New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-07
NEWB0oKS AND NEW EDITIONS

aThe Makers OF Modern English by W. J. Dawson
Thomas whittaker, is unhappily named 1t is really
what its subtitle announces, viz, popular hand
book to the greater poets of the century, Here again,
however, fuller specification Is needed, for 1t should
have read the greater English poets of the century,
since these alone dealt WITH The poets criticised
in the volume Burns, Byron Shelley, Keats Scout
Colcridge Southcy Wordsworth Hood, Mrs. Browhihs'
Tennyson, Robert Browning Matthew Arnold. Dah'e
Gabriel Rossetti Swinburnc and William MOTIFS by
ar the greatest amount Of space given to Wordsworth.
Tennyson and Browning, and these three essays sum-
cicntly indicate the vaue of the whole. Mr. DAWSON
Is careful and liberal-mndcd critic and does MS
best 10 be oven handed Still we cannot but THINK
his appreciation Of Wordsworth somewhat eNtIaVseaht
And his final estimate OF Tennyson CONSIDERABLY lou
low. But his criticism is honest and In the main
ludcious. His judgment Of Swnburne Is particularly
acute and sound. Such q book may be OF service 10
those who need guidance in their reading and who
have not examined for themselves the grounds upon
which prevailing opinions rest Mr.. Dawson Is Ger
tainy competent guide in most respects being well
informed, refined in taste, writer of excellent Eng
fish, and candid and free from prepossesson as q
critic may be. He is quick too, to perceive and
point out the higher and more spiritual qualities OF
the poets whose works he analyses, and his for
melody is true enough to be depended on. On the
whole he has written very clever and conscientious
hand -book and of the best in its class.
The value OF Henry c. Lockwood's constitutional
History Of France, Grand, McNally & co., is not
altogether clear, though the appendices, in which full
translations given Of all tho various French con-
sttutons from 1880 to 1882 may prove convenient
for reference. A constitutional history of France
which begins with the Revolution must in the very
nature OF things be inadequate and misleading The
Revolution as matter of fact did succeed in destroy
ing all that had gone before, in doing without the
past in its work of reconstruction. Even had it done
So careful study of that fact would have been equally
Indispensable to a knowledge of the modern situation.
But Mr.. Lockw Jod has undertaken to compress too
much within a space. constitutional history
Of France could scarcely be given in outline In the
P72 pages here assigned to it. More than this, the
luthor SLOWS no profound study Of his period, ana
has no ideas to Offer The best that can be said
Of the book is that it contains series of generally
good portraits of French notablitics.
Undcr the title Making the Best Of Things Mr.. E.
Gender Gray publishes (G. p Putnam's sons) num-
Der Of essays which the author caracerizes as idle
musings" Now idle musings not often lively
reading, and essays about things in general are as
rule exceedingly drcary and oppressive. Mr.. Gray
has not succeeded much better than the host of his
predecessors in this tempting but peilous path. His
sssays good humored. So much may fairly be said
Tor them. He is given to making large citations from
hyorite authors, and TINS variety is secured. OF
bis own judgments and meditations there is however,
tery little to be noted. They are rather common
place, and while stupid or offensive lacking in
most qualities which tend to justify publication.
Mr.. Charles Pryor. of the Nev-cork Historical So
cicty, has had printed for private distribution modest
little book entitled legends. Traditions and Super
stitions Of Wcstchester" 1t is highly interesting
collection Of those weird stories and d-tlme super
etitions in the reduction of which Washington Irving
delighted, and Mr.. Pryor has clothed these capital
ghost and other stories in language modelled quite
suggestively upon the style of the older writer and
fitting the subjects singulary Wei. The variety is
considerable. We find haunted brooks and houses
spirit ladies, mysterious farmhonses. quaint and cee
legends half Dutch, half AnglO-Saxon. traditions of
The Indians, tales of buried treasure. and all the
staple topics of winter esde gossip in the country in
bygone times. At least il is to be supposed that the
farmers longer discuss such subjects for the story
tellers of the day never represent them doing
Net there modern supersttions and modern legends
too. and ii is rather curious fact that the most
material of all modern inventions, the railroad, has
already gathered about it strange accrcton Of super
natural barnacles, Mr.. Pryor. however. very prop
erly confines himself TO old Westchester in his re-
searches, and he has done his work well that the
reader be disappointed at the brevity of the
record.