 | The wigwam and the cabin |  |
WILEY & PUTNAM'S
LIBRARY OF CHOICE READING.
“BOOKS WHICH ARE BOOKS.”
The Publishers of the Library of Choice Reading beg leave to call attention
to the following classification of the books published in the series, by which
it will appear that novelty, variety and standard merit have always been
preserved, and the promise of the original prospectus faithfully kept. It
was proposed to publish “the best books of Travels, Biographies, works of
Classic Fiction—where the moral is superior to the mere story, without any
sacrifice of the interest—occasional choice volumes of Poetry, Essays, Criticism.
Contributions to History, and generally such single volumes, written
by men of genius, as will equally delight the scholar and the general reader.”
The books already issued and ready for immediate publication may be
arranged as follows:
BOOKS OF TRAVELS.
EOTHEN, OR TRACES OF TRAVEL BROUGHT HOME FROM THE
EAST.
THE FRENCH IN ALGIERS. By Lady Duff Gordon.
THE CRESCENT AND THE CROSS—2 vols. By Warburton.
SIR FRANCIS HEAD'S BUBBLES FROM THE BRUNNEN.
BECKFORD'S ITALY, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, AND VISIT TO THE
MONASTERIES OF ALCOBACA AND BATALHA—in press.
NOTES OF A JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY. By
Hazlitt—in press.
These will be followed by Sir Francis Head's Notes of a Journey
across the Pampas; Waterton's Wanderings in South America; Miss
Rigby's Letters from the Baltic; Henry Nelson Coleridge's Six
Months in the West Indies, and Thackeray's Notes of a Journey from
London to Cairo, and others—forming altogether one of the most original
and select collections of books of travels ever published.
CLASSIC FICTION.
MARY SCHWEIDLER, THE AMBER WITCH. The most interesting
Trial for Witchcraft ever published.
UNDINE AND SINTRAM AND HIS COMPANIONS. From the German
of La Motte Fouqué.
THE DIARY OF LADY WILLOUGHBY
HEADLONG HALL AND NIGHTMARE ABBEY.
ZSCHOKKE'S TALES. Translated by Parke Godwin.
THE CROCK OF GOLD. By Martin Farquhar Tupper.
THE TWINS AND HEART. By Martin Farquhar Tupper—in press.
Under this department will be included the choicest new works of fiction
as they issue from the press, and choice translations from the writers of the
Continent. The following have been already announced: Mrs. Inchbald's
Nature and Art; Tales from Tieck and Hoffman, the White
Lady and Peter Schlemihl; The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins,
a Cornish Man; Melincourt and Crotchet Castle, by the author of
Headlong Hall
ILLUSTRATIONS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE.
LEIGH HUNT'S IMAGINATION AND FANCY.
HAZLITT'S DRAMATIC WRITERS OF THE AGE OF ELIZABETH
HAZLITT'S CHARACTERS OF SHAKSPEARE.
WILSON'S GENIUS AND CHARACTER OF BURNS.
HAZLITT'S LECTURES ON THE COMIC WRITERS—In Press.
HAZLITT'S LECTURES ON THE ENGLISH POETS—In Press.
The works of Hazlitt in this department, the most eloquent commentator
on English Literature, will be followed by various writings of Campbell,
Wilson, Coleridge, Southey, Ellis and others.
BIOGRAPHY AND GENERAL LITERATURE.
LEIGH HUNT'S INDICATOR AND COMPANION—2 vols.
HOOD'S PROSE AND VERSE—2 vols.
CHARLES LAMB'S ESSAYS OF ELIA.
HAZLITT'S TABLE TALK—1st series, 2 vols.
HAZLITT'S TABLE TALK—2d series, 2 vols.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENVENUTO CELLINI—In Press.
A complete collection of the writings of Hazlitt and Leigh Hunt will
form part of the series to be published at short intervals; Walter Savage
Landor's writings; De Quincey's (the English opium eater) Miscellaneous
Writings; James Smith's Rejected Addresses, and the Poems and
Ballads of Bon Gaultier.
OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE.
BASIL MONTAGU'S SELECTIONS FROM TAYLOR, SOUTH, BARROW,
FULLER, &c.
CHARLES LAMB'S SPECIMENS OF OLD ENGLISH DRAMATISTS
WHO LIVED ABOUT THE TIME OF SHAKSPEARE.
These, the most perfect collections of the kind ever published, will
form the introduction in prose and verse to a series of the old English writers,
including Sir Thomas More, Herbert, Fuller, Sir Thomas
Browne, Milton, Selden, Bacon and others.
AMERICAN SERIES.
Of the “Library of American Books,” the following have already been
issued:—
JOURNAL OF AN AFRICAN CRUISER. Edited by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
TALES BY EDGAR A. POE.
LETTERS FROM ITALY. By J. T. Headley.
THE WIGWAM AND THE CABIN. By W. Gilmore Simms.
BIG ABEL AND THE LITTLE MANHATTAN. By Cornelius Mathews.
WANDERINGS OF A PILGRIM UNDER THE SHADOW OF MONT
BLANC. By George B. Cheever, D.D.—Just Ready.
The following are in press:—Western Clearings, by Mary Clavers
(Mrs. Kirkland); Wanderings of a Pilgrim under the Shadow of the
Jungfrau, by George B. Cheever; Views and Reviews in American
History, Literature and Fiction, a Miscellany, by W. Gilmore Simms;
The Forest and the Prairie, by James Hall, author of the Border Tales
A new volume by Nathaniel Hawthorne; The Old English Library,
by W. A. Jones, and other productions of American authors.
Notices of the Press.
“This Library is put up in beautiful style, as well as offered at a very
cheap rate. We are pleased to see such good paper and print, for we think
the habit of reading ill-printed, dingy books deteriorates not only the eye-sight
but the taste. Books, if good for anything, deserve a cleanly dress
To degrade them, even outwardly, has the same tendency as the use of
tobacco, to pollute and vulgarize all the habits of life.”
—N. Y. Tribane.
“This is printed in a cheap form, but so attractively that the volumes
really invite its perusal. The intention of the publishers is to supply the
demand for the choicest literary publications of the day—to present that
reading which cherishes refined and cultivated taste, and affords at once
instruction and delight.”
—Baltimore American.
“Wiley and Putnam's `Library of Choice Reading.'—Under this title, a
series of the most valuable and agreeable reading has been commenced in
New York, to supply a deficiency in the general character of `cheap literature.'
The works already published are admirable selections for a library,
and as the publishers express the determination to issue nothing but `books
which ARE books,' there is good reason to believe that others equally
worthy of universal circulation are in store; and their circular convinces us
it is so.”
—Auburn Journal.
I.
EOTHEN.
Eöthen; or Traces of Travel brought home from the East
Price 50 cents.
“One of the most delightful and brilliant works, ever published—independent
of its prepossessing externals, a convenient book form, good paper
and legible type.”
—N. Y. Mirror.
“An agreeable and instructive work.”
—Albion.
“We have read this work with great pleasure, for it is indeed lively and
sparkling throughout; it will not only please the careless skimmer of light
literature, but the ripe scholar must be delighted with it.”
—Richmond
Times.
“This is one of the cleverest books of travels ever written.”
—N. Y. Post
“Eothen is one of the most attractive books of travels that have been
given to the public, and has been received in England with high commendations.”
—Newark Advertiser.
II.
THE AMBER WITCH.
Mary Schweidler, the Amber Witch, the most interesting trial for
Witchcraft ever known, printed from an imperfect manuscript by her
father, Abraham Schweidler, the pastor of Coserow, in the island of
Usedom. Edited by W. Meinhold, Doctor of Theology, Pastor, &c.,
translated from the German by Lady Duff Gordon. Price 37½ cents.
