“We greet the Major, after a long interval, with profound pleasure and respect. Well
do we remember how, years ago, we used to pore over his lucubrations on the events of
the time—how he enlightened us by his home-views of the Legislature's doings, of the
Gineral's intentions, and of the plaus of ambitious Uncle Joshua. Here was the `spot of
his origin,' and around us were the materials from which he drew his stores of instructive
wit. Therefore we, of all the reading public, do the most heartily greet his reappearance.
We find him a little more artistic than of old, more advanced in grammar and orthography,
but withal displaying the same intimate knowledge of Down Eastdom, and retaining the
same knack of genuine Yankee humor. In fact, taking all things together, no other
writer begins to equal him in the delineation of the live Yankee, in the points where that
individual differs from all the `rest of mankind.' This is his great merit as an author,
and one which the progress of manners will still further heighten—for it is only in some
portions of our own State that the real Yankee can now be found.

“The present book has sixteen chapters devoted to home-stories. They are racy and
humorous to a high degree.”

“It is now generally conceded that Seba Smith is the ablest, and at the same time the
most amusing delineator of Yankee life who has hitherto attempted that humorous style
of writing—not excepting even Judge Haliburton himself. This is no rash expression, for
there is not a passage in `Sam Slick' so graphic, funny and and comical, but we find
equalled if not surpassed in the sensible and philosophic, although ludicrous epistles, of
`Major Jack Downing'—epistles of which we defy the most stupid to glance at a paragraph
without reading the whole.”

“This is a book of real Yankee life, giving the particulars of character and incidents in
New England, from the Pilgrim fathers and their generations, Connecticut Blue Laws, and
the civic and religious rules, customs, &c., from the Nutmeg State away down East, as far
as Mr. Jones ever thought of going. It is a very laughable affair, and every family in all
Yankeedom will enjoy its perusal.”

“There are few readers who do not desire to keep up an acquaintance with the original
Major Jack Downing, whose peculiar humor, while it is irresistible in its effects, is never
made subservient to immorality. But these stories are an improvement on those originally
given by the author, as they are illustrative of Yankee life and character in the good old
times of the Pilgrim Fathers.”

“The stories are the most humorous in the whole range of Yankee literature, full of
genuine wit, rare appreciation of fun, and giving an Insight into human motive which
shows the cluse observation and keen relish of life, of a good-humored philosopher.”

“A charmingly interesting book, this, for all who hall from Down East, or who like to
read good stories of home life among the Yankees.”