The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-09
IITERATURE.

LIT e r A T u K &c.
A PLEA FOR rHB QUERH's ENeLIsH. BY Henry
Afford, DID,, Dean OF Canterbury. Alexander
Strahan, London ard New York Agent Smith,
English Co philadelphia.
TIE DEANS ENGLIsH. Bv G. W. Moon, Fellow
of the Roy al Society of Literature. Agents;
Smith, EnRlish Go.
Critical works on the construction OF Ian
puage have far more extended circle of
readers than would be supposed by the ab9truse
pa'ure Of the subject. The fact that the two
little books before us have already gone through
anumber of editions, is the be- evidence Of their
need. They treat of the construction OF the
English language, its idiom, and the doubtful
passages with which It abounds. They are not
calculated to please the general public, but
for scholar and writer they are indispensably
valuable. We shall keep them always within
arms reach, as they are friends to which we
mort constantly refer. They are published in
neat style, savoring rather of textbooks than
popular literature, and are for sale at that en-
porium of CchOol books, the store OF MeCsrs.
Smith, English & Co.
RoEBUOK: Novel. M. Doolady, New York.
We referred to this work some weeks since;
but as It Is creating sensation in the Southern
States, we may mention IL once more. 1t is
pleasant In style, interesting in plot, and vio-
lently reasonable in doctrines. Its author, or
rather authoress, if we c..n Judge from the tone,
is unknown, and the zest of guessing at the
sex of the writer has tended to increase its pOpu-
larity.
We have received from the Presbyterian Pub
lication Committee, No. 1884 Chestnut street,
number oil pleasant works for children, among
which we may mention as particularly accepta-
BILE, both in tone and moral, "What to Do,n
"Dutch Tales" and "NeH and Other Tales"
The house has vast collection of Sunday School
works on its shelves
-Burd & Houghton will soon publish, "Six
Months at the White House with Abraham Lin
coln," by F. B. Carpenter, the artist.
Some very rare books from the famous
library of Count Librl, and other collections,
were sold recently in London. Conspicuous in
the gathering we're some most interesting shake
spearan and old plays. These are nearly all
accompanied by anecdotes and photographed
descriptions in the catalogue. Concerning an
edition of the Merchant of Venice bearing date
1852 it is said This is the edition of 1887 with
q new title, circumstance which escaped bibio-
graphers of Shakespeare for about century.
The text was printed for Lawrence Hayes, the
successor OF Thomas Hayes, or Meyes, who held
the copyright 1t has some peculiar readings
and list of actors names, which list has been
repeatedly enormously ascribed to Rowe" OF
copg of the Grape of Lucrece, printed by ].
B. ior Roger Jackson 1924" a curious circum
stance is told. 1t appears that this copy was
Every fne," with the exception OF the wood-cut
and imprint upon the title having been cut out
and replaced. While in the hands of
former possessor, who bad fancy for
oil
the piece alluded to was cut from the
title, and placed in volume devoted TO such
collections; but, after the lapse of more than
century, the identical piece was found, and has
been replaced. This edition of the "Rape of
Lucrece" is of eXcessity rarity, no copy having
been in the famous collection of MIR. Daniel,
nor in any other which has occurred for sale OF
late years. Another feature with "Shake-
speiiana" was the shakespeare Forgeries and
Controversy"-Wi William Henry Ireland's own
collections the first lot of which was the original
forgtries to Miscellaneous Papers under the
Hand and Seal of William Shakespeare" and
containing, among other make-beleves, "a lock
OF Anne Hathaways hair !"
Mr.. Carpenter, one of our wel-known New
York artists, an enthusiastic admirer and sup
porter OF President Lincoln, conceived the idea.
in the latter part of 1868, of painting picture
commemoratIng 'the first reading of the Eman
cipation Proclamation before the Cabinet"
Through the late Owen LOveoy, Speaker Col
fax, and two or three New York friends Mr..
Lincoln became interested in the project, and
invited Mr. Carpenter to the White House. for
the purpose of affording him every facility in
studying his subjects from life. The painting OF
the picture, comprising q hfe-sze group of the
iaA oiv
from February to August, s64,-during which
period Mr.. Carpenter enjoyed constant inter
course with the President as well as the various
members of the Cabinet.
Among forthcoming books, the English
newspapers tell US, one is SpurgeOn lest book,
under the title of Anecdotes and Stories oil
Rev. j. c. Spurgeon, now first collected and ar
ranged" This must not take to itself the credit o
being the earliest clerical budget of wit. There
was "Sterne's Convivial Jester; or, That's
Your Sort" and a very iavorite volume with
our fc1efathers was "Ecclesiastical Transac
tions or, A Collection OF Reverend Jokes"
The subject of the picture, together with the
circumstances attending the execution of the
work, ard the death of President Lincoln SO
soon after its completion, conspired to give to
it an extraordinary degree OF interest, mani
tested by the crowds who thronged to see il
during the time it was ON exhibition in different
parts of the country.
Mr.. Carpenter has written ont in detail the