New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-13
HOLIDAY BOOKS.
WOODBERRY'S SHELLEY

ments of popular edition that OF the poetosi
works which Mr. George f. Woodbury. has edited
for Houghton, Milin & Co.. TO publish TINS year
in celebration Of the centenary OF the poets
birth. The working student Of Shelley VIII stlil
give Mr.. Formanr edition and the Shelley So
cietys fac-simile where he can get the latter
the first place in luis library as the nearest sub
stitutes for a complete collection of the priceless
volumes bearing the earliest imprint; only man
born under particularly lucky star can hope 10
put any of Oilers blue-covered issues or the
"Adonais" printed at Pisa in mis- bookcase. lie
will not cease either TO make use OF William
Rossettis edition of Mr. Dowdens, but he Will
thank Mr. Woodberry for certain additions maze
70 the accredited text and kindred data. ana VIII
look with approval upon the able COLLATION. o'
previous editions which this latest editor mas
made. Still the student will always ENJOY u'oS'
making his collstions for himself. Inc great
reading public has little time and fewer ldcili-
ties for textual research and collation., ana IL Is
bound to feel deep gratitude TO Mr.. Woouoerry
for the thoroughness Of his editorial laoors ana 10
the publishers for the compact handy lorm Ia
which the results Of those labors have peen pre-
scpted There is a limited issue on large papers
no centenary edition could escape that. But for
general circulation the poems have been printed
in four octavos Of from four to five hundred
those best of all sources Mrs. Shelleys editions or
her husbands works and Shelieys own CORE
snondence and from every other authentic publ
cation or manuscript available, have been ree-
gated TO the back Of each volume, thus leaving
the clearly printed pages practically unbroken oy
that sign Of the editors or commentators activity
which is bearable in any form OF literature en-
cept poetry; and the volumes are altogether such
az the reader will find agreeable and convenient 10
handle.
Mr. Woodberry's memoir, preflXed to the hrst
volume is like the edition as whole, credlt 10
his tact He has told the story of Sheileys
fevered life succinctW, rapidly and suHicich'N'
and without s,ntimentality OF criticism he is
careful to introduce not line, confnhg himself
TO facts in recital which, though warmed oy
sympathy, is never biased.
The only new material published by MT
woodberry consists of trenchant paragraph
omitted from the preface TO Hellas when OAier
published 1t, omitted with Sheleys consent ana
probably because the timd bookseller thought it
too strong for the British Conservatives feelings.
and some extracts printed among the notes from un-
published letters Of Shelley in the collection OF Mt
c. w. Frederickson Of Brooklyn. A number OF
variorum readings have also been derived from
Mr. Frederickson's. manuscripts, from the manu-
scripts in Harvard College. and from few other
sources In matters of punctuation and grammar
Mr. Woodberry has avoided equally slavish ad-
herence to manuscript and undue freedom lie
has produced a scholarly and serviceablc edition
Time was when a great writer could live With
out obtaining a very large audience and die with
out the worlds clamoring for a luxurious edition
of his works, to say nothing Of correct one
Shelley is a case in point Time is when clever
plV-t ho sli la0CulShlng
In obscurity, and when he does emerge upon an
applauding generation it is odds that he will be
printed in an ed tion-de-luxe before the enthusiasm
of his discriminating contemporaries begins to
cool-Mr. James " Barrie is a case in point But
no one viii grudge him the glory OF the Two
volume edition Of The Little Minister just
printed BY Lowell, Corycl & Co, on the thickest
OF toned paper with uncut edges. illustrated by
Mr. G. w. FL Richie with ten good etchings. one
OF them a portrait, embelished with illuminated
initial letters in each chapter bound in boards and
limited TO $50 copies. Mr. Barrie deserves well of
his public which he touches at times. nearly az
ways amuses, and invariably interests. His lit
erary gilt is distinctly his own, and would not be
forgotten even though it were not enshrined in an
editon-de-luxe The readers Of the decade (which
in literary matters may be all Of time that lies
between Mr. Barrie and the negative voice of pcs
vorite book offered them in dress to suit the
most exacting taste
There are writers wrote Emile Souvestre, who
cruelty humanity in their novels as Nero did in
his theatres, in the interest OF the picturesque.
As protest against their morbidity he composed
"I'ne Philosophe Sous Les Tots" an urban idyll,
tale of undertaking optimism which the Academy
crowned many years since, and received thereby
|; Ir.1;l
recruits it holds its position still, for, although
the scheme of the story may jar upon the artistic
sense once in a while savoring OF the tract
written up TO an arbitrary code, il has epigram
and liveliness and is one of the best of the works
of fiction written in France on the side Of the
angels In America translation under the title
Of AN Attic Philosopher in Paris > has been
popular, and the Appletons issue an illustrated
holiday edition which will extend its fame.
translation of another French classic, and
that a greater one, Bcrnardin st. Pierrcs Paul
ct Virgne,r has been published in their En-
Quisite Series Edition Jouanst)," by Estes &
Iauriat Il is an exquisite bit Of writing and
these publishers present it III a way that 'h
almost II not quite, exquisite. 1t may well
be said though, that the difference between a
1auaust book Of Boston and .Touaust book OF
Paris is not rcducible to terms fattering to the
former
M George F. Woodberry's skilful pen has
been employed in holiday publication OF merit;
he has furnished an introduction TO an edition
of the Essays Of Ella brought out in two
volumes by Little, Brown & Co. This reprint
follows the text Of the original editions OF the
Essays and the Last Essays" published in
1928 and 1889; it is illustrated with ctchinss
after Hancock's portrait of Lamb, and a sketch
of the essayst's house at Enfield, and is piece
of book making which readers Of Ella, who find
Mr.. Aingers edition too large or Mr.. Birrclrs in
the Temple Library, too scarce, need not be
ashamed to put on their shelves.
Oh rio al NJ J f.