New-York tribune., 1875-10-02
LONDON LITERATURE.
NOTES ON CURRENT PUBLICATIONS.

sIZR-MP. FORAGE WHITES 'IhPkLSoioNS -
TIL, " "sIrAUGHRAUNr AT DRURY-IANE.
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRBuNEJ
LONDON, Sept. ia new edition of Prof
Joweis Translation of plato" TO appear from the
Claroodm Press. for which Messre. Macmillan d Co.
are u,bliahcrs This IL 60 be distributed into hFe
volumes instead of four and the translation, we are
told has boon revised throughout, and the in!roduc
tons considerably altered" almost stTewritten,' says
ono account. This is illustration OF the ingenuity
of publishers in impairing tho value Of first editloh
when they ere ready TO issue the second The puf-
chasers of the first have made the second possible
but nobody thinks they have any rights. ldouDC
whether the difference between Jowetts hrst ana
second transations wiz prove very important,
but il il advertised in way intended
or at any rate, calculated to persuade
the unbappy owner of tho fnst shat the first will
have no yalue at ali in comparison with the second
Hhe be n nervous person, oil he goes very likely To
his bookseller sells his own copy for trihe and
buys the new at its old eXuayGgaDt priee. Inc
secondhand bookshoPs are seen flooded with cheap
copies OF the first edition. and the sale OF tho second
poos hriskly on II the publisher if shrewd las he
rrohably is from his own point Of view he prints
only q small number OF the second editlon, anu
preseutly announces thrd; this, also, once more
revised and probably with q new Preface Oh three
lines and half: indispensable TO the man VINO
would know Jowctt's very latest change OF mlna
about the rendering Of Greek particle OF ctner
which proves that Plato was on was not-no matter
what Col. Yule's second edition Of Marco Polo is
another acTant example OF the habits Of the trade
The first was praised highly and Justly as we'll
edited book--a book which gave you in two volumes
all yon wautod or ever could want to know anou0
Marco Polo and lis travels two expensive volumes
with maps, i!lue:rafons and all the rest OF it' a
year OF two aft, ont comes second, considerably
bigger much yotched FOR as better, more maps more
new facts about Polo, perhaps new renderngs or
new mauusoTipi-vhat else know not the whole
perfectly calculated 10 make YOU discontened with
your first pGresc and to reduce the money value on
il in the booR market. And you have 10 remedy
whatever uni a1cl time as the publishers supply
themselves With an article called q conscience :;
not hitherto kept in stock. The author must
take his share Of blame. Why need he publish
I'LL his book IL rs complete ne knows how
10 make it, The world can wait MessrS. Macmll-
Ian issued Joocis Plato at three Cuineas or three
and halt l. had become scarce spite of lis hide
ous solfe-ino covers and closc-shavcn margins.
There was ample reason for rcpunting IL, but none
nj all that can see Tor TeInng 1t III the way they
have chosen.
Bevond doubt too many books are published as well
az too many editions Of good books. There would
not be much chance Of tie latter If they were Of the
bulk of the Chinese version OF the Buddhist Scrip
lures. copy Of which has just been given TO the
India Office library in London by His EXceieGcy
Twakura Tomoni, chief of the japanese Embassy
which visited England come years since Inis worN,
The AhcaGnD tells us is PET up in seven large boxes
weighing about 81 tons, and viii require room 10
itself Big enough certainly, to lie entitled to lts
three naaos, TpitOha in Sanskrt, Santsang IN Chl-
ncso, and lssai5io in japanese. When Jou go to
hear Mr. Conways lectures he, dare say, VIII tell
ven all about It, and whether anybody ever read
il through. There is another good btte book IN the
came library, a set Of the Iibetan version o. the
Buddhist cGnon in 33f volumes. Whether this he
the same book in different tongue Is question Tor
an answer 20 which must again refer 10 M. Con-
wav whose studies have for long time been NlgoI-
ously pushed among Oriental lteTatuTes and reli-
gions. third treasure Of tie Indie library - the
Pail Tpitaka written palm leaves IN tho Burmese
character, in fifty boxes. OEe il not much in tito
habit OF computing books by boxes instead Of Vol
mmes but il will be safe TO conjecture that num-
bsr os volumes may be contained IN one box.
TO get back 10 matters Of more practical concern
Prof Bonamy Prices book or Currency is now an
nouncod for publication by MessTs. Henry S. King
& Co. shortly. IL viii consist, arc told "of an
exclamation of the nature OF Currency, whether
made OF metal o. paper by scientific analysis point
ius out its relations to tho national wealth, showing
when il does and when il docs not contribute TO its
increase and specifying It's connection with banking
II Will further dead with the questions, what is
bank and what does q bank dO7 explaining TIE re-
latiors existing between the money market and the
wealth Of nation, ard win examine the nature of
banking crises and the lave under which they fail,
Indicating The causes from which these disasters
spring and the most likely means of escaping them"
very timely book for America for whether you &C
eept or reject Prof Prices views some points
and on some pgiUts lie holdS opinions at variance
with most ecouomists-his knowledge and ability
arc beyond dispute.
Mr.. Horace Whites article in the September Fort
Niqksly, "An Americans Impressions of England"
has begun TO attract attention and comment II is
very thoughtful and fa:r-Ginded paper, yet it has
hal the singular iil-fOrtune to be praised by The
SoHdayl-I say i-fortune simply because the use
that paper makes Of il is to pick ont all the compari-
sons Mr. White makes TO the Disadvantage Of lis
own country with scarcely reference to otherparts
Of the article in different tone. The result of course
isor tie intention if not the resulttO persuade the
readers of Tho Standard that the whole argument s
In favor Of England and that nothing il to be said
OF is said for the United States This it desires to
be taken as the opinion of an able, impartial, and
observant foreigner as it rightly describes Mr..
Horace White. It is needless to point out that Mr.
Whites opinion is not what 1t is represented TO be-
No man of his ca,ibcr can know much OF either
country without finding much 70 pr2isc in each and
much alsO to ccnsUe. This article processes only to
s4t down the impressions OF two months visit 20
England in MAY and June. It is not probable that
all the questions be has touched hir. Whites views
would remain precisely the same on longer acquaint-
ancc.
trscted sOne notice in England, Mr. kadaYs little
book on London social life. he Examiner last week
Iidiculed il, and pronounced il not worth opening.