The London Quarterly Review describes this as one of the most
remarkable productions of the day. It seems that a certain sect of German
Philosophers (the school of Tubingen) had declared themselves such adepts
of criticism that they could tell the authenticity of everything from the
style. This work was written by Dr. Meinhold, when one of their students;
and he subsequently published it to test their theory. It was published as
a matter of fact, in its present form. All Germany was non-plussed. It
was finally determined by the critics (especially the infallible critics of
Tubingen) that it was truth and reality. Finally Dr. Meinhold, in a German
paper, acknowledged himself the author, and that it was purely fictitious.
The German critics, however, will hardly believe him on his word.
“The work is written, say the reviewers, with admirable skill, so much
so that it rivals the Robinson Crusoe of De Foe This is saying enough”
—
Cincin. Chron.
III.
UNDINE AND SINTRAM.
Undine, translated from the German of La Motte Fouqué, by Rev
Thomas Tracy, with Sintram and his Companions Price 50 cents
“Undine is a universal favorite; one of the most simply beautiful and perfectly
constructed stories in the whole German Literature. The sentiment
of the story is as pure and unbroken as the fountains so often introduced,
which in the midst of perpetual change and action are always the same.
The whole atmosphere of the piece is vapory and gauzelike. It is one of
those conceptions of genius which, once taken into the mind, feed it for ever.
If there are any of our readers who have not yet learnt to value Undine, they
have a new enjoyment in store for themselves. The present translation is
a copyright one, that of Rev. Thomas Tracy, printed now for the fifth time,
and with the last corrections of the translator. Sintram, the tale which
accompanies Undine, is here published, for the first time, in this country
It introduces us into the midst of the old northern chivalry, at its first
meeting with the Christianity of the south, before the former had yielded its
early barbarity and fierceness. The contrast between the cloister and the
hunting field and wassail chamber is powerfully presented; the dark powers
of the air still hover over the land, but within the breast there is a great
conflict between the light and darkness, the peace and war. In Sintram
this struggle is introduced. It is the warfare which goes on in the heart of
every man who is assailed by temptation and preserved by faith.”
—Dem.
Review.
IV.
IMAGINATION AND FANCY.
Imagination and Fancy; or selections from the English poets, illustrative
of those requisites of their art; with markings of the best passages, critical
notices of the writers, and an Essay in answer to the question, “What is
Poetry” by Leigh Hunt. Price 50 cents.
“Mr. Leigh Hunt's work is one of those unmistakable gems about which
no two people differ widely; accordingly, the whole press has pronounced
but one verdict, and that verdict favorable. Yet friends and foes unite in
praising `Imagination and Fancy.' The reason is simple,—the excellence
of the book is genuine, evident, distorted by no systematic bias, injured by
no idiosyncrasy. It is really and truly an exquisite selection of lovely passages,
accompanied with critical notices of unusual worth.”
—Westminster
Review.
“We might extract numberless gems of thought and feeling from this
volume, if our limits would permit. We can cordially recommend it to the
lovers of poetry, as a volume wherein they may have a pleasant colloquy
with the genial spirit of Leigh Hunt, on some of the noblest and finest
specimens of imagination and fancy which literature contains.”
—Graham's
Magazine.
V.
DIARY OF LADY WILLOUGHBY.
So much of the Diary of Lady Willoughby as relates to her Domestic History,
and to the Eventful period of the reign of Charles I. Price 25 cts.
“ `Lady Willoughby's Diary' has doubtless, before this, found its way
a thousand hands and hearts. It is a sort of `sacra privata,' a revela
still a revelation that all will be happy to believe in. It is hard to tell
which most to admire, the skill of the author in sustaining so successfully
the vraisemblance at which he aimed, or his truth to nature, the same in
the seventeenth as the nineteenth century.”
—N. Y. Post.
“This book is more like lifting the lid of the lily's heart, and seeing how
the perfume is distilled, than anything less poetical that we can think of
It is so far within the beginnings of common observation—so exquisitely
delicate and subtle—so truthful withal, and such a picture of nature's lady-likeness—that,
to some appreciation, it would have been a pity if angels
alone had read such a heart-book, in the one turning over of its leaves of
life.”
