New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-08
SOME NEW BOOKS.

The ninth volume of Mr.. Bgclow's edition OF
Frank ms Works &C., p Putnams sons carries the
correspondence from l7s+l7se. The letters are more
miscellaneous and less political, and breathe the re-
pose which the age Of the writer rendered natural
and fitting. Franklin's humor is abundantly Illus
tr~ted and his mechanical ingenuity and nexhausublc
thirst of knowledge still strongly in evidence.
He invents a small machine for reaching books down
from high shelves without climbing. He discusses
his favorite subject electricity. He speculaes ON
tho geology of Europe In of the letters OF l1Sa
he makes what perhaps the first suggestion HOOK
ing toward the building Of compartments IN SAILING
vessels. He is speaking Of a new plan Tor packet
line between England and America, ana he says AS
these vessels are not to be laden with goods their
holds may, without inconvenience, be divided Into
separate apartments after the Chinese manner, and
each Of those apartments caulked tight TO keep
ont waters This is interesting, but the Chinese
origin Of the plan is misty In this volume there
are also some Of Frankn's speeches in the Con-
stitutonal Convention, and fragment OF journal
The fifth volume of Appleton's Cyclopaedia Of
American Biography (Pckcring SUMTER has been
issued Besides the large number Of portraits on
wood printed in the text, 1t contains excellent steel
ensravtngs of General W. T. Sherman, Franklin Pierce,
President Polk, Admiral Porter, General Winfield
Scott. Secretary Seward, General p. H.
sheridan william Gilmore Smms, Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stowe, and Charles Sumner Some OF these
likenesses are from photographs, some from oil PANT
ings, and all are spirited and thoroughly well exc
cuted The biography Of General sherioA contains
the record OF his death That Of Professor PROCTOR
occurred probably after the volume had gone TO press
The present volume affords an exceptionally large
number of sketches OF distinguished men, and while
no doubt there will be some differences OF opinion
ne TO the space bestowed upon this or that person.
tho Judgment of tho editors appears to be on The
whole quito as sound and their arrangements as
satisfactory as reasonably be expected IN sucn
an enterprise The publishers continue to do their
full duty by the undertaking, the prnung anu Illus
tratton Of which leave nothing to be desired
MIR. Ernest Lefebvrc's work Embroidery and
Lace has been translated and annotated ov MI
Alan s. Cole, and is published by the Lippncous'
This volume constitutes excellent handbook lor
amateurs and collectors and the historical account Oh
tho various kinds of needework and lace IS interesting
enough TO satisfy the general reader The book is
very fully illustrated and Mr. Cole has added several
enprayinrs TO the original French collection besides
charging the text to some extent and introducing
number OF useful explanatory notes.
The Happy Prince, and Other Tales by oscar
Wilde with Illustrations by Walter Crane and ).
Hood Boston Roberts Brothers,, is rather curious
experiment In the writing of farytaleS. Mr. Wildes
humor is sardonic and faint of flavor, and his
morals arc not pointed with remarkable skill. The
cation of children, nor can It be said that they are
marked BY an altogether wholesome tone: suspicion,
now of cynlcism, now of pcssimsm, interfering with
their geniaity. Perhaps "The Devoted Friend" is
artstcaly the BEST but tho moral of 1t is assuredly
not such as be commended TO the young. The
illustrations are few but good
The fifth volume Of the Macmillan edition Of
Brownng's Poetical Works includes the Dramatic
Romancess and Christmas Eve and Easter Day"
~ fbo lie frnu
of the earlier editions but change has apparently
been made in the text and probably no change which
would not have been for the worse could have been
made The second thoughts Of poets as instanccd in
the of Lord Tennyson, apt TO be less fectous
than their first Inspirations
The "Tulipe Noirer of Alexardre Dumas mas been
added by W. r. jenkins to his editions of French
classics in a neat and handy form.
From the same publisher have Guy dc Maupas
SAINTS "sur LEau," with admirable illustrations by
Rion in the style Of Daudet's Tartarin books. The
text is a light and breezy description of yachting
portnty for gossppy discussion of whatever strikes
his fancy or rouses his imagination
the Germanic Constitution from Early Times to the
Dissolution of the Empire" &C. p Putnam's Sonsl. 1t
Is succnctly written, and while full enough for text
book, presents the growth, changes and decline of
the Germanc Constitution In all interesting way The
title sufficiently indicates that the modern period is
not dealt with in this volume.