The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-31

emphasis, The story Is notably effective In
what II mainly undertakes. Tho reader will
dnd his blood stirred by it.
We arc glad to see that Nj. Altsheler says
"unreadiness" instead OF "unpreparedness."
The latter expression was an unexplained bur
den OF the late war. We never knew how It
was that room camo TO DO made for IL.
One embarrassing result Of themodern system
OF specialization in education is tho appearance
Of countless elementary text books leading 70
acquaintance with the many new sciences into
which the old-fashioned branches of knowl-
edge have split up. Such books doubtless
serye many useful purposes, and. when ac-
curate. would do no harm II they we're not, to-
Rether with the sciences they introduce. forced
upon children In the schools. 1t Is a failing Of
specialists to look at the universe from the
standpoint ofthelr W specialtyalone. and It is
q characteristics Of many Of their text books not
10 restrict themselves TO the facts OF the science
thoy explain. but to bring In related
and even remote sciences as subordinate
parts OF their own. No doubt all parts OF
human knowledge are related. and plausible
arguments can be offered for each move in this
scientific game Of grab tho result. however. is
the c~easeless multiplication OF "-ologies" and
Biographies" which. however comprehensi-
bic to grown people. are perplexinR to the
young. and the growth OF what used to be
chapters or sections OF books into large vol
umes. requiring for their study a dispropor-
tionate amount OF children's time.
These reflections are brought up by q Phys
zeal Geography" written by Prof. William Nor
rls Davis OF Harvard University tGinn & Coz.
and intended for school use. Physical geography
nowadays. 1t seems. lis coming to be called
Photography" its sphere is the study Of
mans physical environment and over 400
pages are required for Prof. Davis to explain
to school children the essential rudiments OF
his science. The effectimust be that where the
book Is used an undue amount OF time will he
devoted to what Is after all but one part OF an
important subject In a child's education. We
do not intend to enter'here on an examination
of the scientific value Of Prof. Davis's book.
The position he holds is q guarantee for the
substantial accuracy of his statements Of fact,
and teachers will be sure to discuss its educa-
tional value Some points about the work.
however. may be interestingrto laymen.
The ingenious composite landscape OF the
old Biographies. with all the divisions Upland
and water spread out in one panorama, while
curious beasts and strange people are crowded
side by side in the foreground. will be missed
on the cover. but pieces OF It will be found
scattered throughout the book. among them
our old friend the ibex on the mountain ton.
Tho picture OF the races OF man has disapy
- Nv - . III aNN Alul oNtn d6 du ~
NAL seems to be OF little use to the new physil
cal geography. The names OF the races. by the
way. are changed. and SO apparently is their
distribution. 1t is rather surprising to lear N.
for instance. that Tho Chinese are by no
means limited to northeastern Asia, hut
are found in large numbers in southeast srn
Asia" and elsewhere. ThereI are many lew
and Interesting pictures and diagrams in itbe
book. We fail. however. to grasp the geogra' phic
significance OF a cut. apparently from a S zap
shot photograph, Of the crowds on the bea ,h at
Atlantic City. though it is accompanied ~ an
eloquent description of southern New Je rsey.
A sly method devised by the professor to sugar
the bitterer fruits of knowledge and lure q IN his
youthful victims will be seen through a nd re-
sented. We imagine. by healthy-mindet 1 bows.
Exciting tales OF African dwarfs and Fsoui-
mauN hunters. with fascinating il!ust' tatious.
merely lead the young innocent into the com.
~plexities OF the earth's rotation and It's place
in the solar system. Bedouins In tn 4 desert
and asphyxiated grisly bears serve on Iy to in
troduce him to the composition OF tn . atmos-
phere and unpleasant looking weatht r charts.
After that he will view the bait o [ jellyfsb
and cassowary and kangaroo With. distrust.
Prof. Davis's~ language. too. is doubt less kindly
meant. but it is irritating. Child rem do not
like to be talked down to and sch' ,olboys still
less. Imagine a boy of IA learnir ~ this as n
lesson: The human inhabite nts Of arid
are few and miserable as compared
to the more favored races Of the world. Their
food supply Is scanty and Of little variety.
Their arts are primitive. for raw materials arc
OF few kinds" Simplicity and .hildishness are
by no means the same thing. 1t will require
an inspiring teacher to ma ke Prof. Davis's
Physical Geography liked in chool.
Mr.. Rudyard Kipling. we 8 aspect. Is in some
degree responsible for son rs OF Good Fight
ing" by Eugene r. White Hanson. Wolfe &
Co.. Mr.. White finds his aspiration chiefly in
the buccaneers. a happy { ihoice. as the una
voidable objurgations on the Spaniards found
a ready echo a few MOI this ago: he has the
right swing in his verse o nd plenty of go: more
over. he stops not at bic cd nor at profanity, as
a verse from "A Buccan eer Toast" will show:
To the Friend of the Seven Seas,
To the Print OF TIL Dead Mans Thumb,
To Curse at DEATH with a dying breath,
Here's Death in a .Draught of RUM
Here's to He'll. tos it of In a quad. lads.
Drink the health II the Devil and laugh, lads,
Pledge the tale of the Wheat and the Chat. lads.
Her IS to He'll
Though the meaning is not quite clear, this Is
surely piratical. In a stanza from 81 Ofthe Great
and the Sea "'Mr. White retains his hold
on the rhythm. tho ugh his language seems to
get away with MIN. The Lakes are speaking:
Rant through . Continent. blustrous at our will.
q summer song. chanting runes of
wrath,
Lissom with limpi dity. purling Peace Be Still.
Writhen sore with rlvening. Death is in our path.
Tho ayfarers." by Josephine Preston Pea
body copeland 4 Day.. stands far above the
level Of the pre- ttiIy gotten up little books of |
verses brought out this season. The poems
show genuine poetic feeling. well expressed.
with no sign OF immaturity. The religious po-
ems are good.
Some Verses" by Hoien Hay III. s. Stone It
Col. is a creditable piece Of work. Miss Hay
has imagination and ardelicate touch.
An impression of deep. almost British. dull
ness is left after reiding Mr.. Philip Henry
Poems" copeland & Day. He is
solemn; solemn enough for the POETRY column
the Spectator. His parody on the New Eng
land Primer verses Is not an improvement.
In "A Floral Fantasy-in an Old English Gar
den" by Walter CraneNHarpers,) the old fash
garden fayoritessare led through strange
-