The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-05-26
LITERATURE.
Books.

Co, Chicago. GO cents.
SuAKEsPRARH's Two NOBLE KINsMEs
With notes by William j. Rolfe. Harper
Brothers, New York; Jansen, McClurg
Co., Chicago. GO cents.
The above two plays, Of which 1t
agreed but small part was written b
Shakespeare, complete the splendid ed
ton of Shakespeare's plays as edited an
annotated by Mr.. Rolfe. The former c
these IS entirely omitted IN some of tn
earlier editions of Shakespeare, thong
it is sufficiently agreed that ne retouchcd
and added enough Of the finer passage
to enutle it to place among his writings
The other play Is agreed TO have bee
mainly the work Of Fletcher, though l
was worked over" by Shakespeare, ant
appeared originally as JOINT work Q
John Fletcher and William Shakespeare
The Rolfe Shakespeare, as thus completed
is undoubtedly for school and general pun
poses, the most finished edition now eN
tant, and as issued by the Harpers, eacl
play constituting q volume complete II
itself, printed in large, clear, luminou
type on the best paper, and stoutly ant
handsomely bound, the complete serie
leaves nothing to be wished for
HISTORY OF LATIN LITERATURE PROM EN-
MUS TO BoETHIUs BY George Augustu
Simcox, NJ. A., Fellow Of Queens College
oxford. In two volumes. New York
Harper q Brothers Chicago: Jansen
McClurg Il Co. So per volume.
These two volumes embrace nearly
thousand closely printed l2mo. pages
The work, however, is to be commended
for It's brevIiy rather than criticised fol
dlffusivencss, considering the magnitude
of the subject, covering as 1t does the lit
erature of race prolific with poets, ora
tors, historians and philosophers, during 8
period of over eight hundred years The
author, however, makes no pretentions tC
giving detailed account, but beginning
al the dawn of letters among the Latins
gives a series of sketches, IN the order OF
time, now of individuals, now OF groups,
now slight, now full, as the importance of
The matter in hand justifies, bringing out
boldly such as may be regarded as repre-
sentative authors or periods, shading of
the less important! as a background The
whole is very satisfactory as q comprehen.
sive, Ineligible survey of the entire field,
NJ 10 ,,ia Of IA,
individuals or groups as to leave clear
and lasting impression OF all on the mind.
When the author comes to deal with the
more eminent of the Latin poets, writers
and thinkers, he becomes often so pro
fOundly critical as to be hard TO follow
but in the main the book, considering
the nature of the subject, is easy reading,
and undeniably accomplshes what the au.
thor IN his preface announces as his aim,
"to do something toward making Latin lit
erature Ineligible aud interesting as a
whole to the cultivated laity who might
like TO realize its literary worth, whether
they read Latin or no."
HAYDN's Dictionary OF DATES and Uni
vcrsal Information Relating to all Ages
ard Nations. Containing the History Of
the World TO the Autumn OF 1881. Revised
for American Renders by George Cary
Eggleston. New York: Harper IL Broth.
ers; Chicago; Jansen, McClurg IL Co.
Price, 5000
Next to his Webster or Worcester, any
man of literary tastes or pursuits, should
be provided, as an indispensable reference
book, with Haydn Dictionary of Dates,
occurrence and significance of facts that
the dictionary bears to the etymology and
of words. The work has been In
use In England for many years, where III
has gone through some eighteen editions,
each new edition being enlarged and
brought down TO the latest date. the last
edition being also provided with a dated
index, giving in line what in the body
of the work often occupies paragraph,
and chronological table of cotcmpurane
Gus European sovereigns from the llthI
century to the year 1881 1t is the only
work Of its kind cXtant, though knowledge
and use of it in this country has hi,hertoI
been somewhat restricted; but the latest,
improved English edition has been taken
advantage Of andsmadc the basis of an
American edition, prepared under the
capable supervision Of Mr. George Cary
Eggleston, who has with great pains and
care corrected many errors IN the English
edition in respect to American matters,
and added many dates and titles relating
TO American subjects, which were either
entirely omitted or but dlmly referred to
In the foreign work. Thus carefully re-
vised and ndturdlized, the work has been
Issued by the Harpers as above, in a close.
iy printed large octave volume OF S00I
pages, gotten up in that superior style sol
their own; and under such
auspices cannot fail soon 10 come into
general use, SO that ii Will. with the die
,ionary, be regarded as an Indispensable
cade mec,m for the library, Office and book
shelf OF peoDle OF all professions and pur-