The Washington times., 1901-08-04


rosa or the comparatively common Soli-
| dago speciosa. II is a weakness of the
amateur to find rare plants which, after
further study, turn out to be common.
| 1t Will not do, however, to accept in all
cases the dictum of Mr.. Mathews book,
| especially in matters of omission. He
! leaves out some of the cCmmonest flowers
-"itch-hazel, for example, which is dis
missed with a casual mention-and he
| also risks the statement that cardinal
| flower is not common in the State of New
| hampshire, when any New Hampshire
| botanist could have assured him that
| 1t grows there about as commonly as 1t
| does anywhere. (New York: d. Apple
ton & Co. s.75)
''The Hidden Servants" by Francesca
| Alexander, is collection of poems trans
| lated from, or based on, the folk-legends
| and songs Of Tuscany The author has
| lived for many years in Florence. and her
previous books, THE Story of Ida anc
Roadside Songs of Tuscany deal with
the same subjects.
The verses in the present collection are
graceful and musical, and well suited to
the theme; and to many readers this will
seem more attractive book than either
| religious, and the poems are likely to
prove equally delightful to Catholic and
Protestant The way in which they hap
pen to be written is interesting in itself.
The author had become familiar with
them and often told them to children,
and it occurred to her that they should
be written down, being too beautiful to be
lost. She could, however, write only
few minutes at time, on account OF trou-
BILE with her eyes; and she finally devised
the plan of turning them into rhyme so
that she might write them down little by
| little. She says. in quaint simplicity, that
If the poems prove pleasing to Older peo-
pie as well as children, it will prove that
when the Lord took from her one facui-
ty he gave her another, or, as the beau
tiful Italian proverb says, when God
shuts door He opens a window" Bos-
ton: Little, Brown * Co. Sl.50)
"The Bench and Bar as Makers of the
American Republic by the Hon. W. w.
Goodrich presiding justice of the Su-
preme Court. Appellate Division, State of
New York, is a reprint in book form OF
an address delivered on Forefathers'
Day, 1900, and is brief sketch of the
part which lawyers have taken in the
formation of American Institutions. (New
York: E. b. Treat & Co. so cents)
"Deirdre Wed. and Other POEMS" is
the title of modest little collection of
verse by Herbert Trench. Those familiar
with Gaelic legends will recognize the sto-
ry of the poem which gives its title to
the book as founded on a bit of folklore
out of the Scotch Highlands. The poem
is full of wild Gaelic imagery and the
M hn q
cunning in the art of suiting the words
to the theme. A fragment which is char
acteristic in its wording is the following:
As when herd-boy lying on the scar
(Who pipes to focks below him on the steep
Melodies like their neckbells, scattering far,
Cool as the running water, soft as sleep
Hurls out flint from peril TO debar
And from the bouldcrd chaam recall his sheep
So with knife Naois leapt and strook.
The other poems are no less interesting
from their loftiDess OF thought and es-
sentiany poetic diction. One entitled
Shakespeare" is perhaps the most strik-
ing. (New York: John Lane)
"The Filipino Martyrs" by Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, is. as the title plainly
indicates. a condemnation of the Ameri-
can policy in the Philippines. The author
is outspoken in his criticism of the Amer
dier, and as citizen, and equally vehe-
ment In his appreciation of the Filipino.
He states that 1t was common during his
stay in Manila to see American soldiers
in a ragged and dirty condition, drunk on
the street, and that there was little if any
discipline among them. One of the Incl
dents which he recounts is that of the
shooting of a Filipino child by an Ameri-
can soldier for the offence OF stealing or
pretending to steal an egg from the stall
of a Chinese marketman. He also states
that Filipino woman was shot for seek
ing medicine for her sick child. He also
quotes the statement of one of Aguinal-
do 5 aides to the effect that if the Fill
pinos wished to take Manila all that they
would have to do would be to roll a con-
siderable number of whisky barrels into
the city. wait until the American troops
consumed ii. and then take the city 1t
may be said of this book, as of others of
its kind, that ''if people like that sort of
thing it is just the sort Of thing they will
like
1t seems a little queer however, con-
the fact that American soldiers
are fairly representative of the mass of
the people of the country, that the author
should compliment the latter so highly,
and appeal so strongly to their sense of |
justice. while representing the soldier as
devoid of the ordinary instincts of hui
manity. (New York: John Lane. s.25)
'The Political Economy of Humanism. |
by Henry Wood, is a series of essays on |
social. political. and industrial questions. |
somewhat visionary in character There |
is nothing particularly new in it, and |
some of the essays remind one of DR. |
Holmes observation on the katydid.
Thou sayst ndisputed thing
In such a SOLEMN way.
There is plentJ of room for new |
thoughts on the relation between ethics |
and social progress, but not much for the |
hashng over of old ideas. Boston: Lee |
& Shepard. $L25)
pleasures of the Telescope" by Gar
rett p. Serviss, author of Astronomy |
With an Opera Glass" is a book which
will interest those students of the stars
who are fortunate enough to be possessed |
of telescope, even if it is not a very
large one. 1t contains many maps and is
daintily bound in every respect 1t will |
be a useful supplement to the two other |
works reviewed in this col
umn. tNew York: ID. Appleton & Co. |
s1.50)
1.-THE Rubaiyat of Mirza-Mem Is the |
title Of an anonymous poem which is as
the title indicates. similar in style and
Versiflcation to THE Rubaiyat of Omar
Khayyam." The author has lavished |
thought and skill enough upon the poem
10 make 1t perhaps remarkable If he had |
lot dared fate by comparing il with per |