The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-05


There are few mora notable figures on
the artistic horizon at present than Mr..
Charles Dana Gibson; his characteristic
and individual style has achieved for him
a foremost and noteworthy place as an
artist eff atfIlty His latest work, "Lon-
don: As Sen by C. d. Gibson" contains
much of hts most ambitious work
These London views include many stril1-
ing and picturesque scenes, and the large
size of the volume, has given an excep-
tional ehancs to do justice to the rfe-
| lures This book is calcu1a. ed to make
more than acceptable gift bl5lok avs the
name of c. D. Gibson is a favored one
to the American feminine heart. In clos
ing MIR. Gibson says, "Thes= drawings
were mads among this most hospitable
people | ever met. When | have failed
It has mot been owing to lack of irlS.e-
est, but more likely ON account tf a cen-
seriousness THEFT my results would fall
short of my desires" During his stay
IN London, Mr.. Gibson had every cppor-
tui4ty to do faithful and charac eristic
werk and this splendid volume is his
Robbie achievement.
Anothfir attractive work of this kind is
"Life's Comedy" made up from many
of the' most notable things from life
Contributions Of work from dozens OF
the must prominent artists crowd ITS
pages, illustrating sketches und r The
Following titles. "Tha American Gill;
Sweethesrts and Lovers" ",The Amlsi-
can Family and "Oul Bachelors" A
world of fun and merrimenlt is found in
this charming book, while on.'s artistic
taste is educated and cultivated by OBJ
Striving the differences in methods of
work and style pursued by our foremost
artists.
Coates & Co.., of Pfr1adelphia, havs
| just published some exquisite gift books
for the holidays; moss notable on the
list is Spain and the Spaniards'' by Ed
monde De Amicis, and tcanclatsd from
thu italian. 1t comes i'm two volumes
crnamental, in cloth box, with fArty-fiv=
photogravure illustrations and a map.
Possibly no country stands mere prom
inently forward than does Spain today
and yet prejudiced though we may be as
to her present political ATTITUDE, theia lis
stfM much for ths, reader to- learn and
enjoy eff her rfl5ereIfy and artistic his
tory. In these volumes we lilarn That
a fellow travel IT made the astonishing
statement II am ttaveling for low, he
said With perfect gravity. For Lowell
And Then, umasked he told me long
story of an unhappy love affair and fin
ally he said hi was travelling foI1
change of seems tie hlalp him forget the
lady of HIS Affections" And thereupon
o-mmences some delightful and quaint
tours among Barcelona, Saragossa and
Madrid, ard Granada and other famous
places, with a text that is filled with
rare information, a relation of incident
THAT gives rtquancy and vigour to the
stlery of this psop5a and these old his.tifc
places.
Equally as instructive and artistic as
these boaks on Spain are similar ones
upon Holland" Morocco" "Venice,"
and 'ConstanJinople." TIL sc books are
charming Tin the extreme, THE AUTHOR
De Amic's possesses unusual dramatic
gifts of relation and forcible manner
in describing the visited scents, Which
makes it all ss:m wonderfully real OF
Cons tantinople he says "A minute
passes, then amctiher We ara gliding
by Sertaglio Point, and see opening be-
fore us an enormous space flooded with
light and a huge mass of MANY shapes
and cclors. The peint is passed, and
behold! before us lies Cons; antinople-
Constam tdropie, boundless, superb, sub
lime! The glory of creation and man
kind A triumph of beiauty, far sulpass-
ing ones widest dream" And thin IN
despair the author cries, who, indeed,
can describe Constantinople?"
The enjoyment of the tsxt ds wond=1.-
fully enhanced by the numerous and
beautiful illustrations which alone form
a liberal am-unt of information of this
far-away land and people.
Something out of the ordinary rum of
books is ''Ths First Chris mas Tree,"
by Henry Van Dyke; illustrated by Mr..
Howard Pyle lin his usual conscientious
and satisfactory style. pleasing hol-
fday effect is given 1.-THE volume by the
decorative bordsirs, illuminatsd title and
striking cover, In this work DIR. Van
Dyke lis peculiarly i'm his element, fer hs
is dealing with the transition from those
pagan human sacrifices with which THE
barbarian Germans d=flsh the gloomy
oak OF Geisnar to the peaceful ce1ebra-
itaon Of the birth of Ch.tst, here mi
tfated through the dramatic interruption
fried. The authors feelings for nature
and his STRONG religious sense so manifest
i'm all his WRITINGS combine to make this
a singularly vivid, STRONG, and charm
ing story.
With all the popular books of the day
constantly Appearing, old favouft1s are
NOT forgotten and ever and anon publish
ers turn their attention taward their
more faithful and beautiful production
Among this LIST I find est. Elmo" by Au-
gusta J. Evans that old favorite which
continues ITO abide with us. The present
EDITION is I'm two voaumss, bound very
beautifully I'm two shades of green and |
gold, with numehlous illustrations. A
chronicle among the opening pages of
"St. Elmo" by tine publisher says: 1T
came to pass I'm THE year 1866, that
certain hugnIbla scribe inddIted THE tale of
"St. Elmo" thle publisher whereof made |
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