The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-10
THE BOOK SEASON.


to his library OF ninety books, and OF these only
four are American. - - :
The authors ana books that receive the distin-
gushed recognition Of this great keeper Of circu-
lating library are Mr.. Stanley aud his book on the
search after DR.. Livingstone; DR.. o. w. Holmes
and 1.-THE Poet at the Breakfast Table % Samuel
Hazard and his san Domingo" and Charles Dud-
ley Warner and his Back Log Studies" Two Of
these books nrst appeared In England.
II we turn from Q act so disaSreeablc to the lists
Of our American publishers we shall ind that they
comprise to great extent the books Of English,
French and German writers. e .r.. rr
Thirteen OF the books in Nudes list have already
been republished IN this country.
: The great Publishing houses OF New York are
only the Factors or agents Of foreign publishers,
and while, rather insignificant books are repro
duced heye-the work, even to the American I'M
print being done abroad-there is no such thing
asgenuine encouragement to home talent.
II an American consul in Japan or China wrote
book like "rhe Foreigner in Far Oathay," by Will
liam II. Medhurst, the British Consul at ShanRhae,
1t is scarcely possible that he could find publish
er. Yet Scribner, Armstrong Co. give us the
English book, and we are expected to be exceed
ingly gratifed.
1.-THE Foreigner in Far Cothay" is not great
book, but it is very good book. The work con-
tains little that Is absolutely new, but what the
author relates is told with sufficient exactness to
make it valuable, and with sufficient Skill to make
1t interesting. People who are interested in the
relations OF the Western world to the Chinese will
derive from 1t better understanding OF the whole
question than from any similar work.
Even IN popular science the works Of our most
practical scientists are not sought by American
publishers D CHS f0 gr ED Lra
nounced for Appleton's international Scien-
tiac Series" only four by American
authors are promised These are not on
subjects which are likely to attract general atten-
ton. The question naturally occurs why scholar
like Professor Thompson b. Maury Is not entreated
to write work on practical mete0rOlogy, en-
bodying the principles and operations Of the
Weather Bureau, or why some one of our best
writer's on social and political economy has not
been required to supplement Walter Baget0t's
book on "Physics and Politics" with work on the
results Of American repuDlcanism.
. We need a book which shall discuss the isolation
rather than the organization OF abor-a book
which, If 1t does nothing more, shall give us the
facts and conditions OF American industry. 7e- !
y Nobody has ever given us Handbook of Social
Economy like M. Edmond About's book which is
just repubhshed by D. Appleton Co. 1t discusses
Z in o singularly clear and interesting style the
question Of mans wants, liberty, production, ex-
change money, wages. savings and capital, strikes
and cooperation, and Is worthy the attention es-
pecially of the laboring classes. ~ IT. .-.- .,T
similar work, with its Illustrations OF the
economic principles which should guide our policy,
drawn from American sources, would be invalu-
able. To I'd cr.T "lt .rtFcl1 ~Ill p
I The only scientific book which we have seen this
season that gives us any information about our
selves Is Professor John w. Diapers "Year Book of
Nature and Popular Science published by Scrib-
ner, Armstrong Il Co. The work is history Of
scientific thought and discovery during the year
1872 and it is exceedingly well arranged both for
perusal and reference The best idea we can give
of the contents Of the volume is to describe them
as collection Of scientific notes selected for their
interest and value and arranged in the best form.
Another work Of scientific interest which has
just appeared Is Professor Tyndall's american
Lectures" published by D. Appleton q Co. vr
The only article in which the American press was
prolific last year was In the matter Of poetry.
The stock of lyrics does not seem to be ex-
hausted yet. The latest volume OF this kind is by
Pearl Rivers and j. B. Lippincott Go. are its pub
fishers. Now as to who Pearl Rivers IL we are
blissfuily and delightfully."- ignorant But we know
one thing, that Pearl Rivers is not namely, o
poet. As appropriate to the month Of March we
quote:
Now the blood begins to quicken
:. In the cool, blue veins Of Spring;
d And for rural bards to sing. rl-li
But we wish this .bard' had never sung at all.
though he says OF himself or she says OF herself,
as in the language Of the legal form books, the
case may be-
God gave q little harp to me;
hold II very dear; = I.H cN HIlQl
tune s the strings e 70 melody 81, ,r.,- q,
4, II the last line had been written,- 20 IrcI ca
cs1nr And walk of on nv ear rtrc gl..1
the rhythm would have been better and the sense
perfect. 30 r---f co.'s llorrl. e'fl.lly -cl -n
What ia to be done with poets like this one2
On second thought, Pearl Rivers may not be an
American at ALL in the hope Of which we shall ask
questions; but even this slight consolation may
be dashed away from rs. 20 La 'aa- ~ lt
James r. Osgood & co. announce new poem by
Bay ard Taylor. We shall live in the expectation
that it may prove to be poetry. ,...,r.--
1t is a little singular that whole week passed
without any additions to American fiction.
T The Appletons have added ''The Pilo,n to their
cheap edition OF Coopers novels. The fact that IL
is Just fifty years since the work nrst appeared Is
strong proof Of Cooper's vitality as novelist.
One OF the few English novels republished during
the week 10 "Under Lock and Key" by T. w.
Speght, from the press Of .. B. Lipplncott Co.
The plot Of the story can be best understood from
the fact that the author says, by way Of preface,
the entire plan of the story was sketched cut and
several chapters were written before wnkie Col
Inns "Moonstone" had been given to the public,
and that he never read Mr. Collins book till after
the completion Of his cwp: aL5 RI rc'aJosQ
But perhaps the most amusing book before rs is
a sketch BY Herr Fr6lich of '.The Old Catholics at
Cologne" published by J. A. MCGEE 1t is in fact,
defence Of the authority and degmas OF the
Catholic Church, but there is such an ascerbity in
it's satire that IL must prove entertaining even to
the old heretcs new Catholics, ana fresh Protes-
tants" whom 1t satirizes. The mock discussion In
the congress Of the meaning OF ''ecclesta dozens"
is very funny, but, as is generally the case with
dramatic wit, IL cuts both ways il "'