Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-28
LITERARY NOTES.

| L1lEhAh4 MULES.
rERs s9,S; I. Traits OF BRITISH AUTHORS
VIII possss IN M sH@r sass
se Shsi@.sy sTnsSr pe Ss I RSs camp
Hunt Precter t fveiiodd Ma, aalar sya esS
cray. New crE: chaTi, : scri6ner ssoas. Wash.
ington VIM. Ba lantyne & son
Given competent editorial service, and the
| reader need not be told that this is one OF the
most delightful group OF books OF the period.
Nothing possesses q greater charm for the aver
age human being than personal chat, of the
| proper sort, and when it refers 10 perSonages
| about whom so large an interest centers as those
| named above, 1t lacks nothing to draw and hold
attention. OF the personality OF the editor little
or nothing is seen. save in few pages of intro
ductory notes, chronology Of the leading events
I'm each life, the list of authorities Quoted from
and an excellent index. For the rest. he lets
| his characters themselves or their best friends
speak: and 1t is only right 10 say that the selec-
| made, and that the editor has overlooked very
| littte II anything, worth using in snch connec-
isa wonderful interesting volume,-juSt OF The
| Kind one likes TO have at hand for "A half hours
reading, whether at home, on a jouI ney. or at a
| pleasure resort In appearance they are attrac-
| tive and unique, though the portraits are as
rule hardly up TO the standard chosen for the
letter press.
| Miiiin q Co. Washington: VIM Balantyne &
MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN BY CHARLES Drp-
NY Was, M,aRsESr Boston; Houghton Mitiiin & Co
AS regards quality of contents and attractive
ness of appearance happily Joined together II
| will be no easy task to excel the two volumes
| named above,-the advance couriers OF n new
series projected by the publishers, to be known
| as "fhe Riverside Aldine Series" As may be
| Judged from the title chosen, the purpose is to
preserve ia style of printing and binding the
/ A;fs u
oookcraft can hardly fail to agree that all the
| requisites in the case have been fairly met
the quality of its work, and the new series will
take rank with the best of it's products. In size
| the volumes are convenient for handling, the
| paper is heavy and good, the type large and
| clear, and the binding plain and elegant.-ihe
whole presenting a refined and graceful effect
| As for the books chosen for this form of immor-
tally. they are all prime favorites With the best
| class OF readers. They may, indeed. be called
| modern classics, and are wholly worthy the
| honor thus conferred upon them, as will be I'M
| derstood when it is stated that Lowell How
| ellis, Harte and Burroughs are announced as
| among the authors whose writings will be in
| cluded in the new series.
AT THE SIGN OF THE TYRE BY AUSTIN DOB
son New York I; Henry Holt d Co. Washing
| To most readers of the newspapers of the dav
| much of the attractive poetry in this ex-
| ceptionally handsome volume will be famil-
| lar, for Mr.. Dobson is one of the few modern
writers of verse in the enjoyment of such claims
to Immortality as wide contemporary popu-
larity can give, although some of the best things
IN the COLLECTION appear here for the first time.
| Whatever Mr.. Dobson writes is characterized
by freshness of fancy, grace ofsty1e and airiness
| OF touch, making his verses delightful reading
| always. Those not familiar with his style can
| gain some idea of II from the rhymed preface,
| which is very dainty and charming:
at the Sign of the Lyre.'
GOOD folks: we present YOU,
4 With the pick of our quire--
And we hope to content you'
Here he Ballad and Song
| The fruits Of our leisure.
Some short and some long
! May they all give YOU pleasure
We shall fail TO restore you,
! Farewell and God-speed-
| The world is before you"
THE SECRET OF DEATH qrom the sanslzrit)
| With Some Collected Poems. By EpwIN ARNOLD
MA. author of The Light of Asia" etc. Bos
ton Roberts Brothers. Washington: Brenfano
| While this volume does not touch the high
standard of 1.-The Light OF Asia" il will find
many admiring readers. 1t shows everywhere
evidence of the authors wide range of reading
his knowledge OF many languages and his
| talent as poet but it is doubtful whether the
collection contains single piece which will add
materially to his fame OF the longer poems,
| the "Nencia" of Lorenzo de Medici Is perhaps
the best. 1t Is certainly preferable to the title
poem, which suffers from the disadvantages OF
containing too many Sanskrit phrases aud
deliberately accented words, that serve To con-
fuse rather than eniighten the average reader.
EDGAR POE AND HIS CRITICS BY SARAH
| HELEN WHITMAN. Second Edition. With Por-
| trait. Providence: Tbbiits & Preston.
This is reprint of q sympathetic and appre-
cfative estimate of the genius of Edgar A. Poe,
| published quarter of century ago, 10 vindi-
! cate his fame in a general way, and especially
/ from the assaults made upon il at the time of
his death by DIR. Rufus Griswold and other I'M
friendly critics a sort Of revival OF interest in
| Poe affords the opportunity for new edition
| which
reading on its own account as a very charming
literary production.
| Since there must he a limit TO the supply of
suitable material, it follows that the series of
Stories by American Authors, projected some
! time ago by Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons
| would have to come to an end some time; but
| the reading public will nevertheless regret to
learn that the tenth volume, Just out, is TO be
| the last. The standard of excellence adopted
| in the beginning has been well maintained
! throughout, and the set makes very attractive
| cabinet OF light reading well printed. substan-
| TALLY bound, and furnished at a surprisingly
low figure, even for these times low prices.
Under the title of Birthday Flowers" White,
Stokes & Allen have published pretty little
| card-board-and-fring brochure, containing half
| a score Of suitable poems, illustrated with col
| ored drawings OF flowers, after nature, by Susie
| Bars;ow Shedding. whose talent in that line of
| art we have heretofore had occasion to com
| mend. In both text and plates it Is well
| adapted for the purpose intended. and will
make a valued keep sake for a young lady with
4
| The admirers of General Gordon will find
| much TO interest them in a neat little ribbon
| tied compilation from his letters, ETC.. made by
Laura c. Holloway, and published by Funk &
Wagnalls. They give the reader an excellent
idea of his character, in showing the lofty esti-
mates he placed on duty, religion and the varied
| responsibilities oflife.
| ain the Distance" about the best If not the
very best, story Mr.. George Parsons Lathrop
has written, has been added to Scribners' cheap
paper-cover edition Of novels. -
The second or February number of Mr.. HEX
| cox's very useful Monthly Catalogue OF United
| States Publications has been issued, and is now
| ready for circulation.
Saturday Smiles.
| The man who runs the restaurant in the Capi-
tol at Washington has, in defiance of the theory
that public Office is public trust, shut down
on the credit system.-Chicdgo Neacs.
| A scientific journal in reply to the question,
"What is foam?" publishes article two col
umns in length. It could have been answered
more briefly: 1t is what you pay five cents for
| and blow into the Observation-Disclosures Re
publican.
Jinks.-Your wife is making a crazy quilt,
isn't shee
Mfnks Qaughingly.l-Why yes; but 1t is a
| great secret. How did you know