AM ERICA 1ST 
ctnctucr 
GRATITUDE 
nv EMMA KTII.WI'TLL, 
“ Look and 111 Ink — 
Thl« licnuty Is for mo.-[Jcan IngeUm. 
i 'oh me the upland sous of silver ryo 
T hat rlppt© ’nouth tho wind's melodious breath 
i-or mo the summer ev'nlng’s lliiidrlng sigh 
That tolls of life l ull sweet of sweeter death. 
I ho mountains that enrobed In velvet green 
Aspire tho sky's blue mystery to reuoh,— 
lhe downy elonds Uuq elrele toeaross.- 
b°r me your eloquence - your wondrous speech 
At! thmps of earth, the mountain's silence says, 
bhould reach aloft, should mount toward heaver 
heights; 
To meet and cheer will corue the sun's bright rays 
And silver radiance of tho "moon-touched nigh I 
for me - for mo the brooklet's clear, low trill 
And dearer fur that It be faint and l mv ,_ ’ 
l.oinl sounds appall; give me the voices still 
That whisper peiico in their melodious n,L 
NEW PUBLICATIONS, 
THE CHINESE 
The Kit ing- (fneelione or the .Ig-r. (Chicago: 
Clarke & Co.)—Writ,tea with candor, and the evi¬ 
dent purpose to deal fairly in all respects, these 
chapters by “An American Citizen," upon the 
Philosophy. Theology and Reforms of the day, 
should he widely read. They are ably written, 
though not as the theologian or reformer would 
write; are fresh and vigorous; and they well 
meet, in their tUseussion of religious teachings, 
that skeptical philosophy which is I lie greatest 
danger of the present. The arguments in regard 
to Woman Suffrage seem to us tho weakest, ol' 
any in tho volume, though it would he difficult 
to gainsay some of these, even. The prediction 
that " no such event as women at the polls will 
ever take place over any considerable extent of 
the Union,” we place on record. 
Eighty years 
ago, Abbe M i plot re¬ 
marked,—“ The history of Asia is only a sub¬ 
ject of study for the learned, while that of 
Europe, so extensive and necessary, contains 
all kinds of instruction ; and we may, with¬ 
out regret, he satisfied to remain in igno¬ 
rance of that with which we arc not so 
intimately concerned,” 
Since that dale, however, the progress of 
empire Westward has completed the circuit 
of the globe, and, whether we wish it or not, 
the elements of the oldest. Eastern and the 
newest Western civilizations must mingle in 
the development of the future phases ol 
human progress. The influx of Chinese 
upon our Pacific border has but just begun, 
and the efflux of Americans to the coasts of 
Asia is in the very near future. 
The Chinese question is of the highest im¬ 
portance to us, as a people, at this time, and 
to its solution our best energies should be 
earnestly directed. Some tilings valuable 
we may learn from the Chinese; but more 
valuable lessons must be learned by them 
from us, if human progress is still to be bet¬ 
ter and purer. 
1 lie Chinese have doubtless been too se¬ 
verely judged by Americans and Europeans, 
in the general statement that they arc deceit¬ 
ful, corrupt, wily, revengeful, cowardly and 
intemperate. The early adventurers from 
U'oiunn In frleon. (No\v York: Hurd & 
Houghton.) Mrs. Caroline H. Woods entered 
a Penitentiary as matron, moved by the mission¬ 
ary spirit. ■ She hero tells us what she there saw 
and lelt. Her narrative Is full of painful inter¬ 
est. lu Its way, it Is even eloquent. Having 
charge over female convicts alone, Mrs. Woods 
probably did not encounter the worst side of 
piisou lifo, yet it is a sad eommont upon our 
civilization that what she did encounter should 
anywhere he found. The vilcnessof the nrisnn 
Storks for 
GARNET GRAY 
Thr Temperance Speaker. (New York : Na¬ 
tional Temperance Society and Publication 
House.)—To be effectual, the Temperance Re¬ 
form must work upon the children.- must teach 
them the wisdom of total abstinence, and incul¬ 
cate the same as a habit. This volume is good 
to pul, Into their hands, being made up of origi¬ 
nal ami select dialogues, addresses. &<\, illustra¬ 
tive of the evil effects of dissipation. We tavo 
received with it “Tho National Temperance 
Almanac;” a “Temperance Hymn-Book;” 
“Will tho Coming Man Drink Wine "-a, pam¬ 
phlet by .1 AMES Pahton ; “ Assorted Temperance 
Tracts Nos. 1 to 50; and other excellent tracts, 
all issued by tho National Teniponioeu Society, 
and all worthy of thoughtful perusal. 
