tentionally conferred without Request; Chap. VIII., Recovery for Improvements made upon the Land of another without Request : Chap. IX., Recovery of Money paid to the Use of the Defendant; Chap. X., Recovery of Money paid under Compulsion of Law; Chap. XL, Recovery of Money paid to the Defendant under Duress, Legal or Equitable.
LAWYERS' REPORTS, Annotated. Book XX. All current cases of general value and importance decided in the United States, State, and Terri torial Courts, with full annotations by Burdett A. Rich and Henry P. Farnhara. This series continues to meet with favor from the profession. This is due undoubtedly to the thorough manner in which the cases are reported, and the ex cellent character of the annotations. The new edi tors seem fully competent for their task, and the high standard of these Reports is well maintained. The publishers have already in press a digest of the set, covering the twenty volumes issued to date.
RECOLLECTIONS OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION. By L. E. CHITTENDEN, his Register of the Treasury. Harper & Brothers, New York. We do not know when we have read a more enjoyable book than these reminiscences by Mr. Chittenden. The work does not pretend to be a life of Lincoln, but is merely a collection of incidents concerning the great President and his administra tion, related by one who had exceptional opportu nities for knowing what was going on behind the scenes, and who speaks with authority. Written in a most captivating style, free from all attempts at rhetorical embellishment, these stories appeal at once to the reader's heart; and one lays down the book more greatly impressed than ever with the grandeur of Lincoln's character. Many of the inci dents referred to are tinged with pathos, while others bring out in a strong light the President's inimitable wit and humor As a history of the inside workings and doings of those in power at Washington from Lincoln's election to his untimely death, this volume is a valuable state paper. We commend it to our readers as a book which they should not fail to read.
SAM HOUSTON AND THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE IN TEXAS. By ALFRED M. WILLIAMS, with portrait and maps. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston and New York, 1893. Cloth. $2.00. Samuel, or "Sam" Houston, as he called and signed himself and as he is known in the familiar language of history, was a most picturesque and interesting per sonality, and the story of his life as depicted by Mr.
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Williams reads more like a romance than the bio graphy of a native-born Virginian. Few men have passed through such a varied and remarkable exist ence as the subject of this sketch. First a soldier, then member of Congress, afterward Governor of Tennessee, and from these exalted positions suddenly seeking a home among the Cherokees, where he dis ported himself with all the glory of an Indian brave; then again a soldier, later President of the Texan Republic, next United States Senator, and finally Governor of Texas. Such are the principal inci dents of this wonderful man's career. Mr. Williams gives us a very accurate picture of the man as well as a valuable history of the War of Independence in Texas. The book will prove of exceeding in terest, both to the general reader and to the seeker of historical information.
MARION DARCHE. By F. MARION CRAWFORD. Macmillan & Co., New York. Cloth. $1.00. Mr. Crawford is certainly one of the most prolific of our novelists, and the only wonder is that he is able to keep the quality of his work so uniformly good. " Pietro Ghisleri " has hardly reached the reading public when this latest novel makes its ap pearance. Marion Darche differs from anything Mr. Crawford has heretofore given us, the scene being laid in New York, and the topic being a thoroughly American one; namely, a mad desire for riches, which brooks no obstacle, and which leads to em bezzlement and forgery on the part of John Darche, the husband of Marion. Forced to flee from justice, his faithful wife, although loathing him in her heart, aids him to escape; and her sense of wifely duty causes her to remain true to him, until at last his death restores her to happiness and to the man she truly loves. The character of the heroine will un doubtedly give rise to much discussion, and we doubt if many women could be found who would be so thoroughly true to a sense of right. The story is powerfully written, and is of absorbing interest.
WITH FIRE AND SWORD. An historical novel of Poland and Russia. From the Polish of HENRYK SiENKiEwicz. By Jeremiah Curtin. Fourth edi tion. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Cloth. $2.00. This volume is the first of a trilogy of historical ro mances of Poland, Russia, and Sweden. The author enjoys a high continental reputation which is likely to be fully equalled among American readers. For brilliancy, vivid description, and powerful portrayal of character and events. " With Fire and Sword " is one of the most remarkable historical novels ever written, and entitles the author to a foremost position among living novelists. Mr. Curtin, the translator, de serves great praise for his faithful work. He has
