New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-03
ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.

II the publishers OF Christmas books to realize
that " is better TO preserve harmony between the con-
tents Of book and its makeup than between the latter
and the supposed requirements OF the holiday season
there would be fewer monuments OF msdirected energy
like the volume OF Elizsbethan Songs in Honor Of
Love and Beauty" collected and illustrated by Ed
mund IL. Garrett Q4ttle, Brown & Coz This book
with Us white and gold binding, would look charming
centre table, that altar TO which the publishers
bring many offerings every year that ought TO be
burned thereon but, alas, never are. II is not the
kind OF book to find place readily on the shelves
Of booklover. The wise booklover has long since
possessed himself Of Mr.. Buen's halfdozen precious
snthooges, volumes rejoicing in hawess paper clear
type and stout bucIram covers. The sweetness oil
the Elzabethan Wrists is the sweetness OF Strength
the honey out OF the Lions mouth In spite
Of the cuphuistc influence Of Lyly ana his
followers the masculine note rings tnumpnahuy
through even the love songs of the dnmatsts. That
hotc i'll accordS with the frpperies Mr.. Garrett has
chosen for the decoration of his book. Illustrations
done In colors and headings ard tatpicces drawn
with the PEN such embellishments are unsympathe4c
and unwelcome. Furthermore Mr. Garrett should
have known that 1t is one of the most VICIOUS
habits Of the bookmaker TO letter quotations ana
headings on title pages and in tables OF contents
Not even the French, who do 1t well, can justify
tho practice For the purpose there is nothing 70
surpass type The best that can be said for this
book Is that ID may do something 10 stimulate taste
for Elizabethan poetry. Mr.. Andrew Lang furnishes
the harmless necessary introduction, dwelling upon
the adaptability Of oil Elizabethan lyrics TO the
musicians purposes, rather than upon the pecul
critics and conceits of amorous verse which arc
especially illustrated by the present selections
Harper Brothers have used just the right mode of
illustration in their Garfield" edition Of General Wal
lace's Ben Hur" novel Astounding in local COLOR
The numerous fupage plates photographers OF the
natural and architectural landmarks which still remain
In the East to bring the background Of the savours
life forciby before the modern traveller The margin
of every page of the two volumes bears two or three
pictorial notes from the pen Of Mr.. w. NJ Johnson. In
The shape Of sketches of utensils weapons coins cos
tunes furniture, landscape and buildings portrait
OF General Wallace is given frontispiece and the
title page is followed by fac smile OF the letter In
which President Garfield wrote to the author: with
this beautiful and rcverent book you have nghtened
the burden of my daily lfe." Thousands Of readers
will echo the Presidents words, and will prize this new
edition, which is really memorial of them.
Mr.. william Hamilton Gibson's informal papers on
the minor fora and fauna of America, which first ap
peared in of The Harper" periodicals, have been
republished In book-form under the title OF Sharp
Eyes A Rambler's Calendar of Fiftytwo Weeks Among
Insects Birds and Flowers" Harper Brothers) The
text is Instructive without being pedantic. Mr.
Gibson apologies for the occasional assumption OF
the pedagogc attitude, but his apology was
needless. lie dscourses Of his observations modesty
and in so pleasantly social and ehaty fashion that
he is accepted at less companion than as
teacher. In him the artist is combined with the
naturalist and author fact which lends powerful
attraction to this volume. In the Of the young
reader TO whom the book is primarily addressed, the
Illustrations are invaluable they leave no doubt as
TO the character of the object represented.
The "songs of the Sea-" selected, illustrated and
published I'm oblong quarto, by Mr. Reynolds Beal
If A. Stokes & CO.., would better be left unsung
If they re to receive such pictorial accompaniment
ms Mr. Beal has given them. For similar reason
the Drift From the of Life" rescued and placed
between covers by Mr.. c. NICK. Smith IF. A. Stokes
& co.,. would better have been left 10 drift.