Professor Tyler's New Work

PATRICK HENRY. Ry Mosea Colt Tyler. Boston and New York: Houghton, Miillm Co., 1S77. (Ameritan Slaletmen Sene.) When the announcement was maile some niontlis ngo that Professor Tyler bad consented to write tlie "Patrick Henry" in tlie American Stutemnen Series, eve rybody thought tliat this conjunction of name ni a happy one. Professor Tylur'8 we.ll-known spirited and picturesque style was seen to be pecnliarly adapted to the story of the lite of oue of the greatest characters of our revolutionary epoch. It was antlcipated, too, tlial his origiuality and liis skill in research, so amply shown In his account of the literature of our Colonial Period, woukl enable him to bring forth frotu the dusty records of tliose early times mucli ncw and valuable matter for tlie elucidation of his subject. Alter a careful reading of the book we are able to say that these high expectntions have been fully met. Indeed, we are of the opinión that the extent and value of the ncw material bere presented will be a surprise to most studente of American history. Professor Tyler lias given us a trikin;; picture of the great Virginia patriot and orator and one which in many important features differs from that hitherto familiar tothe reader. Thedetractionsof Jefterson, which have hitherto pnssed current, and the errors of the eloquent Wirt, who followed the testlmony of Jefferson too conlidiniily. 'liave in nunifrous instances been exposed and corrected. The author has had accessto important nnprintod private manuscripts, and bas evidetttly spared no diligence of research in showing us what manner of man bis bero wa9. We say hero, lor hc bas wrttteo with a decided admlration for his subject, and defends his memoiy from the blunders of bis friends and the asporsions of his enemles with knijibtly zeal. Yetwe lind nowhere any dispositlon to sacritice to thls aft'ection strict historie truth. The positlons taken the tein xl are everywhere buttrossed by explicit reference to autborities. and there is no attempt to cover up weaknessns of charac.ter or conduct that are well attested. The style of tbc work throughout Ie in admirable harmouy witb. the subject matter - now plain and straight-forward wliere tlie ncidents of the narrative are without s-pecial interest; and now risii.g to the more órnate and picturesque while recountiiig tbe stiri ing and brllliant passages in a life dtcidedly romintic. The qualities of the litcrary artist and of the historian are hcre coinbincd in happy unisón ; and the result is a book of intense interest, a book that cannot fail to be inspiring and upliftinji in the hands of hutli (ilil and youn. Wc congratulad' the learned autbor on bis success. Kor sale by (ivo. Wahr, U $1 2.