The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-30
NEW BOOKS.

The DEATH PExAIrY.-A coasideration Of the
objections to capital punishment. with .
chapter on war. Questions Of the Day serfcs,
no; XVI NJ. By AnS drew Palm; New York
The object Of this work Is to arouse public
sentiment against capital punishment It e.
says to present every phase Of the question. al
ways with that object In view. The earlier chap
ters are devoted to specifically selected
examples OF the indifference manifested in
semi-barbaric times 10 human life, and proceed
to exhibit the barbarian OF the death penalty in
. civiIise1 aga.
The author has made collection OF very Gu
rious, interesting and sometimes blood-curdling
literature On the subject and II sentiment de-
termined the matter there would be little left to
say. The especial value of the book, however, il
in its chapter on the reformation of the Grim.
tnaL The author gives weight to the consider.
alton, not entertained BY the unthinking, that
although murder is regarded as the worst Of
crimes, the murderer is not always the worst Of
criminals. Death may be occaxioned By blow
given with no more force or generalization than
mere act Of indignant chastisement
There are daily thousands OF brawiers who
strike at each other with a momentary venom
and hatred which have all the intention of MUIR
der, but which fall short Of the crime only by
accident The book is, altogether, valuable
contribution to literature on the subject, a.
ahording within small compass varied in
formation, but the conclusions are not reached
by the logical road by which abolition of capital
punishment viii one day Be determined.
THE LIGHT or THE woRID: OF, the Great Con.
summation: BY Sir Edwin Arnold. x. G. / E.,
c. L. snthor q aIhs Light OF Asia" New
The advent of the "Light of the World" has
bean watched for % long that, ~ expectation
heightened interest, the most exalted
anticipations were aroused. The ssIisht
Of Asia" was something more than .
poem, it was . revelation. AZ much can
not be said Of 1.-THE Light of the World It 81
an exquisite poem: it is story told In the Ian
guage OF q poet whose diction il entirely his
own. and in which learning vies with imagery.
The poet enters upon his task with full con-
sciousness OF the responsibility Of his under
taking. The earlier pages, although Astounding
In delightful passages, show less ease than when
the theme is fairly entered upon. The story
told by Lady Miriam, the pcnitent Magdalene,
TO the wise man from the East who desired to
know the story of Christ, the Redeemer, is won
derfuily fascinating. 1t can easily be imagined
how reader already imbued with pious revef-
ence for the subject Of the poem, would become
enfhralled by the manner of the telling, but
even those less sensitive must be charmed by q
story which Is 50 stupendous in its consequences
to the human race. The endeavor to carry the
poem to the dramatic climax of the consumma.
ton afforded By the resurrection leads to q
hating and not altogether poetic conclusion
From literary standpoint the pathos is ex-
haussed at that supreme moment when
the Son of Man gave up his life in the atone
ment. But even in that the modern poet Is
hardly so dramatic in solemn simplicity as the
apostolic writers.
All, never since tears rolled--since human hearts
Beat quick with hope to break in black despair,
Lay Love SO wingiess, Faith 50 quite forlorn
As that dread day in guilty Golgotha.
1t is only very rarely that the poem reaches the
sublime grandeur of the Light OF Asia. 1t
breathes sweetness, mercy, forgiveness and love;
tits pathetic but it tells only the story of sac
rifce-of martyrdom-"That sweet story Of
old
body who psetends to any acquaintance with
current literature will fail to read it, and few
will TAIL to enjoy it.
LETTERS OF PHILIP DoRNER. FOURTH EARL OF
CHEsTERFIELD, TO His GoDsoS AND SUCCESSOR.
Now first edited from the originals by the Earl
OF Carnaryon. With portraits and illustra-
tions. La two volumes. New York and Lon
don: g. p. Putnains Sons.
The life OF Lord Chesterfield began in 1884.
nearly 200 years ago. He knew all the celebrat-
ed men of one OF the most brilliant periods of
English history. He himself occupied distin.
guished position during his long and active life
but most of his contemporaries have passed out
In the pages OF books. Lord Chesterfield by a
series OF letters to boy, who did not fulfil the
promises OF his school days, has taken rank with
a select few whose names will never die out
The edition under review is the best ever issued
from the press 1t contains much that never
saw light before, and it has the advantage OF the
scholarly experience of Lord Carnarvor one of
the most liberal minded statesmen of his day
The wonderful knowledge of human nature pos
sessed by the old nobleman, and his epigrau,.
matte style OF writing, made him a delightful
correspondent whose interest is still keen They
are now published part OF the series called
sknickerhocker Nuggets" the perfection of
book-making.
REPREsESTATIvE IRISH TALES. Compiled by
w. B. Yeats Two volumes. New York ana
London: G. p. Putname Sons.
| Another OF the Knickerbocker Nugget serie.
issued by this firm. II is unnecessary to do
more than speak in the general COMPLIMENTARY
terms this admirable series deserves. The
Irish tales are a compilation of tho choicest
characteristic stories of nation OF story tel,ers
The WORK OF Lover. Maginn. Griffin. Lever. Kick.
harn and Miss Rosa MnIho land have been
drawn upon to supply two little volumes with
such compact succession OF brilliantly witty
stories as ever came between two boards
The STORY OF ELEANOR LAMBERT. By Margaret
Brooke. New York; Cassell Publishing Gem
pany.
Cassell & Co. has made fortune in puhlish.
Ing such IN magazine aud book form Perhans
IL is because they appeal directly to the syrn.
pathy OF the greatest number. The story of
Eleanor Lambert 10 that o; many, and il is told
with simple interest II makes no presentiop.
TO study OF character. but for those who care
only to read the annals OF life whose incidents
are those OF human nature in its daily exneri.
ence, II viii have fascination of its own.
THE VIKINGS IN WESTERN CHRrSrrxDou A n
80 TO 4. ID. SIS BY c. +. Kcary, NJ A.
New York, G. P. Putnams Sons For sale hv
Lowman & Hanford. -
The influence of the Vikings in Western En-.
rope Is traced by the writer with thoroughnsss
OF research which vii. place his book an,ong tia
most valuable contributions 70 this inopiry' rha
wonderful race whose origin is lost In the p,lsss
OF antiquity and who bore down upon the w.r-
Ike Romans wherever Rome attempted 10 IN.
wade their domain, formed singular combine.
ton OF valor and simplicity Their superstitiop.
seem 10 have been based upon an iu,erprefa
ton Of perfectly natural causes which were
TO them phenomena They worshipped several
divlnities, but their great sod was Wooden. who
dweit In groves. He whispered his Commando
through the forests, and sent messages fhrcn.n
the murrnurs OF the brooks The aufhor ~.