Berkshire County Eagle, 30 May 1856.

This new work of our fellow citizen is decidedly the most readable which he has published since Omoo and Typee. It consists of several graphic tales, some of which have been before admired by us. The title is derived from the piazza on the north of the author's residence and the introduction will be especially interesting to Pittsfield readers for its description of familiar scenery. The first story, "Bartleby the Scrivener," is a portrait from life and is one of the best bits of writing which ever came from the author's pen.

Without so many striking passages as "Moby Dick" and some others, "The Piazza Tales" is more uniformly excellent and is more free from blemishes than any of Mr. Melville's later books. They will command a large sale, and add to the high reputation of the author.