We know women are just like his favorite literary men. as little, personally, of Mrs. Southworth as we do of Mr. Ward Davidson, Mr. Cobb, Mr. Stauffer or any other "author" we have mentioned as belonging to Mr. Hart's literati. We have not the least feeling against one or another, or the least disposition to disparage the efforts of any, further than our duty as a critic seems to require. Of the efforts of the ladies especially, we would much rather speak in the language of approbation than in that of censure; but we must remember that those who praise the productions of all who wear female garments praise none. It is unjust to those who exercise a refining influence on society, and aid in elevating the public taste by their works, to bestow superlative praise on those whose works have notoriously the opposite tendency. It is only in the latter light, we regret to say, we have been able to regard the novels of Mrs. Southworth, although we have no reason to doubt that in private life she is an estimable lady. We have to do only with her character and rank as an author. Mr. Hart commences his biography of the lady by the somewhat equivocal compliment that, "since that time she has devoted herself with unflagging energy to the work of production." First, the lady's genius is illustrated by Mr. Hart, then by herself; so that we have both a biography and an autobiography of Mrs. Southworth in the "Manual," as we have of so many others who have adorned our literature in a similar manner. The lady is so communicative as to give us such particulars as the following: "My school numbered eighty pupils, boys and girls, and I had the whole charge of them myself." "I was attacked with frequent hemorrhage of the lungs." "But look how it terminated." Here follows a piece of fine writing. Finally the great first book was written, and, more wonderful still, it was "accepted by the first publishing house in America,"--that of Peterson, we suppose. This, however, is but a part of the climax, and even of the sentence in which Peterson is elevated above all others of "the trade "(!) The remaining clause is, that the book “was published, and (subsequently) noticed, with high favor, even by the cautious English reviewers." It is important to know that, subsequently to its publication, it was "noticed with high favor," etc. It seems that the "cautious English reviewers" do not eulogize even such great works as "Retribution" before they see them! We must admit it is natural enough that an author having a publisher who has his "opinions of the press manufactured in his own office, and furnished in printed form to editors and correspondents, should regard a "first-rate notice," given after her book is published, as evidence of peculiar merit. Mr. Hart's next great authoress "achieved her chief distinction," he informs us, "as an actress" (p. 497). To this he adds, that "she won laurels also as a writer." Then follows the usual biography. We quote the closing paragraph: "In 1860 she was called to New York to attend her dying father, and for weeks she devoted her whole time to nursing him. His death left her in such a prostrate conditiou that she went to Europe to regain her health, first with a sister living in Paris, then with another sister in Rome, after that in Florence." The reader will please admire the grammar, common sense and perspicuity of the last sentence. One who was so "prostrate" that she went to Europe, must have been in a state of prostration happily not often experienced! But how did she go thither three times in such a condition? sister who was in Rome and in Florence? or were there three sisters? Who can tell from the language of the teacher of teachers? Was it the same We turn over a page or two and read a biography of another lady. Then we are presented with the estimate of "one who is well acquainted with her." We are informed by this discreet person that her works are "read with toleration, if not with positive delight, in England" (p. 500). No doubt they are read in France, too, and probably in Germany, “ with toleration!" Our author tries hard to satisfy Mrs. Stowe, but he finds himself in the position of the rustic lover, who having ex hausted all his fine compliments on his lady's waiting-maid found that in order to make the necessary distinction, and extend his speech to the prescribed length, he had to praise the lady's nose for its large size! In illustration of this we transcribe a paragraph from the affair on Mrs. Stowe: "In 1869, in consequence of the publication of the Countess Guiccioli's Recollections of Byron, and the attempt in various quarters not only to glorify the poet, but to disparage the memory of Lady Byron, Mrs. Stowe undertook to vindicate the latter, in a book called The True Story of Byron's Life. It led to a fierce and most intemperate discussion." To glorify the poet" was, of course, very wrong, especially as the "attempt" was made "in various quarters;" and, since it was still worse "to disparage the memory of Lady Byron," it was entirely right to hold the poet responsible, and assail him in his grave as no man had ever before been assailed by a woman! The disgust and indignation expressed in public and private by every decent man and woman, at seeing the grave of the illustrious