The record-union., 1898-11-21
OUR BOOK TABLE.
NEW BOoKs-BRET HARTE's
LATEST VOLUME.
gmmortality-Heroic Ages Tales
In Spain-Ford's Latest-An
Old Boston-The Deep Sea-

Old Boston-The Deep sea-
"A new volume by Bret Harte is al
ways welcome In the latest stories
in Light and Shadow" (Houghton,
Miff1in & Co., Boston, we have seven
good short stories by this favor1te au-
thor. They are not all dialect stories
or Pacific Coast scenes, on the con-
trary the best of the seven, "Unser
KALI moves on foreign soil. We be-
lieve Harte is strengthening with age.
Assuredly these later tales are indica-
tive of it.
Life and Immortality of Man. is an
argumentative lecture by A. Gibbs Ga
brielle 1t is from the press Of Peter
Eckler, New York, and Is No. 81 of
volume of the Library Of Liberal
Classics issued monthly at So a year.
The work is a free thought essay, one
denying church and creed and adopting
nature as the only God.
OF the Tales of the Heroic Ages"
series &c. P. Putnam's Sons, New York
and London) we have Zenaide A. Rey-
ozin's "Liegfried The Hero of the
North, and Beowulf, the Hero of the
Anglo-Saxons' 1t is freely illustrated
by George T. Tobin. 1t is delightful
volume for young people. 1t is poetic
fiction of the highest order, but so pre-
sented as not to infiame the mind with
any dangerous fancies. The author
contends for the reading by youth of
well selected, carefully adapted high
class poetic fiction, as before and pre-
ferable to story books of the modern
order which crowd the Christmas
counters. And for these reasons:
First, the positive standard value of
such literature-the noble beauty it
breathes; the high lessons of unselfish
heroic endeavor which pervade it, and
which it instils without ever pointing
moral; the gallery of mastery charac-
ters which impress themselves on the
mind forever by few simple strokes;
the vivid presentation of the life, man
ners, and spirit, in bygone ages of the
different peoples, with the universally
human element never absent or distort-
ed. Second, all study of history, with
many Of its attendant branches, is
based, according to the modern meth
DDS Of comparative research and recon-
struction, on that of the, myths and
heroic legends of the ancient world. In
becoming familiar with them for pleas
use and amusement, therefore, the
youthful mind will be storing up the
materials for future serious work-nay,
when the college days come, it will find
much of the work actually done.
He would take national epics and
treat them simply, follow the main
lines faithfully, bring out characteristic
details, poetical beauties, and pictur-
esque traits. Condense, eliminate, but
construct lively narrative Incorporating
explanations with the fewest possible
foot notes, and omit all critical and
NEUROLOGICAL depression. AS to the
language on presenting this style of
literature he says TT should be sim
pie, though not untinged with quaint
ness, and even in places a certain de-
gree of archaism, bearing in mind
above all, Kingsley's structures OF long
words" (words of five syllables he
wants fined). This does not exclude the
use of what may be called good lit
erary words, j. e., words not in use in
commonplace conversation but quite at
home in good literature, especially if
they belong to the Anglo-Saxon side of
the language. 1t is no matter that
such words may sound at first unfamil-
lar to young readers; they cannot too
soon be made familiar, for it is so much
done towards the comprehension of the
higher class Of literature; and besides,
We cannot begin too soon to enrich the
young peoples vocabulary, the poverty
OF which, even among persons of aver
age culture is among the most distress
ing results of a mere public school ed
fng A
constructed this charming volume.
Witch Winnie in SPAIN is the latest
of Elizabeth w. Champney's books. 1t
will be received by the myriad of
young readers whom she has won to
her heart with delight, for she has
written into it her love and admiration
for the beautiful Basque provinces, and
the fascination for Spanish romance
and history awakened first by reading
Burrows romantic adventures, she has
impaired to her pages in this latest
volume. Dodd, Mead & Co., New York
Illustrated.
s'Tattle- Tales of Cupid" is a volume
by Paul Leicester Ford There are in
the volume (press of Dodd, Mead &
Co., New York; four stories and two
plays. The stories are better than
the plays. We must believe that Mr.
Ford's forte does not lie in the telling
of a story in a play. Yet we do not
deny that he has been more successful
than many others in making effort in
the same direction. But in his stories
in this volume Mr. Ford exhibits him
self to us at his best. He proves
what splendid mental equipment he
has, what unbounded capacity for
work, what intellectual energy and
vigor there are in his make up, proving
the blood of Websters, Chaunceys,
Fowlers and Bradfords. which flows
in his veins.
"A Little Girl in Old Boston, is by
the popular writer. Amanda NJ Doug
las, whose "A Little Girl in Old New
York and "Sherbuyne Stories have
delighted so many young readers. This