New-York tribune., 1875-12-11
HOLIDAY BOOKS.
ILLUSTRATED POEMS AND STORIES.


ILLUSTRATED POEMS AND STORIES.
"IAUREL LEAVES D-PoEMs by LOWELL, BRYANT,
AND TENNYsoN-A. BRONSON ACoIT ON
"BooKs"-" THE HORN OF PLENTY" sELEc-
TIoN OF POEMS FOR CHILDREN.
lyRos A REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
BosToN, Dec. 1O.-'The titlo-page of " Laurel
Leaves" holiday book which VIM +. Gil co. have
nearly ready Informs that it IL made mp Of "Orgna
Poems Stories, and Essays" by Henry W. CongieloW,
John c. Whittier. Oliver Wendell Holmes, William Cullen
BRYANT James Russell Lowell !. I. TrOwDridgc, T. T.
Whipplc 7. W. Higinson, Louisa II. Alcot Gail lIaln
ton Harriet Prescott spoford ii. H.. Louise Chandler
Mouton, Nora Perry, Sarah Helen Whitman, Margaret
Preston Bayard Taylor r. H. stoddard, Alfred IruDy
son, \. c. Swinuurnc. Charles Kingsley, Tom Taylor,
Edward Ecgeston j. W. D. Forest George Cary Egses-
ton, William Ecry Cbanuiny, j. Boyle ORelly, VIII
liam Winter, Edward :. Rand, ir., william Mathews A.
Bronson Alcott Charles Dudley Warner, john Paul
William f. Gill, and Frederic Nilux.'
This is gOodly array Of contributors, and Laurel
Leaves" Is certainly charming book. The eontribu-
tons not all original in the sense of being written eA
pressly for this volume, though large proportion q"
them written; but, with only small hat dozen
Of executions none OF them nave appeared before in
bound volume. Prot Lowell, Dr. o. W. Holmes, Col
Higginson Charlcs Dudley Warner, Louisa NJ Acott, A.
Bronson Alcott, and many others have furnished en-
lirely new articles The volume Is dedicated to Oliver
Wendell Holmes. aud DIR. Holmes replies To tins eonp
ment with the following characteristic letter 70 Mr. Gill;
which il autographed IN the book:
DEAR SIR: cannot accept the dedication Of your new
volume without feeling almost az II ! were stc'
ing a lauIcl-caf which belongs 10 another had
myself furnished more leaves 1or your "Ieath
| should have less cOnpuDcucn III taxing thc
place you have assigned me. But fear nave
hardly earned title to the page where find my name
and 10 the euphOaous lrlSos With which IL Is adoied
it is thc Dart OF humility to listen with respect tine
good opions winch others express of however eX-
For NAN TO place own low selie-tmate against the
isbly OyeIVaHcs his own judgment EOtihng can he
more painful than such picture OF modesty committing
Permit me- therefore TO thank yon for the compliment
YOU have pad me- and 20 ask the charity OF your readers
ior tie singh dcciduois Leaf o udne which they viii fnd
vefy truly o. ". UOL1Es.
No 29G i5eaeot-st. Nov. o. 1875.
The "snge decGuous leaf referred 10 IL entitled OLD
Cambridge" and read at tie dinner in Memorial
Hall July g. 1873. 1t in the bright witty, genial vein
which always chAractcrizes Holiness OF occasion;
bat il is too oug for quoting. Here Of James Rus
sell LOweils two poems:
A FRIEND,
WHO GAVE NE 4 CROFT or WEEDS AND GRASSES.
tAfter drawing OF Odrerl
True as the suu's own WOrA nut more renned,
II tells Of love behind the artists eye.
Ofsweet c0mpaniousnps with earth and sky,
And Summers stored, the Sunshine OF the n4nd;
Will bcaL It's truce and bend thai giass-piine LI6h
Scarcely vet quiet from the gded ny
That tits a more lIXuIsOus perch IL hndi
Thanks FOR pleasure that can never pail,
A serene mcinent deity caught and kept
TO make immortal summer on my wall;
Had ne who drew such gildncss ever Teptf
Ask rather could nc else lave seen AT all,
Or grown IN Natures mysteries an adept!
VIM Cullen Bryant contributes two lite lyrics from
the Spanish Here il one OF them:
TIE PRICE OF A PLEASURE.
IBoM IHE srANIsH or JOSE EosAs OF MEXICO.
Upon the valleys lap
The liberal morning throws
A thousand drops of dew,
To wake a single
OF Lies few heeting ycars,
single pleasure costs
The soul thousand tears
And here is Tennysons leaf" entitled
BLACK EYES.
There are three things that MI my heart with sigs
And steep ny soul in laughter when we"
Fair maiden forms moving Ike melOdies),
Dimpes, rOselips, and eyes Of any hue
There are three Things beneath the blessed skies
Ihold item all most Gear but oh, black cycsl
| live and die, and only die for you ..,
At sunset underneath a shadc~y plane,
In old Bayona nigh the southern sea
From an haf Opcu lattice looked az me-
i saw more only those cye6-confused
And dazzled TO the heart with glorious pain.
There is a thoroughly characteristic poem by Trow-
bridge Lon gfellow's Amaf" is reproduced, ard there
are numerous other poetical contributions from well
known pens OF men and women. Among the prcse
articles some admirable essays In writing about
Books" A. Bronson Acott tells home truths which
both and critics would do well to bear In mind
He says:
Literary courtesy is duo from cotemporary authors TO
one another respecting their works. readily excuse
silence where cannot praise only blame another
But praise is always III fine keeping with friendship az
with the courtesy That code which carefully 0bs3ius
from speaking 10 an author about his book from ms,
taken decacy appears 10 me wanting III real sympathy
and refinement of courtesy, ana 10 the extent III which II
practiccd vltiaes the rust literary fellowship Even
where authors IN different walks OF thought, Tue
naughty authority that diSGans u recognize humble
merit uawOrth! OF tie liberal scholar and ue gentle
uan Very true, ta not every scholar IL competent Ia
the me1,s Of another ~ provinces Oi
thought styles OF Writing opposite or dferng greatly
from his own. Yet this does not deDar Inn from c&-
pressing his views dNdcutly or even critically IN the
The chaIacerln eac the more nnceic anu
frank ihe criticism should any O want OF
time pTccOnceiVcd estimate OF ones genus, or man
ner, stand sufficient excuse Tor Indifference or want
Of peiusl. A work added 10 Literature by "A friend
or aequgntance event OF significance, since who
ever Is In the close relation OF scholar friend
II entl tied 10 a hearing, a perusal, and b verdict
Is Kind Of civiliy to report always the best
Nor can any afford to ignore or undervaue the public
sentiment regarding b00ks, authors nr ideas.
haubI may Dc lnappreciaye and unjust at times, but
lust In the A work of real merit finds favor at
last II may TIE gauntlet OF praise and blame, but
will, il passed by, honor itself and lis author III due
time.
Excessively bright and taking is Charles Dudley War
ners paper "Ihe Wims of Travel" Here Is capital
hit at excursion travellers:
The most singular development of this travelling mania
agencies Transporting tourists about III large
companies. Some shreWd man having observed Tie mod
ern tendency of most people 70 go somewhere, ana
tackled II tO the fact that they dd not know whcie To go
VI CO. what they wanted TO hit upon an ad
niIable scheme. He to the wOudbe tourist GIVE
me much money, less taD you would waste III yOur
unaided ignorance aud VIII conduct to euch places
a. think you and let look at them
long 10 me good ior you, company with
ot f other peoule who are as respectable and subm--
q .tsNr-f lg. g..NF Fsna a.Y...