The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-03-30
ROCKS AND AUTHORS.

"Literaturc and Poetry" by Rev. Philip Schaff,
d. D., the noted theologian and professor of
church history in the Union Theological Semi
nary, is a handsome volume of over four hum
drcd pages, issued from the press of Charles
Scribner's Sons Its contents consist of ten scho-
arly essays, written in clear and dgnifed style,
on 1.-THE English Language, 1.-THE Poetry of the
Bible,""The Dies Irp" "The University: Past,
Present, and Future" and Dante and his great
work, the "Divina Commedia" The essay on
the English language is especially noteworthy
and valuable. 1t considers briefly the sources
from which our vocabulary has been drawn;
shows that the strong, characteristic words of
the language are Anglo-Saxon; gives instructive
data concerning the proportion of words of
Anglo Saxon and other origins used by the great
writers of the English tongue, and indicates sue
cinctly the authors view of the future of Eng
lish. "All these pecuiaritles of the English" he
says point out its cosmopolitan destination.
We use this word, of course, only In n relative
sense. The English can never absorb the
thousand tongues now spoken on earth.
Our many-sided humanity will never be con-
tented with one speech. The difference of lam
guage and dialects will last long as the differ
ence of races and nations. The German, the
French, the Spanish, the Russian will expand
with the races that use them. But the progress
of humanity and of Christianity require the pre-
pOnderdnce of our language as common me-
dunn of international intercourse and Il con-
Meeting link between the various members of
the civilized world" ne language destined to
secure this preponderunce Dr. Schaff believes to
be the English.
Ex-senator Nathaniel p. Hill, of Colorado, has
just published a volume containing some of the
speeches which he has delivered in the National
Senate and elsewhere. Among the more impor-
tant questions now agitatng the public mind,
and receiving the consideration of Congress, are
those relating to the postal telegraph and the sill
yer coinage. During Mr.. Hills service in the
Senate he was regarded an authority on both
these subjects. His speech on the postal tele-
graph was the first comprehensive presentation
of this subject in the Senate, and since then it
has been national question. But his advocacy
OF the silver question has generally been consid-
cred his most important work in the Senate.
While his first speech was delivered little more
than four years after the passage of the act Of
1878 remonetzing silver and when barely one
| hundred millions of dollars had been coined, yet
| his arguments are as pertinent and strong to-
day, when our coinage is approaching four hun
| dred millions, as they were then. The discussion
of these subjects during the last few months has
caused great inquiry for these speeches among
| those who wish to study these subjects carefully
| This volume includes all of his speeches deliv-
| cred in the Senate, together with some contribu-
tons to reviews, and also his addresses delivered
| since he left the Senate which bear on similar
| questions. The book is neatly printed and
bound, and is for sale at Brentano's, Morrison's,
and Lowdermilk's.
The fifth volume of John Gorham Palfrcy's
History of New England" is issued by Little,
Brown Co.. Boston. The author died in 1881,
leaving his work incomplete The present VOL
ume was prepared for the press by his son, f.
| w. Palfrey, but almost wholly from manuscripts
| left by his father. In preface the son explains
| that he has chosen to leave the work in a some
| what incomplete condition as to literary polish
rather than incur the risk of sacrificing the in
| tegrlty of the authors original text. The vol
ume contains copy of map of the inhabited
| portions of New England which was published
by Jeffreys in London in 1774 and is now in the
| Boston Public Library. The volume contains
Books V and vi, each consisting of thirteen
| chapters, and dealing with the progress of the
| Colonies under the first three Georges. The story
| is brought down to the appointment of Wash
ngton as Commander-in-C Chief of the Continen-
| tai forces.
Five Hundred Dollars and Other Stories of
| New England Life" by Heman w. Chaplin, is
issued by Little, Brown g. Co. in neat paper COW
ers and may be had at Robert Beall's for half a
| dollar. There are half dozen quaint and we'll
| told stories in the volume which has met with
such success that it is now in it's second edition.
The Studio has been converted into weekly
publication. and is now the only weekly art
journal published in America.
The April number of Frank Lesie's Popular
Monthly has as its leading article an illustrated
description of "The Senate and It's Leaders," by
Frederick S. Daniel. 1t is rather heavily writ
| ten.
| According to rumor which has received q
good deal of attention, the first volume of Prince
Blsmarck's unpublished correspondence. extend
ing from 1S62to 1880. is now almost ready for is-
sue, the second volume being expected to appear
| in autumn next.