New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-14


v.n,ls readers which is deservedy unique Ihese
nort,c,lsr volumes have IN addition 10 ther
Familiar merits the attraction OF an unnls'aAaoIe
.,,nel,ness They are readable al any time Out
they are particularly readable with reference " '"'
events and literary powers OF the present year
e,- Charlie, Robinson contributes 70 the current
number OF The Nineteenth Century an aOSoFo-
,ngIv interesting article the public art museums
~ london II Is q retrospect OF haII ceh'oI!
ana as u Is written out Of personal experience Il
has much more than the mere statistical sish.h
oance OF such essays. Sir CharIes makes oie P0'
which will surprise most OF his readers nc 0'ea-
q lance in defence Of the Prince Consort' sVerI'Hs
,hot the latters services 10 the development OF an
education were Of rranscendant Importance -"7
ra.dAr who has long been convinced that Prince
Albert never did anything for art oeyoho pa''VI',
ing Winterhalter and other mediocre aIe'S VII! O
fairly shocked by this bold pronouncenehC put
Sir Charles makes good his case he SHOWS .n@'
the great exposition Of 1851 was OF incacuiaole pen
eft to England in drawing attention 70 the hAuon
lack IN the matter Of art museums and art educa-
ton and that Prince Abert's participation IN tha'
and subsequent enterprises was OF immense value
to the men who finally put South kenslngton on l's
legs England needed 70 have the Importance Vi
industrial art pointed out to her BRITISH artisans
! were capable but they lacked taste. Canons OF
criticism unknown The antique sIohe Hl'ei
ested the educated classes. The establishment OIL
the museum at South Kensngton ara the eFo.u-
t,on Of ths science and art department did wonders
for the country lifting the crafts UP 10 q new
plane, ard Sir Charles manfully assures u.s. IN the
tseth Of all the depreciation that has been gong
on for q generation. that Prince Albert was lae-
tor Of tremendous Importance in this development
The article concludes with the expression OF Ter
vi6 hope that the Parliamentary Commission now
,nouirns into the state Of South Kensington may
nroduce good fruits. The institution Is IN bad
stata In fact Londons entire public possession IN
the matter Of art. its property at South kens'ng-
ton at tho National Gallery and at the BRUSH
Museum, is sadly IN need OF enlightened admins
trat,on For this Dir Charles Robinson devoutly
prays.
c1assoal novels continue to pour from the press
In holiday guise The Putnarns send US Rob Roy,
Illustrated by Mr.. F. H. Townsend. and VANITY
Fair" with pictures by Chris Hammond. Both
books are we'll printed and their ILLUSTRATIONS are
clever sympathetic productions. Longmans Green
A. Co. inaugurate Library Of Historical Novels
and Romances" edited by Mr.. George L. CONNIE
with a new edition OF Lord Lytton's Harold In
one handsome volume, and an edition IN Similar
form of THE Camp Of Refuge" by Charles Mac
fsrlane Without following any strict chronology
cal order the editor, nevertheless. proposes 10
cover the growth Of English history pretty thor
oushly In this series and descending to details. he
so annotates and illustrates each OF his books that
they take on an instructive character unusual for
ACTION. n''N
IN thu long Introduction which opens each volume
Mr. CONNIE describes the costume weapons and
other characteristics OF the period celebrated he
traverse. the places and buildings referred to- and
IN other WAYS makes the novest's picture much
mora OF an historical document than 1t has been
hitherto The plan is a good one. Mr.. CONNIE han
dIes Il with all possible cleverness. and the pub
Hshers have attended to the illustrations and gen
ernl makeup Of the books with good taste and
+horoughness that leave nothing 10 be desired
K,poslev. "Hereward the Wake Is announced for
early publication in the series and there viii be
further volumes by Thackeray. Leigh Hunt DAME!
Defoa John Gait Oliver Goldsmith. Charles Dick
an. Lord Beaconsheld. Harrison Ainsworth and
others.
Mr. Joseph pennel falls foul OF photography In
.Tbe Contemporary Review" Is photography
.,on0 thu nne arts? That Is Mr. Pencils ques-
,ion. He proceeds 20 demosh photography through
many pages The upshot Of II all Is. OF course
that MI Pennell omits TO persuade his reader that
nj. contentious are to the point Because the camera
does the photographers work for him. our critic
protests the photographer Is not an artist An art
ist SAYS Mr. Pennell. is a person who creates with
his own hands a picture or statue. Quite true. But
Mr. Pennel allows the ubiquty OF the amateur
photograp her TO disturb him unduly. Photography
In essence is a mechanical affair but 1t takes a
good deal OF TO control It effectively. The point
Aaex. ,k1