The National tribune., 1884-12-18
RECENT LITERATURE

graphical and Explanatory Notes, by J. Laurence
| Iaughn PHI D., Assistant Professor of Political
Economy in Harvard University.
| We cannot give a better idea of this book
| than to employ the words of Prof Laughln in
his preface "An experience of FIVE years with
| Mr. Mills treatise in the classroom convinced
me not only of the great usefulness Of what
| still remains of one of the most lucid and sys-
tematic books yet published which cover the
whole range of the study, but have also been
| convinced of the need of such additions as
! should give the results of later thinking with
out initiating against the general tenor of Mr..
| Mills system; of such Illustrations as should
| fit it better for American students, by turning
their attention to the application Of principles
in the facts around us; of a photography which
should make it easier to get at writers of other
schools who oiier opposing views on contro-
verted questions and OF some attempt to Ii ghten
those parts of his work in which Bir. Mill
frightened away the reader by an appearance
| of too great abstractness, and render them, if
possible, more easy of comprehension by the
student who first approaches Political Economy
through this author Believing also, that the
omission of much that should properly be class
ed under the head of Sociology or Social Phi
losophy would narrow the field to Political
Economy alone, and aid, perhaps, in clearer
ideas was led to abridge the two volumes
into one. In consonance with the above plan
! have abridged Mr.. Mills treatise, yet have
always retained his own words" Prof Laugh
lin has done admirably the work he set out to
do, and given the students of Political Econo-
my most valuable book; for the additions that
have been made to adapt it to American read
ers are fully worthy of the original text.
ELEMENTS OF ENGLISH SPEECH. BY Isaac
Bassett Choate. Published by d. Appleton & Co.
The author of this charming little work is
entirely too modest. He disclaims any object
beyond desire to encourage any reader to
study our language critically in its forms and
elements and suggests methods of investiga-
tion likely to prove useful in solving problems
peculiar to English. Yet it is a volume which
is full of meat that anybody may be glad to
feed upon, and every young man or woman
who desires to know and use the mother-tongue
should not omit to add this work to the list of
those he or she peruses.
BABY WORLD. Compiled from 81. Nicholas by
Mary Mspes Dodge. Published by the Century
Company, New York.
This is an awfully nice volume for the wee
folks, made up by picking with judicious An
gers, out of the pudding st. Nicholas the plums-
of stories, rhymes and pictures which are most
enjoyed by the very little ones. 1t has over
300 large pages. got up with illustrations and
press-work such as have made the Century
Company famous all over the world.
MAXIMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH By o. w.
Wight, NJ D. Published by d. Appleton & Co..
New York.
This little volume of 176 pages is written in
u
with useful teaching as to the preservation of
health 1t does not pretend to supply the place
of a physician after disease has once attacked
the sufferer, but study Of Its precepts will 60
great way toward making the calling Of one
unnecessary. Its directions of what should be
done to avoid seizure by the cholera are of
special value at this time.
The Magazines.
The Wids Ascake.-The publishers Of this
vastly entertaining periodical have made ex-
traordinary efforts to produce q phenomenal
Christmas number, and have succeeded well.
frontispiecs In 18 colors and really artistic
execution, is an admirable preface for the ex-
celent literary feast
The English Illustrated Maaaz;ne (MacMillan
& Co., New York; is Christmas double
number" which eclipses anything ever before
attempted in that line. There are eight full
page illustrations, with stories, poems, eto, by
leading writers. 1t Is splendid number.
The Critic.-In this paper the country has
had givon it such journal as had long been
needed-one that would TASTE weigh, and esti-
mate new publications with judicial imparti-
ality, and pronounce upon them such judg-
ment a the readers of the land could accept
with entire confidence. It is now closing its
second year, and during its career SO far it has
more than given satisfaction to those who de-
sired the establishment of such journal. 1t
has become recognized as one of the really
|
opinions are accepted ss authoritative as any
critical opinions ever can be- 1t is invaluable
to every one who desires to keep pace with the
literature of the day. It is q fine, large "a
page periodical, printed on heavy paper, and is
published in New York. Subscription, s. q
year.
NOTES
The January Centary will have In its wsr
series papers by Capt. Eads and Rear-Admiral
Wake on the Mississippi gunboat service de-
scribing the naval engagements at Belmont,
Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Memphis and ISL
and No. 10. The next paper in the series, after
Gen. Grants "Shiloh" in the February num-
ber, will be an account, in the March Century,
of the battle between the Monitor and the Mer-
rimac, told by Col. John Taylor Wood, third
officer of the Merrimac and now the senior
surviving officer. Col. Wood was afterwards
commander of the privateer Tallahassee, and
at the close Of the war went to Nova Scotia
where he still resides Gen. r. z. Colston, COM
mander of the Confederate forces opposite New
port News, will contribute to the same num-
Der an eyewitness account of the famous bat
tie, describing the spectacle of the destruction
of the Federal feet before the arrival of the
Merrimac.
Another of Huckleberry Finn's adventures,
by Mark Twain, entitled "Jim's Investments
and King Sollermun." will appear in the Jan
uary Century.
"The Reunited Union" is to be the title of
an article by Henry Watterson, in the January
number of the North american Reuiew.
The great industries of America form the
subject of series of articles which will COM
mence in the January number of HARPER's
MAGAZINE with paper entitled "a Pair of
Shoes" written by Howard Nudge Neuhall,
leading shoe manufacturer in Linn. This arti-
Gle "begins with the beginning and ends with
the end, ," tracing shoe from the existence of
the skin on the back of the animal through the
treatment of tanning and currying which make
it leather and so on amid the scores of processes
which, in these days of the division of machine
labor, do each its part towards making the COM
plete shoe. pair of shoes, it seems, contains
fOrty-four separate pieces, and goes through the
hands OF perhaps hundred people, although it
costs the wearer but two or three dollars. One
hundred and thirty Thousand people are en-
plOyed in this industry, and their average
earnings are somewhat over $3.50. These in
dustrial articles are planned to give in readable
fashion, a clear idea of how the important arti-
cles of industry are made, who make them,
how much they earn, and how they live; in
short, to inform Americans how they are
clothed, fed, and otherwise served in these
days of machinery, and how their fellow
Americans earn their respective livings. This
enterprise is directly in line with the HARPER
ideal Of informing while interesting the great
body Of the people.
A Correction.
The following correspondence explains it.
self: