Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-12
LITERARY NOTES.


Charles scrbner's sons Nv" Washington H VIM Basn:
tyne Son.
Undoubtedly the most comprehensive. ex-
haustive and readable work on China before the
public is that whose title is given above. The
first edition was published thirty-five years ago,
| and ever since its appearance it has been re-
garded as an authority on the several branches
| OF the subjects treated not in this country
alone, but with all civilized peoples During
the period that has elapsed the habits of the
Cmnese people and their WAYS of living have
changed little If any, so that what was at first
written In regard to their domestic life is sub
stantlally as correct now as then, but within
That time the changes In the attitude of the
Cnlnese empire towards other nations have been
many and momentous. and it was with special
| reference to the new condition of things thus
| created that the revision and enlargement of
! the original work were undertaken Much OF
the matter has been rewritten, and much new
matter has been introduced. as was necessary
IN order to bring the narrative down to the
present time, and to give the reader proper
understanding of the people and their country
under the new relations now existing. The
| accompanying map, based upon the best mod
ern authorities, is claimed to more complete
! ana accurate than anything of the kind hitherto
! published. and a number of new and interesting
| Illustrations have been added. Some OF these
| representing the remarkable scenery of China
! show gorges and formations similar TO those in
the Yellowstone and Colorado cafions, and
others again present aspects of nature even
more curious and striking in their way than the
| most astonishing scenic effects witnessed by
| Vlsltors to our own regions of wonders.
| TWENTY POEMS FROM HENRY wADswORTH
| IONGFELLOW: Illustrated from Paintings 10y his
| S9n "a, ERNEST ": LoNGFELLow. Boston: Houghton,
Mlihin Co. WASHINGTON: VIM. Ballantyne & Son
The poems chosen for this souvenir are well
selected, both as popular favorites in themselves
mir a1r tnl - LAM md
marine Illustration, In which field of art the son
OF the author especially excels. But the latter
is really his true line as is shown by the pictures
of the sea. some Of which are remarkably good.
! AS whole, between text and illustrations. the
DOCK Is an unusually Interesting one, both in
sentiment and associations; and not the least at
tractlve feature of it Is the frontispece likeness
OF the poet, after portrait also painted by the
son. 1t is one not familiar to the public, and is
one of the most faithful and pleasing of the
many that have been published.
EsS T1i;o OF Fila by CHARLES LAME The TeInIe
EEi11I2n Illustrated by L. Swain Clifford, james ID.
4 h9rk g 81 r Putnam's Sons Washington: A Bren-
How it would have warmed the cookies of
Charles heart and frightened the eyes of gentle
Mary to have possessed the Essays of Ella" in
SO sumptuous guise as that in which they now
appear. The present instance is one of the rare
, ones where the Jewels and their setting are
eAactiy adapted. The text is worthy its garb,
ana he dress is worthy the matter. What more
need De-What more could be said?
GODFREY MORGAN. A California Mystery By
JULES VERNE Translated by ". J. GORDON. Illus
trated New York Charles Scribners Sons. Wash
hgton: VIM Ballantyne Son.
| Verne has, as is well known. unusual powers
as story teller. coupled with careful knowl-
edge of the places and scenes visited by his
characters, and vivid descriptive ability. and
this story, which is an absurd but rather anus
| ing account of how a rich Californian cured his
nephew of fondness for travel and adventure,
is fair sample of his style. which, whatever
else may be said of it, is never dull.
THE STORY OF ROLAND. BY JAMES Baldwin.
New York: Charles Scribners Sons. Washington:
| VIM. Baantyne 4 Son.
| In this handsomely gotten up volume the au-
thor Of 1.-The Story of Siegfried, which was
one of the popular books OF last season,-has
| given an account Of the exploits of still more
! interesting character. and his companions, and
told in style that cannot fail to fascinate young
! readers, and particularly boys with a taste for
stories Of martial deeds and adventure
The many admirers Of Sophie Mays delightful
'Flaxie Frzzle' stories will be glad to find in
''kittyleen" (receved from Lee & Shepard
through Whtaker), another instalment of the
lite OF that little maiden, in which the gradual
Improvement of her character under the disci-
| pines Of child life and the sweet Influences Of
home is very prettly shown.
tic Adventure. BY Gordon Stables, NJ D.. r n
M M h h9rh; A e Armstrong Son. Washington
AS Arctic adventures never cease to have at
fractions for the grown so accounts of them,
whether true or fictitious never cease to fasci-
nate the young; aud. as DR.. Stables has already
furnished some popular books of the same class
his present effort is sure to have warm well
come and many admirers.
SNUG HARBOR: Or the Champlain Mechanics By
G. A. Whitaker
Another of the favorite ''Boat- builder Series"
by this popular author, which is less story of
adventure than some Of its predecessors, and
more in the line of instruction in mechanical
pursuits, ETC., and therefore quite as useful if
not exactly SO entertaining to those for whom it
is intended.
Of Naval Adventure. By W; H. G; KINGSTON. New
York: A. c: Armstrong & Son. Washington: Vim.
A dashing spicy tale of adventure by sea and
land, in which, as its title indicates, the hero
rises from the lowest to the highest position in
the British navy. 1t has, perhaps, a little too
much of gunpowder and blood for popular taste,
but hardly more than was required by the
theme.
THEIR CLUB AND OURS By John Preston True.
Boston: ID. Lothrop Co.
This capital story, which enjoyed so great
popularity as it appeared in "Wide Awake" is
now reprinted in very pretty volume. well
adapted for the holiday season. 1t is very at
tractively illustrated.
For one, we never could greatly affect the use
OF fringe as finish for single poems, Christmas
cards, ETC., so much In vogue OF late; but there
are plenty OF people of an opposite mind. Such
will find much to admire in the pretty things of
that order sent out by Messrs S. E. Casino &
Co. and L. Prang & Co., Of Boston, and r.
WOrthingtOn, of New York. The Casino pub
locations (received through W. H. MOrrisOn) in
clude, among Others FLOWERS of the Sea, In
Picture and Verse;" Elaine Goodale's ''Coming
Of the Birds" in fac simile and Bryants beau
tiful autumn piece, "To the Fringed Gentian,'-
all daintily printed and beautifully illustrated.
The Prang Christmas cards seem to grow richer
and more elaborate in design every year, and
this season the range Is so ide,-cOvering land
scape, interiors, and cOmical as well as senti-
mental figure pieces,-as to respond to every
sentiment, crafty every taste, and meet the re-
quirements of every purse. Mr. Worthington's
Offering is something quite different. but hardly
less attractive in its way. 1t is LOngfellows
widely quoted nursery versicle, 'There was a
Little Girl" quantity Illustrated in silhouette
and embellished with artistically designed illu-
minated letters. This little brochure will have
special interest for Washington people from the
fact that the Illustrations are by Miss Bertha
Schaefer, young lady Of this city.
''The Tinkham Brothers Tide Mll' and sPhii