New-York tribune., 1900-11-17

Breve, I,ieutsnanI-C oIoHel the staT Of His
6arsh With Iaslra,ions r,s by Howard Pyle.
THE HEAD OF A HUNDRED IN THE COLONY
OF VIRGINIA., 1922, Ey Maud Wilder Goodwin.
illustrated: Octave pp. 22I. Boston: Little,
"Nnia mas. ilasrfa5ed by frank r. Merr Octave,
la mas. Tldsfrated by Frank T. Merrill Octave,
PIP viii. so. Thomas Y. crowell & co.
THE FoRrY.FIvE GI-ARDsMEN. By Alexandre
taro pp. Vi. go. Thomas Y. Croweli & Co.
LIEF. AND STRANGE, srRPRIsING ADVENT
k 2F 81 6s@ Dl Foe With 2E Nea4
one Hundred Original Drawings and Decora-
Specially for this Work by the Brothers Louis
aud Frederick Rhead. Octave. PIP. 1853. r. II.
Russell & 60.
son New Edition with Original Illustrations by
Wal Paget. Octave Pr XIV. SSS. Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons
The Iaures of Frederick Hamblen. Joseph
Conrad. F T. Bullen and other recent writer's of
sea stories have been well earned and will, we
truaL. long remain green; but 1t must not be for
r-otten that there were great men before Aga
memnon. Fenimore Coopers Indian romances
have for most readers overshadowed his sea
tales hut the discerning critic finds in the lat
ter some of the American nOvelist's best work
y IL
has just been reprinted by the Putnams in the
Mohawk edition of Cooper. is perhaps more
realistic than any OF its companions. Cooper
and the mariner from whom it gets its name
were messmates the Sterling, the ship on
which the novelist served a year before the
mast when he seventeen. The two became
fast friends and though many years passed be-
fore they were reunited at Cooperstown the
warmth of their friendship never lessened
1T, ,l,arT afO Hall in
the summer of 1S43." says Mr.. J. P. Reese in
an introduction TO this edition. will also remem-
her that he was rarely on the village street
without his faithful attendant, Ned Myers
Daily. about II o'clock, they might be seen
coming out of the entrance to the mansion for a
morning walk. The one, tall. portly with the
ruddy glow of health upon his countenance,
swinging light whip of cane more ornamental
than useful stepping forward with firm elias
tic tread: while by his side came the weather
beaten hulk. hobbling and with halting step.
pressing heavily upon crooked stick which
served for his support. Or it may be that they
came down upon the border OF the lake for sail
upon its waters in skiff which Cooper had
rugged with lugsail in recollection Of early
Mediterranean days Whether walking or sail
ing, Ned beguiled the hours by pouring into the
ears of his companion the story Of his life. Full
of adventure and with wide range Of expert
the sea might be made to equal in interest many
a romance woven out of authors brain. And
so came TO light the story OF Ned Myers" The
book has the flavor of veracity that might be
expected considering its origin But If 1t is a
pleasure to read it, it is because Cooper could
write nothing without communicating TO 1T his
own peculiar quality, the touch Of his rare and
fascinating gift of romance.
Ramona" is a book with purpose" and
ever since its first appearance in 1854 it has
owed much of it's popularity to the authors
passionate sympathy for race whose misfort-
unes she pitied and for whose interests she
burned to labor. But Ramona" is also a good
novel one that il is to be hoped will long enjoy
its present honorable rank in American htera-
ture One has only to dip into the book TO real
ize how we'll il wears how interesting it is, how
we'll II was written Little, Brown & Co. have
done well to reissue ii in two attractive volumes
for the holidays. with many illustrations and
decorative headings by Mr.. Henry Sandman.
The latter tells in a to his drawings that he
was fortunate enough TO travel in company with
Mrs Jackson at the time that she accumu-
lafing the material for what has since become
the best known of all her books" and that lit
was originally the plan that we should work to-
getber on it" That Mrs Jackson regarded him
as a sympathetic collaboration is shown by her
designation of the work ''Our book He tells
that he did not know at the time tnat the
author had in mind defence of the Mission
Indians together with a plea for the preserva-
ton Of the Mission buildings, and on he
simply studied with Mrs Jackson at his side,
the life of which the novel to be made. In
consequence. his illustrations form a genuine
supplement the text. fitting in with felicity
and preserving always a correct atmosphere. In
fact do not often see a novel so harmoni-
ously decorated. This edition is beautifully got
up The full page illustrations are reproduced
in photogravure and clear type has been used
on first rate paper. A long introduction dealing
with the authors life and personality is con-
tributed by Susan Coolidge, introduction
characterized, like every other detail in ths edi-
tion by sympathy and taste
DR.. Weir MitchelI's romance of the Revolu-
ton Hugh Wynne. Free Quaker" is passing
through the usual course of the novel that de-
serves success and finds it. Winning a wide
popularity as it came out. month by month. in
The Century Magazine" X passed through
many editions in two volume form, and now re-
appears In a single octave to enjoy. no doubt. an
equally imposing circulation. 1t is delightful
story well invented. persuasive in its repro
duction of the details of a bygone day, and
abounding with the vitality that only comes
from n authors enthusiastic absorption In ms
theme and an authoritative hand in the manage
ment of it. Mr.. Pyle's charming illustrations
are retained in this edition, which is we'll printed
and bound in a tasteful cover
At the present moment one Colonial romance
follows so soon upon the heels Of another that
il is a little difficult to keep track of them ALL