New-York tribune., 1883-12-12
Porter a. cOases,. 1t is tastefuly Illustrated and

neatly DOuuu
Mr.. John Foster Kirk, in preparing new edition
of Palgrave's charming " Golden Treasury Oh Sohss
and Lyrics," has undertaken the dangerous TASK Vi
making additions from the writings OF mouelh
poets. This task he has fulfilled with excellent
taste and delicate discretion yet the reader CANNOT
but wish that Mr.. Palgraves work should have re-
mained untouched and that the accomplished edltor
should have made what he is so well qualified TO
make. a compilation Of his own. There are STORES
of beautiful old English lyrics never seen IN any
antbology-the field is far from exhausted; anu
those who are attached to that bright companion
the Golden Treasury" will hardly like to see IT'S
fair proportions altered even by the aaui'ion u
others equally fair The spirit in which Mt. MIX
has performed his work may be seen Ill TINS extract
from his preface: Among recent and living Ing
sb poets are some of undeniably high gifts who are
not represented in this volume, and others Oh WHOM
the specimens inserted either not such as 10 give
an ADEQUATE idea of their peculiar powers or 100 lew
to be thought proportionate to ther stanolns'
Among the former are Sir Henry Taylor and Mr..
William Morris whose scanty lyrical illusions serve
only 70 show how little cOngenial TO them was tins
species Of composition Among the latter are Mrs.
Browning, whose fervid imagination and passionate
sprit were seldom saved from gievOus eXcesses ana
mishaps except when held in check by the noble
restrictions of the sonnet Mr. Swinburne, whose
passion easily becomes hysterical, whose fancy
lacks the equipOise of reason, ana whose arN elouo
singing faculty is too often suggestive OF te CUISINES
of the lark or the trills of the nightingale than O
the ceascleSs hum of the spnning-whecl; ana MI
D. G. Rossett whose minute elaboration OF dainty
conceptions and verbal effects continually RODS MS
verse of that charm of spOntanelty ana Nlgor "'Ih-
out which poetry neither touch the Her' noi
satisfy the intellect" The edition is OF convenient
ha hiuIInU IL
the popular sort and not good the Illustrations
Mr.. f. f. Weatherly is an English song-writ'r
of some ability in his way-the way oil pleasant uo-
mestc sentiment and gentle pathos. In " lold Ill the
Twilight" E. p. DuttOn Il tol, he has esSaIeu 10
use his neat if limited talent In making verse l"r
children HumoT has failed him therein; ms serious
touch is much the better. An audaclous imitation
of Mr. Lewis Carroll is unsuccessful as II Is Doid
The book is declously illustrated in color by NJ b
Edwards and John &. Staples
Inclosed in a popular" binding and illustrated
bv various distinguished American artists comes an
edition of Gray's Elegy." The drawings are inll
of spirit and grace-sOme of the best work OF the
wear has been put Into thenl-and they are engraved
with force and delicacy. The printing and paper
are both excellent. and only the iaStidlons book
lover will complain of the binding.
"The Worlds Christmas Hymn" "a. ID. F. Ran
dolph d Coz is q judicOus collection by W. Ii.
Ward and Susan Hayes Ward of couplets, single
lines and verses from most of the notable songs
made IN praise Of Christmas and Of the Divine Child
The volume is beautifully illustrated by copies OF
famous pictures-mOstly those of the Italian
masters Paper and printing are thoroughly praise
worthy and only the binding spoils the effect Of the
book It is apparently an abommaiion IN oli-cioth'
"Tbe Chronicle of the Cid" the story OF that
chivaIrous frec-lance Rodrigo Diaz, of Bivar, the
Cid Campeador. is told in handsome volume, pub
lished by Dodd, Mead & Co. The editor, Mr.. Rich-
ard Markham. has taken his text partly from
Soutbev's translation of the " Chronicle of the Cld
and partly from Frere and OISbys metrical YER
sions He has added several of the ballads trans
lated by Lockhart and divers interesting notes.
The illustrations spirited.
MN c. Hunt has made compilation of lyrics
and minor poems of ancient and modern days, trans
lated INTO English from other languages. Arabian,
Greek. Latin Italian, Saxon, Spanish French,
German, Russian, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese,
Polish Bohemian, Swedish, Turkish, japanese,
Servian and Icelandc writer's represented III the
collection A large number of the poems are the
translatons of wcll-knOwn writer's. The com
pilation-whch is both entertaining and useiul-lS
published by Porter y Coates under the title OF
"The Poetry of Other Lands