The Book Buyer.

THE BOOK BUYER will be published Monthly, and will be forwarded for One Year to all who may send their names and addresses to the Publishers, with Twenty-five Cents. Librarians who may send us their names shall ressive it free.

Any of the works named in the BOOK BUYER will be sent post-paid to any address upon receipt of the price. The prices of the respective works may be learned from our advertising columns.

Catalogues of the publications of SCRIBNER, ARMSTRONG & CO., and of the importations of SCRIBNER, WELFORD & ARMSTRONG, will be sent to any address upon application.

SCRIBNER, ARMSTRONG & CO., SCRIBNER, WELFORD & ARMSTRONG, 654 Broadway, New York.

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 16th, 1874.

MARCOY'S TRAVELS IN SOUTH AMERICA. ONE of the most splendid specimens of of book making ever seen in this country is Travels in South America, by Paul Marcoy. The work is in two superoyal quarto volumes, which are illustrated with upwards of five hundred graphic and extremely picturesque illustrations. The designs, which are by one of the first of French artists, E. Riou, are all after original sketches by M. Marcoy. Their accuracy and perfect truth to nature, is apparent at a glance. Landscapes, types of vegetation, portraits characteristic of the different tribes with which M. Marcoy came in contact, the animals of the country, temples, ruins, cities, and the various incidents of travel, are all reproduced with the pencil and with a grace and degree of care and skill never before displayed in a work of this character. These illustrations alone would constitute a most important addition to our knowledge of this very interesting country; but, in addition, we have a narrative which exhibits M. Marcoy as an accomplished naturalist, linguist, and ethnographer, and above all as an enthusiastic and earnest explorer-a born traveller. Picturesque descriptions of natural scenery, well told stories of adventure, interesting facts in natural history, pass in rapid succession before the reader, and a vein of genuine humor runs through the narrative, making the volume not only instructive but delighful. The carefully drawn maps of the region through which M. Marcoy traveled, would seem to leave nothing to be learned of the topography of that part of South America. The superb volumes constitute

a remarkable illustration of the perfection to which the art of book making has been brought in all its parts. They will be not only an ornament to the table but an important addition to any library, and during the approaching holiday season must take the lead among the gift books.

SAINTINE'S MYTHS OF THE RHINE ONE must read well on into Saintine's "Myths of the Rhine," in order to find out whether the author is talking seriously or not, and if he finds out, he hardly knows even then. The author seems bent upon telling the actual myth, but he pokes so much fun at the gods and the goddesses, at the druids and druidesses, at the inhabitants-ancient and modern-that it is hard to tell just what to think about him and them. Doré has illustrated the letter press in much the same spirit-although his part is more indubitably burlesque. We could not imagine the author of Picciola otherwise than bright and witty with here and there a touch of sentiment-and such he is in this new volume-new we say, because now for the first time translated into our own language.

As a holiday book this seems particularly appropriate. It is beautiful in typography, brilliant in illustrations-and mixes entertainment with instruction in a manner truly delightful. It is a book for adults, but we could hardly imagine any volume more welcome in a family of children.

MRS. MARY MAPES DODGE'S "RHYMES AND JINGLES."

MRS. MARY MAPES DODGE is not only one of the best editors of young people's literature, but one of the best of living writers for children. Her "Hans Brinker" in prose, and her many songs and brief rhymed stories, have been among the most popular writings of their kind ever published in America. In the present volume the child poems by her, which have had the free range of the newspaper press for many years, are now brought together for the first time. Thousands of children who have learned not a few of these verses by heart will now, for the first time, discover the name of the author. "Rhymes and Jingles "are not written about children, but for them, and some of them have been pronounced "" without rivals in our lanEvery child should have a copy of

guage.'

these witty and beautiful verses. The illustrations are so profuse and excellent that they are sure to make the volume one of the most attractive and popular of the season.

