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180
LITERARY.
WILLIAM W. MANN, Editor.
The Southern Field and Fireside
IS PUBLISHED EVERT SATURDAT.
TERMS—I2.OO & year, invariably in advance. All
Postmasters are authorized agents.
SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 1859.
TO CORRESPONDENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS.
We have received, during the week, the fol
lowing articles:
“An Ancient Courtship.”—This article is
again declined. It is hoped that the writer will
place the responsibility of rejection where it
originally rested, and where it still alone rests —
upon the Literary Editor.
Wool-Gathering, No. 1.
An article ending “Do not go in Debt!” by
James. have not read this article, and
shall not till the author’s real name is communi
cated to us.
“ I Pray Thee, Dearest,” Ac., by Finley John
son.
A Hymn to Autumn, by James M. Thompson.
“Come They in Sadness;” a Song; by W. R.
To my Heart —declined.
Is Poverty a Blessing ? by A. L. B.
Let there be Light, by same.
The two last named articles are also respect
fully declined.
We publish on the third page an article
entitled “ Woman, her true Destiny and proper
Training." There is much that is sound and
sensible in our correspondent’s communication;
but we must not bo understood as concurring
with him in all his views. The writer, in our
opinion, does not, by a great deal, concede suf
ficient place to intellectual culture in the edu
cation of Woiuan.
Os the “ Destiny” of woman, of the ends of
her creation, in the plan of Providence, as sug
gestive of those which should be distinctly avow
ed, and steadily pursued in her education and
“ training” as a member of society, we agree in
opinion with the writer of the preceding essay
fully and without doubt. But we think that our
correspondent is illogical, and unfaithful to his
own premises, when he insists that the mental
improvement of woman should stop so far short
of that which he prescribes for the other sex.
Let our correspondent be assured, that if he
would have woman equal to her destiny, capable
of fulfilling “ the mission” of which he has so
correct an idea, as the friend, companion, and
help-mate “ meet for man ” she must advance
intellectually, and in knowledge, equally with
ourselves — pari passu, head and head, hand in
hand, heart in heart The original proportions
must be preserved, otherwise she will become
the inferior of man, and being his inferior, she
will cease to be his friend, companion and help
mate “meet” for him, and become his slave.
We had prepared remarks of some length
upon this subject, on which we have very decided
and deliberately formed conviction as well as
earnest feeling, but we defer the publication of
them to a more convenient opportunity.
i—»
NEW PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.
The following new books, from the large and
well furnished book-store of Messrs. Tuos.
Richards A So.vs, of this city, have been iaid
upon our table during the past week.
Harry Lee, or Hope for the Poor.
A Life for Life— by »be author of “John Hali
fax, Gentleman,” “ The Ogilvies,” Ac.
Henry St. John, Gentleman of “ Flower of
Hundreds,” in the county of Prince George,
Virginia—A Tale of 1774—'15 —by John hstin
Cooke, author of the “Virginia Comedians, ’
Leather Stocking and Silk,” Ac., Ac.
The Students’ Hume—A History of England
from the Burliest Times to the Revolution of
1688, by DaVri Hume; abridged; incorporating
the corrections aw researches of recent histori
ans ; and continued a*wn to the year 1858. Il
lustrated by engravings »n wood.
This last work is a single volume of some
eight hundred pages, of verj convenient size
and arrangement for study and Sir reference.
It has a copious general index, genealogical
tables, and other tables, and upwards of seventy
engravings of medals, coins, portraits, Ac.
Harry Lee, or Hope for the Poor, was written
for the inmates of the News-boys’ Lodging
House at New York, and was read to them by
the Superintendent of that institution. It would
doubtless be read with interest and profit by
most children <if all classes. *
We find on from the Southern Meth
odist Publishing Nashville, Tenu.:
The Elements of Philosophy, by the
Rev. R. H. Rivers, D. D., Wesleyan
University at Florence, Ala. Ks*ted by Thomas
V. Summers, D. D.
From the Southern Baptist Publican So
ciety, of Charleston, S. C., we have receive the
following works: \
Willie Huard, or the Influence of one Life,
one Thought, one Act —by Rev. W. J. Hard,
Principal of the Female Institute, Augusta, Ga.