—N. Y. Mirror.
“This is a charming little work. The simple but antique style of language
in which it is clothed, together with much that is beautiful in
thought and expression, and an exquisitely drawn picture of domestic life
among those of rank and consequence in olden time, stamps the work with
a novelty and interest which is quite rare.”
—American Republican.
“This is a delightful book. It is full of sweet domestic pictures, a mix
ture of enjoyment and trial, a development of the character of an affectionate,
trusting wife and mother. The delineation of true piety, the believing,
prayerful and submissive spirit, mingled in these pages, must have come
from personal experience.”
—N. Y. Evangelist.
“This is a very pleasing and interesting little book, as a picture, clear in
tone, and in good keeping.—We cordially recommend the work.”
—N. Y.
Tribune.
“We briefly noticed this delightful book yesterday, but would again call
attention to it, as it is full of exquisite pathos. We confess it took us by
surprise, and mightily disturbed our self-possession. Every parent will
appreciate it.”
—Cincinnati Herald.
VI. & IX.
HAZLITT'S WORKS.
Table Talk.—Opinions on Books, Men and Things. By William
Hazlitt. First American Edition. In Two Parts. Beautifully
printed in large, clear type, on fine paper—(forming Nos. 6 and 9 of
the Library of Choice Reading).—Price each 37½ cents.
Contents.—Essay 1. On the Pleasure of Painting. 2. The same subject
continued. 3. On the Past and Future. 4. On People with one Idea.
5. On the Ignorance of the Learned. 6. On Will-Making. 7. On a
Landscape of Nicolas Poussin. 8. On Going a Journey. 9. Why distant
objects please. 10. On Corporate Bodies. 11. On the Knowledge of Character.
12. On the Fear of Death. 13. On Application to Study. 14.
On the Old Age of Artists. 15. On Egotism. 16. On the Regal Character.
Contents.—Essay 17. On the look of a Gentleman. 18. On Reading Old
Books. 19. On Personal Character. 20. On Vulgarity and Affectation
21. On Antiquity. 22. Advice to a School Boy. 23. The Indian Jugglers
24. On the Prose Style of Poets. 25. On the Conversation of Authors
28. Of Persons one would wish to have seen. 29. Shyness of Scholars.
30. On Old English Writers and Speakers.
“We are glad to see that this capital series continues to meet with great
favor. It is the best selection of popular reading which we have yet seen
issued in this country. We cannot but hope that this Sixth number is but
the beginning of a complete or nearly complete republication of Hazlitt's
Miscellanies. In our judgment, he was one of the most brilliant and
attractive Prose writers, and decidedly the best Critic which England has
produced in the Nineteenth Century. No man ever had a more exquisite
and profound feeling of all the beauties of a great author than Hazlitt
Coleridge imagined more splendidly for the author who pleased him, oftentimes
creating a beauty for his Idol which no other vision less keen than his
own could discern. Charles Lamb dissected an occasional vein of Fancy or
Feeling with more dexterous Tact Wilson romanced and hyperbolized
about a great writer with a more gushing and copious Eloquence. Leigh
Hunt—the Critic of details—sometimes detected with more unerring accuracy,
the music of a cadence, or the gleam of a metaphor. Jeffrey summed
up the whole case of an author's defects and merits with a more lawyer-like
completeness and precision. And Macaulay certainly excels Hazlitt, as he
excels all his critical compeers, in that marvellous power of analysis
and generalization, which always enables him to render a cogent and conclusive
reason for the whole literary faith that is in him. But as a critical
help toward a just appreciation of a great masterwork, Hazlitt is the best
of them all. His taste was just as sensitive and fastidious as it could be
without losing its manliness and health. His criticisms, in fact, want
nothing but a severe logic. Admirably as he always applies the Canons of
a just taste, he is not successful, comparatively, when he attempts to expound
the principles in which they are founded. Some great Lawyers are called
Case Lawyers, because they apply precedents with great felicity, while
they are incapable of seizing, in a broad and strong grasp, the Philosophy
of Legislation. In this sense, Hazlitt was a Case Critic. He saw and felt
with admirable distinctness, the Critical truth in the Case before him, but
he seemed to lack the power or habit requisite to form a Philosophy of
Criticism. There is no system in his literary and artistic judgments. This
is the more remarkable, because, in the domain of metaphysical speculation,
he was certainly a very bold, acute, and vigorous thinker. Hazlitt's Miscellaneous
Essays are certainly most pleasant and suggestive reading; yet to
us, they have always seemed inferior to his Criticisms. They often display,
indeed, great shrewdness of observation and an almost unparalleled
vividness of Fancy; but sometimes they wander far out of sight both of
truth and fact. On the whole, however, the writings of Hazlitt are emi
nently in their place in this `Library of Choice Reading,' and we hope
the Publishers will soon give us more of them.”
