New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-02-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

The Life of Rufus Oh0ate, by SAMUEL GIL
NAN RaowS Boston: Little. Brown & Co. New-York :
James Miller originally published as an introduction 70
the collected edition Of Mr. Choates WORKS. mas now
been reprinted as separate volume. President Brown
has made few additions in the form OF letters, remin-
iscepces and selections from Mr. Choates writings nut
an the man the biography is unchanged
fourth edition of popular little book by
the Rev. j. S. b. MoSsELL entitled Our Neio Wear, mas
recently published in London by Bell Dady ana
In this city by Pott Amery In the form OF letters
between parish squire and clerical friend II presents
in an interesting way relieved with the dim outlines OF
story certain high church views Of doctrine and ritual
which will be found almost equally applicable to this
country to that for which they were specially set ofn
Two noteworthy volumes have recently been
added by sSribner "eliord Co TO the Bayard SERIES
In little collection Of Ballad S?ries Of nc Apecons
translated from the Scandinavian, ROBERT BUCHANAN
has given spirited, and for the most part suceessiui
version OF snpdry gems from the ancient legendary liter
ature OF the North, with few specimens from oehen
Echsger and other modern writer's The use OF the SCOT
tish dialect accords well with the spirit OF Daiad po
etry and with the stories which some OF hese pop
Mar songs embody. that we are disposed TO ap-
prove the translators Judgment in now ana
then introducing IT, For the occasional employment
however. of such names molly" and MAY Ade'
laide" there better reason to be offered than the
exieencies OF rhyme and meter-The other volume 10
which we refer is EDoUARD LABoULAYEs excellent story
OF Abdallah, or the -Four Leared Shamrock, translated
from the French by Mary l. Booth.
Mr.. William w. Swayne, the Brooklyn book
eeler has recently made business Of importing editions
of standard English works with his own imprint, and
mas in this way put excellent books upon the mar
ket at moderate prices His latest venture IL the large
octave edition of The Canterbury Tales and The fae'e
Queen, prepared for popular perusal by Mr.. ID. LANG
PURvEs II includes several OF the minor poems both OF
Chaucer and OF spener besides hetwo great WORKS men,
toned in the title. Mr.. Purvess system iof prepare
ton consists In modernization Of the spelling,
without any change OF the words, and the addition OF
notes and glossary the foot of the The Caner
bury Tales in verso given in full; but the two in
prose- namely The Tale OF MelibGus, and The Parsons
Tale are considerably abridged The Faerie Queen has
been abridged by the excelsior OF about onehrd OF the
stanzas. their place being supplied by short prose
summaries just sufficient to preserve the connec-
ton in the narrative. Chaucers minor poems are
treated in the same manner, but those Of Spenser
which are given at all given entire. To
enthusiastic lovers OF old English literature
utlated edition like this OF course will not be accepta
BILE It intended rather for miscellaneous readers who
have not attained sufficient familiarity with antique
spelling read the poems easily In their moro ancient
form To such IL VIII be convenience, and IL tempts
them to q closer acquaintance with these venerable
fathers Of language it will do grateful service lite
typographical appearance is all that need be demanded