The Good Shepherd, or the Saviour of Sinners,
by a Sunday School Teacher.
The Inexhaustible Mine, by the author of
“ Lost Found,” and other Tales.
Hyder Dost, Rajah of Soonderbad —by Eu
gene L. Hines.
We have also received from the Publisher,
Ed. J. Purse, Savannah, a small volume entitled
Dissertations on the Regenerate Life and Sub
jects connected therewith, in harmony with the
Theological Writings of E. Swedenborg, by
James Arbouin, Esq., (first American Edition.)
We have not had time to peruse this little work,
but the writer of the “Introductory,” personally
assures us that the book will well repay perusal,
and contains nothing that can wound “ the most
ultra dissenter.”
' XJKK 80VXHS&K XX£l>® AM® VXIUBBX9SU
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
Auousta, Ga., Oct. 14,1859.
Editor Field and Fireside— Sir:
. I translate from the French. I care not a snap
for fame; am neither so magnanimous as to wish,
nor so presumptuous as to expect, that any
effort of mine, directly or indirectly, could effect
any “ moral good” to “ the human family.” I
work for money. Please inform me if you wish
any of the sort of literature I deal in—if so,
what do you pay. Respectfully,
Lons Manhiem.
Office Southern Field and Fireside, I
Augusta, 16th October, 1559. f
The Editor of the Southern Field and Fire
side informs Mr. Louis Manhiem that there is,
at present, no need, for the paper, of the litera
ture that Mr. L. M. “ deals in." And even if
there should be, there would probably not be
occasion for the service of Mr. L. M. The Editor
would himself endeavor to suffice.
Augusta, Ga., Oct. 18, 1859.
To the Editor of the Southern Field and Fireside:
Mr. Editor (!) —Allow me to express my
thanks for your very prompt and a tremely polite
reply to my request for work for your paper. I
am not so obtuse as not to have detected in
stantly the reproof conveyed therein —the why,
I can’t for my life recognise. I am not in the
habit of getting on stilts in addressing any one,
particularly on business matters; though I im
agined I did not grossly depart from the ordi
nary rules of ordinary politeness —so I am in
clined to attribute your severity to my inordi
nate and unusual demand for remuneration, for
the tedious and unexciting work of translating
stories from the French into the English, which
I imagined might lend some pleasant variety to
your paper. Even if I had not just finished
reading “Beulah,” my previous dealings with
Southern Editors might have warned me from
again venturing on such unpropitious ground.
For I cannot think I was uncivil, having no
intention to be so. I did not presume that the
erudition of the Editor of the Southern Field
and Fireside was insufficient for the translation
of “ all that be desired” from the French or any
other language! on the contrary, I fancied he
had something more important to attend t 5 tnau
the turning of French novels into English.
Indeed, I can’t precisely reinember what was in
my note. I know Ruth, my sister, scolded me
for not having writteu it sooner, and I scratched
it off, while Anna was screaming to me, if I did
not come up and “fix” rov hair, I would be too
late to get a seat at the theatre.
Anyhow, intentional or not, it appears I made
a faux pas, according to Southern notions; and,
I suppose I must hove looked as “funny” as I
felt on discovering it, for Ruth, snatching the
letter from my hand, langhed out, “Well, I de
clare! I dost wonder you feel queer; he
thinks you are a man!”
I have a fancy, had you known I was not, you
might have passed over deficiencies. But it is
not my fault that you made me out of the mas
culine gender, as it was my own dear name that
I gave, and it always seems to me that there is
an insouciance, an incompleteness in anything
most women say or write, especially in letters,
which betray them at once.
This little error reminded me of how correct
Charlotte Bronte was in her wish to be thought
a male writer, in order to obtain a correct opin
ion of her books—and how much native ugli
ness is concealed beneath the veil of etiquette,
or forbearance, or insincerity, which men throw
over their dealings with women.
