The times., 1899-12-31

takes up the subject of temperance 1t is a
sensible conservative moderate statement
OF facts, and the avowed reason of its be-
ing is rather economic than ethical. The
spirit of the book is purely that OF scien-
tific research. It is desirable that students
of sociology should know how different ma
tionalities are affected by the liquor habit
its prevalence in different parts Of the
country, and the best methods of checking
intempeTance. That drunkenness is an evil
everyone must agree. The author of this
book, therefore, seeks to discover the
causes of this evil and the best means Of
prevention or cure. (Boston Houghton,
Miflin & Co. $125.)
Cattle Ranch to College" by Russell
Doubleday, IS the story OF boys life
in the far West ten years ago. The hero,
John Worth is a frontier youngster, and
passes through several exciting experien-
ces, including Indian fighting, mining,
sheep herding, cattle ranching, and other
businesses, productive of thrilling Incl
dents. The author says that the story is
true, having been told to him by the young
man who was the original of the hero. 1t
is cleverIy written and illustrated and
likely to delight the heart of any boy.
New York: Doubleday & Mcclure Com
pany. $1.50.)
The latest volume of the series Of Amer
lean Lectures on the History of Religions"
is Jewish Religious Life After the Exile,
by the Rev. T. X. Cheyne, Oriel professor
of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture at
Oxford, and formerly Fellow Of Balliol
College: Canon of Rochester The lee
lures were delivered during the years
1S9S-1899 at Andover Theological Semi
nary, John Hopkins University, Lowell
Institute. Brooklyn Institute. Cornell Uni
versity, Yale University, the Union TheO-
logical Seminary In New York. the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania. and Brown Uni
verslty. Prof. Cheyne is one Of the lead
ing Biblical scholars of the day, and needs
no introduction to the public. (New York:
G. p. Putnam's Sons.l
The Apistophilon," by Frank D. Bull
lard, is a mystical poem in a metre some
what resembling that of the Fitzgerald
translation of Omar Khayyam. Some of
the verses are graceful and all are deeply
thoughtful tChicago: r. r. Donnelley &
Sons Company
Songs From the Psalter," by Richard
Arnold Greene. is a metrical version Of
some of the Psalms, which has the merit OF
being sympathetic, rhythmical and artistic
in finish. The verses would lend them
3
/ York: G. =. Putnams Sons)
Little Petorkin Vaudike: The Story OF
His Famous Poetry Party is n book for
children, by Charles Stuart Pratt, author
/ of The Whirling Glove "Baby's Lullaby
Book. ana other works Of the same type.
/ The book is one Of the most delightful of
: holiday publications, and contains some
/ suggestions for masquerade party which
viii be not only amusing, but very useful
TO children who are allowed TO indulge in
( that amusement (Boston: l.. c. Page &
| Co. 50c)
What Is Good English, and other Es-
! says is the latest work from the pen of
| Harry Thurston Peck, and in some respects
| it is well worth reading. A perfect speci-
men of any type is always interesting, and
( this is perhaps as complete an example OF
/ literary priggishness as could be found
among the books Of many seasons.
The man who poses as authority
! lutte authOrity-on any subject is generally
/ full OF unconscious humor, and Prof. Peck
never gets off his pedestal. He is always
4 there for the delectation Of the irTeyerent,
| bad, and fun-loying multitude He wears
! continually a metaphorical silk hat, and
! his mind concerns itself wholly with the
minutiae Of literary department. He is the
Ruth Ashmore Of contemporary literature.
and his Side Talks With Aspiring Au
I thors" have doubtless guided many young
/ mind in the way it should go
! The present volume is a sort OF collec-
/ tion OF side talks. "The Little Touches is
/ one OF them IN this it is impressed upon
( the reader that it IS social perdition aud
! perhaps moral ruin not to belong to the
I truly enlightened. Of which cult Mr. Peck
! seems TO be the head The multitude will
! probably continue 20 be ruined. After re-
/ lieving his mind on this point the author
! proceeds to discuss Names" with an in
| fantjlA and charming simplicity which re-
minds one of two schoolgirls gossiping
over a box OF chocolates. In this essay
he INDUCES in suudry reflections on the
meaning Of names. and decides taat the
man named John is a steadygoing, practi-
! cal, usual sort Of man, while Edmund is
| finical, fussy. and selfish. As the cogno-
men John is borne by about half the mas
culiue beings Of England and America. Il
I will be seen that this statement is what
might be called bold. 1t might incident
ally be suggested that q man who yolun-
tarily goes by the name of prof. Harry
| Thurston Peck" really ought not TO as
sumo TO be an arbiter OF taste.
The following essay begins with the
/ statement that of all conventional literary
| hunbugs the Best Book List is the most
utterly absurd. Then Prof. Peck goes on
to give his own best book list, in touching
confidence that while other people may be
absurd, he is never so.
Perhaps the most fragrant offence against
propTiety, however, is TO be found in the
essay on Ingersoll, which originally ap-
peared short time after the death of the
great aguostic. 1t is one of those attacks
on agnosucism In general and Colonel In
gersoll In particular which were common
during his lifetime, but from which most
reputable publications had the decency to
refrain during the months Immediately fol-
lowing his death Suffice it to say that
! Colonel Iugersoll did not in any of his
published writings or public addresses.
treat the faith OF his fellow men with quite
the disrespect and abusiveness to be found
in this essay. II seems not to be generally
understood that Ingersolls opinions were
far from being mere negatons. They were
as positive as anything could be. Prof.
! Peck ignored the fact that if he asks others
to treat his beliefs with profound respect,
he should do the same by them. Ingersoll
never ridiculed any genuine, true, heartfelt
emotion Prof Peck deliberately ridicuIed
and belittled the deepest convictions of
Colonel IngersoI, and that when the ag-
nostic was hardly IN his grave. 1t is a
fresh illustration Of the proyerb that any
jackal can bark at the dead lion. CNew
York Dodd Mead & Co. $3.50.
"The Orange Girl" by Walter Besant
is a story of the eighteenth century. and
the heroine, Jenny Wilmot, begins her life
as an orange girl In Drury Lane Theatre
She eventually becomes popular actress
and interests herself in a victim of the
law which crowded the debtors prisons
with innocent men, women, and children