[ ty oi i,uat Indian summer afternoon, — the 
pin pie haze settling like, a royal garment 
over the hill fop, tins sunny slope of meadow 
land stretching away to the deep, dim forest, 
where the graceful maples were Hinging out 
their gorgeous banners, scarlet, green and 
gold; and the warm fruiily fragrance the 
south wind bore up from my rare old orch¬ 
ard, rich in ripened treasure, (treat yellow 
pears, with a flavor like Moselle wine; apples 
red on the rind and sound to the core; blush¬ 
ing velvety peaches ready to burst with lus¬ 
cious ripeness, if 1 had a weakness it was 
for bearing the comments of certain mascu¬ 
line fruit growers of my neighborhood, as 
they stood, casting envious eyes at the basket 
ON T1IE 
Summer is fairly upon us once more; the 
elite arc off to Europe, or the sea-side; the 
artists have forsaken their studios and arc 
spying out. choice bits of scenery wherever 
fancy loads them; and the true lovers of 
Nature who yet linger amid the din and tur¬ 
moil ol the towns, are sighing for green 
fields and babbling brooks, dreamy dells, or 
mountain silence and solemnity. No other 
people in the world are such born travelers 
as Americans; no other country treated of 
in our geographies furnishes such power 
ful inducements to travel as America. We 
say this in the face of thousands who, by 
swelling the annual hegira abroad, seem to 
belie one-half our assertion while proving 
the other half true,; and we point to our in¬ 
comparable lake, river and mountain scenery, 
in reply to the doubts of all cavilers. 
American scenery is wonderful in its vari¬ 
ety. It includes all features, from the tender 
pastoral to the stern, rugged epic, lined in 
the solid rock of the Yo-Scmite. And its 
JUNIATA. 
I beauties are not confined to 
narrow limits; 
they spread away from the crystal lakes and 
towering peaks of Maine, to the Sierra Neva¬ 
da,—from the Saguenay's stupendous piles 
ol granite, to 1* lorida’s blossoming ever¬ 
glades. As a people, we lire coming to 
appreciate more billy the lavish richness all 
about us, and ere many years we shall be 
more, proud of knowing our own country 
well than of having caught glimpses of even 
everything visible across the water. 
We present herewith two fine sketches 
of domestic scenery, — “ On the Juniata," 
from a painting by Taliiot — “ tho blue 
Juniata,” that was sung years ago and that 
reflect* some of tho rarest natural beauties 
in tbi! Keystone State—and “On the R tm . 
dout,” a dreamy, sylvan picture, from the 
pencil of Huntington, which sorely tempts 
us to drop our pen this hot, oppressive day, 
and hie away to enjoy the original, which 
may be found scarce two hours’ ride from 
the great Metropolis. 
The U'fittllttfT naif In .III Jt„„ (t Coun¬ 
tries, (New York: Harper & Brothers.)—This 
very curious and interesting; compilation of 
facts relating to marriagu customs in various 
parts of the world siaoe the curliest times, is by 
Edward J. Wood, an English writer, and is re¬ 
printed from tho English edition. It, is very 
complete, and contains much that could only 
have boon gleaned by careful research. All 
interested in tho preparation for uud consumma¬ 
tion of matrimony,—and who is not?— will fool 
repaid for Iks perusal. 
non! place in tho Horticultural Exhibition. 
“This is a fine property of yours, Miss 
Went — a, very fine property, and you manage 
it like a man," old Dr. Marsh said to me, one 
morning, pausing under my loaded grape 
vines. What higher commendation could 
mortal woman crave? Lonely old maid 
though 1 was, ] could not after that feel that 
all my life bad been in vain ! 
But that matchless Octobor afternoon of 
which I write, steeped in sunshine dipped in 
harvest bloom, so sultry that 1 threw tho 
windows wide open, and, dressing for dinner, 
changed my cashmere wrapper for a crisp 
white, muslin, scattered over with a unique 
pattern of tiny tufted feathers of vivid sear- 
let, like the plumage of some tropical bird. 
I don’t know how T came to search out that 
dress from the depths of the great, wardrobe. 