Well, it appears I have been in error some
way, and reproof, coming from so august a quar
ter as the Southern Field and Fireside, should
not be in vam. Therefore, Mr. Editor, pray
excuse me if I am ignorant of your peculiarities
of taste and opinion—even your name—if I do
not take the Field and Fireside —do not read it—
have little time or means for the perusal of
other rubbish than Blackwood, and the Living
Age. Pray excuse me, if I have trespassed
upon any of the rules of etiquette there may be
(jbservable between a publisher and a writer.
Pra.y excuse my having been oblivious or igno
rant of the fact, that addressing the Editors of
the Home Journal, the New York Weekly, Harper,
and <S. F. Pioneer, was a different thing from
addressing the Southern Field and Fireside l
And, lastly, pray accept my most profound
regrets at having, even for one instant, disturbed
your equanimity, and forget there ever was so
unfortunate a delinquent as
Yours, most respectfully,
Louise Manhiem.
To the Editor of the Southern Field and Fire
side, Augusta, Ga.
Office Southern Field and Fireside, i
Augusta, OcL 18th, 1859. f
The Editor of the Southeru Field and Fireside
is really very sorry that ho committed the error
of supposing (as he most honestly did) that the
writer of the note of the 14th inst. did not belong
to the gentle sex. He has again most carefully
perused and examined the note, and can still
find nothing womanly about it. Though very
unwilling to lose it from the archives of his office,
the Editor returns it to Miss Manhiem, herewith,
in order that she may, herself, upon examination,
admit the facility with which the error might be
made, and forgive the Editor for having made it.
Candidly, does Miss Manhiem find any thing
about the letter —in appearance, style, tenor,
chirography or signature, that betokens, or even
savors of, a feminine origin ?
Had the Editor known that a lady was his
correspondent, his reply to the note of the 14th
would have been U 3 follows, which he prays
Miss Manhiem to accept as the answer, and
consider his first note as non-avenue.
“ The Literary Editor of the Southern Field and
Fireside has the honor to inform Miss Manhiem
that her obliging offer of service as translator
from the French, for the columns of the F. & F.,
has been received. lie does not doubt but that
such service would be most ably and satisfact
orily performed, but he can hold out no expecta
tion that it will soon, or ever, be required. The
abundance of original literary matter on his
'shelves, is such as would, even if there were no
«Ser objections, preclude for a long while—he
forever—a resort to French modern litera-
lend variety, interest, and value to the
the So. F. & F.”
1
_ , Augusta, Oct. 20th, 1859.
Editor Southerhj-'ield anc [ Eireside :
“I cry you patiw 0i gentle sir”—this time
in real good earnest, for again troubling you;
but hear me through Ni,s once.
Your letter to “ the la\ correspondent,” is at
hand. I enjoy a little w\plesome acid of re
proof, iufinitely more than n%-and-water com
mendations, and feel highly fettered that any
thing emanating from my poor \;ad was deem
ed worthy of being the flint has elicited
some sparks from your intellect. >
You were certainly justified in deciding that
my scrawl of the 14th, had nothing Wpmanis/t
about it—you used the word womanly. I con
clude you meant the first —if not, it matters lit
tle, as for me there is but one correct judge of
true womanliness in woman.
It was the li st clause in your note which for
ces me to mal, this appeal-” The abundance
of original litei irv matter on his shelves is such
as would, even if'there were no other objections,
preclude for a ong wiile — he hopes foreiei a
resort to moile n French literature to lend Ac.,
Ac.” J .
This sweep lg denuiciation forces me to cry
out in genuii s female earnestness, Oil, Mr.
Editor, how c n you 1”
Now, altho gli a woman, if there is anything
that does mak me inpatient, it is “sweeping
denunciations of a dass, a sect, a people, or
literature. , ,
Candidly, i [r. Editir, have you read much
French modi n literature? Impossible,. you
can’t have do e so ; ind with the decision of
character, wl ich betrays itself in the two little
notes on my t ble, I wonder at your accepting
the warped ai 1 unjufct views of English critics,
or passing so evere a censure on only a partial
examination, c so m*cb that is true, beautiful,
and elevating. 1
I could (I fahey) oe quite eloquent on this
subject, did I dpt her to intrude and weary you,
and had I not already incurred your prejudice,
as regards my femhineness.
