Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-29
Book Reviews.

look reviews.
POEMS or ROBERT DROWNING.
From the Authors Revised Text Of 1883.
His own Selections. with Additions
from lis Latest Works. Edited, with
biographical and Critical Notes and
Introductlons. by Charlotte Porter and
Helen 4. Clarke. Editors Of Poet
Lore" In two volumes. limo. New
York and Boston: 1885, Thomas y.
Crowell q Co.
4 visit to a good book store at this
season Of the year when christmas IS
coming" is n delicious treat, both in
tellectual and sensuous. Not only is an
opportunity afforded Of making some ac-
quaintance with excellent new works
brought forth in rich gala style. but to
refresh ones self with numerous favor
ties and with the cream Of literature,
which has stood all the tests of time.
Publishers and artists. too, vie most
successfully with these eminent authors
and We have editions de luxe, which it
is a delight to behold and gently handle.
This morning our well-laden book-table
viii enable US to supply our readers who
cannot get 10 the richer counters OF
our booksellers with a good. though par
tial. substitute. Hence we invite you
10 the elegant presentation, I'm cloth ana
gold. which Crowell & Co. have made of
the works Of the illustrious poet, Robert
Browning. The title above given shows
how many persons, besides the liberal
publishers, have been engaged in making
this edition standard and attractive.
There is the author, not only as COM
poser, but as selector and revlser, ana
two experienced critics and editors OF
Poet Lore" But the title page, fun as
it is. does not tell Of one attraction which
is in these artistic days justly highly
esteemed: the fine Illustrations. among
which are portraits Of the poet at several
different periods Of his life.
Browning has won hts way 10 high
distinction. and has written on every
conceivable subject The present editors.
admitting "the difficulty which readers In
general find in dsentangling his mean
ing. especially in his dramatic mono
Iogues. have with great skill formulated
a series Of explanatory notes. admirably
adapted to cover these puzzling questions
which arise"
The students OF Browning will. there
fore, find this edition the very thing they
would desire.
The HISTORY OF THE LAST QUAR-
TER CENTURY IN THE UNITED
STATES. BY Z. Benjamin Andrews,
President OF Brown University. New
York: Charles Scribner'S Sons. Two
Volumes. Pages, 800. 400. Price, s..
President Andrews comes as near being
impartial rs any man who has written
in the historical field since the war If
he has his point Of view-and what man
has not?-hc recognizes the point of view
Of others. II he reaches conclusions from
which we dissent we know that he IS
honest. The present work is unique in
many respects. In its original shape IT
appeared as a series OF articles in Scrib-
ner's Magazine, and was, and still IS,
the first attempt 10 collocate and present
impartially the historical inspirations and
salient events of our history since the
great civil war. The original articles
have been elaborated and thrown into
more connected form than the magazine
scheme contemplated or admitted. and
the twelve articles have been developed
into twenty-four chapters. No claim IS
made by the author 10 having given an
exhaustive history Of the period treated,
or 10 having made more than provisional
comment upon the events and Incidents
set forth. He recognizes that State pa
pers and tine must reveal much that g.
not yet clear. yet the work IS one for
which no substitute has been offered so
far. 1t f., indeed, a laborious, conscien-
tiOus collection OF facts thar are not
found on record anywhere else except IN
the files of the newspapers Of the times,
these facts being sfted through judi
cial mind. 1t is an invaluable book OF
reference. mirroring the spirit and body
OF one Of the most important. and IN
many respects exciting. periods In the
life Of the nation. Politics, science. IL
nance. material progress. education. 90
clal problems. our connection with great
efforts IN the direction OF geographic
prorregs and. discovery, are all accorded
place.
We give the heads. az follows, Of some
Of the chapters. as suggestive Of the
many subjects covered under them.
THE United States az the Close Of Re
construction; General Grant as Civil
CHIEF: "The Greelv Campaign; "Geneva
Award and Credit MObelier': carpet
Barger and Scalawag IN Dixie; Indian
Wars-Custcrs Death; THE Centonnidl
Exposition. and Hayes-Tildeu lmbrogiio'
"Iaves and Civil Service; 1.-THE Monroe
Doctrine and Arthurs Practice; 1.-THE
Pmmed Knight and His Joust'; "Cleve-
lands Election: "Tht Neo-Repnblican
Ascendancy"; 1.-THE Worlds Exposition
1.-THE South and the Negro in the Light
Of the Eleventh Census"
Unusual space IS devoted 20 the Credit
| Nobelier exposure. and one whole chapter
1 Is given TO Arctic exploration, the Greeley
belong. and Peary expeditions being en-
| braced. Our connection with Africa, th'
! Congo Free state and the Nicaragua an
| Panama canals are touched on, as, also
! the rise and progress Of such organiZ1
! tions as the American Protective Asso'
citation. the Woman's Christian Temper
/ ance Union. and the salvation Army
| The great strikes Of the period have mo-
tice. the Haymarket affair IS treated
and a chapter Is set apart to the Colum
/ bian TxpositiOn Virginia comes I'm fol
her share Of recognition. most notably
perhaps. in the account Of the Mahon'
! movement. though She also appears if
| the general web and wool OF the story
of political conditions IN the whole South
In fact. there is hardly an imporfan
event Of the twenty-five years covered bl
the work that President Andrews has no
taken cognizance of and thrown Ign
upon. In reading the chapter on the car
| pet-bagger and sCalawag in DiXle M
suggestion 10 Us is that It Is a great pitl
every southern Democrat who allied him
self with the Republican party in tn
last carnpaign could not have perused !
before election-day The illustrations ar
some four hundred In number embracing
many full-page scenes by distinguished II
Illustrators. drawn from carefully-prepare'
data; portraitures and views Of place
and Incidents after photographs taken
the time treated. All through the volume
are names. notices OF episodes, reference
TO national and State legislative measures
SC, which refresh the memory regarding
influences that had a vital bearing II
shaping our history, and OF which IN
average man has but dim recollection
AFafe a Nifftpnlf
painstaking line Of research.
For sale by the J. w. Randolph Com
pany
! FADETTE. Translated from the frenci
of George Sand by Mrs. James NJ
IqrpG ~