
FOREST AND STREAM. 
333 

train a crew during the winter and coach them in Gymnasi- 
um; and I think I may venture te say that to most of those 
men the following seem the best plan that can be followed: 
There are several fellows, who have been here a year or 
more and who have pulled during that time, who it is 
thought would be willing, if asked by the class, to choose 
a number of men, train them during the winter, and teach 
them all that can be learned on the rowing weights. When 
the spring comes, the trainer might take them on the river, 
going himself as coxswain, and assign to them their posi- 
tions in the boat as should seem to him best. As soon as 
the crew are fairly at work, let the members elect one of 
their number captain, and while he would have full com- 
mand over the men, the trainer might still go out for the 
purpose of giving them style. It seems to me to be proved 
conclusively by the blunders of ’75 and of ’76 that a class 
as a body knows nothing about the qualities requisite in a 
captain of a crew; and it is well known to any one who has 
ever pulled that it is soon evident to the crew which of 
their number is best fitted for captain.— Cambridge Magenta. 
—The Detroit Pree Press, of recent date, says:—‘‘Sunday 
morning, two farmers and their families, who were driving 
to Malden to attend church, noticed, when about eight 
miles below, or east of the town, a ship’s yawl on the lake, 
heading toward the beach, and about half a mile away. 
They could plainly make out a man in the stern sheets 
steering the boat with an oar, and, although there were no 
vessels in sight, the morning was so pleasant and the sea so 
smooth, that it was supposed that the man had put out from 
shore to pick up something, and but little attention was 
paid to the yawl. Passing the same spot on their return 
the men found the yawl hard on the beach, and the man 
was lifeless and frozen as hard as a rock. He sat bolt up- 
right on the seat, the oar out behind, and both hands clas- 
ping the handle, and it required hard work to wrench it 
from his death-grip. There was about a foot of water in 
the boat, but the craft did not show rough usage. The 
man’s legs-were almost covered with ice as far up as his 
knees, and the spray had dashed over his back and shoul- 
ders and frozen there. . There was no name on the boot, 
nor anything on the man by which he could be identified.’ 
Art and Mrama. 
GOSSIP OF THE WEEK. 



BY T. B. THORPE. 
setae 
HE holiday week has been signalized by some very 
stormy weather. Friday and Saturday last was at a 
premium in this respect. Lectures and ‘‘small amuse- 
ments” suffered intolerably, and afforded little else than 
empty seats to be addressed by the parties interested in 
their success. The leading theatres, however, were main- 
tained with generous patronage, their interiors looking 
more than ever cozy and attractive from contrast with the 
sleet and slush outside. “ 
-—‘‘A Man of Honor,” which is the new feature at Wal- 
lack’s, is capitally acted, and draws full houses. In this 
play the unrivalled company attached to this theatre find 
apparently the very best places for the development of their 
especial talents. The scenery is most perfect, and contin- 
ally calls forth demonstrative admiration from the audi- 
ence; in some scenes the imitations of the ‘‘real thing” 
amount to an absolute delusion. The rapid advance in this* 
city within a few years in regard to scenic effect has been 
very marked and wonderfully successful. In the matter of 
landscape and architecture there are presented by the ar- 
tists in their work combinations of colors, scientific draw- 
ing, knowledge of striking and harmonious contrasts that 
display an amount of natural ability and severe study we 
do not meet with in the best efforts from the easel. This 
is especially true of landscape painting—the forte, as it is 
understood, of the occupiers of the studios. 
—‘‘Led Astray” continues to bea great favorite at the 
Union Square. If it falls off in interest at all it will be 
owing largely to the fact that the universal press has quit 
scolding and condemning the questionable insinuations of 
the plot. 
—On Saturday, one of the most disagreeable days we 
ever knew that was not devoted to the rehearsal of a ter- 
rible storm, the matinee of ‘‘Aida,” at the Academy of 
Music, was attended by one of the largest and best dressed 
audiences that has appeared before the footlights this sea- 
son. The opera grows more and more popular on each 
presentation. 
—Thomas’ Symphony Concerts are liberally patronized. 
