New-York tribune., 1902-03-19

from ne Earliest. Times 70 The Present pay,
ton. By David Patrick Ii. D. In Three Vol
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company.
The Cyclopedia OF English Literature which
DR. Robert Chambers planned in lS41 and pub
lished in two volumes in 1914 was well received
at the start and has been held in honor ever
since. 1t was a case Of a good idea being taken
in hand by the right and developed in the
right way. Obviously the material bound
less. Just obviously the difficulties in the
way Of winning success We're enormous. But
with great wisdom the editors decided upon a
flexible policy, one which could not be better de-
scribed than in the words which we find in
Dr. Patrick's preface. The cycopada he says
sis not and is not meant TO be, anthology
OF the perfect models Of our prose and verse, a
chrestomathy Of purple patches, d collection Of
elegant extracts The acknowledged gem should
be there. if the man is merely known by some
one noble passage. one sonnet. one song one
aphorism or sententious saying: but something
there should be. a rule TO illustrate his
average achievement the standard by which
he may fairly be judged. Nor does the work
profess 10 be a marrow of our literature or to
give the spirit and quintessence of the several
authors. In no viii rise from
articles Of ours hattering himself that now he
knows his author and may consider that subject
settled. What NE give him is little more than a
catalogue ,aisonHc, and illustrated conspectus a
fingerpost to the best books a guide that
of which he is i'm search, TO what he needs. TO
what viii interest him. 10 what he read with
pleasure and profit
The book in its old form is a mine Of good
things. The edition promises from this
first volume, To be vastly richer as well as
much improved in matters Of arrangement In
this volume alone over fifty authors not named
or hardly named I'm the older issues are treated.
The new writer's employed in the preparation OF
this edition include like Stopford Brooke
A H Bullen. Austin Dobson. the late $ r
Gardiner. Andrew Lang. Sidney Lee and Will
lam Wallace The historical surveys prefxed to
the several sections Of the work with a large
proportion OF the critical and Biographical arti-
cles. are new. Historical facts have been veri-
fed and corrected. Many Of the illustrated ex-
tracts are different from those formerly given
The system which caused an author to be treat
ed as poet, dramatist, novelist essaylst and
historian in separate sections has been aban-
doned, and each author is presented "continu-
ousy and once for all" The Typography is ex-
cellent' and scattered through this first volume
we observe a number Of well chosen illustra-
tions. portraits and facsimiles adequately re-
produced Dy the half-tone process. The Chandos
portrait Of Shakespeare forms the frontisniece
The volume is Of reasonable size; though neces-
sarily somewhat heavy. 1t is not cumbrous. and
the green cloth binding is in perfect taste. The
other two volumes viii be awaited with impa-
thence.
The Putnams have begun the publication OF a
new illustrated edition Of Social England" to
be completed in six stout octave volumes Of
which We have just received the first This is
the compendious work produced by divers hands
under the edfforshiD oF ba faTa N
and Mr.. J $. Mann. II gives record Of the
progress OF the English people in religion laws.
learning. arts. industry. commerce, science. lit
erature and manners from the earliest times to
the present day. II is inevitably diversified in
style. and a little uneven in form, but we have
before this warmly testified to its value as a