Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-18
SOME BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS,
Publishers and Their Gift Time
Products.
Artistic and Luxurious Editions for
Young and Old.
Maud Humphreys' Fairy Tales-Mr.
Warmers In the Levant-Chat
About Books and Book
makers.

once more. Faster and faster flies the
time between the Christmas tides
which year by year approach us fraught
with holy memories, now full OF appeal
for Joy and gladpess and love towards
all the world. On that day the most
learned and the most lowly, the poor
and the rich, young people and old, aoin
heartily in keeping Christmas day
that is synonymous with thankfuliness
and good will in the great human fam
lily. Giving is the natural and primi-
tive expression of kind feeling, and
Christmas has become the great dona-
tion festival OF the year. Already the
world is asking: what shall give my
friend?"
What is nicer as gifts than books?
This year the holiday books are more
beautifully illustrated than ever before,
owing to the wonderful advance in the
art OF photo engraving and the use OF
colors. And they are all prices -and all
seemingly cheaper thon ever before. In
giving books nc one need go beyond
their means, the great danger that threat
ems the continuance OF the desirable GUS
tom of celebrating Christmas as a
gift season. This has been pointed out
to US in the laat talk from the dear old
Easy Chair, whose final words we're "A
plea for Christmas" The mission OF
books ie to develop character and souls,
and no other gift that can be offered af.
fords such rare opportunity to show our
own delicacy of feeling, personal taste
and sympathetic understanding of the
best and .noblest in our friends.
As Christmas comes and goes again
let our book shelves bear permanent
witness to the growth of our riches in
books and culture. 1t is one of the
pleasant features of gift giving and gift
taking to increase wealth which is
real and abiding. Our books are mile
stones of our lives.
Among the new books this year are
specially noticeable fine editions of the
authors we have loved all our lives.
What better can be given both to those
who already know these works by heart
and to those who as yet know of them
only and are just ripening for the
enjoyment of their immortal beauty and
help? With sense of personal bereave-
ment we notice the works of George
William Curtis, Whittier and Ten
nyeon among these long loved
books, but with grateful
rejoicing that these writers of perfect
verse and perfect prose had truly finish
ed the work it was in them to accom-.
plish. More. almost, than all other
writers of the English tongue, they
have taught right living and right think
ing, and encouraged us to make this
world the home of peace and love
throughout the year, as we'll as at the
Christmas tide.
A merry Christmas to all the readers
of the HERALD.
The first book that attracts our atten-
tion is production OF the publishing
house of Fredrick A. Stokes Company
of New York. A beautiful edition OF
Maud Humphreys Book of Fairy Tales,
illustrated by sketches OF little TO ks,
executed by this wonderful artist-a
worthy successor of Kate Greenway IL
lustrations. The principal stories thus
illustrated are The Ugly Duckling, Gin
derella, Little Snow White, Tom Thumb,
The Three Bears, Jack the Giant Killer,
Bluebeard, Babes in the Woods, Little
Red Riding Hood and many others.
From the same publisher and same
author and illustrator, we have Maud
Humphreys Mother Goose, beauti-
fully illustrated, in lovely tinted
paper, with new pictures and
new designs, where pass in
panorama before delighted eyes Little
Boy Blue, Curly Locks, Little Tommy
Green, Little Tom Tucker, and Tommy
Snooks and Betsey Brooks. Where Lucy
Locket loses her pocket and Kitty Fisher
finds it, as Jack Horner eats his Christ
mas plum, along with Mistress Mary,
who was go contrary that che would
hardly let Jack and Jill 60 for pail of
water. The publishers in this book
have indeed given US an elegant one.
Their Violet Cross and Lily Cross cal
endars ara appropriately gotten up in
honor of Xmas times. A dainty folder
IN the shape of their "Duce of Hearts"
calendar will be appropriate both as
present to card players as well as prizes
in whist parties, To their dainty Wig
nette series has been added Walter
Seott's Lady of the Lake and Mrs.
Browning's Aurora Leigh. The former
book contains 1GG illustrations by Joaeph
M. Gleeson, and is a book of very taste
full making, clean text. calendered pa.
per, picturesque and effective illustra-
tions, and the covers stamped in gilt,
making very convenient, serviceable
and handsome edition. Their Rings
and Love Knots, similarly bound
and in bljou form in the Dainty
Series," is by Samuel Minturn Peck,
author of Cap and Bells. There is
special charm in small book when
the type is good and readable. To find
ones pet author in such form that he
may be easily carried in the pocket and
become blessed companion for the day
is truly delightful. The contents are
bright and sparkle with wit and humor,
including such noted gems as The Girl
in the Gainaborough Hat, Puck, The
Maiden of My Dreams and The Last
Apple Blossom. They also bring out in
this small series dainty little book of
poems by William Watson entitled
Wadsworth's Grave and Other Poems.
1t Is in the beautiful "orchid" binding
OF pink and purple, gold and white, so
much admired and 80 typical of this
season of the year. For several years
this enterprising publishing houee has
issued in book form The Good Things of
Lie. This year is the ninth series and
1t ls full OF cheer and smiles. 1t seems
never to grow old. 1t is ia the nature
OF the best things to lose their fresh
ness, but Life etill retains its instinct
Tor the socially humorous and its light
satirlc touch for the pretentious, the
vulgar and the ridiculous in American
society. II that touch ia not always
eure, what touch OF mortal intelligence
ls! Lille has its serious uses, since it
furnishes society with g weekly register
folt