Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-11
OUR BOOK TABLE.
IRvINa-cAMsRIDeE TR1FLgs-rHs W.
SEEN HAND-TEE vERBALIsr.
The Late war-Bacoa-The Fortunate
Island = Eorwood-Lay sermons-Lit-
era1y style-Go ldsmith's Works.

eraiy Style Goldsmith's Works.
TEE wenKs OF olryEE GoIpsNlrH. Edited by Peter
Cunningham, r. X. S. Ia four vols. Svo. q
Pceticai Works Dramas the Vicsr OF Wakefield
m a. II ineu;rv ito the present state Of
Poits Learning, the Citizen OF the World PIP.
52l. Ill. The D e, Essays, Unaeknowledged Is
says, Prefaoes, Iutroductions, etc; PIP COZ ~
Bios r1phies Reyiews Animated Nature, Cock
Lane Ghost, gida,s Game Of Chess. Letters PIP.
53l) New York: Harper & Bros. San FraL-
cisco: A. L. Bancroft Co.
This is 6ne library edition of the works
of standard author. 1t was the exercise OF
good Judgment on the part of the publishers
to adopk, without abridgment, Cunning
hams notes and his text arrangement and
readings. The frss approximately complete
arrangement of Goldsniths works was in thu
edition Of 1901, which engaged 80 largely the
iabors Of Bishop Percy. Incomplete as 1t
was, the work was received without serious
murmur, until Prior's superior edition APP
peared in 1867. That edition was reprinted
in this country IN 1850. When the Cunning
ham edition appeared in 1854 it eclipsed that
preceding it, as much Gs the latter bad its
predecessor. Pliers edition was known TO
be erroneous in many respects, and TO lack
that com pleteness SO necessary IN the prodac-
ton Of the works of such en- author as Cold
smith. Indeed, it was full OF grave errors,
which marred the text greatly, and many of
the passages IN tbs original were entirely
omitted, and that without excuse or apology.
In the Cunningham edition. on the contrary,
absolute exactness is the rule, and it has been
secured. Added to this is that editorial skill
80 necessary to be exercised in placing the
works of such as G ,,dsmith. Ia this edition
there is no omission whatever, and matter
which has escaped all the former complies Is
here given. Il is not deemed necessary to
speak in further detail of this edition, except
to say that MIR. Cunninghan;s work presents
God ,mith's papers grouped as to character
and their historic order, and thus the reader
ia enabled to marx the growth of the philos-
opher's mind, and take note IF the progress
of his thought.
TnE UNSEEN HAsB OR, JAMEs RESrKEw AND HIS
BOY Helpers. By Elijah Kellogg. Boston: Lee
& Shepard. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft & Co.
vol, Svo. 81 rs.
A book fer boys. by a very successful
writer for youth. Thu hero of the story
comes TO us an orphan and the inmate of a
work house, flung upon the world, like dry
leaf on the crest of a breaker las Mr.. Kellogg
puts itl his mind blank, devoid OF
knowledge, save the idea Of the Almighty
and the commands OF th. decalogue, whose
force, in virtue OF prior possession, held the
ground and kept at bay the evil Influences By
which he WAS surrounded" In consequence
of thus holding aloof from all partner.
ship in vice she was brow-beaten, trampled
upon, and made butt of by his companions
10 misfortune. His only inheritance was the
kiss of dying mother, the dim recollection
of her death, and Bible which ne could rot
read-her sole 6equest. The buoyancy, the
frolic of the blood. the premonision of grow
ing power which render childhood and youth
so pregnant of happiness and so pleasant in
the retrospect, were to him unrevealed. at
10 the life seemed crushed out OF him by the
pressure, or, rather puncsure, of a miserable
present and hopeless future. In the j1dg-
ment Of the most charitable, he was but one
remove from fatality. From such material to
develop the varied qualities OF a pioneer, a
man of firm purpose. quick resolve, and reso.
lu.e to meet exigeBcies. might well seem TO
require supernatural power and yet, by no
other alchemy than sympathy, encourage
ment wisely timed, and Knowledge seasonably
impaired, was this seeming miracle accom-
plished."