The programme, as usual, is addressed almost entirely to 
highly cultivated musicians, and certainly very little that 
the general public care to hear. We congratulate the spir- 
‘ited leader upon his pertinacity in sticking to his ‘‘classics,”’ 
but for the sake of the million we wish we had musical 
concerts that would not only give us sweet sounds, but 
cheer and enliven and interest us without taxing our brain 
and over-wrought mind. We would mention in this con- 
nection that Gilmore’s promenade concerts have been an- 
nounced to continue ‘‘through the season.”” They are lib- | 
erally patronized, and by the best people. Surely, there is 
a strong feeling in our community to hear concords of 
sweet sounds from brass and stringed instruments. How 
soon are we to have a proper building down town for these 
entertainments? 

—Are blacksmiths who make a living by forging, or 
carpenters who do a little counter-fitting, any worse than 
men who sell iron and steel for a living? 
—Chicago wants to have the ‘‘next world’s fair” held 
there. But who knows whether the next world will have 
a fair? 
—A true Danbury American is too proud to beg and too 
honest to steal. He gets trusted. © 
‘of an evening spent with the great ventriloquist. 
Aew Publications. 
pai eee a. 
(Publications sent to this office, treating upon subjects that come within 
the scope of the paper, will receive special attention. The receipt of all 
books delivered at our Editorial Rooms will be promptly acknowledged 
in the next issue, Publishers will confer a favor by promptly advising 
us of any omission in this resnect. Prices of books inserted when 
desired. | 
M, ———_—_————= 
SounDs FRoM SrcreT CHAMBERS. Poems. 
C. Redden. Boston: James R. Osgood & Co. 
This is a nice little present for the holidays, in green and gold, and is 
in the form known as the semi-dramatic. It develops the plot of one of 
those love affairs that “never runs smoothly;” it is startling and tumult- 
uous in all its parts. There is considerable merit in this little unpreten- 
tious offering, and some fine thoughts are here given. Our fair authoress 
says; 
By Laura 
“T turn the key, [ lift the lid, 
* I lay the casket on the sill, 
And wistful linger at the door, 
To know the tenor of your will.” 
We think a generous public will lft the casket and bid the bearer a 
cordial welcome to all the doubts and fears of a successful or unsuccess- 
ful future, which time alone will determine. ‘Sweet Bells Jingled” 
have some pleasant verses, as: 
‘How tenderly you meet the mute appealing 
Of eyesthat ever seek to read your own; 
This clirmging trust, this wild excess of feeling, 
But, dearest, I have been so long alone, 
Henceforth there is no good beyond my grasping, 
No splendor that my earth-life may not take; 
The passionate heart which to your own you're clasping, 
Is henceforth sacred for your princely sake, 
Lone one, beloved.”’ 
We find a goodly share of this little work devoted to the subject of 
kissing. We admit there isa poetry in kissing; we have boyish memo- 
ries within which are garnered some sweet recollections of those days, 
yet we think some sixteen pages devoted to “‘kissing’’ a little too much. 
However, the poems give us the promise, with careful reproduction and 
some judicious pruning, to do good in the end. 
SaxE Hoimgs’ Stories. New York: Scribner, Armstrong 
& Co. Our readers will many of them recognize in this book some of 
the pleasant stories that pleased them at the time of their first publica- 
tion in the Scribner Magazine. Like twice told tales they still have a 
zest and a refreshing forthe memory of pleasant hours. The story of 
“Draxy Miller’s Dowry,’”’ was an exceedingly quaint story, and if we 
mistake not, was extensively read and admired. We are happy to know 
that these stories are placed in a form more worthy still of the regards 
of the many friends of the ‘‘Scribner.’’ These tales are remarkable for 
clearness and purity of thought, always anticipating our thought, never 
yitiated, we are happy to say, by either low taste or vulgarism. 
WOMEN IN SacrRED History. By Harriet Beecher Stowe. 
New York: J. B. Ford & Co. 
