New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-28
NOTES ON BOOKS.
NEW EDITIONS-NEW EDITORS-AND NEWS
AROIIT PRICES.

a
Rickers. who desire they assure us, to make this
edition as complete as possible and appeal TO the
pnblic for help The desire is audabe and the first
response that ought to be made 10 it is q suggestion
10 these enterprising publishers that complete
edition of a classic cannot well be produced without
an editor No editor is named for this one there is
nothing TO indicate that Mcssrs Bckers consider an
editor necessary. They have lately reprinted Swift
without an editor; they reprinted JeSses Selwyn
without an editor; they did the same by Evelyns
Diary with poor life by Mr.. II. b. Wheatleyl Ihey
may plead that in these cases they reprinted the
work of previous editors but the excuse is lame
one. No writer can be passed through the press
without more editing than a proof-reador can be
asked 70 bestow on HIM, and all the three books
named were in sore need of additional editorial
help Far more so is Defoe of whose writings no
complete collection has ever been made, and whose
life has never been properly written.
Possibly Messrs. Bckers, whose notions OF itera-
ture appear to be largely of commercial kind, are
surprised by the response their circular has already
called forth. Various papers, literary and other
have commented on it, and Varlons detects IN ther
proposal have been pointed out. The most nstruc-
tive discussion of the subject is to be found IN me
SATURDAY. RCcier. The author of that article is
writer who ought himself to edit Deioe lis, at
any rate. competent 70 edit him. He uses, more
over. refreshing planness of speech on this very
point of editing too seldom TO be met with in Eng
Gsb literary periodicals.. He speaks with Just
severity of the uncdtcd and uncorrected SwIft,
which Messrs Bckers have just published when
prevented another publisher from intrustng 10
one of the most competent editors now living a com
pletely recast and adequate presentation OF the
whole work of the author of Gulliver" lie calls on
Them for guarantee that DefOe shau be properly
cared for He describes with fulness of knowledge
.io4o oil and 11lle
n advance, but not moment too soon, note OF
protest against one more botchcd booksellers col
ecton' being added to the botches already exist
ng He might write a whole paper on this latter
point. The want of well-edited English classics IS
nothing less than scandal, and 1t is bUt too seldom
that one hears even mild complaint from journals
devoted nominally to literature and depending too
largely for support on the patronage of publishers
Some of these and other books issued by Messrs
Bckcrs are rather well printed by Whittngham
Their Diary of Samuel Pepys is really the best
edition now TO be had of that delightful gossip not
only because it is well printed but because 1t con-
ains more than previous editions. 1t had an editor
too. though a most incompetent one the Rev.
MINORS Bright, now dead and it is scarce and dear
There was some time ago rumor that still another
edition of Pepys would appear, but OF late hear
nothing about it. No author stands more sadly in
ueed of competent editing.
Under Mr.. Walter POllock's editorship The Sdiar
day Eerieuc is gradually departing from its ancient
fixed routine. In politics il remains what II was
the organ of High Church TOrysm and its political
tone is not perceptbly less acrimonious than before
But Mr.. Pollock, | suspect takes much more inter
est in literature than in politics. and is in literary
matters that he las been making innovations upon
the irOn-bound methods of this periodical. Some
little time ago he had the courage TO announce That
o weekly review of French literature would be pub
lishcd and he has kept the promise. The old rule
was to publish such a review once a month or once
In two months Short notices of English books are
Hso more frequent and even short articles on other
than literary subjects have appeared-nay. so far
has the revolutionary spirit got the uppe hand that
mere paragraphs have been published, or articles
with headlines so brief as to be virtually para
graphs. Two leading ideas once governed this
periodicals one. that the world would be content to
wait for an indefinite period for he Saturday RerieC
10 proclaim its opinion on any subject and would.
as a matter of course keep its own mind Idle mean-
while: the other. that this opinion could never be
sufficiently stated in less than two columns Mr..
Pollock is young enough Il hope this Is not what
Lord Cocrdge would call an offensive personality
to feel that promptuess and rapidity of judgment
are now elements of influence IN journalism. The
paper is showing in his hands an animation and
ncrtuc5s in literary and social matters hitherto
wanting. What it still wants in politics is solidlty
and seriousness in handling grave subjects Those
arcouaitics for which plausibility, Aippancy and
mere suariucSs-to use an American term of which
The >a'ugag Leri0c offers brilliant English ex-
auple-are poor substitutes. But it was always
stronger on the literary and social than on the 20
ht.cal side.
One book there is which may, in one sense, be
called an article Of luxury, which has kept up Its
price and something morc-Mr. John Paynes new
complete and unrestricted translation of the tales
commonly known as the Arabian Nights. Pub
lshed, or ii not published, printed and sold, by the
Villon Society. tho text of this work attans to a de
gree Of uatuTalism which might drive NJ. lola to de-
SPAR. The 500 copies printed were long since taken
up at guinea So a volume and though the work
is still incomplete are selling when they'Occur at
double this sum or Seven of the nine volumes
are out. hear that a sad fate has befallen the
early American subscribers. The ship which should
have delivered them the first volume deposited II
somewhere the hoor of the Atlantic Ocean. No
duplicates could be supplied because OF the limit to
tie number of copies printed, and because the type
bad been broken up before the accident became
known. The Villon Society offer to reprint the first
volume at cost price which they estimate at ESQ to
500 The subscribers who are without their first
volume number not more than ten in all. But the
market value of the book being what it is they
could still affoId to pay f10 apiece for the first
volume and then sell their completed sets without
loss
The question has been asked what is the Vlon
Society aud who are the members of it, but never
heard any fun answer given to this query Mr.
john Payne is certainly its best known member,
and has made himself dear TO the heart of bbo-
Inaniacs by publishing Englished YllOn Of which
only some 100 copies were struck off and which
long sJce became rarity. His Arabian Nights is