The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-08

history specimens. He tells his experiences
in Through New Guinea and Other Cannibal
Countries" Frederick A. Stokes Company.
The title OF the book Is somewhat misleading,
for on ono occasion only did Capt. Webster
penetrate into the interior. the greater part Of
his adventures Detailing him while cruising
among the islands and at short distances from
the coast. He tells his story with the direct
ness OF a ships log and with no pretence at
literary style; his observations. too. do not
rise above the level Of the ordinary British
| tourists range Of ideas. When the harmless
sport OF chasing butterflies with II net. however.
is carried on among murderous savages and hui
man life is risked on both sides at every moment.
the narrative cannot help being exciting. and
an unpleasant amount Of blood was shed in
Capt. Webster's butterfly hunt. Whatever his
scientific equipment may be. there can be no
doubt as to the Captains skill as a photogra-
pher. His book is full OF really marvellous photo
graphs of savages. which must have been taken
under great difficulties. Parts Of the negatives
had to be touched W. as the New Guinea attire
is such that the pictures could not have been
published otherwise. but the figures are fairly
alive. Tho illustrations give n value to the
book far beyond that Of ordinary books Of
travel. One extraordinary statement OF Capt.
Webster must be quoted:
Notwithstanding the use OF betel nut they
! all smoke tobacco. which has been introduced
by Europeans. and l have on more than one
occasion observed n mere infant remove the
pipe from his mouth to refresh himself from
the natural food produced by his mother"
Once upon a time it was the fashion to i'm
part information on history and natural phi
losophy and all kinds OF subjects in cate
chisms. where innocent-looking questions
drew painfully learned answers. Young wo-
men brought up on that system must be pretty
/ AZ ait Hy Nltrt t-,A. all a Nrith ran
ideas. too. who can still repeat word for word
the lessons they learned. 1t was one of Miss
Yonge's little heroines. il we remember right.
who was brought to grief on Boosting that she
was book perfect in her history catechism by a
mean sisters beginning with the question.
What next?" This we'll nigh forgotten form
OF instruction has been selected 10y Mr..
Thomas Campbell Copeland for a little
American Colonial Handbook" Funk &
Wagnalsl. in which a great deal OF con-
densed information is gathered from the
best cyclopedic works of continental Eu-
rope" and other sources. We are assured
that there is a responsible authority behind
every statement made. every answer given.
Random or hearsay assertions find no place.
knowingly. within any OF its sections" Some
OF the authors questions contain as much in
formation as his answers. WHY does Cuba
rank among the foremost countries of the
world ~ for instance. conveys n novel impress
sion as to Cuba's rank among nations. The
answer is: Because OF its productive soil.
mineral wealth and climatic conditions"
What is the general aspect OF Cuba from the
sea?' The island. as a whole. stands well
above the sea. and. from the water. presents a
rugged appearance Which are the most
mountainous parts OF the island?" Its eX-
tremities and its central parts rs the natu-
raj drainage Of Cuba abundant" Yes. vary
ing in character in different parts Of the
island" The little book contains
OF more value than this and is OF convenient
shape for the pocket.
Mr.. James Huneker has long been known to
a limited circle Of readers as a writer on musi-
cal subjects who had something OF his own to
say and his own way OF saying it. Mr.. Hume
ker's attainments as a practical musician are
more than respectable. and he writes with n
brilliant and individual style. "Mezzotints in
Modern Music" lScribners) is his first appeal
to a larger public. 1t is a series of critical
essays on composers and musical subjects.
Brahms. Tschaikowsky Chopin and Wagner
are treated in an interesting fashion with
thorough information and critical judgment.
The essays contain original views and sug-
gestive comment and will interest the amateur
as we'll as the professional musician. Mr..
Huneker's criticism is not doCmatic. nor does
he set UP infallible standards. His book is
delightful and an important contribution to
musical criticism.
An elaborate story Of a p~uZzling murder is
told in The Crime and the Criminal" by
Richard Marsh New Amsterdam Book Com
panyl. through the mouths ofdifferent persons.
after the method used by the late Mr.. Wilkie
Collins. The mechanism OF Mr.. Marsh's
Murder Club" is ralpably borrowed from
Stevenson's Suicide Club. The story is very
i- - .,.,;1a, rgI prhn lila .tn,f,c -
crime with their moneys worth of excitement.
Stockton himself never conceived an idea
more deliciously absurd than The School OF
PhiIanthropists' opened by two wealthy old
maids" we are informed by the publishers in
their recommendation OF Mr.. Arthur Henry
Vesey's THE Two White Elephants "iG. W. Dill
bingham Company. Mr.. Vescy has other bright
and ridiculous ideas in his book. Unfortu-
nately he stops with the conception and does
not carry them out to their logical conclusion.
wherein, as in other respects. he differs much
from Mr.. Stockton. Wetrust young authors will
not be led to adopt the ingenious method Of
booming books which he devises. as the pecuni-
airy result to them may be disastrous.
We have also received:
Porto Rico and the West Indies" Marghe-
rita Arlina Hamm. IF. Tennyson Neely.J
THE Lessons of Popular Government. two
volumes. Gamaliel Bradford. Macmillans.)
"Spain" History for Young Readers. Fred
erick A. ODER. lAppletons,)
Literary Likings." Richard Burton. Cope
land 4 Day.
"A Treatise on Photographic Optics" Il. S.
Cole. NJ. A. I'd. Van Nostrand Company
Electricity in Town and Country Houses. -
Percy L. Scrutton. Second edition. tArchibald
Constable & CO..
THE Quaker Colony" Penned and pictured
by Blanche McManus. tE. II. Hcrrick a Coz
"Sweethearts and Wives: Stories Of Life in
the Navy" Anna A, Rogers. Charles Serb
ner's Sons)
SANITARY Engineering Of buildings. Volume
I. William Paul Gerhard, c.. i. William T.
Comstock.)
THE Orchestra and Orchestral Music" W.
j.. Henderson. Charles Scribner's Sons.l
THAT Duel at tho Chateau Marsanac.' -
Walter Pulitzer. Funk & Wagnalls Company.)
Animals Of To-Day. Their Life and CONVEX
sation." C.. ]. Cornish. New Amsterdam
Rock COmpanyD