—The New World
“The writings of William Hazlitt display much originality and genius,
united with great critical acuteness and brilliancy of fancy.”
—Encyclopedia
Britannica.
“The great merits of Hazlitt as a writer are a force and ingenuity of illustration,
strength, terseness and vivacity... But his chief title to fame is deriv
ed from his Essays on objects of Taste and Literature, which are deservedly
popular. In a number of fine passages, which one would read not only
once, but again and again, we hardly know in the whole circle of English
Literature any writer who can match Hazlitt.”
—Penny Cyclopedia.
“His criticisms, while they extend our insight into the causes of poetical
excellence, teach us, at the same time, more keenly to enjoy and more
fondly to revere it.”
—Edinburgh Review.
“A man of decided genius, and one of the most remarkable writers of the
age was William Hazlitt, whose bold and vigorous tone of thinking, and
acute criticisms on Poetry, the Drama and Fine Arts, will ever find a host of
admirers His style is sparkling, pungent and picturesque.”
—Chambers
English Literature.
“A highly original thinker and writer—his `Table-Talk' possesses very
considerable merit.”
—British Cyclopedia.
“Hazlitt's Works do credit to his abilities.”
—Literary Gazette.
“He displays great fertility and acute powers of mind; and his style is
sparkling and elegant.”
—Blake.
“Hazlitt never wrote one dull nor one frigid line. If we were called
upon to point out the Critic and Essayist whose impress is stamped the
deepest and most sharply upon the growing mind of young England, we
should certainly name the eloquent Hazlitt.”
—Tait's Magazine.
“Each Essay is a pure gathering of the author's own mind, and not filched
from the world of books, in which thieving is so common, and all strike out
some bold and original thinking, and give some vigorous truths in stern and
earnest language. They are written with infinite spirit and thought. There
are abundance of beauties to delight all lovers of nervous English prose, let
them be ever so fastidious.”
—New Monthly Magazine.
“He is at home in the closet, in the fresh fields, in the studies.”
—Literary
Gazette.
“Choice reading indeed! It is not often that we meet with a book so
attractive. We are not sure but that we should have read all the morning
in this book, had not the entrance of certain very troublesome characters,
called compositors, broken our enjoyment with the question—`Any more
copy, sir?' As long as Wiley & Putnam will publish such books, the public
need not buy the half legible trash of the day, for the sake of getting
cheap books.”
—American Traveller.
“These Essays comprise many of the best things that Hazlitt ever said,
and this is high praise; enough, at least, to commend the book to all who
take delight in such reading as the Essays of Elia, or Christopher North,
with whom he is a kindred spirit, a class which it is a happiness to believe
is by no means inconsiderable in point of numbers. There is something
particularly fascinating about these dissertations. Their easy, intimate
style wins the reader into a true feeling of sympathy and companionship
with the writer.”
—N. Y. Post.
VII.
HEADLONG HALL AND NIGHTMARE ABBEY.
Headlong Hall and Nightmare Abbey, by Thomas Lov Peacock
Price 37½ cents.
“This is a witty, amusing book.”
—N. Y. Tribune.
| The wigwam and the cabin | |