Periodicals.
--The January number of the
Atlantic Monthly is upon our table.
This is one of the most pretentious, as it is the ablest, of the
Northern monthlies.
It is the representative of
Boston literary taste and talent.
Typographically, it is the very neatest, and is from the publishing house of
Ticknor & Fields.
Of course it partakes of the anti-Southern sentiment, which predominates in the
American Athens, and can hardly do justice to the
South in any matter relating to National politics.
In other respects it is entertaining even here, and maintains a most respectable position in the world of Literature.
The present number of the
Atlantic offers an inviting bill of fare.
One of its articles is a sketch of the battle-field of the
Wilderness.
The writer was aided in his survey of it by one Elijah, whose poor horse and buggy transported the two from
Fredericksburg to the field.
The traveler makes an entertaining sketch of the journey.
In his statement about the scene of battle, he puts great faith in the stories of his guide, who had been recommended to him as one familiar with the locality.
And this reminds us of a story — a true one--which should warn sensation-seekers in battle-fields not to believe every thing that guides tell them.
This story is as follows:
A Confederate General recently met an Irishman who had served gallantly under him in the war. He was seated on the box of a hack, wielding the whip over a pair of horses that had not been over-fed.
Hailing him, and interchanging expressions of mutual satisfaction at meeting, the
General inquired: ‘"And how are you getting along,
Pat?"’
‘"Finely, General," said he. ’"I took to this business immediately afther the evacuation, and I have made twenty dollars a day by visiting the battle-fields.
You know, General, I know nothing about them, yet I take travelers to them, and talk as if I know'd everything.
I took a party of Bostonians the other day to the
Sivin Pines, and showed the hottest part of the fight.
I saw a pile of bones in the midst of it that belonged to some animal or other, and pointing to them, said: ‘"There lay the bones of the vilest rebel Gineral that fell in the fight.
You think, Gineral, they didn't believe it, and each of them put a piece of the bones in his
carpet-bag to take home wid him?"’
Well, to sensation-hunters and writers it matters very little whether they get the truth or not. The fiction is better than fact, if the fiction is the more startling of the two.
So we commend
Pat to all of this class — he will be sure to give them capital for a thrilling narrative.
Godey's Lady's Book,
for January.--This monthly has its usual display of fashion plates for the month, and other pictures; among them one very well-conceived and executed, entitled "A String of Pearls."
"The Right of Way for Restoring the
Late Rebel States to the Federal Union." A pamphlet from the prolific pen of
R. R. Collier,
Esq., of
Petersburg, printed by
Crutchfield & Co.,
Petersburg.
The subject is quite interesting to all at the present time; and
Mr. Collier is an original and independent thinker.
These publications are all from
Messrs. A. H. Christian & Co., booksellers, opposite the
Spotswood Hotel.