I do hate Frencl people—Parisians, I mean—
as one shudders ; way from the horrid fatal
beauty of a rattlo®axe —no, that is at least a
generous foe, I shield have said any beautiful
but venomous repile. But Parisian is not the
French character, ind French literature (mod
ern) ne se ressembk oastoujours.
If I live long ei ugh, Mr. Editor, I think I
can persuade you o moderate your opinion of
French books. ! should enjoy lending you
some. Have you ead “Le Pere Goriot,” “ Eu
genie Grander,Recherche de TAbsolu,” de
M. de Balzac? I veyou read “Mauprat,” “Le
Petite Fadette,” La Mare au Diable,” “La
Diable aux Cliamjde George Sand—(don’t
shudder) God hies her! Have you read “Ju
dith and Bertran et Raton,” and others of
Scribe ? “ Picciola ah, have you read “ Piccio
1a ?” Have you rid“ Le Vicomte de Launay,”
“Le Lorgnon,” “ ne faut pas joner avee la
douleur ” —in sac! every line written by M'me
Emile ue Uiradin ? Every lino of Xavier do Mais
tre, every line oftaile Souvestre — all of M,
Rodolphe Tdpffer, aye, and many, many more
that I cannot now recall. I say nothing of the
standard authors, peh as M. Chateaubriaud, M.
Lamartine, Victor lingo, and much of Dumas,
and Eugene Sue, vfjen they do not degrade their
noble powers for f:m sake of gain.
There are bad, si well as good books in all
languages, Mr. Editor. lam sure, although,
Fielding, Sterne, at* Swift stand at the head of
English literature, £ should hesitate ’ere placing
them in reach of nost women, at least before
live and twenty, ”1 at which might serve as
shield and defence 1 :<t one mind, would utterly
break up another. , ihi the discriminating choice
of intellectual aliment, Americans are sadly be
hind the French ant English. In this country,
parents, and particdarly fathers, husbands and
brothers, read too little, or two superficially
themselves to be ake to guide women in their
choice of reading irUter. And on account of a
few loose French b>oks, which people stumble
upon occasionally, i has become “ the fashion ”
to cry down Frenchliteraturo, just as the “catch
thief” flies from lij to lip, while the hunted
wretch is pursued t» the death, if possible, by
the excited multitude, for the crime, perhaps,
of a broken window >r lamp glass, the upsetting
of an apple-stand, or. at most, the theft of a loaf
for the starvelings at home.
But although my “ hand-writing ” and my
“style” may be deemed “ unwomanly ,” I may
have been more mocest in the choice of my
reading; and it is probable that if I had under
taken to translate anything for the Southern
Field and Fireside, I should not have forgotten
its principal readers were women and children,
even if my library could show anything that
they might not with pleasure and profit peruse.
There are three sisters of us, out of five, who
are very “ small ” writers, and very extensive
readers. We never had any one to choose our rea
ding ior us. jroor pnp» as Hmch tOObusy with
his beloved poetry, and mamma, trying to teach
us girls to be “ useful,” and to keep the whole
of ns, papa included, she averred from “jgoing
stark mad.” But I can safely say, we never read
anything to blush at. Ruth, the most impetu
ous, lays a volume occasionally in the grate,
when it angers her. I, more discriminating,
never allow anything to come into my house
which cannot stay ; while Kate, the youngest,
comes every now and then to my table on the
reception of new books, with a pretty humble
little “ Louise is there any thing I can read
here ?” If I say “ no, Kate dear, not that till
you are thirty, or at least married ” —she would
cut off her little hand sooner than touch it. —
There is no coercion in this; it is voluntary—
the natural shrinking of youth and purity from
the too rude insight into the sin and sorrow of
life. Kate puts my authority at defiance quickly
enough in other respects.
One evening Philip, the oldest, our best belov
ed brother, came home from a short trip to
S , bringing a package which he tossed care
lessly into his room. The next day when he
came in from his office, Philip’s package was
missing.
