The record-union., 1896-04-26

upon a volume by George Haven Put
nam, A. M, entitled Authors and
Their Public in Ancient Times. 1t is
work in a wholly new field, and as
full of interest as one can possibly
fancy a book to be that treats or the
earlier methods of producing and dis
trfbuting literature. Professor Put
nam has now given us still more I'M
portant work, the first volume of Whlch
is just at hand from the press OF G +.
Putnam's Sons, New York, entitled
Books and Their Makers During the
Middle Ages" The volume is study or
the conditions of the production ana
distribution of literature from the 1ail
of the Roman Empire to the close OF the
seventeenth century-416 to 1oOO. LII Is
prefaced by a list of over l,OOO volumes
consulted in the preparation OF this I'M
portant work, which is so valuable an
addition to the photography OF the age
We have thus far peruSed the volume
only as far as the introduction-Wholly
historical and retrospective OF the
scheme of the labor of the author ana
including the outlining of the products
of the literature of the centuries en-
braced in the period treated or; the
first chapter, which covers the PERIOD
of bookmaking carried on In monas
teries, and therein of Cassidorus ana
ST. Benedict, the latter of whom had
Pope for his biographer, and who ranks
in literature because of his one literary
product, the famous ''Regula'; the early
Monkish Scribes; the Ecclesiastical
Schools; Nuns as Scribes, and the work
of the criptorum-perhapS one OF the
most profoundly and yet lively inter
esting subdivisions in the volume, ana
at this point, the sixty-first page, we
are compelled to pause and be content
for present purposes to pass upon the
volume from that reading and from eX-
animation of succeeding Subdivisions
by title But enough has passed under
examination, taken with the readlns
indicated, to warrant the Recoro-
Union in pronouncing the volume one
of the most valuable and interesting or
the day, not because of its literary I'm
ish so much, though it is elegant in the
simplicity and lucidity of the dlctlon
employed, but because of the exhaust
i've character of the work. We DO not
recall any literary commentary that
has so absolutely dried the well. Pro-
fessor Putnam has the judicial cast OF
mind essential to the critic. we must
conclude that he is one who can assume
the judicial attitude without strain or
violence to his preconceptions. Assur-
eddy in this volume, in the pages we
have studied, he has proved conclu-
sively the absolute impartiality OF his
Judgment, established his ability to
marshal testimonies, adduce evidence
therefrom and weighing that in the
balance reach a perfectly just conclu-
sion. 1t is altogether satisfying and
pleasing and helpful to the mind, too,
to follow the distinguished author In
his researches and take note OF the
simple, straightforward, logical and just
method which he applies to his sub
iect. While we propose to read the vol
ume to the end we also advise all DOCK
lovers TO do the same. To know the MS
tory of literature in such detail as 1t
is given here, to have the style, method
and purposes of the authors OF the
middle ages laid bare as is here done, is
OF immense benefit to all students, all
readers of good literature and to all
authors. Yet we apprehend that the
highest office of this book and the vol
ume yet to come will be that of refer
ence. They will assuredly find their
way rapidly to every library shelf that
is of any considerable public Importance
and ought to be in the collection of
every person who maintains books as
library
Captain Charles King does not write
boys stories or We might suppose
'Trumpeter Fred to be a little boy
blue instead of soldier boy blue" in
the rough service of the regular army.
Nevertheless it could be called CAPT.
tai boys story without detracting
from its interest as a stirring story for
all who are interested in army life. es-
Eecially the perilous and hard service of
the frontier.
There is always a romantic interest
easily thrown about the perils and
hardships of a soldiers life, and Cap
tain King finds no difficulty in turning
the interest of the reader full upon little
Fred from the time when the troopers
unsaddled their weary horses along the
grassy banks of the Niobrara until
leave is taken of him as a tall, blue
eyed, bronze-cheekel trooper, whose
twirling mustache was almost the color
of the faded yellow of the chevrons on
his sleeve"
plains in sight of the Chihuahua
Mountains and went into service as
soon as he was "big enough to blow
BY his gallantry and bravery he be-
came the pride of the regiment" But
1t is said that pride goeth before fall
and at last the fall came. The an
nouncement is dropped into the story
like a bombshell into camp of peace.
Lieutenant" cried Sergeant Gra-
ham, Sergeant Dawson and several
men were robbed last night. The
moneys clean gone."
Blunt was out of his blanket in an in
slant How much is missing?" he
asked.
at can't tell yet. SRA good deal. But
that is not the worst of it,
What on earth could be worse?''
'Trumpeter Fred's gone, sir-desert-
ed: taken his horse, arms and every
tEing!"
Several men at once became even
more interested than the reader in
trailing the traitor" and in securing
conclusive evidence
Fred is gone, that much is clear He
went without his commanders orders;
and, in the army, that is desertion 1t
is disgrace enough to be deserter, but
TO be robber also is the acme of crime
However, there are friends who have
more faith than reason, and the grief of
the young trumpeter's father finds loyal
help from the boys best friends.
Mrs. Charlton was the first to catch a
ray of consoling refutation and to tell
Fred's father the details of the accusa-