grief; and it does not even relieve his feelings, if the uniform-coat
has no buttons.

The author mentions the war only towards the close of the book, and of
course attributes it solely to Northern fanaticism. This fanaticism he
evidently supposes to have been led on by the fierce, ungovernable Muse
of Professor Longfellow; for, in quoting from the "Arsenal at
Springfield," that poem is described as "sung by one whose harp was then
attuned to melodious measures, but whose now 'discordant noises jarrest
[_sic_] the celestial harmonies' of his younger days." (Page 618.) This
rather bewildering introduction of the second person singular places our
voyager at disadvantage, by irresistibly suggesting that far more
entertaining traveller, Artemas Ward.

The book might at least give some novel facts about the working of the
missionary system in the South Sea Islands,--inasmuch as a wrathful and
foolish observer will often spy out single facts which a more moderate
partisan would omit,--but that he unfortunately takes the whole thing
for granted and observes nothing. It has been more than suspected that
there is a little bigotry mingled with our missionary system; but Dr.
Baxley adds nothing to our knowledge on this point, preferring to rest
his case on the general proposition, that there was also some degree of
bigotry among the Puritan ancestors of these same missionaries two
centuries ago. This fact will hardly be questioned, but it is a poor
substitute for a little information as to contemporary matters.

In favorable moments, the style of this book has the glow, the
affluence, and the fine vein of poetical quotation, that may be found in
our most eloquent real-estate advertisements. At other times there is a
tendency to ponderous and polysyllabic phrases, tempting the unwary
critic to characterize them in words as long. Thus, on the voyage: "The
more pretentious passengers, the upper-ten of the cabin, are wonderfully
characterized by quantitative propensity, while the omnivorous nature of
man is illustrated by them still more strikingly.... The art of
gastronomy is clearly in the ascendant.... Vegetables in season and out
of season, the hebdomadal occupants of the ship's hold, some, doubtless,
the forestallers' residuum, withered, wilted, and decaying;... pickles,
pastry, puddings, and pecan, duly decorated with those dernier resorts
of the dinner-table, almonds, raisins, and filberts, which generally
prove alike first