New-York tribune., 1886-11-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,,,,cTpATED BOOKS.


wrrJ.wokN ROADS. BY r. Ro.tSn: Houshton,
S,m,n S,cs,,js'.SSc = c.. :1''' iss7 ~ ox s,,
~us I.y OF THE LAST MINSTREL sGL BS.,ous SI
Tf:knor & Co. 1857. po.asp
The handsome volume on "Wel-"o "o"N
.ontains reproductions of various water oo0'' ""N
drawings made by Mr.. Smith during lor"'Sh '"i'
- .o.,ch of the picturesque. These are accom-
r.n;sa nv stories of sketching experiences anu au
yer, ,nres told with ease and humor. III yo" WIN
draw another easy chair mp to my nre' says M
Smith. al will bring Won out my poruo"' """
hand You the sketches. They VIII DO SHOWN y"u
haphazard. and while you critic'se their 'nol'-
comiugs, will tell you as simply rs can uh"er
.h,t c;rcumstances and conditions they were
painted. narrowing my descriptions to the groups
,vho leaked over my shoulder while l worked, ana
who daily formed my circle of acquaintance ~
"a in this spirt; that Mr.. Smith has written, ana
tbe element of human interest IN MS parfaton'
with the presence of the writer's personaIi's'
gives them an attractiveness of their own. ihoy
contain no information of any value 10 anSpon''
information Is ont of season after dinner and these
1sll,old stores come in aptly with the coffee ana
cigarette. Their easy conversational stVio may
become slipshod and then. and II we arc W
take matters seriously We may suspect that tne'o
.Letches vould not bear much rereading But TINS
Il al
panvips text" even if feequite ready 10 SEQ INC
raconteur doh his professional nia"nei W ~
we close the book.
The water colors and drawings, some aireany
familiar. represent bits of Holland, SPAIN Venice
md Bavaria g.teways and church interiors; canai
scenes. gimpses of Venetian quays. ana many "e'i-
chosen architectural fragments Inc ar'o' mas
laen ave for good situations, a lively appreciation
of t.ng snbects aud he has the ability to express
himself in a manner direct yet thoroughly symps-
thetic, honest and intelligent. HIS sketches may
seldom hold us for long. but they rarely lack tae
mower TO please The water colors. sixteen IN num-
ber have been reproduced as fnl-page pho.o
types. presumably by the Lewis process Inc
rroc.s. emploved initiates texture with considera-
ble 6deIity but the deficiencies of American repro
ductlyo processes are especially manifest IN tue
translation Of water colors Some appearances oi
thinuess might of course have been expecteu'ouV
what We feel the want of most Is the transparency
briiliancy and vivacity which are tue pecui'ai
properties of the original medium Color va'ues
are not so hopelossly lost in these prints as VI
many reproductions which we see, ana larry ciesi
definition 10 evidently possible wherever snalp
definition is necessary. But the spirit Oh the water
color Is lost 1t may be that only polychromatic
printing could have preserved 1t. Ihe oul mono
chrome of these phototy pes saddehs and hnahy
ve.ries an eye which could enjoy nusated sucn re-
productions as for example, Deisilles illustrations
for the Book of the French Army" which are due
60 the modified process owned by Boussod 'aia-
don & Co. But the American Photographic repro
duct,ons of the day would have been deemed I'M
practicable ten or even five years since In addl-
ton 50 the prototypes of this volume there Is a
generous supply of illustrations in the text WHICH,
unlike most marginal notes, are interesting
After the fashion of the day. which s contnu-
ally introducing old friends in new garments THIS
edition of q The Lay of the Last Minstrel" has
been published with. rather for the sake OF,
ouantity of illustrations prepared under the super
vision of the veteran engraver, Mr.. A. " =. An
thony. In an age which claims to have out
grown Scott 1T is pleasant to note this reappear
ance of his stirring The illustrations are
characterized by an unpretencing hteralism.
They have been made by Messrs. e. IL. Garrett,
w. ST. John Harper, l.. S. lpssn and others. and
Messrs Anthony, Sylvester and 6. l.. johnson are
among the engravers. Mr.. Garrett, perhaps. ap-
pears to the best Vantage. partly on account Oh
his subjects although Mr. Harper has made niue
of figure subjects still more important Mr.. var
retts goblin page helps HIM out with a touch Oh
individuality which is sorely needed. The eDgrav-
ing rs usually fairly good. and the paper and pog-
raphy are excellent.