. The maps accompanying these volumes are quite well executed, and greatly facilitate the labors of the reader. The publisher can hardly fail of patrons for all the volumes to which we have referred. E. 6. Messrs. Redfield & Co. have kept their press quite busy, the last quarter, in furnishing timely and interesting books to the public. Foremost among them, in direct relation to the interests which this Review would serve, is the Examination of Dr. Beecher's Conflict of Ages, by Rev. Moses Ballou. It is a model of religious controversy -so fair, so courteous, so free from any flavor of bitterness, so serious in its treatment of the great problems whose solution either brightens or blackens the aspect of the world. Dr. Beecher, we are sure, will feel that, in Mr. Ballou, he has found a critic to whom the question at issue is no less important, as a matter of spiritual moment, than it is to himself; and we do not think that he will find the arguments of his Universalist opponent any the less cogent and conclusive because they are clothed in the most respectful, kindly and Christian dress. Would that our limits permitted us to refer to this book at greater length ! 7. "The Catacombs of Rome as illustrating the Church of the First three Centuries, by the Right Rev. Wm. Ingraham Kip, D. D." is the title of a very valuable book. An immense deal of learning is very pleasantly conveyed in its two hundred pages, and the plentiful illustrations and fac similes of inscriptions from the earliest Christian tombs interpret at once to the eye the difference between ancient Paganism and the religion of Jesus. No preacher should fail to add the book to his library. 8. We are indebted to Messrs. Redfield & Co. also for an English translation of Franchere's Narrative of the First American Settlement on the Northwest Pacific Coast, in 1811. It is a very lucid and attractive book. Mr. Benton praised it in the Senate as an invaluable historical document, and, as such, it has doubtless found its way before this into the libraries of the country. 9. Messrs. Phillips, Sampson & Co. have issued a large Octavo entitled "The Poets and Poetry of the Ancient Greeks, with an historical introduction and a brief view of Grecian philosophers, orators, and historians, by Abraham Mills, A. M." Many of our readers remember the two volumes of lectures on the literature of Great Britain by the same author. In the present volume every poet of Greece finds a place. Historical notices dawn from reliable authorities are prefixed, and ample illustrations of the style of each bard are offered in translations by the best Greek scholars. The work is very valuable to a mere English reader, as the best cyclopedic dictionary of Greek poetic literature to be obtained. 10. Next on their list is the "History of the Protestant Church in Hungary from the beginning of the Reformation to 1850, translated by Rev. J. Craig, D. D., Hamburg, with an introduction by J. H. Merle D'Aubigne, D. D." We need not say that this is a fresh and very important contribution to the History of Protestantism, and must not be overlooked, either by students of the foreign fortunes of our religion, or by those who would be familiar with the political complications in Eastern Europe. 11. We must call attention to the "Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Rogers, with a biographical sketch and notes. Edited by Epes Sargent." This edition is as excellently printed as it is carefully edited. It is a great privilege to have the poems of Rogers offered to us so cheaply and in such appropriate dress. 12. Next comes a truly American book: "Thoughts and things at Home and Abroad, by Elihu Burritt, with a Memoir, by Mary Howitt." It is difficult to tell in which Mr. Burritt excels-the power of reading all the tongues that were scattered from Babel over the earth, or the gift of earnest speech in that one tongue, which, since Christianity has appeared, appeals to every people, and is comprehended quickly by the heart. 13. Messrs. Gould & Lincoln have published the now famous book, understood to be from the pen of President Whewell, Cambridge, England, "The Plurality of Worlds," which collects the scientific evidence against the idea of an inhabited universe. It is cer tainly a very fascinating book, considered simply as a fresh presentation of scientific discoveries. We have received from them, also, the Evidences of Christianity, as exhibited in the writings of its Apologists, down to Augustine. Hulsean Prize Essay, by W. J. |