PROFESSOR WHITNEY'S NEW WORK. THE Second series of Professor Whitney's Oriental and Linguistic Studies is now ready, and will be everywhere recognized as a most important addition to our literature, while it reflects the highest honor upon American Scholarship. In no better way can an idea of the wide range of the volume be given than by quoting the table of contents, which is as follows:

I. The British in India.
II. China and the Chinese.
III. China and the West.

IV. Müller's Chips from a German Workshop.
V. Cox's Aryan Mythology.

VI. Alford's Queen's English.

VII. How Shall we Spell.

HARDLY any American publication of recent years has produced so deep and so favorable an impression abroad as Professor Fisher's History of the Reformation has done. Mr. Bancroft speaks in complimentary terms of the work, and adds, respecting Professor Rancke, "He spoke to me of the work with delight, and was proud to see his own writings so frequently referred to." Professor Dorner, of Berlin, has characterized it as "a very fine work." Professor Nippold, of Berne, author of the recent "Life of Rothe," bestows upon it high commendation as specially well adapted to the Germans. Professor Lightfoot, of the University of Cambridge, England (Author of "Commentaries on the Galatians and the Philippians"), has expressed a high appreciation of the work, saying that Professor Fisher has "managed, in a very short compass, to gather together a great amount of matter, and to present it in a most instructive, because intelligent and connected form." Professor Bryce (Professor at Oxford, Author of the Holy Roman Empire"), after adverting to the need of "a summary, impartial and philosophical narrative of the Reforma

tion," adds that the work of Professor Fisher "adds to these qualities others hardly less important." Rev. J. C. Stoughton, D.D., of England, author of valuable historical works, says: "It is the best condensed account of the great movement of the 16th century I have ever seen." The London Spectator writes thus of Professor Fisher's work: "The work is conceived in a truly philosophical spirit. Fisher is a Protestant, but he shows impartiality and candor which entitle him to be classed -nor could any praise be higher-with LeoAnother noticeable feapold Rancke himself.

Dr.

ture of the book, is the skill with which the ecclesiastical is illustrated by the secular history of the period. Dr. Fisher's book is not exhaustive of its subject, for such a single volume could not be, but it is a very able sketch." The British Quarterly Review thus commences its notice of the work: "The intrinsic merits of this work as a compendious history of the Reformation, and an able exposition of the philosophy of that history, the work of a ripe scholar and thinker, demand a lengthened review. This, however, would be little more than a eulogy." The English Independent thus closes a long and highly eulogistic notice: "Teachers and students will alike feel grateful to Dr. Fisher for the fullness, lucidity, and impartiality which so strikingly distinguish this volume."

The last number of Sybel's Historical Quarterly contains a Review of Dr. Fisher's Work on "The Reformation," in which the great merits of the author are recognized.

Among other things the reviewer writes:

Ав

This work deserves to be mentioned with praise as a performance in its kind of peculiar excellence. It is a summary view of the history of the age of the Reformation, such as Häusser was accustomed to present in his lectures which have lately been published. these lectures have been received by the cultivated public of Germany with just applause, so the present work, which has likewise grown out of lectures, cannot but count on a similar wide circulation on the other side of the Ocean, as a most valuable historic work, alike for the inquirer, and the general reader.

The talent of the author, who has known how to treat all this in a clear style and within the compass of six hundred pages, will be valued all the more when it is observed how high the character of his work rises above that of a mere compilation. He has in a very singular degree used the most extensive materials, and the expert will very soon observe that he has not shunned the labor of going back to the original sources.

Very little objection can be made either to the manner in which he conceives his subject, or to his style of delineation. With all impartiality of statement the

is no deficiency of warmth in his style; and notwithstanding his restricted limits he has found room for full-length portraits of eminent individuals.

The work is a performance worthy the highest esteem, and it is to be desired that Germans, who are masters of the material of history, might, like Fisher, unite conscientious exactness in the narrative with good taste in style."

VALUABLE WORKS ON ART.

To meet the steady increasing demand for works upon Art, Messrs SCRIBNER, WELFORD & ARMSTRONG have lately imported special editions of the following valuable works:

I. Elementary History of Art; an Introduction to Ancient and Modern Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, Music. By N. D'Anvers, with a Preface by T. Roger Smith, F. R. I., B. A; Illustrated with One Hundred and Twenty Wood Cuts. $4.00.

