New-York tribune., 1901-12-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MODERN ATHENS-THE CARE OF ES-
TATES-LAFCADIo HEARN ON JAPAN
-cREMATIoN-TYPo
CAL WISDOM.

ATIoN-TYPoGRAPHI-
CAL WISDOM.
The only fault to be found with Mr.. George
Horizons Modern Athens (Charles Scrio-
ner's Sons) is that it is too small book
1t is an informal but admirably vivid and
interesting piece of descriptive work For
the most part, he gives the results Of his
observations, upon the streets and square. the
shops and cafes sketching water sellers ano
goatheris, soldiers. priests the people in gen.
eraf and the customs of their life. But insist
emily the monuments of the past loom UP above
the merely modern Athens, and demand a
word CT tribute from Mr. Horizons pen. Thus
we have all too feeting glmpses of the Theseion.
the Stadium or the Parthenon; again, word
picture of the sunset gloriication of the slopes
of Hymettus that classic monument of natures s
chiselling which has stood unchanged since
Athens ruled the world:
During the few moments Immediately follow
ing sunset the sides of The mountain are bathed
In deep soft yet quite VlVlo. EloIet hue rse+cis
is the most transporting most poetic, speStdTIe 1
on earth-the far famed transfguratlon OF ny
mettus The moutain is wrapped In the at
nlosphere OF happy dreams; II appears uaIedi,
because it has become too beautiful for this
latter day world. II q fitting apparltlon
rerhaus in tat golden age when the love or
beautv was mans religion. but it looks lonely
and strange now. No painter can paint il; h9
words can tell it. The man who has once llveo
.Iav Ihe intention to return and live there again
The poet or dreamer who has looked but once
upon that violet SLOW Is honleslGh l1I -; - he
after. It is the light Of the souls desire: lne
light of utter loveIiness. OF lost years, OF un-
forgotten loves and songs unsuns-
The illustrations, drawn by Mr.. Corwin Knapp
Unison form a charming accompaniment 10 the
interesting text
Books that are written TO teach laymen to
act as their own attorneys in legal mat
ters are usually failures But there are certain
facts and principles we'll as statutes con-
trolling the business relations Of individuals
and the conduct of affairs with which all per
sons engaged in such matters should be familiar
This is peculiarly applicable to the manage
uaent of decedents' estates. whether by execu-
tors, administrators or trustees 1t also covers
the cases Of persons making Wills and who wish
TO know how their property is to be ha<SleSS
by their representatives.
Mr. Frederick Trevor HILL in writing work
to meet such cases. THE Care of Estates
G3aker Voorhis & Coz, does not fail to recog-
nize the fact that this information can be OBJ
tained from lawyers when the occasion arises
Indeed he says frankly that ''the layman VINO
essays 10 manage an estate without legal ao-
vice will sooner OF later surely come to grief
But he proceeds upon the correct theory that
the prudent executor or trustee can more inlelh-
has a practical knowledge of the nature of his
duties and responsibilities. The author, there
fore has arranged series Of questions relating
m +be various branches OF this subject, with
answers to them. the correctness of which is
authenticated by references to decisions or
statutes These all have reference to the New
York law but to a large part Of the matter
covered, the propositions laid down are equaHy
applicable to the managers Of estates in other
jurisdictions The method followed is to a con-
siderable degree. original; the topics have Deen
well selected, the interrogatories and replies are
we'll phrased and free from unnecessary techni-
caltIes, and the index has been carefully pre-
nared TO aid the convenience of the reader
Eapan IS fortunate IN having found such an
.nterpreter Of her genius TO Western readers
as exists in Mr. Lafcadio Hearn Living
in Japan, married to a Japanese "l1e' ne
has not simply taken name suited to his Stu
ation-Koizumi Yakumo-but has thrown him
self into Oriental life one favored by nature TO
enjoy it His two latest books, Shadowings
and "a japanese Miscellany, both published by
Little. Brown & Co., of Boston. built on the
same plan. Each begins with a selection OF
cameolike sketches, sublimations Of the short
story: then there is in one study of dragon
flies in the other a study Of semi" or singing
cicadae: in the chapter on japanese female
names IN the other chapter on the Buddhist
names of plants and animals, and In each there
is a paper on Japanese songs, with multltuoe
of the verses translated. 4 sheaf Of half dozen
or more "studies' or fantasies occupies the
last half Of each volume. The twelve stories are
very brief, very weird very delicate and very
poetical. In one of them we have Japanese
variant OF the ancient Greek myth Of Pygmalion,
the fair creation being the picture Of maiden
on a screen. Thus is the climax set forth:
The girl stepped from the screen and walked
upon the mating Of the room and knelt TO take
the cup from T0kkei's hand asking. with g de-
lcious smile EOh Koizumi Yakumo. why de
licious"?j How could you love much?"
She much more beautiful than the picture
beautiful TO the tips OF her fngernails, beautiful
also IN heart and temper. lovelier than anybody
else in the world But will you not soon
get tired of me?' she asked Never while
livei' he protested. And after-?'' she per
sisted, for The Japanese bride is not satisfied
with love fer lifetime only. Let us pledge
ourselves TO each other" he entreated, for the
time of seven existences'' IF ever you are
unkind to me-" she said, q viii go back to the
screen"
Mr Hearn adds: They pledged each other. I
suppose that Tokkei was a good boy, for his
bride never returned to the screen. The space
that she had occupied upon it remained a
blank
The author of these volumes has collected
some interesting poems the insects of Japan
and these he compares with Greek poetry SINH
larry inspired. The chapter japanese female
names is curious Mr.. Hearn says because
.yobina, or personal name. happens to be iden-
tical with the name Of some tree or bird or
flower. ii does not follow that the personal ap-
peIlation conveys TO japanese imagination IDEAS
resembling those which the corresponding Eng
Ssh word would convey. under like circum-
~ 1~lS