New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-11
SOME NEW BOOKS.

In the Camelot series (London Walter scoco VIC
have English Prose- from Maundevile to Thsohoras
chosen and edited by Arthur Gallon" On the wnoo'
Mr. Cations selections appear 1udtcous, though We
should have chosen differently to illus rate DC ouhcey'
and though some Of the excerpts strike us as 100 snort
and others as too long. No doubt 1t Is Impossible
for an editor Of either prose or poetca sciectiohs 70
please ali the world and such an editor is qu'te rs'
in taking his own way and turning deai ear 70 ao-
vice and censure alike. A good deal might perhaps
be SAID as to the practical value of this KIND OF COM
pllaton We are inclined TO estimate I" worry hsn'S'
for We do not believe that any intelligent conception
Of national literature can be obtained In such man
ncr nor do think that the kind OF nakc-oeiieve
education so facilitated is at all worth forwarding
Mr. Gallon is rather truculent In his preface. Ho
hits at many people quito needlcssly. He lays down
The law Dramatically too, and might as have been
cxpected not always correctly. What, for example,
could be less Unsuitable or less accurate than the
rosve assertion that the most learned pholosiss,
ike most other men Of science usually write an ex-
ecrablc etylcs. Surely these are very wild and
whirling worisi OF philoogists need name but
three-Muller whitney. Mash-each of whom possesses
an excellent style. OF of science so long list
rises at once the memory when beauty OF style In
question that It is hard make selection but lux
ley Darwin, Tyndall, Fsraday, Carpenter sedg~1ck'
Lyall, Lubbock, Getkc, Dana, wnchel Crookcs, Chf-
ford and host OF equally familiar names Will occur
10 any witnesses against the reckless assertion
of this too hasty editor
Another volume in the Camelot series IS " Elm
Music An Anthology OF English Fairy Poetry. Sc
lccted and arranged with introduction, by Arthur
Edward Waite' london Walter Scott. 1t is pretty
and dsnty made little book edited with some care
but the whole undertaking is too frasmcntary and on
too small scale TO fulfil the apparent design An
anthology of English fairy poetry, moreover, which
contains no line from the most exquisite fairy poem
extant, Thomas Hoods plea for the Midsummer
Fairies is like Hamlet with the part of the Prince
Of Denmark left out. Nothing can excuse the abSo-
Lutte omission Of this inmitable poem. While speaking
of Hoods poem may suggest to American pub
fishers looking for gltseason novelties that the ade
ouate Illustration of this now almost forgotten mas
tcrpiece and fs publication In luxurious form ought
to repay whatever firm is enterprSing enough TO I'M
dertakc f. while It would be a boon TO public for
some time rather surfeited with minor poetry of
depressingy monotonous and unimagnative character
With the serious exception noted, Nh Waite has done
bis work fairly we'll He has at least brought to-
gether a considerable number Of poems about fairies,
and many interesting Fairy poetry, however, is
a wide field and the due exploration OF which de
mands at once space and a deeper knowledge of
folklore than this otherwise industrious and appre-
catve editor has had at his disposal HIS little book
nav serve as stimulus 10 curiosity on most inter
estng subject and perhaps this is the most that can
be expected from II.