New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-20
SOME NEW BOOKS.

The eighteenth volume of the " Banksde Shake
gpeares (The Shakespeare Society Of New York;
contains The Life and Death OF King john" with an
excellent, though too brief, introduction by Appleton
Morgan. Shakespeare's play Is coated with copy,
IN fac-simile back-lcter OF The Troublesome Raigne
Of King Johno from which II was adapted, and thus
good opportunity is afforded Of studying the genesis
OF those plays which Shakespeare made his own by
the process of rewriting. Nothing is known as 10
the authorship OF The Troublesome Raigne" Mt.
Morgan suggests that il may have been one OF the
latest examples OF the transition from the morality 10
the drama. For this, however, we cannot but uhhk
1t far too dramatic 1t in fact scarcely any thns
Of the morality about II, being founded upon inc
chronicles, which 1t follows with positive serVlhV'
But the most interesting service to which thlS Noune
be put is the observation OF Shakeepeares mehous
In rewriting the old story In one respect he chihgeu
the latter radically. In The Troublesome Raghe" inc
anti Catholic feeling is displayed with extreme
virulence 1t is full Of fierce vuperaon OF the Pope
the Cardinals the Legate and all the monashc ana
conventual Institutions and authorities In England
Now Shakespeare swept this away altogether ana
barely alludes the wmOr that John was pSisohed
BY the monks of TwGsted Abbey. OF course this mas
been used in support of the hypothesis that Shake
speare was himself a Catholic. The fct remains
however that, as Mr. Morgan puse 1t 50 far as
one may judge OF Shakespeare from MS afahiauo
works, he was a who kept bis religious opinions
he had any-strctly to HIMSELF But most readers
will be chiefly interested by the magic touches with
which the master transformed the verbose, dull ana
clumsy language of the model into noble, vigorous
and stirring speech and the unernng tact ana shlii
with which he seizes opportunities for fine effects,
ignored by his predecessor. In no way, perhaps, IL
bis genius more clearly exhibited than In this recon
ktr1ction, and the Shakespeare Society Of Newlork
Is to congratulated upon ite enterprise IN putting
forward 50 useful and costly volume.
Mr.. Frederic saunders, Of the Aston Library, has
compiled a neat little volume entitled "The story of
the Discovery Of the New World by Columbus II
Is taken from the accepted authorities. and. partcu
arly in the part entitled Estimates OF His Char
accr" brings together a choice OF views which
should satisfy the most e1ctng. Mr.. Saundes's
volume is we'll adapted to TIVE OF such as have
not time or inclination for the study Of the full
Biographies Of Columbus. whose Is legion. and
II is very well printed by the publisher, Thomas
Whitaker
Charles Scribner's Sons have imported edi-
don Of Lord Chesterfelds Letters" edited BY John
Bradshaw. MA, LID For the most part 1t follows
lord Mahon's edition Of 1943. Five letters not
known to the editor Of 1s45 have been added and
some changes have been made in the arrangement of
the letters to Philip Stanhope, not always. 1t
10 u.s. in the interest OF the radeC's convenience.
When one considers the adverse opinions contlnu
ually expressed upon Cheserfeds letters 10 his
the fact that edition of them should be thought
worth while seems to indicate that there is st a
sufficiently profitable audience for authors whose viii
and brancy In Inverse ratio to their morality.
The general soundness OF the public literary tasto
is shown in the appearance of the eighth edition
Harper & Brothers. Of Mr. Laurence Hutton's
Literary Landmarks Of London" II has been care
fully revised by the author. and far possible
brought down to date 1t has been rendered
valuable and interesting moreover. by the addition
of an uncommonly good series of portraits. Tn
doubtedly Mr.. Hutton is justified In the expectation
that these portraits "will give it Interest and
value in the eyes of all lovers OF London and OF her
literary associations"
G.. P. Putnam's Sons have issued the fifth and
concluding volume Of the translation OF Prince
Taeyrand's Memoirs. II deserves TO be said that
this translation better supplied with the portraits
than the original French edition.