“ I say, Louise,” with a wicked gleam of con
scious misdemeanor in his steel gray eye,—
“ Where are those books I left here this morn
ing?”
Very innocently—“ Books, Philip 1 what
books’?”
“Pshaw! stuff —you know. The books I left
last night on my night table. I want them.”
“ Really, Philip, I am not responsible for all
of your property throwing round —I saw Mar
garet this morning, kindling the fire in the grate,
with something very like ”
Petulantly—“ Well now by George, if
Louise, I just want you to understand that —”
Imperatively—“ Audi want you to under
stand, Philip, I am sorry to have to tell you,
as I’m the younger, that your sister* five in this
house; and if you ehooso to sully your
“ Well, who could tell, you are such a poke
anyhow—if you had not read, you would not
have known ”
Proudly and tearfully—“lt is very little I
could have read Philip, during the time I usually
spend in your room to see that it is comfortable,
but alas! enough to make me feel as I never
thought to have felt towards you —l am only
glad it was not poor little Kate,’ and ”
“Stop, hush —” (putting his hand over my
mouth,) “you dear, right, foolish little woman
you. I did not know —I was ennuye on the
boat—bougfit them, only glanced through them
before sleeping, with the intention of burning
them to-day, but forgot, so , but really
Louise, you are tedious, plenty of people read
‘ Reynolds ’ and—no, no, no, there—now don't
cry Louise, I swear, I promise never to bring
home
“ Bring home I Philip?”
“No,no, chere Pruderie, never to read anything
yellow-covered again, while I live.”
But that was long ago, when Philip was our
idol, —Ob, Philip, our brother!
And thank God,though free to do as we would
—though we know “Childe Harold,” almost by
heart, and play Sbakspeare among ourselves,
none of us, no, not the eldest (past forty) have
ever read “Don Juan” or “Bcppo,” and even
Sterne, Fielding, and Bulwer, (up to the “ Cax
tons ”) very shyly indeed; and as to French lit
erature, that would be unfit for the colnmns of
the Field and Fireside, Mr. Editor, I can proud
ly aver I do not even know the titles of any sucli.
I have defended myself and French literature,
at far greater length than I expected at first.—
Pray pardon my having trespassed so long on
your time and attention. In some of these
months to come, if I don’t die, you will hear of
mo again. Until then, sir, I remain,
Yours, most respectfully,
Louse Manhiem.
To the Editor of the Southern Field and Fireside,
Augusta Ga.
P. S. Hope the improvement in chirography
has not passed unnoticed. Have just learned
your name from Ruth’s husband, was consoled,
thinking that perhaps the third-person style of
note-writing, which afflicted me so sorely, was
but a little Mannishness after all.
There now, Julio] says the above is horridly
impertinent, and says I shan’t send it; but I
should never be able to write so much fine hand
again at one sitting, and I couldn’t bear you
should lose this after all my pains. So pray
Wt it d<?wn to the old score, and pardon all to
gether. L. M.
Office SorrnSßK Fiei.l) and Fireside, )
Augusta, Oct 28, 1859. j
Miss Maxiiiem—Your letter of the 20th is
received; and having no leisure half hours at
my disposition, I steal one to reply. As
perceive, “ I back right out"—that is to say—
don’t misunderstand me—l retreat from the
formal “third-person-style” of note writing to the
more easy and slip-shod first-and-second person;
and if ever in writing to you I revert to the third
person style, it will be sadly malgre moi, I assure
you. Ma parole 1 j’ai presqu’ envie de vous ecrire
en francais, et de vous tutoyer 1 See the effect
that one plain, honest and earnest letter, like
your’s of the 20th, can produce l
Ah ! you thought—didn't -but—when I said
above that I Voiced that j waß going to
Surrender at discretion, and revoke my censure
in the matter of “ Modern French Literature.”
No, no 1 That was a most beautiful, gallant,
Balaklava charge of yours—but you didn’t drive
me from my ground: and you didn’t slay mo
at my cannon either —at least I’m not conscious
of it—but of that, anon.