The contents of this elegant and rare book are made up of sketches of 
women mentioned in Sacred History; both historical and legendary 
sources contribute quite largely to the same. Like all that Mrs. Stowe 
undertakes to do this work is done well, and adds a new lustre to her al- 
ready acquired reputation as an authoress of the very first class. We 
kuow of no one more fitting to write an interesting and elaborate history 
of women under almost any era, than Mrs. Stowe, particularly of the 
Jews. Shehas given us a glimpse of women under what is ealled the 
patriarchal ages. Every) Bible reader will be delighted to read her vivid 
sketches of Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachael. We almost see 
them again in all their native eostume and character moving before us. 
Many will turn to the Sacred Word with a deeper interest than they 
have ever felt before, as they peruse the history of another class of 
women under the cognomen of the ‘National Period.’? How grandly 
is the thrilling Eastern story of Queen Esther rehearsed; Miriam’s beau- 
tiful history; Deborah, Ruth, and many others, whose lives are as types 
of the most interesting characteristics of women of the past ages. The 
history of that woman, Delilah, with her many blandishments, her arts 
of captivating the great, strong nature of Sampson, with all its highly 
wrought detail, veluti in speculum, pass before us. Then the sweet, loy- 
ing characters of the women of the Christian era. Mary, the Mother of 
Christ, the daughter of Herodius, the women of Samaria, Martha and 
her sister Mary, and last the repentant Magdalen, are all of them most 
graphically depicted. This work will stand as one of the gems of Mrs. 
Stowe’s numerous improving educatory works of the times. The high 
and elevated train of thought pervading this work makesit invaluable as 
an aid to Christian family training. This work is illustrated with six- 
teen chromo-lithographs, after paintings by Raphael, Koehler, Horace, 
Vemet, and others. A rare present, not only for the holidays, but for 
all times, is this great book of ‘‘Women of Sacred History.”’ 
ReEcEntT Music AND Musictans, as described in the diaries 
and correspondence of Ignatz Moscheles. Edited by his wife, as 
adapted from the original German. By A. D. Coleridge. New York: 
Henry Holt & Co. 
On the 30th of May, 1794, at Prague, was born Moschelea, even in 
hisearly childhood considered a great musical prodigy. His father, a 
merchant in easy circumstances, was a devoted lover of music and 
played admirably upon the guitar. His mother was a woman of great 
kindliness of heart, affectionate and refined; one of those even tempered 
women who do so much to bless their own homes and make the werld 
better around them. At the death of his father he was sent to Vienna 
to continue his musical studies. Here he made great progress and gave 
his whole heart to the most ardent pursuits of music in allits variety, 
The first entry in his diary—April, 1814—speaks with enthusiasm of 
Beethoven. An acquaintance with this great master results in his being 
chosen to arrange ‘Fidelio’ for the piano. Of this little incident he 
thus speaks: ‘‘On going to see Beethoven early one morning, the great 
composer was still lying in bed; he happened to be in remarkably good 
spirits, jumped up immediately and placed himself, just as he was, at the 
window looking out upon the Schottenbastei with a view of examiming 
the ‘‘Fidelio’”’ numbers I had arranged. Naturally, a crowd of street 
boys had collected under the window, when he roared out, ‘Now what do 
those confounded boys want?’ I laughed and pointed to his own figure. 
‘Yes, yes; you are quite right,’ he said, and hastily put on a dressing- 
gown.’’ Moscheles was eminently social and very genialin his life and 
intercourse with society. He speaks with rapture of Horace Vemet, and 
1824 we find him 
nestled as a favorite guest with the Mendelsson family, and ever after 
these two families entertained for each other the most profound friend- 
ship. About this time he became acquainted and greatly pleased with 
Maria Garcia, afterwards Malibran. He says in his joarnal: ‘This 
charming girl, almost achild, acted enchantingly in the ‘‘Chauyin de 
Reims,”’ ‘‘Le Coin de Rue,’ and ‘‘L’Orms et la Pacha.’ In course of 
his work he speaks of Sontag as “‘young, beautiful, fascinating.’’ Asa 
most entertaining and valuable biography, a diary of agreat man, we 
recommend this work to all our musical friends as one of great intrinsic 
value. 
