Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PLAYS. PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT BY
Georg. Bernard Shaw. In Two Volumes Chi.
cagO: Herbert y Stone & Comnany


cage: Herbert y. Stone Company.
Mr.. Shaw's place in dramatic literature is
somewhat uncertain because of his uncom-
promising indifference to the present tradi-
tons of the stage. His work is distinctly
satirical and on high plane of purpose
ard finisn but it does not appeal to the
general average of theatergoers. Yet the
two works from his pen which have been
produced here. Arms and the Man" and
The Devils Deputy have had a certain
vogue which may in part have been attr;b-
utable 20 tine prestige of their interpreter
The former o. these finds a place among
the Pleasant plays in this collection The
division adopted by Mr.. Shaw il obvious
The Unpleasant" plays are such because
OF the ugly truths which they present III
plain light AS Mr.. Shaw says in his
caustic preface. their dramatic power is
used TO force the spectator to face unpleas-
ant facts" These plays are "Widowars'
Houses" The Philanderer'' and Mrs.
Warren's Profession" The Iast-named is
assuredly Unpleasant" perhaps brutallv
and Extensively so. 1t is difficult to conceive
OF its consecutive production on stage
IT. TIE p, easan to plays. besides Arms and
the Man.. are You Never Can Tell Can
dida" and THE Man of Destiny"
PRINCIPLES AND METHODS or LITERARY
CRITICISM. BY Lorenzo Sears, Lift D. pro-
fessor in Brown University, author Of 1.-The
hstSsy S Of or''o T From the Age of periels
dress, Its Comp sit!on and Literaiure.' New
York: g. p. Tutham's Sons Washington:
VIM Billartyne < Sons.
Prof. Sears believes that the best criti-
cism promotes good literature of which
it is itself one of the highest forms. Actu-
ated by this conception of the function of
the critic he discusses his subject from the
point of view of its constructive rather
than its destructive capacity In this
wholesome spirit he divides his work into
such topics General Features of Criti-
cism," Common Forms" Higher Meth
DDS, Values and 1.-THE Critic" He
shows how criticism has arisen from the
low plane which it occupied In what he
calls the heroic age of criticism when
men and their works were written down
from the most sordid motives. as, for in
stance. when one of GoIdsmith's publishers
ca used hired scribbler to condemn one Of
the poets works because Goldsmith had
failed to pay a tailors bill for which the
publisher surety. The tone of the
work Is optimistic and instructive
THE RISE AM, GROWTH OF AMERICAN POL
GTl'S; Sketch Of Constitutions DEVELOPMENT
BY Henry ]. Ford New York: The Macmillan
Company
The purpose of this work az outlined In
the authors preface, is to tell the story of
our politics. to explain their nature and in
terpret their characteristics. Questions of
puDuc poflcy or OF party issues referred
TO only as they have affected the formation
of political structure: but as their influence
has been continuous. the work presents a
view OF American political history from
colonial times to the present day. The au-
thor holds the view that our political fac
tors do not become Ineligible until they
are viewed as an off-shoot from English
politics, and the growth of the variety *
studied with regard to the characteristics
of the stock. The work is scholarly show
ing evidences of careful research 1t is
written in a clear and concise style and
holds the attention of the student of politi-
cal economy throughout. 1t is more in the
nature of an exploration of causes than a
narrative of events. giving thereby an I'M
Outstanding of the actual system of govern
| ment under which we exist.
RED PATRIOTS; The Story Of the Seminoles. BY
Charles II. Coe. Cincinnati: The Editor Pu.,-
fishing Con pEny.
The author, who has resided In Washing
| ton for some years in an historical pursuit
| of his favorite subject, the North American
| Indian, makes an earnest plea for the Flor
| ida Seminoles, last remnants of the once
noble tribe. headed in comparatively recent
years by the chief Oseeola Mr. Coe has
closely studied the story and the present
| condition of this vestige of the tribe, and
he believes that their best interests will
| be advanced by permitting them to remain
where they are now quartered instead of
removing them, as is proposed to another
reservation in Florida, perhaps to the
Indian Territory. He describes the customs
| of the Seminoies. and traces their history