New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
CLARENCE COOKS HoUsEHOLD Apt

THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL. ESSAYS or BEDS AM
TABLES. STOOLS AND CANDLEsTCKS 81,
90. ~
The essays on the details of Household Art. which
Mr.. Clarence Cook has been publishing ia Sofbp.J,
Monthly, dunng the past year, and which have been
welcomed as one Of the most substantial attraction.
Of that periodical arc here collected into what Mr.
Emerson would style "a naughty volume" For
the air Of elegance and taste which fr-t breathe.
upon "a from the cover and comes a. with svcv
aroma from the tlc-pagc, peryadcs every feature q
the book-paper and type, text and illustration
from beginning 70 end. II il one Of fhe most charm.
ing publications of the season indeed no work Il
the Kind which has yet appeared in this country
quite equals il in q certain combination Of richness
and simplicity. Although the original wood-cut,
are given, and the teAt il mainly the same both
seem to have dropped their work-lay garb AID
come before Us in holiday attire, briyht and fresh
and with new cheerfulness. The literary vsl1e
Of n work, Of course, has no connection with thea
extraneous aids, but The latter, by m1istenng 10
several senses Mt once greatly increase the reader,
enjoyment Of good literary performance.
Mr.. Cook il so vel known to the read rs Of rur
TRIBUNE that We hardly need to point ont his A..
tinguishing qualities an author. They are familiar
with his mastery If that light and graceful vet
thoroughly assured STYLE which is earnest or iron.
cal. logical or discuriye, at VIII; which may pso-
yoke dissent. yet never grows dull from want Of
ideas 10 express, or Incompetence TO express thrm
clearly and keeny. His mind II snularly scrt
and equipped for both offensive and defensive WIZ
fare yet il retains the power Of suuenderng tsslf
to an intense poetic enjoyment Of those thugs which
he accepts IA Art This - an unusual combination,
and it is the PRINCIPAL secret Of that attraction which
Mr. Cook exercises upon his readers. His dlction
is always choice, sometimes vvdly picturesque and
his frequent epuammafic touches posses more II
the element Of wit than tina. Of huuOr Those
qualities, added TO a most genuine de- glt IN his
subject, give "The House Beautiful a literary
charm which would scarcely b. guessed from the
nature Of the material j contains much more than
dispositions on beds and tables stools and candle
sticks. The divisions are entitled: the Entrance,
the Liviug-ROom, the Dining-Room. the Bedroom
and Words Here and There; but each of these \,
simply the governing theme around which arc
grouped fancies and Suggestions Of wider scope aad
interest. Even The commonest technical d.tals
thus assume the same value which they always
possess, when inteIligently discussed by group
OF refined men and women
The great practical value Of Mr.. Cooks book is
that is Suggestions for furnishing and arranging a
house ia the interest Of beauty scarcely involve
vogue. On tie contrary, some Of the best effect.
and the most palpable conyeuiences attained
simply by applying taste in color and form 10 COM
mon materials In his preface he mentions tn null
titudinous letters he has recently received asking
for the price ard the exact dimensions II each
article ne describes, and very sensby replies: IL
the writer Of letter had reflected he would have
seen that such information If gwen, would have
been practically useless, since no two people ever
want q Is Il the same size n the same shape. and
that in the competition of the shops the same price
is never asked for the same article In any two
places" TIE Americans are a curious people; even
when they accept the principle Of a thing, and is
utility is male clear % them rs IN tins case,
how llang OF them seem unable 30 make the lest
independent mod ticalion--n short, TO give them
selves any practical bepl They manifest Al intO-
lsnce Of BRAIN beyond the strict line Of thcr several
occupations, which is frequently astonishing
Hence il is that when few sst ne example of sHos
profitable change In household economy, or some
agreeable result of household decoration, thous-
ands Of Others at once copy such changes with Cu-
re.e fidelity. instead Of adding those individual
touches which world make each home original We
az quite sure that the chairs, brackets curboars,
and curtains o. "Iho House Beautiful will be end
lessly reproduced within year or two, not only n
their forms hut also in their combinations. We
hope. at least, that al children viii rot D. allowed
10 grow ND with such masses of uushoru, haify bar
as we find in the illustrations, aud that the young
men intending 30 devote Themselves % literature
viii not suppose il necessary 80 wear only SHIRT AID
tgowsers when they sit down to wiite
MIR Cooks suggestions, undoubtedly reflect lis
individual taste 10 some extent; but they mono
the les. based upon universal aesthetic laws. which
admit the greatest variety Of taste in details The
senses of color and form are not yet generally eGu-
Gated in this country, but the native instinct exists
ana responds very quickly 10 instruction. Both tho
Puritanic and the Quaker elements have suppressed
them. and they have been sighted IN the wder de-
velopment which comes from long siru ege with
untamed Nature. Now. however, since color has IN
vaded the Protestant Church, and i ranid'y adding
new warmth and cheer to thousands of homes, we
may look for rapid blossomug Of these stunted
delights. The application Of arr to the domestic
economy is TINS tho most important of all agencies.
Through the initiative habits Of our people twill
De set free to teach useusby. train the eve with
out the ewes consciousness, to create satisfaction
ignorant ii may be- in many eases. yet which would
DO missed il taken away again. Out Of this educa-
uon an instinct of the higher forms of ar will grow
followed by that demand which stimulates creation.
Mr. Clarence Cook has therefore. sown good seed,
and on the right soil.
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THE ON SDYTU CVTRCH EffR.