And so that note of the 14th was but a bit of
Manhiemism after all! I’ui so glad to believe
it! Now don’t deny it—for if you do, another
fit of “ Mannishness ” will seize me in spite of
myself—and, before I knew it, I would be writ
ing again in the third person that “ afflicted you
so sorely,” and perhaps even in the awful first
person plural! Wouldn’t that be crushingt But
seriously—wasn’t that an uncomely, a most ugly
little note of your’s on the 14th? I declare if I
had known that it came from one of your sex, I
would not have answered the note. I’m very
glad that I did not suspect it—for then, I would
have lost your beautiful, admirable, redeeming
letter of the 20th. There was a dashing, slash
ing, unbuttoned, devil-may-care cynicism about
the note of the 14th that shocked me, and drove
me, even when I supposed that it was flung
from the pen of a man. to that “ afflictive” reply
in the third person, and to the disguised “ re
proof," which you so promptly “ detected.” It’s
away I have—a “ Mannishness ” that I can't
get over—so I know you’ll oxcuse it, even though
you cannot approve it. I half suspect —nay, I'm
almost sure—that you were aware of the un
gentle sex of your note of the 14th, and meant
it to be taken for a man’s—and adopted a hand
writing, and dropped the flual e of your baptis
mal name, just to promote the deception. Now
didn't you? Do say yes.
I regretted as soon as I had flit iny last note
to you in the post office, that, in my rejection for
the columns of the Field and Fireside, of trans
lations from the French, I had not written
“French modern light Literature” instead of
“Modern French Literature.” There was no
harm done, however, for yon understood my re
mark as applying to the light French Literature,
and your eloquent defence, and Vehement reproof
are both uttered in reference to it, exclusively.
Let me make this amendment, and I persist in,
and will deliberately repeat, my censure. lam
not, perhaps, so Ignorant of French Literature
as you would charitably presume in order that
you may with the more plausibility and confi
dence set down my censure to weak concurrence
on my part with the English anti-French preju
dice—to my blind adoption of what you are
pleased to style “ warped and unjust views of
English critics.” I know, by sight, almost all
the dear French authors whose names you have
cited with such womanish volubility, and wo
manly affection. I have heard of almost all the
works with which you are so womanishly charm
ed—have read perhaps two or three of them—
and, by the merest accident in the world, I have
in my own little library, here in this dear little
town of Augusta, almost all of them, and a great
many more that you have not mentioned, and
perhaps don’t know of—if there’s any thing that
you don’t know of which I doubt. Well,
they are not all “ yellow covered,” (but I must
say I had them bound myself, and don’t like
yellow. I don’t know what they were, broches)
but I do think that with few exceptions (mind you
this is not a “ sweeping denunciation”—l don’t
want you to “ fire up” again) but I do think
that with few exceptions, they are all more or
less afflicted with the jaundice. I know you’ll
assert, and stick to it, that it’s I that am jaun
diced—very well, I wont deny it—for I h»*e not
time to write another long letter to prove that I
am not —and if I had, where’'**'® the use? You
think that certain books should not be read by
women till they arc “ twenty-five or thirty.” I
think that women had better defer such reading
till they are ninety-five or a hundred. For I
must say—there, I must say it —fire up if you
please—and may Heaven forgive me I —l do not
admire George Sand. My echo to your “ God
bless her,” would be impolite, and I’m afraid,
profane. Don’t shudder I I didn’t say it. I
was perfectly mute. Besides, she’d horse-whip
me if she heard it.
“ And servo you right, sir,—wouldn’t she
Ruth?”
“ Yes, indeed—l declare she would.”
“ Wouldn’t she, Julio ?”
“ Yes, indeed.”
“Wouldn’t she, Kate?”
Kate would cut off her dear little hand sooner
than say no, if Louise said yes —so, wouldn’t I
catch it I
But Kate admires Mrs. Hemans much more
than L. E. L., (see F. A F., page 138,) —and I’m
sure that the moment you ran up stairs to get
one of her devilish volumes, (that isn’t swearing,
—see the titles of her books as you yourself
give them,) I say I know Kate would whisper
me hurriedly,
“ Mr. Mann, Ido agree with you, and don't
admire George Sand—but don’t tell Louise.”
