iastic fancies of several
romantic young people.'

Is this just? Is it _true_? The Parson, be it observed, speaks not
solely for 'romantic young people,' but for 'you' and for himself. Had
he read Carlyle's _Sartor Resartus_, he might there have learned that no
man is a hero to his valet, not because he is not always great, but
because that valet has a poor, flunkey, valet's soul. He who quotes such
an aphorism as a truth, calls himself a valet.

But let the reader forget and forgive these drawbacks, which are rarely
manifested, and bear in mind that our pleasantly gossiping, earnest,
honest writer is, within his scope, one of the most delightful essayists
in our English tongue. A man need not be a far-reaching thinker and
scholar to be kind, good, and _true_, manly and agreeable. He may have
his self-unsuspected limits and weaknesses, and yet do good service and
be a delightful writer, cheering many a weary hour, and benefiting the
world in many ways. Such a writer is the Country Parson, and as such we
commend him to all who are not as yet familiar with his essays.

CADET LIFE AT WEST-POINT. By an Officer of the United States Army. With
a Descriptive Sketch of West-Point, by BENSON J. LOSSING. Boston:
T.O.H.P. Burnham. 1862.

The American public has long needed a work on West-Point, and we have
here a very clever volume, by one who has retained with great accuracy
in his memory its predominant characteristics, and repeated them in a
very readable form. Occasional stiffness and 'mannerism' are in it
compensated for by many vivid pictures of cadet-life, and we can well
imagine the interest with which every page will be perused by old
graduates of the institution, and others familiar with its details.

We regret to say that, on the whole, the work has not left with us a
pleasant impression of the system of instruction followed at West-Point.
There appear to be too many studies, too little time to master them, and
too much stress laid on trifles. Certainly a strictly military school
must be different from others, and there can be no doubt that old
officers know better than civilians how young men should be trained for
the army. But we cannot resist the impression that if this work be
truthful, the author has, often unconsciously, shown that there is much
room for reform at West-Point.

A DISCOURSE ON THE LIFE, CHARACTER, AND POLICY OF COUNT CAVOUR. By
VINCENZO BOTTA, Phil. D. New-York: G.P. Putnam, No. 532 Broadw