THE ASTIErAM AND FREDERICKSBURG By Francis
Winthrop ralfrey. New York Charles Scribner's
Sons San Francisco A. L. Bancroft & Co.
vol, Svo.; 81.
The fifth OF the series now being Published
regarding the campaigns of the late war of
the rebellion. Palfrey was General of vol
unteers, ia a msmber Of the Military Histori-
cal Society of Massachusetts,, and was a
Colonel OF the Twentieth Massachusetts,
Volunteers. He says that be drew his ma
terials for the work before Us from his own
memory, from the perusal of all available
works on the subject, but far more largely
from the eff sial reports Of the War Depart
ment archives Without this last explana-
ton we would be inclined to look upon the
work with some doubt, for no book of the
battles Of the late war will be acceptable Mt
this day which falls short Of accuracy. We
have ne means of testing the accuracy Of
General PAlfcey's work, but in view of his
scholarly reputation. the evident earnestness
OF the publishers TO make this whole
series historically c1rrecs, and to establish
these Dos ks as standard authorities, together
with the favor win which the preceding vol
nmes have hesn received, il Is fair to assume
that the book before US is up TO the require
ments Ct such work. 1t would be a pleasure
to examine the work in detail aud test il in
the light of recorded history, and give it s.
more careful reading; but the truth is that
the history Of the rebellion has yet to be
written, and we have great hope that the
series now under notice will play most i'm
portrait part in that history-indeed, cousti-
tute an accepted part of it-and in all the
hurry Of life we still propose to fad time, as
will thousands OF American citizens, to read
critically these volumes. and with that delib.
Grafton thsir Importance demands.
PAoos By Thomas Fowler NJ. A., F.s. A. New
York: @ PutBaIs's Sons; San Francisco A.
L. Bancroft Go. ! vol, 6go.
This il one Of tie English Philosophers
series issued by the Putnam's; and which is
attracting d SERVED attention. Mr. Fowler is
Professor Of j. gic in the University of Ok
ford, aud a fellow of Lincoln College. The
book presents the character of the revoiu
ton which Bacon endeavored to make in
scientific method. as well as the nature oil
philosophical opinions generally. 1.-THE form
have adopted" says Professor Fowler, I" j:
adapted to the reading of those who have nj
technical acquaintance with logic or phil
osophy." Hs believes that the ground plsr
of Baeon's work, and the leading ideas witt
which he was Inspired, are easily compre
hensibie by any person who has a genera
interest in the history and progress of thought
He adds: "The place of Basou, standing
midway between the old times and the new, Ii
enc which cannot be neglected byany one whc
is DESTROYS of informing himself Of the man
nsr in which cur modern ideas in science, il
philosophy and in logic havs grown out Of
those which, for SO many years prior TO the
renaissance, held almost undisputed sway
over the civilized world" Il is scarcely
necessary to add that the author has accom-
plished the purpose which he had in view ii
preparing this work. and has done SO in
manner not only highly creditable TO himself
but which adds mnch to the literary anC
critical store of the worlds knowledge.
THs vERsAn T. by Alfred Ayres. New York: D
Appleton & Co. 5an Francisco: J. 7. White 8
Co. vol, ismo.
This IS manual devoted to brief discus
sions of the right and wrong use of words
and to Ike matters of interest 20 those who
are pursuing the study Of English compost
tion. As general rule we can give no en-
couragement to that class Of works that pre-
tend to point cut shortcuts to or through
English grammar. Most of these helps ars
great hindrances. The proper use of the
Hnglish language Is not to be acquired by any
cheap or iabor-saying methods it must b.
the result of close study and observation o.
the best models. We therefore can give small
approval of this little book. 1t has its place
but it is not very useful one. The author
has proceeded upon the idea (and is correct
that writers should eschew fine words that
he whJ uses many words for the explaining Of
any subject dotn. like the cuttlefsh, hide
hiu self in his own ink: but the assertion Of
an cid principle is no apology for book o.
patches. The "Ferbalist is a companion
t. the "Orthoepist' by the same author
This is not a book for study. nor is it vol
ume TO be read as are books usually, but sii
it may find corner on the literary worker,
table, for reference from time to time.
LAY SERMONS. By aohn Stuart Blackie. New
York: Charles Serihners Sons San Francisco
a L Bancroft S Co. vol. $50.