Yet, in truth, Miss Manhiem, I have a certain
sort of admiration—and so has Kate, I’m sure
—for Mine. Dudevant George Sand—l think
she is a very talented man, but I have too rev
erent a regard for the sex to admire him as a
woman.
So, Miss Manheira, I have not, let me repeat
seriously, any place in the Southern Field and
Fireside for the translations that you would like
to furnish me from the French. I admit there
is something—l admit, if you choose, that there
is much to be found in French modern light Lit
erature that would be interesting—that would
be valuable—that would be unobjectionable—
that would be very appropriate and admirable;
but, I do suspect that our tastes and judgments
would not coincide in making the selections—
and besides, as I have already said, I have not
room for them without excluding original matter
that has long been awaiting its turn for publica
tion.
But the writer of the letter to which I am re
plying, should not waste her time and talents in
the wearisome, unexciting labor of translating.
She should be occupied in a higher sphere of
literary exertion. You can, I know, give me
original articles that I should highly value, and
be glad to receive and publish ; and that Mr.
Gardner would be glad to pay for. He pays
from one and a half to three dollars per column,
according to ray classification of their literary
merit and value.
I should certainly esteem an article of accep
table character, written as well a 3 your letters
are, worthy of the highest rate of remunera
tion.
Do write me something. I don’t want Tales
and Novelettes. We have enough of them—and
more than enough—in hand and in expectancy,
to fill the space allotted to them, for a year or
more. I want essays, critical articles, sketches,
<tc., &c., of from one to three columns in length.
But, of course, I do not mean to give the assur
ance that I will accept, and pay for all, and
whatever you may oiler. I will not abdicate, in
favor of any one, the right to reject. I will not
publish what I do not approve,
Very respectfully, yotirob't serv't,
W. W. Mann,
Lit. Ed. So. Field and Fireside.
P. S. Suppose you send me back my three
notes and yours of the 14th, and consent that I
publish the whole, next Saturday, under the
head of “ Editorial Correspondence,’’—suppres
sing, of course, your proper name. I’ll call you
for the nonce—unless you can suggest a better
name—Mr. Louis and Miss Louise Wiltburger. —
I think the six notes would fill a couple of col
umns quite spicily. Yours have abundance of
pepper and salt —mine have perhaps a little pep
2>er and some oil, I thought, once or twice, that
I detected in your second note a spoonful —a
small tea-spoonful—of vinegar; but I don’t think
so now—l declare I don't. Didn't you put a
little in, though ? There was essence of capsi
cum there, I’m sure; for it made mo clear my
throat two or three times, and I remember re
marking “ How hot this is 1” to a friend who
was by, and saw me take it. At any rate, I
think, upon the whole, they would be well sa
vored by our readers. W. W. M.
P. S. There now! just see what a letter I have
written! Am not I a pretty man to read lec
tures on chirography to ladies! But never
mind—l do hope you’ll be able to read it, (I
doubt if I could to-morrow,) and forgive my let
ter, its manner, and matter—and all my sins of
commission and omission to you-ward.
W. W. M.
NEW BOOKS.
[We publish, often, under this bend, a tint of new
publications, carefully selected from all our exchanges.
The list embraces all works, Foreign as well ns Domes
tic, which we think may be valuable, or to which cir
cumstances may give general or special interest, wheth
er Literary or Scientific, History or Fiction, Prose or
Poetry, Religious, Moral or Political. The notice simply
gives the title of the book, name of the author, place of
publication, and name of Publisher.]
A Ditionary of the Holy Hit)!?, for general use in the
study of the Scriptures; W ith engravings, maps and ta
blesi New York: American Tract Society.
