The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-11-12
LITERATURE.
Books.

Few people, no matter how illiterate, are so
stolid as not to be susceptible to the witchery OF
poetry. 1t had its birth with human speech, and
the rudest savages own its power. When man
invented the alphabet and how TO arrest and
trsnsfx eyanescent human thought, the first use
he made OF the new found power was to write
poetry Its soul pervades the Pentateuch, inc
earliest know written human record, breathes IN
the hieroglyphics OF Egypt and CLOVIS In the
Zandeyestar OF Zoroastcr ard the.Vedas OF India
All literature, from the earliest ages, Is largely
made up of poetry. and no person OF any pre-
tensions to culture but is indebted TO it's eevat-
ing and refining influence.
The misfortune is, that like all fine writing in
the vast realm of literature, there Is too much OF
It, One may conceive it possible, indeed, that by
devoting life time to II, the poetic enthusiast
may make himself reasonably acquainted with
the mass Of poetry Of the anclents and even OF
modern ages down to hundred years ago; but
within the present century poets have multiplied
more rapidly than ever, and "works In verse that
q century ago would have made reputation
now fall almost unnoticed by the press" Yet
OF the teeming mass with which the press OF the
day groans, though the body may be ieeting
chat, here and there a kernal appears Of diamond
purity and worth. -
II is Just here that the splendid volume before
us becomes serviceable. You love poetry, ana
are conscious that In addition TO the ''skimmings
Of the ages" which you find In your old and well.
thumbed volumes, innumerable diamonds OF
purest ray serene" fall by the wayside OF modern
yersificatlon; but you have no time-no man OF
affairs can have time-t0 grope in the rubbish to
find them. Happily the patient, plodding collect
or OF the Cyclopeda before us has done it for you.
In closely and beautifully printed volume of
thousand royal octave pages he has given you
the marrow Of all the poetry ever written In the
English language, with q brief sketch, when
known, OF the author. But q chief merit OF the
work is that it places within reach so many gems
Of poesy the authorship Of which is lost, and
which, having once read or heard, ring in our
ears or fit about in our brains like snacthes OF u
once familiar, delicious but lost tune which we
would give treasures to reposscss. Notonly have
we here the pith OF all English poetry, but 1t is
30 indexed, frst-lined and otherwise systemat-
icaly arranged, that one can find in minute
and turn TO exactly what he wants The binding
Of the book is in keeping with its rare contents
SHAKEsPEARE's TRAGEDY OF CoRIoLANus. Edit
cd with notes by william j. Rolfe, A. NJ. With
engravings. New York: Harper u Brothers
Chicago Jansen, McClurg & Go. Ottawa: Os-
man & llapeman. ~ cts. r-f
We have had occasion heretofore to speak OF
this admirable edition OF Shakespeare, under
the editorship Of Mr.. Rolfe. Each play is given
In a separate volume, beautifully printed and
bound, with an Introduction giving all that is
known Of the history Of the play, and exhaustive
explanatory notes placed in the back Of the vol
ume, without the usual asterisks, figures or 9th
er marks through the text to distract the attcn-
ton, but with the lines numbered so that when
the reader desires he can readily turn to them.
Another valuable peculiarly of the edition is,
that each volume Is complete In itself, and the
notes in no case require reference to preceding
volumes The work 1t especially designed for
students Of Shakespeare and for such 1t is inds-
putably the best edition ever Issued.
THE HONE GARDEN. BY Ella Rodman Church.
New York: d. Appleton & Co. Chlcago: Jan
sen, McClurg " Co. Ottawa: Osman " Hape-
man. 20 cts.
This is the third in Appleton's admirable Sc.
ries Of Home Books, having been preceded by
Building Home" ana "Ilow to Furnish
Home" heretofore noticed In these columns. No
man of "gumptioA, having had the means to
build and furnish home, has been SO absurd as
not to secure ground enough around 1t for a gar
den spot. And the design OF this volume is to
turn that spot to the best account.
THE LIFE AND SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF Rob-
INsoN CRusoE, Of York, Mariner. 20 cts.
My LOVE. Move by Z. Lynn Linton, author of
Lizzie Lorton OF Greygriggs," "Our Profess
sor," &c. 20 cts.
BESIDE the RIVER. A Tale by Katharine s.
Macquod, author Of PATTY" "Ebner Dryden"
&c. 20 cts.
HARRY JoscgLYN. A Novel BY Mrs Oliphant,
author of For Love and Life" "The Chroni-
cles of Carlingford," "The Citrate in Charge"
&c. 20cts.
THE MILLERs DAUGHTER A Novel by Anne
Beale, author Of Rose Mervyn Of Whitelabe,"
"The Pennant Family" &c. 20 cts.
THE CHAPLAIN OF THE FLEET. A Novel. By
Walter Besant and James Rice authors OF
THE Golden Butterfly" "By Cella's Arbor,"
when the Ship Comes Home" &c. 20 cts.
The above constitute Nos $50 to 1S5 of the
well known and popular Franklin Square Ii
brary" Of the Harper's, and come TO US through
the mammoth book house OF Jansen, McClurg Il
Co., Chicago.
OF course there are few persons making pre-
tensions as readers but would be ashamed to ad-
init they had not read Robinson Crusoe. The
present edition, however, offered in this inexpen
sive and attractive form, gives in addition to the
volume OF Crusoe usually found In the bookstores,
his Further Adventures" nearly doubling the
size Of the volume, and really necessary to give
one complete copy Of Defoe's great work.
Those who have read "Our Professor" or
"Sowing the Wind" will not be deferred by It's
increased bulkiness from attacking my Love-"
for they will enter upon its perusal with well
grounded confidence that It will be time pleas
antiy spent; and they win not be disappointed.
There are few novels more entertaining.
beside the River" leads one pleasantly In and
cut among the lively villages and villagers OF
the Mense, but the story would be more endura.