There is the usual partiality—­one-sidedness—­common to the writings and orations of our author’s political school.  It may well be doubted whether in reality all the virtues have been monopolized by the Antislavery men, all the vices by their opponents.  Our author only hurts his own cause, when he invests with a halo of light every brawler who echoes the words of the really eminent leaders.  Because one Abolitionist, who has sacrificed power and position to his creed, is entitled to praise, is another, who perhaps, by advocating the same doctrines, gains a higher position, a wider influence, perhaps an easier support, than he could in any other way, to share the credit of having made a sacrifice?  One would not disparage martyrs; but Saint Lawrence on a cold gridiron, and the pilgrim who boiled his peas, are entitled to more credit for their shrewdness than their suffering.  Our author, however, makes no distinction; and a natural result will be that many of his readers, knowing that in one case his praises are undeserved, will be slow to believe them just in any case.  And not only are all of this particular school disinterested, but they are all among the master-intellects of the age, apparently by definition.  Mr. Harrington himself is the commanding intellect of the story, perhaps because of his belief in the greatest number of heresies,—­being somewhat peculiar in his religious views, believing in woman’s rights, considering the marriage ceremony a silly concession to popular prejudice, giving credence to omens, active as an Abolitionist, and—­to crown all—­holding that Lord Bacon wrote Shakspeare’s Plays!  We sympathize entirely with the author’s indignant protest against thinking a theory necessarily inaccurate because it contravenes the opinion of the majority.  Certainly, a new thing is not necessarily wrong; but neither is a new thing necessarily right; and we are heartless enough to pronounce the “Baconian theory” rather weak than otherwise for a hero.

We cannot close our notice of this book without commending the old French fencing-master as particularly good.  He talks very simply and well on matters that he understands, and is silent on those that he does not understand,—­affording in both respects an excellent example to the more important characters.

* * * * *

RECENT AMERICAN PUBLICATIONS

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The North American Review.  No.  CXC.  January, 1861.  Boston.  Crosby, Nichols, Lee, & Co. 8vo, paper, pp. 296. $1.25.

Marion Graham; or, Higher than Happiness.  By Meta Lander.  Boston.  Crosby, Nichols, Lee, & Co. 12mo. pp. 506. $1.25.

Harry Coverdale’s Courtship and Marriage.  By Frank E. Smedley.  Illustrated.  Philadelphia.  T.B.  Peterson & Brothers. 12mo. pp. 357. $1.25.

Life in the Old World; or, Two Years in Switzerland and Italy.  By Frederika Bremer.  Translated by Mary Howitt.  Philadelphia.  T.B.  Peterson & Brothers. 2 vols. 12mo. pp. 488, 474. $2.50.