Our Bible Chronology, Historic, and Phophetic, Criti
cally examined nnd Demonstrated, harmonized with tho
Chronology of the Profane Writers, accompanied with
extensive Chronological and Genealogical Tables, from
the earliest records to the present time ; a map of the
Ancients, a chart of the course of empire, and pictorial
illustrations. By the Rev. R. C. Schimeall. New York i
A. 8. Barnes & Burr.
The Puritans, or the Church, Court and Parliament of
England, during the Reigns of Edward VI. and Queen
Elizabeth. By Bamuel Hopkins. Boston: Gould &
Lincoln ; New York : Sheldon & Co.
Saintly Characters recently presented for Canonization.
By the Rev. H. '• 'gligan, LL.D, M. A. Trinity College
Dublin, member of the Archalogical Society of Great
Britain, author of •* Rome, Its Chuichea, its Charities
and its Schools.” New York: Edward Dunigan A Bro
ther, (Jas. B. Kirker).
The Scalpel: an entirely original Quarterly Expositor
of the Laws of Health, and Abuses of Medicine and Do
mestic Life. Edited by Edward U. Dixon, M, D. New
York: H.G. Lawrence.
The Life and Times of .James Madison. By the lion.
Wm. C. Rives, Boston : Little, Brown A Co.
The Life, Speeches, and Memorials of Daniel Webster,
containirtg his most celebrated Orations, a selection from
the eulogies delivered on the occasion of his death, and
his Life and Times. By Samuel M, Smucker, LL.D. —
Philadelphia: Duane Rulison.
Life in Tuscany. By Mabel Sharman Crawford. From
the London edition. New York : Sheldon & Co, 1889,
The Adventures, or the Haddington Peerage : being
the Lives of their Lordships. A story of the best and
worst society. By George Augustus Sala, author of “ A
Journey Due North ” “ Gaslight and Daylight.’ New
York : F. A. Brady.
The Progressive Practical Arithmetic, containing tho
Theory of Numbers, in connection with concise analyti
cal and synthetic methods of solution, and designed as a
Complete Text-B"ok on this science for Common Schools
and Acadero*™- By Horatio N. Robinson, LL. D. New
York: ?e«on A Phinney.
Complete Map of the Railroads and Water Courses in
die United States and Canada. New York : Charles
Magnus A Co.
The New American Cyclopiedia. Edited by George
Ripley and Charles A. Dana. Vol 7. New York : f»,
Appleton A Co.
Rifles and Rifle practice; an elementary treatise nnon
the Theory of Rifle Firing, Explaining the causes of in
accuracy of Are, and the manner of correcting it With
descriptions of the Infantry rifles of Europe and the
United States, their balls arid cartridges. By C. M. Wil
cox, U. S. A. New York: D. Van Nostrand.
The Firelaws of the Cities of New York and Brook
lyn and the adjacent counties. New York: W. Reid
Gould.
The Builder's Lien Laws for the City of New York
and other Cities, Villages, and Counties, with latest
amendments to the same. New York : W. Reid Gould.
Foreign.—Religious Aspects of the United States of
America. A series of Letters written during a residence
at the time of a Revival. By the author or “ The En
glishwoman in America.” Sampson Low, Son A Co.
The Quakers, or Friends ; their Rise and Decline. —
London : Sampson Low, Son A Co.
Omphalos ; An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot.
50 illustrations on wood. London: John Van Voorst
A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so fur as it
illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans. By
Max Muller, M. A., Taylorian Professor in the University
of Oxford London . W illiams and Norgnte.
The Unity of the Physical Sciences ; being an inquiry
into the Causes of Gravitation and Polarity, with an ap
plication of the results to some of the principal Phenom
ena in each of the Physical Sciences. By John Dick
son. London : John Van Voorst.
Wool and Woolen Manufactures of Great Britain : a
Historical Sketch of Rise, Progress, and Present Posi
tion. By Samuel Brothers. Containing a complotc ac
count of the manufacture and trade, from the earliest pe
riod, with still statistic*. London : Piper, Stephenson A
Spence.
The Natural History of the European Seas. By the
late Professor Edward Forbes, F. K. S., etc. Edited and
continued by Robert Godwin, F. K. 8. London: John
Van Voorst.