New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THACKERAY AT CAMbRlD1h - Mlo0
wORMELEYs LETTERS FROM V1R-
GINA DURING THE WAR-A
BOOK ABOUT MINIATURES
THE PRINCE OF
WALES

BOOK ABOUT MINIATURES
THE PRINCE OF
"Pendenns" nlls the second volume III 'he
new Biographical" edition OF ThacKeraS' pun
nshed by the Harpers. The Introduction gives
some delightful glimpses Of the noVenst Ill "''
boyhood and youth. Thackerays weH-kno"h
feeling on the subject Of speechnaking is an
ticipated In this letter. written from Camp''osV'
have made a fool Of myself; have rendered
myself public character: ! have exposed ~!
SELF | spouted at the Union. ! doh kiloW
what evil reigns to-day. or whal s1,
demon could prompt me 10 such an ao a,, y" MINI
but however, up got. and clustered anu ~ ~
dered and retracted and suffered upon 'he Cai
acter Of Napoleon. Carne had Just been spedhIns
before mo and went on in fluent anu cas-! maj
ner but 1t was all fam. AS FOR me. go' up anu
stuck IN the midst Of first footstep ana .lVh' 80
endeayoring to extricate myseii from my ~.
emina. went deeper and deeper sun .,l a. " a.
with one desperate sentence, 10 VII lha' VA
poleon as a captain. a laWglver. anu hl'S'
inerited and received the esteem ana eratlt ,t
OF France" / rushed out of the qua6Inire M
which | had so foolishv plunged myself anu
stood down. like Lucifer never t. rise asaIn
with open mouth in that august asseihpH. az
much for the Union. | read from O'Clock tlli
1 this morning and considerably more IN the
evening: So though have been foolish To-Day
] have not been idle
Mrs Richie remarks that there were Penoeh-
Misses and Warringtons at Cambridge In Thack-
eray's time and that while the latter ola not
become Intimate with Edward Ff1 Gerald until
after they left the University. there was perhaps
some resemblance between the relations OF the
two men and those Of Pendennis and warning
ton But, adds editor. my rather WAS io'
Pendennis any more than the other was " ar
rington: they were both much more fastidious'
critical and imaginative persons" Alludins 10
Fitz Gerald's fondness for drolery and music
MIS- Richie reproduces a sketch by her rather
sent to Fitz Gerald a suggestion TOT he"
musical instrument to be called the hos''"-
Gundy" buxom maiden is seated belore
hind OF crate. which is full OF sQuealing pork
ers The tails OF the latter are poked throush
hole. in the crate. making a kind Of keyboard
The Young lady tweaks them. gazing the "hile
upon the sheet Of music before her. horse
thrusts his head out of his stall with an express
rion Of amazement and two beaining amateurs
presumably intended for Thackeray and his
friend stand entranced by the stream of melody.
Another characteristic souvenir OF the novelist
which his daughter preserves in this introdnc-
ton is a letter written in the style or Pepys 10
Lady Stanley Of Alderley a charming bit OF
fooling.
The Harpers bring out new edition OF Mt
n G. Wels's book Of Thirty Strange Stories
II would be hard TO find anything In contem-
porary fiction as blood curdling as this. but IT
Is none the less enthralling. Mr. Wells has the
gift OF making the grisly, fantastic. incredible
thing entirely credible. and this book is an eN-
cellent illustration Of his ability.
An apposite reprint is that of Miss Katherine
Prescott Wormeleys collection Of letters, written
from the headquarters OF the United States
Sanitary Commission during the peninsular cam
naisn in Virginia in 1862. These letters were
first published in 1883 by the Massachusetts
Commandery OF the Loyal Legion. under the
title OF The Other Side Of the War" The plates
having been presented TO the author. she has
used them without change. save as regards the
title which runs The Cruel SIDE OF
War" thus avoiding any political significance.
The book is Of value as conveying personal
impression OF matters quite outside the realm or
politics The reader IL scarcely conscious OF the
things underlying the great conflict He thinks
only OF the suffering soldiers and OF the tremen-
dous help rendered to them by the devoted
workers on the Sanitary Commission A spirit
was abroad which burns In these pages as
though the events chroncled were OF yesterday.
instead Of lying more than thirty years behind
us We may cite one illustration OF this spirit
It occurs in one of the earliest Of the letters.
follows:
You are not 10 be alarmed by the word
typhoid" which foresee will occur on every
page OF my letters nearly all our sick cases
being that or running into that. The Idea or
infection is simply absurd The ventilation OF
these ships is excellent: besides. people employed
in such a variety Of work and in high health
and spirits are not liable 10 infection NOBODY
ever thinks Of such thing, and only mention
II TO check your imagination. In boat or
ganized like the Knickerbocker we women
stand no regular watch but we are on hand at
alt oh nfh lr Mt Olfr
own convenience. AS for the ladies among
whom my luck has thrown me, they are just
what they should Deficient, wise. active as
cats merry light hearted. thoroughbred. and
without the fearful tone Of self-devotion which
sad experience makes one expect in benevolent
women. We all know in our hearts that II Is
thorough enjoyment to be here-it 10 life, in
short; and we wouldn't be anywhere else in the
world.
II Ia a stirring picture, and since Miss Worme
ley expands 1t enormously in these letters, giving
a vivid and comprehensive account of the work
done by the hospital forces attending on the
Army Of the Potomac. the volume as whole
leaves a deep and lasting impression Il hope
people will continue TO sustain the Sanitary
Commission" she wrote. at the beginning OF her
Iabors Her hope was fulfilled. In footnote
TO the introduction TO this book 1t Is estimated
that the people gave to the army. through the
Sanitary Commission. cash and supplies
amounting TO no less tndn SZo,VD,ND Inc
money was trebled in usefulness through the
efforts Of that small army Of workers who, like
Miss wormeley, carried the aid to the seat OF
war This is a modest little volume. but II re-
cites impressive some sines heroic. deeds. In
times OF peace It could not fail Of appreciation.
At this time particularly 1t is bound TO be widely
read
President Eliot OF Harvard has collected. in
a volume entitled American Contributions to
Civilization" the addresses and magazine arti-
ces written by him in the last quarter OF a
century This volume Is Of varied interest; an