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variety, as may be seen by consulting the list of authors ranging from Shakespeare to Mark Twain. We find few names of mediocre authors inserted on the "mutual admiration plan," and none of an exceptionable character. It consists largely of declamations of a political and patriotic character, but contains few of the dramatic class. These, we presume, are mostly reserved for the Book of Dialogues.

The illustrations form a not unimportant feature of this work. They not only serve as embellishments but as auxiliaries to the work of instruction, being many of them good portraits of distinguished orators and authors. Comparatively little space is devoted to "elocution as an art," but the directions are intelligible and practical. Throughout the work, emphatic words are italicised and brief explanatory notes introduced.

A Condensed Etymology of the English Language. For Common Schools. By Wм. W. SMITH. 12mo, pp. 195. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co.

SCHOOL books are manufactured on so large a scale at the present day that none can pretend to examine one-tenth of them. We sometimes find among the rubbish we had thrown aside, for covering trunks' and kindred purposes, a "text book," which escaped our attention when first placed on our table. Taking it up by accident while searching for a lost manuscript, or proof sheet, we open it, and discover it to be quite a curiosity in its way; although it contains nothing that surprises us-nothing more "curious" than had reached us from, perhaps, the same source before. The "work" now before us is one of this class; and accordingly we will turn over a few of its pages, believing that the matter they contain will amuse if not instruct a portion of our readers.

In the publishers' grand announcement of the "National Series of Standard School Books," we notice among the numerous works of which "bare mention only can be made," "Smith's Etymology from every source of language." This may throw some light upon the work under consideration. Yet we are left somewhat in the dark, as to whether Mr. Smith has consulted "every source of language" in compiling the volume, or whether the etymology of the English tongue is derived from "every source of language.' To say the least this is a very comprehensive expression to employ in reference to a work for common schools " in which a few words are traced to their origin in Latin, Greek, Anglo-Saxon, etc. In reality this is saying more for the work than it deserves. The naming of a few roots, with a brief list of words derived from them, without in any manner tracing the deriva

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tion, connection, and the subtle, yet striking, ties which bind together the different families of words, is a very incomplete etymology even for common schools. To one possessing a considerable degree of knowledge upon the subject, the connection between the root and derivation as here given is frequently very obscure, but to the youthful student, it must, like certain creeds, be taken solely on faith.

No subject can be made more interesting to even the youngest pupils, but, as here presented, we can conceive of none more dry or unedifying. For example, from do, datum are given the derivatives add, condition, date, edit, render, and surrender, without a word of explanation! It is easy to judge how lucid this is to the youth in the common schools, to say nothing of the force of the words given as illustrations, or of those of much more direct derivation which might have been given. This employment of obscure and indirect derivatives instead of those evident and instructive is a palpable defect in the work, granting that the derivations are correct, which we find is far from being the case. Thus, to illustrate rule VI, for spelling, the pupil is informed that from palace and solace are derived palacious and solacious, which, at the best, are obsolete terms. Indeed these rules strike one as having been taken at random and the examples made to order.

Under the head of Latin prefixes, occur some amusing "derivations" and "definitions." Thus append is derived from pend, instead of the present indicative pendo, or the infinitive pendere, the forms which grammarians agree in employing in reference to Latin verbs. How extremely edifying to the common schools must be the following, taken from page 28 of this "etymology from every source of language" (!) "Publish, from vulgus, to make public" (!) In the first sentence of his preface, the author hazards the statement that "All the Etymologies of the English Language heretofore published have been confined merely to the words derived from Latin and Greek." We may be allowed the suggestion that had the author paid a little more attention to the "Latin and Greek" he would not have derived publish from vulgus, but from its obvious source, publico. We hope the author does not consider his work published in the vulgus or vulgar sense of the term. Some of his "definitions" are equally incomprehensible, as corrode, to gnaw together. Efface, to take out the face, and among the Anglo-Saxon derivatives in which this work excels all other etymologies, is board, to live at for a price. In order to render these definitions more lucid, frequently a note is added, like the following: "Light, not heavy. This word accords with Light, the fluid in orthography." How much "light" is thrown upon the subject by this note we will not attempt to say. Yet occasionally we meet with an instructive remark. For example "The word feoh is one of the oldest in all the European languages. Cattle was the first kind of

property; and by bartering, this word came to signify money in general." This, however, is a quotation from Bosworth. We see the same illustration of history crystalized in language in the Latin pecus, a herd of cattle, and pecunia, riches, whence is derived pecuniary, as from feoh comes fee, etc. Indeed no study can be more entertaining as well as instructive, than this tracing the pedigree of words and observing the flood of light which a simple fact in philology frequently throws upon the customs and history of a whole race. But in this work, which claims to supply the deficiencies of "all other etymologies," the performance comes notably short of the promise. We look in vain for any farther information "for common schools," until without a word of preparation we are plunged into an enumeration of the works and merits of the National Series of School Books, the prominence of which demands brief attention.

The publishers inform us upon the first page of the present volume that "no other series ever claimed to be as complete as this." If completeness consists in undistinguishing comprehensiveness including works of every kind and character, good, bad and indifferent, this claim will doubtless not be disputed. We thus refer to the series because it is the first point which challenges attention upon opening the volume under consideration. In fact, this is the case with each. Whether designed for young or old, for the infant school or the college, one and all give prominent space to singing the praises of the "National Series." Thus, in this "condensed Etymology for common schools," containing only 195 pages, twenty-four pages are devoted to the enlightenment of the common schools as to the superior excellencies of these remarkable text-books!

