The times., 1901-03-10

ence on political life. large portion OF
this volume is given up to an account Of
the actual conditions of slavery. and Of
the abolition movement, as q background
for the details OF the slavery contest
which will appear in Volume ".
The third part of Esther Singleton's
Furniture of Our Forefathers" is to be
published by Doubleday. Page & Co. The
parts already issued deal with Virginia
and Philadelphia in the period before the
Revolution. The field next to be covered
IS that of the seventeenth century in
New England In addition to being the
first comprehensive guide and cycIopedia
for the collector of old furniture the
work is an interesting and correct social
and domestic history of colonial times.
The manners of the people, their style of
dress and standards of living. are all
faithfully portrayed. The Illustrations
are from careful photographs made from
the original prints In various parts or
the country, which were visited by the
author and the photographer.
In answer to the criticism that ''The
Penitentes," one of Bowen-M MerrilIs new
publications, is overdrawn, and that the
attempted crucifxion, as described in the
story, never did and never could occur in
free America, THE Evangelical Herald"
Of Cleveland says, in recent review:
The Penitentes' live in the San Luis
valley in the State of Colorado, and have
attempted the plaCUCe OF JnelT pGCuidI
religious rites in the last few years. One
nearly related TO the writer of this review
was witness to their practice as late as
1892
Another elizabeth in a German Gar
dem seems to have appeared in England,
under the title, "Sylvana's 5 Letters to an
Unknown Friend" The London Acad
envy says of 1t:
These Letters OF Sylvana'' make a series of gar
den chronicles from April to November Some
addressed from Home some from a house
in Abcrdeenshire. others from fishing lodge not,
we gather, so far north. They breath the true
garden spirit-love of quietness. patience delight
in color and form, the delicious sadness born Of
fading loyeliness, the joyful appreciation Of the
glory of the years prime. The heart of q wise
dreamer is in them, interpreting, suggesting, con-
soling. The style fits the subject neatly an
acorn fits into its cup. Even the so-often-ugly
botanical nomenclature slips from the pen with
grace. and takes some share in the music of the
easy sentences. There is Imagination, too, OF
peculiar sweetness which perhaps is at its best in
a letter devoted to Dream Houses beautiful
semblances that never were. And here Is a bit
Of pretty observation which may be quoted
typical:
''The cottage. with its smooth belt of dewy
lawn, reminds me OF a singular appearance some
times visible before the dew is off the grass. The
morning sun must be shining steadfastly behind
you as you walk across the dew, and it may
happen that q sainted shadow goes on before; that
in some such lustrous hour your shadows head
may be encircled by a rainbow-tnted, radiant,
nimbus. Yet be not too proud, AmarylIs! 1t
does not mean that nature herself crowns you
for p0et-pricstess.'
Apropos of the exclusion by the Com
mittee of Selection in the Boston Public
Library of Maurice Hewletts charming
Little Novels of italy," the following
lines on his work are not without point.
We reprint them from the New York
Times Saturday Review" They are ad-
dressed presumably to other novelists of
the day by John Ernest Mccain:
Ye write with pens: this New Man with a sword;
Ie write with ink and he with blood and tears;
Ye from the head; and he from the head and
heart!
He fronts his work like Richard his great Lord,
Or like god who rules starred hemispheres,
And not like greedy traders in mart
Herbert D. Ward will publish in March,
through Houghton, Mifln & Co, a story
entitled The Light of the World" In
conception it is daring, equaling, in its
different way, some of the ideas Of Mr.. II.
c.. Wells. The author seiZeS upon some
recent scientific discoveries concerning
the nature of light, and. ampIifying them
for the purpose of his story, brings them
to bear upon the Resurrection.
AS some but not all animals have quail
ties that approach the human, so some
people are immortal, but not all, says DR..
Samuel D. Mcconnell in his book on The
Immortality of the Soul about to be
published by The Macmillan Company.
DIR. McCOuneUs theory is that immcr-
tality IS the highest step in a long process
of evolution the final result Of the sur
vival of the tittest.
D. Appleton & Co viii publish a book
by Alfred Ayres entitled Some IIl-Used
Words, and viii treat in the authors
manner Of words commonly
misUsed, giving numerous examples with |
advice how mistakes may be avoided.
Book News says:
''Babvlonia and Assvria." by Prot Robert VIII |
lam Rogers Of Drew Theological Seminary, puts |
the entire body OF historical readers under obiga
tion 10 its author. From >lrgon TO Cyrus from |
about 4o0O p. G. to $50 B. c., there stretches !
trail Of history in the EuphTates and Tigris !
Valley about which more in detail has been laid |
bare in the past twenty-five years than was !
known, all put together, prior to that time !
This historical material Is as yet little more |
than annals Before history in the full sense can |
be written, it still needs to be extended, cu- |
cidated connected related and explained. Such |
a. it is, its knowledge has antiqIatcd all pre- |
vious historical discussion OF this period, peoples
and region. RawiinsOn Is today only step less /
outdated than ROlliu. These records Of $500 |
years of the race or twice the Christian era lie /
scattered in hundreds Of publications. great |
library OF deciphered Inscriptions not easily /
Tasped even 10y professional students. Prot. |
Rogers has done the inestimaJle service Of coll |
lating this vast mass
Mr.. Norman Hapgood's new book on !
"The Stage in America, 1S9I-l9l9 will |
treat those aspects of the acted drama |
which have been most important in Amer |
lea during the last few years. Plays which |
are Of ephemeral interest, however great |
their temporary vogue are, in the main, |
omitted. Although there are chapters |
dealing with stage humOr, the trend of the !
book is serious, and it is intended TO have |
a permanent value as a picture of one |
period Of the American drama. or rather, |
the American stage, for ii takes up the !
best plays to be seen here, whether they |
are made at home or abroad, and whether |
they are performed in English, German, |
French or Yiddsh As far as the actors |
come in, they are treated as artists and |
not in the gOssipng vein.
In speaking of THE Influence of Christ !
in Modern Life" by Newell Dwight Hills. .
Book News says that the pages ''reek |
with small errors and half-digested infor- |
nation" however that can be. The critic |
seems to have gotten his metaphors a |
little mixed Moreover in order to in |
struct Mr.. Hills to avoid small errors in |
future, he says:
These tides of emotion never rise without bear |
ne some hcarer higher; but Why not be informed !
accurate and equipped on .hese momentgus IS |
sue or avoid the perpetual infciicitous asser-
ton of warped. q partial or an incomplete |
.r.lf. 4,rfr Of f,- rf.o a