440 



LITERATURE AND LITERARY PROGRESS IN 1877. 



is the work of one who loves both Nature and 

 good literature, and by his sympathies with 

 them is enabled to write of them wisely and 

 well. "Table-Talk," by A. Bronson Alcott 

 (Roberts), is not likely to impress the public as 

 deeply as it did those who took it in with their 

 "aesthetic tea," but here is food for thought. 

 " Windfalls," by T. G. Appleton (Roberts), will 

 be deemed better fruit than any that is picked 

 with whatever care from some other trees. 

 Mr. Henry Howard Furness continues his " Va- 

 riorum Edition of Shakespeare " (Lippincott) 

 by the issue of " Hamlet," with an apparatus 

 for comparative criticism unequaled in any pre- 

 vious publication. It is a colossal undertaking 

 on which he has entered, the value of which 

 can be appreciated only by the few. "Sub- 

 stance and Show, and Other Lectures," by 

 Thomas Starr King, edited with Introduction 

 by Edwin P. Whipple (Osgood), needing no 

 voucher, is countenanced by the best. " Deep- 

 haven," by Sarah O. Jewett (Osgood), de- 

 scribes, with the eye of an artist and the 

 insight of a sympathetic observer, a charming 

 bit of "still-life." 



How they strike Me, these Authors. By J. C. 

 Heywood, A. M. (Lippiucott.) 



Atlas Essays, Biographical and Critical. By E. A. 

 Freeman, E. P. Whipple, Noah Porter, and others. 

 Selected from the International Review. (Barnes.) 



Domestic Explosives.and Other Sixth Column 

 Fancies from the New York Times. By W. L. Al- 

 den. (Lovell, Adam, Wesson & Co.) 



Satan as a Moral Philosopher. With Other Essays 

 and Sketches. By Caleb S. Henry, D. D. (Whit- 

 taker.) 



Underbrush. By James T. Fields. (Osgood.) 



System of Shakespeare's Dramas. By Denton J. 

 Snider. 2 volumes. (Jones, St. Louis.) 



FICTION. Though prose fiction constitutes a 

 large part of the popular reading, not much 

 of it is of home production. English novels 

 (of which on an average three a week appear 

 during the publishing season) are reprinted 

 here in large numbers. A small but increasing 

 number cultivate this popular species of liter- 

 ature with a success honorable to them and 

 auspicious of honor to American letters. A 

 larger class of writers stoop to gratify lower 

 or more frivolous tastes. 



Henry James, Jr., in "The American" (Os- 

 good), sustains his reputation for originality 

 of invention and artistic thoroughness in the 

 working out of his designs. A new candidate 

 for the public favor appeared in " That Lass of 

 Lowrie's," by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Scrib- 

 ner). With some signs of crudeness and in- 

 equality of treatment, it is accepted as proof 

 of genuine original power, the further devel- 

 opment of which will be scanned with interest. 

 The unauthorized republication of some of her 

 earlier stories has moved her to give renewed 

 currency to " Surly Tim, and Other Stories " 

 (Scribner), which, slight as they-are, do not dis- 

 parage her more important work. Mr. John 

 Habberton has made a first-rate sensation with 

 his pictures of " babies " and " folks," and his 



exceeding popularity has multiplied echoes and 

 copyists of his manner. But these are transient 

 "humors." In "The Queen of Sheba" (Os- 

 good) Mr. T. B. Aldrich has done good and 

 characteristic work, but his plot, nnlike those 

 of previous productions, does not depend for 

 its final effect upon the shock of surprise. 

 "Nicholas Minturn," by Dr. J. G. Holland 

 (Scribner), shows some advance in design and 

 execution upon his previous works. Measured 

 by the judgment of the literary critics, his 

 works have slender merit. But they are not 

 merely popular, they have a hold upon the pop- 

 ular liking that no criticism can loosen. It is 

 evident that there is a mistake somewhere. 

 Unless people begin soon to show signs that 

 they are weary of his books, critics will have 

 need to reconsider their adverse judgments. 

 "The Story of Avis," by Elizabeth Stuart 

 Phelps (Osgood), embodies and faithfully works 

 out a powerful but unpleasing conception. An 

 anonymous story, " Coronation " (Noyes, Snow 

 & Co., Boston), though in a somewhat over- 

 wrought style, discloses some striking merits 

 in characterization and thought. Mr. William 

 Black, in the title of his " Green Pastures and 

 Piccadilly" (Harpers), acknowledges the as- 

 sistance of an American writer. Our country- 

 man to whom he was so indebted must have 

 divided very unequally with Mr. Black the la- 

 bor and desert of tlieir joint production, as the 

 reader, uninformed of the partnership, might 

 fail to so much as suspect it. 



After Many Days. By Christian Reid. (D. Ap- 

 pleton & Co.) 



First Love is Best. By Gail Hamilton. (Estes & 

 Lauriat.) 



The Scripture Club of Valley Rest ; or, Sketches 

 of Everybody's Neighbors. By the author of " Hel- 

 en's Babies." (Putnams.) 



Other People's Children. Sequel to "Helen's 

 Babies." (Same author and publishers.) 



G. T. T. ; or, The Wonderful Adventures of a 

 Pullman. By Rev. E. E. Hale. (Roberts Brothers, 

 Boston.) 



Hetty's Strange History. No-Name Series. (Rob- 

 erts.) 



Panola. A Tale of Louisiana. By Mrs. Sarah A. 

 Dorsey. (Peterson, Philadelphia.) 



They All Do It ; or, Mr. Miggs of Danbury, and 

 Ms Neighbors. By J. M. Bailey, the Danbury Jfewt 

 Man. (Lee & Shepard.) 



Some Folks. By John Habberton. (Derby Broth- 

 ers.) 



Thirty-four Years. A Story of Southern Life. 

 By John Marchmont. (Claxton, Philadelphia.) 



Devil-Puzzlers. By Frederick B. Perkins. (Put- 

 nams.) 



Sunshine among Clouds. A Story of Trust on 

 Trial. By William D. Hedden. (U. D. Ward.) 



The Baroness of New York. By Joachim Miller. 

 (Carleton.) 



Forbidden Fruit. From the German of F. W. 

 Hacklander. By Rosalie Kaufman. (Estes and Lau- 

 riat.) 



Echoes from Mist Land ; or, The Nibelungen 

 Lay revealed to Lovers of Romance and Chivalry. 

 By Auber Forestier. (Griggs, Chicago.) 



The Enchanted Moccasins and Other Legends of 

 the American Indians. By Cornelius Mathews. (Put- 

 nams.) 



Diana. By Susan Warner. (Putnam.) 



