EDITOR'S TABLE. 



the Pear, the characteristic and distinguishing forms of the seed and the seed-cells. This is a step 

 in the right direction. 



" 3. The changes which a fruit undergoes upon different soils, and in different atmospheres is 

 kept distinctly in view. And, though the investigation of these most interesting facts has not 

 yet been so large and accurate as to form the basis of very thorough and reliable statements, yet 

 a beginning is made, and Mr. Elliot has contributed many materiab toward a department or 

 knowledge hitherto almost unmarked. 



"4. Beside these more prominent points, the reader will find many interesting facts, many sug- 

 gestions, in the preliminary chapters, of each leading department of fruits. 



"We should be glad to rest the matter here. But American Horticulture and Pomology suf- 

 fer for lack of firm and just criticism. 



" 1. Mr. Elliot has been led to make bis book cover a larger ground than was needful, except 

 for bookseller's reasons. Had he given a monograph on Apples, or a thin volume devoted chiefly 

 to the Apple, the Cherry, and the Pear, and as a catalogue raisonnee, he would have shielded 

 himself from much criticism ; but there is no advance upon Downing's work which justified so 

 large an undertaking, and in a literary view it falls far below it, 



"2. For Mr. Elliot has the unpardonable vice of _/z)ie writing — unpardonable in anybody, 

 and in any department of literature ; but to the last degree unbecoming in a practical and scien- 

 tific work ; and rendered more ridiculous when attempted by persons who can not even write 

 grammatically. Fine writing is the scrofula of literature. Tiie only way to cure it is for the 

 author to burn his manuscript. 



"We are surprised that Mr. Elliot's publishers should not have urged him to entrust his MSS. 

 to some literary hand, to comb its tangled sentences, and pluck out its artificial flowers, and 

 gaudy tail-feathers, stuck in without taste or conscience. 



"A little of this tendency is to be found in Mr. Downing's work. Sentimental sweetnesses are 

 quite in place in a treatise on the beautiful, and in works treating of landscape-gardening ; but 

 the utmost frugality should be practiced in a treatise upon fruits. And if, in any degree, Mr^ 

 Elliot has sinned under the influence of Mr. Dowxing's genial and flowing style, it is time that 

 the pomological world should pronounce its censure so distinctly upon such efforts, as shall create 

 a law of propriety hereafter, otherwise we shall have books of fruit stuck all over with mere, 

 tricious ornaments, like a confectioner's gewgaw temple at an absurd municipal dinner." 



That " American Horticulture suffers for lack of firm and just critiscism," is an undeni- 

 able truth. A notice of sucli a woi-k as Elliofs Fruit Book should be more than a mere 

 puff; it should point out errors and defects, as well as excellencies, for the benefit of both 

 author and public. True, there are but few among those who are called upon to review 

 su3h works, that have a sufficient degree of knowledge of the subject to take it up thor- 

 oughly, and many of those who are competent have not the requisite leisure. There are 

 tliose, however, who have both leisure and ability, but are too lenient — too fearful that 

 they might wound the sensibilities of the author, or lose his friendship, to speak out boldly 

 in the language of " firm and just critiscism." We should be one of the last to complain 

 of this, for we have needed and enjoyed our full share of lenient and kindly critiscism ; 

 but we must say that even in our own case we would prefer to see the critic just before 

 being generous, even if it should bring upon us somewhat of mortification. Every man 

 who sets himself up as an author'must expect to have the merits of bis work canvassed, 

 and his errors and weak points brought to light : nor should he complain if treated with 

 somewhat of severity ; for nothing short of this will bring some people to a proper degree 

 of self-appreciation. We should betimes "see ourselves as others see us." Tlie author 

 who com[)lains when he is not flattered and puffed, and looks upon every one as an enemy 

 who will venture to correct him, has a very important lesson to learn. We would be glad 



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