The progressive farmer., 1902-04-15
BOOK NOTICES.

Mr.. Dixon's book is, in the
language of the Charlotte OBJ
server: "'Leopard's Spots are
good books not to write, anyhow "
And yet there is much good along
with the bad. There are some sbrik-
ing, foroeful chapters about the end
of the Civil War and Reconstruction
days, and the romance is interesting
enough at first. But the author tries
to oover too much ground. Alter
going through the chapters on Re-
construction affairs, the reader en-
ters the love story; there g chapter
or two of the romance, then few
pages of trenzied abuse of the negro,
then an grafton on the Spanish
American War; then back TO the
romance, which abruptly gives place
to more talk of negroes and politics,
and so TO the end.
But the fatal defect is pointed out
by the New Orleans Times. Democrat ::
the book s'lacks calm statement. 1t
is an exaggeration, just as ''Uncle
Tom g Cabin" and GA FOOLS Errand"
were exaggerations. And the South
is harmed, rather than helped, by
exaggerations. The simple unVar
nished story of the evils of Recon
struction-as reported, for instance,
in Thomas Nelson Pages interesting
story, cred Rock"-is what the
South and the country most needs.
We have heard somewhere the
wise counsel that man should keep
hands off of difficulties and troubles
if he has no remedy or cure to sug
gest. We commend the advice to
Mr.. Dixon. He gives US a fearful
picture of the negro problem he
goes into a sort of frenzy in desorib,
ing the horrors of the disease. But
he suggests no remedy. He folds
his hands, hysterioally, and quits.
And it is disappointing to follow a
45O-page description of a disease to
find at the end that the writer hasn't
studied the matter sufficiently, or
hasn't philosophy and calmness
enough, TO suggest any sort of rem
edy for the trouble about which he
makes such an ado.
THE PRACTICE OF TYPOGRAPHY Cor.
RECT COMPOSITION. By Theodore
Low De Vinne. 12mo, cloth, 476
PIP. Price 81, net The Century Co.,
Publishers, New York.
The sub title of this book indicates
it's character: GA Treatise on Spell
ing, Authorizations, the Compound
ing and Division of lords, the Proper
Use of Figures and Numerals, Italic
and Capital Letters. Notes, eto. with
Observations on Punctuation and
Proof Reading.
There is perhaps no man in Amer
ioa so we'll qualified as Mr.. De Vinne
TO speak on these subjects, and he has
written book that no editor, printer
or proof. reader should be without.
We know of no better manual of
reference for printing houses, and
we are sure that it's general adoption
as such would lead to considerable
Improvements in matters typograph
ioal.
ALEXANDER HAMILTON. By Charles
A. Conant Price, IS cents. Hough-
ton, Mif1in g Co., Publishers, BOs-
ton.
Biography Is neglected by many
people because most of the published
lives of our great men are bulky,
tedious, and expensive. On she
other hand, "The Riverside Bio
graphical Series" of which this is
the tenth number, are short, inter
esting, and cheap. But while mex
pensive, they are carefully prepared,
neatly printed, and substantially
bound.
COMMON ERRORS IN WRITING AND
SPEAKING. By Edward s Ellis
Cloth. Price, so cents. Kinds g
Noble, Publishers, 4 Cooper Union,
New York.
In this little book of 1913 pages Mr..
Ellis points out some of the errors
errors in grammar and errors caused
by misused words-that one hears
everyday. The book also contains a
short treatise on pronunciation and
punctuation. The same publishers
issue booklet of rs pages, "Ponctua.
tion Mastered in Twelve Lessons. -
WORD AND PHRASE: TRUE AND
FALSE USE IN ENGLISH. By Joseph
80 ~