New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE PRESIDE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF fV ~ nm eg7
R Porter an 3 Coates SD v -'-~'
The excellent collections of English poetry
which in various within the past few years. nave
become incOrpOrs sed with American literature nav
doubtless had the effect increasing he public taste iOr
sueh attractive anthologies. Instead OF producing
sense OF safety by the afiuence OF the supply W.
does the variety OF compilations prevent ue
character Of the separate works, although 'n,9 u.
drawn mainly from the same sources, anu iash'ouou
from similar materials. The collocaton ana arrangc
ment OF the poems abundant room for the exercise
NJ personal taste aud the introduction OF favOHte
piece which Ia less familiar to the generality OF
often gives perfume To the whole wreath OF WHICH /"
forms part In tue present volume, the contents arc
divided into somewhat artificial system OF SUBJECTS
which by their extreme tenuity may often serve ~
perpex rather than to guild the reader Thus we nave
(" Poems OF Home and Childhood f" followed by " Poems
OF Memory and Retrospeetion," which groups
naturally run into each other, poem OF
childhood being essentially n poem " memory
Burns's John Anderson, my 10, john" Wordsw0iths
She was q Phantom OF Delight" COwpeTs y MY
Mothers Picture" Charles spiague's I" The Family
Meeting" Aldrch's Baby Bell" Moirs Casa Wappy,
are all in fact poems Of memory, though cassed under
poems OF hOue ana childhood Ia like manner Il re
member. Remember" d" Rock me 20 sleep. Mother
I" The Old Arm Chair" The Old Familiar Faces" are
poems of childhood, though they are given as
poems OF memory and retrospectiOn There are
Poems OF Love. " Poems OF PatiiOllsm,
"Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs" when
with the preceding divisions, and "Poeuls OF Ma
ture, would to well nigh exhaust the Held OF
emotion making an additional category OF Poems OF
Sentiment" a quite superfuous appendage The
Poems of Labor and social Questions strangely enough
include military aud naval poems, which one would sup
pose might properly fall under the head OF Poems Oh
Patriotism" Bat II the disposition OF the golden NaSes
may found fault WITH one can justly complain VI
the want OF richness and excellence in their con-
Thav
In beautiful forms. The editor shows wide
acquaintance With the most precious treasures OF Eng
lsh verse; aud has gathered the most admirable specl'
mems OF their ample wealth. Many pieces which nave
been passed by 10 pre- vious collections hold place OF
honor in the present volume, and will be heartily well
coined by the lovers of poetry as delightful addition TO
their sources OF enjoyment. The value Of the compa-
ton s greatly enhanced by these accessons, when nave
been made from the impulse of generous hospitality,
but with lucid perception OF the demands OF poetry
Some readers will doubt be disappointed by the omis-
sion of favorite pieces but they will find many OF ex
aue character that have heretofore been overooked
and the cases are indeed in which they
can censure the introduction Of poem as I'M
worthy of o place in the cabinet OF gems
The editor of course, is not pledged to make an ex
haustve exhibition either Of subjects or authors lie
must follow his own judgment, which is usually ad-
mirable rather than the fancies the crOtchets OF
capricious readers. His method however especially
with American authors may be worthy OF notice, II not
in some respects occasion OF surprise. or those who
are acknowledged the leading American poets, the
specimens he has given are ample, discriminating and
thoroughly appreciatve Nothing could be better than
the selections from Bryant, Halleck, Poe, Emerson,
Holmes, LonRfellOw, and Lowell. 1.-The Little Beach
Bird" the only poem of r. II. Dana, and The Coral
Grove" of PeFcival but larger allowance is gwen TO
SAKE, Buchanan Read and the author Of " Tne Star
spangled Banner" John PierpOnt, whose brilliant
popularity In his prime is almost lost sight OF IN
these latter days, is well represented; there ID
one poem from T. W. Parsons. there are
three from Bayard Taylor, two from I. b. AldTich
two from stoddsrd one from stedman. six from
Bret Harte, and John Hay, joaquin Miller. and
Walt Whitman none The female poets of this country,
especially the latest school, receive but scanty atten
ton there s selection from Mrs. Brooks, one from
Mrs OsgOod, one from Mrs A G. Botta, and one from
Mrs Julia Ward Howe; but nothing from Mrs. L. Cakes
Smith, Mrs. Estee Anna Lewis. or Miss Alice Cary and
the musical flock OF singing birds now on the wing Mrs
Patt, Celia Thaxter, Louise Chandler MOulOn, Rose
Terry Cooke. Helen Hunt. and Others, is altogether
ignored The conspicuous poets OF the South, gilmore
slmms, nmrod. Paul Hayne have been forgotten, and
OF the living poets from whom selections might have
been welcome, there is nothing from c. p. Cranch, W.
Z. Claiming, William Winter, Edgar Fawcet. j. G.
Holland, r. W. Glider, or G. p LOthrop. The adj
mirers Of the above-named poets may doubtless have
to regret the absence Of their names from the
collection; but 1t ought not TO blind the reader
10 its unquestiOnable substantial merits 1t Is volume
the possession may well be coveted by every lover OF
poetry The pictorial illustrations Of the work are In
keeping with its pOetcal contents and the beauty OF life
typographical execution entities 1t to place among the
choicest ornaments Of the library number of explain
atory notes by the editor appended TO the volume
and are often OF good deal Of value for their bibho
graphical, historical, aud critical suggestions
THE TELEGRAPH IN AMERICA BY JAMES D. REID.
Svo, DIP. $40 Derby Brothers.
The history of the introduction OF the Mag
netic Telegraph the United States is related in this
memorial volume, which is intended as a monument to
It's founders and promoters well as record OF the
progress Of scientific discovery and its practical appca-
ton. Among the personal details in the biography OF
Professor Morse the author presents interesting
count of connection with DI. Charles T. jackson,
whose absurd pretensOns to the invention of the Mag
netio Telegraph are thoroughly exposed. A curious
circumstance related in regard 10 the experiments OF
Mr. II. 01Dyer, who in 1927, erected telegraph OF a
single wire with glass nsulatOrs, line of poles on
Long Island which the nearest approach TO re-
cordng telegraph yet discovered. On making pro-
posal to constructs telegraph between New-York and
Philadelphia writ was obtained against him for con-
spiraoy to carry secret communications from
city TO city, which threw him into such fright
that he fed from NewYork, and took up his resi-
dence in Paris. after which he does not appear
10 have attempted in any way to put his system into
practice or even make it known TO the pubic The
inventions of Professor Joseph Henry clearly de-
scrbed and his priority other claimants to similar
results Is explicitly asserted Up TO 1882. however, no
recording telegraph had been invented. was IL until
1885 that the necessary elements were established
which made that instrument possible. The entrance OF
Professor Morse circle of inventors is described
by the author In lively paragraph. Mr.. Morse was
painter by profession with limited knowledge Of gen.
eral electric science but had pursued its study
with reference to practical results He engaged in