CURRENT LITERATURE.
Silhouettes of American Life. By Rebecca Harding Davis. (C. Scribner and Sons, New York.)—There are some admirable sketches of American " back " country life to be found in these short stories. There seem to be many writers in the Western Continent who in a few rapid touches can give a living and picturesque outline to village life and the many grades of society obtaining in it. A. great deal of the success obtained
is-
doubtless due to the humorous vernacular, and the fidelity with which it is rendered. But the effect is indeed capital, and pathos and humour, and perhaps a slightly exaggerated chivalrous re- finement of the men, abound in all. Each story is complete in itself, and contains as much human life as can reasonably be compressed into a few pages. Silhouettes of American Life ought to be read by all who like the humorous and characteristic traits- of Eastern America delineated with appreciative skill.
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