New-York tribune., 1900-11-14
NEW BOOKS AND EDITIONS.

.-..e Transformation Of Biblical literature into
o-..aary prose with view to suiting 1t to
ra,ng readers. seems, perhaps. hardly neceE-
s-y but e II is TO be done at all It Is we'll to
nave it done by a writer of the stamp OF j. w.
stackau The Doubleday & Mcclure Company
brings out under the title Of THE Little Bible"
new edition OF Mr.. MackaiTs we'll known
vBibIia Innocentium" II is very delicate
yiece of work showing reverence and a fine
.ense of what is due TO the text we'll as to
lie child for whom this version of the Old
Testament chronicles has been prepared. Young
minds OF the right sort. de!ving in the Script
ures for themselves VIII often gain much that
version in palmer prose could not give them,
but doubtless in many cases Mr.. Mackai VIII
prove a useful resource TO parents and teachers.
Stevenson's Scotch blood made him sound
moralist. and the streak of genius in him which
was OF no land gave charming lightness TO his
sermonizlng. The scribners publish In book
let of twenty-three pages daintiiy printed at the
Merrymount Press "A Christmas Sermon.
which first appeared in the pages of 'Scribners
Magazine" in 1888. II IS attractive bit OF
reading simply for its artistic form, il is so thor
oughly Stevensonian piece Of writing: but 1t is
filled also with a most winning and ennobling
feeling and il Will make pleasant little honuay
token. not only for devotees of the writer but
for those who Indifferent to art, are touched
BY honest ideals and brave ideals
Several new volumes have appeared In the
series Of Temple Classics" published by the
Macmillans. One Of these is devoted to Mil
TONS .Areopagitica" with several others Of his
tracts Hazlitt's Lectures on the English
Comic Writers" appears in one volume, and the
first Of five volumes in which Macaulays
'Critical and Historical ESSAYS" VIII be printed
IS Just from the press In the series or Ienple
Classics for Young People" the last volume is
given 10 'Gulliver's Travels" There are Twelve
Illustrations in this. by Arthur Rackhan' one
of them. the frontispiece. being printed IN COL
ors Mr.. w Basil Worsford's Judgment IN
Literature" which is issued one Of the Tern-
pie Primers" is hardly Up 10 the standard OF
that excellent little series. The ideas from
Plato and Aristotle down 10 Matthew Arnold
and Ruskin not all we'll chosen; there are
many omissions. and by the time the author
reaches his last page. which Is fortunately, not
very long after one has begun the book. he has
impressed the reader with the feeling that some
interesting things have been said without either
author reader having got anywhere.
We have received from the Globe School Book
Company. Of New-York and Chicago. a handful
Of volumes In their star Series of English
Classics" edited for school by various pro-
fessors and instructors in American universi-
ties. Shakespeare. Scott, Addison, GOLDSMITH,
Burke. Coleridge and other names of eminence
are represented. The editorial machinery is in
every case admirably adapted 70 the purposes
of the schoolroom. Biographical and critical in
Productions. with sufficient notes and with tu-
dicousy framed exercises. render the work ex-
tTenely practicable for scholastic study. and at
the same time the various editors take pains
10 keep the purely literary side Of their sub
1ects in the foreground So far paper and
presswork go. these among the most salts
factoriy mad- schooboohs We have seen in
long time.
Little Brown & Co. of Boston republish the
illustrated edition. first brought in 1892 of
Parkman's delightful book, The Oregon Trail"
Mr.. Frederic Remington made the sketches,
which are remarkable for animation, pictur-
esqueness and truth. In his preface TO the
fourth edition of the book Parkrnan spoke Of
the great changes suffered by the Far West
When he wrote new preface for this illus
trated edition he had TO state that by that time
change had grown 10 metamorphosis He hoped
that his book would keep alive the memory OF
the West he knew it, however and he con-
sidered that II had found a powerful helper in
the pencil IF Mr.. Remington whose pictures
are as fun Of truth as Of spirit for they are
the work Of one who knew the prairies and the
mountains before irresistible commonplace had
subdued them" Certainly text and picture help
one another in this case and go TO make
work Of unity which shows no sign of failing TO
accomplish what the author hoped for-the
Keeping alive Of the memory Of phenomena long
since passed away
The Macmillan Company issues another new
edition of Elizabeth and Her German Garden 8"
this time in pocket volume with frontispiece
from a photograph Of the entrance TO the gar
den The large edition recently published con-
ma tier
2 original appearance of the book and NOT In
Guided here but in any form "Elizabeth'' Is a
Jay. and II was a good idea to bring forward
this edition at a modest price
in lS3fS the New-York Assembly apDoIntea q
committee OF nine 20 investigate the read oe
more land for The Adirondack forest praser,,a
oi this committee Mr. Martin V. B Ives wac q
member. and when. in the summer Of 1898 rho
tour q Investigation was made he wrote an az
tended report Of the committees rno,,aroan+s
=" extensiN" was il. indeed. that a synopsis wa
mao f'r presentation to the Assembly, o,a
the writing unabridged. was published &C .
oook for the benefit OF the public. Mr. Jvee boa
Gncied freely from various writer's an H.
adirondack region. ana has incorporated much
historical matter IN his narrative There arc
copious illustrations in half tone showing not,.
Of interest in the forest
The Governments vast undertaking IN ,,
bshng the Official records of The War of tho Do
beiilcn advances. being now in its seventeap,h
year. There has just come 20 hand Volume IN
OF Series / Of the official records of .b r..
ana confederate naVies. Il deals with the work
oi the North Atlantic Squadron from, No. q
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