The National tribune., 1883-12-20


dith, Swinburne Bret Harte, Chas. G.. LELAND,
and many other famous English and American
poets 1t is exquisitely bound in white and
gold, and, aside from its literary value, is we'll
fitted to adorn any library table.
From Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York, we
have a rew and beautiful edition of Thacke-
rays Chronicle of the Drum" No ballad
worthier of the artists pencil was ever written
than this and in this edition it is most superbly
illustrated with drawings by such artists as
Pyle, Lawrence, Gibson, Frost, Fredericks,
Lingren, Taber, Schell, Davis Birch, Edwards,
&c The ballad as our readers will doubtless
remember, was written in Paris in 1S4l, at the
time of the second funeral of Napoleon, and it
is, perhaps, the most sublime satire in the Ian
guage on the folly of war. The Chronicle
is related by Old Peter. the drummer, to
company of wooden-legged warriors. hard by
the main barriers Of Paris, and, as Thackeray
says:
What Peter told with drum and stick
His endless theme for poets PEN
Is found in endiesg-quart thick,
Enormous books by learned men.
But nowhere, perhaps, is it more charmingiy
told than in this ballad. Every old soldier,
and certainly every reader of THE TRIBUNE,
should have this famous ballad in his library.
1t is one of the handsonlest as well as one of the
most appropriate gift-books of the season.
From Dodd, Meade & Co., New York, we have
Oliver Wendell Holmes poem, entitled Grand
mothers Story of Bunker Hill Battle most
charmingly illustrated by the we'll knownartist,
II w. McYicker. For our Young people it is one
Of the most admirable gift books of the season.
The poem, with which doubtless most Of our
readers are familiar is one Of the most spirited
lyrics ever written, and the illustrations are
worthy of the text. The poem begins:
"'Tis like stirring living eanbers when at eighty
All the achings and the ouakings of the times
that try mems SouiG;'
When / talk Of Wing aud Tory, when tell the
Rebel story,
To you the words are ashes. but to me they're
burning Goals
/ had heard the mtIskets rattle of the April run
Lord Perey's hunted soldiers-I can see their
red coats still.
But deadly chill comes DER me, the days
loom up before me,
When thousand men lay bleeding on the
slopes of Bunller's Hill
Twas a peaceful summers morning. when the
first thing gave us warning
Was the booming OF the cannon from the river
and the shore:
Child, says grandma. What's the matter; what
is all this noise and clatter2
Have those scaiping Indian devils come TO
murder us once more
/ From Dodd, Meade & Co., New York, we also
/ have THE Chronicles of the Cid" elegantly
/ bound and profusely illustrated. There is per-
] haps, nothing in literature more romantic than
1 the stories which have been handed down of the
/ proves of Rodrigo Diaz of BeYar, the Cid
/ Elord) Campeador lchampion) Of Spain. In 1908
1 Southey made q translation from three of the
Spanish originals, and it is from his translation
| that the text of this edition Is taken 1t has
been edited under the supervision of Richard
Markham, and illustrated by H. w. McVicker
/ and Alfred Brennan, and the introduction by
Mr.. Markham, furnishes such explanation as
is necessary for novices concerning these thrill
! ing chronicles. The Cid was man of arms,
! and the mighty deeds which he did in Spain
in his wars with the Moors have the flavor of
romance which is peculiar TO all military
achievements of that epoch. He would be
roundly denounced IN this day. doubtless, as a
ruthless freebooter, but the legendary Cid pos
sesses the courage and the valor of the crusa-
! ders, and no reader of these Chronicles will be
able to withhold from him the admiration
4 which gallant actions have always inspired.
The edition, as we have said, is one of great
beauty, and ought to find a place in every Ii
brary.
One of the best of all books for boys is
Charles Nordhoff's "Man-of-War Life; or, A
Boys Experience in the q. S. Navy This
book was written before Mr.. Nordhoff had
made national reputation as literateur and
a journalist, but it is penned in the same grace
fnl, viyaeioas style which characterizes bis
later works. The original edition, published
IN 1854, had great SALE and was one of the
popular books of the day. and, belieying-now
| that the old navy propelled by sail power
! alone has passed away forever-that it would
be read with keener interest than ever by our
young folks, the publishers have issued a new
and splendid edition, to which the author has
contributed graceful preface. The book
abounds in interesting incidents and anecdotes
and is probably the most accurate picture OF
actual life on board an American man of wal
that is now accessible to orr young people. 1t
is quite generously illustrated, and incidental
to the story much valuable information is af
forded of strange and far countries. 1t is q
book which every lad of the present day viii
be glad to read
From ID. Appleton & Co., New York, we have
a new volume, Anecdotes of the Civil War
by Brevet Major-General E. B. Townsend, late
Adjutant-G General, u. S. A. The publication Of
this volume has been awaited with great
deal of interest, for the responsible position
which General Townsend held during the war
and his intimate acquaintance and association
, with the most distinguished persenages Of that
struggle, have led the public to expect at hi:
hands work OF more than unusual interest
They will not be disappointed General Town
send has embodied in this book many delight
full personal recollections His "reminiscences:
OF General Scott, Stanton and Frank p. Blair
are particularly interesting, but there are few
more graphic chapters in his book than those
which describe the raising of the flag on Fort
L
, Our ex-soldiers viii find Of especial value ths
chapter on medals and corps badges, in which
the general relates how the badges came to b,
!, designed and assigned to the various corps. Hi
history of the badges is full and explicit, ant
fully answers the numerous inquiries which
TIE TRIBUNE has received from its reader
from time to time as to their origin. Our ex
soldiers win find this delightful work-on1
7 that viii amply repay perusal, and be of per
manent value as work of reference.
We also have from d. Appleton 81 Co., Ner
York, Aunt Charlotte's Stories of American
History" by Charlotte NJ Yonge and ii. Hast
ings Weld, ID. d., which contains, in simple Ian
guage, easily within the comprehension of tin
youngest child, the story Of the discovery OF th
Americas and their settlement, the birth o
our own Republic, and the upbuilding of th
Nation, together with brief history Of the wa
} of secession, and resume of the leading event
in our history down to the present day Til
purpose of the book is indicated by its title
namely, to put our young people in possession
OF the main facts in the history of this eountr
) without making the acquisition of this knowl
edge a task Our school histories as every
5 body knows, are for the most part dry record
J of facts, and the child who is forced to dcpen
7 upon them is apt to get false and erroneou