New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-29
NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS

Mr. Henri Pene du Bots is a paradoxical Frenchman
in other words antorthodox man OF his country so
II Is not surprising that in the preface TO the booklet
OF Witty Wise and Wicked Maxims' which the Brcn-
tnnos publish for him. he should with an air, that
msxms are not valuable. Therefore he hnds an au-
ditional title for his book Phases and Phrases ~
His fastldousness at all like that OF the great
French writer Of maxlms La Rochcfoucauld lie asso
ciaes with the weiehty uttcranccs OF that nteh'c'
and with the work Of Nauvenargles and MonteSqmen
the remarks Of Mr.. Benjamin Penhalow ShiIiaber' VINO
once said, II seems, that we shall come 70 an emu
some day, though never live to SEQ H. anu
the very small talk OF Theophile Gautier. who OBJ
served Pashas like tigers like cats, cats are tigers
OF poor devils There Is something 10 provoke
smile. II not thought, on every page OF 'n's poo
II will have its little hour. We may remind MI u"
Bois that the phrase " Consider the hles winch n'
attributes TO Mr.. Thomas Wentworth Higsinsoh' was
printed some centusics ago in book most people
know better than they know the literary works OF the
Boston colonel.
solomon never guessed what would happen auer
the American civil war, and yet he said of making
hooks there is no end" That theme has proved
endlessly productive OF literature. "Down IN DiMe'
by Stanton F. Allen ID. Loihrop Cob Is an e"'e'
tanning narrative Of life In Union cavalry regiment
in Virginia during the eventful period between the
battle OF the Wilderness and the victory at App'mat
fox II IS all the more entertaining because the
author WAS a private soldier and because he connhes
himself TO his own personal experiences. WHAT 'nc
private soldier thoaght, how he guessed the PS "a
his commander by signs one Guesses AT the coming
weather his JOYS and sufferings In camp, on the
march, In the hospal-hcse are themes OF this DOOR
They are topics that win lose their interest rs
long as there are old soldiers left 10 hold camp
fire and youths TO train up In the way their fathers
trod.
Three volumes OF pleasant and enthusiastic bioe-
raphy. somewhat slight and rhetorical in spots, have
been published under the general title OF Inc Nori'
Of NLuslc. tBrentGnos) by ComeSSe de- Fremont one
Of these Is devoted Great singers, on" 10 "'e"'
Virtuosi and the third TO Great composers
The Jewish Publication Society has issued trans
Iation from the of Henry Hrndorf OF volume
of sketches OF "Some Jewish Women Inc au"'or
has dealt with the notable feminine characters OF the
Aprocrvp ha the GraecO-Roman period, ana the Lar
mudic age In imaginative way.
The plan of References for Literary Workers"
ny Henry Matson a. C. McClurg & co... Is one that
insures its usefulness, particularly in debating clubs
and literary societies There Is httle lntrouuo"oh
dealing in a general way with the pecuIaHues OF &c
bate, Grafton essay and lecture ana then uhucF inc
heads-history biography. politics political economy
education literature. art. science philosophy ehc'
and rclrlon-arc grouped series Of questions WHICH,
- Investigated and discussed, would certainly pro
duce a wellinfomed man or group OF Wcii1horincu
persons A. quickly and Systematically as any me'no'
of the kind which has been devised tndor cach
topic there is little essay suggesting III" most
salient points for investigation on each side OF th'
cas-. Then follows list OF books. those advocating
the affirmative view being Disseminated from tnoS'
on the negative side. The books cited throughout te
volume would make very considerable library cover
ing all tha most important Departments Of solid lera-
ture 4 list OF miscellaneous questions FOR lhNcS'lSa-
lion or debate Is added. and there is fairly cODpe'c
topical Index. The book can be made more u>eiul
than a shelf full o. Od-fa hOnod treatSes on rhetoric
A new edition Of the autobiography of FREDERICK
Douglass has been issued by De Wolfe, fiskc No.'
OF Boston. The original text published ten years
ago was characteristic account Of picturesque ana
memorable career of slav" who had risen To hiSh
distinction as an orator and public leader over lUO
pages Of fresh matter the intervening decade"
have been added without increasing the value OF the
work II Is perhaps more complete narrative of his
life but apart from his appointment rs Minister 10
Iayti little Of public interest Is recorded In the sup
Elementary chapters. Moreover, the tone in which the
author resents the criticism OF the press upon his
official conduct In Iayti is essentially peevsh 1t IS
pity that the autobiography not reprinted in its
original form.