SCUDDER'S George Washington.
Mr. Scudder's biography of Washington is a fit companion volume for Mr. Fiske's little history. It tells the story of the great patriot, soldier, and statesman with simplicity, sincerity, and completeness. It is not too much to say of these books that they ought to be put into the hands of every boy and girl, not only because of that which they contain, but because of the soundness of their form.—Christian Union (New York).
Mr. Horace E. Scudder has executed a difficult task in a praiseworthy manner. In spite of the innumerable lives of the first President, who shall say anything new of his career and paint it in fresh colors? Mr. Scudder has been able to do this, and his book will be welcomed by old and young.—Boston Beacon.
MERRIAM'S Birds through an Opera Glass.
A capital text-book of the right sort for young observers of Natural History. By text-book we do not mean a formal school-book, but a book with a clear method, a capital style, and adequate information. This little volume describes all the birds to be found in our fields and woods; describes them, not as an ornithological treatise, but as a keen-eyed and thoroughly interesting observer would describe them. Such a volume ought to be the companion of every intelligent boy and girl during the summer.—Christian Union (New York).
The book is deserving of praise for its eminently practical nature. The hints to observers with which it opens, the appendix giving the classification of birds by general family characteristics, by localities, by colors, by song, the books of reference, and the index, all combine to make the book extremely useful.—The Academy (Syracuse).
GREENE'S Coal and the Coal Mines.
In the vehicle of the author's terse, vigorous language, the reader is then taken down into the subterranean passages, where he is almost made to see the operations of mining the fuel, so vividly and picturesquely is the information conveyed. Interesting and valuable statistics are quoted, amusing incidents are related, entertaining descriptions and wise suggestions are given and made, and, taken altogether, though dealing largely with what is essentially dry in its nature, the book makes good reading for the old as well as the young.—The American (Philadelphia).
All kinds of science and scientific information is, at this day, brought down from its high points to the lower and more even ground of the young student's understanding. This book is a good example of that truth. The exhaustive theme of coal and coal mining is made so concise and simple that a child can thoroughly comprehend it. The author covers the ground of study in a simple and interesting way, and furnishes illustrations to make the words clearer.—New York School Journal.
MISS BAMFORD'S Up and Down the Brooks.