II. Half Hour Lectures on the Practice and History of the Fine and Ornamental Arts. By William B. Scott, Assistant Inspector in Art Department of Science and Art; author of Memoir of David Scott, R. S.; a Life of Albert Dürer, etc. This edition revised by the Author with 50 Illustrations by W. J. Linton. $3.00.

III. An Introduction to the Study of Gothic Architecture. By John Henry Parker, C. B. Hon. M. A., Oxon, F. S. A., London, keeper of the Ashmolean Museum of History and Antiquities in the University of Oxford, etc. Fourth edition, revised and enlarged. $2.50.

IV. A Concise History of Painting. By Mrs. Charles Heaton, author of the history of the Life of Albrecht Dürer of Nürnberg; with Illustrations in permanent photography. $4.50.

These works are all standard in their way. As they cover an extensive range of art, they constitute a complete library in themselves, and must therefore be in large demand among these who wish to get at the principles which underlie this interesting and improving study. They will be sent postpaid to any address on receipt of the price.

"The Silver Age," and "Rambles in Madeira." In fiction we have the continuation of Jules Verne's " Mysterious Island" with illustrations; and of Saxe Holm's curious story, "My Tourmaline;" also "Jeannette," by Miss Woolson, and "In a Trumpet," a Thanksgiving story by Miss Hopkins, author of "One of Miss Widgery's Evenings.' Mr. Stedman gives us another of his essays on "The Victorian Poets," this time grappling with that tough subject, Robert Browning himself. There are poems by Celia Thaxter and others.

In "Topics of the Time" Dr. Holland writes about "The Great South Series of Papers," "Christianity and Color,' Investments. for Income, "Nature and Literature." The Doctor says that Edward King traveled in all twenty-five thousand miles in gathering the materials for his papers. In the deparment of Etchings there is an amusing account of Devil in Literature."

The

Dr. Holland's new novel, "The Story of Sevenoaks," will begin in the January number of Scribner's.

GUYOT'S PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. OPINION OF HON. GEORGE P. MARSH, UNITED STATES MINISTER TO ITALY.

THE following expression regarding Guyot's Physical Geography, comes unsolicited from Hon. George P. Marsh, U. S. Minister to Italy. Few men are so well qualified as he to express an opinion regarding the merits of this great work. Mr. Marsh writes:

The appearance of Professor Guyot's long expected "Physical Geography" will constitute an epoch in the history of geographical instruction. The previous school manuals of this eminent author, specially adapted to the wants of American pupils, were extremely well fitted to excite an interest in the science, and to prepare the student for the wider generalizations and higher philosophical scope of the present volume. The work, though professedly only an outline, contains, nevertheless, a very large proportion of the well established cardinal facts and principles which make up the body of the science, and these are so co-ordinated as to imprint themselves deeply in the memory as a consistent whole, a philosophical system, in which all subsequently acquired details will readily arrauge themselves. In so limited a space there is, of course, no room for stirring narrative or picturesque description; but the work has the higher beauty of excellent method; and the want of word-painting is sufficiently, and even advantageously supplied, by well designed and engraved illustrations, happily chosen in respect both to characteristic feature and to intrinsic interest. While, then, this volume possesses remarkable, fulness and exactness, it has, at the same time, almost the conciseness of a tabular arrangement or conspectus, and it will be found most useful as a work of reference as well as of methodical instruction. Professor Guyot's "Earth and Man was the first satisfactory exposition of the great principles of physical geography in the Euglish language, and it has done more for the general comprehension of the great relations between the earth and its inhabitants, both in England and the United States, than any other work. The present manual, as a more detailed though summary exposition of the facts on which those relations depend, will be not less valuable as a guide and introduction to the exhaustive study of one of the most important and most attractive branches of human knowledge.

Rome, October 17, 1874.

GEORGE P. MARSH.