Then, upon the outside page of the cover are expounded the merits of a series of mathematics, to which is appended the apparently innocent statement that "keys may be obtained from the publishers by teachers only." This reminds us of certain circular letters issued from enterprising parties, which, after descanting in glowing terms upon the advantages of wealth, the means of obtaining it, etc., append the interesting statement that from the undersigned fifty dollars may be obtained for five, with directions as to disposing of the "queer," etc. We would not compare such publishers to issuers of counterfeit money, yet, so far as the practice alluded to is concerned, they enter into a conspiracy with incompetent teachers to enable them to defraud and impose upon pupils and parents, and so far, at least, are to be classed in the category of those who endeavor to obtain something for nothing, or fail to render an equivalent for value received. The announcement "keys may be obtained," etc., in plain language is simply this: teachers, or those pretending to be such, who do not possess the ability or disposition to teach, by collusion with the publishers may obtain keys to these works, by which they can

pretend to teach what they do not know, and to prevent parents and pupils from detecting the imposition the publishers announce that "keys can be obtained by teachers only.”

This is but a fair interpretation of their language to those who are not familiar with the "ways and means" employed by certain educational publishers to increase their sales, to the injury of those whom they are supposed to supply with mental pabulum. From one such fact it is easy to judge whether the publishers have in view the interests of education or the "almighty dollar." In conclusion, we would offer an amendment to the title of the present work. It would then read: "A condensed Etymology of the English Language, and diluted puff of the National Series."

BELLES-LETTRES AND HISTORY.

Old Rome and New Italy.

(Recuerdos de Italia.) By EMILIO CASTELAR, author of "The Republican Movement in Europe," Translated by Mrs. ARTHUR ARNOLD. 12mo, pp. 301. New York: Harper & Brothers. 1873.

THE eloquent Spanish orator and ardent republican, Emilio Castelar, is comparatively well known in this country as a contributor to some of our leading papers and periodicals. The present work is written from a Spanish standpoint for a Spanish public, but has been deemed worthy of translation and republication by the publishers, and we think the public will approve their course. It is not the subject alone, but the point of view, which constitute its chief value to American readers. The Spaniard's republican spirit and hatred of oppression and injustice is aroused at nearly every step in Italy. Upon first touching its shores he can but contrast its oppressive custom regulations to those of free Switzerland.

Yet his detestation of absolutism does not lead him to forget his early teachings. The orator is also a poet, and his descriptions of many of the scenes to be found in old Rome and new Italy are often eloquent and full of poetic fire. Yet the chief value of the work, as we have indicated, lies in the republican standpoint of the writer. His just and impartial manner of treatment is eminently noticeable in his description of the Ghetto-the Jews quarter of Rome. For although the tyrannical restrictions which surround this people have been much mitigated under Pius IX, they are still many and severe. Certainly, in respect to this race, there are few nations called Christian but have cause to blush for their acts of cruelty and injustice. To-day traces of this prejudice and proscription

linger upon the statute books and in the customs of many nations. Even in enlightened England but recently have any of the Hebrew race been allowed to aspire to its higher offices. In Rome, where other forms of Christian worship have been so long prohibited, the Jews receive much less toleration. The calm yet earnest language of truth and justice which the spectacle of their misery in the Eternal City calls forth from the Spanish orator we might commend to many who seem to forget the wonderful history of this peculiar people and the world's indebtedness to them. He says: (p. 259) "It is impossible to understand why the Jews should be outraged in this manner-impossible. Even polemics are difficult between them and Christians. We believe all the principal Jewish dogmas. Their God is our God, their law our law, their Bible our Bible. We have added the Gospel to the Old Testament; to the monotheistical God of the Shemitical desert, the word and the spirit of Grecian metaphysics."

Certainly every enlightened and unprejudiced mind will agree with him when he says: (p. 261) "It is time for all persecutions against opinion to be abolished. I condemn the Roman Government when it oppresses the Jews, and the Government of Prussia when it proscribes the Jesuits. I assert that to persecute doctrines is like the persecution of light, air, electricity, magnetic fluids; because these escape all persecution, and are placed above all power.'

The world will be better, wiser and happier when it can act according to the spirit of the words with which the writer closes this chapter (p. 263) "Let there be no more accursed races upon the earth. Let every one act according to his conscience, and communicate freely with his God. Let thought be only corrected by the contradiction of thought. Let error be an infirmity, and not a crime. Let us agrée in acknowledging that opinions sometimes take possession of our understandings quite independent of our will or desire. Let us be so just as to be enabled to see even to what degree each race has contributed to the universal education of humanity."

This work of Mr. Castelar's is not a book of travels, but, as he tells us in his preface, is a record of the lively emotions awakened in his soul by the marvelous spectacles of Italy. He says truly, a journey to Italy is a journey through all periods of history; and he has endeavored to keep always in mind, that above these great works of art, of archæology, history is visible. With this aim the work is a success, and on this account is worthy a place among the numerous volumes upon this ever fruitful theme.

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