New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


Two new volumes have been added to "The Great
Artists series (ScribneI & Weford. The more Inn
portant work, a sketch of AlLrecht Durer," is by
Richard Ford Heath, OF Hartford COLLEGE, Oxloru
Durers life and his many-sded geuius nave peen
unfailing source of interest to art stuoen'S' 40
is something of q wonder that Germany III 'ne
middle ages should have produced an ARTIST VI
Durer's original force, fertility OF INVENTION anu
scarcely eoualled skill IN drawing. While ne Is III
a sense realistic IN execution, his works are lmbucd
with spirit and conceal deep signihcance oi'eh
suggesting some hidden mystery that CHALLENGES
and eudes the closest study. Durer. who was the
third in family of eighteen children, was born in
the quaint and thrifty free imperial city OF Nurepl-
berg in I471 and was intended for his fathers call
ing which was that of goldsmith. He was not
long in finding his true avocation and IN attaining
excellence in it. But the rewards of genius In
those days meagre compared with the income
OF an artist of half his ability in the nineteenth
century. After thirty of the greatest industry
that to in 1924, four years before his DEATH
Durcr's savings amounted to only one thousand
gulden. His fellow citizens to have been
reasonably proud of the great fame of their towns
man. Yet we are told that up to this time the
orders given him by the rich burghers of Nurem-
berg represented only five hundred gulden and the
artist complained that not fifth part of this was
profit. Durer author we'll artist
aud his friend Melanchthon called him a wise man
in whom the artistic element. prominent as II was
still the least" The second volume, " Mantle
qua and Francia" by Julia Cartwright is a clever
sketch of the lives and works of two Italian artists
who were elder contemporaries of Durer and were
leaders iii the schools of Mantua and Bologna
"The Foreigner in China Is. c. Griggs & co., is
exceedingly readable book. by the Rev. DR.. l.. n.
Wheeler, who from 1865 to 1878 was Methodist
Episcopal missionary in the country he describes.
great deal is attempted in the book. which seeks
to give outline of the history of " the Flowery
Kingdom " from the earliest times, and also to de
scribe the political social condition of the people
of to-day, with special reference to the history and
results of missionary labor. 1t can be said for the
historical chapters that they clearly and forcibly
written, and will give readers well-rounded view
of the character and surprising immutability of
Chinese institutions. Mr.. Wheeler sympathizes
with the Chinese in the wrongs which they have
suffered at the hands of the Western Powers. aud
particularly through the opium waged by
England. 1t was in great measure unfair and often
barbarous treatment which influenced the Chinese
in their prejudice against intercourse with foreign
nations At the present time foreigners WELD,
directly indirectly, great influence in China.
and the Government is yielding to the spirit of
progress and modern civilization. In Canton the
Roman Catholics have for several years been build
ing cathedral said to be only second in size and
cost to the New-York cathedral The foreign
female physicians in China have been remarkably
successful. The wives of macy mandarins and
ladies of high rank have become regular patients
of these skilled women While the author thinks
the probable influence of our modern civilization
on China has been greatly overrated, he maintains
that the Protestant missions not failure and
that the work of Outstanding China is making
progress In his own words Confuciansm is " q
stupendous failure" While its system of ethics
gives prominence TO equity and truth, the spirit of
injustice and deception pervades the entire fabric
of Chinese society,"" They SYSTEMATICALLY polite
and make much of the forms of proprety, but are
really rude and morally depraved Polygamy is
general, and female infanticide is openly
practised in many parts of the country and no.
where punished
@Camp Life in the Woods and the Tricks of
Trapping and Trap Making" Harper & Brothersl
Is a edition of very clever work, by w. Ham
ilton Gibson which first issued by another pub
Usher in 1876. 1t may surprise of the adj
mrers of Pastoral Days to learn that its author
scored his first joint literary and artistic in
an admirable treatise camp life and trapping.
But his first book explains the character of the
schooling which gave HIM the knowledge of nature
and sympathy with natures moods that have
guided his pen and pencil to exquisite results in
Pastoral Days" 1t may be thought by some that
the latter work shows a reverence for nature which
is incompatible with the making of traps and the
wiles of the trapper Mr. Gibson is careful to point
out the difference between legitimate trapping and
the practice of ingenious cruelty animals for the
excitement of catching them. 1t is to be
feared that most boys not so sensitive these
points, though their motives in sharing, trapping
and fishing are commonly sound. This book will
stimulate their ingenuity to its utmost capacity
and in several ways do them much good. The
amount of cruelty 1t will assist IN infcting on n-
offensive birds and animals will depend upon the
nature of the individual boy. In the hands of
genuine amateur hunter or trapper this book would
pIOve an ally OF great value. rs descriptions of
every known device for Outwitting and catching
nearly every game creature that runs, flies or
swIms graphic and complete. and the habits
and characters of animals described with fas-
cinatng ivelness and accuracy. 1t is book
which will interest every boy, and while he reads
and imagnes that he is pursuing his game with i'll
genious contrvauces, he will be acquiring at the
time wide knowledge of the wild animals of
America and Canada. The work is profusely illus
trated by the author.
by Harrison Weir (Cassell Peter, Galpin Il Col Is
handsome little book consisting of choice pastoral
songs and passages descriptive of animals chosen
from the best poets and which have been illustrated
by the artist in happy Interpretation of their spirit
"The Way to Fortune" Robert Carter &
Brothers tells of and royal road 1t is the
old difficult way, by good beginnings, a proper
valuation of time and money, sell help, decision
diligence, etc. But these essays for boys sem
sible, and do not preach too much.