New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS
ROCKS FOR BEGINNERs-NoTEs ON THE
USE OF ENGL1sH-HINTs FOX
YOUNG WRITER'S. READ
Frs AND BOOK

BUYERS.


BUYERS.
A more painful piece Of pedantry II wou'u -
hard TO find than Mr.. Ralph Olmsted "ilhans >
treatise on Some Questions OF ControVer'eo
Usage" In style usually stilted ana iieaue"'
iy ,obscure he dogmatizes on the correct use u
words Seldom is dogmatism more futhe IMAM
when pronouncng the habits emo cue'oii'
Of human speech. and Mr.. Williams's assertions
inspired by no more rational motive IMAM Z" u'
terroined hostility 10 DR.. Ftzedward HAM, arc do
unlumnating as they are arid. Inc No'u'''e 10
published by Henry Holt & Co
From such a misconception or the literary
shirt one turns with pleasure 10 Professor
George Herbert Palmer's "Self-Cultivaton III
English" In a homely, interesting SUBSTANCE
.,v,s Professor Palmer deals with fundamental
nr,nciples Of composition His thirty compact
nages NAV be summed up in four pieces or al
vice: Cultivate accuracy and dash; "eiconie
every opportunity for writing; remember your
reader: lean upon your subject. The pamphiet
is published by Thomas Y. Crowell & Co
A few other books on the same subject oe-
serve a passing mention. Mr. Henry q. rear
sons Freshman Composition" which mas re-
Gently been issued by D. c. Heath & Co.. is,
roughly speaking. an adaptation OF the lucas VI
Mr. Barrett Wendelrs English Composition 10
the needs Of more elementary classes. He must
be an unpromising pupil. indeed, who, AFTER nav
ing studied this book. has not had hammered
into his head what are the three essentials OF
well organized piece OF writing-that 1t must DE
about one thing. that It must develop methodi-
cally and that II must give the greatest promi-
hence TO the most important ideas.
Mr. Frederic Lawrence Knowles's Practcai
Hints for Young Writers. Readers and Book
Buyers" is an explosive little brochure Of maxims
and epigrams 1t is one Of the few BOOKS on
composition which teacher may safely use
without fear thereby Of drugging his pupils In
tellects The volume is published by L. G. Page
Co. OF Boston.
The distinctive merit Of Professor Edwin Her
bert Lewis's First Book on Writing English
lies In the thoroughly human interest with
which II treats of the most elementary and even
the most mechanical matters OF composition
pronunciation and photography. In attempting
the impossible task Of defining TO youngsters
what q sentence is and in expounding some or
the complexities of paragraph structure Profess
sor Lewis drifts above the comprehension OF the
ordinary pupil Such obscure passages. how
ever are few In the main, he makes both his
meaning and it's significance clear. The volume
is distinct addition to the book list Of the Mac
milan Company.
The chief fault Of Mr.. C. r. Carpenters "Prin-
oiples Of English Grammar" published by the
same company, lies in its inaccuracy or state
ment. In attempting to reduce the suotleties or
English grammar TO the simple comprehension
of a child Mr.. Carpenter is led into one or two
misstatements. is later forced to contradict him
self. and endeavors to reconcile the contradc-
lions by the use Of well-intentioned sophistry.
The chief merit of the book lies in the frankness
with which the author recognizes that questions
of grammar are frequently questions not of alb
solute right or wrong. but simply of better or
To the ordinary reader sorey puzzled by the
diversity of English usage. Mr.. F. Horace Teall s
treatise on punctuation furnishes clear ready
and comparatively simple guide Any deliber-
ate habit and system of punctuation Is better
than none, and Mr.. Tealrs deliberations are as
good as any. No treatise on the subject is more
pithily or definitely expressed. The volume
comes from the press of D. Appleton Co
Hereafter let no one lack for a word By
turning TO the Art Of Conversing' or Ola
logues of the Day" from the author Of Man
ners and Rules Of Good Society" one may find
q ready-made response for every exigency In
lfa The nature OF the authors formula can
be adequately indicated by two random samples:
at is most kind of you; but fear l shall not
be able to come think must ask you to ex-
cuse me this time" and II am afraid you will
fni It rather hot; the heat is very great just
now" The public indebted to Frederick
Warne e. Co.. of London and New-Yor for the
PRONUNCIATION of ideas at once so broadly appli-
cable and so easily understood.
With the assistance Of Funk & Wagnalls, as
publishers Mr. David Charles Bell has recently
completed the three volumes Of his Readers
Shakespeare by the publication of the come
dies For those too incompetent TO enjoy and
too conscientious 10 forego the reading OF
Shakespeare's works Mr.. Bells short and ready
condensations may prove comforting way OF
escape from their dilemma. 1t is primarily to
directs his humble powers, and II the works OF
the myriad minded Shakespeare are TO be re-
duced within the compass Of an elocutionist's
capacities and his hearers patience. no one
could be better fitted for the task than Mr.. Bell
To the long list of school classics due primarily
TO the counses Of the Committee OF Ten must
be added recent editions of De Quincys Revolt
of the Tartars" and Tennyson's Princess pub
lshed respectively by Silver. Burdett G. Co. and
Maynard, Merrill & Co.