The record-union., 1897-12-06
OUR BOOK TABLE.
CHAS. DANA GIBSON-1N MEM
ORIAM-CHILDREN'S TALES.
Mrs. Burnett's New Novel-1dle
Hours in a Library-The Work.
ers-A Bold Poet.

ers-A Bold Poet.
From Charles Scribner's Sons (NeW
York; we have very large royal quarto
volume in heavy covers, on finest brls-
tol entitled London, as Seen by Charles
Dana Gibson" The many pages give US
1een and ink and crayon life sketches by
Gibson Of scenes in the streets or Lon
don, in her courts, palaces, her draw
ing rooms and her places of pubic en-
tertainment Most of these pictures,
but upon a much smaller scale, nave
appeared in Life the London
Graphic" and in 'Scribner's Maga-
zine" Here they are, however, seen 10
Infinitely better advantage, and are ac-
companied by entertaining brlef text
also. The work is a superb one ana
will make a charming holiday present
for ones artistic friend. The plates are
each twelve by eighteen inches, and the
press work is Of the highest possible
order Indeed, it is scarcely concelv-
able that the original pen work of Glib
son shows forth any more boldly or
Vigorously.
A beautiful holiday book is that issued
by fF'ords, Howard & Hubert, New
York, entitled "In Memoriam," by Al
fred Tennyson. With a preface by
Henry Van Dyke. Illustrated by Harry
Fem. 1t is on enameled paper with
marginal initial and other illustrations
in soft tones and in a beautiful and
striking letter press. 1t is not often
that so undisputed a masterpiece as
Tennysons I'm Memoriam" is left so
long without the attention of speclal
edition for purposes of presentation
Whether for it's exquisite poetry, its
profound philosophy, its reverent relig-
ion, or its uplifting strength in bereave-
ment, it has always been priced among
the foremost Of elegiac-or, indeed. any
other-poems. Yet, save in the admi-
rable low-priced students edition.,
with DR.. Rolfe's annotations, and a
small pocket volume of Macmillan's,
this wonderful poem cannot be obtained
in a volume by itself.
That it should have been selected.
then, for artistic Illustration and beau
tiful printing is no wonder; but the
publishers have been peculiarly FORUM
ate in securing for it the services of
Harry Fem. The wide range and DEL
icate quality of his artistic capabilities
are we'll known, but his special fitness
for the present task lies in the fact that
some years ago he spent many months
in the immediate vicinity of Tennysons S
old Sussex home, and filled his port
folios with the beauties of that charm
ing region of rural England. Thus the
multitudinous illusions of the poet to
nature in illustration of his thought find
sympathetic and accurate representa-
tion amid the drawings with which Mr..
Fem has enriched these pages.
From Dodd, Mead & Co, New York,
we have Untold Tales of the Past" 1t
is by Beatrice Harraden, the author of
'-Ships That Pass In the Night" 1t is
illustrated from drawings by FL. r.
Nlillar. There are twelve tales told in
this handsome volume by the accom-
plished author of whom and whose
physical sufferings so much has been
written and said. All the stories relate
TO the times that We're chivalric, the age
of knight and mistress, of Prince and
peasant. 1t is of course a book for girls
and boys and as such 1t overf1owS with
sweet, good lessons, but not of that sick
1y, sentimental order that tends to
weaken the taste of vigorous and aspir-
ing youth.
Frances Hodgson Burnett's latest
hook is His Grace of Osmonde." 1t is
sub entitled Being portions of that
nobleman's life omitted in the relation
OF his lady's story presented to the
world of fashion under the title of "A
Lady of Quality" The novel is from
the press of Charles Scribner's Sons,
New York. and sells at 81 80. Mrs.
tv,
her literary labors are all too well
known to call for comment here. We
do not think it the best of her works,
but it is by no means least. 1t is a
strong, deeply interesting tale invested
with great human interest and well up
TO the standard Mrs. Burnett has es-
tablished for originality and grace
idle Hours in a. Library is the title
of a delightful. restful and critical work
by William Henry Hudson, professor
of English literature in Stanford Uni
versity 1t is from the press of Will
lam Doxey, San Francisco, and is a
small octave, selling at 81 p. 1t treats
of London life in Shakespeares time.
of Pepys and his diary, of two novelists
of the English restoration (Mrs. Behn
and Mrs. Manley), and of a glimpse of
Bohemia We have been much enter
tanned, greatly informed and mentally
1ested and strengthened by perusal of
these easily written, graceful and mod
est pages. AS Professor Hudson HIM
self says, the work indicates in a gen.
eral way that aimless browsing among
books which is not undertaken with
definite scholastic ends, but, rather, as
n recreatiVe exercise Three of the
papers in the volume Professor Hudson
has presented upon the lecture platform
in this State.
''The Workers, an Experiment in Re-
Rlity" is the title of Walter A. Wyck-
offs latest work. He is well known
as lecturer on sociology in Princeton
University. The volume is narrative
of experiences in an experiment made
in labor to get at the actual truth for
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