New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

AND Nx f ~ ra Sn Emo pp
o29. Longmans. Green q Co. ,
Mr. Matthews is in very good vean III inc
majority of the papers he has collected IN 'i's
nrettiiv printed and bound volume-a Voiu"e
which Is further recommended to the favorable
consideration of fastidious readers by prologue
and epilogue in verse, the first contributed oy
Mr. A. Lang and the second by Dir. H. y. bunner'
There are eight articles or essays IN inc Voiuhe'
snd no one Of them is tiresome. Mr. Matthews
shows best in light and playful d1ssertauon' anu
seldom ventures upon didactacism. 1t is the sur
sao ~ current literature that he sldms, gathering
bright and amusing tribes as he goes, and these
hc slilfuily strings together a thread OF some
what airy and insubstantial chat His papers
{. On the ANTIQUITY of Jests," on " The French
sno,,en bv those who do not speak French on
I. Poker Talk" are fair examples Of his lighter
and brighter mood The essays on " The Ethics
ri Plagiarism" THE True Theory OF the Pre-
face and THE Philosophy Of the Short Story"
are perhaps somewhat moro ambitious but on
the whole less pleasing.
In dealing with what can only BY poetic H.
cense be termed the philosophy OF the SNORT
story. Mr. Matthews does what, indeed, several
other writer's had done before hirn-that is, talRs
nil round the subject, without advancing the gen
rral knowledge concerning it to an appreclaole
.xtcnt "The True Theory of the Preface" is
rather a melancholy example of a not too TO
bustly humorous idea spun out TO the tenuty
of Dacca muslin. The root-idea is that the
x,reface should be used TO win over the critics
whom Mr.. Matthews appears to regard win
mildly undeveloped feelings. Perhaps his most
rnalign insnuation about the much abused class
is to the effect that they would, could, mlgh''
or should be lined" thus easily. But, IN
truth, the fun of the suggestion scarcely suihces
20 Give light and life to the disquisition erected
upon it. and it comes perilousy near the line
(which we said had not been passed by the author.
The criticism upon Frederick Locker and Austin
Dobson is genial, appreciative and sound. The
paper on "The Songs of the Civil War is full
of interest. but it is not carried far enough
Liberal extracts from the songs themselves would
have added much to its value. AS to one or
two of the statements there is doubt But
she subject is a wide one, and MIR. Matthews
does not pretend to deal with it exhaustveiy
Somebody ought to give us a representative DOCK
ON the songs of the Civil War, and make the
collection, both of words and music, as complete
as possible.
DAYLIGHT LAND. BY W. H. II. Murray Illus,
trated with one hundred and forty Designs gI,net IN
s STos sp sss ' Roso operVSs "ppes Hurd
This is handsome volume so far as the
illustration and manufacture are concerned Inc
yariously tinted designs are merltorlous' inc
SiRnettes and tailpieces are often quite exquisite
In decacy and finish, the fuil-page illustrations
are effective. the paper is thick tbut TOO glossy,
and the type is large, clear. and shown 10 1ull
advantage by excellent press-work In TACT, the
illustrations and general mechanism OF the DOCK
make it well worth the price put upon It, Tor
it compares favorably with French work oil the
same kind. Nothing has been neglected, even
the paper wrapper being decorated Win oe-
sign possessing distinct merit.
The text is light and bright narrative en-
bracing the imaginary experiences of party
of men who meet ON one Of the overland rail-
WAYS after a separation of many years, and en-
doy new and amusing experiences together whlle
recalling the past with Renaissance and anec-
dote On this hght thread are strung descrlp-
fions Of the scenery through which the travellers
mass and these descriptions in turn serve to lntro-
,duce admirable sketches made by an artist who
went over the route for the purpose. The form
of the literary venture inevitably suggests a new
experiment in railway guide-books, but the author
does not stick closely enough to the road Tor
that and he is too much interested in the game
of the vatious regions through which he per-
sonally conducts his party to be altogether
trustworthy on mere questions of locality. HIS
STYLE is perhaps somewhat too persistently divert
ing not to become occasionally wearisOme. and
his travellers are too suave and smooth in their
diction to be quite natural. They pose overmuch,
even when telling hunting and fishing stories and
that is serious fault. Mr. Murray is at his
best when dealing with matters of pure sports
,manship and he has been rarely seconded by the
artist in treating of the big game Of the Rocky
Mountain country the examples of which given
here are beautifully produced.