New-York tribune., 1901-01-26
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.
CURRENT TALK OF THINGS PRESENT
AND TO COME


AND TO COME.
The death OF the Queen will call out a large
number of books dealing with her life. One of
the first to be announced is a reissue of her
journal of Our Life in the Highlands, by
Harper & Bros. This is we'll known. tells of
the Queens visit 10 Scotland with the Prince
Consort. just before the latter's death. For
many years it was an exceedingly popular book
in this country and sold continuously at the
rate Of hundreds of copies a week.
The Century Company is the American pub
Usher of the only really authorized biography of
Queen Victoria to which the public can turn for
information about the late sovereign. In the
present state of affairs, unfortunately, it can
not turn to it in great numbers for the edition
| is nearly exhausted. This life written three
| years ago by Richard r. Holmes. F. s. A.
Librarian to the Queen; on the title page stand
the words by Royal Authority" and it is de-
clared that the Queen herself read the proofs
Two editions published. on Japan
paper, of which 475 copies printed from
| type, twenty-five being reserved for presenta-
tion to the Queen. $50 for the English market
and 100 for the American, the latter being sold
at OF the ordinary edition there are said
to be fewer than hundred copies remain
ing unsOld.
little more than a week the Appletons will pub
lsh as a timely contribution to current liter
ature The Private Life of the Prince of Wales"
by a member of the royal household. This book
is said to lay bare the real daily life or him
who was Prince Of Wales, behind the official and
ceremonial life that was revealed to the public
1t tells of his personal interests, his occupations
at home and his amusements not presenting
him as a saint. out conveying. perhaps. more
I of
ality than has often been given.
Ii appears that Str Edwin Arnold's eyesight
has been so seriously impaired that he is now no
longer able TO write with his hand So he
says in a letter received by Captain Joshua
Slocum the other day, in answer to note OF
thanks sent for his enthusiastic Telegraph" re-
view of the Captains book describing his voyage
alone around the world
ANY reputable publisher, if defect in the
manufacture of a book is brought to his notice,
such as the dropping out of a signature, will
make IT good by exchanging the imperfect copy
for a perfect one. How long does the obligation
rest upon him 10 do this?" such was the question
of a publisher to whom the problem had just pre-
sented itself in practical form. we have often
acknowledged our obligation in this matter when
II meant considerable expense. This book has
Of print; it was published ten years ago: there
is a signature missing. We cannot replace it,
| for we have no sheets of the book In some
| cases where we did have sheets we have gone 10
| the expense Of having special copy made up
| from them and have sent il to the purchaser Of
| long ago. but 1t was expensive form of hon
| esty."
Major Ponds amusing record of the traits of
prominent people he has known and managed
on the lecture platform. ''Eccentricities OF Gen
| ius" has reached a fourth edition.
When Messrs. Henry Holt & Co. were sending
! Lavignac's Music and Musicians TO press for
the third time. one OF their stan thinking that
there might be deaths OF musicians to chronicle
! found that Sir George Grove. Sims Reeves and
| Sir Arthur Sullivan all Englishmen. were the
! only people of the first prominence in the mu-
steal world who had died in the last year of the
nineteenth century
Something quaint and curious is offered in
Osman Edwards's Japanese Plays and Play
fellows" which the Macmillan Company is
bringing out. II will be Illustrated with twelve
colored plates by Japanese artists, new feature
in book making. The publishers say they are
not aware of another English book that has
been specially illustrated by japanese artists.
There are chapters religious plays. popular
plays the gelsha and the cherry blossom vulgar
songs. taking the waters playing with fire and
afternoon calls.
For Lenten reading f. p. Dutton & Co.
bringing out two books besides Canon Knox
Little's Manual" One is DR.. W. s. Rains
ford's Good Friday Meditations.' which is the
result Of eighteen years of Good Friday services
in st. Georges Church. the book containing
lections from his addresses during that period.
Another is The Bartered Birthrisht." forty brief
addresses by the Rev. F. A d. Launt
The Harpers announce for publication Feb
ruary IA their Life of the Emperor Frederick"
by Marguerite Won Poschinger. with an intro
duction by Sidney Whitman. They put it for
ward as an authoritative and sympathetic BIZ
ography. by a person high in German Court
circles who had access to letters and documents
from many people of note extending from
Goethe's letter about the birth of the Prince TO
the proclamation of his death
1T is a booksellers MAXIM said one of the
leading dealers in New-York the other day that
there is no book. however insignificant and out
of date, which he cannot sell sooner or later and
which somebody will not come into his shop
and ask for. No book is really entirely