New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-29
ILLUSTRATED CLASSICS.
o,,nAY EDITIONS OF EsoP. AMBER
CIV LEWIS CARROLL AND OTHERS.

Kindred FABLES OF EsoP. From ,t the
Her-I,sh Version OF Sir Roger l. Estrange. With
f5irfures by Percy J. Biilinghurst ana an intro
dBction by Kenneth Grahame, Octave, PIP XIV
THE FAIRY TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN An,
Hanson & Comba. Limited
,,n-uER GOOSE'S NURSERY RHYMES. With
81 Pictures by r Upper Octave. pp. 800 Phil
sseIphia: The J. r. LppincOtt Company.
FATHER GOOSE, his BOOK Ry L Frank
6 6asm Chicago: The George NJ Hill Company.
OLD FRENCH FAIRY TALES BY Charles Per;
Edition With 200 Illustrations by the most cele-
bTated French Artists. octave. PIP. s5s. Boston:
r1cEs ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. BY
Lewis Carroll. With twelve Full Page Illus
tratons in Color. From Drawings by Blanche
McManus. octave. PIP IN NJ. f, Mansfield and
ruRoUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. BY Lewis
carroll With twelve Full Page Illustrations in
Color From Drawings by Blanche McManus
octave. PIP lSs. NJ. F. Mansfield and W. A.
Vessels.
Since In these days Il is evidently regarded as
necessary 10 publish an Introductory essay from
soroe modern hand with every new edition OF a
classic. we find on opening such an edition
that we must first consider, not the author him
self but the ideas which he has suggested to
come recent editor. This situation has often
nrovoked adverse comment but we must con-
fess II IS not unpleasant. For example the
new edition OF 141sop. taken from the old Eng
,sh version Of Sir Roger L'Estrange. is intro
dpcAd bv Mr. Kenneth Grahame in a very read
able little essay. We might dispense with 1t,
Int. since It is there, we must admit that it is
agreeable AS for Mr.. Percy Billnghurst's illus
trations they are practically all we'll drawn.
but they are not all we'll designed. some Of them
going awkwardly on the page. AS we write this.
We remember that to Juvenile readers questions
Of strict composition and OF decorative pro-
priety are hardly vital. On the contrary. the
average boy girl who takes up this volume
will be fascinated by Mr.. Bilinghurst's animals,
and that Is the chief thing 10 be considered.
Each fable has page to itself, and is faced by
full page illustration. The volume is hand
sonely made.
Dr. Edward Everett Hale says In his introduce
ton 10 the edition Of Hans Christian Ander-
SEN that he will not venture TO describe the indie
scribable and so will not try 10 analyZe the
charm OF the stories. They hardly need 10 be
analyZed at this late day. New editions OF
Andersen come round with the regularity OF the
seasons and both praise and elucdation Of the
famous author are superluous. But il is always
a special pleasure 10 note the appearance Of
some new illustrator with real sympathy for the
Tales and with capacity for the treatment Of
them in pictures. Such an illustrator we recog-
nze In Miss Helen Stratton, whose illustrations
so numerous that there is at least one on every
page-are true 70 the spirit OF the author and are
marked at the same time by elements which
speak we'll for the artists invention The draw
ings made with pen, and Miss Stratton
shows considerable refinement Of line She has
10 bar ia
signs sufficiently bold and simple to appeal at
once TO the youthful eye and imagination. Most
Of them are inserted in the text, but a fair pro-
portion are very nearly the size Of the large
page. The book has an attractive binding in
colors 1t is stoutly made and altogether strikes
us as one of the most finished and successful
nursery publications which the present season
has brought forth.
Mother Goose's immortal rhymes have found
a merry illustrator in Mr.. Opper. His style is
blunt even a little coarse, but his sense Of fun
is inimitable. II few Of his drawings would
he more appropriate TO the columns Of q comic
journal intended for the elders, the bulk of his
work is calculated perfectly TO amuse the small
est reader. The frontspiece is printed in colors.
II is so effective that wish some OF the
pictures in the text had been printed in the
same way.
year or ago Mr.. L. F. Baum had the
audacity to publish a book called Mother
Goose in Prose" and justified his daring by his
ingenuity and humor. That volume also.
rendered particularly attractive by the illustra-
tons which Mr. Maxfeld Parrish provided This
year Mr. Baum appears with another expert
ment Father Goose" and while he has not
been able TO secure illustrations as good as
those in his preceding volume he and Mr..
DenslOw between them, nevertheless have
achieved very plausible results The rhymes
srtiessly comic, and the pictures.
Perhaps the best page is that devoted to Little
Sally dancing the ostrich dance. Sally's partner,
an ostrich with marvellous legs and still more
marvellous grin, is surely a wondrous creature.
II was good idea to republish Perrault and
Nine D'Aunoy with illustrations familiar in
older editions These drawings are old fash
Toned but quaint and pretty, and 1t is sometimes
well 10 read these classic tales in atmosphere
less intensely modern than our own. There are
thirteen stories in the book, an unlucky number
but superstition has no place in the nursery
and there this portly little book will be thumbed
with affection and delight
Apropos OF the question OF perpetuating old
illustrations made for classical writings. may
ray that we are little disconnected by the new
editions OF Lewis Carroll for which Miss Nc
Manus has made some new pictures. The books
IN everything that concerns their manufacture
could hardly be better than they are. The page
is Of a generous size. the type Is good and the
bindings have holiday gayety Of color. But
the best OF the illustrations only succeeds in
making US regret the absence Of Tenniel's i'm
mortal drawings. The celebrated English
oTaughtsman never ala anything more brilliant
than the work he dedicated TO Lewis CAROLS
sublime extravaganza II is impossible to avoid
Comparing Miss McManuss illustrations with
Us perfect designs. Granting her inferiority