human nature, and in this case we are convinced it
must be the latter. Edwards knew perfectly well--for he seems to have
been sane--that nobody but the subjects of these biographies would seek
them "with avidity," and he made these plausible, bombastic assertions
to excuse himself for having sprung such a trap on an unsuspecting
public. That he tries to palliate the offence is, sufficient proof of
his guilt.

Mark what he says about the "splendidly illustrated" portion of his
book. "It will be a source of satisfaction to the reader," says he,
"that the engravings of individuals who adorn this work are not drawn by
the flighty imagination from airy nothingness, but represent the
lineaments of men," etc. "Airy nothingness" is refreshing!

Part II, also, is almost wholly devoted to biographies, one batch being
introduced with this sage remark: "Biography is the most important
feature of history; for the record of the lives of individuals appears
to be invested with more vitality and interest than the dry details of
general historical narrative." Q.E.D.--of course. With Part III we reach
the history of St. Louis, contained in one hundred and eighty pages,
and worth more or less as a history. Then come one hundred and seventy
pages more of biographies, an appendix of fifteen pages, and about
thirty pages of views of manufacturing establishments. And this book is
called The Great West. No further comment seems necessary.

Of all the many rich and racy things the writer has run across in his
explorations in the literature of American cities, the richest and
raciest is a book called St. Louis: The Future Great City of the World,
by L.U. Reavis. The very title-page gives an inkling of the nature of
the contents by its motto, savoring somewhat of cant: "Henceforth St.
Louis must be viewed in the light of the future--her mightiness in the
empire of the world--her sway in the rule of states and nations." This
book, strangely enough, was "published by order of the St Louis County
Court," in 1870, on the petition of forty-five of the leading citizens
and firms of the city, who were represented before the court by a
committee headed by Captain James B. Eads, the renowned engineer, and
containing one captain, five honorables, and two esquires. The first
edition consisted of one hundred and six pages, which were as
vainglorious and boastful, as crowded with laudatory adjectives, glowing
periods, and bombastic prophecies, as ever one h