The record-union., 1892-11-25
new PUBLICATIONS.

wood Notes Wild, or Notations OF
Bird Music" is a handsome volume by
Simeon Pease Cheney, edited by John
Vance Cheney of San Francisco, is from
the press of Lee & Shepard, Boston, and
! is for sale by S. Carson Company, San
Francisco, at 81. A modern English
writer says: "There is no music in ma
ture, neither melody nor harmony; but
! those who remember the enjoyable pa
/ pers on Bird Music" which appeared in
| the Century" year or two ago, causing
/ so much favorable comment, both in this
/ country and in England, will not be dis
/ posed TO agree with the above state
ment. The author of 'Wood Notes
/ Wild" Simeon Pease Cheney, was
a music teacher for many years,
and, being an ardent lover Of nature,
devoted much time to the observation of
{ the music OF the birds i'll different parts
Of the United States. This observation
1 convinced Mr.. Cheney that all music IN
nature, animate and inanimate, is worthy
Of study and limitations; that it gives
/ out charming tones, and forms pleasing
/ melodic strains, using all the intervals OF
the major and minor scales, in perfection
I Of intonation and finish of execution.
| The author supports this statement
/ by giving the songs of many birds in
/ musical notation on the staff. Shortly
4 ailer writing these papers Mr.. Cheney
/ died, and the work has been edited by his
Z
Francisco, who has added an appendix,
notes and photography OF much value,
and a complete index. \ fine hall-tone
portrait of Mr.. Cheney is given in the
volume. 1t is altogether most interesting
! book, and with its musical illustration
is an exhaustive one; probably 10 sim
llar work has so completely and directly
treated the subject. When the venerable
author entered upon the work he was
! IN his 10Th year; he died in 1899, before
completing it, but the editor, his son, has
! presented the volume, with his own in
/ PRODUCTION, notes and additions, in 4
. manner hat hOnors his fathers work and
makes the volume exceedingly valuable
almost Fourteen" is by Mortimer A.
/ Warren. 1t is a remarkable book be-
! cause it is intended lor sons and Gaugh-
/ ters after they have passed the age OF Z
and before they reach the age OF A. and
I tells them in perfectly plain, modest Eng
i llSh those truths regarding the mystery
/ OF their bodies, that ought 10 be the per-
/ formed Office OF every father and mother
/ | Unfortunately, however, this dUty is not
/ always discharged, and the youth sur
prlsed, frightened, Perhaps, by the myS-
/ terry OF puberty, seeks Information from
/ sources outside the family, and which
oi,cner than not are ill-huod to instruct.
( Mr.. Warren writes in this little book 4
series o. letters to both sexes under Il
ana over Z years OF age gently, low
/ lngly rs mother to Il daughter,
a father to son should speak.
Mode>ty is the keynote OF every let
ter, but modesty with him is best con-
( served by opening wide tine doors OF
/ knowledge, ana not trusting TO ignorance,
chance and vicious influence to impart
/ that sacred instruction about our bodies
I and The relation and Offices of The sexes,
which every human being attaining 70
puberty must have from some source
, There Will be those who will condemn
! the look as unfit Tor youth, but these are
/ they VINO would leave youth to It's own
| devices in seeking to know what it must
/ learn. The volume is OverlioWiug with
/ good advice so SIMPLY stated, so lovingly
/ given, SO mOdestly though plainly set
/ Gorth, that no father or mother could 10
son or daughter better speak. 1t is a
/ book for youth in their closets, one that
! instead Oi operating 10 lnilane passion
Will temper and cool it, ana turn the soul
| to the contemplation OF the loltie>t uut.eS
and hottest obi cations to self ana 20
( others. This little book comes from the
press of Dodd, Mead n Co., New ) OK.
Better Days, or a Millionaire of To-
| morrow IS The novel chat Thomas Fitch
and Anna NJ. Fitch, his accomplished
! vie, gave to the reading world last year.
1t is a story with Il moral and a lesson
spread all over it. Ii opens well and is well
sustained until one uearS the latter hHlf
when it loses in interest and finally
finishes tamely. Ii is a work Of Vivid
Imagination and interviewer with its
! tancIes are enough OF truths to make it
philosophical, and enough OF the
vain and hazy and the striving after i'm
possible ideals TO make it perpleXing
Eut the thought of the story is the rest
lessness OF social conditions, friendliness
tor the workiugman. 1t is q work OF
genius, nevertheless, but Will add moth
ing to the reputation of Mr.. h itch as a
social analyst. Better Days Publishing
Company, san Francisco.
Life in California" is an octave by
Alfred Robinson. IL recounts the events
and observations Of many years resi-
dence i'll this territory long before it was
thought of as a State. An appendix
brings the recital from 1916 up to the era
Of the American occupation. Mr.. Robin
son left Boston in ISIS for voyage to this
coast which, when he reached, he made
his home for many years. His book is
| an interesting narrative of his travels
over the territory and Of his observations.
1t is a book OF notable value, being the
| record OF an observing and thoughtful
man at a time when California was in
what may we'll be termed its iniantile
condition, and was peopled only by Span
/ ish MeXicans and Indians. The book is
! published by VIM. DoXey, San Francisco.
Every book lover knows something of
! Herodotus, the Father OF History,'
| There are few romanceS so captivating as
| his stories Of Crgsus, Cyrus, Scythia.
Marathon and Salamis. Few readers
ever expect to own Herodotus complete
| works, or would even care to read them
entire. But here is a handsome little
volume, published by John B. Alden,
| New York, in his series of "Ancient
Classics for English Readers" book Of
l6I pages, good type, paper printing and
cloth binding, which gives the ''gistr of
/ HerodOtus, by classical scholar. Pro
lover OF the classics Will delight III.
Alden sells the pretty volume for 10
cents, plus cents for postage.
"Thais'' is a novel by AnatoIe France.
author Of "Crime of Sylvester Bounard.I
| 1t is a translation from the French, by
A. d. Hall, and is from the press of the
| Nile c. Smith Publishing Company, Chi
| Monthly" series. 1t is a novel OF the re-
mote ages and is characterized by re-
| lentless cynlcism, Il brilliant fancy and
| by a deep philosophical tone. 1t breaches
III the end sell-sacritice, the one God and
! the religion of redemption through re-
pentence. 1t is story that is weird and
| beautiful fascinating and full of Sugges-
lion to the soul, the faith Of which is
anchored to belief in life immortal.
Land Draining" Gllustratedl is A
handbook for farmers on the principles
and practice of farm draining, by Manly
Miles, NJ. D., +. r. n. s, author Of
''Stock Breeding; New York, Orange
Judd Company. In this book evidently
the aim has been to present the leading
facts of practical significance in connec-
ton with a popular discussion of the ap-
plications Of science, and the results of
Iexperiments relating to draining have
been summarized in tables in convenient
| form TOR reference. which Illrnish rnnd--