Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.
Three Years of Arctic Service is the
title of Lieutenant A. NJ. Greelys book.
issued by Charles Scribner's Sons, New
York. The work is being presented by
canvassing agents, on the subscription
plan, at prices from S. so to IS so. The
volumes, two in number, are admirably
printed and richly and profusely illus
trated. 1t is seldom that finer art work in
wood engraving is seen in books of travel.
The views are all iron photographs, and
the portraits are especially noticeable for
their life-like expression and ineness of
execution. Each volume is of some $50
pages. The public is too well informed of
the tragic events of Lieutenant Greelys
expedition, its purposes, scientific results,
the terrible sutferings of the command
and the final rescue of its survivors,
TO call for any extended review of the dra-
matte incidents. The company of Lieu
tenant Greedy, ii will be remembered, at
tanned the farthest north position of record,
but at such sacrifice as has made even the
suggestion of further Arctic exploration
very distasteful TO the public. Greely's
party was known as the Lady Franklin Bay
expedition and its time covered the period
between 1881 and June %, 1884, when Cap
tain Schleys rescue party found the few
survivors, slowly starving and with Just
enough of life i'll them to give hope of saw
ing them. The two volumes under notice
constitute the transcript of Lieutenant
Greely's diary, no date of all the
three years being omitted in it.
There are attached valuable tables of
meteorological observations, maps between
pages and maps in covered pockets. There
is in the appendices also much noting of
the natural history of the country, with
some pictures of Arctic birds and some
account of the few natives of the region
about Fort Conger, at which point the
command had its headquarters and where
most of the observations were taken. The
volumes are published in response to a
very general demand for the remarkable
story of the Greedy party. Greedy writes
easily, with frankness and criticises
in spirit evidently inspired by
conscientious desire to do exact
justice. He has this much to
say of himself: g For a quarter of CEN
fury public servant, in war and in peace,
my faults are known. Cruelty and injus-
tice, however, are foreign to my nature
and | rejoice that during the nine months
| commanded party of suffering, starving,
dying comrades, l never treated any man
other than he justly merited." The story
of Arctic travel, the dramatic events that
always attach 20 it, the tragic interest that
is inseparable from it, make such books as
these volumes eagerly sought. No expedi-
ton that has gone out has excited
more of public sympathy than that
of Greedy. Not even in the faIe
of Sir John Franklin was the
public mind more keenly alive to the SUBJ
ject Greely's books will find place in
every well-stocked library. They are rec
ords of daring, of remarkable northern adj
vance, OF The earnest work of scientific or
ganization to adapt the science of meteorol-
ogy to the every need of man, of romantic
incident, of dauntless courage and I'M
paralleled suffering and misfortune. In
short, they are stories of truth stranger
than the widest fancies OF fiction; more
romantic than plots the most skillful move
list can evolve from his Imagination. OF
necessity the books are not of character
that enables an intelligent abstract of the
contents to be made. Diary work is al
WAYS the most difficult to review, nor can
any intelligent idea of be given of good
diary work by mere synopsis.
The Century Illustrated Magazine" for
June (the Century Company, New York;
is rich in illustration, notably so in the
illumination of Austin Dobson's Along
the Thames from Fulham to Chiswick,"
Mrs Van Rennslaers American Country
Dwellings," Ernest Ingersolls Harvard
Botanic Garden" John Burroughs admir-
able paper on Birds Eggs" Colonel
Douglas account of "Stonewall Jackson's
Campaign in Maryland" General Walkers
paper on "Harper's Ferry and Sharps-
burg" General Longstreets graphic paper
on The Invasion of Maryland" and one
or two other articles of less importance.
For a frontispiece there is an engraving of
bust of Franklin, an admirable picture
from the graver of Whitney. There is
capital dialect story of the war, by Thomas
Nelson Page, entitled Meh Lady" ]. NJ.
Buckley, D. D., has an interesting paper on
a Faith Healing and Kindred Phenomena"
The fifth installment of Howells' new
serial appears There is humorous story
by R. NJ Johnston; Antietam Scenes"
by Charles Carleton Coffin: paper on the
/" Unpublished Letters of Franklin" by u
NJ. Bigelow; a poem by Harriet Prescott
Spofford.
The g Magazine of Art y for June, Cas-
sell e Co., New York, has for a frontis-
piece Constable's " HayWain,n a picture
which was recently purchased for fabu-
lous sum, and presented to the national
gallery. "Guilford p" is the subject for
a most enticing pen and pencil study.
This paper is followed by one on Alex
ander Cabanel, with portrait of the painter
and reproduction of his famous ''Desde-
mona" There is paper on Some Eng
fish Carriages" The Cottage Countess,
is the subject of the paper on The Ro-
nance of Art "Driving Horses in Hun
gary from the original of Heinrich Lang
sCeltic Metal Work" during the Christian
period. An important contribution to
this number of the magazine is an
article on E. S. Morse's Japanese
Homes and Their Surroundings If
William Anderson, the engraver, has not
fiattered the work of Her Royal and Impe-
rial Highness, the Crown Princess of Ger
MANY, she is certainly a clever artist. An
interesting paper on Needlework as Art
and copious supply of notes close the
THE Popular Science Monthly" for
June is at hand from D. Appleton & Co,
New York. 1t is, as usual, replete with
papers of scientific and social interest.
Among the leading essays we note: Evo
luton Bounded by Theology" by w. B.
LIE Sueur, B. A.. An Economic Study OF
Mexico BY David Albells; " Primitive
Clocks by T. G. Mather; Factors of
Organic Evolution" by Herbert Spencer
g Counting Unconsciously," by Professor
Preyser; 1.-THE Millennium of Madness"
by DR.. Felix L. Oswald; Principles of
Domestic Fireplace Construction" by T.
Pridgin Teale 1.-The Poisons Spelling
Food by Julius Stinde. There are
other valuable papers, the usual admirable
collection OF science news, and the always
able editorial comments on current scien-
tific topics.
The 6 English Magazine for June MAC
milan & Co., New York;, is at hand. The
illustrations are very handsome. The con-
tents include W. E. Norris serial My
Friend Jim . Joseph Hatton's Yarmouth
and the Breads - WILL Wimbles Days
with Sir Roger de Coverly;;" the serial en-
titled "The Unequal Yoke" tconelusion);
Katharine s. McQuid's " In Umbria'' (part
q; DIR. Mackenzies The Singing Voice,
and other articles. This magazine has OBJ
tanned high rank among the better jour
nails of the magazine class, for small cost of
g The F. I'M for June (97 Fifth avenue,
New York;. is the fourth number of this
new candidate for favor among review read
ers. The table Of contents is: "Arhitrs-