Selections from Thoreau. Edited, with an Introduction, by Henry S.
Salt. (Macmillan and Co.)—Mr. Salt, probably known to many of our readers by his "Life of Thoreau," now gives us extracts from his writings. His five books, "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers," "Walden, or Life in the Woods," "The Maine Woods," "Cape Cod," and "Excursions," have been laid under contribution. These exhibit the writer in the character which is most familiar to us,—the lover, by pre- ference the solitary lover, of Nature. What follows will be new to many. Thoreau published some "Anti-Slavery and Reform Papers," and specimens are given from these, notably "A Plea for Captain John Brown." It will be found, however, that in what may be called his "Nature" papers, he sometimes turns aside to touch on morals and even religion. Sometimes he seems to travel outside his province, and there are passages which do not raise our estimate of his judgment. "Sunday Thoughts,', for instance, seem to us not only irreverent but foolish in parts. If Mr. Salt's intention was to present the whole thought of the man, it was well to include them, if—and this is the actual pur- pose of "extracts," to give his best thought—it had been better to omit.
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