New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-29
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
so,rr rnrrroNs OF suAKEsPEARE.


The third volume of the Henry Irving Shakes
are has been issued sScribner & Wclford) 1t con-
sains King john" King Richard the Third
The Merchant of Venice" and the First and Sec
ond Parts of King Henry the Fourth The
several special features of this handsome edition
are maintained at a high point Of efficiency. Inc
introductions are fresh. suggestive, scholarly ana
NOT too long. The fulness and iudiciousness OF
the notes continue to merit unusual commenda-
ton and excellent discrimination is shown in the
classification Of these commentaries. A trust
worthy indication Of the cautious conservatism
controlling the editors Is the paucity Oh tncr
original cancellations suggested or adopted
Original cancellations are always to be mstrusteo
Init Young editors--and sometimes veterans too'-
are sorely tempted to try their hands at improving
the text of Shakespeare. Mr.. Browns fllustra-
lions are for the most part spirited and happy
and the Irving edition is not less helpful to the
student and player than pleasing to the eye trained
TO appreciate good mechanism IN book-malung'
The yariorum edition OF Shakespeare edited by
Horace Howard Furness philadelphia j. b. LIP
piucott Col has reached its seventh volume.
which is occupied with The Merchant OF Venice
For the uses of the student this EDITION is 30
convenient that were it complete 1t wouio DC ih-
dispensable Every reading, every commentary,
every correlate fact has been gathered WIN
patient toll By DR.. Furness and arranged WIN
the utmost care. All the various readings OF Inc
Merchant of Venice from the First ouar'o
downward are to be found in this volume. lhere
are also collations Of all the important critcisms
and dissertations upon special TOPICS as ZOE III
stance. the law Of the splay The text adopted
is that of the First Folio. Some change IN the
order Of arrangement has been made topics here
tofore discussed in the preface to the play being
welcome. since it facilitates comparison and re-
search. An omission which ought not to have
occurred detracts from the value of the present.
volume. II has no table of contents ana the
presence of an index cannot compensate 1or inns
lack In all other respects the variorum edition
is admirable. and it is beautifully printed Oh
heavy paper which is delight to the eye
The Annis Publishing Company have issued
handsome ouarto edition of William Cullen Bry-
ant and +. A. Duyckincl's Shakespeare, with
j 90 photographers from the designs OF r. y. y.
barley and Alonzo Chapel The work is issued IN
parts and is q subscription book Inc teNt Is
mainly that of the First Folio and the notes OF
the editors are condensed and restrained IN
manner to be approved by all true lovers OF
Shakespeare Mr. Bryant wished to cdnfne his
comment to matters of archaism or points OF
absolute and obvious corruption and has RETAINED
civilizations The plays clearly and well
printed with legible type, on strong paper Inc
Illustrations are of varying merit Some oil Mr.
Darley's are as good any in this line, ana
some of Mr.. Chappel's are not at all good at
tention has been given to costume and surround
incs. and anachronisms have been avoided but
surely the artists might also have escaped the
clumsiness of presenting more than one ideal of
the same character The photogravure process
does not seem to have been worked with equal
skill. moreover Some Of the plates are decidedly
blurred. while others are very distinct AS
whole. however the Bryant edition may be con-
sdered a good one and the Illustrations beyond
the average.
Funk & Wagnalls publish Photographic fac
smile of the First Folio of Shakespeare. AS
working edition this is not satisfactory, the re-
duction from the 623 folio having been carried
SO far that the text is painful to the eyes. More
over. it is not new edition. but reproduction
of the Booth Photographic facsimile and appar-
emily from old and worn plates. Its issue was
prompted by the Donnclly book but that has
fallen fat and even if any one had the leisure to
waste in following the fantasies and impudent
tricks of that writer it would be necessary to use
the Howard Staunton Photographic fac-simile,
which is really the only volume having just
claim TO be considered an exact replica of the
First Folio That work. however. has become
very hard to obtain. and fresh issue of it
would be much more to the purpose than the
publication under notice.