New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-18


THE BOYS KING Arthur being cir Thomas Nal
duciion ny SIDNLY LNNItE. u nstr@lcd ny Anr.d
kaDpcs syo, III. lo3. Nrw-No'h: Cmfc' Serb
nci's suns
All Intelligent boys owe Mr.. Sidney Lanier their
thanks for the good work he II Gong IN bringing
them acuuantod with the old masterpieces of Eng
fish literature: for ,uch though it be translation,
j, the Froissart OF Lord Berncs which our poet has
already edited. and such is certainly this History
Of King Arthur" by Sill Thomas Mallory, though the
writer is always careful to tell us that be compiled
his book cute OF ccrtcyn hookcs OF F4'nsshc, and
reduced into Erelys.hc" The Publishers nave
gwen Mr. Lgu'eIS edition Of this popular work
handsome dress. and Mr.. K,ppcs. going to GUstave
Dort for inspiration. has done his best 10 bring
before tie astonishcd eyes of the Youngsters what
tAe doughty knights of the Round Table are
described in these stirring pages aS doing with
sword and lance. The page is ample, the print
clear and LARGE aud picture 10 ourselves the
delight of the schoo-hoyl If he he of the right
sort, who finds himself the happy poSSessor of this
book whcrewth at hoadiug school, or by the
home frcside TO vile away the long evenings, and,
with the inward glow of fancy. TO mitigate the
multiplied rigors of the extreme cold of winter"
We thiml, it one of the happicst signs OF
our times that much is done TO encourage
the young ia the reading of strong and manly books;
If parents would but know il no better service could
bc done 10 bows and girls than the putting into their
hands and encouraging them to read the books
that uouIshed and strengthened the minds OF their
ancestors but which have really never grown old.
Homer Putarch FrolsSart Shakespeare. and this
book of Sir Thomas Malorys arc just as capable of
Interesting and dclightng the boys and girls of tins
much abused generation ~ they were those of past
times. This way have fallen into of late years
of feeding our children intellectual pap and sugar
candy, putting them off with pictures land very bad
ones and jingle. will tell disaStrously i'll coming
years if II be not checked Aud there is of course.
no use in preaching. The remedy for intemperance
is not In anathemas against wine-dripking but in
good wine: aud the remedy against trashy books is
not in the censorship. but in richer supply of good
books. II is mistake to suppose that any child
was ever nursed into love of excellent reading by
being set TO read the stuff wo in these DAYS 30 pro-
fusey supply to chidren; read the life of any man
or of mark and we shall find that their youth
was not fed on slops, but on sustaining meat and
VINE the best books of the best writers.
or course it would be pedanuo TO limit our
south TO the old. for there is much
In the present Of an equal nobeness. esDe-
cially In the Department OF biography. Only we
ore strong for boys aud girls beginning with
The Oldest. knowing we'll that youth slips away
opportunity goes with it, and the imperative. neces
sary present crowds ont the past. Therefore We
praise every Such enterprise this of Mr.. Laniers
which strives to win our boys TO read about heroic
deeds recorded in famous books.
How interesting ~ an ilInsration of what We