New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-11
LITERARY.
NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS.

~. oSv-ninth volume of the Dictionary OF
National Biography" has just been puohshed
NV the Macmiilans. II runs from Wakemah u
watkins and includes such interesting names
IA walack, walpole. walsingham walton
waller. Warrior and Warwick None OF 'he
biographies are more charmingy written '"e''
THAT of Horace Walpole. which Is sisneu ny W.
Austin Dobson. 1t reminds US OF no" very
fortunate the editors Of the dictionary nave
been In securing articles that II necessarily
condensed and generally somewhat FORMAL are
really in the nature of independent essays ny
high authorities Mr. Dobson has In WaIpole
theme exactly fitted to his pen, ana every worn
he prints is worth reading. We quote MS au-
mlrable summing up Of the master OF straw
berry Hill:
n man of quality AS a politician he scarcely
counts, and 1t is difficult to believe that, apart
from the fortunes of his father and friends ne
took any genuine interest in puDlic aIIalrs. ms
critical taste was bod. and as connoisseur ne
would be rated far higher now than ne was III
those early Victorian days, when tne treasures
of Strawberry were brought to the hammer
and the mirth Of the Philistine was excited by
the odd mngng of articles OF real value with
good many trivial curiosites, which, II is only
fair to add were often rather presents he had
accepted than objects of art he had chosen HIM
self AS literary man he was always. and pro-
fessed to be. an amateur but tne CaSlle a.
essays the Historic Doubts" and the "Anec-
dotes Of Painting" all show a literary capacity
which only required some stronger stimulus
than dilettantsm to produce enduring results.
II his more serious efforts. however. generally
stopped short at elegant facility his per-
eonal qualities secured him exceptional ex-
The posthumous Memoirs OF the regns
of George ii and George III, published
by Lord Holland and Sir Denis lie Marchant in
1922 and 1S45, respectively; the Journal of the
Reign Of George III 0111-'S3)." published by
DR. Doran in 1850 and the "reminiscences
written in 11SS for the Misses Berry. and first
published in folio in 1905 in spite Of some preju-
dice and bias. are not only important contrbu-
tons to history but contributions which contain
many graphic portraits OF his contemporaries
II Is as letter writer. however, that he attains
his highest point. In the vast and still incom
plete correspondence which occupies Mr.. Gun
ninghams nine volumes 0S515N. it is not
too much to say that there is scarcely dull
page In these epstles almost every ele
ment Of wit and humor. variety and charm Is
present. For gossip. anecdote, epigram, descrip-
ton. illustration. playfulness. pungency, nov
city, surprise. there is nothing quite like them in
English. and Byron did not overpraise them
when he called them Incompatible"
Who's Who in America" (Chicago A. ".
Marquis & Coz seems at first glance easily to
Justify its existence. 1t is frankly modelled after
the English annual Who's Who" the utility Of
which has been amply demonstrated. Actual
the only test that will fully bring out the defects
Of any work Of reference. or on the other hand,
prove II trustworthy. Yet this first attempt to
give concise biographical sketches of living
Americans Of prominence commands respect at
the outset The book contains over eight thou
sand miniature biographies Among those per-
included all the members Of the LVIth
Congress- all the Governors Of the States and
Territories in office. all United States
Judges and all the higher State and Territorial
Judges. Other prominent officials and prominent
scientists. presidents and prominent professors
OF the more important colleges. authors, artists.
musicians. actors and managers.
In many cases authoritative information Is
frequently hard to obtain. but in every case pos
sible the information here given was furnished
by the individuals concerned or sanctioned by
them. In most full names are given to-
gether with accurate postoflce addresses. OF
course, there are sure to be rather serious omis-
sions. especially in first issue of work like
this. and we have noted few. The of B. L.
10 signify Bachelor Of Lavsis certainly unwar-
ranted 1t. of course stands for Bachelor Of
letters The publishers announce that they ex
pect to make periodical revisions and reissues OF
who's Who in America"
an important contribution to science and schol-
arship by the publication of "A Selected Bib
biography OF the Anthropology and Ethnology Of
Europe" by William z. Ripley. assistant pro-
fessor Of sociology in the Massachusetts Insti-
tute Of Technology. and lecturer on anthropol-
ogy at Columbia University In the preparation
Of this list Of over two thousand titles Professor
Ripley has had the cooperation Of the leading
anthropologists Of the world. including among
others, Professors Anutchn Of Moscow: Ma
tiegka, Of Prague: Buschan. Of Breslau; De-
mixer. Of Paris; Sergi. OF Rome and Robinson
and Wiener. Of Harvard. 1t is we'll made work
OF l60 pages, printed in narrow columns. to al
low memoranda 10 be written on the broad mar
gins. An ingenious topical and subject index
facilitates its use. and especially adapts 1t to the
verifcaton of the citations in Professor Rpey's
book. The Races Of Europe" to which, in fact
It is added a supplement by the publishers OF
that work. the Appletons. Practically all the
books listed. by the way. are in the Boston Pub
lie Library.
In the current number of The Library Jour
nal" II is announced that Mr.. John Thomson
librarian OF the Free Library Of Philadelphia,
10 compiling list of books printed prior to 1901
owned by colleges. libraries and private COL
lectors In the United States This list is intend
ed as a contribution TO the exhibition or quin-
centenary TO be held at Mainz Germany, in
memory OF Gutenberg. Mr.. Thomson requests
librarians and owners Of such works to send him
information about their collections giving the
following particulars for each item: Author full
title. date OF publication, place Of publication
or press, photographed references (e e.. Hahn
p. SIS. or Panzer, tome l. D. III, No. 1873. and
any other notes OF interest. The compiler states
that already. after hearing from but five sources
he has learned Of 1,500 volumes OF incunabula,