New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW xODLlOA 1ONAA
From the press Of Onrhant, Anderson . Fss,'vN
Of Edinburgh, comes . nrat volume bearing the tiue
Of Bits About America" Its author. John ISo
IL John Strathcsk"l Is . Scotcbman who not long
ago made little tour In this country OBSERVING win
the shrcwa 80 kindly eyes Of HIS race ana setting
forth his observ atlons with candor IL 10 rocorus
no impressions which new to us DO glvss US tho
accustomed ones swectened by gcnai'ty which We
do not ten 1nd in transatlantic comment he hkes
Americans: he likes American ways: when no u
forced 10 dislike any OF them he does II Is N dy a.
apy sucking dove and he manages to UNDERSTAND us
pretty we'll though the reason why no American
woman will brush any mans boots has not yet 90
come apparent to him. The ladies OF fanHooiA"o
he admirers judciously as "staeiior. more duchess
like morn robuetious Scotice 'sonsier but lNss rosy
checked and blooming than their British sisters They
had moro self possession. more afability possibly
moro self assertion and great power OF expressing IN
few words exactly what they meant
Horn Americans. Mr.. Tod thought, "spoks we'll,
used fewer Saxon and more imported words than
British people accent observcdy nasal but there
was little waste Of speech conversation may nave
seemed curt, but It always courteous and there
was a trankness Of intercourse alike pleasing and
helpful to stranger The most interesting portion
Of Mr. Tods book deals with praries and prairie
farming. Here a a "bit' describing one sort Of
p.sirie-life:
when there wives or sisters on the iot
the nsdes of the houses are neither tidy nor empns
asked one settler-who had been patching IT, as
this life is called for some ycars-how often ne washeo
the dishes ,,s g., tho GUNNER season..
was his reply. Il take them to a slew and AFTER
rins,ng them gvo them good ruo Win piair''
IIow do you get on with the cookinsr
"wen. $3.50. 1t was hot work In summer sme,
hard Gs o TG sSoa,5 fOi ed to cook fowl bat
somehow didn't come right
What about re spring ls . cleaning
"The cleaning OF the house. .,. y,
that. Sometimes took broom. but 1t made moro
dust than before
and the clothes-washinC9'
"Tbe rain did a good deal sometimes gave some
Of them swl in creek. but they became TOO h''ie
Did YOU ever try sarching ironing''
This provoked a great laugh.
adronngl shirt collars unknown on tn.
prairie. l think have few somewhere; ou5 wnsro
I have no notion. Ironing, Starchng' Ha' ha'
was, however, told that man considered himself
nav the parson. not necessarily a wagon, although
That looked better for tho homecoming
The fifteenth volume OF the Dictionary OF Nauonai
biography (MacmIllan & Coz covers the letter D'
from Damondn to Drake This iucl"des names
NJ such general interest Dibdin, Dickens, Dooeii
Disrael Digby, Dodd, Doddridge Dodsiey, ponhe'
Douglas, D'orsay. and the BRAKES The biography
OF Dickens Is reasonably iul put tae CF"Nai eS'"eN
of his position as a writer is parrowcr than IL neeo
have BEEN To say that the literary qualities OF
Dickens appeal especially to hafeducated people u
less than just In the first place the number OF poo
,lc anywhere who are more than halfeducated Is ex
ceodngiy small. In the second place, tho mphca
lion that Dickens only appeals to those whose critical
power is defective, is distinctly not true This -
,r,orisb nerlod and among tie signs Of It's prgesh
ness IS the stupid fashion Of dcprcciating DIcKchS
The sketch of Dbdn, tho photographer. Is no' 100
frankly condemnaory OF the subjects iHteiaoy ana
general inaccurscy. great deal OF money has ocon
wasted upon lbdn's books, and great many libraries
have been spoiled by buying upon his suggestions while
his influence maintained for the space OF generation
perverso' fashion of estimating literary rubbish OK
fravagautly The life OF Dsraeli is moro apprec,avo
than might have expected, and consequently moro
lust His novels allowed a place SUCH as their
real merits entle them and his rank as statesman
IS no, bolitled Among he family names which speak
INC 81 Significantly that Of Doug One hundred and
twenty pages are occupied with the dOings OF these
active and influential Scotchmen and the energy and
masterful qualities which have always distinguished
the race are strhngly shown in this long list OF men
whose lives are deemed worthy OF permanent record
The volume ends with interesting and extended sketches
Of the adventurous and enterprising BRAKES.
Appleton & Co. publish A New Rendering Of the
Hebrew Psalms English Verso with notes critical
historical and biographical. including historical
versions by Dr.. Abraham Coles, whose name on the
tilepage is sufficient indication of he excellence and
tboroughncss of the work done. Indeed, Dr. Coles
has done much than produce fresh, vigorous and
harmonious version " the Psalms, though TINS was
alone well worth doing His full and scholarly notes
on the early versions Of Clement, Msrot sternhoid and
Hopkins and others, his sketches Of emnent persons
connected In various ways with particular psalms. his
literary and autographed information together mpar'
value and interest to this work which should Insure
An extensive circulation for IT, Very much OF tho hs
torfca aud other matter thus brought within the reach
of the public IS inaccessible TO such as have not means
of access public libraries, aud there Is certainly no
Christian household In the country which would not
lind both pleasure and instruction In DR.. Coes's com
pendlous and altogether unique volume. 1t may DO
added that In his version Of the Psalms no has wisely
preserved the rhyhmica swing and tho terso language
which distinguish early renderngs, and that hsro
fore those who been reared the old versions
need not fear finding their favortes changed out Of
ham ,icdr