dead thus befouled, are denounced by the "teacher of teachers" as a "most intemperate discussion." () There was nothing "intemperate" or improper in unblushingly attempting to cast infamy on the memory of Lord Byron and of his sister; on the contrary, it was a praiseworthy performance! But another word in regard to Mr. Hart's literati. Turning over a few pages we find that a bookseller of New York, who is very skilful in getting off unsalable books, and who sometimes allows himself to be persuaded to put his imprint on such, especially if they have a certain air of sanctity about them, has written "beautiful lyrics." Accordingly he is, of course, entitled to a niche in the new pantheon. In general our literati have "gone West" as soon as their genius began to develop. But it was otherwise ordered in the case of our lyrical bookseller. Mr. Hart informs us that, "At the age of four he went to New York, and has lived there ever since" (p. 372). It will be admitted that this was nearly as great a feat as that of the lady who was so prostrate that she went to Europe in so mysterious a way. That one who went to seek his fortune "at the age of four" should prove highly gifted, is nothing more than the most stupid might have predicted. There is a peculiar fitness, therefore, in favoring the readers of "A Manual of American Literature: A Text-book for Schools and Colleges," as Mr. Hart has done, with some specimens of those "beautiful lyrics." Only two are given, both about "Our Baby." In order to show what gems these are, it is only necessary to quote the opening lines of the first: "Of all the darling children That ever a household blessed, Such is the overwhelming pathos of the second "lyric," that we would advise our readers not to meddle with it, at least until they have undergone the preparation of perusing a score or two of the "poetical" obituaries in some village newspaper. But "Our Baby" lyrics are by no means the only things which show how wonderfully similar are the taste and judgment of Mr. Hart to those of his great prototype the Maitre de Philosophie in Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. “II n'y a que la prose ou les vers?" asks Monsieur Jourdain. "Non, Monsieur. Tout ce qui n'est point prose est vers, et tout ce qui ne point vers est prose." This, however, is by no means the only point in which the teacher of teachers may claim to be compared with Monsieur Jourdain's Maitre de Philosophie. Let the curious reader who doubts this read some of Mr. Hart's rules and directions " To teachers," and then turn to Act II, Scene vi, of the Bourgeois Gentilhomme. "La voix A se forme en ouvrant fort la bouche," etc, says the Maitre. "Ma foi, oui. Ah! que cela est beau!" says Monsieur. As the former waxes eloquent in his directions the latter exclaims, as no doubt a great many of Mr. Hart's pupils will, "Ah! l'habile homme que vous êtes, et que 'j'ai perdu de temps! R, R, R, Ra." None of our various hierarchies have any reason to blame Mr. Hart for lack of appreciation of their talents as authors and orators. True, he uses more superlatives in puffing the Presbyterian divines, especially those of the Princeton school, than he does in performing the same sort of work for others. But he is abundantly liberal of them to all-nearly as much so as he is to newspaper correspondents. The Catholics may, perhaps, complain that their authors have only received back seats in the Hart pantheon. We hear nothing of them until all others have been done for. Then they are thrown in, pell-mell, though not without being furnished each with a pretty thick coat of kalsomine or soap. Strangely enough, the exact titles of the literary "works" of Father Hecker are not given in his biography, but it is doubtless to make up for so important an omission we are informed that the good Father "entered into business there (in New York) with his brothers in the milling and baking establishment of Hecker Brothers." We are not told what particular sort of "milling" was done, but take it for granted it was something in the way of grinding. Even a "teacher of teachers," who expects his book to be used by Catholics as "a text-book for schools and colleges," must remember that the "works" of an archbishop must not be passed over so lightly as those of an humble Father. Accordingly, we have the following "full particulars" as to the claims of his grace of Cincinnati to literary fame: "He had, in 1837, a seven days' controversy-an oral discussion -with Alexander Campbell, which was reported and published in a large (sic) volume; had also, in 1868, a written discussion with Thomas Vickers, entitled The Roman Clergy and Free Thought; and has issued numerous Pastorals." When a western archbishop has had "a seven days' controversy," "which was reported and published in a large volume," and has besides "issued numerous pastorals”—above all western pastorals,—his claims to authorship can no more be dispu ted than those of Fenelon or Bossuet! We observe however that in huddling the Catholic authors together at the close of his great work, Mr. Hart has made some important omissions. We have given him credit for boundless liberality, but it occurs to us, on reflection, that the only institutions of learning which he recognizes as perfect are |