New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-11
SOME NEW BOOKS.

Gp Putnam Sons publish Christian Theism.'
BY d. B. Purinton, LII. ID. The author occupies
the chair of metaphysics in West virginia Uni
versity. His book is of a character TO commend
itself 70 those who are already fully convinced
on the subjects treated OF, but its docmatic tone
seems anything but well adapted TO attract or
persnade such as need TO be convinced. IL is
scarcely necessary TO say that DR.. Purinton brings
ne new thought 10 his topic, but it may be con-
tidered that il such an argument was worth max
ing at all il was worth making thoroughly
Writer'S like Herbert Spencer, Haeokel, etc. can
not be answered in a few sentences, nor can
carefully elaborated systems of philosophy De eS-
amined in 50 fi-hand a fashion. Inadequate
treatment Of the objections to his own POSITIONS
is, however, the dominant characteristic OF this
volume. and the defect must be held to more than
outweigh the unreasonable sincerity ana
benefcence Of the authors purpose. IL may De
said broadly that Christian Thesm is not heiped
bv e1cb books nor can the materialistc positions
of science and agnosticism be carried py Such
spasmodic and ill-organized assaults. ihere -
ample room for all the work that the Dest Ohris
fian intellects can do in the eXaminat'oh anu rei
utAton of the modern anti-Christan arguments
hut to be effective this work must be no less
serious, full and exact than that against whch IL
is directed, and every attempt to answer siege
guns with light artillery Is sure TO react HIS
chieveusly. upon the eXperinenters
D. Appleton & Co. issue really au~irsoie
.ext-book BIZ, Edward Eggleston as FIRST BOOK
in American History. with special reference W
the lives and deeds of great Americans what
ever middleaged man opens THIS DOCK VIII "o
struck first by the beauty and the artistic merit OIL
,he Illustrations. and will inevitably recall the
school books Of his own youth, with their hide
onsN crude wood.cuts. their blunt, uneven type
coarse aper and bad prcss-work. The children into
whose hands Mr.. Egglestons oharmingy writteh
volume is put will have before them PICTURES
yianetses etc, almost as eXqulslteiy mihS as
those which adorn Couquets editions de luxe
Even the maps are so drawn as 70 m'eresV "s
,eu ne instruct and all that fine paper, beautiful
clear type and careful printing can effect mas
hoen done by the publishers The text is skill
fully written and is well adapted to interest
Young minds in the dongs of great Americans
feoture of the book is the device for illustrating
Tho growth of the United States by object lessons
We have from 'Putnam's Sons The Lana OF
the Viking and the Empire of the lsar' ny H.
Frazer Blackstock illustrated. The book has
the merit of being small, but it possesses no
other that can he discerncd. IL Is record oi
travel in Norway and Russia in no respect above
che guide hook standard apd il contains nothing
nev or interesting. The illustrations are equally
commonplace, and the best that can be SAID oil
the volume is that it may be gone through IN
about an hour.
Bclford, Clarke 4, Co. issue fifth edlhon OF
hudson SaMes Art Of Dancing which, us
the title page informs us, embraces a iuli de-
scrjrtion of the various dances OF the present
dav together with chapters on etiquette, the
benefits and history Of dancing.' MI Saure is,
naturally a teacher of dancing and, as Is httlng IN
the autho- Of such manual an enthusiast III MS
calling Then he speaks Of the history OF dahc-
ing as one of the most fascinating SUBJECTS OF
ancient or modern history" and no one who
roads his book will doubt that in this naive re-
mark the good teacher is perfectly serious and
,i,cere The rules of etiquette as here laid down
,oev nerhaps appear TO bear somewhat hardly
npon the dancing youth, whose courtesy Is eX-
nccted 70 Withstand severe tests, though that of
his mariner is scarcely drawn upon at All, every
dereHction on ,her part being merely 1resh OPP
,portunity for him TO exhibit his fine oreedihB
No doubt the discipline is good for MN: puo Is
the, scheme of discipline altogether Wholesonhe
for her ? These be parious problems, which he VINO
zealousIy studies Mr.. Saure's book may POSSIBLY
discover the solution Of As TO dances, new ana
old. the rules for them are al there, and for the
most mart illustrated by diagrams which at the
first glance might be mistaken for grouped pat
terms OF shoe soeS or vessels coming into collision
with one another at various angles. Mr.. Saure
concludes with the intmstion that at no distant
day. he will present TO his readers an exhaustive
history Of dancing.