T remembered, ah how well, the first and 
only time I had worn it! The perfume yet 
lingering in its folds suggested a curving lino 
of sea-shore, shining like powdered silver 
under a yellow August moon, a sweet, wild 
waltz stirring tin: dewy air with thrills of 
maddest melody, and 
.Tien, Women, and Ohoetn. (Boston: Fields, 
Osgood & Co.) —Five of those ten stories, by Miss 
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, have boon pub¬ 
lished heretofore, in various magazines. They 
are all pleasant raiding;—good for an hour's 
lounging, when something breezy is desired. 
Miss Phelps bus a happy knack at story-telling; 
for it requires a peculiar “ knack ” to toll a good 
short story, in addition to genuino literary 
ability,—and this collection comprises her best 
efforts. 
in me Serlee nr Jttuele for the Million,— This 
now series of select music, tho publication of 
which has been begun by Mr. Hitchcock, is in 
every way deal ruble, being tastily printed in (ho 
ordinary size and form of regular sheet music, 
and iucluding an excellent, class of tongs and In¬ 
strumental pieces. Nos. 1 and 2 are before us,- 
the Anvil Chorus,” instrumental arrangemeat, 
and My Soul to God, My Heart to Thee,” a 
beautiful song,—and we commend them as being 
very good and very cheap. 
w or He or Char lee lilrkene. (New York: 
Hurd & Houghton.)—Two volumes in one, with 
an aggregate of 1,0:21 pages, here complete the 
Globe Edition of Dickens' works, which is 
acknowledged the boat popular edition extant. 
Tho present culluctlon embraces The Uncom¬ 
mercial Traveller, Master Humphrey's Clock. 
Now Christmas •Stories, with a General Index of 
Characters and their Appearances, and Familiar 
Buyings. 
The Phenomena anti hates or Heat. (New 
Turk: Charles Scribner & Co.)— 1 This, tho third 
volume of the Illustrated Library of Wonders, 
is a translation by Euac Rich from tho French 
of AciiiLLE C.vziN. It is a very exhaustive 
treatise upon the subject of Heat, not too elub- 
a voice deeper than 
the summer sea, sweeter than the throbbing 
waltz, telling an old story over again in my 
ear. Just one foolish moment I stood living 
it over again—the moon rise, like music, and 
John Edgeworth’s voice, then turning sud¬ 
denly to my toilet, table, I naught the glim¬ 
mer of a gray hair threading itself along my 
hair-brush, and the picture faded, showing 
only an old maid who lived alone with 
h'-r servants and managed her property like 
a man. 
Rachel Brown came pattering up stab’s 
just then, to say that, dinner was on the table, 
uud ask whether she could make sponge 
euke or jelly tarts for tea. 1 started guiltily 
and said, “ Yes, certainly,” and that best of 
living creatures wen! away without a word, 
as is her way to do when I am in one of my 
absent-minded moods. She never bothers 
me in the least. 
I did everything I could think of to amuse 
myself and while away the time that long, 
bright afternoon, but my customary resources 
seemed somehow to fail me strangely. I read 
till my eyes ached, darned, with needless pre- 
eision, some delicate hose I never intended 
to wear again, and a dozen more such non¬ 
sensical things as women will do sometimes 
to cheat an hour of headache, even to pulling 
down my hair, dressing it over in a new and 
unbecoming fashion, tying it so tight, T could 
hardly shut my eyes. But i grew weary at 
last of making such a goose of myself, and 
hunted up a little white sacque I had com¬ 
menced one day out of compassion lor my 
poor shoulders, always chilly in the morning 
—true there are breakfast shawls, but I hate 
them, (hey fetter one’s arms so. 
The silken wreath of convolvuli grew 
rapidly, until the last stitch was set, auil 
then, of course, I hastened to try It on before 
the glass. One glance at myself in white 
*■ (Nu»v York: Harper & Brothers.)- 
wood deal of human nature in this 
" lavo by the author of “ Raymond's 
ami some of it is so very human that 
, 1 a trifle transformed before 
ulmutf in print. 
CANOE EXPLORATIONS. 
Iiik Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Da¬ 
mascus mentioned in the Scriptures, have 
recently been thoroughly explored by Mao 
gregor, the famous canoe traveler. Macgre- 
gor, alter going from Cairo to Suez ami ex¬ 
ploring the Delta of the Nile, had his canoe 
carried by land to Beyrout, thence over 
Mount Lebanon, and finally launched in the 
river Abana, on which he paddled to the 
plains of Damascus. The rivers Abana and 