Hans Bringer; or The Silver Skates. By Mary Mapes 
Dodge. Illustrated by Darley, Nast, and others. New York: Scrib- 
ner, Armstrong & Co. 
The mere announcement of such an elegantly illustrated work by 
such artists; the fact that it is Scribner's tasty style, would seem to be 
all that is neccssary to say about this gem of the Christmas morning or 
New Year’s day. We will only add our appreciation of this elegant 
book, always new, and just what Santa Claus will delight iu presenting 
to hundreds of the young ladies and gentlemen of all our cities. Itis 
overflowing with rich and quaint stories of early life, told with a sweet 
simplicity and eamestness that makes them really charming. 
THe Cross oF Berny; or Irene’s Lovers. A Novel. By 
Madame Emile de Girardin, M. M. Theophile Gautier, Jules Saudeau, 
and Mery. Phila.: Porter & Coates. 
Literary partnerships have often been tried, but not always with the 
success attending the execution of such a work as the ‘‘Cross of Berny.” 
This the reader will find a perfectly simple story, told without elaborate 
ness, yet is in all its parts a perfect whole, a finished work. ‘The original 
preface tothe French edition says: ‘‘The ‘Cross of Berny’ was, it will 
be remembercd, a brilliant tournay, where Madame de Girardin nee Del- 
phine Gay), Theophile Gautier, Jules Saudeau, and Mery broke lance 
like valiant Knights of old.’ They were then considered as the four 
most brilliant of our celebrated cotemporary authors. Such a book from 
such asource may well command the attention of American readers. It 
is admirably translated,preserving all its peculiarity of structure. We are 
surprised to take up a work the joint efiort of four writers, and find so 
complete a unity inthe whole. The correspondence is well sustained 
from the first page to the last. By this plan of arrangement the individ 
ual or personnel of each writer is separate as a part, and the union com 
plete and interesting as a whole. 
Tue Marve._iLous Country; or Three Years in Arizona 
and New Mexico, the Apaches’ Home. By Samuel W. Cozzens. 8vo. 
Boston: Shepard & Gill. 
A fruitful and interesting theme for the travellerin the marvellous 
country spoken of in this work. It is byno means a dull book; it were 
impossible for sueh aman toroam through sucha country as that known 
under the title of the Great Arizona, especially since its acquisition by 
this country, and not give usa work of merit. We think, however, that 
our author could have made a still better work with the materials he had 
had he dwelt legs on incidental topics. The work could well spare ‘‘all 
about Jimmy,” and not suffer in our estimation. But the excellent char- 
acter of the hook will at once be recognized by every lover of the travels 
in Arizona. It was undoubtedly the Cibola, or land of the Montezumas, 
and is like an enchanted land. This mysterious region long years ago, 
before it was conquered by the adventurous Spaniard, was known for its 
exceedingly rich silver mines, many of which, it is still believed, have 
never yet been found and are at thisday rich in untold wealth. Mr. 
Cozzena’ ‘‘Arizona”’ is the best work we have seen upon this wonderful 
country, and we think it deserving a place in the llbrary of every stu- 
dent. There is life in the work, and camping out and its incidents, 
breaking camp, and stories by the way, make the book a valuable guide 
to travellers in that romantic region. ; 
PAINTERS, SCULPTORS, ARCHIECTS, ENGRAVERS, AND THEIR 
Works. A Handboox. By Clara Erskine Clement. With illustra- 
tions andmonograms. In one volume, crown, 8vo, cloth, $3.25. Cam- 
bridge: Hurd & Houghton. 
Every person who buys the Grammar of Painting and Engraving should 
possess its companion volume, It is a well ana copiously interwoven 
series of facts which every artist will find very useful and very necessary 
as an aid to his profession. It is like a complete index revum of the art 
student, and, like the large dictionary for literary men, should lie upon 
every art student’s table.” It gives one tbe history of the artists who 
wrought these beautiful pictures; it places their peculiar style; it speaks 
of the several schools to which they seyeraliy belong in a manner alto- 
gether new to many of our well resem admirers of the works of our 
old masters. Its numerous illustrations make very easy to understand 
much of what without them, would be like the unknown tracings of an 
unknown hand. 
