The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-19


the details of affairs, yet he treats of cam
| paigns with broad, far reaching sweep
| of the pen that is comprehensive, compact
and decisive. With his historical person
ages he is not so successful; possibly it is
because he made no effort to emphasize
| their personalities. One exception I make
In rgard to His Excellency, George Wash
| ington, and naturally the greatest interest
| clusters around this figure. 1t is the most
accurate and human portrait we have yet
had. possibly in fiction, If we except Thack-
| erays portrait in 1.-THE Virgnians.''
Among the closing lines we have great
scene where the general lays down his
victorious sword and meets his comrades
of the army in a last adieu.
| This parting, as Thackeray portrayed it,
will remain of the memorable scenes
| in historical fiction Eye witnesses re-
| ported it; historians described 1t, but
| Thackeray immortalized it,"
"Yet forty days and Nnevah shall be
| overthrown." Such was the text of the
| last Lenten sermon preached in IVA before
| Louis XIV, at Versailles. These are the
| opening lines in a most excellent volume
| upon that always fascinating, If mourn
| full, history of that unhappy queen of
| France, Marie Antoinette. The book is
| entitled 1.-THE French Court and Society,""
| and is by Lady Jackson The series con-
| tains volumes upon other periods of French
| history, also; such as 1.-THE Court of the
| Tuileries," 1.-THE First of the Bourbons,"
| 1.-THE Old Regime and others. The vol
| umes are splendidly illustrated and are
| written in a terse, vigorous style, giving a
| graphic idea of the always interesting
| history of this people.
That old favorite, '"rhe First VIOLIN" by
| Jessie Fothergill. appears in an exqus-
| lite edition for the holidays. 1t Is In two
| volumes, in brown and gold binding, with
covers and box to match. The illustrations
| in black and white and photographers are
| especially fine, making 1t attractive
| gift book
Publishers take an especial pride in the
! luxury they devote to Thomas Carlyle's
! French Revolution" Every one aspires at
some time to possess a handsome edition of
some time to posses an edition of the work
| One of the most attractive editions ever
| issued is just from the press of Porter e.
| Coates, and comes in three volumes, in
| blue and gold, in box to match. The pa
per and print are especially fine, which is
always desirable thing in works of his
| tory that require concentration of mind
No word of praise need be said of this
| work; its enduring merits are fully known
| and appreciated There are splendid IL
| lustrations among them fine one of La
Fayette-that Frenchman especially dear
| to the hearts of Americans OF LaFayette's
march to Versailles, he says: Towards
midnight lights flare on the hill : LaFay-
| cites lights. The roll of his drums comes
up the Avenue de Versailles. With peace
or with war? Patience. friendsl With
neither Lafayette is come, but not yet
the catastrophe" So deeply thrilling and
fascinating that it is difficult to lay aside
the volume when once begun.
'In Ole Virginia." by Thomas Nelson
Page, appears in a binding of white, yell
| low and gold, with ragged edges The vol
ume contains "Marse Chan" "Unc Edin-
burg" "Meh Lady," "Polly" and others
which have long since found their way to
the hearts of large class of appreciative
readers. This edition is especially de-
signed for the holidays.
1.-THE Idle Thoughts of an Idle Felloy,"
by Jerome X. Jerome, is issued in a quaint
little handy volume. In a preface as
unique as the contents of this book, the
author says: what readers ask nova
days in a book is that 1t should improve,
instruct and elevate. This book wouldn't
elevate a COW. I cannot conscientiously
recommend 1t for any useful purpose what
ever All l can suggest is that when you
get tired of reading "the best hundred
books" you may take this up for half an
hour. 1t will be a change" Mr.. Jerome
might conscientiously have said it would
make that cow laugh" tho possibly that
would not have been becoming his mod
esty.
"Pipe and Pouch sounds like the title
of nice book for some old bachelor, and
so 1t is, for we find it supplemented by
the title, 1.-THE Smokers Own Book of
Poetry, quaint little anthology compiled
by Joseph Knight.
On the opening page find the name
of Richard LeGallienne He says:
what though our modern skies be gray,
AS bards aver, will not pray
For soothing death to succor me,
But ask this much, o Fate, of thee,
A little longer yet to stay
With Pipe and Book"
A pleasing little volume in substantial
binding of brown and green.
Surely the daintiest little volumes i'm
aginable are two upon "Feudal and Modern
Japan" in white, gold and oriental cloth
binding, compact in a box. The author,
Mr.. Arthur May Knapp, collected the notes
and information for these volumes during
a long residence in Japan. His chapters
on 1.-THE People Under Feudalsm," Ecu
dial Commerce." "Relgious Invasions."
1.-THE Nations Unity and others, is cham
ing matter, while the illustrations are
worthy of commendation and afford in
themselves a fund of information.
These little volumes are very tempting
from the exqusitveness of the binding
yet even more dainty and irresistible are
those tiny gift books containing collec-
ton of masterpieces and classics. They
come in the most delicate colorings, pale
blue, pink, white and gold, with flowers in
| rare conventional designs. Tor their mod
crate cost they are marvels of beauty.
Among the best ones are "Oliver Wendell
Holiness 1.-THE Wonderful One-Horse
Shay" and other poems; Robert Burns
"Auld Lang Syne" and other songs.
''We'll take cup o. kindness yet
For Aud Lang Syne"
Also Treasury of Table Talk" by ia
nous people, which is an exceedinly handy
little volume when one desires to find some
bon mot. Indeed there seems to be no
limit to the beautiful setting of old ia
vorites, which ever abide with us, for
Books have their destinies."
PAUL PRY.