The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-25

acquiring native lsugus 10 consd rod--a talent
which enables him to achieve discoveries beyond
the reach OF other explorers, however equally
gifted In other respects. He speaks the dialects
OF remote African districts with nuency. ana his
contributions to the ethnology OF the tribes OF
the interior OF Africa are expected to be OF great
value.
BELLEs-LErrREs.
Mr.. William Rossettps 'Poetica Works OF william
Blake" with . memoir. II a capital contribute n
to beles.ettres. The poems admirably ar
ranged, and the memoir, while experimenting Mr..
Swinburne's unique essay on Blake's works, pre-
scnts much that was already known in q conve-
nient form, and adds good deal which was not
known at ALL but which possesses the invariable
though late awakened interest attaching to the
extraordinary ana erratic genius, whose merit Is
still growing In the perception OF his country
men. This book contains the whole Of Blake's
lyrical works. and two pieces which belong to his
later and, as 1t has been fairly enough called,
prophetic PERIOD" when the poet had become q
seer The poems are entitled, respectively, "rhe
Book OF Thel" and "Tirrel," and the latter has
never before been printed. They are both beautiful
and weird, like all she productions OF Bake's pen
and pencil at the period OF their production. Mr..
Rossettl quite tree from the besetting sin OF
every btographer and memoir writer. He cannot
frankly admit the defects and peculiarites OF his
subject without an EFFORT to explain them away.
and ne exhibits this weakness BY imputing the
scandalous conduct OF Blake In some well known
instances to his "childis Aness." This is conven-
tent explanation which would not be admitted for
. moment In the case OF . man who was not
genius, and which ought, seeing that noolesse
ool0e, TO be still less admitted in the OF man
who was.
Among the most attractive OF the decorative
books OF the season is a "Life OF Michael Angelo
Buonarotti," ~ Mr.. G. c. Black. The author dis
claims to have written biography, he merely
calls his work "story:" but 1t is very full. SYM
pathetic and Interesting and much more likely to
be read with avidity by the general public than
the ofnc.a lie OF the great artist, which Is to be
published by the Italian government on the occa-
sion OF the qustre-centenary Of his death. The
book Is pleasantly written aud free from digres.
sion, while FULLY supplied with the side lights from
contemporary history, arts and politics. The
Illustrations are good, indicative Of great I'D.
vance In Photography as applied to sculpture.
BOYS BOOKS.
Illustrated editions Of books Of travel abound
but not many are new books. The usual promi.
hence OF boys BOOKS OF adventure is, az usual
pronounced, and Mr.. Kingston IL again to the fore
with his exaiiarating sea stores and land mar
wells. How his stories would astoniah those two
historic inqutrers into the wonders OF nature,
Sanford and Merton In natural history, the in
defatigable and fnexhaustible Mr.. Waru Is still
contributing to our stores OF knowledge pleas
antly conveyed. Not only has this season brought
US, IN his "Man ana Beast" two capital volumes
OF knowledge and observation, but his new book
on 'Insects" opens up wonderful vista
In creation, which !has hitherto been closed
to the general reader. The object OF his
book Is twofold; first, to show tho important part
played by insects in the economy of the world
and the extreme value to Kind Of those which
we are accustomed to call destructives; next. to
note she wonderful notifications OF structure
which enable insects to fulfil their mission, and
the SURPRISING beauty with which many of them
are endowed. This book presents o rare example
OF conscentiousness In Its execution. In order to
insure accuracy IN rendering the "texturc" the
engraver has actually inspected the whole Of the
SIX hundred insects whose portraits are presented
before touching the block Oh which they are
drawn.
Children have lost great friend and clever
purveyor OF literature to their taste by tho death
of MIR. Tom Hood. He was very successful in his
books Tor Children while his sister, Mira. Broderip
who adopted that style OF composition for time,
but abandoned 1t after several failures, had not
touch Of the quantness and sympathy which
enabled him to please the little folk. His latest
story "From Nowhere to the North Pole,n which
has been published since his death, Is perhaps the
cleverest Of the things OF the kind which he has
done. Mr.. KnatcnbulL Hugesscn is still In the van
OF the fairy tale writers. His "Rtvcr Legends
with its comically serious illustrations, Is volume
OF pleasant extravaganza, which has attractions
Tor children OF larger growth. A large mum.
Der Of
are making their appearance but they are mostly
OF depressing mediocrity. Mrs. Lynn Unions
patricia Kimbal" is perhaps the most talked Of
at present. 1t has decided merits, but 1t Is very
unequal and tho author Is injudicious in forcing
those social topics on winch she holds opinions
differing widely from those OF society in general
into elaborate prominence The plot is clever ana
original and some OF the characters are very well
drawn. The tone OF the novel is, however, I'M
pleasantly morbid, and the final triumph over all
that Is good by all that Is evil In the characters
employed leaves unpleasant erect. The writ
ing is characterized by Mrs. Linton's customary
viqor and clearness. She returns to the vexed
question Of "servant-gal-sm" tits felton, TAX
ing the same line as that OF her much debated
article In the Cor,tu Magazine, ION the Side Of the
Maids" Mr.. Lawrences "Hagarenc" seems to be
6 failure. None exactly knows the meaning OF the
title; probably 1t has some occult reference to the
story Of the "b0ndwoman" who was cast out by
Abraham but the meaning is too deeply reconcile
for our ordinary intelligence. Among Christmas
numbers that OF All the Year Round entitled "rhe
Opal Ring" is the leading favorite.
LITERARY CHIT-CHAT.
The London academy speaks very highly OF Mr..