New-York tribune., 1889-12-19
BOOKS OF THE SEASON.

,r, ,... ., ,,.,,t,orpe,s Marble Faun can ma
no more fascinating edition OF their ia'V - .,
than that prepared by Houghton ior 'his "s - -
in paper in print and In pinous-"" -. 'hat
NJ its makeup indeed-it is caIcuia'eo W Won" 80
or answers IN heart in the book-colectors COM
nostion. The two volumes contain moreover my
tinted photographers of the views III honie anu " ~
treasures of art associated with the scenes Vi 'e
romance The edition is in every sense one 10 pe
coveted.
An unusually desirable edition OF Worus"or,hs
,,a, works prnted at the University Press, Glas-
vow has been issued by A. c. Armstrong d son.
II is in eight miniature volumes, printed IN clear Ve
~ excellent sze on good paper and tastefuly bound
Each volume has Illustration. the hrst peihg
nortrat of the poet. and the Others drawings OF
scenes connected with his life or works. These
little books are thoroughly convenient-they ARE
pleasant to handle and easy to Iead-a thing VINCE
cannot always be said of books whose small size
tempts printers the of proportionately sIhal
type.
Foual praise msy however be given 10 the little
volumes of The Stott Library Two Of these con-
tain the most notable essays of De Quincy ana TWO
those of Ella. They comfortable little BOOKS 10.
100 large for ladys pocket and the pleasantest Oh
gifts to traveller. The type does not strain tie
vision and the paper Is Of a soft tone Each XClune
has an etching as frontispiece. We do not particularly
admire the binding but condone it in view o tle
ether admirable qualities of the Library Additional
volumes contain the Essays of Montaigne' Elmer
IONS Essays, and those Of Lord Bacon.
The latest, fullest and best collection OF AUSTIN
DobsQns poems that in two handsome 12mo volumes
hearing the imprint the poets American publishers,
7lessrs Dodd Mead q Co. They are really beautnui
hooks worthy OF Mr. Dobsons saucy, airy and polshed
yerses-yerses that are the ribbons and aces OF the
English muse This edition contains some poems not
10 be found in the Others
The Good Things from Life" Of. A. Stokes Brother)
arc in truth good things, both in text and ilusraton
aIfes need ask no odds from Punch'-there Is more
snontaneous fun and real wit in number OF our
periodical than in year of Punches" moreover
Il is innocent fun and clear wit-whch may not be Sau
Of some other European contemporaries Our cne1
artists in social carcatre rarely dull there Is
nobody so rash as to say that of even Mr. Du Maurler
or Mr. Sambourne, or Mr.. Furness.
Mr.. C. J. Taylor's g In the 400 and out" Keppler
. scbwarzmann presents animated series OF satreS
On New-York life, wittily conceived and WIN ie"
executions, admirably drawn. Leu MIN "ho eo''
s-Chrstmasing remember how cheering a git ior ah
invalid would be this jolly BOOK
sThe Able Constantin," in English beautluIy
Illustrated by Madame Madeleine Lemaire ana prlh'cu
in the most engaging fashion, has been brought ou'
nv Dodd. Mead Co. Its bright paper cover gives II
a trim and foreign air, and. when 1t becomes solled'
should be replaced by a handsome blhdmg' 1ho
edition is well worth the palms.
A beruiling edition. in two volumes. of "select
rssavs NJ Dr. Johnson has been added TO MessrS.
Dent,s 9Temple Library" 1T is a limited edition.
500 comics of which have been brought out 10 this
country by Macmillan. An edition on large paper d
been limited to $50 copies. Professor Blrkpeck IH'
who has edited the essays TO perfection says In MS
entertaining preface that he is convinced that John
son,s reputation as essayist would from the hrst
have stood far higher had many OF his Ram
h,ersp never been written. The Doctors edltor
has done in the way of excision, what the
Doctor might have done for himself II a ume Oh
ease had ever come to that toworn BRAIN mere
we find the fine flower of his essays accompanied ny
careful notes, and printed IN style 10 uehsno
scholar Mr.. Herbert Railton's ctchings OF locahues
aociatea with Johnson are most delicatey and skill
fully executed.
Mr. George Cary Eggleston's collection OF Amer
lean War Ballads is included in two volumes OF
The series Of "Knickerbocker Nuggets" G T. Put
MANS Sons). AS the editor says, the conecuon Is
not complete, but it is, on the whole useiul ana
interesting 1t is pity that It's usefulness shoulu
not have been enhanced by the addition Of the
authors' names the table of contents and OF an
u index Of first lines poetical collection should
always include the of quick and easy reference
The juxtaposton of the Northern and southern poems
of the Civil War shows anew what any unprejudlced
critic must allow-that the poetry OF the North was
not only superior in the literary but also in
that spiritual that stirs the blood and thrills
the soul-that interior life of verse which we can no
more define than we can put finger on that spark
that is the spirit of this mortal frame"
Mr.. Eaton's "Acadian Legends" white q Allenl are
characterized by melody, pathos strong feeling for
nature and refined taste. The spirit OF Evangellnes
country has been absorbed by the poet, who cele-
brates the Gaspereau and all the region round about
with tender melancholy fitted to the scene ana lts
associations. lie has caught the old world atmo-
sphere which surrounds and mellows the LEGENDS or
that beautiful land, and has given to his verse
softness and repose which in perfect keeping with
the subject. The "Lyrics,7 which occupy much
more space in this pretty volume than the legends
exhibit the same taste and skill, conoined with
strong tendency toward the modern spirit of analysis
and reflection.
fine edition in two volumes Of Hazlitt's transla-
lion of De Virgnys powerful romance of Cinq Mars"
has been brought from the press OF Little, Brown
e. Co. The volumes are handsomely printed on
thick tinted paper, have Ganjeans etchngs of
Darvant's drawings and OF size not too large
for reading with comfort. The binding, in deep red
linen with rich arabesque band in gold is particularly
attractive.
Mr. Charles Morris has added to his "Half-Hour"
collections four volumes of Half Hours With the Best
Humorous Authors (J. b. Lippncott Company. Two
of these volumes filed with extracts from Ameri-
can works one is exclusively English; and the fourth
is mostly English, with few additions from Cont
mental authors. The collection provides for many
half hours of amusement although it contains matter
which to other than the compiler may not seem mirtl
provoking. Some particularly venerable pieces OF
humer might have been omitted from the American col
lection without impairing its representative effect
Here are some pretty, tiny kckshaws' of books in
the series Of Literary Gems" which have lately been
published by G. p. Putnams Sons. The collection in
cludes DR.. John Browns sketches OF Rab and His
Friends and Marjorie Fleming" lin volume); |
Matthew Arnold's Sweetness and Light; brakes |
"Culprit Fay; Poes " Gold Bug" GOldsmith's Good
Natured Man. and Mr. Cirtis's paper on Our Best !