New-York tribune., 1873-12-16

ment Of poetry 10 which the work is devoted.
Among the earlier writers of whom specimens are
giyen are SIR Thomas Wyatt Harrington, Marowe,
SIR Walter Raleigh Spenser. Sir Philip Sidney and
others Several selections have been made from liv-
ing American poets, who represented in part by
BRYANT, Longfellow. Emerson, Whittier Wendell
Holmes Ross Wallace. Bayard Taylor, Stoddard
and hldrch. Most of the pieces in the volume
too familiar to the habtual readers Of poetry for
purposes of quotation but 1t VIII serve as a valuable
hook of reference for those who wish to consult
their favorte authors without having access to their
works The brief biographical sketches are nten-
tionally meager, and give but faint idea OF che
personal career of their subjects but they furnish
am outline of their position and may CRAFTY nat
ural curiosity The illustrations of the volume
amnIe without being excessive, and enhance the
beauty of the edition, which, in other respects also
is worthy of commentator. Several other holiday
works of interest are published by Miller clud
inc new editions of "Festus," aud Edith NAYS
" Pocms.p and several different volumes of Fairy
Tales - with handsome illustrations.
Amonp the illustrated works published by r. Nell
son g. Sons. Pictures By the old Masters with hstor
cal and critical descriptions by JAMES DAFroRNE,
will attract the attention of amateurs II consists Of
specimens of the principal pictures by the most cele
brated PAINTERS of the French, Dutch. and Flemish
schools. including Poussin, Claude Lorraine, Wat
fran. Rnbens. Rembrandt, Paul Potter, Teniers the
Younger Both and many others of less distinguished
rcnown. The engrayings, although not entirely
fresh are well executed and afford good idea of
the manner of the respective artists. They are ac-
companied with biographical sketches and portraits
which form an excellent preparation for visit to
the European galleries on guide TO the student OF
Art at home.-Spqia and It's People, issued by the
al az "A =. a.. ID.
uinsula. translated from the French of Eugene
Poitou. and illustrated by $50 original engravings.
lis lively descriptive style. approaching the charac
ter of animated conversation rather than of formal
compositions renderst an eminently readable volume,
though it can make hut slight pretension to origin
ality or depth The authors impressions of Span
ish character aud customs are given with per-
feet impartiaty, and on the whole. though showing
n kindly spirit do not present very favorable pie
ture of the renowned nation. The illustrations ARE
spirited and effective, with attempt to exaggerae
the impressions of nature Halt Hours uih HE Bet
Freach Auth0Ts contains short passages from OF
the most eminent prose writer's translated into En-
glish ii includes selections from FroIssart, Rabs-
lais. Montaigne Pascal, F6nelon, Voltare. Button,
Rousseau and Saint Pierre. and among writers ot
more recent date, from Madame de Starl Chateau
BRAND, Lamartine, Cousin, Thiers, Sainte-B Beuye,
and Victor Hugo: The volume has numerous Illus
tratons and will appear to advantage on the center
table on New Years day.-Skeictts Of Natural His
tory by MARY HOwGrr is a series of songs of animal
life descriptive of the habits and character of vari-
ous residents of the air the waters and the forest
from the stormy sea-petre to the squirrel The vol
ume is admirably Illustrated bv Giacomett, artist
who combines rare fidelity to Nature with poetic
grace and expression. Ii has every feature to make
il a fayorite with young readers, for whom it is
especially intended, although its quaint descriptions
and graphic portraiures will not be disdained by
the gravest tastes--Other excellent and highly
bellished juvenile works published by the Messrs.
Nelson are The Birds Nest, translated from the Ger
man, Al Pictures, containing series of illnstra-
tons many OF them comic in design and all of them
truthful in execution, and My PetS Picture Book,
for the little amateurs just emerging from babyhoOd'
4 rare attraction is presented by g. p. Putnam's
Sons, in the Aibum Of he Passion Play al Oba-Am-
megaa, comprising sixty large photographs of the
scenes and tableanx of the Play, with a
series of etchings from the drawings of Mrs Great
orex and copious letterpress descriptions and trans
lations of the songs OF the chorus by John y.
Jackson. The volume is in large quarto, printed on
fine tinted vellum paper. and in very superior style
of typographical execution. The extraordinary in
erest called forth by the representations at Ober
Ammergau in 1870, and their repetition in 1871 after
their interruption by The Franco Prussian war, will
insure corresponding interest in this magnificent
volume. 1t forms highly valuable contribution
both to Art and Literature. The historical nfOrma-
ton which il presents has been carefully gathered
from authentic sources, and is brought forward in
manner 10 less agreeable than instructive. few
copies only are offered for sale, and the price
although nominally high. will be found remarkably
moderate, compared with the intrinsic excellence
and value of the work-The MesSrs Putnam also
great variety of standard and juvenile
books, with profuse and elegant embellishments,
adapted TO the season, the mere mention of whose
titles would demand too much space in our columns
4 Book of Fair Bomon, edited by GEORGE MAN
VILE FEM (CasSell Peter * Gapin), is a collee-
tion Of poems celebrating the charms of certain
ideal fair ones accompanied by portraits which per-
haps sometimes fall short OF the perections of the
originals depicted i'll the latterng verse; Ii will
doubtless prove popular book among young men
and maidens and will often pass from the hands of
the one to the other III the enchanting season Of
gifts and love tokens Half Hours Nth the FarIy
Erplorers by THOMAS FROST. is an account of the
voyages of discovery that made between the
middle of the thirteenth century and the close of
the sixteenth, including the expeditions of Marco
Polo, Sir John Vaudeville, Columbus, the Cabots,
Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Others
The volume abonnds with information of excep-
tonal interest at the present time, and will be pc
rsed with intense curiosity by large class of read
ers The illustrations, which are numerous and ap-
propriate have been copied for the most part, from
engravngs made for early editions of the original
narratives from which the work has been complied.
Notable Ship,erecks forms series of narratives of
disaster and herosm ab sea from the most remark
able wrecks of the oden time to that of the Allan
tic in the early part of the present year. IL is
work of thrilling, but painful Interest-Messrs
Cassel d Co. alb publish Golden Days, by JEANNE
Herring, q story Of schoolgirls life in Germany.
The Old Fairy Tales. compiled by JAMES Mason. and
The S0Idifr and Patriot the life of Eeo Wo.I,.,.,o,