New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

WELLS OF ENGLISH. By Isaac Bassett Choa'e
Up. X, $40. Roberts Brothers
This volume forms convenient Introduction to inc
study OF minor writer's OF England between nc Sei'S
124O and 1900 If the author makes some oi 'hcs'
poets whom he cites look like great men, after the
world has facility voted to neglect them. he Is only
following the usage of mankind. More than one min
who has never read Milton through gives him lip
service but I'm his heart cherishes regard for Giles
Fletcher or Richard Crashawe, or Loveace. or-D"'
one might enumerate the whole list without eXhau'ths
prIyate preferences. We all have some spark Of the
Old polytheism In us with tender thought for some
individual and exclusive divinity.
4 specific quality OF the book Is that Its point Oh
view in the consideration Of nearly all the authors
with whom It deals is situated in New England not In
old England. The author is thinking all the ume
OF the streams of Influence IN the Mother CouhuS
which moulded life in the colonies. either the HE
that to be, or, in the funess OF nne the HE
that actually spread westward from the bleak rocks
where II first terminated. one Is haf ihchheu 10
wish that it had been made the systematic purpose OF
the book trace these influences to which the names
and works of all these welnigh forgotten writers
are In truth Incidental. Hardly any OF the men VINO
are Included in Mr.. ChOates plan would nave been
omitted. All wrote something that had the mark OF
the times upon IT, and that illustrated the tendencies
which cOnverged to the point where the >tiar must
fall that England herself might live and thar America
creating race Mr. Choate only suggests snch thoughts
he does not work them ont. lie Is rather duse
than intense, and seems even to prefer cccenncity
to systematic thought. Few will agree with MN III
Tie fancy, for example. that the English language
might be improved by bunting and dullng the
sharpness of accenuatlon" by the Introduction OF
syllable quality" In the essay Christopher Mar
lowe the blunder By which that dramatist was con
founded with his description Of Faustus is Illustrated
with this luminous remark about the mediacval Virgil
He reported to have called up the spirits OF the
dead and to have visited the lower world" scholars
who wonder how Alexander Neckam came to mix up
virgils with fiction about Roman temple
would do well to ponder on this sentence.
zone Evening being Entertainment OF Songs
Grave and Gay" by Richard Mansfield (Novello
Ever d. Coz. Is striking manifestation OF
versatile talent. The public knows Mr.. Mans
field as an actor and a dramatic author.
His representations, varying from Richard the Third
to Prince Kari, have shown him to be proficient In
the extreme and contrastcd arts of tragedy and farce
His plays of Don JUAN" Beau Brummel' "Mon.
sieur' etc. have proved the originality Of his mind
and the felicity of his style. In the present work
he appears as a composer of music. zone Evening
contains fourteen compositions. alternately serious and
playful and 1t furnishesfor competent performer
q complete entertainment for miscellaneous audience
The first piece is "Na;ional Anthem" This Mr.
MaOS1elu Causeu 10 DC peflOTUtu, Usl U'loIc
the President and large asseinblage Of Washington
society. and it aroused much interest. In " a Grand
English Opera OF the Present Day" the writer has
toyed with musical conventionaes in happy vein
OF comic hunor that keeps the listener steadily
amused. Heines words TRANSLATED by LonCfelOw),
The Sea Hath It's Pearls,' tendery set. Two
Of the songs, THE Broken Harp and "Asleep'
by William Winter and in each Mr.. Mansied's
melody Is delicious The Influence of the German mas
tiers of song MT percepb!e in Mr. Mansfelds com
positions 1t might have been expected to be,
bcIfng that his mother Nine RudersdOrf, ard
that he received his musical training largely from her
Mr.. Mansfield put deep feeling into music, and
can do this with grace; and some OF his numbers are
notable for quantneSs The style that he suggests Is
that OF DR.. Arne
The refinement and purity OF Mr.. MansGclds writ
ings, whether of music of words-an excellence not
inconsistent with pquancy and vigor, as he con
spicuously shows-strongy commend them to the APP
probation of good taste. Those observers who have
chiefly known this writer intellectual force,
may perceive him. in this book. artist of
genial humanity and sweet poetic fancy. The man
possessed OF the various faculties denoted by 1Ir
Mansfield naturally misses immediate adequate
appreciation, at least in every quarter; but be can
well afford TO contemplate the of life with
siderable philosophy. Detraction, certainly, should
never rufie his cOmposure.
by CHM Co. contains selections prose and poetry
arranged for students the age Of fourteen.
Along with some of the literature that was familiar
to the boys and girls who have been vacation
these many years there are numerous pieces from
earlier well recent and living authors which are
new TO schoolbook lore. The readings arranged
under the heads Of 'sentmen. and Story. Art and
Nature, Loyalty and Herosm, Song and Laughter.
Holidays and Holy Days, and these titles are general
indication Of the contents of the book The collection
is good 1t is edited by Blanche Wilder Bellamy
and Maud Wilder Goodwin.
Mr. Charles II. Smith f. Bin Arp'J has collected
In volume under the title Of The Farm and the
Firesde The Constitution Publishing Company. At
lanta) number of articles written originally for The
Atlanta Constitution" Though the varions pieces
uneven in quality genial honely hunor pervades !
them ALL associated with the kindly wisdom Of a
man who has viewed life from many sides. and has not
been embittered by his experience. Passages in his
writings give clear insight into the Georgian way
of looking at things way which has marked pcc,i' |
Narities of its II is the country home 10 which
the author introduces with its comforts and dis |
comforts. it's joys and sorrows, its merry makings
and its ludicrous mshaps. He is the philosopher
past the meridian OF life who remember how times
were while slavery stlll existed, and has c1nned the
lessons which the last twoscore years have taught.
oxrica