The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-04
HISTORIC NEW ENGLAND.
skelches and E.saus

Sketches and Essays.
Historic Towns Of New ENGLAND ~
Edited by Lyman p. Powell IIlustrat-
ed. american Historic Town series
q. 2. Putnam Sons
Mr. Powell tells in his preface how
the hapy idea which has found express
sion in this beautiful volume first
sprung into being In '93. while the
American Society for The Extension of
University Teaching was in session at
the University Of Pennsylvania. The au-
thor devised 9. series of trips to historic
Sizes in and about PhiladeDhia. Out
OF this experiment grew a ten days'
pilgrimage in the footsteps of George
Washington. in the summer of 81. in
which MI Howell was assisted by such
men as Col IIieginson, DR.. Hale.
Charles Dudley Warner. Richard W.
Glider, F. h. Sanb0rn, Edwin D. Mead
Hezekiah ButterWorth and Charles
Carlton Coffin. Mr. Powell was plan
ming to publish souvenir volume,
containing the more important ad-
dresses made by distinguished cicer-
ones and orators on this pilgrimage,
when the larger thought came to
him Of making O. series of volumes,
which should put into permanent form
the historic contributions Of many more
American towns than it had been pos
siblc to cover in one pilgrimage, and
thus to furnish at once a guide book
for the pious pilgrim and a volume of
interest to the stay t-hOme.
The work has been admirably done.
In an introduction. George p. Morris
has gathered up some phases of the
old New England life and some salient
features of its history and its moral
and social contributions to the nation
and the world. This is followed by a
number of historical sketches Of
the more noteworthy spots
by experts in local history,
Samuel T.. Pickard writes ON Portland;
Edwin D. Mead ON Rutland, Mass;
George D. Latimer on Salem; Col.
Higginson and Dr. Hale on Boston,
Samuel A. Eliot on Cambridge; Frank
3. Sanborn on Concord Katharine Lee
Bates has Cape. Cod towns, and New
port is in the hands Of Susan Coolidge.
Other towns in the list are Plymouth
Deerfeld, Providence, Hartford and
New Haven. A wealth of history and
Renaissance is presented in most at
tractive and varied form. The book s
value is enhanced by a profusion Of
pictures and maps. Some Of them from
cid and private sources.
Clear Skies and Cloudy" BY Charles
C Abbott, NJ D. Illustrated. j. Is.
Lfppincott Company
The return to the country, which is
one Of the heaIthtest signs Of the times
with us, socially considered, is quite
as marked in the world Of letters and
as rational a cause of self-congratu-
llation for Americans. The abandoned
farms, which ten years ago were such
a bee in the bonnet of some of the state
commissioners, are all being take up
at least in this part of the country
and to Judge by the books dealing
more or less at first hand with nature
which have been published and bought
since Thoreau died, there can be com
paratively few claims in natural his
| torv which have been more or less sue
/ eess9ul' ~ plotted The list of books
/ on nature Ioy Dr. Conrad himself con-
tanned in this charming volume OF new
/ ESSAYS. is proof of how large place
/ i'm modern, cultivated life out-ot-door
things and experiences hold.
DR.. Conrad is so faVorably known Tor
/ his nature writings that there is no
/ call to dilate upon their excellence.
They are enriched by deal of shy hu-
NOR. quaint philosophy and wide op-
servation of men and things me
/ charm Of the ineEact' IS a proIest
AGAINST some conventions OF speech,
/ '6The comfort of old clothes stlrs MN
| to many a sharp probe at lasIll l,I j.,
/ Correspondents and critics gives I .i9S
4 +o MANY a chucble in which the readeI
is fain TO share. These wise, KIND
bright essays are among the most de-
iip6tful of their kind, and that IS say
| ing not little.
.Nr Gladstone: A Monograph. BY
Sir Edward w. Hamilton, K, {: b;
| charles Scribner's Sons. tReceNea
from the Putnam & Davis Coz
ont of forty years friendship with
Mr. Gladstone, Sir Edward Hamilton
has written a very tender, affectionaIe
sketch of the personality of the great
statesman of TIawarden. EscheWmg the
political and public side Of a ca tr,.,,l
which included nearly uhD 0 IohSIl ~ Of ll
| If 80 wears in parliament, - years vi
" oao oo 1,nJar The crown and twelve and
onn-boif wears of premiership, ne mas
| con6ned himself to a description Oh lne
nan himself, his Intellectual powers
ni,arocteristics and Accomplishments
ea1,e Of his ways. aims and obJects' ms
Tic md dislikes. and the general us
position of his mind. ..4.,,.e+;,,o
The result is an intensely lhteIes Us e
1i+t1a volume and a distinctly value - w
nont,ibntion to the already large ahu