New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-02
BOSTON.
LITERARY NOTES.

LITERARY NO1ES.
1.-THE RIVERSIDE PRESS 1.-THE "sATCHEL GUIDE -
"PuANTAsMIoN DIR. PARSONS, AND HIS DANTE
"BRIEP ESSAYS AND BREvTrrEs," BY GEORGE II.
CALvERT-EDMUND YATES DOING" THE AMLIl-
CANS.
PROM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TuR TRIBUNE
BosToN, April 27.-Now | know how it's all
done. went out to Cambridge Saturday, and over the
Riverside Press, from top to bottom. II as no sma
Journey for the establishment and the grounds cover
two acresthe main brick building where the princlpai
work IL carried on occupying nearly an acre IL IT,
minded me OF the famous Chicago establishments where
the Inflated victim walks in pig, ana In I'VE minutes vi
out pork. At Riverside they DO every ng 70
books but write them. Indeed they do even that, some
times for Mr.. scuddcr, OF the firm, has written
some very charming volumes. He had his idle pen be-
hind his ear believe when saw him. but all the other
processes of book-making 1 beheld. L saw them set
type, and cast type and stereotype, ana eecfotypc
and every other sort OF type saw theh Piins
letterpross and wood engrayings and steel plates
saw them fold and trim, and sew, and marble cages
and mako Jackets" aud bind and gid, and ornament
and pack and send of. I saw them mall papers anu
marazlnes-in fact,I saw everything. prodlgious
amount OF work is carried on in this establishment
Since 18ien years-they have made 400 tons, thihA
OF II, OF Websters Dictionary alone They make "or-
ceser's too they make Guyots Biographies enough
10 enlightcn the world Every working day they print
volumes OF six hundred pages each But OF course IL Is
NOT all hooks for they print several newspapers besides
their own Ererv Saturday. large proportion OF ths
great amount OF work taken in for other hrms Ihere
is less risk in this than publishing you pipe unto
them and they won't dance-that Is 10 say, II you pht
book OF your own and advertise 1t and the people won't
bny-von lose money but IL you print book Tor
scrbner Co.. and they pay you for H. your FISK enuS
where theirs begns-thereiore good deal OF the RIVER
side prosperty has come from this method OF taking IN
work To see how the edges OF books are marbed was
as much curiosity anything that was gong Oh
large oboug tank was full Of LIQUID glue, which looked
like water and over it were scattered mulltudlhous
matches of color resembling the floating petals OF bril-
liant flowers The addition Of every new shade made
perceptible difference in the tone Of the whole When
shades enough had been put In the part-colored
louid waa plowed lengthwse vita one implement, and
raked crOsswise with another ana then the Top OF II
looked like marbed paper Into this mixture inc edses
Of the books were carefully Inserted, and came out
marbled for life. In another place, brilliant red edges
were making and in another gilt ones There was a
leather ROOM where the most beautiful shades and
qualities Of leather were laid up shelves, like the silks
in dry goods store ready for use. saw one skilled
workman finishing some dainty bindings. The git
tracery on the leather il executed by hand az careuY
~ enrrayipg and is an art in itself. III this great
workshop some 400 men and women are employed
about AN equal number OF each. They work in the
rooms ana appdlculIy WIN mutual
In fact, never saw an establishment where harmony
between eInployer and employed was more apparent,
They seem 10 co0Derate the best In room
was weI-stocked library, free TO every about the
place. Tue prOoreaders have little apartments OF their
own amply supplied with books Of references aud there
was q small roOm with desk ana char, on purpose lot
authors There was another feature which the guild
OF the pen may like to DO niormed-a SAFE as large as
ROOM where all manuscripts locked up every night
So whatever happens your MS after 1t Is sent to
this firm flames shall not IL, nor thieves break
through and steal.
Hard & Houghton have nearly ready the edition for
1874 Of their Sdtche Guide" for the Vacation Tourist
in Europe For this the third annual edition, all parts
of the book have been thoroughly revised and cor
rected I'D TO March lj S7l Travellers Calendar OF
ecclesiastical and popular festivals pgrimages, fairs,
etc. with explanatory notes, has been compiled express
" for IT, Carefully prepared maps have also been adj
ded covering all the routes described IN the DOCK one
excellent feature of this guldebook Is that 1t describes
one continuous route, arranged to take in the maximum
of what is best worth seeing with the minimum of tray-
ell It viii prove invaluable companion to any one
who wishes travel quickly, economically and TO the
best advantage
The next issue OF Roberts Brothers viii be Phantas-
mion" Fairy Tale, by Sara Coeridge, with an intro
ducory preface by Lord COlcridgc Lord ChefJustice
Of the Court of Common Pleas Tbs recent publication
Of the Memoir and Letters Of sara Colerldge" has
awakened fresh interest in this remarkable woman,
which will doubt secure large circle OF readers for
"Plantasmon." The book is "a literary curiosity. It'll
more fanciful and bizarre than brakes "Culput Fay"
There nothing in It that might, could, would should
have happened The characters include spirits Of earth
air sea- wood and flowers. Gentle fairies are always
coming to heal all wounds and make al crooked paths
straight; but they always being CirCumyented by
malicious spirits, until, the end poetical justice Is
dealt out, all round.
"Phantasnion" was first given 10 the world n 1857,
when small and very expensive edition OF II pub
lshed and exhausted. 1t now appeals to larger
dience and a new generation Lord COeridge says that
shall ud in it delicate Imagination melody verse,
clear and picturesque language and virginia. purity OF
conception. 1t stands almost alone IN fairy literature IN
the nature of its fances, and the and complete
ness Of its narrative. Its supernatural beings to
have Of a German than English character; but
they OF the bright and fresh Greek early
Latin, imag nation in them than resemblance any
other or later mythology The descriptive power
common and tie story interests you IN spite OF its
imposbity. Except the poetry, there lie not line OF
ANYTHING but nonsense in the book but what fascnat
ing bewitching pOetical nonsense 1t Is! The story
constantly interpreted BY songs. Like the people in
opera, they sing all occasions-when they sad
when they glad, when they are lost when they are
found. They write while they watch beside the
dead; but then the d al usually come to life again so
such watching is not necessarily uncheerful. They
fall in love, and out OF love- in most astonishing man
ner but whether the tide OF passion GIBBS flows they
sing. These songs many Of them most dainty and
charming but they would appear at disadvantage
without their setting of story. Here is one however
which can afford to be printed by ITSELF
The winds were whispering. the waters Clustering
bay-trce shaded a sun-t stream
Blasts came blighting, the bay-tfee smiting
When leaf aud flower, like a morning dream,
Vanished suddenly.
The winds yet whisper the waters Clister,
And softly below the Day-trce glide
Vain Is their cberishing, Tor, slowly pCrshug,
1t doth but cumber the river SIDE
Led1ess in Summertime.