Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-12
OUR BOOK TABLE.
Some Recent Publications-Hotes Of Be
cent Issues Of the Press.

a most companlonable book is that from
the press of G. P. Putnam's Sons, New
York, entitled "Pen Pictures of Earlier
Victorian Authors" 1t is one of the
Literary Life Series" edited by William
Shepard. The present volume, the third
of the issue. is from a. L. Bancroft & Co.,
San Francisco. There are given eight
charming sketches, which are invested
with a personal interest that Is very pleas
ing. For instance, the book opens with
a resurrection of n. P. Willis sketch OF
literary London in the year 1885, mon
ogrsph as fresh in style and as earnest
and vivid as the enthusiasm and
unreasonable disposition of a Young
and sensitive American poet could make
an early effort. In this now nearly for
gotten sketch there is revived vein of
humor and a method of recording observa-
tions very seldom met with at this day.
The second chapter treats of Lord Lytton,
and introduces anecdotes, sketches and
criticisms on Bulwer, by the editor and by
Justin Mccarthy and German writer
named Daheim. This interesting passage
is succeeded by McCarthy's sketch of Ben
iamin Disraeh in his old age; a paper by
Charles Francois Hugo, son of the great
French poet, descriptive of an interview
with Disraeli, held in 1868, and descrip-
ton of Hughenden Manor, the country
seat, where the last years of Dis.
raeli's life were passed. The fourth
division of the volume comprises
a paper written by Thackeray on Lord
Macaulay at the time of the latter's death
in 1859, and an anonymous "Reminiscences of
Macaulay which had magazine circulation
some years ago. In addition, we are given
several papers on Charlotte Bronte, ga
"Reminiscences by a Schoolfellow ga
Gossip with Martha Broun," the faithful
old servant of the Brentes Miss Marti-
neau's "reminiscences ;" K. H. Horne's
charming anecdote of Courier Bell, and
Thackeray' 8 in memoriam sketch of the
author of "Jane Eyre" The volume in
cludes, also, recoleetions of Washington
Irving, by an attache under Irving-Robert
NJ. Walsh-when the American author was
Secretary of the legation headed by Louis
McLane, as Minister; an article entitled
Irving at Sunnyside in 1855" by the
Southern novelist, John Esten Cooke, and
an account of visit to Irving, written by
Theodore Tllton, The next few pages OF
this book of mingled criticism, narrative
and "Reminiscences is devoted to Edgar Allan
Poe, and embraces a paper by school
fellow of Poe, T. w. Gibson, giving an &C
count of Poe when at West Point, where
his career was most brief, and chapter on
the last days of Poe by Susan a. T. Weiss.
The concluding chapter gives us Charlotte
Bronte's impressions of Harriet Martineau
in 1850, and a short paper of "reminiscences
of Miss Martineau by James Payn, the
novelist, originally contributed to " Har-
per's Monthly"
A very interesting analytical work by
Professor and Rev. T. F, Thistleton Dyer
is out from the press of Harper & Bros,
New York, and for sale by A. L Bancroft
& Co., San Francisco, entitled Folk Lore
of Shakespeare" We can scarcely over.
estimate the value and interest of all we'll
prepared work on the playsof Shakespeare.
Taken as mere texts his lines, as in this
case, lead into whole libraries, and invite
research without limit. shakespeare
was" says our author, possessed of
rich treasury of knowledge OF a most
varied kind much of which he may be
said to have picked up almost intuitively,
and he embellished his writings with
choice store of illustrations descriptive
of the period in which he lived" Out of
his copious references to the manners and
customs of his time and the times of which
he wrote came the suggestion for many
volume of this character. But Shakes.
peare seems to have had not only wide
knowledge of many technical subjects, but
also an intimate acquaintance with the
folk OF by-gone days, and on the latter
subject Professor Dyer has built up the
analytical volume before US. 1t is an index
resume of the subject. considered, and as a
work of reference alone is invaluable. But
we have found it profitable and pleasant
to follow many of its pages consecutively,
although its topical arrangement does not
require this to be done.
From c. S. Houghton, Sacramento, we
have Charles Scribner's Sons IN. " edi-
ton of DR.. Gerhard Uhlhorn's work on
Christian Charity in the Ancient Church. "
Ii is a translation made with the authors
sanction, 1t is not necessary nor practic-
able at this time to enter into an analysis
of the work further than to say that the
reading of Book First revealed to
as in so much of the work the
mastery ability of the Abbot of
Loccum. In that he treats of the world
without love-the world before the Chris.
tian era, when, as Lactant US wrote, the
philosophy of the heather world taught
nothing of the compassion and human
Ity peculiar to the righteous and to
the worshipers OF God. The doctor holds
that growth of the idea of duty to the
poor, for instance, was impossible from the
heather EJarGltG5, such as was introduced
by the Christian caritqs, for heathendom
did not produce of itself real organized
charity In the same part of the volume
he considers charity under the law the
manifestation of love in Christ, and the
commencement and foundation of charity
in the Apostolic age.
"Arius the Lyban is the title of
work at hand from James I. White & Co,
San Francisco and published by d. Apple
ton & Co., New York. 1t is striking
work, and we believe will come very prom
inently into notice. The subtitle, IAN
Idyl OF the Primitive Church." applies
more particularly 10 the first half of the
book, IN which are given pictures Of pas
toral life among the early Christians. The
character Of the hero, Arius, is admirably
drawn it is portrait that no one who
peruses the book will forget or ever cease
admirIng, however much he may differ
from him in his religious views. The por-
traits of Athanasius, of the Emperor Con.
stantine and of other celebrities OF the
time, are drawn with great power. The
author is so far unknown. Although this
book is his first, it certainly evinces great
literary skill The style has a certain
massive simplicity that is very charming,
and the narrative brings before the reader
the life Of the third and fourth centuries
with singular vividness.
From D. Lothrop L Co., Boston, we
have a volume, Syo., entitled Sunshine,
Harmony and Home" From the time OF
the old Euglish song Of "Dulce Domun
= that OF the song of our own Payne,
"Sweet Home has had no lack of HON.
age in prose and verse. Nor can it have
too much, if all is of the quality afforded