The record-union., 1896-08-09

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From F. Tennyson Neely CNew York;
we have that publishers issue of two
campaign books. The first is by Byron
Andrews, and is a life of William Nc
Kinley, with a short sketch of Garrett
A. Hobart. The volume embraces
comprehensive report of the proceed
ings of the ST. Louis Convention that
nominated Mckinley and Hobart. There
are numerous portraits in the book. 1t
appears to be written in spirit of fair
ness, though the friendliness of the au-
thor to the subjects of his work is not
at all concealed. The books contains
a great deal of valuable statistical and
historical matter, including a review of
the whole political life of Major McKin-
lev in Congress and in his own State,
and his career as soldier, citizen and
leading man of Ohio. The second vol
ume is entitled Gold or Silver, With
Pen Pictures of the Times" 1t is by
NJ. A. Miller, and claims to be a full and
impartial presentation of both sides of
the silver and gold question without
favor to either, stating all historical
facts, giving in brief the arguments pro
and con, and leaving the reader to form
bis own judgment. The author, how
ever, plainly states his own views and
makes it evident that he is convinced
against unlimited coinage of silver. He
insists, however, that the text Of the
historical data gathered, and the stated
positions of all parties to the financial
issue, are accurately correct. This is
probably true, but his argument is not
| impartial - it is more than fervid
against free coinage.
strangers at LisconneP' is a second
series of Irish Idylls,'' by Jane Bar
low 1t is charming book, refreshing
in it's novelty, simplicity and chaste
diction. The dialect is SO very differ
ent from that usually attributed to the
Irish, and the method in the stories told
is so simple and natural, that one reads
with a sense of restfulness, and is ap-
petiZed for more when the last page is
completed. The descriptive powers Of
the author are remarkably strong.
There is no apparent effort in it all,
but scenes, character of hamlets, bog
land people and landscapes are painted
with q strong yet a delicate hand, and
in a style charming to the last de-
gree. 1t is a delightful, restful and
most entertaining book. Dodd, Mead &
Co., New York, publishers.
''The Scenery of Switzerland and the
Causes to Which 1t Is Due" is the title
Of volume by Sir John Lubbock, Bart.
II. P. 1t is from the press of the Mac
milan Company, New York and Lon
don. 1t is freely illustrated. Perhaps
there is no modern writer to whom the
task of describing the scenery of Switz-
erland and analyzing the causes of it
could have been better entrusted than
Lubbock. In the first place, he is one
Of the most finished of English scholars,
and his diction for purity, simplicity
and beauty will rank close up to that OF
Macaulay. The several colored maps,
and the geological diagrams accom-
panying this valuable work greatly illu-
inmate it and render the text perfectly
clear to the general reader. To the
geologist the book comes as a study
and a most valuable key; to the gen.
eral reader it possesses the interest
that dwells in scientific analysis made
clear to those who have not made geo.
logical science a special study. In
1861 Lubbock spent some time in SwitZ-
erland with Huxley and Tyndall. The
I esult of that holiday with the distin-
guished scholars was that Lubbock has
since spent most Of his holidays in that
romantic region, and he declares that
he owes much of the health and hap
piness that has been his to these study
excursions. The physical geography of
the country awakened in him a desire
to search out the causes and the forces
that had raised the mountains, hol-
lowed out the lakes and directed the
rivers of that picturesque country. The
result is the volume before us.
Though sociology has become a
fashion, and the voice of the sociologist
may be heard on all occasions and on
all topics, it is noteworthy that only
two American writers, Professor l.. f.
Ward of Washington and more re-
Gently Professor f. Ii. Giddings of New
York. should have produced treatises
upon sociology 1t cannot be without
| interest to learn the elder writer's eS-
innate of the work of his younger col
| league. In an essay on Principles of
Sociology publications of American
| Academy of Political and Social Sci
ence, No 176), Professor Ward dis
cusses critically the book of like title
| by Professor Giddings, a work which
after three months IS already in its
second edition The book is feat of
American scholarship as Professor
Ward cordially recognizes. Not that
he ascribes to it the high merit of
startling novelty or brilliant discovery,
but the substantial praise of enduring
usefulness. To summarize the work of
others, to give to scattered and obscure
utterances a definite connection and a
clear compact expression is mental
labor for which the learned world is
always deeply grateful. This has been
Professor Giddings' work, and Profess
scr Wards cordial praise cannot fail
to enhance the general appreciation In
which the book is already held. For
the points of difference between the
views of the two authors we refer the
specialist to the essay.
A new edition of w. c. BrownelFs s
charming collection of essays, entitled
French Traits" published originally
bv Messrs. Charles Scribners Sons, will
by special arrangement soon be brought
out by Messrs. Flood & Vincent, Mead