Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-12
BOOK WORLD.
SOME OF THE LATEST AND
S RANGEST OF BOOKS.
Travel, Poetry, Law, Philosophy,
History, Fiction, Song,
Evolution, Etc.

Saint Gregory's Guest and Recent
Poems" by J. G. Whittier, is q neat parch-
ment-coyer issue Of poems from the favor
lite American bard issued by Houghton,
Miffiin & Co., Boston and New York, and
for sale by C. S. Houghten, Sacramento, al
81. Whittier says of the little book that,
for IN issue of q volunee of verse when one
is Gu the verge of fear score, there cen be
e8ered no adequate excuse. But there is
none needed. The venerable poet 4eed not
nave apologiSed for it. In his ripe old age
there is mellowness and favor to the
emanations of his genius that, in more re-
spects than one, rises superior 10 the best
efforts of his more vigorous manhood
One of the mere beautiful ana devotional
of the poems we reproduce in another part
OF this paper. III proof of this statement.
Evolntien Today is & summary of
the theory of evolution as held by scien-
lists 81 the present time, ami an account of
the progress made by the discussions and
lnyestlge'l ons OF a quarter of century. 1t
is by Il. w. Conn, Pb D., Instructor OF
Biology'at the Wesleyan University. 1t IS
a large octavo.from the press of G. p. Put
mans Sons, New York and London. SID
for sale by A. L. Bancroft & Co., San Frsn-
cisco. 1t is timely to present a summary
of the literature of thisssubject, since il mas
grown quite beyond she capacity of even
d5Egent readers. Not that one should read
all that has been written on the plsTioso-
Ply, but he must give some examination
70 all, lest there escape him.when least ex-
pected some thought expression that is es-
sential to complete information of the liter
allure of the subject. The truth is confessed
that more misconception of the evolution
airy theories exists than of correct COM
prehension. Probably a knowledge of
this fact led Professor Conn to prepare
the volume under notice. 1t is q summing
up, a marshaling of the proofs, an array
ing of the undsputed propositions and
segregation of the questions still at issue.
And the work has been well DONE Pro-
fessor Conn has done good service in
bringing the subject down from the tech
nical shelf. He has endeavored TO popu-
larize the reading OF his volume by
| methods of simplification, thus inviting
for his volume broader clieatage of gen.
eral readers than Darwin or Gray or
Spencer are likely to receive. Professor
Conn prefers to treat the sub5sct within the
lines originally projected by Darwin. He
presents in lucid text, and with very con-
else method of statement, the foundation
of the evelutional theory and the super
structure that il has built for itself. Since
the ponderosity of Darwin S works consti-
tute barrier only the few can pass, the
comprehensive work OF Professor Conn
will meet with popular faver for it sum-
marizes the various lines of arguments adj
vanced and discussed upon all sides.
7 IS II
D., poet, statesman, philosopher, with ex-
tracts from his works and hitherto unpub-
lished poems, by Charles Burr Todd"
Barlow's name is little known to the new
generation of readers, yet he was one of
the great men of the post-revolutionary
age. ltwas he who first gave American
verse place in literature, and his prose as
Mr.. Todd phrases it, contributed largely
to the triumph of republieanism in 1900.
He was the first American cosmopolite,
and twice made use of his position 10 avert
a threatened foreign war He was god
father of the steamboat and canal, sponsor
with Jefferson to our present system of in
ternal improvements, and had he not been
cut off in his prime in foreign land he
would have carried out unquestionably his
grand idea of a National University. His
biography has never been attempted until
now, when the literary remains of Barlow
fell into Mr. Todd's hands. The only refer
ence before this made to Barlow in Amer
lean unwritten history occurs in an assault
upon him in McMaster's q History OF the
People of the United States" Vol H.. page
1893. From this Todd defends him, and al
leges that the attack is but the survival of
the vindictive campaign literature of 1893
1900. G. P Putnam's Sons, New York
San Francisco, A. L. Bancroft & Co.
The Story of the Nations, y is the title
of a series publication, begun by G. p. Put
nam's Sons, New York and London, some
months ago. 1t was novel and useful
suggestion. A volume of that series is
before Us entitled The Story of Chaldea
from the Earliest Times to the Rise of
Assyria." 1t is by Zenaide A. Ragozin,
Member of the chronological Society of
Paris, and of the Athenee Oriental. The
| work is copiously supplied with diagrams,
| maps and general illustrations. This book,
as also each of the series, while somewhat
! simplifed to popularize the scheme with
young readers is yet for adult gen
eral readers, and particularly those not
able for want of time to pursue thorough
historical reading. 1t has been said that
| there is error in the plan, because certain
historical facts cannot be made Z" easy of
comprehension in any form of statement.
This we take it is captious. 1t is true that
any historical event may engage the ma
ture mind, but there is none that may not
be appetiZing to the immature mind also,
and thus educate il up to taste for ex-
| haustive research.
In his octave volume entitled Elements
of Right and of the Law" George H. Smith
| of San Francisco has given US thoughtful
essay on the evolution of the law, the
growth and guards of human rights, their
| classification, the functions of government,
the administration of justice, rights of the
State, public and private rights, ownership,
etc. The subject embraces also historical
| review of the development of the English
| law, the iural theory, an exploitation of the
| legal theory dissertation of the supposed
distinction between legal and moral right,
the power of the sovereign the theory of
utility, etc. While it is philosophical
treatise, it is also a law book that is of
prime value in directing the mind of the
student and the practitioner out of the
channels and grooves of mere statutes and
forms to contemplation of the reasons
and purposes of laws and forms of govern
ment. 1t possesses the high virtues of
brevitv, clearness and logical treatme nt.
A. L. Bancroft & Co., San francisco.
From Saxon & Co, London and New
York. we have an advance copy of the
Salambo OF Gustave Flaubert, done into
English by NJ French Sheldon. This is
the first time that the masterpiece of the
genius of the French scholar Flaubert has
been given to readers in English.
Flaubert was SO years of age before he pub
lished anything. and Il before " Salambo
made its appearance. Flaubert was the
founder of the naturalistic school of liter
AZURE, which the Zola school of writers has
degraded to the satisfying of morbid appe--
tite5. Salambo " is a story of love and
war in the Carthagenian era, and fairly
dazzles with the brilliancy of its imagary
and the flashing of its living colors. 1t IS
a majestic work, out of which the artists OF
France have drawn Undesirable inspira-
ton for some of the richest works that
have graced the salon. The American
| News Company, New York, is publishers
| agent for the work.
From Baker & Taylor, New York. we
have an odd work. 1t is The History of
the United States" in chronological order
| from 1892 to 1885. 1t is the product of the
T. labor of Emery f. Childs If it purported
| to be treatise it would be unworthy any
mention, but as It is nothing more than
compilation of all the salient facts in
chronological order of happening that have
marked the growth of the American re-
public, ii possesses merit Under the date
of each year are set down the simple state
ment Of all important events OF each sue
e