Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-10-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


,JupGE AND JURY A Popular Explanation Of Lead
ing Topics in the Law of the Land. BY benjamin
Vaughan Abbot New York: Harper Brothers
San Francisco A. L. Bancroft Co. One VOL,
Svo., cloth.
In this work the author has endeavored to
make clear TO the general reader what the
law of the land is upon many leading topics
in which the general public has constant
interest, and to explain the means. agencies
and methods by which the law is admins
tered. This is not a professional treatise, nor
is it one of those always-to-be-avoidedg guides,
Every man his own lawyer" It's purpose
is rather to inform the people of the growth
of and changes in the law, on those law sub
jects which are general and alike in the main
features throughout the land Thus, it gives
an outline of our Government aud our Courts
and their law books It then explains what
the Courts have decided upon leading sub
jeets within the United States jurisdiction.
such as citizenship and civil rights, the Indi-
ans and the Chinese. banking and commerce,
and other matters OF current interest in this
field. Prominent subjects more particularly
within State jurisdiction follow. The con-
f;ct of the marriage laws. the great change
as to the rights OF married women. the start
ling difficulties respecting divorce, are ais-
cussed. The progress which the States have
ma lie in c0di6oation IS delineated, with
sketches of the new practice OF the mar
rage of law and equity the death and
burial of John Doe: and antique curlosI-
ties of special pleading. The State laws.
most OF them new, and all of them of general
interest, relative to suiag the liquor seller,
cruelty t. animals, lotteries. and Sunday OBJ
servance, are reviewed, with numerous anec-
dotes OF their practical operation. Rules
which bear upon every day life and have en-
tertaining aspects are then explained. giving
the law of driving and walking finding and
stealing, tumble-d1wns, gas-explosions, home
steads and French fats" strange uses OF
photographs, aud common but reprehensible
uses of firearms and fireworks. Doctors,
druggists and schooi-teachers may find some
anecdotes bearing upon their vocations; and
lawyers will concur in the counsel given
against drawing ones own will. Travel and
transportation receive attention; dealings
with expresses and telegraphs are explained,
with a full sketch of the law of railroad
trip. etc We fnd the book entertaining,
clear and altogether desirable.
ALEXANDER PopE By Leslie stephen New York:
Harper e Bros San Francisco A. L. Bancroft
q Co. 1 vol ; Syo, cloth.
This is one of the - English Men Of Letters
Series" edited by john Morley. It is a
thorough WORK, beginning with Pope's pa
rentage, his early years, and passing carefully
through his early literary career and then to
an examination of his greater works, and
lastly to a review of his epistles and satires.
The life and writings of Pope have been dis
cusssd in a literature more volumnous
than that which exists in the case of al
most any other English man of letters.
No biographer, however, has produced
a defnitive or exhaustive work. The
present work would seem to be intended
to indicate the main authorities upon which
such a bicgrapher would have to rely. The
first life of Pope was a catchpenny book, by
William Ayre. published in 1745, and re-
markabl5 chiefly as giving the first version
of erroneous statements. In lI51 Warbur-
ton published the authoritative edition OF the
poets works, with notes containing some
biographical matter. In 1863 appeared
life by Owen Ruff head, who wrote under
Warburtons inspiration. WartoEs edition
of Pope-the notes in which are chiefly
drawn from the Essay--was published in
1877 The Life by Johusoa appeared III 1871
but johnson had taken the least possible
trouble ia ascertaining facts. Mr.. Stephen
remarks in this work that the ideal biogra-
pher OF Pope. if he ever appears, must be
endowed with the qualities OF an acute critic
and patient antiquarian and it would take
years OF labor To work out all the minute
problems connected with the subject. All
that | can profess to have done is to have
given q short summary of the obvious facts,
and of the main CONCLUSIONS established by
the evidence given at length i'll the writings
of Mr. Dixie and Mr.. Bwin."
A THOUSAND FLASHES OF FEENcH WIT, WISDOM
AND WIcEEDSEss. Collected aud translated by }.
De Fiuod New York Appleton & Go. vol,
Svo.; cloth.
This is collection of epigrams by noted
French writers and speakers. 1t does not
seem TO be particularly desirable work. We
fail to appreciate the good it viii accomplish,
and can readily foresee the evil of which it
may be the parent An epigram false in
sentiment and bad in words is always danger
Gus, and more especially SO when flashing
with wit. It is no defense to say that these
tares are interspersed with many wise and
good sayings the tares are suticient-plentv.
The compiler IS conscious of this, for he
weakly appeals to the reader IN these words
- A final word to the lady reader: You will
see, fair reader, that much good has bssD
said of you, and, alas much bad also; this
As because no subject more worthy OF attea-
ton has ever haunted the minds of ali the
great philosophers OF the world. But listen
to this well-meant injunction: Believe IN
hesitatingy ali that is said in your favor, and
deny energetically, as l myself do, all that Is
said TO your prejudice. Do not criminate an
Innocent compiler, who would not exchange
one Of your smiles for the wisdom Of Solo
mon, and who has inserted IN MS book the
malicious remarks Of certain ill-natured phi
losophers only to show how tar mans ingrat-
itude can 60
TiiE SALTWATER TRAGEDY novel. By 7. B. AID
rich. l vol, Syo., CLOTH
Those who have read Mr.. Aldrich's
% Pere Antoine's Date Palm" The Story
of Bad Boy" or Marjorie Daw," must
not expect to find in this volume a romance,
an experience, nor mere tale. 1t lisa novel,
but not for all that true romance. 1t deals
with the facts and incidents clustering
about a strike in manufacturing
community. We are told at the outset
what the end Of the story IS, and then taken
back over the ground BY which it is reached
The ta.e involves crime, love and mstrimony.
The novel is strong in plot, thrilling Ia
Interest and dramatic in its situations. 1t
gives US a very close view Of the facts which
cluster about "a strike" The method Of
Mr.. Aldrich Is that OF close observer, that
which generally marks the writings of men
of conscientious natures, a concise manner OF
statement, diligent attention to details.
The style is that of the poet and the ro-
naucist; the chief vein is the humorous.
MIR. Aldrich is sufficiently fanciful He has
his ideal characters, and pictures them with
strong strokes of his facile pen. In short,
the "Still- Tragedy is strong, help
ful and cheerful book. and despite its title
and plot indicating gloom, it is full OF the
sunshine Of love and joy and peace.
THOMAS MoogE, the Poet His LIE and Works By
l.r,as Svmlugtun r. X N A. New