New-York tribune., 1896-11-17
HOLIDAY BOOKS.
IN ATTRACTIVE FORM.

students OF American literature VIII ions We
grateful to the publishers. Foughtoi' -""'"
Co. Such books as these. some OF '"e"'
in which the public has ceased 10 tdNe "''
and continuous interest, are mace ""9 wiz"
those who make them have something in'ie q"
heart than passing gain. What the PupiS"e''
have real,v done for Mrs stowe has been 10
give her a permanent library for'ii' s'
which we doubt if she had ever been able 10
claim before save In the case OF her sns'e mas
terpiece Yet II Uncle Tom deserves the last
epithet and the other stories do not, II Is II"
,roof that tho minor books Of trifiing I'M
nort AS a matter of fact, "Old Town FOLKS
and "The Minister'S Wooing' are WORKS III
which the author revealed many or the ral's
which go To make Uncle Tom" the pooK 'ha' "
ts those lesser-known writings are stili read WIN
pleasure by people Of discernneh' All" III '",
long run the publishers Of this new coi'ec'eu
edition will find that they have bu>ioeo we'll
Every wear Mrs Stoves fame fixes ltsei more
firmly IN the hearts and minds OF her pupnc'
and as inquiring readers. anxious 70 Kno" 'l'oie
of the author OF Uncle Tom. turn 10 '"ose
other productions we have mentioned the "ho'e
significance of the novelists genius VIII Nv
prasped and appraised at its proper value 1t Is
for the future as well for the present that
the publishers have prepared this edition. They
have made the books WE'LL giving them paper,
tvne frontispieces which will wear ana De
worthy Of the author years hence. 1t is a dig
nifed undertaking. and II is being carried out In
d,pniied way Nine of the sixteen volumes nave
appeared up TO date The remainder will be pub
lshed without delay.
We have greeted in the last few years many
a new edition of The Compleat Angler; IN
fact, there are usually half dozen brought
mr.
has included few editions so attractive as the
one inst published by the Macmillan Company.
Mr. Andrew Lang edits the volume. and there
is an introduction from his pen. He Is eruo'e
IN Waltonana and he is an angler hihs'H
for whom angling is a veritable passion. Anoeu
TO his photographed knowledge, ana MS eN-
perence. he has true appreciation OF 'he pure
literature in this book. 1t is. after ALL MS il'era
ture that has kept Walton alive he was
wise fisherman. and those who go down 10 ''ie
stream in long-legeed boots will always LOOK
10 him for certain amount or counse' pu'
Mr. Lang hits the nail on the head wheh ne
saws Of Walton that "he was precisely the au-
thor to suit Charles Lamb. That is the I'M
mortal virtue in THE Compeat Angler 'ha'
A. su,s q book-loving man. that 1t falls natu-
rally into the company of the poets anu
dramatists and essayists The reader who
the grace Of gentleman into the receptacle
for which he was born there TO give up MS
last breath in praise Of Izaak will probably get
almost as much Joy out of the book as though
ne were confirmed whpper of still. weil-popu-
lated pools In the present edition the pictures
are like the introduction, really In keeping
with the text and animated by the same spirit
Mr. E. j. Sullivan is the draughtsman' ne i
capable has good style and has mace ais
eliminating accompaniment in his heure coi"-
nositions and decorative vignettes Luxurious
presswork and a tasteful binding finish 'he
edition off into a fine state OF biphographioai
excellence.
"Rracebridge Hall" is one Of Irvings strong
est books, one of those which are pest ca'cu
lated. in all the extensive catalogue OF MS
performances. to resist the passage or years
Time takes nothing from the genial miscellany
a work into which the author seems 70 nave
flung the wayward shimmerings OF his fancy
and the substantial fruits OF his obserVatio'i
of the world with a consummate minenhs VI
the seemingly unrelated elements Ihe fu'-
MANS repr,nt the work In two beautiful vol
umes with many illustrations. ola ana new
and with a good decorative border printed in
colors around every page This Ia caiied III"
~surrey edition" 1t may also be called the
duced with every excellence Of typography ana
manufacture are sure to ou.last the popuiarlt!
of the Christmas season and 10 be taken per
,uanently into the libraries where taste Tor
what is best in literature joins itself to taste
for what is best in bookmaking to give the
room a solid value
Rome Of To-day and Yesterday The Pagan
<,,tv" ,s the title of a book by Mr.. John Dennie'
which the Putnams print in a beautifully made
md illustrated octave. The text is good specl-
mon of that kind Of prose. peculiarly character
fstic Of the present day. in which abundant IN
formation about great city is )uoicious'S
combined with such literary and personal quail
tiles as will lift it above the level OF mere tolo-
graphical record. John Dennie has method
that is fitted to the serious nature of his theme;
the narrative is becomingly grave. yet there Is
a flowing movement 10 these pages which Will
carry the reader through downright lessons
which he might otherwise ignore. fearing their
weight OF learning II Is Impossible 10 De
fippant or clever in writing OF Rome. 1t Is
not necessary to be heavy. as so many writer's
seem 70 think. and Mr. Dennie has struck
very happy mean The text is well Informed.
having been written with full knowledge OF
the latest literature on the subject, and 1t Is
thorough without being pedantic. Travellers 10
Rome. who go there without special purpose,
but to see 1t and study II little along
with the other famous capitals of Europe,
will find this useful and companonable work
on the pagan phase OF the citys history.
Every dabbler IN Napoleonic history has heard
Of Bourrienne, the friend and secretary or
Bonaparte, bat not many readers have taken
the trouble or had the opportunity to read his
sMemoirs" at first hand The opportunity Is
offered to the vast public by a new edition In
two volumes. which = Y Crowell q co.
publish at very moderate price. Four hum
dred pages are crammed into each volume. and
consequently the paper is thin: but 1t Is less