Tue Brrps or North AmeERIcA. By Theodore Jasper, 
A.M.,M. D. Drawn from life, one-quarter size of life. Robert 
Clarke & Co.: Cincinnati, Ohio. 
We have received from the publishers the four first parts of this large 
and finely illustrated work upon the birds of North America. Each part 
will be made more yaluable by the addition of three accurately colored 
plates and one tinted scientific plate, 12x15 inches, together with eight 
pages of magnificent, clear, open type letter-press, on finely tinted paper. 
In this work, of which the great value may be judged, there will appear 
illustrations of over six hundred species of birds, comprising all that are 
known to exist on this continent. To this is added popular descriptions 
of the well known habits of life on the plain, on the crag, in river, be- 
side the lakes, and neath the deepening shadows of the dark wood. 
Everything relating to the bird spoken of is truly told and with all the 
fidelity of a life study by the author, whose fame as a naturalist and or- 
nithologist is not surpassed by any living man of the day. This work is 
the crowning effort of the life of the author, whose entire life has been 
spent in the study and preparation of this great work. So careful was 
the author, Dr. Jasper, to give a true picture of the specimeu under his 
hand, that he was not content with the delineations of an hired artist, 
but learned the art of engraving in this peculiar style and coloring, so 
that he might give to his readers and subscribers the handiwork literally 
of his own pencil, every specimen here presented being drawn by him- 
self. Differing entirely from most works upon this subject this great 
work comes to us perfect in all its parts, elaborate and highly finished, 
as an art, true to life as agreat advance in the science of Ornithology; in 
several respects we regard it superior to Audobon’s great work on ‘‘Birds 
of America,”’ published some years ago. This may seem quite a strong 
expression on our part, yet we believe, upon looking critically at this 
work of Dr. Jasper’s we shall by no means stand alone in our judgment 
of the great merits of the book. Of one thing we are convinced; 80 
many desirable points of beauty and fidelity can rarely be found in this 
country at such a reasonable price. Who will not pay one dollar per 
part for such a work as the above? 
THE Lawrences. A Twenty Years’ History. By Char- 
lotte Turnbull. Boston: American’ News Co. 
This is one of those books that one is repaid the reading. Its charec- 
ters all are drawn from stirring events that transpired during the event- 
ful period of the Mexican war and the War of the Rebellion. Leaving 
these far off felds of Mexico and the Southern battle fields, with all their 
stirring memories and strifes, our authoress transports her readers to the 
quiet of one of New England’s villages—Brookfield. We open this book 
amid the din and smoke of the battle-field, the clash of arms and exciting 
events all of which are graphically and many of them historically correct, 
This work is morally a good teacher, and may be read with profit by any 
one. We prefer to place the book, with these remarks only, in the hands 
of our readers without further analysis. 
Frenco Home Lire. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 
have just published a series of racy papers, part of which has appeared 
in Blackwood's Magazine. They should haye been published in this 
form before. Werecommend these stories earnestly to the readers of 
Appleton’s best books as every way valuable. They are the jottings of 
-aclose observer, the result of the careful observations of an English 
tourist in France, whose opportunity for seeing all the sights were very 
favorable for his observations. Any one who reads the book will feel 
that he has made good use of his eyes as with his pen. Being written in 
a reliable manner, the pictures of French life are real and not fictitious. 
The book will be like a new revelation to many, of facts they knew 
not of before the reading of this work. The work is one that can be 
read with profit and pleasure, as many topics are fully treated that may 
be of much use to a future sojourner in France. 

—Hon. Alex. Keith, President 6f the Legislative Couneil 
of Nova Scotia and Grand Master of Masons of that 
province, died on Sunday, aged 78. 
ro or 
—The winter trots under the auspices of the Trenton 
Club, Ontario, Canada, come off at that place on the 8th 
and 9th of January, when an attractive little programme 
will be hung up. 
. 
