New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
BIOGRAPHIES OF FAMOUS SCoTs-A NE"
EDITION OF KEATS-FROISSART-
PLAYS IN BOOK FORM

EDITION OF KEATs-FROIssART-
PLAYS IN BOOK FORM.
The Famous Scots series. imported by
Charles Scribners Sons, is a collection OF orlei
and handy monographs dealing with personages
sometimes famous from the Scotchman's point
Of view more than from that of the generai
reader but in many cases acclaimed by studen's
of history and literature everywhere. the cha'-
acter OF the writing in these books varies even
more than does the standard OF critlcai seiec-
ton. We have sought in vain for anything III
the volume on Stevenson by Miss Marsaie'
Black The author has nothing new 10 say hol
Is she particularly effective In what she docs SCI
forth. Professor Saintsbury's account OF DIR
Walter Scott is satisfactory in so far as lts fac's
are concerned but 1t is dishgured by TINS au-
thor's usual defects Of style. On the other manu.
Dr. Grosart's Robert Ferguson" leaves nothihe
10 be desired the subject needed to be trea'eu
in some such popular volume as the present
and exactly the right biographer was CHOSEN
Mr.. oliphant Smeatons William Dunbar" and
Mr. Henry Calderwood's David Hume may
also be particularly mentioned The remaining
volumes thus far published in this series ali
Of them credtable productions. arc as follows;
Adam Smith," by II. c. Mcpherson; 'sir VIII
lam Wallace" ana King Robert the Bruce
both by A. F. Murson; "Kirkcaldy OF Grange
by william A. Barbe very Interestingly; James
Thomson" by William Bayne; Andrew Mel
VILE" by William Morrison; Pollok and Ay-
toun" by Rosaline Mason Thomas Reld' D!
A. Campbell Fraser; "Mungo Park. by l.
Banks MacLachlan. and James Hogg, by SIT
George Douglass.
Houghton. Mifiin & Co. add to their Cam
bridge Edition" Of the poets THE Complete
Poetical Works and Letters Of John Keats"
This means the compression into something I'M
der FIVE hundred double columnee pages OF a
great deal Of material but the great merit OF
this series In that paper and type are perfectly
adapted to such method Of publication MT.
Scudder. the editor. reminds us that the pref
atory notes in the Cambridge Editions are rarely
critical, but rather historical and biographical
Nevertheless, only a critic Of scholarship and
taste could have put this volume together. The
ext has been collated with the first editions OF
Keats Dates are given whenever possible
Poems and letters are both admirably arranged
with Just the right editorial machinery always
in Just the right place. Severn's two portraits
Of the poet are reproduced in the frontispiece
and on the title page respectively. The volume
shows the sterling presswork usual with these
publishers.
T. p Dutton e. Co issue their usual annual
quota of decorative calendars, most Of them
printed in coors with raised surfaces. The
Holy Family Calendar has some well chosen
pictures not very we'll reproduced. but Shakes
peare's Heroines' is attractive "Old Father
Time is good. and so are the floral calendars
The "Chrysanthemum" and the "Carnation cal
endars are well designed and exquisite in
color.
Abridgments OF literary classics usually
of doubtful value but cannot withhold a
word Of approval for Mr.. Henry Newbolts
"stories from Froissart' Che Macmillan Com
pany) The young English singer OF heroic
themes has taken thirteen epcs from the IA
nous Chronicles" using the version of Lord
Nerners. with such dovetailing Of separated
Narratives, substitution Of ineligible for obso-
lete words. and new translation Of mistaken or
omitted passages as seemed necessary to make
the book complete and easily readable" Mr..
Newbot shows sufficient scholarship in his in
PRODUCTION, but his main point is TO make the
sound OF the trumpet ring In youthful ears.
Froissart is all compact OF heroism and ro-
nance His quaint and stirring narratives be-
long in the libraries Of boys and girls, and Mr.
Newbolt puts them there in persuasive form.
The Trow Directory, Printing and Book Bind
ing Company issues a compendium that should
at once obtain permanent position among
books OF reference In the shape Of Medical
Directory Of New-York. New-Jersey and Con-
necticut," edited by Dr. E. E. Harris, Of this
city Besides giving list of physicians long
enough TO expand the volume to nearly nine
hundred pages DR.. Harris includes information
concerning hospitals and dispensaries, the legal
duty Of physicians the medical laws Of the three
States represented in the book, the New-York
City and State Boards of Health. the various
charitable organizations, coroners. and other
pertinent subjects. From the description OF this
book the title page Volume l." we judge
work revised and up to date
More and more It becomes evident that the
modern play is written TO be read almost as
much to be observed across the footlights
We have received more than one drama in book
form. The Macmillan Company issues "Carnac
Sahib" by Henry Arthur Jones. From the
Frederick A. Stokes Company comes La Prn-
cesse Lointaine." translated from the French Of
Rostand by Mr.. Charles Renauld. Les Roman
esques" Of Rostand is issued by the Doubleday
& Mcclure Company under the title Of The
Romancers" in a translation by Mary Hendee.
Arizona" the drama by Augustus Thomas, is
published by r. II. Russell with the programme
of the original cast. and with Photographic H.
Illustrations. In the series Of modern plays edited
by r. Brlnley Johnson and published in Chi
cago by the Charles II. Sergel Company. there
appear three plays by Maeterlinck, translated by