New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-30
NEW BOOKS AND REPRINTS.

r.v .d,,,on NJ Edward Fizgcrald's translation OF
the Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam comes "o'n n'ue"
ton Mifiln & Co. II is geographically anu III eo"
eral makeup dainty little volume, ana IL POSSESSES
some special advantages textually Inc oo''or s"o.
sst the text Of tho fourth and last edition. 'nen 'ha
of the first edition. and finally numoer OF new
literal rendcfings from the original Persian in'ehue
to indicate the extent to which f1tzgeraiu u'raou
from the sense and the matter OF bis an'nor' heso
nnal notes also show when ana where .no N"'''aso'
has nterpoated stanzas not In the Original" anu o'o,
an instructive comparison between his work anu
methods and those of Whinicds translation Per-
baos the chief value of collatng the hrst ana 1ourh
editions consists In the light IL throws upon .no
practice Of poetcsl revision Mr. fHeerao au"'
one moro to the long list of melancholy ILLUSTRATIONS
of the mprudcnce OF tamperng WIN 'no ios'' ~
the original Inspiration BY far the greater numoec
~ Tho alleged emcndatons in the fourth edition are
changes for the worse, and the only real improve
meuts consist in tho addition OF wholly new s'ahAas'
Tho literal translaons appended 10 unis cu'io"
scrve TO show that though Mr. Fitzgerald certainly
took great liberties with "Old Omar, as no useo 10
cali the Astronomer Poet he succeeded In preserving
the spirit of the orignalfn remarAaoie ocsree anu
did no violence to its doctrine.
william S. Gottsberger publishes I" Pictures of Hell
las being five tales Of Ancient Greece, translated BY
Mary j. Stafford from the Danish Of Peder Mariager'
The authors plan is unconventional. lie throws ono
Of his stories back into the PelaSgan period, ana !"
all OF them avoids the usual method OF trying 10 To
construct ancient Greek society from an anhaeologca
point of view. Mr. Managers stories arc huen''
easy elastic interesting, the characters possess
Ing valty the like of which is generally conspcu-
Gus by its absence in the average attempt 10 depce
tho life of extinct civilizations. Whcther no mas
really succeeded in "rcsentng ancient creek ne
.. ~ course oni,e an, consideration, though not
one of great importance, seeing That IL - 'n ''o ~
of the case indcterminable
Under the title Roman Mosacs' Cdacmillan d
Co, the Rev. DR.. Hugh Macmillan has coiiected d
nrnher of uapers on various aspects Of the Eternal
CIV The subtitle Is "Studics In Rome anu us
Neiehborhoods and perhaps this Is better one td'
amnsaics" though there is literally some TAX ABOUT
Roman mosacs in tho book AS the Vists "hoSo
results the author gives made twelve years ago;
no mention need be expected of recent changes
bit the subjects which occupied the Doctors attention
ar those upon which time works little or no altera
ton He discusses the churches, the Appan way,
the Cumoean Sybl, mythical Footprints In kome' tho
Forum tho Obelisks, the marbles of Ancient kome,
Tasso and ST. Onoro, the Vatican Codex the Paihtea
Tomb at Veil Holed Stones and Martyr Weights, and
various other local subjects. The author writes an
agreeable STYLE is we'll informed, and while his work
Is anything but handbook, it may prove useiui ana
suggestive to those who visit Rome
Messrs Estes & Lauriat, of Boston, have repub-
lished In a handsome form Birds in Nature" col
lection of taas upon bird life by H. Bowder sharpe,
Of the Geological department Of the British Museum
Tic title may prove misleading, since Mr. SHARPE
t.eats of only thirty nine birds, most of which make
t.cir homes in the British Isles, or at least spend
sufficient time there between migrations TO become
closely Identified with the country. Concerning the
habits and pecullarties of these BIRDS Mr.. sharpe
dscourses in an aniablc and not unnteresting man
Ter with popular information" evidently as the
end in view. NJ. Sharpe takes pains to acknowledge
IA his preface that he is indebted Mr.. Henry See
Lutm for some of his descriptions, but we must con-
fss that his pride his own honesty seems uncalled
for There are thirty mine acknowledgements plates
rcuroducinr colored studies OF birds by z. Robert,
who has also furnished many head and tall pieces.
The book is we'll made, and those who interested
I'm the birds Of the country and the Continent
will doubtless do we'll TO consider the Illustrations of
I,obert and the text of Mr.. sharpe