New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE CENTURY ATLAS OF THE WORLD-A
BIOGRAPHICAL DICrrONARY--LEsL1E
STEPHENS BRIEF MEMOIR
OF SWIFT
Having witnessed a wide adoption OF its Die
t;onary" and its Encyclopaedia Of Names among
thoughtful and practical people the Century
Company Is not unlikely to win now with Inc
Century Atlas Of the World" an even more cord
ial approval. This portly and handsome vol
une Is on the whole one Of the most perfect
tools with which the student has ever been pro-
v,ded The maps have all been based upon the
latest discoveries and. in addition 10 their ac-
curacy. they have been brought "up to date
IN everything that means egible and useful
csrtoeranhy The countries of both the New
World and the Old are shown In unusual detail
the number Of cities towns and smaller settle
nents indicated being greater, according 10 inc
publishers than that found In any o'her a'as.
Much valuable information OF geographical
and political character is concentrated III the
unobtrusive footnotes and there are divers o'her
important details including the main routes Oh
exnlorat,on and discovery in North and South
America, the West Indies. Africa, Australia ana
the North Polar regions. The sites OF ahc'eh'
battles OF Importance on land and sea are III
dicated cable routes and steamship routes are
also shown. and some forty historical maps
cover much ancient as we'll modern data
We have found ny carefully testing the Work
that II is easily handled and invariably lucid so
.h.. tho investigator has only himself 20 blame
% bs nakes mistakes The index. occupying
nearly four hundred four columned pages. Is
model Of what an index Of the sort should be-
The manufacture Of the book Is also faultless-
In short II is a pleasure TO praise TINS WORK I'M
reseryedly for at the same time that Hs e@-
eelIence impresses the reader he realizes 'ha'
he owes * TO American scholarship ana enter
prise.
The CHIEF merit OF "Chambers's Biographical
Dictionary" philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott COM
panv) which is edited by David Patrick ana
Francis Hindes Groome consists in Its compact
ness as a volume-which renders IL a convenient
desk companion-and in the comprehensive
brevty Of its Biographies. The editors nave cut
TO the bone in dealing with their subjects 1t Is
a book TO use when one is in haste. and u rely
on at all times.
The ffty-hfth volume Of The Dictionary OF
National Biography CThe Macmillan Company
runs from Stow to Taylor. AS in the case or
each one Of its predecessors. one may dip into
Il at q hundred places and always he repaid
But Il has one star biography an account OF
Swift by Leslie Stephen. Needless 70 say TINS
is throughout an admirable Illustration or that
sterling critics vigorous and illuminating style
We cite some Of his extremely interesting con-
illusions:
In Swift the author and the man are Identical
No writings ever reflected more perfectly a pow
erful jdiosyncrasy and his famous sayings re-
semble groans wrung from strong man by
torture. His nlisanthropy partly excuses. II u
does not justify the prejudices OF Johnson ana
Macaulay Thackeray. in the English Humour-
lists" accepted Macaulays statements OF fact
too unreservedly and While approaching ths
power was alienated by the ferocity' or some OF
Swift's writings. To deny the ferocty is I'M
possible: but il may be forgiven by those who
recognize some of the noblest Of qualities soured
nv hard experience Swift a man OF proud
and masterful nature doomed TO dependence on
weaker men; suffering till past middle life from
hope deferred. and after a brlef gleain OF Ut
mmnb sent with all his ambitions crushed. to
eat his heart out in ex His strongest per
sonal affections involved him In tragedy; the
country which he had served most generously
seemed 10 be sinking into ruin under the sys
TEN which he had denounced. His writings are
a record Of his moods. The early Tale Of
Tub" and Battle Of the Books express the
scorn of vigorous youth for effete pedantry.
But he has not, like his contemporaries. any
faith in the advent Of reign OF common,
sense" The apparently sceptical tendency OF
his ridicule OF mysterious dogmas was balanced
by his utter for the capacities Of the race.
He believed most unequivocally in the corrup-
ton Of human nature. and inferred the practical
necessity of a religion 10 restrain immorallty.
The "Scorn Of Fools which he confesses in an
early poem, is never absent. ne cOuln De DOtn
humorous and really playful when in good spirits
with conganial society; but his humOr has almost
ALWAYS a sardonic tnge. He never shows the
gentle kindness which gives the charm to the
writings of Addison Nobody could be a
warmer friend. but IL was on condition that his
friends should be part Of himself. He annexed
other persons rather than attracted them.
Hence follows one painful characteristic. The
suffering from the loss Overbalances for him the
happiness from the love He almost curses the
friendship which has caused the pain. with the
inverted hypocrisy often ascribed to him. he
hahituallv regards his beat feelings the cause
Of his misfOrtunes, and disavOws or laments
their existence. II is this unique combination
OF an Intense and glowing mind with narrow
pre1udices and the perversion Of a deeply af-
fectionate nature with n kind Of double selfish
ness which gives enduring interest to many
of Swifts utterances HIS insight Is as keen az
Il is one-sided. and his genuine hatred Of vice
and folly seems always to be tinctured with
recognition OF the futity in this world OF virtue
or wisdom SWifts works. by the insertion Of
the life the journal" and the letters. fill nine
teen volumes in Scotts edition The greatest
part Of these is occupied partly by the historical
Writings-which written In times Of repression
and without the stimulus Of an immediate prac-
teal purpose are lan9uiG. though giving some
interesting facts-and partly by the miserable
trifes with which he killed time in later years,
and which though Fox thought them proof
of good nature" TO most readers melancholy
Illustrations Of the waste Of great faculties by
a man diving like poisoned rat in hole"
Such people will hold that the fire would have
been the best editor.