LITEEAEY NOTICES. 



Jifei'f)!^!! Ifolice^. 



One of the most interesting evidences of the advancement of rural taste is furnished in 

 the attention given to this suhject by the hterary men of the day. We have now before us 

 nearly a dozen vs'orks, all recently published, in which rural life and rural scenes form an 

 important part. "We shall notice such books as they appear, and give such extracts as we 

 may find room for in our pages. G. P. Putnam, of New York has just published " Homes 

 of American Authors," a beautiful volume of 366 pages, and containing nineteen fine steel 

 engravings, and fifteen on wood, views of the " homes" of American authors. A glance 

 at this work will show that men of genius love not the crowded city, but seek repose in 

 shady gi'oves, and inspiration in the music of feathered minstrels and bubbling brooks. We 

 shall speak more at length of this volume in our next. 



Walks and Talks of an American Farmer in England. By F. L. Olmsted: second series. 

 New York : G. P. Potnam & Co. 



To be a good traveler, a man need possess what is called versatility in an eminent degree. 

 In other words, he must be of such varied attainments, and of such an inquiring, curious, 

 investigating mind, that he may see everything, hear everything, understand everything, 

 and be able to describe and criticise whatever he may meet. There are, it must be con- 

 fessed, few such travelers. The majority travel for special purposes, and pay little atten- 

 tion to what does not immediately concern them. That Mr. Olmsted is of the few will, 

 we thick, be admitted by those who take up these volumes and accompany him in his 

 " walks and talks" through England. In aU his journeyings there is not a barren spot. 

 Everywhere, and on all occasions he sees, hears, and derives impressions ; and these impres- 

 sions he gives in his own peculiar style, investing old and common place objects with a 

 freshness and novelty at once entertaining and instructive. 



His sketches of landscape, and of particular scenes and objects in the landscape, exhibit 

 such glowing warmth of feehng, such a practical knowledge, as we would only expect in one 

 exclusively devoted to the study of nature. He comes to a farm house, and with the same 

 earnestness, the same keenness of observation and knowledge of detail, he gives a graphic 

 description of aU inside and out. Next he comes to an inn ; and we have such a lively 

 description of the master and mistress, and maid; the furniture, company, conversation 

 and fare, that we imagine ourselves one of the company. The following is so good, and so 

 characteristic of a class of English inns, that we cannot resist the temptation to allow our 

 readers to enjoy it with us : 



"Muddy, wet, and tired enough, I stopped at what seemed the last in the street, a house of 

 humble appearance. I desired to be showed to my room. Master, mistress, maid, and boots, 

 unmediately surrounded and eyed me closely, and I could not but remember that I might, 

 probably, bear a suspicious appearance to them. As I take off my cape, maid — a nice, kind 



